Journalist E. J Dionne recently wrote in a Washington Post article that “…Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has reminded us of how puny and recklessly trivial our nation’s debate has become.”
There it is in plain English. The United States has reached a new low in its ability to see through the superficial and address issues of substance.
But it’s worse than that. We seem to have reached the point where we have virtually lost our minds, what with calls from members of Congress and a few former military leaders insisting President Biden do what Ukrainian President Zelensky is asking him to do – enforce a no-fly zone.
Stepping outside the uncritical adoration the world seems to have for Zelensky, I suggest there were times in his speech to Congress this morning when he sounded more like a comedian making a bad joke than a world leader.
He dared to tell our President to be the leader of peace by taking actions that risk starting WW III.
It doesn’t get any more arrogant or foolish than that.
What he said was the epitome of being recklessly trivial, missing the opportunity to demonstrate he understands that the U. S. and NATO are already helping him in every way possible short of risking a nuclear war.
The fact that some members of our own Congress support the Ukrainian President rather than their own shows how much trouble our own democracy is in.
No one questions Zelensky’s courage and leadership for his people. He is proving to be the man for the job, but that doesn’t make his judgment flawless or his cry for help any less desperate or more wise.
His analogies with Pearl Harbor and 9/11 made for a good sound bite, but they were inappropriate in every way. The reason is that neither happened because of the actions of a nation in possession of nuclear weapons that can destroy the world – literally.
That is not a small difference. It is a world saving difference. Had Japan possessed nuclear weapons at Pearl Harbor or Osama bin Laden on 9/11, we would not be having this conversation.
It was in fact our own nuclear weapons rather than Germany’s surrender that forced Japan to acknowledge defeat. It was the absence of the 9/11 terrorists having nuclear weapons that prevented them from causing a catastrophic loss of life here at home.
The doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) is how the world survived the Cold War. Apparently Zelensky and members of Congress who support him aren’t old enough to know that.
Thank God President Biden and our military leaders are.
The idea that the Biden administration is not doing everything in its power in consultation with our European allies to help Ukraine is nothing more than dangerous political theater.
No one but them knows what is happening behind the scenes, but there was a time when we were the kind of nation that trusted our leaders to be able to protect our security interests and help our friends.
That day is apparently gone now.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine may have exposed just how puny and recklessly trivial our public debate has come, but we seem to have become so accustomed to it that we don’t know when to stop.
There is no shortage of politicians, commentators, and former military leaders who are convinced President Zelensky is right in wanting the U. S. and NATO to get directly involved in the war and President Biden and NATO are wrong in saying no.
Yet, when asked what happens if Putin responds with an attack on U.S. and NATO forces, their only answer is, “I don’t believe he will.”
How convenient.
The real question for these people is, “What if you’re wrong?” but that’s not a question they or Zelensky have to worry about.
President Biden does.
The fact that he does worry about it is why we can trust he knows exactly what being a leader of peace actually means, and that is why he is the leader the free world needs at this moment.
linnposts.com 
Jan, this is a remarkable testimony to what Joe Biden has done and is doing as The President of Peace. The good news is that many internationally, and even more than some internally agree with your assessment about Biden. The major difficulty Biden faces is that the extreme media power both in America and Russia of lies and dis-information is still controlling the “messaging”. I agree with all you have said and wish many more could read your words.
With respect to your thoughts about Zelensky, I take just a little exception. If I were Zelensky, I think I would have done the same thing in his address this morning. I think he thinks that Ukraine and even the world is already in WWIII. This may not be true of course, but he has to pull out all of the stops to, in his mind, win this war and defeat Putin. I thought he was somewhat tactful by saying that “if you cannot create a no-fly zone then provide significantly more military help to Ukraine”. And yes, he did challenge Biden further, but Biden handled it well in his address. I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that his actions “were arrogant and foolish” and that he was making a bad joke – from his perspective.
I think Biden has done a remarkable job balancing WWIII with a defeat of Putin. But much more lies ahead. Biden will have to take each potential new action seriously. I agree that a no-fly zone is out. But he may have to figure out how to sell American jets to Australia, who would sell them to Japan, who would sell them to Mozambique, who would sell them to whoever, who would sell them to Poland, who would deliver Russian jets to Ukraine – if 800 million dollars of military advanced equipment does not do the trick.
And as President of Peace, Biden is one push button away from nuclear destruction by Putin no matter what he does.
Finally, Biden must become President of Peace in America and lead a well-orchestrated PR effort to defeat extreme Republicans at the polls this November. I believe he should direct this effort to the youth of America, who mostly support democracy and his efforts, but have been woefully weak at showing up at the polls.
John
John, you make some very good points. The big difference for me IS the fact that Zelensky already believes WW III has started. That is the danger because it is not true. It may feel that way to him and to all Ukrainians, but when his words and actions arise from this skewed way of seeing what is happening to Ukraine could bring WW III about. We cannot afford to let that happen.
There’s another factor to consider here. That episode where a (now unemployed) TV journalist gate crashed her way onto the Russian TV’s news programme with her placard denouncing the war, shows that there’s a great deal of opposition in Russia to Putin’s enterprises of martial kind. Any direct intervention by the West would result in greater support for Putin, and I see that Mr Biden has the sense to see that it doesn’t pay to kick a gift horse in the mouth.
Nigel, you make a very important point I had not considered. Thank you for doing so.
Jan,
As usual, you have given a sound analysis of a difficult, even murky situation. I say “murky” because, as you point out, most of us, those discussing such events, are not privy to much information and internal ideas, approaches and debates on this issue; we form our opinions based on mostly TV information and our own store of knowledge from past events. Yet, so often, such opinions are presented as equal to anybody and everyone else’s. In a representative Democracy, we elect representatives to do the hard work of analyzing all data available and come to, we hope, reasonable decisions in the interest of the country. I am quite satisfied, for now, at least, that President Biden is doing a sound job of discharging his responsibilities; his long perspective is standing us i good stead. May he continue on this track.
Cheerz!
Gene
It is amazing, Gene, how often we see people on television saying what Biden needs to do without any knowledge of what is going on behind the scenes, or of the fact that he cannot act unilaterally, but must work with our allies who may have a different perspective because of their geographical proximity to Russia. Thanks.
Thanks again for leading us in understanding what and how our leadership is managing a tragic and diabolical war in Ukraine. I, also, appreciate the dialogue you have stimulated in various posts. We need more people like you who promote understanding and democracy rather than partisan politics. Thanks again! Grace and Peace! Les Taylor
Thank you, Les. Glad to have you part of the discussion.