Since publishing this piece, The Washington Post has published a secret "Foreign Policy Concept" from Russia's Foreign Ministry that calls for, as one Russian academic advocate put it, for Russia to “continue to facilitate the coming to power of isolationist right-wing forces in America,”
At least some of those on the right have a point worth discussing. They want to spend American tax dollars defending American borders instead of spending those dollars defending Ukraine's borders. They were elected to serve the American people, not the Ukrainian people. As "America First" isolationists they are asking why European taxpayers can't take responsibility for defending Europe.
I'm not suggesting such Republicans are right and we are wrong. I'm suggesting these are reasonable points worth discussing. By looking for areas of agreement we can build on we have the opportunity to brand our side as being reasonable, which can help win over some swing voters to our side.
Ukraine currently is in serious need of additional weapons. Why can't their European neighbors meet this urgent need? If the EU doesn't possess the needed weapons, they could buy those weapons from us, and then pass them on to the Ukrainians.
Given the polarized politics in America, it's not in the EU's or Ukraine's interest that they be dependent upon America for their defense. America should be Europe's friend. Not it's mommy.
The combined GDP of the US and EU is around $44 trillion. The GDP of Russia is around 2 trillion.
$44 vs. $2
Why are we letting the Ukraine war drag on and on? Why are we doling out money and weapons to Ukraine a little bit at a time? Why are we letting Putin think he can win a war of attrition?
First, I'm completely with Biden on giving Ukraine whatever it needs for as long as it needs it. If we don't confront Putin in Eastern Ukraine, we'll just have to confront him somewhere else. So, Biden is right, he has my vote.
However, some of the conservatives have a good point too, which we should consider with an open mind while we are assisting Ukraine.
Joe Cirincione writes, "Ukraine is running out of ammunition, including air-defense missiles, and desperately needs American aid to stop Russia from seizing more land and placing more Ukrainians under vicious occupation."
Why does Ukraine desperately need AMERICAN aid? Put another way, why are Europeans unable or unwilling to defend Europe?
According to a quick Google search (corrections welcomed) the GDP of the EU is around $19 trillion, while the GDP of Russia is a bit over $2 trillion. Could someone please verify or challenge these numbers please?
If it's true that the economy of the EU is substantially greater than that of Russia, why is America crucial to the defense of Ukraine?
My understanding (corrections welcomed) is that American presidents have been asking the EU nations to increase their defense spending for years, maybe decades, and it was only when Trump started threatening to pull America out of NATO that the European nations started taking this request seriously.
What I'm suggesting here is that we should try to transcend the hyper partisanship that afflicts America and take good ideas where ever we can find them. Yes, Trump is a hyper despicable person who shouldn't be allowed in the White House even as a visitor. But that doesn't automatically equal every word he ever uttered being wrong. As proof of this, we might observe that Biden has kept some of Trump's policies both on our southern border and in the Middle East.
So, in a by-partisan spirit we might be asking...
Is the problem here really American Republicans? Or is it Europeans who are unwilling to provide for the defense of their own continent?
So Biden might say....
"America will stand by Ukraine as long as we are needed. But our European friends need to learn how to defend their own continent, and America won't be able to bail them out of trouble every time forever."
Since publishing this piece, The Washington Post has published a secret "Foreign Policy Concept" from Russia's Foreign Ministry that calls for, as one Russian academic advocate put it, for Russia to “continue to facilitate the coming to power of isolationist right-wing forces in America,”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/17/russia-foreign-policy-us-weaken/
At least some of those on the right have a point worth discussing. They want to spend American tax dollars defending American borders instead of spending those dollars defending Ukraine's borders. They were elected to serve the American people, not the Ukrainian people. As "America First" isolationists they are asking why European taxpayers can't take responsibility for defending Europe.
I'm not suggesting such Republicans are right and we are wrong. I'm suggesting these are reasonable points worth discussing. By looking for areas of agreement we can build on we have the opportunity to brand our side as being reasonable, which can help win over some swing voters to our side.
Ukraine currently is in serious need of additional weapons. Why can't their European neighbors meet this urgent need? If the EU doesn't possess the needed weapons, they could buy those weapons from us, and then pass them on to the Ukrainians.
Given the polarized politics in America, it's not in the EU's or Ukraine's interest that they be dependent upon America for their defense. America should be Europe's friend. Not it's mommy.
Another excellent column
Thank you, Gary!
The combined GDP of the US and EU is around $44 trillion. The GDP of Russia is around 2 trillion.
$44 vs. $2
Why are we letting the Ukraine war drag on and on? Why are we doling out money and weapons to Ukraine a little bit at a time? Why are we letting Putin think he can win a war of attrition?
$44 vs. $2
What is our problem?
First, I'm completely with Biden on giving Ukraine whatever it needs for as long as it needs it. If we don't confront Putin in Eastern Ukraine, we'll just have to confront him somewhere else. So, Biden is right, he has my vote.
However, some of the conservatives have a good point too, which we should consider with an open mind while we are assisting Ukraine.
Joe Cirincione writes, "Ukraine is running out of ammunition, including air-defense missiles, and desperately needs American aid to stop Russia from seizing more land and placing more Ukrainians under vicious occupation."
Why does Ukraine desperately need AMERICAN aid? Put another way, why are Europeans unable or unwilling to defend Europe?
According to a quick Google search (corrections welcomed) the GDP of the EU is around $19 trillion, while the GDP of Russia is a bit over $2 trillion. Could someone please verify or challenge these numbers please?
If it's true that the economy of the EU is substantially greater than that of Russia, why is America crucial to the defense of Ukraine?
My understanding (corrections welcomed) is that American presidents have been asking the EU nations to increase their defense spending for years, maybe decades, and it was only when Trump started threatening to pull America out of NATO that the European nations started taking this request seriously.
What I'm suggesting here is that we should try to transcend the hyper partisanship that afflicts America and take good ideas where ever we can find them. Yes, Trump is a hyper despicable person who shouldn't be allowed in the White House even as a visitor. But that doesn't automatically equal every word he ever uttered being wrong. As proof of this, we might observe that Biden has kept some of Trump's policies both on our southern border and in the Middle East.
So, in a by-partisan spirit we might be asking...
Is the problem here really American Republicans? Or is it Europeans who are unwilling to provide for the defense of their own continent?
So Biden might say....
"America will stand by Ukraine as long as we are needed. But our European friends need to learn how to defend their own continent, and America won't be able to bail them out of trouble every time forever."