Final Word from Wednesday, March 6, 2024

It's incomprehensible that a retired general of Pres. Petr Pavel's stature could say (at 2:50pm) that it's no more dangerous in terms of a possible Russian reaction to train Ukrainian soldiers in Ukraine than to train them in the CR. The CR, according to PM Petr Fiala, is one of the safest countries in the world, whereas Ukraine is a war zone. Russia would be expanding the war zone to include Nato if it struck Czech territory in response to the presence here of Ukrainian soldiers, whereas Czech military instructors could come under attack in Ukraine by Russia in the general course of the war, without being specifically targeted. Czech politicians would then be in the position of needing to decide how to react. Some would call for even greater Czech or Nato engagement. Pavel's comment yesterday hasn't drawn much of a reaction, probably because it's hard to believe he meant it the way he said it. It's not a good sign when the military comments of an ex-military man aren't taken very seriously. [ Czech Republic France French president Emmanuel Macron ]