To the Editor:
I am by no means a proponent of war. In my lifetime, I have seen far too much of it. Too many Americans have died fighting another nation’s battles. Yet, the reality is, sometimes it is a necessary evil whether we like it or not.
Many times, in our history, we have witnessed atrocities being committed in other nations by ruthless dictators or invading armies. On many occasions, we have stepped in to do something about it… in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. All of which, at the time, seemed to justify our involvement in the name of common decency.
Helping others overcome oppression or combatting genocide are worthy causes. Of course, no one wants to see America or other countries lose young soldiers on foreign soil. Ideally, the only time a soldier’s death is justified is in defense of the homeland, yet that is an ideal, not reality.
What is so troubling to me in mind and spirit is why are we so willing to aid one country in its battle against oppression and genocide and so readily turn our backs and look the other way when it is another country?
As I said, I am not a proponent of war. Yet, I realize that there are times when America cannot sit idly by while innocent, civilian men, women, and children are ruthlessly slaughtered in the streets of their hometowns.
As I watch news reports coming out of Ukraine, I must ask the question: How can we ignore this? Oh, we enacted “sanctions” against Russia for invading Ukraine… Sanctions that only further hurt Americans by driving up oil prices and meant absolutely nothing to Vladimir Putin!
Did those sanctions do anything to stop or deter the invasion? Absolutely not! Yet, every time Joe Biden is questioned about oil prices, he blames Putin and the Ukraine invasion. Who was hurt by the “sanctions against Russia…” America, that’s who!
This is how we respond to war crimes, atrocities, and genocide? Why did we send troops into Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Kuwait? Why are we not sending them into Ukraine? It makes no sense to me!
Is it because American politicians are afraid of Putin or is it because American politicians will somehow lose money by engaging in such a conflict?
There has to be a logical reason why we would help Kuwait overthrow an invading army from Iraq but look the other way when we see the exact same thing happening in Ukraine!
Of course, we are sending support in the form of weapons, etc., for all the good that is doing. I recently heard one news analyst, a former Democratic congressman, state that we needed to stop even that aid because there was absolutely no way Ukraine could ever win a war against a superpower like Russia.
I guess the answer is we just roll over, play dead, and let Putin and his army commit genocide and flagrant war crimes and pretend it is Russia’s right to do so because Ukraine was once part of Russia. He is simply taking back what is rightfully theirs.
I wonder if America would feel the same way should Russia invade Alaska. After all, Alaska was once part of Russia… somehow, I cannot help but feel that with the current administration and its mindset, America would raise a white flag and surrender unconditionally at the first sign of aggression by a foreign power.
It is obvious to me that Joe Biden does not have the fortitude or the brains to stand up to anyone… even for America’s survival!
