Xenophon once chronicled the march of 10,000 Greek mercenaries returning home, warriors hardened by battles in foreign lands. Today, I fear there will be no such account for the 10,000 North Korean special forces Putin has pulled into his war. They will all die in Ukraine, of course.
These mercenaries, sent by Kim Jong-un, are both everywhere and nowhere at once — playing a game of mirage in the Russian wilderness. Like Figaro from the play Pierre Beaumarchais, these North Korean forces seem to blink in and out of existence: one moment not yet in Russia, the next supposedly there but not yet in Ukraine. A Schrödinger’s cat of international warfare.
Finally, after months of “seeing” nothing, the Pentagon confirmed the presence of these 10,000. And NATO’s new Secretary-General took the matter up with South Korea and Japan. Next, Secretary Austin is expected to discuss it. Yet, so what? What does all this diplomatic posturing actually achieve?
The question that’s truly urgent is whether Ukraine will be allowed to strike back at Russian territory with long-range missiles. A simple choice — either YES or NO. Ukraine’s linear defense is disastrous for Ukrainians and, ironically, somewhat advantageous for Putin. His use of foreign soldiers speaks volumes: the first waves of his army now rest in Ukrainian soil, and he needs mercenaries to bolster his failing strategy. If deploying North Korean troops into the Russian-Ukrainian war isn’t escalation — a clear step toward a global conflict — then what is?
This fear of escalation has done nothing but fuel Putin’s ambitions. Clinton pressured Ukraine to give up its nuclear weapons, Obama watched as Crimea fell, and Biden continues to hold Ukraine back from victory, while Trump suggests handing over Ukraine’s territories to Russia to “end” the war. A shopkeeper’s mindset in geopolitics, to say the least.
Appeasing Putin will never bring peace. What we need are decisive actions, not diplomatic backflips. Ukrainians have shown unwavering courage on the battlefield. All that remains is for Western leaders to finally match them in resolve.
Glory to Ukraine!
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