21.01.2023 (Caucasian Journal) Our special guest today is Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben HODGES, the former Commanding General of US Army Europe, now Senior Advisor to Human Rights First, a non-profit, nonpartisan international human rights organization.
Prior to joining Human Rights First, he held the Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). General Hodges serves as NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics, he consults for several companies on Europe, NATO, and the European Union, and he is co-author of the book Future War and the Defence of Europe, published by Oxford University Press.
Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Dear Ben, it is a pleasure to greet you once again at Caucasian Journal. A lot of changes have occurred in the world since your first interview for us back in 2020... Obviously, the situation in Ukraine and the related American policy are of central importance. How do you assess the current state of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine? If you consider it insufficient, what kind of arguments, in your view, might serve the best to convince the decision-makers to approve whatever is needed?
Lt. Gen. Ben HODGES: What’s happening in Ukraine is about much more than Ukraine. This is about defense of the international rules-based order from which most of the World has benefitted since the end of WWII... respect for sovereignty as enshrined in the UN Charter, respect for human rights, accountability for war crimes, and respect for international law. It’s also about deterring China... The CCP [The Chinese Communist Party - CJ] needs to see that the West is prepared to do whatever it takes to protect liberal democratic values and our strategic interests.
