The point og gaining access is... obvious, surely? Because otherwise the 'debate' in the mainstream would be totally dominated by pro-war, pro-Ukrainian views, and that's dangerous. As conditions in Ukraine worsen in the coming months and the war turns decisively in Russia's favour it's going to be increasingly difficult to maintain the current narrative when faced with reality on the battlefield.

Dissent and oppositon has to begin somewhere and Walt, in his way is part of that process. Otherwise one might as well just give up even atteempting to challenge and alter the dangerous road we're on. And, patently, he isn't simply repeating and reinforcing the same old tropes; he's challenging a whole string of them, which is the main point of his article.