IMAGINE IF WHEN WE INVADED IRAQ, WE WERE ALMOST FOUR YEARS INTO IT, ONLY OCCUPIED 20 PERCENT, AND LOST A MILLION MEN.
IMAGINE IF WHEN WE INVADED IRAQ, WE WERE ALMOST FOUR YEARS INTO IT, ONLY OCCUPIED 20 PERCENT, AND LOST A MILLION MEN.
NOT A SOUL WOULD CALL THAT “WINNING.”
[6:05 am, 17/12/2025] Rehan Arshad: While there is no single long-form “article” that contains only this quote, it originated from a social media post and interview commentary by former Congressman Adam Kinzinger.
Kinzinger, a former U.S. Air Force pilot who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, frequently uses his military background to provide perspective on the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Context of the Quote
The quote appears to be a hypothetical comparison meant to counter arguments that Russia is “winning” or that U.S. aid to Ukraine is ineffective.
The Iraq Comparison: Kinzinger often compares the scale of the two conflicts. In Iraq, the U.S. achieved a swift initial victory, whereas Russia’s invasion (which began in February 2022) has entered a long, attritional phase.
Casualties and Territory: As of late 2025, Russian troops occupy approximately 20% of Ukraine. Casualties on the Russian side have been estimated to be extremely high, with some reports citing hundreds of thousands of total casualties.
Current Standing: Kinzinger has maintained a vocal stance that “Ukraine is winning” because it has successfully resisted a much larger superpower for nearly four years and prevented the total occupation of the country.
About Adam Kinzinger
Political Career: He served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 2011 to 2023.
Military Service: He is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard and served as a pilot in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stance on Ukraine: Since the 2022 invasion, he has been a “hawk” on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, advocating for strong NATO intervention, the implementation of no-fly zones, and swift economic sanctions against Russia
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