Ukraine Op Ed, letters offer heat but no light

 Neither Daniel R. DePetris nor the 2 letters criticizing his Chicago Tribune op ed “The West is learning the cost that comes from sanctioning Russia,” offer any value in finding a workable solution to the Russo Ukraine war.

DePetris’ offering is particularly disappointing as he’s a fellow at Defense Priorities and foreign affairs columnist. He makes 2 points, one obvious and one invalid. The obvious one is that the sanctions are hurting the US, NATO countries and many uninvolved nations. That surprises no one.

The invalid one is his charge that these were unintended consequences because the US forgot that “there is no such thing as a Goldilocks option.” Of course they expected consequences, but barged ahead with both weapons for Ukraine and sanctions for Russia. That’s because they ruled out the 2 options they would never consider: nuclear Armageddon from direct war with Russia, or end to hostilities through direct negotiations.

By completely ignoring that reality, DePetris used hundreds of words for nothing.

The response letters from Howard Cohen and Bruce Cantor are more understandable in that they reflect no comprehension of the facts on the ground in Ukraine. Both argue that the costs of sanctions are worth it because they will somehow miraculously turn the tide against Russian aggression. Both are oblivious that almost the entire world outside the US, Canada and Western Europe are either siding with Russia against NATO expansion in Ukraine, or are remaining neutral. This means that the Russian workaround with those countries will likely more than offset the pain of US sanctions.

It may only take one small misstep or misdeed in Ukraine for the war there to go nuclear. None of the sanctions on Russia and US weaponry fueling a now endless war will ever work.

Time for the US and NATO to acknowledge they over provoked Russia for the last 14 years by proposing NATO membership for Ukraine. Time for end to all sanctions hurting the world to accomplish nothing. Time to end all weapons getting more people killed for nothing. Time to sit down at the table of peace.

Alas, time is running out.