It's Time to Stand with Ukraine and President Biden
Some Thoughts on War and How a Patriot Acts in a Time of National Crisis
I didn’t intend to write another newsletter until April, but we’re dealing with extraordinary events in Ukraine with Russia’s invasion, that I think a few thoughts on worth stating.
First, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is about nothing more than Russia’s imperial ambitions as Putin made clear in his recent speech on the matter.
Second, my thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people. Putin’s invasion is going to create a human rights crisis, with more than five million people expected to become Refugees in the wake of Russia’s barbaric attack.
Third, at this time, the interest of freedom and the interest of the United States and our allies are aligned with the interest of the Ukrainian people. Thankfully, the use of our ground forces is not on the table, but the President and the leaders of NATO are going to be rolling out sanctions and offering support for the people of Ukraine. Russia’s territorial ambitions will not stop with Ukraine if they are left unchecked. There’s a great risk of a wider conflict bursting out that America and the rest of the world may not be able to avoid taking part in.
I’m praying for our President and am hoping that he and our allies will be successful in every effort to thwart Putin’s ambition and to avoid this becoming a wider more dangerous conflict.
Yet, there are those on the right who are pulling for Putin. You have Tucker Carlson, who turns his Fox News Show into a free propaganda organ for the Russian government and foments internal hatred:
Never has the practical difference between patriotism and far right nationalism been apparent. Some have sworn they are synonymous. But an ideology that leads you to cheer on the actions of America’s geopolitical foes to “own the libs” is not partriotic.
There is, far less offensively, those who bemoan that if Donald Trump had won a second term, this wouldn’t have happened. Or point to policy errors by Biden that they believe led to this crisis such as the Biden Administration’s decision to waive sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. I disagree with folks about a Trump' second term, but am sympathetic to the idea that President Biden made an error with Nord Stream 2.
However, both of these questions are beside the point. America gets one President and one national security team at a time. In a time of crisis, it doesn’t matter what you think the other guy would have done. He’s not there, and he’s not going to be there. America has one team on foreign policy, the Biden team. As an American, that’s my rooting interest. I hope President Biden and NATO succeed.
To an extent, it doesn’t matter how we got here. What does matter is what we do from here. There will be a time for post-mortums and for accountability for mistakes that were made Certainly, the President’s actions aren’t above criticism.
However, I’ve seen disgraceful displays from folks on the right who are cheerleading for our President to fail, for America to fail, for all the consequences of Putin emerging victorious and extending his ambitions being foisted on Ukraine, Europe, and the World. It may lead to untold human suffering and carnage, but it’ll further their narrative about the Biden Administration and it will allow them to win more seats in the next election.
I didn’t vote for Joe Biden, but I’m pulling for him and for our country on this issue. That’s the only patriotic response. Any other is shameful and those who seek to profit off of human suffering and make political sport of it are disgracing our nation. I can only hope that their actions receive appropriate response from patriotic voters.