"A MONUMENT MADE OF PAPER"

A statement made by Serge Klarsfeld re another matter, most apropos of today's world, and to that I add - 'and blood'. Take a good look at the world and defy the truth of that statement if you can. It is, in fact and sad reality, a vindication of the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens. "It is the best of times; it is the worst of times". We have taken the best of mankind and trashed it and aren't we proud!!

      "As the sun sets and hills grow dark,

         as the birdsong ends and fields fall silent,

          as the people laugh and take their rest,

          I watch.

         My heart hurries

         To the twilit gardens of Ukraine." (Taras Shevchenko)

 However, we must know, to the very marrow of our bones, that this is more than about Ukraine, very much more indeed. As an editor of a Ukrainian English website said, "It's a contest between democracy and autocracy, freedom and dictatorship, whose implications will scatter across the world. It's not our fight alone. So please don't leave us alone to fight it."

Truer words have never been spoken. Russia, under the leadership of a deranged man, has rained down on us chaos, destruction, a true to life world of Dr. Strangelove. The question is this: Are we to understand that or are we to ignore the very basic, existential truth of what he has set in motion? Shall we keep our heads buried in the diminishing sands and in fact, bring about the very thing we are frightened of - a nuclear war, a WWIII, a war beyond our comprehension?

There is no denying the truth that Putin has no interest in stopping at the borders of Ukraine. His lust for conquest, for power, is clear. His 'warnings' and threats to Finland, to Sweden about joining NATO, his greedy eyes set upon the closest NATO   lands - the three Baltic Republics, Romania, Poland, all the former Iron Curtain lands and beyond- are clearly to be seen and understood.

Kudos to those individuals, companies and countries who have joined the fight. Elon Musk, Anonymous, the French Navy, those countries who have or are sending arms and ammunition to Ukraine. We need to do more other than build yet another paper monument. 

Is it enough? A tiny David against a mammoth Goliath?! I think not. Sanctions, SWIFT -? Not enough. Russia has a history of scorched earth warfare, with little regard for catastrophic loss of life and destruction of property. They have brought the last weapon before nuclear - the thermobaric missile which disintegrates humans, which uses the very air we breathe to destroy us.

There is little hope that this barbaric, unjustified invasion will cease; certainly not unless forced to. We must not continue to state we will not send in soldiers. Putin knows that well and bases his plans on that assurance and certainty. No 'forever' autocracy has ever been. However, the cost of them in terms of life and limb, in long and short terms is overwhelming. The only answer is to stop them in their path before success empowers and emboldens them, increasing the cost of defeating them.

Brave words. True words.

“Russian warship,” came the reply, “go f--- yourself.” (The equivalent of our "Nuts" to the Nazis)

“Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn’t relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind,” .... “President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as historic symbols of courage and principle.” “Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.”  (From Sean Penn! - not my favorite character and even he recognizes the truth of it all.)

 " I watch the horror unfolding, the country being destroyed, families being displaced, their whole life lying in charred fragments around them," ... the trauma and terror they experienced. War. Always war. Leaders who cannot bring peace. The never-ending juggernaut of imperialism. And always, the people pay in bloodshed and tears. (Milla Jovovich)

 Before nuclear war becomes the last resort, used by a man with no decency, no pity, no thoughts for anything other than himself and his blind ambition, before this: 

"... a nuclear war would immediately affect 91.5 million people, which would cause 34.1 million deaths and 57.4 million wounded within the first four or five hours".

1+1=0" (The nuclear equation of the Princeton University Science and Global Program of 2019)

"The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces," (Biden)

 Not enough. It is ironic that Ukraine, an area which has absorbed unspeakable amounts of Jewish blood over the centuries, including members of my own ancestors, whose people enthusiastically joined with the Nazi invaders, wallowed in the killing ground of Baba Yar, now has a Jewish President and Prime Minister and has now appealed to the thousands of Ukrainian origin Israelis to return, help fight the good fight. Torn between two polar opposite feelings, I know that the past must be left there right now, for if not, there will be no future.

That is the point. That is the end? Which end? Up to the entire world. How to implement the rescue, to do the right thing? Way, way, above my pay grade.