Russia/Ukraine - How does America Really Feel about this?
I am watching, in awe, as the Russia / Ukraine / Belarus conflict continues to develop. But what is really catching my eye is less about the actual machinations of what is happening in the Ukraine and more about how we, here in the US, are reacting.
Watching the Republicans posture in response to the Administration's actions in response to the Russia/Ukraine conflict has become insightful, if not extremely interesting. The positions and motivations of the two polarized political parties are becoming increasingly exposed and evident as this crisis unfolds. It's also becoming clear that one party is making overtures that appear to be actually supporting the Russians here.
One thing that has always been true in this country -- in the face of an external opponent, we have always come together as a nation, independent of our political beliefs and stood together in unity. We should think long and hard about how our former president and his supporters are, and have been acting and the statements they have made in the past few days. Historian Heather Cox Richardson touched on this point in her "Letters from an American" series on February 22, 2022.
"Biden’s strong defense of democracy and pulling together of such a strong international coalition has left Republicans unclear about how to respond. In an interview today with right-wing podcaster Buck Sexton, former president Trump expressed admiration for Putin, saying his move to take over parts of Ukraine was “genius.” “Putin declares a big portion of… Ukraine…as independent…. And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s the strongest peace force I’ve ever seen…. Here’s a guy who’s very savvy.”
Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) responded: “Former President Trump’s adulation of Putin today—including calling him a ‘genius’—aids our enemies. Trump’s interests don’t seem to align with the interests of the United States.”
Trump is not the only one. There used to be a saying that politics stopped at the water’s edge, meaning that lawmakers presented a unified front to other countries, no matter their partisan differences. So far, Republicans appear to have thrown that idea overboard, trying to use the crisis to attack President Joe Biden, a Democrat. Those Republicans who believe in protecting an international order based on the rule of law are getting around Biden’s reinforcement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and sanctions by accusing him of being weak on Russia."
Excerpted from Heather Cox Richardson "Letters from an American," February 22, 2022
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-22-2022