According to at least one source, billions of dollars of U.S. arms are being discussed between Vladimir Putin of Russia and the Taliban government of Afghanistan.
President Joe Biden’s botched bugout from Afghanistan led to a huge windfall for the radical Islamic government. This included artillery and attack helicopters as well as thousands of HUMVEES and machine guns. All this was left behind when our orderly withdrawal became a disaster.
According to the Department of Defense, the value of all the gear Biden left behind is $7.12 billion. Now Putin is offering to buy any equipment he or the battered Russian Army needs.
According to The Sun, Telegram (a popular social media platform for Russian milbloggers), claims that:
“Putin is overseeing negotiations to recognize the Taliban government.” “The Russian leadership has offered a major arms and equipment exchange in return,” the General SVR channel stated.
It stated that Putin reported that the Taliban have weapons and equipment, including those taken after they came to power in Afghanistan. This information is not available to the Russian Army at war.
The Russian Ministry of Defense didn’t comment on the rumor.
This would be more of an arms swap than a cash transaction if I understand correctly. In exchange for Russian weapons and diplomatic recognition, the Taliban would surrender its Western gear. The Taliban would have no difficulty obtaining ammo, spare parts, and replacements of Russian equipment than they do for Western gear.
It is not clear how effective the Russian Army would make of Biden’s haul. They would face the same problem as the Taliban: A lack of proper ammunition and spares.
However, Russia’s huge losses — including as many as 3,000 frontline and reserve battle tanks — prove that every little bit helps.
The deal will be a diplomatic coup against Biden’s ineptitude, as well as the embarrassment caused by the deaths of civilians and soldiers from Ukraine.
My headline promised more. Here it is:
U.S. Southern Command chief General Laura Richardson told the Atlantic Council this week that the Biden Administration has offered Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua — all trouble spots for us — and six other Latin American nations used U.S. military equipment if they’d send their old Russian and Soviet gear to Ukraine.
This report is more solid than the rumor that Putin and the Taliban are, as it has been confirmed by Gen. Richardson.
The U.S. and other countries, including Germany, and Poland, are currently preparing to send modern main battle tanks such as the M1 Abrams and Leopard II to Ukraine.
Both of these stories show that there is a deeper reorientation going on.
Communist China’s rise and Russia’s reckless invasion of Ukraine — and the West’s response to both — have effectively blunted globalization. The world is bifurcating once more, with China and Russia on one side, and NATO plus the westernized Pacific Rim nations (Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand) on the other. The rest of the world will be pressured to take sides in Cold War II.
If Ukraine is able to survive Putin’s invasion, it will be able to adopt Western gear regardless of whether they join NATO. Since the West is their source of supply, it makes no sense for Kyiv not to use weapons made by their sworn enemy.
As part of an (ill-fated?) plan to de-militarize anti-American countries such as Venezuela and Cuba, it makes no sense. attempt to realign them westward.
Both sides made many stupid and self-destructive plays during the Cold War. Cold War II will be no different.
