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I wonder if I am living in a dream world today
To the editor:
I wonder if I am living in a dream world today. The southern border of the country is virtually open, with all manner of people from everywhere pouring in, with the probable expectation of free services of various kinds. I can't think of any other country in the world that would let this happen. And, nobody seems to care. The Administration says nothing about it; the mainstream press say nothing about it, and even the right-wing press don't question the administration's spokespeople about the situation.
There is also another dream world today, in the sense that something believed inconceivable -- open warfare between Western nations -- is actually happening. The Russians, after months and months of advanced preparation open to the world, have savagely attacked a sovereign country without provocation. The West, for the most part, did nothing in advance, because they clearly thought that their assistance would be in a lost cause. Now that the Ukrainians have shown themselves to be courageous and resourceful, Western countries are now coming to their aid. However, the one thing that the Ukrainians desperately want is a no-fly zone, and now, as the war has turned into the bombing of innocent civilians, the Administration continues to fail to respond. Why? Because they don't want the war to become wider? Because we don't want to take on the Russians? The Ukrainians can handle the Russians and we can't? One would have thought that, in planning their invasion of Ukraine, the Russians would have their spearheads made up of their best troops. If what Russia has gone to war with are its best troops, then it's no wonder they switched to bombing people instead. Reports now indicate that Putin is asking for conscripts to help his army, i.e., forcing untrained young men into the fight.
I also hear that we are afraid that Putin, if pushed into a corner, may use a nuclear weapon. I don't believe he is that stupid. The world has a tacit agreement that no one will initiate the use of nuclear weapons, no matter what the situation, an understanding that has been observed for more than 75 years, in spite of all the threats to do that. (The morality of Hiroshima is still being argued in some places.) Any country using a nuclear weapon would be branded, not as a pariah state, but as a leper state, with all contacts with the outside world severed. If Putin does not know that, his generals do, and an attempt by him to press the nuclear button would ensure his immediate removal.
In the meantime, the bombing and destruction of Ukraine, with the rape and torture of women and children, goes on. Finland and Sweden are trying to get into NATO, while training of volunteers is underway In the Baltic states. Europe knows that America has the power to intervene and help stop the slaughter; they just don't understand why we don't use it. Our problem is that Biden is fully engaged with people who are making sure that he clearly understands what he is supposed to do during the White House Easter egg roll.
As I say, I'm living in a dream world.
John Brittain
Lewistown