Tag: War Heroes

Lisa and I just finished reading The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffrey Rosen.  The book discusses where the founders of America obtained the knowledge to create the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.   Most important was the manner in which they went about their everyday lives in pursuing what they considered virtue rather than pleasure in guiding their political decisions and the institutions that they built.  They learned many of their ideas by reading stoic philosophers in addition to more modern philosophers such as John Locke and David Hume.

 President Washington provides one of the best examples of how they applied this idea in their everyday lives.  Washington embodied republican virtue that modeled restraint, duty, and public service.  Although Washington had been known to have a temper, he understood that letting his anger control his emotions was not a suitable way of leadership.  As opposed to other heads of state, Washington had no interest in being president of the United States for more than two terms.  Washington set the stage for his successors by employing the power granted in his role as president for the good of the people and not for his family or for himself.

During the President Trump’s first term in the White House, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal outlining the way he went about making decisions when he was becoming a real estate mogul.  His style of decision making was based more on instinct than deliberate thinking.  The type of behavior is the antithesis of the stoic template embraced by the founders who understood the importance of restraints and moderation.  They recognized that these latter characteristics needed to dominate their way of thinking rather than decisions coming from their impulses that might result in unplanned and unruly consequences.

One current example of “unruly consequences” is the manner in which President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu initiated attacking Iran.l  Trump may have believed that the ease and rapidity with which he went into Venezuela and captured Nicholás Maduro would be similar to his ridding Iran of Ayatollah Ali Khomenei.  Although Israeli and American forces successfully assassinated the Irani leader, Iran’s dictatorial government did not vanish.  Rather, it appeared that the Irani leadership hardened becoming more rigid and ironbound tightening its hold on dissidents.   But the bigger surprise to both Trump and Netanyahu came when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz not permitting any ships delivering oil to pass through.  Because oil carried through this Strait represents 20% of the world’s oil, this has caused a lot of pain to the many countries supplied by this oil.  Although the United States produces its own oil, Americans have seen the price of gasoline going up significantly caused by Iran’s power to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels carrying oil.  This has resulted in an increase in inflation that has affected the pocketbooks of American consumers.

The global crisis that the Iranians have caused by closing off the Strait of Hormuz affects Europe in an even greater way because before the conflict, EU countries were already grappling with high energy costs and declining industrial competitiveness. The bloc’s energy system will become more vulnerable with the price spikes resulting in the fuel shortages.  

Thomas Friedman, columnist for the New York Times and no-Trump fan, recently published an editorial:  NATO, Please Help.  Trump Has No Strategy for Iran.  Friedman points out he understands both Europe’s resistance in assisting in a war they had no part in initiating, and the fact that Trump has not been particularly helpful in supporting NATO against Putin.  I agree with Friedman in seeking European assistance in view of the fact that the whole Western alliance is in dire “straits” due to Iran’s actions.  Furthermore, In ignoring Trump’s pleas for help, I believe European leaders are cutting their nose off to spite their face.  This lack of unity in the West occurred because of Trump’s egoistical views of himself in the world.  They have caused a rupture in the alliance that the United States has had with its Western allies.  But whereas Trump is both pompous and a fool, Iran’s leadership is repressive and evil.  I ask you, Europe, put away your anger and hurt you have toward Trump and do what’s right for both you and the world.

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Inflation, increase in crime, increase in drug related deaths and the ongoing problem at the border with an explosion of new immigrants attempting to enter the United States have cast a pall over much of our lives.  And now this week over 200 million Americans have been affected by blizzards and unusually cold weather causing a multiple of flight cancelations or delays.  Amidst all this mayhem, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, current president of the Ukraine, made a surprise trip to America to visit with President Biden and address the Congress in Washington D.C.  He did this at great personal risk insofar as he had a take a train from Kyiv, and the war-torn Ukraine, to Poland, before boarding a plane to the United States.   

The battles between Republicans and Democrats in both Houses of Congress have been relentless with neither parties’ members mincing, in any way, their harsh language toward the other.  This made the Ukrainian President to Washington D.C. that much more outstanding.  When Zelenskyy pleaded his case, it was a sight to see both sides of the aisle applauding him.  Granted there were a few Republicans that did not stand up and applaud, but they were not in the majority.  President Zelenskyy’s visit appeared to unite both sides, the left and the right, to his cause.  Moreover, the President has boldly stayed in Kyiv, not fleeing for his own safety under Russian attack, exhorting his fellow Ukrainians to face the enemy in their fight for freedom.  

Speaking in fluent English, he knew that he needed to speak in such a way to compel the American people to hear the urgency of his requests. He made sure to let the Congress know that the aid received should not be considered as charity, but rather the weapons are so crucial in helping defend the Ukraine from the tyranny of Russia.  The assistance in helping Ukraine would be instrumental in telling the rest of the world that America is behind sovereign nations that are striving for liberty and freedom.  Furthermore, he made it clear that he didn’t want Americans to risk their lives and fight his country’s war, but instead provide him with the weapons essential in defending Ukraine from the brutal Russian forces.

Zelenskyy has been compared to Churchill coming to America in December of 1941 when the latter came to America to underline the importance of America’s joining in with the allied forces.  Moreover, he evoked the American Revolution when he stated: “We will go though our war of independence and freedom with dignity and success.”

Clearly, Zelenskyy showed the diplomatic skills and understanding of American politics to deliver to the Congress a very moving plea for assistance.  Apparently, he was most successful in his visit here inasmuch as U.S. lawmakers have approved 45 billion dollars in additional aid with total aid coming to nearly 100 billion of war aid to the Ukraine.  It was ironic that the only ones that showed some grievances toward this package are some Republicans who believe this money would be best spent on the current immigration crisis at our borders.  It was not that long ago when the late President Reagan referred to the U.S.S.R. as the “evil empire.”  True Russia is not as powerful as it once was, but Mr. Putin is far more dangerous a leader than Mr. Gorbachev ever was. To the protestations of the Republicans, I would agree with a recent Wall Street Journal editorial affirming that support for the border should not preclude helping Ukraine in their struggle for freedom.  The underlying point of this article is that both situations deserve the utmost of American intention.  Rest assured, the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, along with other dictators, are waiting to see how successful Russia will be in an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation.  Let us not give them give them any assurance that America and the West will not stand up and put down such invasions.