Intelligence agencies concluded that granting Ukraine’s request to use Western missiles against targets deep in Russia could prompt forceful retaliation while not fundamentally changing the course of the war.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Russia is likely to retaliate with greater force against the United States and its coalition partners, possibly with lethal attacks, if they agree to give the Ukrainians permission to employ U.S., British and French-supplied long-range missiles for strikes deep inside Russia, U.S. officials said.

The intelligence assessment, which has not been previously reported, also plays down the effect that the long-range missiles will have on the course of the conflict because the Ukrainians currently have limited numbers of the weapons and it is unclear how many more, if any, the Western allies might provide.

. . .

The findings may help explain in part why the decision has been so difficult for Mr. Biden to make, and show the internal pressures on him to say no to Mr. Zelensky’s request. U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters and internal deliberations, said it remained unclear what Mr. Biden would decide to do.

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  • @[email protected]
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    29 hours ago

    The intelligence assessment, which has not been previously reported, also plays down the effect that the long-range missiles will have on the course of the conflict because the Ukrainians currently have limited numbers of the weapons and it is unclear how many more, if any, the Western allies might provide.

    Look! They don’t need to be allowed to use the weapons anyways, since they wont be effective, since we wont provide them!

    This gives some “Front fell off” vibes.

    Meanwhile the US sends more billions to Israel to help them invade Lebanon. The US is going to sacrifice Ukraine to Russia, so it can support Israels plans for an all out war.

  • Drusas
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    410 hours ago

    Because they want to continue this slow and steady escalation rather than have a sudden one. It’s escalating regardless. It will escalate as long as Putin thinks he can get away with it.

  • @[email protected]
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    17 hours ago

    Allow them and if Russia strikes the West then have NATO impose a no fly zone over Ukraine and see how far Russia gets.

    Honestly, what is the alternative? Allow Russia to take any territory it wants? It’s fucking absurd to listen to their bluster. At this point it seems literally no different than attempts to appease Hitler.

    • rhys
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      1115 hours ago

      Allow them and if Russia strikes the West then have NATO impose a no fly zone over Ukraine and see how far Russia gets.

      Forget a no-fly zone; if Russia strikes a NATO country most of the West will be going to war.

      I’m torn on the matter for the obvious and horrific implications of war, but at this point I’m not sure it’d be the worst outcome. The invasion of Ukraine is utterly heartbreaking and setting the scene for a century or more of militarism and conquest by undemocratic states. Being gripped by fear of war now is going to condemn future generations to much worse, and it’s going to seem absurd to them looking back at why we didn’t prevent it now, with our tentative, sometimes faltering support for the multiple liberal-democracies facing conflict and the threat of conflict from undemocratic states right now.

      Sooner or later the world is going to have to contend with this. I just hope it won’t be too late for Ukraine.

    • FuglyDuck
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      916 hours ago

      Pretty sure any overt act against a nato member is going to lead to all of nato jumping Russia.

      That’s kinda the point of the alliance.

  • @small44
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    317 hours ago

    But they allows Israel to do whatever they want

  • @wurzelgummidge
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    -1314 hours ago

    Ukraine striking deeper into Russia would mean that Russia will strike deeper into Ukraine.

    • @[email protected]
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      1010 hours ago

      You mean deeper than Lviv, which they have been striking from day 1 of the invasion? How much deeper can Russia still strike?

  • Media Bias Fact CheckerB
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    -617 hours ago
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    https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/us/politics/us-intelligence-stresses-risks-in-allowing-long-range-strikes-by-ukraine.html
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