What Will It Take?

Littlechild@emperorsnuclothes.com/ March 17, 2022/ Uncategorized

The civilized world, it would appear, is eternally threatened by “barbarians at the gates.” The Online Etymology Dictionary defines “barbarian” as: “pertaining to savages, rude, uncivilized.” The term was originally applied in classical times to invading tribes that were not Greek or Roman, and were said to be less “civilized” that the Greco-Roman citizens. The term has long been used in the more general sense of any uncouth or brutal person. Today, the barbarian is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

Russia has quite a list of barbarian despots going back, at least, to Ivan The Terrible in 1547. Although some historians claim that “terrible” was meant to signify powerful, Ivan did seem to have a bit of a temper. At the age of 15 he had a friend executed over a petty argument. He had another young friend’s tongue cut out. And, shunning any “anger management” therapy, Ivan is known to have murdered several members of his own court in fits of rage. In the centuries that followed violence and terror among the Russians were not uncommon.

The barbarism, unfortunately, does NOT abate in more modern times. In the 20th century, during the “Red Terror,” Vladimir Lenin had 1.3 MILLION people murdered. (Source: www.nationalgeographic.com). Not to be out done, Josef Stalin had 6 to 9 MILLION people killed (source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org). All in all, the communist revolution in Russia can “boast” 20 MILLION murdered. (Source: David Satter, the Wall Street Journal, November 6, 2017). Barbarians. And, remember: these figures apply only to NON-COMBATANTS!

So, here we are in the 21st century, and the barbarism returns. As we all know, on February 24, 2022, Russian forces, on the direct orders of President Vladimir Putin, invaded the neighboring sovereign state of Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty was achieved after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was formalized by a referendum in December of 1991. The United Nations affirmed Ukrainian sovereignty on March 27, 2014. So, make no mistake, Russia invaded a sovereign nation. And, make no mistake, the invasion was unprovoked. On March 2, 2022, the United Nations declared the invasion to be illegal and called for immediate withdrawal of Russian forces. This call was ignored. In fact, at every opportunity, Putin has escalated the conflict, escalating the destruction, escalating the terror, escalating the murder of innocent civilians, and escalating a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions. And, Putin has recently enjoined their “on again off again” ally, Communist China. Weapons have been requested as well as cash. If China agrees, the conflict will transition to a world wide conflagration. The barbarians have become rabid dogs.

The question is: what will it take? When will the free world respond with teeth? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s plea to Congress today for what is essentially air defense was essentially ignored. While additional ground weapons and cash were offered, there will not be a “no fly zone.” We won’t even let Poland lend them some fighter jets. Why?… Well, we don’t want “World War III” you see. Or so the excuses go. Granted, World War III, is not something any sane individual would welcome, but does this mean that Putin can do anything he wants, anywhere he wants, just by reminding the world that he has nuclear weapons (and, apparently, is not afraid to use them)? Such a threat, even in a veiled form, would have been unthinkable just a few months ago. But here we are. And Putin has even hinted that a nuclear “response” might be an option if the economic sanctions become a bit to burdensome. Imagine that! “Our ruble is now worth only one hundredth of a penny? That does it: there goes Chicago.”

And, if a precedent is established that nuclear threats can become an acceptable strategy for international “diplomacy,” where does it stop? The Baltic States, Poland, East Germany, Finland are all in Putin’s sights. And, in case you think that this doesn’t directly concern us, yesterday, a member of the Russian Duma, Oleg Matvaychev, stated that Russia should TAKE ALASKA BACK. What’s next, Brighton Beach, Brooklyn?

My point is that we must stand up to Putin, now, with a stronger response than what we’ve mustered so far. Sanctions are a start. Weapons are a start. Cash is a start. But we need to do more. The first thing we need to do is send them the Polish fighter jets they’ve been begging for. Next, a slow “roll out” of a NATO enforced no fly zone. During the roll out, I predict that there will be “surprising” progress on the diplomatic front.

I’d like to close with a line from the inaugural address of John F. Kennedy on January 21, 1961. (thanks JMS). “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” It’s time that, 61 years later, we step up to the challenge of those words.