The Case for American Involvement in Ukraine

This article was intended for publication not long after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. When Russia began amassing troops on its border with Ukraine, the U.S. did precious little to discourage Vladimir Putin from sending more and more forces to surround its neighbor on three sides. This should have come as no surprise, considering how he basically waltzed into Crimea and encouraged separatists in the eastern part of the country in 2014 and suffered no major repercussions for his blatant disrespect for international law.

Ever since Rootin’ Tootin’ Vladi Putin was handed the reins of power in 1999, he has been trying to reconstitute the Soviet Union, paving the road to that goal with decimated countries and dead bodies. For over 20 years, he has gotten away with countless murders and is hell-bent on committing more. From Chechnya to Georgia and now Ukraine, no territory that has ever been part of the Soviet empire is safe from Russian aggression.

Since the fall of the USSR in 1991, the U.S. has failed to take action to ensure people freed from Soviet tyranny are allowed to develop into full-fledged democracies. For nearly half a century, America talked tough to keep the threat of another war in Europe and, ultimately, global annihilation at bay. In the 21st century, the world has watched the steady woosification—"wUSification,” if you will—of what used to be called the only remaining superpower. Sadly, the U.S. is once again failing to heed the lessons of history, and that plum stupidity will end up destroying the planet.

The situation bears a stark resemblance to the prelude to World War II, from Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, to the United States’ fear of involvement in a conflict it could easily put a stop to. Making concessions to evil authoritarians is like giving your lunch money to the class bully every time he comes around. It only encourages him to go on being a bully. All it would take is one good bloody nose to impress upon him the error of his ways.

The road to World War II started with the end of World War I. Massive reparations imposed on Germany fomented resentment among its people and created ideal conditions for Hitler’s ascension. Putin was conveniently given the keys to power and eventually had the Russian constitution rewritten so he could stay in office permanently.

Adolf Hitler rose to power when he was appointed Chancellor of Germany in 1933. He instituted a policy of military expansion three years later. Then, in 1938 came the annexation of Austria. In September of that same year, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich Agreement with Germany, allowing it to occupy the Sudetenland, the German-speaking region of Czechoslovakia. In March of the 1939, Hitler broke the agreement by taking over the rest of Czechoslovakia. In September, he launched the invasion of Poland, marking the start of WWII.

It is patently obvious that the wannabe czar is more than willing to either drop nuclear bombs on Ukraine or blow up a few nuclear power plants. Either action would irradiate a vast swath of Europe, turning Ukraine into a no-man’s land for the next 50 years. He would effectively achieve his goal of preventing NATO and the European Union from expanding all the way to his doorstep. This madman is well aware that reincorporating Ukraine and Belarus into the country of Russia’s would cause its borders to butt right up against NATO members. If the leadership of the United States thinks Putin is willing to stop once he has subdued Ukraine, they are sadly mistaken. Hitler did not stop after occupying Poland or marching into Paris. The further west Putin advances, the more he will bitch about NATO being too close to his borders. He will demand removal of NATO forces and strategic weapons from those countries, “Or else, I’m gonna throw a temper tantrum!”

The U.S. government fails to recognize or acknowledge that Putin’s “special military operation” has already started World War Three. Not only is it wreaking havoc on economies around the world with higher oil and energy prices, but the devastation is only going to get worse. Ukraine and Russia produce 30% of the world’s wheat. With the conflict preventing the former’s ability to plant and harvest and a likely boycott of wheat from the latter, many people are about to be forced to go on low-carb diets.

If Vladimir wants to launch nuclear missiles at the U.S., we might as well shoot back. Considering the impact of climate change and COVID-19, humans are on the verge of destroying the planet anyway.