Phillips P. O'Brien

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6 September

Phillips P. O'BrienKorrents 6 Sept

From one piece Weekend Update #201: It Will Be A Brutal Fall and Winter 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there

korrents.com
The American military is being run on the Russian model rather than the Ukrainian one, and it should be rebuilt on the Ukrainian principles instead.

RussiaAmerica

Their words

The US military is being run by a group that apes the Russians and not the Ukrainians—when we have in front of us one of the best statements of command principles I have ever seen from the latter.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
Trying to hold escalation down in Ukraine did not contain the war; it lengthened it and made it worse.

Their words

Trying to artificially restrain escalation has led the war to be far more horrible and extensive than it needed to be.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
In war the length of the fighting matters far more than its ferocity.

Their words

One point I have tried to get across in this Substack from the very beginning is that in a war, length is far more important than ferocity.

phillipspobrien.substack.com

30 August

Phillips P. O'BrienKorrents 30 Aug

From one piece Weekend Update #200: Summer Is Ending, The Russian Offensive Is A Failure So Far 2 beliefs, in the piece's order there

korrents.com
States do not behave like predators by nature, and the American alliance system is the standing proof of it.

America

Their words

If there is one thing we can say that has been shown, it is that states do not behave like this by nature.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
Russia's 2026 summer offensive failed: it took almost no ground while losing more soldiers than Russia can recruit.

Russia

Their words

What we are seeing is a summer offensive of failure.

phillipspobrien.substack.com

23 August

Phillips P. O'BrienKorrents 23 Aug

From one piece Weekend Update #199: Ukraine's Campaign Against Russian Oil Infrastructure Should Be The Focus 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there

korrents.com
Believing that Trump might yet help Ukraine is not harmless optimism: it is part of a manoeuvre that buys Putin time.

Russia

Their words

In other words, it is not harmless optimism to act like Trump might help Ukraine, it is falling for a deadly, pro-Putin maneuver that is and will increasingly lead to Ukrainian suffering.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
Without the ability to sell fuel abroad Russia is not a great power and not even a medium economic power.

Russia

Their words

Russia without the ability to raise money by exporting fuel is not only not a great power, it is not a medium economic power.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
Ukraine's deep-strike campaign should be aimed at Russia's fuel system above every other target, because that is what takes money away from the war machine.

Russia

Their words

It is not because it affects Russian morale, or causes inconvenience, it is because ultimately it is the best way to take away the one thing all war machines need—money.

phillipspobrien.substack.com

15 August

Phillips P. O'BrienKorrents 15 Aug

From one piece Weekend Update #198: Russia's Allies Are More Helpful Than Ukraine's 3 beliefs, in the piece's order there

korrents.com
The small amounts of American military aid still reaching Ukraine are a lever for controlling how Ukraine fights, not an attempt to help it win.

EuropeAmerica

Their words

The USA has kept dribbling small amounts of military support for Ukraine because it gives the USA a great deal of leverage, the ability to both shape how Ukraine fights its war and even how European states prepare.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
Ukraine's partners used their aid to control and limit Ukraine, and in doing so made the war longer and bloodier than it needed to be.

Their words

They have used aid not only to help, but also to try and control and limit Ukraine. In doing this, they have helped transform this war into a longer, bloodier affair than it needed to be.

phillipspobrien.substack.com
korrents.com
Russia's allies have been more useful to Russia than Ukraine's allies have been to Ukraine.

Russia

Their words

Russia’s allies, on the other hand, have actually offered Russia support that has allowed Russia to fight the war that Russia has wanted to fight.

phillipspobrien.substack.com

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