In push for peace, sanctions not the answer
At one time, the U.S. and NATO countries all seem to believe that sanctions would work to prevent a Russian invasion of Ukraine. They were mistaken.
Now they believe that sanctions will stop Russian President Vladimir Putin. The record would show that the more sanctions the West imposes the faster and harsher Putin has been with his war attacks. He’s now targeting hospitals and infrastructure.
History would show that to push a person into a corner usually results in irrational decisions. The Empire of Japan was trying to advance its influence and control over its Pacific sphere of influence. We detested it.
We used sanctions. We implemented an oil embargo. The sanctions were deemed excessive after the fact, after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, which ultimately led to the military deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans in the Pacific theater of World War II. An unintended consequence.
A recent assessment by our top intelligence officers in a hearing before Congress mentioned that not since the 1960s had Russia issued communications about its potential use of nuclear weapons.
As we all know, America’s use of nuclear weapons ended the war with Japan.
Now, maybe the ratcheting up of sanctions can be unraveled slowly to secure peace in Ukraine and the broader region eventually.
But I am very concerned about President Joe Biden’s judgment.
Former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and CIA director under H.W. Bush, proclaimed that Biden “was wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the last four decades.” That’s a strong statement that Gates codified just prior to the 2020 election.
In 1991, then-Sen. Biden voted against the use of force during Operation Desert Storm — an effort by the U.S. and its allies to remove Iraqi forces after they invaded neighboring Kuwait. Yet Biden erred in 2003 when he voted in favor of going after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein over weapons of mass destruction — which were never found. And he also opposed the Navy Seal raid that killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Today, Biden accepts no true blame for his errors. His recent ones include the U.S. exit debacle in Afghanistan as well as his claim that sanctions would prevent a Russian invasion. He denied he ever said the latter.
Conversely, in Biden’s view, everything bad is caused by others — Donald Trump, COVID-19, and now Putin for energy costs. Well, the public does not allow him to get away with this as the vast majority of Americans in recent polls disapprove of his performance.
Now we see energy prices hitting new highs. We see Biden calling up dictatorships we shied away from like Iran and Venezuela, along with Saudi Arabia, begging them to supply us with oil.
This happened after Biden closed the Keystone Pipeline and vowed to demolish our fossil fuel industry. We have gone from being an exporter of oil to now begging others for oil, ever since the departure of former President Trump.
Why didn’t Biden or the European Union see the potential need to cut Russian oil imports as part of the sanctions? This seems unconscionable. And, in doing so, how would the West make up for this loss of Russian energy? This scenario was staring them in the face for years.
Let us also concede that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been perfect either. He did not prepare his nation for such an onslaught despite obvious warning signs — such as the 190,000 Russian troops stationed at his door prior to the invasion.
A solution to the Ukraine/Russia conflict must be found quickly. Too many innocent people are dying and suffering. We cannot just watch.
It would appear that America or NATO intervening is a non-starter. Without their support, it is hard to see how Ukraine will do well.
Why not help Ukraine face reality? Ukrainians need to find a new strategy to end the suffering and death of their people while realizing that there will be another day and there could be another way to prevail. Find it. Remember Afghanistan sent the Russians packing. Ukrainians can too, but today is not the time.
Russia has a proposal on the table for the Ukrainian government to review. Russia wants Ukraine to relinquish seeking NATO membership and territories in the east of the country that are not under Ukraine’s control anyway. These seem to be obvious concessions for peace.
In the major conflicts of the 20th century, we saw the division of nations. Vietnam and Korea quickly come to mind. The former was a failure because those who loved their country pushed out those who wanted to impose their will on the country. The latter resulted in a demilitarized zone (DMZ) dividing the peninsula.
Thus, the story does not need to be a bleak one. In the long term, history is on the side of the Ukrainians.
Peace can be achieved in the region.
I do not believe Russia would have any interests in rebuilding a nation it has destroyed.
Gary Franks served three terms as U.S. representative for Connecticut’s 5th District. He was the first Black Republican elected to the House in nearly 60 years and New England’s first Black member of the House. Host: podcast “We Speak Frankly.” Author: “With God, For God, and For Country.” @GaryFranks