David Petraeus

There are numerous options, all the way from diplomatic and informational.

Even just getting Starlink dishes in on the ground would help them communicate with each other and with the outside world.

There can be economic sanctions of various types against individuals, against Iran's ability to export oil.

There's humanitarian options.

And then, of course, there are many military options.

And I was also the former commander of U.S.

Central Command, which is the greater Middle East.

That would be the regional combatant command that undoubtedly has been developing the menus of options for the president and others to consider.

There can certainly be strikes on the headquarters of the security force organizations that are violently putting down these protests.

these demonstrations that have been killing the people in very substantial numbers.

He could go after the missile capability that they have, which, of course, was heavily damaged during the Israeli strikes against Iran, which concluded with a U.S.

substantial bombing as well.

They've been trying to reconstitute those missile arsenals that would be useful.

It could prevent some of the retaliation that might be of a concern.

Again, a number of different activities that wouldn't require boots on the ground, many of which could even be done with unmanned systems, cruise missiles and the like.

It was predictable and predicted in fact widely that Putin would not accept anything less than his stated core objectives, which are to replace President Zelenskyy through an election, presumably with a pro-Russian figure, to be given land in Donetsk province that they haven't even approached, much less taken. And this includes the so-called fortified cities, which if given to Russia, basically open the field for further aggression.

down the road. None of those can be acceptable to Ukraine, but Putin is clearly not going to accept anything less. He seems to be still under the impression that victory is inevitable, even though it's very clear that the incremental gains at extraordinary cost at some point just are not going to be sustainable for Russia, especially given the more fragile state of its economy than I think many recognize.

Luulen, että Euroopan kaupungin ja Brysselin kohdalla on kasvava nopeus. Olen käynyt niistä monia muutamia viikkoja, myös Kivun kohdalla. Olen tullut niistä saavuttamaan, että on todennäköistä, jos sopimus ei voida olla saavutettava. Se voisi vahvistaa Ukraina suurin piirtein ympäristöön ja ympäristöön. Se voisi myös auttaa heitä vahvistamaan russilaisen missiilin ja heidän itseään.

and then also to put much more pressure on the Russian economy with further sanctions, and that if more is done at a time when Russia is projected to run out of money in its national welfare fund next year, that's been funding their military-industrial complex. If you do that and also go after those who are enabling Russia,

Russia's war machine, buying its gas and oil and providing the components for its military industrial complex. I actually think there is a prospect that Putin himself might have to recognize that he needs a cessation of hostilities. There are already signs that recruiting is not as easy as it has been. If not, he wouldn't be quadrupling or quintupling the amount of advertising he's doing overseas.