As I sit down to write this week, I am conflicted. That’s the emotion of our age given our divisions. The chasm between individuals, groups, and political parties is as great as we have seen since the American Civil War. Moreover, people are not satisfied simply to disagree. Oh no. That is insufficient. Now you must also impugn to motives of those with whom you disagree—even sprinkling in a few cuss words—to put a profane rhetorical exclamation point on your argument. Sadly, such actions weaken and undermine rational discourse and respectful debate. Yet such is the social atmosphere today. Some say when we do this, that it’s tantamount to a circular firing squad. It is more like a circular blaming squad.
We love to blame others for our national mess a lot more than we love doing the tough work of solving problems. You see this with elected leaders at every level. No longer do we try to find a way forward as much as we seek to block any way forward. Those who do this claim loudly that they are motivated by “principle.” Wrong “P” word. They are in fact motivated by “power,” particularly the power to stay in office, grow their respective majorities, and continue to extract generous pay and benefits while engaging in circus-like behavior at tax-payer expense. This is not governance. It’s rapacious irresponsibility. Yet we tolerate it. If you also want to confront those tolerators, find a mirror. The responsible person will appear instantaneously.
I suppose my unhappiness lately is focused on two areas where I find the intractability particularly bothersome. So, permit me to lay down some blame of my own.
The Ukraine War
There are impassioned arguments begin made by opposing sides concerning America’s support for Ukraine in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of a sovereign nation. Those opposed to US support for Ukraine assert it is “not our war” and we should allow Russia and Ukraine to settle things themselves. Moreover, that it’s a “European problem,” not one that affects the US. Somehow, those who say so have forgotten that NATO, to which we are joined, is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A quick look at a map might help them see that we are indeed located in that region of the globe, Canada as well. But a map reading disability is not the problem here. Seeing the cold cruel reality of Russia’s threat to the world order is. If we and NATO allow Russia to triumph in Ukraine, the Baltic states will be next. And they are, unlike Ukraine, NATO members. An attack on them, under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, is an attack on all and the war that isolationists seek to avoid in Ukraine will surely be ours.
This reality should be clear to even the less engaged students of international relations. But it escapes those in Congress who are intent on blocking further assistance to Ukraine. They are dull of mind. Maybe they should read some history. Consider the thoughts of British General Patrick Sanders, the U.K. army’s most senior commander. He has compared this moment in European history to 1937, when the U.K. and its allies debated whether to face down Hitler.
“The lesson from the 1930s is that when the strategic context and the threats begin to increase, and I think that’s what we’ve seen, then you need to begin to prepare for it.”
This is our 1937 moment. We must awaken to it.
Border Insecurity
At no time in our history have our borders been open to obvious threats to our national security. Concerning the current Congressional and Executive leadership in America, none have done so much to do so little to resolve so much danger. Their dereliction of duty merits courts martial treatment. To say their neglect is deleterious is to understate the seriousness of borders laid open to over 1.6 million unknown aliens who have escaped after entering the country illegally, “got aways” as they are called. Among them are surely malicious criminals who plan to do violence to many Americans. Were we to have a symphonic orchestra filled with neglectful Nero’s fiddling away, we could not do more than the distracted crop of national politicians deadlocked over border security. Every one of them who is satisfied with doing nothing should be fired.
Therefore…
Such is the condition of America today. Yet all we can expect is that both sides will resist doing what obviously must be done. Ukraine support and border security are not at odds. They are joined. Both represent profound national security threats and must be addressed now, this week. To do otherwise is to throw in with our enemies and if you search the dictionary, there’s an apt term to describe such behavior.
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