Barrett Rainey's Second Thoughts

Ukrainians are being slowly slaughtered. Every day, we watch our TVs to see more people killed, hospitals being shelled, indiscriminate bombing and escape routes targeted.

Yet, we do nothing about it. We sit. We say supportive words and phrases. We talk about the tragedy-of-the-day in angry tones. We express our angst regularly. But, the reality is, we do nothing.

Ukrainians are proving a valor and commitment to country with their lives. A woman on a third floor balcony in Kiev knocked down a Russian spy drone with a jar of tomatoes. A jar of tomatoes!

Hundreds of individuals from dozens of nations have gone to Ukraine to do what they can. Whatever they’re asked to do. Even taking up weapons and heading to the latest areas of fighting. They aren’t asking for anything. They don’t want to be paid. They don’t want to be called heroes. They just want to help.

But, the nations of the world are staying on the “sidelines ” for the most part, none wanting to anger Vladimir. Countries close to Russian borders don’t want to take the chance they, too, will be invaded. The rest of us, it seems, aren’t anxious to start WWIII.

The latest brouhaha about getting Polish jet aircraft to Ukraine is just plain crazy. Off-the-rails international thinking won’t accept the planes being flown to an American military base in Germany, where they’d be turned over to Ukraine. They view the U.S. letting jets headed to fight Russian forces – landing on an American airstrip – as our “participating” on the side of Ukraine, making us vulnerable to attack. So what!

I don’t believe Putin wants to start WWIII over Ukraine. He may be exhibiting some strange behavior and is seemingly not fully aware of the realities of Ukrainian national resistance or the lack of on-the-ground military leadership of his troops. His forces are being mired down by weather which soon will be worse because of Spring rains. He doesn’t have a large enough force on the ground to get into the deadly house-to-house fighting always necessary to end resistance.

Temporary Ukrainian use of several square yards of American tarmac, I believe, will not be sufficient for Putin to launch missiles aimed at this country. Or anywhere else. He knows the response would be swift and terrible. He knows where the first few warheads will land. He knows his beloved nation would be a nuclear wasteland.

There’s been reporting the CIA and other U.S. agencies have been funneling daily information of Russian military movements and other secret data to their Ukranian counterparts. It can be assumed other Western countries are taking similar actions.

So, the fact is, we’re already involved. And, Putin hasn’t pulled the nuclear trigger.

The uncommon valor being shown by Ukrainian resistance in the face of overwhelming military forces and the continued bombardment is truly amazing. Pictures, like the one of elderly Ukrainian women in their wheelchairs making Molotov cocktails as though it was just their weekly meeting to do some quilting, created an image in my head I can’t erase.

The front line leadership of many in Ukrainian government and business is also amazing. The gutty Ukrainian President is out there in the fray and using the media to plead for other nations to help. It’s reported he’s been the target of many unsuccessful assassination attempts

And, help the world should. Ukraine did nothing to provoke the Russian attack. It did nothing to deserve the daily damages inflicted by the Russian military. It did nothing to deserve the bombing of a hospital full of sick and injured children. The nation did not take political or military actions to merit the brutal, daily and deadly beating it’s now facing.

Some backdoor satellite photos, some secret daily briefings on Russian military movements are helpful. But, not enough..

We’re already involved. Other countries – if doing the same “behind-the-scenes” stealth activity – they, too, are involved. What Ukraine really needs is some up-front responses to their pleas for help. Military or otherwise.

What’s needed now is more weaponry like Stinger missiles and a few jet fighters. That’s to be expected.

But, more than that, Ukraine needs field hospitals, medical supplies, temporary housing units. It needs field kitchens and a steady flow of food and fresh water.

We’ve “dipped our toe” in the water in Ukraine. No one’s asking we jump in all the way. World nations already supplying information and secret details of Russian military activity are likewise involved.

Ukrainians are doing all they can. The nation is fully committed in its defense. It’s time other nations lend a hand. Including us.

DAMN IT, SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!

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