U.S. must muscle Putin

To the editor:

The New York Times’ editorial board recently stated that serious diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia can only take place if Russia accepts that it cannot bring Ukraine to its knees.  According to the editorial’s writers, for that to happen the United States and its allies cannot waiver in their support.

I disagree with The Times. I don’t believe that the United States has been steadfast in its resolve to support Ukraine in its fight for independence from Russia. I think our timidity has led Putin to think we will never pay the price for Ukraine’s and our own victory against Vladimir Putin. Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky both believe, I think correctly, that the U.S. is fighting, not for victory, but for a stalemate. In fact, only about 50 percent of Republicans in Congress favor our continued support of Ukraine.

Zelensky will accept humanitarian aid, as well as missiles and tanks, but what he really needs right now is air power, in the form of F-16 fighter jets, to turn the tide of this war and put the fear of God into Putin. The U.S. should make it crystal clear to Putin that we will not stop until Ukraine has defeated Russia.  

Supplying Ukraine with F-16 Fighting Falcons will send the correct message to Putin that he cannot win his war or his bluffing game. A new aggressive posture against Russia will also send a clear message to China and North Korea that we are willing to take all the risks necessary to protect our democratic allies around the world. The fear of a nuclear war shouldn’t deter us from fighting for Ukraine and democracy and democracy.   

Why shouldn’t we all take the risks, including nuclear, that go with fighting to protect democracy around the world at a time when ruthless autocrats are trying to eliminate democracies which threaten their own personal power?

Michael J. Gorman