"Finally, a Media Debate between Me and an Ukrainian Cheerleader"
by Larry Johnson
sonar21.com (July 27, 2023)
https://sonar21.com/finally-a-media-debate-between-me-and-an-ukrainian-cheerleader/

Leave it to the Iranians to allow an actual televised debate about Ukraine. I accepted an invitation to appear on Press TV, which is Iran’s version of Voice of America, unaware that Andrij Dobriansky, Director of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, would be appearing opposite me. That was a pleasant surprise. In contrast to CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and the BBC, the producers for this Press TV program did not do a pre-interview to determine what I was going to say. Go figure — an Iranian-funded television program that does not require one to pledge allegiance to the views of the Iranian Government.

There was a time in the United States when you could see an exchange like the following on most of the cable and network stations. Not anymore. Can those of you who watch American TV news remember the last time you saw someone opposed to the U.S. policy in Ukraine allowed to debate the issue? Doug MacGregor used to get an occasional interview with Tucker, but that ended when Tucker was fired.

I will apologize in advance for not tolerating patiently the lies spewed by Mr. Dobriansky. My Irish ancestry got the better of me.

(Here is the link to the Press TV version. https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/07/27/707863/GRAIN-CORRIDOR-COLLAPSE).

Here is a snippet of the video I referenced in my exchange with Mr. Dobriansky. Retired British AIR VICE-MARSHAL SEAN MICHAEL BELL, showed up yesterday on Sky News and departed radically from his previous rosy scenario analysis where he insisted Ukraine was triumphing over those dastardly Rooskies.

War in Ukraine: Putin: Kyiv's countero-offensive has failed.

Sean Michael Bell: "Yes, it was a leaked to document. It outlined the counter-offensive wasn't going as planned; it wasn't achieving very much on the ground, that the Ukrainians weren't using Western training; there was a failure of leadership there. Interestingly, UK defense officials have been saying it's just not helpful to be critical of the Ukrainians but these probably reflected international concerns. We are in the seventh, gusting eighth week of this offensive and there hasn't been a great deal of progress. And one of the concerns internationally is that Ukraine could not be in a better position with international aid, weapons, money, training. It was all perfectly set. Therefore, if they couldn't do it with that, how would they be able to do it now? Of course, the seniors would turn around and say the delays were caused because weapons didn't arrive in time. The Russians built up defenses. It's going to take time to break those down. And Ukraine has only committed Ninth Corps so far. Tenth Corps, all of the weapons, the tanks, and everything. So, it's too early to judge at the moment. But it's very clear that international concerns are gradually rising. President Zelensky needs a breakthrough and he needs it soon

Bell’s candid admission is a flashing red light signaling a dramatic shift in the Western narrative. He did not offer this spin on his own. The previous messaging about Ukraine’s inevitable triumph over Russia is dead. Bell and others in the United States and NATO are making it quite clear that Ukraine is failing because it refused to follow the wise military guidance of NATO. The stage is being set to jettison Ukraine and leave it to sort things out with Russia in the same way that the United States (and NATO) bugged out of Afghanistan. We declare “Mission Accomplished” and head for the exits.

Mr. Dobriansky is fortunate. He is based in the United States and does not have to worry about coming up with an evacuation plan to escape Kiev once the Western nations pull chocks and depart.