Wyatt's World
As the Russian invasion plays out, one thing is clear: Short of a revolution, there is no hope that Russia will become a democratic republic with free markets. Rather than joining the league of free nations, Russia is now mired in a kleptocracy run by a murderous thug. We’ve seen this coming for years, now it is reality. Thugs take what they want, until they are stopped. Let’s hope Vladimir Putin wants no more countries in Europe.
In the old days, the Soviet Union rolled their tanks into eastern European countries with barely a response. Not so with Ukraine today. What changed? I’ll tell you what changed: The Ukrainians got a taste of Western-style freedom. They are no longer sheep. And they are refusing to turn back. Bravo for them.
The desire for freedom and liberty transcends language and culture. It is universal. As our founding fathers noted:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
This may play out badly for Russia. Russia and Putin will become pariahs of the free world. The West has huge economic power. Russia’s economy is $1.7 trillion. The United States’ economy is $25 trillion. The European Union’s economy is $15 trillion. China’s economy is $15 trillion. If Russia is banned from participating in the affluence of the West, it will undermine the Russian economy for decades and lead to its ultimate decline.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine smacks of desperation. Only insecure dictators poison their rivals, as Putin did to Alexei Navalny, the Russian hero who sits in a Russian prison, having survived Putin’s murder attempt. Navalny published a You Tube video intricately revealing the depth and breadth of Putin’s corruption. Billions stolen from the Russian people and sent offshore. Huge palaces built with nightclubs and poles for dancers. Greed, sin and corruption on a massive scale. Over 200 million Russians managed to bypass the Russian censors and view the video. It is the most viewed video in the history of Russia. The emperor now has no clothes. He has been revealed. So he invades Ukraine to deflect such scrutiny. It’s a desperate move.
A chill went down the world’s collective spine when Putin hinted at the use of using nuclear weapons if NATO tried to stop him. Again, this is a sign of desperation, just like Kim Jong-un of North Korea. This is the language of thugs and bullies, the likes of which have plagued mankind for eons.
The U. S. displayed calm statesmanship to not get sucked into Putin’s saber rattling. There was no need to engage in a round of nuclear threats.
Putin may be living in the past. The world has changed. Advanced communications and digital weaponry make traditional warfare obsolete as America painfully learned in Iraq.
When a Ukrainian soldier can easily take out a tank a half mile away from an apartment window, it’s hard to occupy a city. And there are indications that the rank and file Russian soldiers may lack enthusiasm for this war.
This is a warning shot off NATO’s bow. NATO must bolster its defenses around Ukraine. Putin knows invading a NATO country means full confrontation with the West. Let’s hope he is mentally stable and understands the dire consequences of such foolishness. Such action would greatly increase the risk of a nuclear confrontation.
Meanwhile, Russia stands to lose far more economically as a result of sanctions than they could ever gain by their Ukrainian invasion. Let’s hope this realization causes Putin to limit his annexation to the eastern part of Ukraine, leaving the west alone. Only time will tell. Putin may think a limited annexation may eventually be accepted by the West and the sanctions will wane over time.
Meanwhile, thousands are fleeing the Ukraine for the Polish border. It is worth noting that the West was winning over Ukraine with zero use of force. The West offered freedom, prosperity and the rule of law. Who wouldn’t prefer that over a corrupt dictatorship? Russia may win the day with force but time is not on their side. Freedom will win the hearts of the people and ultimately prevail. Unfortunately, given the existence of thugs like Putin, Castro, Kim Jong-un, Xi Jinping, Ortega, Madura, Erdogan and many others, much human misery will transpire until freedom prevails.
Wyatt Emmerich is publisher of The Northside Sun in Jackson and owner of Emmerich Newspapers.