I was speaking today about the war in Ukraine on some online platform of disagreement – for us, in this country, perhaps another senseless excursion into madness. You are right – it is the same ancient testosterone fueled battle between men screeching "I want it" versus " you can't have it".
As I was reading your essay I realized what I was arguing online is the exact same rationale used in Vietnam – you let this country fall to the evils of communism the world as we know it will end. Except today it is if we let Ukraine fall to Russia, Europe will be next. It is heinous to me that we could descend into madness on the idea of a "what if".
But is it important for us to "help a friend"? Is it important to contain Russia? Is Europe really at risk? After all, Europe is more than just our allies. They are family. At least for European Americans they are family. Right now it's just money and arms. In Vietnam it was just "advisors". Is there any difference? A country as large and wealthy as us what would happen if we just stood by while Russia and Ukraine battled each other for testosterone bragging rights.
One thing I have learned at 71 that I didn't know at 21 was there are no simple answers. There is no moral superiority on either side of the debate. It pisses me off that Putin invaded Ukraine. There is something about Putin's arrogance that tweaks me. But this is war. Dirty, ugly, costly and excruciatingly painful. Is there ever a "worth it"? Unless it's personal, is it ever worth it? For Ukraine it's personal. And is it ever ok – considering the cost of war – to sit passively back while someone like Putin takes something that is not his? It's not our war. It's not our direct problem. (Although it could be argued that it is likely, if Russia controls the Black Sea that it is our indirect problem.)
It has been a long long time since the United States has had a war that is our personal business. And we are strategically placed in the world to make a personal war pretty unlikely. But you never know. And there's always Ukraine.
The person I was "debating" would argue it's America first. We have enough problems here without spending our taxes across the ocean. She's right in many ways. And God knows we have done the "minimal involvement", but very pricey, thing often –no, not often – all the time. I know this well. But once we are there it is an easy swing left to boots on the ground and we are bodies deep in another testosterone fueled posturing take down.
And just to point out, new modern war is not going to be limited to men –our next war that has boots on the ground won't be just men. 153 women died in combat in the mideast region. Perhaps that seems a small number but it is too big for yet another senseless war. And what will happen to warfare with a healthy dose of estrogen thrown into the mix? And before you all get all unicorns and rainbows: women survive birthing, PMS can be brutal and menopause is its own special kind of battlefield.
Sad to read, Abby. It was worth recounting all of that, for the last paragraph. May it be so. May we continue inclining our hearts and minds toward compassion and kindness to all.
I was speaking today about the war in Ukraine on some online platform of disagreement – for us, in this country, perhaps another senseless excursion into madness. You are right – it is the same ancient testosterone fueled battle between men screeching "I want it" versus " you can't have it".
As I was reading your essay I realized what I was arguing online is the exact same rationale used in Vietnam – you let this country fall to the evils of communism the world as we know it will end. Except today it is if we let Ukraine fall to Russia, Europe will be next. It is heinous to me that we could descend into madness on the idea of a "what if".
But is it important for us to "help a friend"? Is it important to contain Russia? Is Europe really at risk? After all, Europe is more than just our allies. They are family. At least for European Americans they are family. Right now it's just money and arms. In Vietnam it was just "advisors". Is there any difference? A country as large and wealthy as us what would happen if we just stood by while Russia and Ukraine battled each other for testosterone bragging rights.
One thing I have learned at 71 that I didn't know at 21 was there are no simple answers. There is no moral superiority on either side of the debate. It pisses me off that Putin invaded Ukraine. There is something about Putin's arrogance that tweaks me. But this is war. Dirty, ugly, costly and excruciatingly painful. Is there ever a "worth it"? Unless it's personal, is it ever worth it? For Ukraine it's personal. And is it ever ok – considering the cost of war – to sit passively back while someone like Putin takes something that is not his? It's not our war. It's not our direct problem. (Although it could be argued that it is likely, if Russia controls the Black Sea that it is our indirect problem.)
It has been a long long time since the United States has had a war that is our personal business. And we are strategically placed in the world to make a personal war pretty unlikely. But you never know. And there's always Ukraine.
The person I was "debating" would argue it's America first. We have enough problems here without spending our taxes across the ocean. She's right in many ways. And God knows we have done the "minimal involvement", but very pricey, thing often –no, not often – all the time. I know this well. But once we are there it is an easy swing left to boots on the ground and we are bodies deep in another testosterone fueled posturing take down.
And just to point out, new modern war is not going to be limited to men –our next war that has boots on the ground won't be just men. 153 women died in combat in the mideast region. Perhaps that seems a small number but it is too big for yet another senseless war. And what will happen to warfare with a healthy dose of estrogen thrown into the mix? And before you all get all unicorns and rainbows: women survive birthing, PMS can be brutal and menopause is its own special kind of battlefield.
Just saying.
Jo Trafford
Sad to read, Abby. It was worth recounting all of that, for the last paragraph. May it be so. May we continue inclining our hearts and minds toward compassion and kindness to all.