What To Do?

We may feel saturated by the news coming from Ukraine, but we should not cease to take an interest in it because we are in the path of its consequences

Perhaps it would be interesting to quote Winston Churchill from those dark days in February 1941 when The British Empire & Dominions were still bereft of allies, facing a Nazi occupied Europe and the Russo-German Non-Aggression-Pact still in place – only five months previously the Battle of Britain had been fought and won:

WLD Winston Churchill“The other day, President Roosevelt gave his opponent in the late Presidential Election [Mr. Wendell Willkie] a letter of introduction to me, and in it he wrote out a verse, in his own handwriting, from Longfellow, which he said, “applies to you people as it does to us.” Here is the verse:

. . .Sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great!
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!

What is the answer that I shall give, in your name, to this great man, the thrice-chosen head of a nation of a hundred and thirty millions? Here is the answer which I will give to President Roosevelt: Put your confidence in us. Give us your faith and your blessing, and, under Providence, all will be well.

We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle, nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.”

This quote is relevant because Ukraine is making the same plea 82 years later: Ukraine stands alone against his 21st-Century Goliath calling for the “tools.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy knows that the USA is reluctant to be drawn into a world war, just as it was back in February 1941, so like Churchill, he is not calling for boots on the ground, but weaponry.

Of course, the huge difference between that distant February and the present day is that a world conflict would very quickly lead to nuclear annihilation for Mankind.

As for sanctions, even if Western Europe stopped importing gas and petroleum from Russia, he could quite easily sell it elsewhere – China, for example. And of course, such a move would hurt Western Europe, especially Germany, more than it would hurt Russia – it’s rather like wrestling a sword from somebody’s grip by grabbing the blade with your hands.

For the US It is not a time for partisan sniping; it is irrelevant what Trump would have done or what Biden has done to date – the only important thing is what the US should do now.

It is quite evident that Putín has bitten off more than he can chew, but whilst he will eventually be able to “digest that mouthful,” the cost far outweighs the gains – he has cracked more than one tooth on this ‘morsel.”

If his aim was to stop the constant encroachment of Nato onto his borders, it has had he opposite effect; ergo, previously non-aligned Sweden and Finland are contemplating joining Nato.

If his aim was to bring Ukraine ‘back into the fold,’ it has had the opposite effect again, as there will be at least two generations of Ukrainians with a visceral hate towards all things Russian.

If his aim was to put the might of Russia’s military before the world as well oiled, well equipped, machinery of war, yet again it has had the opposite effect; how could David have given Goliath such a bloody nose? An Under-performing soldiery, lamentable logistics, poor tactical planning and a badly designed T-72 because they have an automatic loader meaning that the 3-man crew is surrounded by ammunition instead of being isolated from it – hence the destruction of so many of them.

No, Putín has failed both politically and militarily… which makes him a very, very dangerous person. Nascent dissent within the Russian populace would be extinguished should the West become involved, because an external enemy will always unite public opinion in favour of the State.

Taking the above into account, then, Ukraine needs a Lend & Lease arrangement. More political pressure from powers standing on the fence should be garnered; the US should call in all the help it has given Israel and make them denounce the Russian invasion.

They haven’t, nor won’t, once again failing to back this constant ally, who has stood by them through thick and thin, by not aligning itself with US Foreign Policy on this matter.

More importantly, China and India must either be deterred from supporting Russia or convinced to denounce the invasion – it is to these two nations that Russia will sell its energy resources if the tap to Europe is closed.

The US has to make the same sort of decision concerning Venezuela and Iran, both huge oil producers – we all have to bite the bullet and deal with those whom we would normally avoid, just as 82 years ago, the Western Democracies banded together with the Soviet Union to defeat Nazism.

(Editoral: Ukraine)

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