Two Years Later: Should America Continue to Aid Ukraine? A Debate.

41 snips

Feb 22, 2024

Guest

Elbridge Colby

Guest

Bret Stephens

Bret Stephens, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, and Elbridge Colby, co-founder of The Marathon Initiative and former deputy defense secretary, engage in a pivotal debate about America's support for Ukraine two years post-invasion. They explore the staggering human and financial toll of the war, the evolving public sentiment regarding military aid, and critical questions about victory and long-term U.S. strategy. The discussion delves into the implications for democracy and international stability amidst shifting dynamics in the conflict.

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ANECDOTE

Syria's Red Line

Brett Stephens cited Obama's "red line" in Syria as a failure of will.
Russia invaded Crimea soon after, demonstrating that inaction emboldens aggressors.

INSIGHT

Resolve and Capability

Elbridge Colby argues that American resolve is intertwined with capability.
He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the China challenge due to its growing power.

INSIGHT

Lack of Leadership

Bret Stephens believes that Biden's uninspiring leadership and lack of clear messaging have hindered public support for aiding Ukraine.
He also criticizes Republicans for cowering to Trump's demagoguery on the issue.

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Two years ago, on February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. The costs of this war have been unbelievably high. Half a million Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have been either killed or wounded. In terms of cost, the U.S. alone has spent $113 billion on the war. And an aid package that includes another $60 billion for Ukraine is stuck in Congress.

Americans’ changing sentiment about the war has certainly contributed to that package being in limbo. Two years ago, there was broad support for the war: 66 percent of Americans thought we needed to help Ukraine. But that view is no longer the consensus. Several polls have indicated that the majority of Americans oppose additional funding to support Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka fell to Russian forces last weekend. The Biden administration says it’s a direct consequence of congressional inaction.

Today on Honestly, a debate: Where is all of America’s aid to Ukraine going? Is Ukraine really such a clear-cut cause? Even if you believe that it is, what has all of this sacrifice gotten Ukraine—and the U.S.? Can Ukraine even win this war? What’s the endgame? And is victory in Ukraine really as important to America as many politicians claim that it is?

Bret Stephens is a Pulitzer Prize-winning opinion columnist for The New York Times. His book, America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder, foresaw much of today’s world. Bret worries that the world is on the precipice of World War III. Isolationism, he argues, only contributes to global instability.

Elbridge Colby is co-founder of The Marathon Initiative think tank. He served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development under President Trump, and he is the author of The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict. Colby believes the United States must make difficult defense choices in an era of great power competition. Ukraine, he argues, is not the top priority.

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