On Ukraine, Biden should take off the gloves

President JoeBidens reactionary "just enough" strategy is inadequatefor Ukraine's defense. Hundreds of Iraniandrones and Russian missiles descended upon civilian targets in Ukraine this week. The single Patriot battery allocated to Ukraine in the last trancheof U.S. aid, which could be operational in six months with a fully trained crew,will havea minimal impact against this Russian onslaught. Patriots area superb weapon system to counter Russian cruise missiles and aircraft but will be ineffective against droneslaunched en masse.

The United States and NATOmustdevelop strategiesto go after Iranian-made Shahed-136drones before they take flight. They must also assistKyivin building an integrated air defense system, one that enables Ukraine to destroy a greater percentage of inbound missiles and drones. And Ukraine must be empowered to strike launch points, storage facilities, and command and control headquarters beyond its borders. Equally critical, the U.S. and NATO must interdict the delivery of drones before they can be put intooperationalservice.

To emphasize:OnePatriot battery will not be nearly enough here, nor is it cost-effective.Oneline batteryin a Patriot battalion consists of six launchers, and each launcher hasfour missiles, or24 total.At a cost of$3 million per missile,thats $72 million dollars, which will only defend a small sector of a battlefield or critical civilian or military infrastructure.

EachShahed-136drone, by comparison, costs between $20,000and$60,000 dollars. Ukraine cannot afford to wait for them to be airborne to destroy them. Nonkinetic approaches capable of jammingnavigational systems used to guide drones and missiles to targetsare a viable option as well. Ukraine also needs alternativeair defense capabilities against cruise missiles, including additionalshoulder-fired man-portable air defense systems,theNorwegianNational Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System, and the Israeli Iron Dome.

Attacking drone and missilesitelaunch pointswould be the best solution. However, the Russians have adapted to theHigh Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS,risk and moved their vital military assets beyond the U.S.-imposed munitions'50-milerange limit. This defensive countermeasure is similar to when the U.S. permitted the North Vietnamese to transverse Laos and Cambodia unopposed to position forces to fight in South Vietnam. Equipping Ukraine with advanced fighter bombers would also help eliminate this void.

Put simply, Russian forces must be made vulnerable everywhere they threaten Ukraine. Mr. President, take the gloves off. Neither Ukraine norRussia is invested in atie. It is time to follow your own mantra and "get on the right side of history."

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Jonathan Sweet, a retired Army colonel, served 30 years as a military intelligence officer. Follow him on Twitter@JESweet2022.

Mark Toth is a retired economist, historian, and entrepreneur who has worked in banking, insurance, publishing, and global commerce. Follow him on Twitter@MCTothSTL.

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On Ukraine, Biden should take off the gloves