{"id":253589,"date":"2022-05-17T16:29:17","date_gmt":"2022-05-17T16:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=253589"},"modified":"2022-05-19T05:58:48","modified_gmt":"2022-05-19T05:58:48","slug":"scott-ritters-switcheroo-why-i-radically-changed-my-overall-assessment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=253589","title":{"rendered":"Scott Ritter\u2019s Switcheroo: “Why I Radically Changed My Overall Assessment”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mike Whitney \u2013 The Unz Review May 16, 2022<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a>On Sunday, the foreign policy blogs were abuzz with the news that Scott Ritter had done \u201can about-face in his assessment of the war\u201d. It appears that the ex-Marine had examined recent developments in Ukraine and concluded that it\u2019s going to be much harder for Russia to win than he had originally thought..<\/p>\n

Naturally, the news of Ritter\u2019s reversal sent shockwaves across the internet, especially among the people who follow events in Ukraine closely and who greatly admire his even-handed analysis. Some of these people clearly felt betrayed by Ritter\u2019s comments and blasted him as a \u201cconcern troll\u201d which refers to a person who feigns sympathy while actually feeling the opposite. This is a terrible way to treat a guy who\u2019s devoted so much of his time to informing people about an issue of which they might know very little without his research. Besides, Ritter is no hypocrite. Quite the contrary.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s fair to say, however, that Ritter has probably been the most outspoken proponent of the \u201cRussia is winning\u201d theory, a hypothesis that runs counter to everything we read in the legacy media or see on the cable news channels. Unfortunately, Ritter\u2019s views on the matter have changed dramatically, and that\u2019s due almost entirely to developments on the ground. As Ritter candidly admits, \u201cThe military aid the west is providing to Ukraine is changing the dynamic and if Russia doesn\u2019t find a way to address this meaningfully\u2026 the conflict will never end.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s quite a turnaround from a statement he made just weeks earlier that, \u201cRussia is winning the war, and winning it decisively.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what changed? What are the so-called developments that led to Ritter\u2019s volte-face?<\/p>\n

Here are a few excerpts from the interview that triggered the fracas. Ritter was joined by Ray McGovern and host Garland Nixon on Saturday Morning Live<\/strong>. (The quotes are copied from video. I accept blame for any mistakes.)<\/p>\n

Scott Ritter<\/strong> (start at 47:50 minute mark) \u2014 \u201cThe thing that frustrates me\u2026 is that, it was my assessment that it would be very hard for Ukraine to absorb this new equipment and material <\/strong>(Material\u2013 the additional lethal weapons that have recently been shipped to Ukraine) but the howitzers are already operating against Russia.<\/strong> (And) They are having an effect in the Kharkov region.<\/strong> Not all 90 of them, but they have several batteries in place that are being used.<\/p>\n

How did this happen?<\/p>\n

And this is why I have radically changed my overall assessment, because I had been operating on the assumption that Russia would be able to interdict the vast majority of this equipment, but Russia has shown itself unable or unwilling to do this and\u2013 as a result\u2013 the Ukrainians are having meaningful impact on the battlefield. <\/strong>Not in the areas of main contention, like the Donbass, but on the periphery. This is why Russia has carried out tactical withdrawals north of Kharkov, because in order to match Ukraine\u2019s best capabilities, Russia would have to divert resources from its main effort which Russia has decided not to do. So, they are re-configuring the battlefield. (trading land in different areas)\u2026(\u201cSaturday Morning Live with Scott Ritter and Ray McGovern,<\/a> You Tube)<\/p>\n