We cannot rely on US to help us with wars
WE are beset by wars and rumours of wars. The ones that come to our attention via the media are Gaza and Ukraine, but there are many others in different parts of the world, such as Sudan which are just as bloody and devastating for local populations.
I think the question we all ask ourselves is “what can we do about it?”, and in most cases not much, except possibly send relief aid. But the wars in Gaza and Ukraine are different. Here we can have influence.
There have always been strong Jewish and pro-Palestinian lobbies in this country. The Jewish lobby was influential in establishing the state of Israel in 1948 after the Second World War and the Holocaust. Palestinians felt that their lands had been expropriated and that feeling continues today. The common sense remedy would be a two-state solution. Unfortunately, the extremists are in charge in both Israel and Gaza.
Israel has attracted the condemnation of the world for its treatment of the inhabitants of Gaza, overshadowing sympathy for the attacks by Hamas six months ago.
If the lobbies have any influence at all they could pressure both sides to seek a solution, and so should our Government.
The issue, however, which is perhaps of more importance to us is Ukraine. We saw two wars in Europe in the 20th century and we do not want to see one in the 21st.
Ukraine has always been a country with its own culture, even if at times it has been ruled by Russia.
Russia has always regarded Ukraine as an inferior culture, reflected in their attitude to the Holodomor (state induced famine because of a failure of collective farming) in the 1920s. Now they are trying to obliterate that culture again.
I have met many Ukrainian refugees, and they are charming, civilized people, but what impresses me most is their determination to keep their culture alive. Russia has had an authoritarian system of Government for most of their history, but since Ukraine became independent from Russia in 1992 they it has built a successful democracy, which for all its flaws compares well with Russia’s dictatorship based on lies and suppression of dissent. The Russians see that as a threat.
Does this matter? We cannot spend a fortune on helping a country just because it is a democracy.
But if Russia wins here it will attack neighbouring countries who may have once been part of the Russian empire, such as Finland.
They tried once in 1939. If they were successful in border states, they could even try and take back countries which were once Soviet satellites back under their control.
I find Orban’s attitude of trying to cosy up to Russia as idiotic. Has he forgotten what happened in 1956? What would happen next? Hitler began by saying he was protecting German minorities living in Czechoslovakia or Poland, but we know what happened after that.
The Ukrainians are very brave and ingenious. Their army has managed to hold the line against Russia despite their overwhelming superiority in numbers. They have also developed sophisticated drones which have sunk Russian warships and chased their navy out of the Black Sea and have also developed their own rockets which can go well inside Russia,
But the Ukrainians have a big problem. The war in the East is a long front, reminiscent of our First World War but with drones. Such a long battle requires considerable supplies of munitions and soldiers.
Just as Britain almost ran out of ammunition in the First World War, the Ukrainians are running out of shells.
Similarly they have fewer soldiers than the Russians. The Ukrainians treat their men humanely. The Russians simply throw theirs into the “meat grinder”, not caring about casualties. But they have plenty of them, and this strategy could prevail.
Europe is stepping up to the plate, with most European countries providing munitions. Britain is the third biggest supplier, after America and Germany.
The problem is America. There has always been a strong streak of isolationism in America, and many feel that overseas wars such as Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq achieved very little. Trump will cynically espouse any cause which may get him votes , and is now trying to block arms shipments to Ukraine.
Europeans must stand on their own. We can no longer rely on America. I am pleased to see Kier Starmer promising more equipment for our armed forces and help for Ukraine. Supporting Ukraine is something we have to do for our own survival, whether we like it or not.
“Long Live the free Ukraine!”