Saturday, March 05, 2022

Confronting evil head on, or maybe another strategy can work instead?

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy can certainly be admired for his courage and honesty. On the other hand one might question the strategy of confronting evil head on. Unfortunately, it looks like Russia's military has such an advantage over Ukrainian forces that Russia's short term victory seems inevitable.

Another story in the long run, however. The Ukrainians can mount an insurgency making conquest a nightmare for Russia. Civil disobedience is one of many tools that can be used.

Russia's occupation of Afghanistan did not go well for Russia, in the long run. The powerful US military has learned lessons from attempts to "nation build" in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I am remembering the famous saying during a speech, on the aircraft carrier by former US President George W Bush. "Mission accomplished."

Those were famous last words as we have now withdrawn from both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Western economic sanctions can remain in place, though there is the worry that complacency will set in with vigilance lost in the name of easing economic hardship. I would hope for sure the sanctions would remain strong along with aid for Ukraine.

On a personal note, bravery and direct confrontation are not my strong suites, but I do try and find a way to not totally give-in to the "system."

Some people might think I tend to be acquiescent toward authorities, corporations and governments. I fear being a troublemaker, but I do tend to chart a different course than the mainstream.

I feel fortunate to have been able to do this in USA. Other parts of the world have different circumstances, but I offer these ideas for thought.

In all of this, I have to admit I have no idea what the best strategy is. I'm basically just looking for a silver lining. Given the darkness and what seems like likely defeat, in the short run, I keep hoping democracy and human dignity can still find ways to prevail.

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