Post # 674 VIEWING ROADKILL

Automobile drivers and their passengers, regularly traveling the public highways, predictably, have experienced the repulsive sight of animals, (or what is left of them) run over by automobiles (“roadkill”). The sight is hideous, but, somehow, seems to urgently, compel a quick but most unrewarding view. We have experienced an analogous abhorrence in seeing, on television, Putin’s pathologic and homicidal actions against Ukraine, particularly, the Ukrainian civilians.

The autocratic and corrupt, lifetime “President” of Russia, Vladimir Putin, a former KGB gangster, in full testament to his apparent, Napoleon complex, experienced little difficulty in annexing Crimea and the Donbas areas of the Ukraine, (2014), and so, was encouraged to continue and expand his illegal and immoral war by, absent provocation, invading the Nation of the Ukraine. His false rationale, communicated to the Russian public, was stereotypic of the autocratic, “Big Lie,” a classic tactic, also employed by his friend, Donald J. Trump, regarding his election loss to Joseph Biden.

Putin, on his own, initiative and, reportedly, absent consultation with any Russian Branch of Government, autocratically, declared war against Ukraine, employing the full complement of the Russian Armed forces, infantry, artillery, tanks, air force and navy. Reportedly, his expectation was that, when confronted with such overwhelming force, Ukraine would surrender in a few days. However, the stalwart Ukrainian people, led by their admirable, forty-four-year-old President, Volodymyr Zelensky, mounted a fierce, dedicated and imposing defense. The conscripted and uninspired, invading Russian soldiers, unlike the patriotic Ukrainians, have been bogged down, held off by the ardent and dedicated defenders of their homeland.

The United States, as appropriate assistance to this wrongfully besieged, democratic Nation, has given billions of dollars in military arms, including anti-tank missile launchers, and other weapons and equipment to Ukraine. Several other Nations furnished like support. The defense mounted by the Ukrainians has been stiff, efficient and effective, apparently causing much angst to the egotistical and ambitious Putin. Weeks had passed and Putin’s expectation of a quick victory was entirely frustrated.

As a disgraceful and pathological response to his disappointed, military expectations and the relative incompetence of his armed forces, Putin resorted to a brutal, inhumane and illegal attack upon civilian targets, and the civilian population (as distinguished from military targets). Hospitals, filled with patients and staff, were cruelly and unjustifiably, destroyed by bombs and artillery shelling. The, inarguably, homicidal and psychopathic bombing of a Maternity Hospital, occupied, as expected, by its hospitalized mothers, infants, staff, and other human beings, was horrifyingly viewed, on international television. Occupied residential apartment houses, food storage depots and other civilian targets, as also shown, were bombed and shelled, mercilessly. Families and Individual citizens were murderously, gunned down, including those, who were deceitfully, lured to their fate by being falsely and pathologically, assured a “safe corridor” for their escape. The International Legal authorities have seriously discussing the applicability of charges of “War Crimes,” against Putin; regarding which we strongly agree.

 We were witness, on television, to a Ukrainian doctor unwrapping a soiled blanket, containing the remains of a twenty-two month baby. These numerous deaths are not in any sense, “casualties of war.” This is nothing short of intentional and pathological (human) roadkill; as markedly distinguished from the purely accidental and regretted, killing (of wild animals) on the public highway, by automobiles.

Notwithstanding the admirable, valor and patriotic zeal of the Ukrainian soldiers and armed civilians, televised pictures of the Nation, evince bombed out buildings, residential and business, destroyed infrastructure and automobiles, from the unrestrained bombing by the Russian air force. Zelensky and others of his government, have been desperately requesting the creation of a “No Fly Zone,” or, as they have termed it, “that the skies be closed.” Who can blame them, being vulnerable, and defenseless against the Russian homicidal bombers, responsive to Putin’s lust for empire?

 To date, our Federal Government has been of assistance with the furnishing of military weapons, and other vital support, but has emphatically declined to establish a “No Fly Zone” the rationalization for the latter, declination, is the avoidance of U.S. entry into a “Third World War.” As we understand it, the enforcement, by the American Air Force of such a prohibition, would insert America directly into the war. Presumably, it is felt that the supplying of arms and other substantial support to Ukraine does not result in our Nation’s direct participation. We would humbly disagree with this calculation or distinction, which, no doubt, is happily, approved by Comrade Putin.

We are far from being authorities on matters of warfare, but find it difficult, to accept the proposition that supplying one side of a conflict with billions of dollars in munitions and other forms of support, is not equivalent to the dreaded concept of “participation.”

Putin is undoubtedly on a march of conquest; first, Crimea and Chechnya, then the Donbas. If he succeeds in the theft of Ukraine, he, predictably, will not stop his Napoleonic march to his next desired acquisition. He must be stopped, at once or his ambitions will indeed, ultimately result in a Third World War. Air support is sorely needed, and its assistance could ultimately, prevent such dreaded, World War. Nevertheless, the existential need for air cover might be satisfied, by the supply of fighter planes by the U.S., Poland or some other source, such airplanes to be operated by Ukrainian pilots.

The United States and the free World cannot, for political and moral reasons, sit back, as mere spectators, and watch the psychopathic Putin assault the Ukrainian people, to satisfy his neurotic, lust for power, and as mere grist for the large-scale manufacture of human roadkill.

-p.