Guest Commentary - War and Peace Reversed? Will Russia Rewrite its History in Ukraine?
https://www.elkgrovenews.net/2022/02/guest-commentary-war-and-peace-reversed.html
By D.J. Blutarsky |
As
I write this, the free world faces the risk of a global war not seen
since WWII - in other words not during most of our lifetimes, mine
included. Russia has amassed an invasion-sized force on the border of
Ukraine that appears poised to pounce; our intelligence agencies report
the Russian invasion will occur on Wednesday; our Secretary of State is
on the phone with his Russian counterpart; and President Biden is
scheduled to reach out by phone to Vladimir Putin shortly thereafter in
an effort to avert war.
Russia's
great novelist, Leo Tolstoy, wrote 'War and Peace' in 1869 about
Napoleon's 1812 invasion of Russia. Well, 210 years later it appears
that the tables could be turning, and let's hope a new updated novel is
not in the works. Instead of France invading Russia, will Russia be
invading Ukraine?
When
the USSR collapsed in 1991, 14 former member states gained their
independence, Ukraine included. I will not pretend to get inside of
Putin's head, but it must be insulting to the Russian national pride to
see their once-mighty empire collapse and to add insult to injury, to
possibly see Ukraine (and others) someday be welcomed into the NATO
alliance. But gobbling up countries to satisfy a personal goal of
greatness is as unacceptable today as it was back in Hitler's day. I do
not see the Russian people out in the streets pushing their government
to take down other countries.
We
don't know whether this is a high-stakes bluff on Russia's part to
obtain a guarantee that NATO will never admit Ukraine into their
alliance, or whether this is Russia's first actual step of forcibly
rebuilding its empire one country at a time. Could this be Russia's
version of Make America Great Again, but in this case, MRGA?
Leaders
of the free world and of the controlled world must resist the
temptation to play God and to create a world in their own vision. The
free world is indeed justified in repelling any move Russia might be
making in this regard. There is a world order and a balance of power
that gives peace and solace to some, and insecurity to others.
Diplomacy
and intellectual dialogue are how we should handle things, not the
brandishing of swords like Napoleon did in Russia. Let War and Peace
stand!
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