Phillips P. OBrien
Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews and author of How the War Was Won; writes Phillips's Newsletter on the war in Ukraine and on Western strategy.
Phillips P. OBrien did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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Their wordsOne point I have tried to get across in this Substack from the very beginning is that in a war, length is far more important than ferocity.
↗Weekend Update #201: It Will Be A Brutal Fall and Winterphillipspobrien.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsTrying to artificially restrain escalation has led the war to be far more horrible and extensive than it needed to be.
↗Weekend Update #201: It Will Be A Brutal Fall and Winterphillipspobrien.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsThe US military is being run by a group that apes the Russians and not the Ukrainians—when we have in front of us one of the best statements of command principles I have ever seen from the latter.
↗Weekend Update #201: It Will Be A Brutal Fall and Winterphillipspobrien.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece
- 7 days earlier
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Their wordsWhat we are seeing is a summer offensive of failure.
↗Weekend Update #200: Summer Is Ending, The Russian Offensive Is A Failure So Farphillipspobrien.substack.com 1st of 2 in this piece
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Their wordsIf there is one thing we can say that has been shown, it is that states do not behave like this by nature.
↗Weekend Update #200: Summer Is Ending, The Russian Offensive Is A Failure So Farphillipspobrien.substack.com 2nd of 2 in this piece
- 7 days earlier
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Their wordsIt is not because it affects Russian morale, or causes inconvenience, it is because ultimately it is the best way to take away the one thing all war machines need—money.
↗Weekend Update #199: Ukraine's Campaign Against Russian Oil Infrastructure Should Be The Focusphillipspobrien.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsRussia without the ability to raise money by exporting fuel is not only not a great power, it is not a medium economic power.
↗Weekend Update #199: Ukraine's Campaign Against Russian Oil Infrastructure Should Be The Focusphillipspobrien.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsIn other words, it is not harmless optimism to act like Trump might help Ukraine, it is falling for a deadly, pro-Putin maneuver that is and will increasingly lead to Ukrainian suffering.
↗Weekend Update #199: Ukraine's Campaign Against Russian Oil Infrastructure Should Be The Focusphillipspobrien.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece
- 8 days earlier
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Our reading
Russia's allies have been more useful to Russia than Ukraine's allies have been to Ukraine.
Their wordsRussia’s allies, on the other hand, have actually offered Russia support that has allowed Russia to fight the war that Russia has wanted to fight.
↗Weekend Update #198: Russia's Allies Are More Helpful Than Ukraine'sphillipspobrien.substack.com 1st of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsThey have used aid not only to help, but also to try and control and limit Ukraine. In doing this, they have helped transform this war into a longer, bloodier affair than it needed to be.
↗Weekend Update #198: Russia's Allies Are More Helpful Than Ukraine'sphillipspobrien.substack.com 2nd of 3 in this piece
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Their wordsThe USA has kept dribbling small amounts of military support for Ukraine because it gives the USA a great deal of leverage, the ability to both shape how Ukraine fights its war and even how European states prepare.
↗Weekend Update #198: Russia's Allies Are More Helpful Than Ukraine'sphillipspobrien.substack.com 3rd of 3 in this piece