OF WAR
Day 3 of 21 Days to a Writing Habit
War is ugly.
What we are witnessing in Ukraine following a large scale Russian military invasion this week is ugly. Seeing elderly bloodied after a missile hits their apartment is ugly. Seeing thousands of elderly, women, children taking shelter in underground subway stations is ugly. Seeing men conscripted on the spot to defend their country is ugly.
Reports and images from Ukrainian journalists are showing a lack of surgical precision in Russia’s first two days of aerial and missile attacks all over Ukraine. War is ugly.
War is ugly.
Remember that anytime a country deliberately sends its military forces over a foreign border by land, air or sea, without the other country’s permission it is considered an act of war. War is ugly.
Western leaders seem to expect the Russian President to recall his troops back across the Ukrainian borders in the face of sanctions. Fantasy. Since sending troops into George in 2008, Putin has been building to this moment. He annexed Crimea despite stinging sanctions.
Putin gambled on the current political leadership in the west being too risk-averse to intervene. So far his gamble has paid off, despite strong language from Ukrainian President Zelynskyy arguing for western intervention.
A Democratic President in the deeply divided US. A Liberal President in France, (though Emmanuel Macron was a Socialist in his early political career). A conservative Prime Minister of Great Britain that lacked any consistency when serving as Foreign Secretary. These are the three permanent western amigos of the United National Security Council (UNSC).
The fifth UNSC permanent member, China, signed an agreement with Russia just prior to the Winter Olympics. This agreement contains a provision that each country backs the other in their respective standoffs with Taiwan and Ukraine. Could this mean China has its crosshairs on Taiwan while the world is focused on Ukraine? Both Xi and Putin flout the same historical claim argument over these lands.
With a veto on the UNSC and agreement from China, Russia ensures that there will be no Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions/resolutions against it. That leaves NATO. Created in 1949 to oppose exactly what is happening today, Russian expansion westward into Europe. Yet, NATO has said it has no intention of putting troops into Ukraine.
Despite numerous foreign claims of standing with Ukraine against Russia, no countries are likely to stand beside Ukraine, arm in arm in defensive partnership. This is akin to a schoolyard fight where your drastically outmatched friend is being pummeled by the larger and much more powerful bully and you yelling that you have your friends back, but all you do is stand back and watch.
And, without NATO intervention, it is highly unlikely that Ukraine will be able to hold out against the massive Russian invasion forces. This despite the 2021 Brussels Summit where NATO leaders reiterated their support for Ukraine membership within its Membership Action Plan.
Membership has its privileges. But, until your membership card is signed you are on your own.
War is ugly.
If you enjoy reading this content, consider subscribing to my feed. Also, if you are not a Medium member and you would like to gain unlimited access to the platform it’s a $5 monthly subscription to engage with my articles and many others like mine. Thanks.