I’m become “numb” to what’s happening. I’m spending less time listening to world news. I’m suffering from anxiety & loneliness. I’m very concerned about the future, losing our freedom our ancestors fought for against the Britain. I see history repeating itself. I’m afraid for the children and our adult children. I pray for God to remove all the evil going on. I can’t handle life anymore. I’m almost 71 yrs young.
What is happening in Ukraine must be stopped. It's not only horrific, it shows the worst side of humanity. Putin must be removed from power. We must show the Russian people what their "leader"is doing. Whether you want to live in an autocracy or just don't know any better, their leader should never be so brutal. Taking out his opposition, bombing Syria to oblivion or trying to flatten Mariopul, he has shown himself to be a worthless, cruel and selfish man inspired by nothing but his own aggradisement.
I hope the truth is reaching the Russian population and that they might be able to rid themselves of their murderous kleptocrat. The arc should bend toward preventing war. If the US entered the war, would Putin hesitate to use the nuclear bomb against us as well as the Ukraine?
It's an old, disproven 'solution'. & we forget that there are other societies that avoided violent aggression wherever possible. War as we know it is a culturally learned idea, not a genetic imperative.
Thank goodness for organizations like José Andrés' World Central Kitchen, Sean Penn's CORE, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and many others who are bringing humanitarian aid to these ravaged places. I encourage everyone to help in whatever way they can.
The unprovoked death and destruction wrought by the Russian war on Ukraine must be stopped, and Putin and his minions held to account. Russian aggression has taken too many lives, not just in Ukraine, but in Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria as well. The authoritarian autocrats seek to disrupt the stability of the free world, fomenting needless conflict in order to promote their propaganda that "democracy doesn't work".
Grateful you keep reporting Mr. Rather and thank you also Mr. Kirschner' I really appreciate you featuring Chef Jose Andreas who continues to feed the world's most stricken people and places.
Thank God for Chef Jose, WCK, and all of the women and men putting themselves in harms way to ensure people have food and necessities during this disastrous time.
The west has to give Ukraine tanks and airplanes to push back Putin. Putin has already advance the war by bring in more trained troops from Syria. The west must stop being concerned about Putin's threats of expansion to nuclear war. He knows he would never win that.
The west must stop being pushed around by autocrats. Don't trade with them let them figure out how to survive without western help.
This is the face of undeterred evil. Putin is not a mad man he is a fox. He threatens the most unimaginable terror of using nuclear weapons but if we called his bluff he would back down. He does not want Russia to be destroyed. Can we take the risk? We are showing other dictators that all they need is a nuclear weapon and they can do what they want and the world will stand down. The United States will cower and allow unspeakable atrocities to be waged on innocent nations. North Korea took advantage of our weakness and launched a fully capable ICBM with a range that can hit the United States and is not backing down from future nuclear testing. Our current strategy is don't do anything too anger Russia... really?
Excellently put Ron. I have been saying this since Russia invaded Ukraine.
There is a very good interview with a former NATO supreme commander that speaks to these very points. It is titled “Former NATO Commander Says Western Fears Of Nuclear War Are Preventing A Proper Response To Putin”, dated 7 April 2022, written by Vazha Tavberidze and on the RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty website at https://www.rferl.org/a/breedlove-nuclear-fears-west-deterred/31791020.html.
What America has done is completely unconscionable. Biden, on the advice of Blinken, Austin, Miley and others I’m forgetting the names of at this early hour, gave away Ukraine to Putin from the get-go. (Hell, Miley is talking about how this war is going to go on for years - years! as if they’ve all decided that’s okay.) First by flat out telling Putin that we would not help defend Ukraine against any aggression because “aw gee, the poor bastards just didn’t get into NATO in time, did they?” (My take on his repeated acquiescence to Putin.) Then by rallying NATO to do the same.
This is what happens when you leave people in charge of military matters after they have made serious strategic mistakes in other matters. I am speaking of the withdrawal from Afghanistan - it absolutely needed to be done but not at all in the disastrous, ill-conceived, ill planned manner it was - and I’m speaking of the decision makers not the teams on the ground. Nor do you then publicly insult and dismiss those troops on the ground - the ones who did the work which includes the ones who died - because you didn’t like what they had to say (the official report on the withdrawal that Biden publicly dismissed). Everyone in charge of that heartbreaking fiasco should have been relieved of duty and replaced. They weren’t. (Just like those who used a drone to kill 10 members of one family should have been punished weren’t.) They were left in place to make even more bad decisions - like deciding Ukraine was fully expendable due to one man’s threats.
In doing this they very clearly showed that all it takes to subdue America and NATO is to yell “I’ve got nukes!”. I guarantee you that Iran, North Korea, China and any other country who is angling to get nuclear weapons took definite note of this. The world will see this tactic used again and again.
Even if you put all that aside - what about our collective humanity? Is there any left? How can any country stand aside and let Putin destroy another country just because they weren’t in the “big boys club”? (Ukraine had asked to join NATO but in typical “oooh what are the optics of that?” move by politicians they were stalled and eventually ignored.) How can we stand by and allow this slaughter of innocent people who not only wanted to govern themselves but had elected to do so repeatedly? I am beyond ashamed of Biden and every person who has allowed this horrific massacre to not only happen but to continue.
And for those who will argue “but nukes” and ask “then why aren’t you there fighting for Ukraine” my answers are:
We humans created nuclear weapons. That’s on us all collectively. If they end up being used that is on us too - for our ignorance, arrogance and hubris in creating even one, let alone stockpiling thousands. (And I believe Biden is demanding we now add to our own stockpile.) I absolutely do not want any kind of nuclear war. At all. Ever. But we cannot let anyone use the threat of using them to then destroy other countries or peoples. We made this mess and we - humanity - need to deal with it clearly and decisively.
Two, if Ukraine could use a disabled American veteran to fight I would go. I would. Unfortunately, given all the hardware in my body from my own military service and the resulting disabilities from the same the plain truth is that I would be a hindrance to them and require attention that should not be taken away from the task at hand. So, I donate to organizations that are helping them - like Chef Andres and other humanitarian groups. I have told my congressional reps and President Biden exactly how I feel about what America is doing. My reps are all trumplicans and Putin backers so they don’t care. Biden thinks he makes no mistakes so he doesn’t care either. I’ll keep squawking as long as Biden’s inhumane, horrific acquiescence to Putin continues. I’ll keep donating too. I don’t make much on veteran’s disability but I can always find something every month. So, instead of going over there and becoming a problem for them, that’s what I do.
We should have all - every single NATO country and any others that wanted to help - stood up to Putin and send soldiers and equipment to line every border that he could cross. A very explicit statement of what would happen to Russia if it invaded Ukraine - or Poland - or any other country not wanting to be destroyed and annexed into Russia should have been made loudly and publicly as well as through every country’s competent State Departments. Then we should have all stood our ground.
Even if NATO is still too spineless to help Ukraine with soldiers there is much more it could do - and I’m not talking about sanctions. I agree with Breedlove on what else could be done. I also agree that not one member of NATO has any right whatsoever to tell President Zelenskyy what he and his cabinet should do or not do to further appease Putin. After what NATO has allowed to happen, it hasn’t a leg to stand on in any negotiation between Ukraine and Russia.
Every atrocity happening in Ukraine is on the hands of Biden, Blinken, Miley, Austin and every other person in America and NATO who said “let’s hold back and not anger Putin”.
Well said Kasumii. America's president, the most powerful man in the world is saying to the world "I'm scared" so we will send weapons and let Ukraine fight the largest army in the world by themselves. We watch women being raped, children being slaughtered, even their playgrounds are covered with bullet holes. A Russian tank was videoed a drone taking aim and killing one man riding a bicycle. This is not a war it is an extermination of a peaceful people. It's time for Biden to grow a pair and let us go in! We would finish Russia in two weeks. Our Fighters would do most of the work, Putin's army may be large but its poorly controlled, it is no match for the US Military.
Thanks Ron. I watched that video and it was horrific. The victim was a 52 year old woman trying to return home after helping cook for Ukrainian civilians and soldiers. How completely cowardly to train tank weapons on a lone person on a bicycle.
I do have a great deal of faith in our militaries but I think two weeks wouldn’t be enough. It would be an ugly war but one that would prevent the full destruction of a peaceful country.
It is high. Think about it, the most he would think of doing may be using tactical nukes. If he did this yes it will be devastating that class of nuke is capable of wiping out an entire city. However, NATO would use their tactical nukes and destroy his entire army. Putin is not stupid he is KGB. He is not going to risk his army for Ukraine. He knows if he plays the Nuke card NATO we will respond in kind. Give him an ultimatum that either he withdraws from Ukraine or NATO will come in and finish him. It is inhumane for the world to just sit and watch him systematically erase an entire nation of innocent human beings and their civilization.
One perspective is that Ukraine wants to become an independent superpower, prove they can defend themselves against Russia and join NATO Alliance (which was formed in 1949 in response to the actions of the Soviet Union). Of Course, this is not the case. The illusion is that a Russian autocracy is aggressively attacking the citizens of Ukraine and destroying their homeland to take back Ukraine's independence assumed in 1991. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is as responsible for the loss of civilians, women and children as Mr. Vladimir Putin is thinking they would safe and protected in an actual conventional war. Now instead of a bargaining table there is an assured War crimes trial of Mr. Putin. Ukraine rebuilds with the help of Russian citizens living in the Ukraine and the story is told.
Why do you think Russia is bombing Ukraine? Because it wants to control its people and its land. What are you missing here? You’ve drunk some kind of Putinesque Koolaid.
Thanks ! Actually I am on wild orange sweet tea. I understand that Mr. Putin wants to control a country that is not his. What I don't understand is why Russians need a prolonged war after an international crisis has occurred and why Ukraine lead Putin to war. Weakness is not a reason for invading the Ukraine.
Ukraine didn't "lead" anybody anywhere. And Russia doesn't "need" a prolonged war. Their estimate was that Ukraine would be taken within a week, and it has proven to be demonstrably incorrect.
Thank you, one leader of a nation making us believe the whole country is behind him, that's on either side of the current Russia vs Ukraine war. Zelenskyy could have avoided the bombing of his country. If there isn't an illusion, why do you think Russia is bombing a sovereign nation? Zelensky must have had an understanding of Conventional warfare when Russian troops began surrounding his country prior to the War. This is my point.
War. Here we are again, watching so far, as another thug does what thugs do. I am against war of course unless it’s actually the citizens revolting against a dictatorship which although “war” ,has a purpose besides “ control” of population. I believe nato,through neglect and I’ll use ,was weakened, basically by being “used” for American “ wars” in the Middle East . I also am satisfied that nato will survive now( sadly,thanks to putin) and if it hadn’t dragged its feet, I don’t believe the world would be watching the Ukraine being destroyed on television. I am not a pacifist either and the more I watch Russia wage war against civilians (Syria again) the more I want the Russian military destroyed and then “I know most Russian soldiers are victims in this war” comes to mind. Russia will lose, Ukraine will lose, world cooperation will lose, world economy will lose, and if putin lives through this , the world will be doing this again and again. And if the USA can’t make their minds up about democracy and does nothing about it’s treasonous citizens, putin will have all the allies he needs. This battle is the opening salvo in a war of democracy vs dictatorships, we had better all show up .
I’m become “numb” to what’s happening. I’m spending less time listening to world news. I’m suffering from anxiety & loneliness. I’m very concerned about the future, losing our freedom our ancestors fought for against the Britain. I see history repeating itself. I’m afraid for the children and our adult children. I pray for God to remove all the evil going on. I can’t handle life anymore. I’m almost 71 yrs young.
I, also, feel overwhelmed by the bad news on several fronts, Ukraine being the worst.
What is happening in Ukraine must be stopped. It's not only horrific, it shows the worst side of humanity. Putin must be removed from power. We must show the Russian people what their "leader"is doing. Whether you want to live in an autocracy or just don't know any better, their leader should never be so brutal. Taking out his opposition, bombing Syria to oblivion or trying to flatten Mariopul, he has shown himself to be a worthless, cruel and selfish man inspired by nothing but his own aggradisement.
I hope the truth is reaching the Russian population and that they might be able to rid themselves of their murderous kleptocrat. The arc should bend toward preventing war. If the US entered the war, would Putin hesitate to use the nuclear bomb against us as well as the Ukraine?
It's an old, disproven 'solution'. & we forget that there are other societies that avoided violent aggression wherever possible. War as we know it is a culturally learned idea, not a genetic imperative.
Which societies avoided violence?
Thank goodness for organizations like José Andrés' World Central Kitchen, Sean Penn's CORE, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and many others who are bringing humanitarian aid to these ravaged places. I encourage everyone to help in whatever way they can.
The unprovoked death and destruction wrought by the Russian war on Ukraine must be stopped, and Putin and his minions held to account. Russian aggression has taken too many lives, not just in Ukraine, but in Chechnya, Georgia, and Syria as well. The authoritarian autocrats seek to disrupt the stability of the free world, fomenting needless conflict in order to promote their propaganda that "democracy doesn't work".
It's time we stand up to be counted.
Bless all providers serving displaced, homeless and hungry. I wish more would be done by the rich & famous.
Grateful you keep reporting Mr. Rather and thank you also Mr. Kirschner' I really appreciate you featuring Chef Jose Andreas who continues to feed the world's most stricken people and places.
Chef Jose Andres has Wings & an Angel
For sure.
Thank God for Chef Jose, WCK, and all of the women and men putting themselves in harms way to ensure people have food and necessities during this disastrous time.
The west has to give Ukraine tanks and airplanes to push back Putin. Putin has already advance the war by bring in more trained troops from Syria. The west must stop being concerned about Putin's threats of expansion to nuclear war. He knows he would never win that.
The west must stop being pushed around by autocrats. Don't trade with them let them figure out how to survive without western help.
The cruelty of the Russian army is as bad as the SS in WWII.
A few days before my father was captured by the Germans in 23 Dec 44,
The SS slaughtered 92 black soldiers at Malmedy.
I never thought I would see such evil in my lifetime, but unfortunately we see the same behaviour again, perhaps even worse.
This is the face of undeterred evil. Putin is not a mad man he is a fox. He threatens the most unimaginable terror of using nuclear weapons but if we called his bluff he would back down. He does not want Russia to be destroyed. Can we take the risk? We are showing other dictators that all they need is a nuclear weapon and they can do what they want and the world will stand down. The United States will cower and allow unspeakable atrocities to be waged on innocent nations. North Korea took advantage of our weakness and launched a fully capable ICBM with a range that can hit the United States and is not backing down from future nuclear testing. Our current strategy is don't do anything too anger Russia... really?
Excellently put Ron. I have been saying this since Russia invaded Ukraine.
There is a very good interview with a former NATO supreme commander that speaks to these very points. It is titled “Former NATO Commander Says Western Fears Of Nuclear War Are Preventing A Proper Response To Putin”, dated 7 April 2022, written by Vazha Tavberidze and on the RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty website at https://www.rferl.org/a/breedlove-nuclear-fears-west-deterred/31791020.html.
What America has done is completely unconscionable. Biden, on the advice of Blinken, Austin, Miley and others I’m forgetting the names of at this early hour, gave away Ukraine to Putin from the get-go. (Hell, Miley is talking about how this war is going to go on for years - years! as if they’ve all decided that’s okay.) First by flat out telling Putin that we would not help defend Ukraine against any aggression because “aw gee, the poor bastards just didn’t get into NATO in time, did they?” (My take on his repeated acquiescence to Putin.) Then by rallying NATO to do the same.
This is what happens when you leave people in charge of military matters after they have made serious strategic mistakes in other matters. I am speaking of the withdrawal from Afghanistan - it absolutely needed to be done but not at all in the disastrous, ill-conceived, ill planned manner it was - and I’m speaking of the decision makers not the teams on the ground. Nor do you then publicly insult and dismiss those troops on the ground - the ones who did the work which includes the ones who died - because you didn’t like what they had to say (the official report on the withdrawal that Biden publicly dismissed). Everyone in charge of that heartbreaking fiasco should have been relieved of duty and replaced. They weren’t. (Just like those who used a drone to kill 10 members of one family should have been punished weren’t.) They were left in place to make even more bad decisions - like deciding Ukraine was fully expendable due to one man’s threats.
In doing this they very clearly showed that all it takes to subdue America and NATO is to yell “I’ve got nukes!”. I guarantee you that Iran, North Korea, China and any other country who is angling to get nuclear weapons took definite note of this. The world will see this tactic used again and again.
Even if you put all that aside - what about our collective humanity? Is there any left? How can any country stand aside and let Putin destroy another country just because they weren’t in the “big boys club”? (Ukraine had asked to join NATO but in typical “oooh what are the optics of that?” move by politicians they were stalled and eventually ignored.) How can we stand by and allow this slaughter of innocent people who not only wanted to govern themselves but had elected to do so repeatedly? I am beyond ashamed of Biden and every person who has allowed this horrific massacre to not only happen but to continue.
And for those who will argue “but nukes” and ask “then why aren’t you there fighting for Ukraine” my answers are:
We humans created nuclear weapons. That’s on us all collectively. If they end up being used that is on us too - for our ignorance, arrogance and hubris in creating even one, let alone stockpiling thousands. (And I believe Biden is demanding we now add to our own stockpile.) I absolutely do not want any kind of nuclear war. At all. Ever. But we cannot let anyone use the threat of using them to then destroy other countries or peoples. We made this mess and we - humanity - need to deal with it clearly and decisively.
Two, if Ukraine could use a disabled American veteran to fight I would go. I would. Unfortunately, given all the hardware in my body from my own military service and the resulting disabilities from the same the plain truth is that I would be a hindrance to them and require attention that should not be taken away from the task at hand. So, I donate to organizations that are helping them - like Chef Andres and other humanitarian groups. I have told my congressional reps and President Biden exactly how I feel about what America is doing. My reps are all trumplicans and Putin backers so they don’t care. Biden thinks he makes no mistakes so he doesn’t care either. I’ll keep squawking as long as Biden’s inhumane, horrific acquiescence to Putin continues. I’ll keep donating too. I don’t make much on veteran’s disability but I can always find something every month. So, instead of going over there and becoming a problem for them, that’s what I do.
We should have all - every single NATO country and any others that wanted to help - stood up to Putin and send soldiers and equipment to line every border that he could cross. A very explicit statement of what would happen to Russia if it invaded Ukraine - or Poland - or any other country not wanting to be destroyed and annexed into Russia should have been made loudly and publicly as well as through every country’s competent State Departments. Then we should have all stood our ground.
Even if NATO is still too spineless to help Ukraine with soldiers there is much more it could do - and I’m not talking about sanctions. I agree with Breedlove on what else could be done. I also agree that not one member of NATO has any right whatsoever to tell President Zelenskyy what he and his cabinet should do or not do to further appease Putin. After what NATO has allowed to happen, it hasn’t a leg to stand on in any negotiation between Ukraine and Russia.
Every atrocity happening in Ukraine is on the hands of Biden, Blinken, Miley, Austin and every other person in America and NATO who said “let’s hold back and not anger Putin”.
Well said Kasumii. America's president, the most powerful man in the world is saying to the world "I'm scared" so we will send weapons and let Ukraine fight the largest army in the world by themselves. We watch women being raped, children being slaughtered, even their playgrounds are covered with bullet holes. A Russian tank was videoed a drone taking aim and killing one man riding a bicycle. This is not a war it is an extermination of a peaceful people. It's time for Biden to grow a pair and let us go in! We would finish Russia in two weeks. Our Fighters would do most of the work, Putin's army may be large but its poorly controlled, it is no match for the US Military.
Thanks Ron. I watched that video and it was horrific. The victim was a 52 year old woman trying to return home after helping cook for Ukrainian civilians and soldiers. How completely cowardly to train tank weapons on a lone person on a bicycle.
I do have a great deal of faith in our militaries but I think two weeks wouldn’t be enough. It would be an ugly war but one that would prevent the full destruction of a peaceful country.
What's your confidence level on this back down estimate, and based on what inside knowledge of the opposition?
It is high. Think about it, the most he would think of doing may be using tactical nukes. If he did this yes it will be devastating that class of nuke is capable of wiping out an entire city. However, NATO would use their tactical nukes and destroy his entire army. Putin is not stupid he is KGB. He is not going to risk his army for Ukraine. He knows if he plays the Nuke card NATO we will respond in kind. Give him an ultimatum that either he withdraws from Ukraine or NATO will come in and finish him. It is inhumane for the world to just sit and watch him systematically erase an entire nation of innocent human beings and their civilization.
God bless José Andrés and WCKitchen.
If there IS such a thing as "the Lord's Work" they are certainly performing it.
I nominate José Andrés for the Nobel Peace Prize; Vladimir Putin for Hell.
One perspective is that Ukraine wants to become an independent superpower, prove they can defend themselves against Russia and join NATO Alliance (which was formed in 1949 in response to the actions of the Soviet Union). Of Course, this is not the case. The illusion is that a Russian autocracy is aggressively attacking the citizens of Ukraine and destroying their homeland to take back Ukraine's independence assumed in 1991. Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is as responsible for the loss of civilians, women and children as Mr. Vladimir Putin is thinking they would safe and protected in an actual conventional war. Now instead of a bargaining table there is an assured War crimes trial of Mr. Putin. Ukraine rebuilds with the help of Russian citizens living in the Ukraine and the story is told.
Why do you think Russia is bombing Ukraine? Because it wants to control its people and its land. What are you missing here? You’ve drunk some kind of Putinesque Koolaid.
Good luck getting through, good luck deciphering his reply
Thanks ! Actually I am on wild orange sweet tea. I understand that Mr. Putin wants to control a country that is not his. What I don't understand is why Russians need a prolonged war after an international crisis has occurred and why Ukraine lead Putin to war. Weakness is not a reason for invading the Ukraine.
Ukraine didn't "lead" anybody anywhere. And Russia doesn't "need" a prolonged war. Their estimate was that Ukraine would be taken within a week, and it has proven to be demonstrably incorrect.
What “ illusion “ are you referencing, this isn’t actually happening? it’s zelenskyy’s fault Russia is bombing the civilians, missed your point.
Thank you, one leader of a nation making us believe the whole country is behind him, that's on either side of the current Russia vs Ukraine war. Zelenskyy could have avoided the bombing of his country. If there isn't an illusion, why do you think Russia is bombing a sovereign nation? Zelensky must have had an understanding of Conventional warfare when Russian troops began surrounding his country prior to the War. This is my point.
Sorry, I meant neglect and ill use
War. Here we are again, watching so far, as another thug does what thugs do. I am against war of course unless it’s actually the citizens revolting against a dictatorship which although “war” ,has a purpose besides “ control” of population. I believe nato,through neglect and I’ll use ,was weakened, basically by being “used” for American “ wars” in the Middle East . I also am satisfied that nato will survive now( sadly,thanks to putin) and if it hadn’t dragged its feet, I don’t believe the world would be watching the Ukraine being destroyed on television. I am not a pacifist either and the more I watch Russia wage war against civilians (Syria again) the more I want the Russian military destroyed and then “I know most Russian soldiers are victims in this war” comes to mind. Russia will lose, Ukraine will lose, world cooperation will lose, world economy will lose, and if putin lives through this , the world will be doing this again and again. And if the USA can’t make their minds up about democracy and does nothing about it’s treasonous citizens, putin will have all the allies he needs. This battle is the opening salvo in a war of democracy vs dictatorships, we had better all show up .
I agree both Russia and Ukraine will lose as a result of this war. If I am incorrect then disband the NATO alliance.
James, I have had enough of your “opinion “, thanks, stay healthy
It’s sickening!