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U.S. NEWS Friday 11 March 2022
U.S. misjudged Ukraine’s will to fight Russia, officials admit

By NOMAAN MERCHANT after the American with-
Associated Press drawal. Instead, lacking
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. air power and intel-
Top U.S. intelligence of- ligence support, Afghan
ficials admitted Thursday forces gave up many cities
that they underestimated without a fight last summer.
Ukraine’s ability to defend Director of National Intel-
itself against Russia’s inva- ligence Avril Haines said
sion, a mistake for intelli- that Putin had underesti-
gence agencies that have mated the resistance he
otherwise been lauded for would face from the Ukrai-
accurately predicting Rus- nians. But Haines added:
sian President Vladimir Pu- “We did not do as well in
tin’s intention to launch a terms of predicting the mili-
war. tary challenges that he has
“My view was that, based encountered with his own
on a variety of factors, that military.”
the Ukrainians were not Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkan-
as ready as I thought they sas Republican who ques-
should be,” said Lt. Gen. tioned Berrier and Haines,
Scott Berrier, director of the noted that assessing a for-
Defense Intelligence Agen- eign military’s will to fight
cy. “Therefore, I questioned was particularly difficult.
their will to fight. That was a Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., left, greets Defense Intelligence “But these mistakes had
bad assessment on my part Agency Director Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, right, at the start of a hearing on worldwide threats as Russia potentially real-world pol-
because they have fought continues to attack Ukraine, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2022. icy implications about the
Associated Press
bravely and honorably and willingness of the president
are doing the right thing.” ed U.S. campaign to de- million refugees having al- “We made some assump- or other NATO leaders to
The White House has faced classify intelligence about ready fled the country with tions about his assumptions, provide weapons that they
Republican criticism that alleged attempts by Russia accounts of possible war which proved to be very, thought might have fallen
it isn’t providing enough to create a fake pretext for crimes. very flawed,” said Berrier. “I into the hands of Russians in
weapons or intelligence to its invasion. Even though There’s no sign Putin in- think assessing will, morale, a matter of hours,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volody- Putin ordered the invasion tends to de-escalate. Rus- and a will to fight is a very Cotton and several other
myr Zelenskyy. The Biden anyway, lawmakers say sian propaganda outlets in difficult analytical task. We Republicans on the intel-
administration is currently the campaign helped de- recent days have promot- had different inputs from ligence committee criti-
opposed to a Polish plan to velop support for sanctions ed false theories that the different organizations and cized the Biden administra-
donate old Russian-made that have crippled Russia’s U.S. and Ukraine are devel- we — at least from my per- tion’s current refusal to sup-
warplanes to Ukraine, out economy and pushed pre- oping chemical weapons. spective as the director — I port a Polish plan to donate
of concern that Putin may viously reluctant Western The White House in turn has did not do as well as I could Russian-made warplanes to
view that as an escalation countries to give military warned Russia is setting the have.” Ukraine. Biden administra-
by the U.S. or NATO. aid to Ukraine. pretext for its own chemical Berrier’s admission follows tion officials have warned
Berrier testified alongside Two weeks into its invasion, or biological attack. another misjudgment in that Putin might view that
other top officials before Russia has failed to win con- Berrier, who leads the Afghanistan, whose U.S- as an escalation of the con-
the Senate Intelligence trol of Ukraine’s airspace or Pentagon’s primary intel- backed government col- flict. They say planes would
Committee. Generally, U.S. subdue the capital of Kyiv ligence arm, said at Thurs- lapsed far more quickly to go beyond the weapons
intelligence agencies have or other major cities. But the day’s hearing that just as the Taliban than Washing- the Pentagon and Western
won praise from lawmakers war has had devastating Putin appeared to have ton expected. Officials be- allies have already given
of both political parties for consequences already: An misjudged his army’s ability lieved the Afghan forces Ukraine, including anti-tank
their handling of the crisis. airstrike hitting a maternity to subdue Ukraine’s much — long trained and funded systems and surface-to-air
Much of the hearing fo- hospital, attacks on nucle- smaller armed forces, so by the U.S. — could hold missiles to shoot down Rus-
cused on the unprecedent- ar plants, and more than 2 did the U.S. out for potentially months sian aircraft.q

Alaska North Slope natural gas leak is

under investigation

By BECKY BOHRER oversees oil and gas drilling The company, in a state-
Associated Press in the state is investigating ment dated Tuesday and
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Au- the matter. provided to The Associ-
thorities are investigating a The leak was detected early ated Press on Wednesday
natural gas leak detected last Friday, according to a by spokesperson Michael
last week at a ConocoPhil- statement from ConocoPhil- Walter, said there were “no This Feb. 9, 2016, file photo shows an ice-covered ConocoPhillips
lips Alaska oil drill site on lips, which said that “out of reports of injury or environ- sign at a drilling site in Nuiqsut, Alaska.
Alaska’s North Slope, officials an abundance of caution” mental impact to the tundra Associated Press
said. Monday it took steps to re- or wildlife. gas leak as being below the that was released.
Grace Salazar, a special locate non-essential person- Air quality continues to be surface of the ground and Walter, in response to ad-
assistant with the Alaska Oil nel from the area because monitored, and no natural said the cause was under ditional questions, said the
and Gas Conservation Com- of what it described as a gas has been detected out- investigation. company had no additional
mission, said Wednesday subsurface gas release at side of the CD1 pad.” It said it did not have an es- information to disclose.q
that the commission that the drill site. The company described the timate on the volume of gas