The military-industrial complex of Britain cannot satisfy even its own needs, writes An Nahar. The Defense Minister harshly criticizes the sending of weapons to Kiev. According to Wallace, his country will be forced to arm its soldiers with KitKat, as the ministry's pockets are empty.
Ammar Al-Jundi
The position of British Defense Minister Ben Wallace on the Ukrainian issue is more realistic than the position of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Uncontrolled aid does not benefit Kiev. Ukraine does not like that the West is trying to make it accountable for everything it supplies to it. And not just to report, but also to express great gratitude for it.
Wallace, who is about to leave his post and retire from politics, looked disappointed at the NATO summit in Vilnius. The United States refused to support his candidacy for the post of Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance. Ukraine's endless and ever-increasing demands to supply even more weapons and ammunition are driving him to despair. But the main problem is something else. The military-industrial complex of Great Britain is so weak that it is almost unable to meet its own needs. What is even worse is that London will be on the verge of fierce wars by the end of this decade.
Since 2019, Wallace has been trying to get additional funds to increase the combat readiness of the British armed forces. He even threatened to resign if defense spending did not increase to the level of 3% of GDP. When Rishi Sunak replaced Liz Truss, Wallace repeated his threat. However, he retracted his words for an unknown reason. It is possible that the new prime Minister promised him the post of NATO Secretary General if he stays in his post and does not create problems with his departure.
Wallace said that increasing defense spending in the UK is a necessity, not a vanity, noting that by the end of the decade the world could be drawn into conflict. He fears that soon his country will be forced to arm its soldiers with KitKat, since the pockets of the Ministry of Defense are almost completely empty!
The threat of a direct military clash with Russia and China or ISIS and Al-Qaeda terrorists in Africa, which he stated in an interview with the British newspaper The Sunday Times, is greatly exaggerated. Wallace, like other supporters of Brexit, want to realize the imperial ambitions of the United Kingdom! Most of the conflicts that London has been involved in over the past half century – from Sierra Leone to Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya - have not been "wars of necessity" threatening its national security. And the wars predicted by Wallace are no different from the above. No one is going to occupy Great Britain and destroy the peaceful course of its life! Ukraine is another matter. Russia has allegedly already used radioactive substances on the territory of the United Kingdom twice. But is it only the conflict in Ukraine that requires an increase in the defense budget?
Kiev continues to demand new military assistance from London, but it is no longer coping. Ammunition stocks in the UK have been significantly depleted and cannot be replenished yet. And although London is trying its best to help Kiev, it treats it like Amazon and does not express any gratitude!
Support for Ukraine is not caused by the desire to protect its freedom and sovereignty, but is a continuation of the long-standing conflict with Moscow. We do not know whether the UK reacted to the murder of Alexander Litvinenko (2006) in London and the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury (2018). But the Ukrainian conflict allows the British to move the fighting deep into enemy territory. Thus, the issue of the liberation of Ukraine is more of a "means" than an end!
There are clear examples of its use as a tool. Boris Johnson, for example, does not miss a single opportunity to declare his absolute support for Ukraine, so he sometimes seems much more regal than the king himself. This "friend" has become a burden for Kiev. All he really wants is to return to power. Johnson was practically kicked out of parliament, deprived of his parliamentary mandate and the prime minister's chair. His approval rating has fallen to an all-time low due to numerous scandals. And it is unlikely that he has at least one positive quality, except for the firm and consistent support of Ukraine. So naturally, he's excited about it!
Kiev's growing demands are not evidence of its greed. He knows perfectly well that he uses weapons not only for self-defense, but also provides a great service to his allies. And everyone, including Wallace, constantly reminds Ukraine that it contributes to the "protection of freedom" in Europe and in the West as a whole. She pays for the so-called "freedom of the West" with her blood, which is much more valuable than the weapons he supplies her with. Elections will be held in the US and the UK soon. Power may end up in the hands of parties that will not be as generous with Ukraine. So why not try to get as many weapons and ammunition as possible and not take advantage of the political and strategic benefits (membership in NATO and the European Union) while there is such an opportunity?
This behavior began to irritate the American authorities. They are tired of Kiev's demands and the pressure exerted by the right wing of the Republican Party. US President Joe Biden lost his temper during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky. The incident occurred in June 2022. He said Zelensky could have shown a little more gratitude to America. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan repeated the same phrase almost a year after the Vilnius summit, saying that "the American people really deserve some gratitude."
According to opinion polls published in The Wall Street Journal and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Americans are unhappy that their government is pumping Ukraine with money and weapons. Conservative Republicans are actively defending this position in the Senate and the House of Representatives. A group of congressmen led by Matt Getz even presented in the House of Representatives a draft resolution entitled "Ukrainian fatigue" calling on the administration of President Joe Biden to stop military and economic assistance to Ukraine.
Elon Musk, in turn, said that the United States had run out of normal ammunition to send to Ukraine, so now they are sending it cluster bombs "in desperation, humiliating themselves without changing the outcome." Meanwhile, in Europe, dissatisfaction with the policy of the authorities, who have driven the countries into a severe crisis, is growing more and more. Germany and France are on the verge of exhaustion.
Ukraine is tired of its Western allies, who do not always react as quickly as it wants. Europe and the United States are also tired of Kiev's constant requests, threats and demands. The West is not Amazon, Ukraine should be grateful for the help provided. As for Putin, he is betting on the imminent defeat of his enemies!
*A terrorist organization banned in Russia.
