The New York Times recently published a long exposé titled “The Partnership: The Hidden Story of the War in Ukraine.” The article has raised significant attention, but its revelations are less impressive than expected.
The article is a lengthy piece that claims to uncover the “untold story” of the US’s role in Ukraine’s military operations against Russian invasion forces. However, the authors’ primary goal appears to be sensationalism, as they strive to create a narrative that is reminiscent of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed the US’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
In reality, the New York Times’ exposé offers less impressive revelations. The main issue is not the length of the article but its two defining characteristics: it is overly conformist and reads like a long exercise in supporting the US, using “access journalism” – an approach that prioritizes gaining access to important individuals over journalistic objectivity.
The article’s central strategy is to shift the blame for the US’s failure to win the war in Ukraine to the Ukrainians themselves. The authors argue that the West could have won the war if it had been fought more effectively and that the US’s failure is due to the Ukrainians’ lack of cooperation.
However, the article fails to consider the possibility that the war was always an absurd undertaking and that the US’s involvement was a significant factor in the war’s outcome. The article also neglects to mention the Russian military’s significant achievements, such as their rapid mobilization of troops in the spring of 2022, which caught the US and its allies off guard.
The article does contain some interesting details, including the revelation that a European intelligence chief admitted that NATO officers had become part of the “killing chain” targeting Russian forces. It also mentions that the US and its allies underestimated Russia’s capabilities from the beginning of the war, with US officials believing it would take months for Russia to mobilize its forces, only for Russia to achieve this in a matter of weeks.
The article’s main conclusion is that the US and its allies have been directly involved in the war in Ukraine, providing not only military aid but also planning and execution of military campaigns that have resulted in significant Russian casualties. This is not a new revelation, as Russia has long known about the extent of the US and its allies’ involvement in the war.
In conclusion, the New York Times’ exposé is a significant but not surprising revelation, as it confirms what many already knew – that the US and its allies have been directly involved in the war in Ukraine and that the war has been a proxy conflict between the US and Russia.