By Christopher Harper
If you want someone to blame for the current crisis in Ukraine, look no further than the White House.
In his continuing bid to rank among the worst presidents in history, Joe Biden waived any roadblocks for a Russian pipeline, Nord Stream 2 AG, to provide natural gas to Germany. Later, he battled GOP-sponsored legislation to halt the pipeline.
Under Donald Trump, the United States stopped the massive pipeline because of the stranglehold it would have on European energy supplies.
It’s hardly a giant leap to argue that Biden sent a message to Vladimir Putin that he could do almost whatever he wanted in Eastern Europe.
That’s what has led to the current crisis in Ukraine, which opposed the pipeline.
Ukraine is the largest county in Europe, occupying more than 200,000 square miles, or roughly the size of Texas.
Even so, Ukraine’s fellow Europeans don’t seem that interested in supporting its eastern brother.
For example, Germany, arguably the most important power in Europe, sent 5,000 helmets in military aid to Ukraine. That’s right! Five thousand helmets. That’s it!
In an article published by German newspaper Bild, the mayor of Kyiv, Vitaly Klitschko, decried “the non-assistance and betrayal of friends in a dramatic situation.”
There’s a lot at stake. Here’s Putin’s shopping list:
–The United States should agree to block further NATO expansion–a step that would keep Ukraine, Finland, and Sweden out of the alliance if they wanted to join.
–NATO forces should pull out of countries that joined NATO after 1997—which includes all those once in the Soviet orbit.
–U.S. nuclear weapons must be withdrawn from Europe.
“The United States and NATO have begun the shameless development of the territory of Ukraine as a theater of military operations,” Putin said yesterday in a speech. “Ukraine for us is not just a neighboring country; it is an integral part of our own history, culture, and spiritual space.”
As Yogi Berra put it: It’s déjà vu all over again.
Unfortunately, the Biden Bunch aren’t exactly the group I’d like to see going toe to toe with Vlad’s Crew.
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