When the two most senior military and intelligence officials in Washington make the same obvious error in public three times in three weeks, you have to wonder what they are really up to. Can it just be simple ignorance, or do they have a hidden agenda?
First up was Gen Mark Milley, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He caused quite a stir on Nov 9 by saying that the slowdown in the fighting in Ukraine as winter arrives may create "a window [...] of opportunity for negotiation".
"There has to be a mutual recognition that a military victory is probably, in the true sense of the word is maybe not achievable through military means," he added, "and therefore you need to turn to other means."
