As the Russian war in Ukraine enters its fourth week, a few observations are needed. Despite ongoing negotiations between the two nations and various third parties, the conflict is escalating. The Biden Administration has pledged billions in additional military assistance, on top of the over $1 billion in aid already given. From Bloomberg Government “Legislation signed by President Joe Biden Tuesday included over $3 billion for additional direct military assistance... In a letter on Tuesday, the lawmakers suggest a long list of equipment in addition to more high-profile Stinger anti-aircraft and Javelin anti-armor missiles.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is trying to acquire Russian-made MIG 29’s from Poland in an effort to beef up his overmatched military forces. He is also seeking a NATO-enforced no-fly zone. There have been numerous reports that Russia is seeking military assistance from China, including armed drones. Republicans on the hill are calling for the additional assistance, but is it helping to end the conflict? A Kremlin spokesman said that a neutral Ukraine with its own army could be a possible compromise in the current crisis. There is the major sticking point as far as Putin is concerned; the Russian President has repeatedly said Ukraine joining NATO is not an option. Why then is America pushing for just such an arrangement? In a recently deleted tweet, Vice President Kamala Harris claimed “the U.S. is supporting Ukraine in defense of the NATO alliance.” That would be great except Ukraine is not a member of NATO. This is what happens when you have “leaders” who are clearly out of their depth.
I understand the humanitarian concerns behind the calls for a no-fly zone over Ukraine. We’ve all seen the images of women and children being bloodied by bomb attacks, hospitals decimated, but Putin clearly sees a no-fly zone as a provocation. Like every war, this one is a battle not just of bombs, missiles and tanks, but one of propaganda and for public opinion. It’s Zelenskyy who’s winning the latter. He knows how to utilize social media to his advantage. Why is Ukraine so bereft of arms? Alex Newman, Senior Editor of the New American Magazine says Zelenskyy is a notorious gun banner who believes his citizens can’t be trusted with firearms to protect themselves. Newman also claims Zelenskyy is a globalist which would help to explain a few things.
Then there’s the sideshow. Oleg Matveychev, a member of the Russian Parliament, is calling for the U.S. to return Alaska to Russia as part of a reparations deal. According to the Daily Beast, the Russian lawmaker, also known as the Kremlin’s ‘spin doctor,’ says why not toss in the Antarctic, “we discovered it, so it belongs to us.”
The President needs to step back and assess the U.S. interests in Ukraine. Is Ukraine vital to America’s national security? Is it strategically important to our interests? And why is the U.S., a nation rich in oil and natural gas reserves, giving Russia $65 million a day for oil, money Putin is using to wage war on a sovereign nation? These are the types of questions someone in the Administration needs to be asking before America gets dragged into a war that will at the very least, cripple our economy, and may ultimately lead to a war for civilization.