No-fly zones, military supply chains and 'Orwellian' language

+ phrases and concepts from the Ukraine war explained US Edition - Today's top story: Ukraine wants a no-fly zone. What does this mean, and would one make any sense in this war? [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 March 2022 [The Conversation]( When a crisis happens, we learn new terms and words particular to that event. A pandemic erupts, and our vocabulary expands to include medical and epidemiological terms and concepts many of us have never used before. A war breaks out, and now we’re talking about “lethal aid” and “ground-attack aircraft.” There’s a danger that journalists will take for granted that our readers, viewers and listeners will understand what those phrases mean. And here’s a secret: There’s another danger, which is that journalists will use those terms without fully understanding them either, to demonstrate how on top of an issue we are. I’ve seen it happen. Three stories this week attempted to explain phrases and concepts that have become part of the Ukraine war discussion. First, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pressed the West hard to institute no-fly zones; the West has resisted. But what exactly are no-fly zones? How do they work? Are they effective? Scholars Christopher Michael Faulkner and Andrew Stigler fill in the blanks, with a story that describes “[what a no-fly zone entails and what the consequences might be if the U.S. or any other NATO ally sets one up](.” Military aid from the U.S. and other countries to Ukraine is another big issue right now – which weapons should be sent to Ukraine, and how many of them? But while most are talking about the merits and volume of that aid, there’s little actual discussion of a crucial aspect of it: How it gets from donors to the war zone. It’s not exactly an Amazon delivery process. In our second explainer about crucial terms, scholar Vincent E. Castillo of The Ohio State University says there are similarities between regular, peacetime deliveries and the steps involved “[in the logistics of moving US$350 million worth of weapons and equipment from Europe into an active combat zone](.” What differentiates the military from commercial supply chains, he writes, “is the need for speedy delivery while also maximizing security.” Finally, you’ve probably heard Russian President Vladimir Putin talk in what many call “Orwellian” language, claiming, for instance, that acts of war are “peacekeeping duties.” But what exactly is Orwellian language? We asked Wayne State University philosophy scholar Mark Satta, who studies Orwell, to help readers understand in greater depth that author’s critique of political language. “Totalitarian regimes,” writes Satta, “[perversely warp language to gain and retain political power](.” Satta draws much of his material for this story from my favorite piece of Orwell’s writing (and my favorite essay ever) which is not “1984.” It’s Orwell’s trenchant essay called “Politics and the English Language,” in which he wrote, “If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” Satta’s story is an important contribution to understanding the relationship between language, power and politics; I hope you read it – and Orwell’s essay as well. Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society A team of German pilots wrote “Stop the War” in the sky above Mainz, Germany, on March 9, 2022. Frank Rumpenhorst/picture alliance via Getty Images [Ukraine wants a no-fly zone. What does this mean, and would one make any sense in this war?]( Christopher Michael Faulkner, US Naval War College; Andrew Stigler, US Naval War College Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the US to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Doing so in this kind of international conflict would be unprecedented and might not make sense. Ukrainian soldiers move U.S.-made Stinger missiles that were shipped from Lithuania to Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 13, 2022. Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images) [How weapons get to Ukraine and what’s needed to protect vulnerable supply chains]( Vincent E. Castillo, The Ohio State University The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered an unprecedented outpouring of humanitarian and military aid. Protecting those supply chains is essential for delivering materiel to the frontlines. Russian President Vladimir Putin uses words to mean the opposite of what they really mean. Sergei Guneyev/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images [Putin’s brazen manipulation of language is a perfect example of Orwellian doublespeak]( Mark Satta, Wayne State University Putin often uses words to mean exactly the opposite of what they normally do – a practice diagnosed by political author George Orwell as ‘doublespeak,’ or the language of totalitarians. - [Russia’s false claims about biological weapons in Ukraine demonstrate the dangers of disinformation and how hard it is to counter – 4 essential reads]( Eric Smalley, The Conversation The Russian government used disinformation to fabricate a justification for invading Ukraine. A new campaign focused on biowarfare claims threatens to escalate the conflict. - [US aid to Ukraine: $13.6 billion approved following Russian bombardment marks sharp increase]( Jessica Trisko Darden, Virginia Commonwealth University The money is evenly split between military support and funds for economic, humanitarian and other needs. - [Ukraine is benefiting from generous donations – and many other global causes need help, too]( Jessica Eise, The University of Texas at San Antonio Far more people are dying of hunger around the world than in Europe’s new war. - [Affordable housing in the US is increasingly scarce, making renters ask: Where do we go?]( Celine-Marie Pascale, American University It’s getting much harder in the US to find an affordable home, even for people who work multiple jobs. - [Humanitarian corridors could help civilians safely leave Ukraine – but Russia has a history of not respecting these pathways]( Kirsten Gelsdorf, University of Virginia; Jacob Kurtzer, Georgetown University Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are using humanitarian corridors to leave the country. But these routes are often announced for political reasons and do not always offer safety - [Why Crimean Tatars are fearful as Russia invades Ukraine]( Brian Glyn Williams, UMass Dartmouth A scholar who spent many years living with the Crimean Tatars explains their long history of persecution. - [The American founders could teach Putin a lesson: Provoking an unnecessary war is not how to prove your masculinity]( Maurizio Valsania, Università di Torino A leader’s machismo can lead to war, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has long displayed his version of hyper-masculinity. A historian says that for America’s founders, wars never fed their egos. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](