The war in Ukraine is going so well. After two years of fighting off the mighty Russian army, the Ukrainians have entered and seized control of Russian territory! Well, that’s what the US Government, the Western media, and the military-industrial complex want us to believe.
We must remember that when it comes to war, those in power and those who benefit from war want us to believe that it is going well so that we will support their intent on prolonging the war effort.
But is it going well?
According to US Senators Lindsey Graham (Rep) and Richard Blumenthal (Dem), it is. They met with Ukrainian “President” Zelensky and praised Ukraine’s war efforts. Of course, they did. That’s precisely what the military-industrial complex, which finances their senate seats, wants them to say. 
Blumenthal encouraged the Ukrainian president, “You’re fighting our fight for the independence and freedom of people around the world, including the United States.”
Are you serious? What could he possibly mean by “our fight”? If I were the president of Ukraine, I would be livid. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have died. If this is the US’ fight also, then send us more than weapons.
Lindsey Graham praised the Ukrainian president for withstanding two years of the Russian invasion, and then, after noting that Ukraine has now entered into Russian territory, he added, “Remind me to never invade Ukraine.” Seriously!
Graham, on his own congressional website, revealed the real interest behind his support of Ukraine, “Now is the time to form a strategic partnership with Ukraine that can have tremendous economic benefits to the United States. . . .” Yep, this is about feeding the Beast. Economic benefits for the US.
That Graham does not care about life and the effects of war, aside from the personal gains he experiences, is evident in his statement regarding the war: “Best money we’ve ever spent.” Then he added, “And the Russians are dying.”
Since when do we consider the deaths of anyone “money well spent”?
Things are not what they seem
Zelensky, however, whose term as President expired in May, has to know that things are not what they seem. Now, it is in fact true that Ukraine sent some of its best fighters to cross the border and capture Russian territory in Kursk.
This invasion met with rave reviews in the West and has been used to bolster the narrative that our tax dollars are funding a successful campaign.
The BBC reported that Ukraine destroyed a key Russian bridge! Whoo hoo! They also stated that Ukraine’s incursion into Russia will force Russia to negotiate! Brilliant!
The British publication The Guardian reports, “Ukraine’s extraordinary incursion into Kursk has changed the narrative of the war.” Really?
Foreign Policy declared it a “Turning point in the war.”
Others, however, have reported that Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk is nothing but a political façade designed to make it look to the West that Ukraine is winning.
John Mearsheimer says that the real indication of success in the war in Ukraine is the casualty exchange ratio, which shows which side is losing more men and women.
Mearsheimer notes that we must begin by recognizing that Ukraine has fewer people than Russia. Therefore, in what Mearsheimer calls “a war of attrition,” Ukraine cannot afford to have an equal casualty exchange rate. The problem is that Ukraine is quite likely losing the war regarding the casualty exchange rate by a margin of 3-1, 4-1, or even 5-1.
But doesn’t the invasion of Kursk show that Ukraine is winning? After all, they are advancing into Russian territory.
For one, there are very few people (Russians) in the region. Also, capturing this region does not provide Ukraine with any strategic advantage. In other words, the invasion of Kursk was a relatively minor accomplishment. And the region has little strategic value. Thus, the assertion that Russia will have to negotiate is ludicrous.
In addition, because Russia has few people in the region, the Ukrainian forces (and some reports suggest that there are more than just Ukrainians involved) are sitting ducks for Russian airstrikes.
Therefore, Mearsheimer concludes that the Kursk offensive favors Russia in the casualty exchange ratio. After all, because Ukraine’s invasion was into an undefended and sparsely populated territory, Russia suffered only a few casualties. Thus, Mearsheimer asks, “How does invading Kursk help?”
Consequently, Mearsheimer says the invasion was foolish.
What all this means
You might ask, why do I bring this up? Quite simple.
It is a perfect example of what the book of Revelation calls the Beast. Empire advances through power (Mark 10:42-45), often manifested in war. The Empire, however, needs the support of the people, so it utilizes propaganda.
Now, to some extent, Western media outlets are not completely at fault. They report what they know, and what they are told is what the West wants them to know.
Of course, they could know more if they wanted to. We live in the information age. There are countless independent news agencies—some of which spout outrageous stuff, but some are pretty reliable—that report beyond what the Empire wants us to know.
Consequently, the Church must find a way to look past the propaganda and advocate for peace and justice for all. Wars must end—for the sake of everyone—the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and the people of the US. That is right: if these wars continue, the US will find itself under attack. We are, after all, one of the prime instigators of this war and many others.
The church must stand up to the Beast, which includes the American Empire and the corporations who are sponsoring such wars, and say, “No more.”
On Thursday, August 29 at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST James McCarty and I will discuss “The Business of War.” This is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Another one of these wars is Israel’s war on Gaza. On Monday, August 19, 2024, at 5:00 pm PST / 8:00 EST, Gary Burge and I will continue the conversation on Israel’s assault on Gaza. Are we being fed propaganda there also? Do I need to answer this question?
By subscribing to the Determinetruth YouTube page, you will be notified about these and any other upcoming livestreams. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE, “like” the episode, leave a comment in the comments box, and share it with others.
Our goal is to keep these posts free of charge. I do not intend ever to hide them behind a paywall. I can only do this if those of you who have been blessed by them and can afford to give ($5, $10, $25, or more/month) do so. You can give a tax-deductible contribution by following this link.
Please share this post and let others know about determinetruth
If you wish to view this blog on your smartphone through the Determinetruth app download the “tithe.ly church” app and insert “determinetruth” as the church name you wish to follow. Once it is loaded, click on the “blog” icon and it will automatically load.
If you would like to have Rob speak at your church or organization in person or via Zoom, please let us know by filling out the contact info on the Contact me tab on this site.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In