Kiev is Losing the Drone War Too, Kiev Regime to Conscript 500k New Troops for the Meat Grinder, Zelenskiy Bugging Zaluzhny?, Gaza Leads to Yemen and the Impotence of the UN.

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Welcome back to Political Misfits on Radio Sputnik, where we bring you news, politics and culture - without the red and blue treatment. I am John Kiriakou here with Michelle Witte.

The US media are telling us today that things aren’t going as poorly for Ukraine as we might think.  This is disingenuous, of course.  Reports that Ukraine will soon commit another 500,000 troops, which simply don’t exist, are specious.  Reports that Russia is beginning an assault on six different fronts in eastern Ukraine is prefaced with commentary that the move is really no big deal.  And reports that a listening device was found hidden in the office of Ukrainian Defense Minister Zalyzhny lasted for a single day.  If only the Ukrainians and the Americans have access to Zalyzhniy’s office, and the Ukrainians don’t need to bug themselves, then what is it that the Americans think is being kept from them? Is it that the war is actually not going as well as advertised?  //  Meanwhile, there is a great deal of activity in the Middle East today.  First, CIA Director Bill Burns is trying to get Israel and Hamas back together in Doha to resume talks on additional hostage exchanges.  Second, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh is in Cairo today for talks on Gaza.  Haniyeh will ask Egypt to take on a more prominent role as an intermediary with the Israelis.  And third, the United Nations Security Council will reconvene today to discuss a resolution calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza.  And UNICEF, the United Nations’ Childrens’ Agency, says that Gaza is now the most dangerous place in the world.  Israel, it says, set out to destroy Hamas.  But instead, it’s destroying the whole of Gaza, with women and children taking on unprecedented casualties.  //  And all the while, a major humanitarian crisis is building on the border with Egypt, which is closed, but which is teeming with displaced and homeless Palestinians.

We’re joined by international affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/20/israel-hamas-war-gaza-updates-palestine/

Bugging devices found in Ukrainian commander-in-chief’s office - World - TASS

Security Council searching for a Gaza vote that U.S. won’t veto - The Washington Post

Questions:

1. Thanks so much for joining us, Mark.  It’s always great having you.  Let’s start with Ukraine, which doesn’t seem to be going very well if you’re Ukrainian.  Walk us through this.  We’ve heard that Ukraine will commit 500,000 new troops.  We’ve heard that the Ukrainian drone war is going gangbusters.  What’s the truth here?
   Russia Has Snatched Away Ukraine's Drone Advantage (newsweek.com)
   Russia’s Night Vision FPV Drones Pose a Serious New Threat to Ukraine (kyivpost.com)

2. Mark, tell us about this bug that was found in Zalyzhny’s office.  I’ll tell you in advance that this is a common CIA thing to do.  They see it as keeping the honest people honest.  What do you make of it?

3. Turning to the Middle East, there’s a lot going on today.  Ismael Haniyeh is in Cairo for talks with Egyptian government officials.  He’s asking the Egyptians to help mediate with the Israelis.  The Israelis would prefer to see Haniyeh dead in the street.  Can you foresee progress coming out of this?  And if so, what might that progress look like?

4. There’s real disagreement in Washington as to what to do with Yemen.  The White House has made a decision to not really do anything as it relates to the Houthis targeting cargo ships.  Republicans are calling for the Pentagon to start bombing Yemen and, potentially, Iran.  Is a policy of ignoring the Houthis the appropriate policy?  Is the rumored policy of discretely asking the Saudis to delay a peace deal with the Houthis the way to go?  Either way, somebody is going to have to address this issue of piracy on the high seas, which is what the Houthis are doing.
   No US plans to strike the Houthis — yet - POLITICO

5. A major humanitarian crisis is forming on the border of Gaza and Egypt.  The border is closed, but there are hundreds of thousands of Gazans gathered there to escape the fighting.  The Egyptians won’t allow them in, and there are deadly shortages of water, food, and medicine.  It seems that the Egyptians will have to do something–either open the border, which could be a disaster, or establish refugee camps just inside it.  What do you expect to see happen in the coming weeks?  If nothing happens, a lot of people are going to die.

6. And what should we expect to see at the UN Security Council.  The US has already vetoed a ceasefire.  What language changes might result in a successful new Security Council resolution?  And would it matter to the Israelis?