To be generous, you would call the tank debate an evolution of opinion among Western policymakers.
To put it bluntly, it was a fiasco, and certainly not the united front that the West was fighting for in this year-long war.
Ukrainians are used to this pattern of Western indecision.
It follows a now-familiar pattern: have a big fight, say “no,” and agree. It is almost integrated into the Ukrainian request lead time.
message from berlin and warsaw – Tanks can go to Ukraine after all – hints at the actions of the Americans.
Remember, the Germans kept saying they didn’t want their tanks alone fighting the Russians. (The handful of Challenger 2s offered in the UK didn’t quite please them.)
The Germans wanted the American M1 Abrams and their own Panther tanks.
Americans say no. Their tanks are much larger, but have fuel issues – it’s designed to use jet fuel that’s not readily available on the Ukrainian front, it’s much heavier, and it relies on a unique, complex supply chain. Remember, in war, the success of any army and its equipment is entirely dependent on a stable, smooth supply chain.
Will Germany send tanks to Ukraine?
The M1 Abrams is also highly complex and full of manufacturing secrets, including composite armor containing impenetrable depleted uranium meshes.
The main battle tank is the tip of the gun of the army. If it is destroyed and left on the wrong side of the enemy line, its secrets will be revealed.
It’s one thing to get the US military to go and destroy their own damaged tanks if need be. Can they expect Ukrainian soldiers to do the same? That will be one of many considerations for Americans when considering supplying Abrams.
In the debate in the United States, opinions are widely divided. “Why not just offer some tanks, older less sophisticated models, to break the logjam?” some politicians and generals have asked.
Even the former British Prime Minister is such a staunch supporter Ukrainechime in.
“Where does the Western world need tanks now?” boris johnson ask.
“Defending North Rhine-Westphalia? Defending Tennessee? Wandering through Wiltshire villages? So let me ask again: Is there any conceivable reason for the delay?”
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In the Pentagon, the spokesman is not drawn, even if the news from Berlin is moving.
But spokesman Gen. Pat Ryder did hint at an announcement and said he didn’t want to “preview the announcement”.
Therefore, it is expected that news from Washington may come as soon as today. It is likely that any American tank will take some time to reach the battlefield.
This will allow for supply chain issues to be addressed and allow time for training. It could also provide space to explore how to reduce the risk of any valuable technology in the tank falling into Russian hands.
Of course, the perennial unknown: How will Putin react? The western tank in battle would change the picture, with his unpredictable redline always in the spotlight.