In the most naked and savage act of aggression since Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Russia invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine in a war to annihilate Ukraine. Not since Hitler brutalized much of Europe in World War Two has the world witnessed the savagery lately visited upon the men, women and children of Ukraine. The heart-breaking images of suffering Ukrainian children, deprived by war of home and family, will long linger in the hearts and minds of civilized people and serve to remind the world of the tragic consequences of allowing a madman despot with weapons of war to run free among innocent humans.
Other than lip service to the Ukrainian cause and some material assistance, the rest of the world did nothing but watch and lament the fate of Ukraine. Peace-loving, freedom-loving nations, watched from the sidelines while Ukraine fought for life. This defies understanding. When free men and women are threatened anywhere, all men and women, even in the United States of America, are threatened. Ukraine is fighting for the entire free world.
Sometime in the future, historians studying the Russian invasion of Ukraine will ask: Why did the world not do something to stop the merciless massacre of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people? How did it happen, by what means, did Vladimir Putin, Russia’s demented gangster leader, bully the world into submitting to his destruction of Ukraine? These questions need answers. It is clear that the barbarity now being suffered by Ukraine will not cease until Vladimir Putin is removed from his position of authority in Russia.
The war between Ukraine and Russia has placed America, and our allies, in a perplexing situation. On one hand, membership in NATO pledges America to come to the aid of any other NATO country attacked. Ukraine is not a NATO member, thus is not entitled to NATO protection. However, Ukraine is a sovereign nation of peace-loving, freedom loving people who are under attack by a vicious predatory nation seeking to expand its power. While NATO members are committed by treaty to defend all other treaty members, does the treaty and NATO membership mean that members may not come to the aid of a non-NATO nation under attack and in danger of obliteration? It may be that the United States, Great Britain, France and other NATO countries use their membership in NATO as a cop-out to deny more powerful assistance to non-NATO Ukraine. If this is true, the world is witnessing the most blatant act of international cowardice ever displayed.
An answer to the world’s inaction to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine may lie, partially, in concern for Putin’s mental state. Putin appears to be mentally unhinged and driven by an obsession to restore the Russian empire of USSR times. Whatever stands between Putin and this goal must be eliminated. Russia’s sphere of dominance must be restored to 1990 pre-Gorbachev levels by whatever means are required, including armed force.
In this age of nuclear weaponry, any use of armed forces in a clash of super powers suggests the possibility of employment of nuclear weapons, accidentally or intentionally, by one side or the other. America, and our allies are very much aware that Putin would likely view their intervention in Ukraine, with combat forces, as the start of World War Three. Biden should be aware that Russian officials have previously stated that World War Three will be a nuclear war.
One thing is crystal clear about the person of Vladimir Putin. He is the personification of evil, an out-of-control, autocratic killer bent upon the acquisition of personal power. Putin may be likened to a rabid dog turned loose in the world. Conquering Ukraine is vital to his attainment of the power for which he is desperate. Ukraine is, however, only one step in his quest for power. His demented state of mind demands continuously feeding his ambition for ever greater power.
The war between Russia and Ukraine may follow any one of several scenarios. Outcomes differ for each possible scenario. A fairy-tale scenario exists in the hope that a diplomatic solution to the problem between Ukraine and Russia may be found, the ongoing war ended and a war of annihilation avoided. Relations between the two combatants could return to pre-hostility status.
In the best-case possible scenario, supplied by America and allies with material resources and other war making assets short of combat troops on the ground, Ukraine defeats Russia after a long and bloody war. In the words of Rodney King, the two sides find a way to “just get along.” Russia promises the fight will go on, someday.
In a second, and unfortunately, more likely scenario, Russia overruns and conquers the whole of Ukraine in a bloody war. The nation of Ukraine ceases to exist. Russia annexes the former Ukraine, installs a pro-Russian government and incorporates it, under a new name, into the Russian Federation.
In a third scenario, Russia succeeds in overrunning and conquering a portion of Ukraine. The conquered part of the former Ukraine is annexed and incorporated into the Russian Federation, under a new name and after the installation of a pro-Russian government. In either of the latter two cases, whether all or part of Ukraine is subjugated and forced into the Russian Federation, low-intensity guerilla warfare will likely continue for an extended time between Russia and members of the former Ukraine who refuse to accept Russian rule.
A fourth scenario exists in the realm of remotely possible. This scenario conjectures that America and allies are awakened, by a sudden rush of conscience, to the painful predicament of the Ukrainians and come to the aid of Ukraine with forces and materials sufficient to turn the tide of war. World War Three ensues and nuclear weapons are employed by both combatants. This scenario raises an element of doubt regarding the benefit to Ukraine of having American participation in the war at some high level of planning and execution of combat operations. America’s existing leadership and management skills are sorely lacking among the practitioners of diplomatic and military operations, a fact displayed to the world in the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Joe Biden has surrounded himself and his administration with a staff of amateurs attempting to compete in the game of high stakes international competition. Biden is losing in the competition. No greater proof of this can be found than the success enjoyed by Vladimir Putin in bullying and bluffing Joe Biden each time Biden seems about to take an action to benefit Ukraine, e.g., providing Polish war planes to Ukraine. When his hand is called, Biden turns tail and backs down.
In times past, America would have been the Knight in Shining Armor, standing with drawn sword against the evil dragon Putin. With America in its current state, the world seems to have lost its Shining Knight, protector of the small and weak. Now the bad guys are turned loose to feed on the little guys. Who shall take up the sword now?
The world needs a “shining city on a hill”. The United States of America has long served the world in that role, Now, there is doubt. The actions of Ukraine and the nation’s youthful leader, President Zelenskyy, provide America and all the world with a light. His model of leadership in crisis is worthy of study and emulation. Zelenskyy’s message is clear and forceful, some things are worth fighting for, even dying for.
Felsher, a longtime Hattiesburg resident, is a retired Army colonel. He can be reached at efelsher1936@comcast.net.
