LETTER TO THE EDITOR / THE BIG PICTURE: FEAR v COURAGE

By Roger C. Kostmayer

Autocracy means that one person, the dictator, has absolute power over a country. The Putin autocracy and Russia, without provocation, attacked its smaller neighbor country, Ukraine, and Putin is  now murdering civilians and committing war crimes that are depraved.

Elliot Cohen and others have called for clear realistic goals that reflect our values and address both immediate issues and longer term preventive objectives – like preserving peace and democracy.  The best suggestions boil down to three essential (and existential) goals that can not be negotiated: Save Ukraine; Get rid of Putin; Strengthen the bonds and international rules that ensure a peaceful future that protects multilateralism and democracies from autocrats.

Specifically, the US and NATO must: save Ukraine by continuing to increase and monitor the most painful sanctions against Russia; immediately supply the most effective weapons, training and humanitarian support; strengthen the 30 nation NATO to prevent possible future invasions by autocracies.  Saving Ukraine also includes a major commitment to help rebuild their country.

Strengthening the international opposition to autocracy and war means not only NATO’s commitment to defend all others but also unity among democracies world wide.  Unfortunately, there are a few countries that seem to have joined China and North Korea, like India and Israel, that have so far failed to unequivocally condemn Putin and Russia for their crimes against humanity

Unless Russia and the Russian people have another revolution and replace Putin, the international sanctions and military losses will continue to make their country an isolated pariah, a toothless tiger and an economic disaster.

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