Why Americans Should Care about Helping Ukraine Win
If you don't like moral arguments for helping Ukraine, there are sound realpolitik reasons as well
On this tragic once-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I went back to the basics in this article to explain why Americans have a lot at stake in this war. There are moral reasons to support Ukraine achieve victory. But we also have major security interests at stake. Take a look, Tell me what you think!
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/russia-invade-ukraine-2022-america-biden-must-not-forget-rcna72103
You make good points. However, I think we need to provide clearer and more immediate examples for US readers of what the implications of a Putin victory in Ukraine would mean for US security and our way of life. I have heard people say that our "nuclear umbrella" assures us that Putin would never dare attack the US, so that the risks to the US from a Russian victory in Ukraine are not so dire.
Here are some thoughts that occur to me as responses to such comments:
1. Putin with Ukraine in his pocket increases Russian capability substantially with a productive and capable population of over 44 million people. It was the Ukrainians who bore per capita the largest number of casualties the Soviet Union suffered in World War II.
2. Putin could use the same playbook--protecting Russian-speaking populations from "Neo-Nazi" oppression--against the Baltic countries and other European neighbors to take them over. Such populations are present in large numbers in a number of those countries.
3. An emboldened Russia can engage in a number of hostile acts short of invasion to disrupt the way of life and security of the rest of Europe and the US itself. Examples include cyber warfare (e.g., ransomware attacks, theft of IP via electronic attacks), encouraging political extremism with financial and disinformation support, sponsoring proxy wars in Africa and South America that lead to dramatic increases in refugee and migrant flows, supporting China in its efforts to restrict commerce through the South China Sea, to name a few.
The point is, a Putin victory in Ukraine based on brazen lies and an unprovoked and brutal invasion of a neighboring country could soon lead to all kinds of hostile acts against the way of life we have enjoyed since 1945 throughout the free world. The consequences could hit us in the US far before we faced an armed invasion in the conventional military sense.
I appreciate your multi-level approach to defend Ukraine while I still see it primarily as a moral issue. You have to be effective as well as right. I do admit all the technical “war talk” like making artillery shells in Ohio and Bulgaria gets to me and I try to block it out and stay focused on moral issue.
Bob Langfelder