It’s on you!
Image source: University of Southern California
The adults see the reality, and the courageous must scream and shout even if the powerful and the media will not. It does not matter who is wrong—the killings must stop. Innocent lives have been lost, and their families are suffering. Stop the violence. Act now! Contact your elected officials and demand an immediate end to the war. Discussions of blame can wait; the priority is to halt the killing.
America’s Naivety
Only a naïve and ignorant America can believe the media narrative that Ukraine can decisively defeat Russia and reclaim its territory without provoking a nuclear response from Moscow. Non-US media, diplomats, and geo-political experts recognize this conflict as America’s war on Putin. The world watches in disbelief as America persists in believing that Russia will willingly cede the newly occupied regions of Ukraine, where the majority is Russian speaking. Russia will not return these territories.
The entire world understood that Russia viewed NATO’s potential missile bases in Ukraine as an existential threat. Yet, America-NATO unity pressed forward. Some say Russia was backed into a corner by NATO actions. At this point it does not matter how wrong Putin was in starting the war. It must stop now.
Incontrovertible truths.
Russia has no compelling reason to relinquish the new territory. Its allies remain steadfast in their support. Despite nearly two years of conflict, Russia remains resilient and far from defeated. While Russian soldiers have suffered losses, many of those fighting are highly paid mercenaries. Moreover, Russia has not even begun to exhaust its arsenal of advanced weaponry. So far, it has relied mainly on low-tech ammunition, with allies like China, North Korea, and Iran continuously replenishing its supplies. Russia is largely self-sufficient in food and energy, and America-NATO cannot cut off these resources. The US-NATO financial sanctions have proven mostly ineffective, as Russia and its major trade partners have switched to trading in their own currencies, bypassing the US dollar. Even European nations have indirectly purchased Russian oil, further undermining the effectiveness of sanctions. Russia’s resilience is evident in its uninterrupted food supplies and energy. These are incontrovertible truths.
America’s Lost Clout
Russia’s resilience has further exposed the limitations of America’s approach, leading to a significant loss of global influence. America has lost its prestige as a moral defender of democratic principles. Through its imposition of sanctions and coercion of other nations to cut off trade with Russia, America has alienated many global partners. The seizure of Russian citizens’ assets troubled many nations, but when America froze Russian state assets, the world’s trust in America eroded significantly. If American politicians could do this to Russia, they could do the same to any nation. This has tarnished America’s image as a reliable global partner, reinforcing the perception of America as an opportunistic nation that fuels conflicts to benefit its military-industrial complex.
While America and its allies are outraged and committed to punishing Putin, a large part of the world and even Americans also wants America to negotiate peace.
Failure of Western Media to Paint Putin as a Villain
The Western portrayal of Putin as a villain has failed to resonate outside the West. In Russia, Putin remains a hero, and his restraint in not prosecuting the war more aggressively, including avoiding the use of nuclear weapons, has garnered him respect among global leaders. Instead of escalating, the world sees Putin as waiting out America-EU patience and negotiating peace.
Why the War Continues
Leaders, diplomats, and analysts outside America question why the war continues. They observed that American politicians achieved initial success by securing profits for weapons makers through arms sales to Ukraine. The expected next phase was to secure lucrative reconstruction contracts for American and European firms. However, the inability to source funding for reconstruction has stalled this phase, which many believe is the underlying reason the war persists.
In the end, it is not about who is right or wrong, but about stopping the senseless killing. Do what is right. Be counted. Call your elected leaders and demand an end to the war. Only then can we focus on the necessary steps to rebuild and negotiate the future.
Find your elected politicians’ phone and email information here: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials