Ukraine: gen. Bellini (Iraq pilot) ‘war different from Iraq and Afghanistan, anomalous behavior’

“War no longer has two well-defined rivals, but they are actors who behave in a completely anomalous way compared to what was once the idea of ​​war. There is no longer the opposition of two armies, as it once was. , with two factions fighting for supremacy. Now many of the war activities take place in completely different environments from what they once were, in the urban environment, with activities that are also very asymmetrical “. This is what Gianmarco Bellini, former general and pilot of the Air Force who in 1991, during the first Gulf War, remained a prisoner of the Iraqis for 47 days together with the navigator Maurizio Cocciolone. “The activity that Putin is doing probably fulfills some of the expectations he had regarding these The Ukrainian people are proud and fierce and the resistance was evident there would have been – he adds – In my opinion, the public commitment made by President Zelensky on non-entry into NATO of Ukraine should be enough to lead to a de-escalation of the conflict quite abruptly. And it is certainly one of the most logical actions that can be taken right now. Even on Putin’s part, feeling encircled by countries that do not see Russia in a very benevolent way, can certainly have the effect of a defense reaction “. On Putin’s lack of or poor use of air force, he explains:” I don’t know which ones are Putin’s strategic objectives at this juncture, it may be that the military action he is undertaking, with a moderate and almost non-existent use of the air force, is sufficient to obtain the results he wants or, it is not excluded, tries to limit the human losses. I believe that the situation is slowly decreasing in intensity. I am convinced – he specifies – that very intense talks are underway between the two sides, Ukraine and Russia. It is not convenient for anyone to go on in this way, not even in the image of Putin, abandoned and isolated from the whole West and from the whole world. I am convinced that there will be a fairly rapid ceasefire, at least I hope so because I would never have expected a war in Europe after the end of the Soviet Union. And a reaction from Italy, linked by the international treaties it has signed, first of all the Euro-Atlantic pact, will naturally be understood, if there is an intervention by Putin towards the NATO countries. “On March 24, American President Biden will be in Europe for the NATO summit and the EU Council, could it be decisive? “Last August I witnessed the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, which was an incredible debacle, not only from a military point of view but also from a political one. Indeed, it is likely that the handling of this situation has led to some considerations on the part of Putin which also allowed him to intervene directly with Ukraine, which he had never done in the past. It may be that the hesitation and lack of decision in the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan has given Putin a little way to intervene, who probably felt in a certain sense almost facilitated to intervene in Ukraine precisely because he was there. a lack of firmness on the part of the United States and NATO in that disaster that was the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan “. (by Silvia Mancinelli)