To the Editor:
Being of a certain age I’m troubled by America’s apparent abandonment of any real foreign policy and its adoption of an approach made infamous by British prime minister Neville Chamberlain in the 1930s.
Appeasement didn’t work when it came to “Mister Hitler” and it won’t work with Mister Putin.
While his cultist fanboys may argue that Mr. Trump is playing three-dimensional chess on a global scale, I’m thinking that alienating tried and true allies, openly stating his fantasies for acquisition of Canada, Greenland, Panama and one or two spare golf courses around the world further weaken us in the eyes of an increasingly wary world.
Ukrainians cannot afford to wait for the president’s chess moves. Their reality is more pressing: fending off a Russian Bear killing their people on a daily basis and attempting to preserve their freedoms as a sovereign nation, principles I thought the American people and its leaders were capable of understanding.
Maybe not. American sentiment appears to have changed as the U.S. suspends military support to Ukraine and Europe steps into the role once occupied by our country. Two things have come increasingly clear – this administration needs to confront their foreign policy fantasies while understanding that history has repeatedly shown appeasement fails and that ideals do matter.
Hugh Warlberg
Walnut Creek
And appeasement doesn’t work with Hamas either.
Firestone 11R
You are analogizing gangster Trump and Hamas, both expert in the shake-down. Which will cause the greater harm?
It’s horrific. I would use the phrase that it’s un-American, but it appears that there are enough people who have decided to redefine that term. Everyone knew – or should have know – where we would go but chose either that it’s the right path or took no action to prevent it.
I hope for the USA’s former allies to continue to stand firm. We, unfortunately, have abandoned them.
Yeah, lets piss off the guy with the Nukes!!!
Worse would be showing the guy with the nukes you’re afraid of him.
I never saw this coming- that’s for sure.
Since Vietnam if not Korea everyone has known that the American people will not support a protracted stalemate where our side is not pursuing total and final victory. The other side just needs to survive long enough and they win. Therefore it’s stupid to enter any war in which the objective is a tie. That’s how we lose.
What’s the strategy for total victory in Ukraine? There is none. I wish there were. Facts don’t care about our feelings.
Exactly
So…your strategy is Ukraine should roll over for Putin and cede sovereign territory on the basis of naked aggression? When’s the last time appeasement worked in a situation like this?
If you’re looking to historical facts that don’t care about our feelings I’d point you to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. In much the same way they just decided to invade and annex parts of Ukraine, they rolled into a neighboring country, were met with relentless, longstanding resistance (including vigorous support from the US and NATO) and eventually gave up and went home.
Unlike Korea or Vietnam, “total victory” in the case of Ukraine doesn’t require regime change or toppling an entire form of government. It just needs to become too costly for Putin to continue his aggression. Personally I find all this capitulation highly suspect, and can’t help but notice that “our” opinion of Russia, Putin, and this kind of adventurism used to be met with a desire to see a just outcome, rather than just an outcome. Ronald Reagan must be spinning in his grave.
Thank you for posting a victory strategy of sorts. The Soviets left Afghanistan because of the cost and because they had no burning desire to occupy that hostile foreign land. Ukraine, and especially Crimea, is fundamentally different.
In theory, implacable resistance could eventually reverse Russian aggression. In reality, Russia has many more available soldiers and the ability to end the resistance at any time with nuclear weapons. It’s not a good idea for Ukraine or the West to make annihilation appear to be Putin’s best option.
After the initial Russian attack was blunted, I believed that the victory strategy was to depose Putin. Remember the apparent coup attempt? Depending on Putin’s replacement, that could have been an excellent result. Nobody expects that now. We have to base strategy on reality.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan lasted NINE YEARS at a huge cost of blood and treasure, so I think you may be underestimating their level of desire in that conflict.
I agree Ukraine is different, but IMO the difference is that defending Ukraine is MUCH more important to US and European interests in every conceivable way than defending Afghanistan was, but we did it anyway. The key is not looking at it from Putin’s POV, I guess, including the inevitability of a nuclear strike. While not impossible, it remains highly unlikely and would be incredibly stupid. Putin’s insane, but he’s not dumb (unlike Trump, who is a lunatic and a moron). And in any event, US policy should not be “well he’s got nukes so he gets trample/annex whatever he wants…”
And there’s the rub: capitulation to imperialist aggression is a “strategy” that will inevitably produce more imperialist aggression. If you think ceding Crimea to Putin will stop him, I’ve got a Tesla fleet to sell you super-cheap. He’s trying to reconstitute the Soviet Union, and this is Step 1.
I am in disbelief that Trump, JDVance, and ilk are dismantling so much of what we built in this country, betraying the Ukraine, turning their backs on our allies while siding up to Putin. The horror!
I miss the good old days, when we were the good guys.
I never would have guessed we’d get here. Glad my parents aren’t here to see it.
When Musk calls Mark Kelly a traitor you know the worm has turned. And I know who I’m for and against.
What would you call him?
Mark Kelly? I would call him a patriot and hero.
What should we call Mark Kelly? In addition to the excellent suggestions above, I’d add: Senator, fighter pilot, space shuttle pilot, navy captain, aeronautical engineer, combat veteran, public servant, and author.
As for Elon: I’d call him a rapacious, drug abusing, lying, unelected technocrat bully. Oh yeah he’s also a megalomaniac, illegal immigrant, and apartheid-revisionist Afrikaaner.
The idea that what used to be the Republican party prefers the latter to the former is an unimaginable disgrace.
Jackenapes – Bravo, well said…
Horror show! Narcissistic psychopath naked for all to see but the disciples and sycophants. His followers are being destroyed. Brazil is now the leading soy exporter.
The New American Imperialism has consequences. Who would’ve imagined?
Never thought I’d see the day the White House lawn was turned into a used car dealership.
I’m glad to see the comments page come alive on this subject. I’m a naturalized US citizen originally from the UK and I’m horrified to see how this administration is recklessly torching so much international good will. The idea that any man or nation is an island is obviously false. Among other things the US depends on others buying our debt for the things we hold dear.
Howdy, Tom, and welcome… quite a few expats here and we like having you around. And, yes, the comment threads do “come alive” around here! Thanks for posting…
They told us what they were going to do. It was all right there for those who cared to look.
The slow motion coup is picking up steam. The Civil War the red hats threatened us with may happen after all – just with different minute men.