LETTER TO THE EDITOR / CRIME REQUIRES PUNISHMENT

By Roger C. Kostmayer

The US and NATO are facing  a confluence of dangers and outrageous violations of human rights.  Stopping it begins by understanding the reality of evil – both in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the fascist violence within our nation.

It is evil and against international law to invade a sovereign nation neighbor, to deliberately kill women and children, to commit rape and murder, to attack another country’s soul and culture by stealing its history and art, and its evil to force a weaker border nation to Ukraine (like Belarus) to also invade the victim of Putin’s ambition.  But it is also evil when radical right wing MAGA fascists (often  elected politicians) use violence against our own constitutional democracy – while praising Putin and Trump, and demanding the end to support for NATO and Ukraine.

Once these existential threats are clear, imminent and evil, as they are now, the question isn’t “Should we act?”, the question is HOW we protect civilization?  100 or so years ago, Dr. Ivan Pavlov would have pointed out that failure to severely punish evil (by winning the war unequivocally), will assure there will be more evil.

To illustrate, the Republic of Belarus is under pressure from Putin to join Russia in another invasion of Ukraine from Belarus.  This invasion would clearly be evil and should not be allowed.  To prevent it, Dr. Pavlov would suggest a credible warning of incredible pain if the invasion even looks like it might happen. For example, if NATO and the US warn Belarus and their people that preparation for such an invasion would assure the immediate destruction of all Belarus military and government.

That would not be an empty threat, but it could be the end of war.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]