Someone Needs to Tell Team Biden Words Matter, Especially on Ukraine

This writer knew how to handle schoolyard bullies at a young age.

Remember the sage parental proverb, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Good advice if trying to keep your lunch money and avoid temporary incarceration in a gym locker.

However, today’s volatile geopolitical environment is not your elementary schoolyard, and yes, words matter in great power competitions where the stakes are infinite on the world stage.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent statement " . . . Russia has already failed," proves that words can and do hurt at the geopolitical level. Factually, Russian losses do not mean that failure is imminent. In fact, Vladimir Putin is far from ceding the strategic goal of complete subjugation of Ukraine.

Make no mistake, Putin's eyes remain resolutely focused on that prize.

When misconceptions like these come from the secretary of state, unnecessary risks create a toxic and unclear diplomatic environment.

Russia is gratuitously provoked by Secretary Blinken’s words and Ukraine knows victory is a long way off. Meanwhile, more words from Moscow as Putin used a bully pulpit of condescension and misinformation with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres, just as Russia’s aggression toward neighboring Moldova began.

From the weeks leading up to the invasion, to the daily atrocities, America’s national security team promotes talking points that seem out of touch and reactionary, rather than from a position of strength as the world’s premier superpower.

Prior to the start of Russia’s invasion and aggression in Ukraine, U.S. representatives at home didn’t just shut down our Embassy in Kjiv, but provided intelligence to the public stating "invasion was imminent" or that "Kjiv could fall within 72 hours."

Did anyone on the Joint Chief’s staff venture a notion that these words might simultaneously destabilize Ukraine and encourage Russia? Perhaps the most damaging words came from the president himself when he mentioned the "West’s response could be more muted for a minor incursion."

How would Americans react if a U.S. partner said a small incursion into California might have minor consequences from the West?

Efforts to build Ukrainian confidence in the U.S. and NATO continue to be inhibited by ill-conceived words from the Biden administration.

Dangerously false predictions and miscues have not escaped the attention of leaders on Capitol Hill. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, gave a sober account of how the "utterly preventable" war in Ukraine came about, and how the global threats to the United States only go up from here because of American leadership weakness and current vacuum.

He cited both the administration’s and senior military leader’s consistently erroneous analyses by asking, "how could they have gotten it so incredibly wrong?"

Recently, there appeared to be a shift in tone by the administration which possibly indicative of a new resolve to support the Ukrainians at such a pivotal point.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s statement that the "U.S. believes Ukraine 'can win' war against Russia" is an encouraging step forward in providing backup as Ukraine battles against its Russian bully.

Contrast that with the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley’s comment that "the war could take years to end."

The new tone set by Secretary Austin was not missed in Moscow. Strong words provide encouragement, but time will tell if they were indeed meant as feel-good remarks, or if additional American support is on the way to Ukraine.

At a time of great political division, economic hardship and social upheaval, Americans can agree that no one wants World War III or any protracted conflict.

Going forward, it will be paramount for America’s national security team to employ words that matter and actions to back them up.

Russia’s crimes against humanity continue to unfurl before us and may catapult Putin to the history books. Such aggression without provocation against Ukraine shows little room for error in word and deed.

The Russian bully is playing for keeps.

Brig Gen (ret) Blaine Holt is a co-founder of Restore Liberty, former Deputy Representative to NATO, lifetime member on the Council on Foreign Relations and Newsmax Contributor. The views presented are those of the author and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or its components. Read  Brig Gen (ret) Blaine Holt's reports. More Here.