The world continues to be amazed at both the Ukrainian resistance and the Russian military’s ineffectiveness. What was thought by all the experts to be a maybe several day war is now in the weeks, quickly heading to months. And the carnage and humanitarian crisis is only increasing. This is almost the worst of all possible worlds with respect to the damage and loss of life: the West is unwilling to engage in militarily sufficient ways to stop the bombing, and yet the Ukrainians are unwilling to stop fighting for their country. And Joe Biden continues to lead from behind….

How is it that we are now four weeks into a war that Mr. Biden himself predicted was coming day after day, and we weekly hear of more aid being offered? Why was it not in place weeks ago, so that the Ukrainian people wouldn’t now be in the desperate situation they’re now in? The obvious answer is that the Biden Administration came to the conclusion early on that there was not going to be any U.S. or NATO military involvement, and the Ukrainians would quickly be overmatched. Why send high-quality arms to effectively give them to the conquering Russians? This is a perfectly prudent policy–unfortunate, lamentable but safe. Let sanctions show them you’re serious while continuing to “lead the world with diplomacy.” Diplomacy yes, but serious arms to Ukraine, no. But that prudence didn’t count on the spirit of freedom and the fearlessness of the Ukrainians.

It also didn’t count on the American people, who watch with horror at the brutality of the Russian regime and know in our hearts that we could do more. It’s true the American people are confused as to what we’re willing to do–there are few voices saying that we should actually invade with “boots on the ground,” but there are increasing calls for more. While cinema is just cinema, there is a stirring in each of us that we have some responsibility to others in the world, even when it could cost us. Perhaps America First, and not America Last, but certainly not America Only. To be an American means rejecting the rejection of others in their need.

Treebeard: This is not our war. Merry: But you’re part of this world!

During his address to Congress this past week, Mr. Zelensky naturally asked for more than the Biden Administration and the world is prepared to give, and also included a personal appeal to Mr. Biden to be the leader of the world. But that type of war leadership is not to be found in Mr. Biden; he will only be reactive. Circumstances will shape him, and not he shaping circumstances. Our country deserves better, and so do the Ukrainian people. We’re now starting to hear some rumblings of criticism of Mr. Zelensky–that he needs to get a deal with Russia that allows Mr. Putin an effective off-ramp and spares his nation more horror.* They are horrified of what Mr. Putin is doing, and yet being unwilling to risk anything themselves, they will turn their ire on Mr. Zelensky and ultimately the Ukrainian people–in a strange way they will begin blaming the Ukrainians. Those that embrace that line of thinking remind me of part of John Stuart Mill’s quote (that I had to memorize as a SMACK** at the Academy):

“War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war, is much worse…..A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. 

Two other (related) issues to briefly mention. I’m personally hearing (as well as reading online) comments that Mr. Zelensky is a scoundrel, and that Ukraine is really bad and so we shouldn’t be believing any of this stuff. This is a very unfortunate outcome of the institutional collapse of our national media–there is zero trust in anything they say, and that gives rise to believing crazy things that are the opposite of whatever the media is saying from online sources. Sure the main stream media has an agenda, but so do online sources. The MSM wants to support their partisan agenda, and the online sources want to keep you hooked on to them as the source for “truth”. So let’s agree that Mr. Zelensky may be a scoundrel and bad actor, and Ukraine is very corrupt. We still have incredible clarity here: Regardless of what was going on in Ukraine, they were a relatively free and very peaceful country within their own borders. And what Russia has done is not debatable–the horrors they have unleashed on Ukraine are totally without justification and morally repugnant to all good people. To argue that Russia must be stopped in no way defends the Ukrainian government or how Mr. Zelensky obtained power. Those are completely separate issues. There is barbarism that must be stopped, and it’s as simple as that–we have all the clarity we need on this issue. Besides, if Mr. Zelensky is a scoundrel, he is a very brave one, with courage that we only wish our own leaders had.

Related is the disappointing media discussion of Ukrainian bioweapons, with Tucker Carlson on this (at least) and Tulsi Gabbard. Gabbard said the presence of these bio research facilities could be a problem with Russian attacks. She is of course right in the main point of that–but at what effect? Why bring that issue up now, when the Russians are accusing the Ukrainians of having bioweapons? Maybe she is not old enough to remember the term “useful idiots?” The left’s Pavlovian response is to be condemned, but serious people need to hold Carlson and Gabbard to account when there is not anything helpful in a comment and does help the most wicked regime currently on the world stage. I spent two weeks in January of 2004 going on site visits to many of the nasty Soviet nuclear/chem/bio facilities (in Georgia, Russia, and Siberia at least–memory is fading and it was a whirlwind trip) as part of a staff delegation with the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The U.S. was spending ~ $2B per year to help clean up and secure former Soviet facilities so that terrorists would not get access to these materials. None of this funding was to support what some are now implying, parroting the Russians, about producing these things. Yes my trip was a long time ago. But claims like these only help the Russian propaganda machine. Shame on you, Tulsi Gabbard. Shame on you, Tucker Carlson. My advice to readers, it’s not just the MSM that is propagandizing you, turn off Tucker Carlson. Don’t be a 1%’er.

* EDIT UPDATE: Just read this WSJ Op-Ed from yesterday; makes many of the same points–Don’t go wobbly!

** A pejorative term used for all freshman USAFA cadets prior to their official recognition. SMACK: Subordinate Minus Abilities, Coordination and Knowledge.