Bulwark Takes Putin Escalates His Cruel War Against Civilians | Command Post
Jan 15, 2026
Mark Hertling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general and Bulwark contributor, shares his insights on the war in Ukraine alongside Bill Kristol. They discuss the alarming tactic of targeting civilians through energy blackouts, how U.S. disengagement inadvertently strengthens Putin, and the infighting over Greenland that harms NATO unity. Hertling also highlights the evolving Nordic-Baltic security bloc, the strategic vacuum in Europe inviting adversarial influence, and the complexities of military action in Iran, including the potential risks of AI in defense.
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Civilian Harm Grows As Casualties Mount
- Ukraine and Russia are both suffering heavy casualties, but civilians bear the worst human cost from deliberate targeting.
- Hertling warns U.S. disengagement makes Putin more dangerous in the near term.
Reengage To Deter Putin
- Recommit U.S. support to Ukraine because robust backing reduces Putin's short-term aggressiveness.
- Hertling stresses U.S. involvement is needed alongside Europe to sustain Ukraine's defense and resolve.
Putin's Strategy: Divide The West
- Putin's objectives include dividing NATO and distancing U.S. support from Europe, and those aims are partly succeeding.
- Hertling says the Greenland dispute exemplifies self-inflicted strains that feed Moscow's strategy.