If you read me for foreign policy expertise, you’re misguided. But for some personal reasons, I’ve paid some attention to the Russo-Ukrainian war.

I do not believe that Ukraine can win this war in the sense of driving the Russians out of all of pre-2014 Ukraine. Maybe they can save Western Ukraine, but they may need to give up the Donbass to save the rest.

I deeply regret my nation’s role in “poking the bear.” Without denying Ukrainians the dignity of their own agency, I feel as if they’re dying in part for our sins.

This is not a new conviction, but it was strengthened by the necessity of the US shipping cluster bombs to Ukraine.