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"Misconception" that delay in U.S. aid to Ukraine "killed people"

Dated: December 26, 2019 by Sharyl Attkisson 5 Comments

      

War correspondent Nolan Peterson (center left)

It's a misconception that a temporary delay in U.S. aid to Ukraine resulted in deaths of Ukrainians. That's according to Nolan Peterson, a former U.S. Air Force special operations pilot and a veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also worked as a Ukraine-based war correspondent.

In a recent interview with me for the Full Measure After Hours podcast, Peterson told me that he thinks it's important for the U.S. to provide Ukraine with "lethal aid" in order to send a message to Russia. That means U.S. anti-tank missiles known as Javelins. But Peterson says Ukraine actually makes its own Javelin-like missiles and, from a practical standpoint, doesn't really need ours.

They build a lot of weapons...they make their own anti-tank missiles like the Javelin, and a lot of those foreign sales they use to fund the purchase of things that they canโ€™t build at home...To be totally honest, they donโ€™t need our Javelins.

Nolan Peterson, former Ukraine-based war correspondent

Numerous Democrats and reporters have claimed or implied that a temporary delay in additional U.S. aid to Ukraine was responsible for the deaths of Ukrainians fighting in the war against Russia. But Peterson says a delay in U.S. aid would not have impacted Ukraine's fight on the ground.

[O]ne misconception that Iโ€™ve heard a lot in the impeachment inquiry is this notion that Ukraineโ€™s war effort against Russia is somehow going to collapse without U.S. military aid, which is far from the truth. Not based on what Iโ€™ve seen on the front lines over the last five and a half years.

Nolan Peterson, former Ukraine-based war correspondent

Peterson adds that Ukraine is actually one of the world's larger weapons exporters and does not rely on U.S. aid to defend itself against Russia.

They build a lot of weapons. A lot of big ticket things like armored personnel carriers, tanks, missiles, rockets, they make their own anti-tank missiles like the Javelin, and a lot of those foreign sales they use to fund the purchase of things that they canโ€™t build at home... [M]ost of their ammunition is coming from Soviet era stockpiles. Itโ€™s not like weโ€™re sending them bullets and shells, I mean they have their own stuff to fight the war with.

Nolan Peterson, former Ukraine-based war correspondent

Read an excerpt of Peterson's interview with Full Measure After Hours below. And listen to the full podcast by clicking the audio player at the end.

Important Stuff You Didn't Know About Ukraine (PODCAST: Full Measure After Hours)

Excerpt:

Nolan Peterson: They really see their friendship and their relationship with the United States as the most powerful diplomatic tool they have to keep Russia at bay. They think that if Russia believes that the United States has Ukraineโ€™s back, Russia will not outright invade Ukraineโ€ฆI know that Petro Poroshenko, the former president of Ukraine, who was president for the duration, the beginning of the war, he really wanted the [U.S.-made] Javelin [anti-tank missile].

Sharyl Attkisson: โ€ฆWhich is the lethal aid, what they refer to as "lethal aid"?

Nolan: Correct. They had been pushing the Obama administration to the letter on that and the Obama administration never did.

Sharyl: Because why? They were just worried it would incite Russiaโ€ฆ

Nolan: Long story short, they were afraid of escalating the situation with Russia.

Sharyl: And then Trump came in and gave them that aid?

Nolan: Correct. But I thinkโ€ฆone misconception that Iโ€™ve heard a lot in the impeachment inquiry is this notion that Ukraineโ€™s war effort against Russia is somehow going to collapse without U.S. military aid, which is far from the truth. Not based on what Iโ€™ve seen on the front lines over the last five and a half years. Ukraine is the number 12 weapons exporting nation in the world. From 2014 to 2018, for the four years of the warโ€ฆ

Sharyl: So they build a lot of stuff there?

Nolan: They build a lot of weapons. A lot of big ticket things like armored personnel carriers, tanks, missiles, rockets, they make their own anti-tank missiles like the Javelin, and a lot of those foreign sales they use to fund the purchase of things that they canโ€™t build at home.

Sharyl: Why do they need our Javelins if they make that?

Nolan: To be totally honest, they donโ€™t need our Javelins..

Sharyl: They just wanted the commitmentโ€ฆ?

Nolan: โ€ฆthey need the diplomatic show of force by the United States. So I think an important point is that if U.S. military aid ends, Ukraineโ€™s war effort would not collapse. U.S. military aid certainly helps Ukrainians on the front line for things like night vision goggles, counter battery radars, thermal imaging, those things are really useful to the Ukrainians, but, for example, most of their ammunition is coming from Soviet era stockpiles. Itโ€™s not like weโ€™re sending them bullets and shells, I mean they have their own stuff to fight the war with. But that [U.S.] aid, most importantly, sends a message, like I mentioned to Russia that the United States wonโ€™t tolerate Russia escalating this conflict any further. And so I do worry that by even temporarily withholding the aid, youโ€™re sending a bad message to Russia.

Listen to the entire podcast, "Important stuff you didn't know about Ukraine," by clicking the arrow on the player below.

For more original reporting, subscribe to my two podcasts on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite distributor: "Full Measure After Hours" and "The Sharyl Attkisson Podcast." Follow us on Twitter @FullMeasureAH @SharylPodcast!

Fight improper government surveillance. Support Attkisson v. DOJ and FBI over the government computer intrusions of Attkisson's work while she was a CBS News investigative correspondent. Visit the Attkisson Fourth Amendment Litigation Fund. Click here.

      
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About Sharyl Attkisson

Emmy-Award Winning Investigative Journalist, New York Times Best Selling Author, Host of Sinclair's Full Measure

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yakov says

    December 26, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    There was not active fighting in these period. If you read Ukrainian press, nobody was screaming about aids from USA Aid was critical in 2014-2015, but Obama sent blankets.

    Reply
  2. Walter Gilpin says

    December 27, 2019 at 1:47 pm

    Interesting, another fraud perpetrated by the Obama Administration. They shipped blankets to the Ukrainians - what a joke ! History will "catch up" to the inept, dishonest Obama in many, many ways, more so than his recent Administration's lies re: Obamacare, his criminal I.R.S. and "Fast and Furious" (giving hi power weapons to Mexican war lords), his cover up of Hillary's Benghazi deaths, Susan Rice and that Samantha Powers who authorized "unmasking" Americans' phone calls their administration deemed "dangerous" to the nation, Obama's ignorance of world wide trade dealings to protect American industries and with the panicky backing of the Iran Deal and corrupt dealings of wannabe Secty. of State Kerry. I'm regretting I'll be long gone to enjoy the uncovered outrageous ignorance of the whole Obama debacle.

    Reply
  3. Walter Gilpin says

    December 27, 2019 at 1:52 pm

    Facebook AGAIN does not post my remarks on how corrupt and ignorant the Obama Administration was. History will uncover the massive corruption. I only wish I could be around to scoff at this phony administration of Obama !

    Reply
  4. lenore says

    January 14, 2020 at 11:50 am

    obuma was afraid to send help to the "poor beleaguered" ukrainians for fear of insighting the russians!! ukraine can and does make their own weapons...i guess take our money anyway...why not we're all rich...we don't need it!!! so i guess this putzlosi impeachment is just a lot of demoCRAP!!!!!

    Reply

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