For my cousin Jenny and the others who have wanted my opinion on what will become of Ukraine, I present the following: About Ukraine, About the US A commentary by Robert Higgins March 27, 2014 The American news media either lied or were willfully ignorant of those that surrounded Ukrainian airports. They said that it was unknown who the people were that surrounded them, and later, Ukrainian military bases in the Crimea. I knew, immediately, who they were – Russian soldiers. And, like the UK prime minister, in response to Germany invading Czechoslovakia, prior to World War II, proclaiming “peace in our time” after meeting with the Hitler, so too is the inept and naïve American administration in their faith in negotiations with Putin. Putin is far past negotiating with the world. He doesn’t care what the world thinks of him or Russia. Besides, what is there to negotiate? Would we reward Russia for leaving Crimea? What can be done? Without knowledge of the long arc of Ukrainian history, it is impossible to have a nuanced view of the current situation it finds itself. It’s a story over a thousand years long. The difference is between what a nation and what a State are. A State is geographically demarcated area in which a government holds the monopoly on violence (either democratically or autocratically). A nation is a group of people that that share (naturally or artificially) a common bond. Problems arise when the two are not identical in space. Such is the case with Ukraine. It would surprise most to know that the “Rus”, the historic Russian nation, started in 988 in Kiev, Ukraine. That was when Vladimir chose for the Rus nation Orthodox Christianity by making it the State religion. That is why the Russian nation is Orthodox. To this day, the Orthodox Church seeks to influence the state to maintain its position. Just as the state is corrupt, so is its religion. That is why one of the first things Yanukovich (the recently deposed President of Ukraine) did was to go to Moscow to visit the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Kyril (Ignoring the separate Ukrainian Orthodox Church) immediately after he was elected in 2010. It was a signal to the Rus nation. Those not of the Rus took it as an offense. Ukraine has two distinct nations within one state, one being Russian in the far east and the other being of Polish/Hungarian/Lithuanian history to the west. They meld in the central part of Ukraine, from Sumy in the Northeast to Odessa in the Southwest. The name “Ukraine” means “borderland.” This is because it has always been in the shadow of stronger states, such as Russia, Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary. Who ruled depended upon the geopolitical strengths of each of these. The west: For centuries, the western part of Ukraine changed hands frequently (even more so than eastern Ukraine), and as a result, became a religious polyglot, from Roman Catholic to Ukrainian Orthodox. It was never a nation. But, due to the western influences of those states, other than Russia, it was most influenced by foreigners. This area extends on a rough line from the west of Sumy to Kirovograd, to the west, including Kiev (though I would get disagreement from the pro-Russian east). Voting history confirms its place in the west. For centuries, eastern Ukraine has been dominated by either the Russian Empire, or the Russian State (post 1917). Furthermore, Stalin’s policy of “denationalization” forced millions to leave the areas that were under Russia’s control, this included eastern Ukraine, which was not called such and millions of ethnic Russians to move into those spaces. Furthermore, as determined by geography, family lines cross the Ukrainian/Russian border. Crimea, particularly, was changed by this policy. What was an important geopolitical area still is. If you look at the map of Ukraine, the Crimea possesses a commanding position in the Black Sea. If you can control Crimea, you can control the Black Sea. The Black Sea is the most reliable warm water port that Russia and the only one that Ukraine possesses. So, how did Ukraine come to become the state we known now? For centuries, the Ukraine fluctuated wildly geographically. Even so, western Ukraine was always included. In the 1800s, though, the poet Taras Shevchenko, stoked nationalist fires. You can see official statues of him in Kiev. After the Russian Revolution, it was constructed artificially by the Soviet Union after the Russian Revolution, without pieces of the far west. After the of Russia over Germany during World War II, the western sections of Ukraine were joined with the rest. For a while the Ukrainians saw the Nazis as a rescue, especially in the west. After the war, internal insurgents fighting the Communists, such as Stepan Bandera, have been hailed as heroes in the west, but hated in the east. In 1954, the Crimea was given to Ukraine. Yet, Ukraine was not a complete nation, even then. It was ruled from Moscow. Even so, that was the experience that enabled people to envision Ukraine as an independent state. The desire to become truly independent (for all Ukrainians) gelled as a result of corrupt central government from both Moscow and the nuclear accident in Chernobyl in 1986. I do not need to say much about corrupt central government from Moscow, other than to recognize that, at various times, Russia oppressed independent movements in Ukraine. This was a negative influence, as far as all Ukrainians were concerned. Ukrainians patience was cut in the aftermath of the nuclear accident in Chernobyl. Though Chernobyl was in Ukraine and less than 150 miles from Kiev, the Soviet authorities said nothing to Ukraine. Shortly after it happened, large parades commemorating May Day were held, including in Kiev – putting millions at risk of radioactive contamination. Nobody knew because nobody was told, even the Ukrainian government. After that, things began to spin out of control for the central Soviet authorities. When 1991 came around, all Ukraine voted for independence, from the west to the east. Truly, it was a geopolitical catastrophe for Russia. No longer did it have a buffer between it and the west and access to one the world’s great mineral and manufacturing areas – the Donbass, the area surrounding the far eastern city of Donetsk. Unfortunately, what Ukrainians wanted from independence, they did not get. Former Communist Party “apparatchiks” seized control of Ukraine’s industry and government. This is where the “oligarchs” came from in both Ukraine and Russia. Very little was left for the ordinary folk. It was this situation that dominated until the so-called “Orange Revolution.” I know something of this because I was an officially credentialed election observer during the election of the western leaning Victor Yushchenko over the corrupt, business-as-usual, Russian leaning, Victor Yanukovich (from Donetsk). If you were to examine the maps of how people voted, the national split between the east and west would become visual. In the west, 90+% voted for Yushchenko; in the far east, 90+% for Yanukovich. I was put in the Oblast (state) of Donetsk and in the polling places, I observed over 90+% voting for Yanukovich. The split is real. Yushchenko, as a reformer, was “absent” after he was elected. His administration was a great disappointment to all Ukrainians. Either, due to his own corruption or fear, the Ukrainian government was not reformed. What a waste. His Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, had a history just as corrupt as those that were voted out. Yet, I believe, that she really wanted bold reforms. This caused a split between her and Yushchenko that was never healed. Left without his support and questions about her true desires, she did not win the 2010 election. Pro-Russian Yanukovich did. Like Obama, people were led down the “primrose path” by his lies. Yet, like me, many did not believe him. The election was close, being lost in central Ukraine. Three years later, Yanukovich3 jailed Tymoshenko in order to rid himself of political opposition. The thoroughly corrupt Ukrainian courts, found her guilty of specious charges – just what Yanukovich wanted. This stirred international ire as the judgments did not conform to international norms. As I mentioned earlier, Yanukovich, first, went to Moscow to meet with the Russian Orthodox Church and Putin. Among the first things he did was to sign a deal giving the Russian military bases in the Crimea. Furthermore, shadowy deals were done with Russia on the gas pipelines through Ukraine. Who owns them? Nobody really knew. I knew – Russia through its oil and gas arms (though being seen as independent businesses), Gazprom and Rosneftgas. Things were fine for Russia so long as those who wanted reform ruled badly in Ukraine, or if a transparent Russophile ruled – Yanukovich. It, quickly, became obvious that he was neither going to be an independent ruler or stop corruption. As a matter of fact, Ukraine became even more entangled with Russia and Yanukovich luxuriated in the billions corruption brought to him, personally. When I was in Ukraine, I think that people were in denial about him. The people I worked with seemed to have an oblivious denial about the situation which led them to want to work with him. I knew it was a lost cause, just like I knew that Obama would not bring the “change” that people were hoping he would. The “hope” in both cases was misplaced. I think that they eventually faced the reality of the situation, especially after Yanukovich refused to sign a trade deal with the EU. For him, the most noxious stipulation in the agreement was that he free Tymoshenko from prison. His spine being stiffened by Putin, he refused to do this. Furthermore, his true leanings were revealed. Even a trade deal with the EU would require serious reforms in order for business in the EU to trust deals in Ukraine. Instead, Yanukovich wanted to join the trade area with Russia – a customs zone. It is telling that the only other countries that joined it were nations that are most influenced by Russia, i.e. Armenia and Kazakhstan. Joining the Russian customs zone means Russian control. Looking at it from the east’s side, economically, the lure of being in a common market with Russia could be appealing as nearly all of its trade is with Russia. And therein, is the problem – for them. The only thing the Russian economy rests on is its oil and gas. As a result of that focus by the Kremlin (the center of corruption in Russia – easy money with little work), other economic sectors have been neglected. Inefficiency abounds. The Donbass is inefficient. It is not capable of competing in the world. I know one man who is the general manager of a steel plant in Donetsk. He brought foreign investment funds (FDI) with him and completely reorganized the steel plant that he bought. That plant is capable of winning world competition. Entrenched interests prohibit this in other plants. This situation has led me to an amazing reversal of my political beliefs – I think the best thing for Ukrainian industry is the establishment of truly independent labor unions. The labor unions, amazingly, are under the management of the company! The day that workers in eastern Ukraine learn grassroots democracy by forming independent labor unions, is the day that they would not want anyone to dictate to them – including the corrupt oligarchs and Russian influence. Unlike America, I would be a labor “agitator” in Ukraine and Russia. The biggest problems with this are, like in the US, the infiltration of communists and pro-Russians into the unions and mafia control. The mafia is entrenched and powerful there. Looking at it from the east’s side, socially, the lure of Russia is understandable. It is natural to value family ties across the border. While everyone in the east speaks Ukrainian, the state language, nearly everyone also speaks Russian. Russian is the language of TV and radio there, and even in the central part of Ukraine. Those who ousted Yanukovich made a mistake by making Ukrainian the only official language. They should have kept Russian, as well. Not making Russian an official language alienated the east. I wrote a research paper about Ukrainian history and, taking a step out on the branch, wrote about how to unite the two nations in Ukraine into one state. In addition to being a dual language state, the ways to unite Ukraine were through trade, socially, and ridding itself of corruption. Corruption will divide any state, as those that gain are separated from those that do not. Trade ties between the east and west must be forged. If both sides have “skin in the game”, neither side is likely to back out. Further, opening Ukraine to the real hope of international trade will also break ties with Russia. I am a “realist” geopolitically. The US or the EU are not capable of moving Ukraine. Only Ukraine is able to do that. A case in point is the lack of real Ukrainian civil society. I wrote another major paper about this, including my travelling to Ukraine to interview people who knew about it. Had I only relied upon the reports from USAID (The United States Agency for International Development), I would have come to wrong conclusions. USAID was very positive about what it had done in Ukraine to build civil society. Talking to Ukrainians who knew, I found out that USAID only built programs, but no sustainability. I kid you not, I attended a USAID seminar in Kiev about how to fund a non-profit organization. I could not believe my ears to learn that the seminar was about how to get government money! True civil society raises its own money, locally – not from international donors and is governed locally. It is no wonder to me, that when I interviewed a man that was on no less than six civil society panels in the government, that he his answer was “no” when I asked if they listened to civil society. The attitude of civil society in Ukraine was one of coming with “hat in hand” to the government. No, civil society, as in the US, must have a fist backed by real community support. The problem with Ukrainian civil society is, that while they can put thousands on the street on occasion, it cannot have the same influence all the time. Last, they do not understand the concept of community governance. The executive director yields near authoritarian control of non-profits. I have found this to be true of even Evangelical churches. Many of them are ruled by pastor-autocrats. The Soviet mentality must be broken in all sectors. Besides a geographic gap, a generational gap exists, as well. Unfortunately, the mind-set of older Ukrainians is Communist and Soviet – getting from the government. The hope has been that younger Ukrainians will be more “worldly.” What to do? 1. The enchantment for Russia must be broken. Visiting one of my friend’s aunt in Kiev, in 2001, I had a rude awakening. She was upset about the collapse of the Soviet Union because English had become the world’s second language. Was she angry! For many, while most everyone was equal – equally impoverished – there was security. The world of capitalism can be insecure, especially if your enemy (the US) set the rules for international capitalism after World War II. Beyond this is pure nationalism. One day comes and your whole world is turned upside down. People really believed in communism and socialism. Yet, the reason why communism and socialism has always failed is because of – human nature. Being sinful, from The Fall, human nature is corrupt and will always be selfish and violent. A true “equality” has never occurred in any communist or socialist state. Nor will it ever. Capitalism has its faults but, at least, it is based upon evil human nature, but relies on good human nature. The selfish desire for money and other good things leads people meeting the needs of others to gain such. Adam Smith spoke of the “invisible hand” of the economy in which everyone pursues self-interest, and in so doing, must satisfy the needs and wants of others. “Building a better mousetrap” is just that. True, government has a role in seeing that business does not run society. Thank God, really, that there’s more to life than money. That’s why the US was different from the Soviet Union. That’s what gave the US credibility.1 Without morals, life in the US (any state, for that matter) becomes “short and brutish” and dominated by civil war (Hobbes, The Leviathan). I fear greatly for the US. 2. Do what the Obama administration does not want to do: (a) take an international lead and (b) do the things that America must do to regain its international influence. a. Obama hates a strong influential US because he believes that it (we) have been the source of evil in the world. He has no confidence in the US and, therefore, nobody else does, either. The EU will not step out on its own, forcefully, without a strong, assertive US. Israel has learned this lesson. In short, Obama has given succor to our enemies and ignored our friends. Under Bush, people may not have liked the US, but they respected it. Defense cuts – no way! b. Obama will not do what is needed to revive US’ influence. Get behind oil and gas development and quit regulating American business (and hiring) into oblivion. 40% of gas that the EU uses comes from Russia. One of the best Presidents the US ever had, Ronald Reagan, warned the Europeans from getting gas from the Soviet Union. Ideology can save a nation from dreadful actions. (Though I am a realist, my ideology of belief in the individual and freedom has stood the test of time.) By agreeing to the Keystone Pipeline and allowing greater oil and gas exploration on public lands will change the world, geopolitically. The US, now, has the largest reserves of gas, and its oil supplies have been greatly increased. This is because of “fracking.” Like any other technology that may impact public health, it must be regulated. But, due to those who agree with Obama, wanting to stop it, fracking has not been used as much as it needs to be. If we were able to cut the price of a barrel of oil and provide an alternative source, what influence Russia possesses will be demolished. The only consideration would be the nukes that it possesses. If Russia’s economy were degraded, Putin would no longer be in power. In his place might come those that care about what the world thinks because they would want to diversify the Russian economy, meaning that Russia would need to engage the World. The Soviet Union fell because of economics. Their economy, for decades previously, was not able to support a military build-up commensurate with the US’ and greater goods for consumers. Increased contact with the West in the 1970s and 80s meant that ordinary Russians began to see the gaping economic divide between Russia and the US. Obama has the same faith in government as the Communists did in the Soviet Union. He is a socialist. If socialism brought such economic ruin to the Soviet Union and, later, severe economic difficulties in the EU, just recently, why would you ever think that socialism would work in the US? The US is unique – it possesses a successful economic system, founded upon individual responsibility and freedom.2 The government has not been, nor will ever be the strength of the US. Ukraine needs the US more than it needs the EU. For that matter, the EU (and the rest of the world) needs and strong geopolitical US. The bad news is that, short term, there is not much that the West can do. Ukraine is geographically situated in a neighborhood dominated by Russia and is only reachable through Poland or weak Central European nations (former Soviet Republics) that Russia is trying to influence. The only other way is through the Black Sea, the pond in Russia’s back yard. I am not willing to start World War III over Ukraine. I would, however, over Poland. It is Poland that has the most to lose over Russia taking over Ukraine – and do not think that Putin would not invade Ukraine, proper, if he thinks he has the chance. Why is Ukraine worth “saving?” Ukraine has a population that reveres the West and its values. Many forget, or were “propagandized” from believing that it was the US winning the Cold War that gave them their freedoms. I do not subscribe to the view that Russia was “coming around.” Hogwash. Authoritarianism, under any name, would have prevailed in the Soviet Union. This is what Putin is all about. It is the second largest nation in Europe with 46 million people. If Russia got its way with Ukraine, there are few places in Central Asia and Central Europe that would not feel its “boot.” For the sake of Poland, and those freedom loving people in Central Europe, Ukraine is important. By extension, geopolitically and internationally, Ukraine is important. What would I do? 1. Make Ukraine a truly independent nation, not depending on Russia or the West. It’s just too far away for the West to exert effective influence – just ask Georgia. It is geopolitical folly to think that we would be able to. Think about it, though, if following policies that defeat corruption and an industry that would want to compete in the world, Ukraine, naturally, would adopt world standards and reject Russian. However, to be realistic, I would continue trade with Russia. This would have its limits. If Ukrainian industry became efficient, it would dominate trade with Russia. Unless Russia changes, dramatically, it would never allow Ukrainian industry to dominate because the “take” by those in the Kremlin and associated Oligarchs would suffer. The Kremlin is only concerned about its “take” and power to get it. 2. Defeat Corruption – “Yeah right and ‘Monkey’s will soon be flying out of my ___.’” It is true that corruption permeates all levels of society. Cash or credit card is all that is accepted. Because I could not get a checking account, not that my checks would have been taken, mind you – I never saw a check being presented for anything in Ukraine - . I had to pay, in cash, for everything. I hated when time came around to pay rent - $900 a month. I had to start days, in advance, getting the money from ATMs because of the daily withdrawal limit from my bank and the daily withdrawal limit at any one bank’s ATM. I hated carrying around that much money on my person. Why does this exist? (1) There is no trust between people. (2) People hide their incomes. It was not just the “oligarchs” and government employees that, visibly, lived beyond their means. What middle level bureaucrat can afford a top line Mercedes with a driver? The answer – none of them. The thought was, justifiably, if they do it, why not me? All of this in an environment most in America would die for – a 15% flat tax. Can you imagine? What heaven that would be! Making very public prosecution of corruption of people in high places and removing corrupt judges would send a strong signal that would gain public support for broad-based transparency. But, even so, being a realist, not even this would work, because the political will does not exist to get rid of corruption. How to defeat it, really? Only failure has been the result of all the efforts expended to defeat it. a. Let the Gospel of Christ reign, voluntarily. True Christianity is not a religion in sense that other “isms” are. Church hierarchy and tradition defeats true Christianity because true Christianity places an individual directly before God. The individual is directly accountable to God and no others are able to come in between, except for the intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Read the Bible, not tradition. The Bible says the same thing it did as it did when it was written, through the inspiration of God. I make this claim and dare anyone to contradict me - no other book, sacred or secular from antiquity, possesses such manuscript evidence, both in time and in agreement across the manuscripts as the Bible does. I ask you, has there ever been a more righteous moral foundation than the Judeo-Christian? Sure, some used Christianity to justify “crusades”, but there were other Christians that disagreed. America was born out of the Protestant Reformation. True Christianity is not about territory. The Kingdom of God, in this age, is not about conquest. It is a Spiritual Kingdom. At an unknowable date in the future, it will dominate the entire earth, physically, economically and politically. Christians are not able to attempt to “hasten” that day. Only God knows and controls that day. America has not been, nor ever will be, Israel. Israel is unique in eternal ways and in a relationship with God that America will never be. America’s grip on morality has been fading for several decades – starting with the 1960s. Morality is not relative. b. Build Ukrainian civil society. By that I mean, any group of people that organize – with or without governmental registration. A piece of paper never made civil society – and neither did a tax exemption. Sure, go for the exemption, but do not rely on it. Civil society’s power comes from, well, civilians, not the government. Many told me, while I was in Ukraine, that it was not ready to from real civil society. I disagreed because of my history building civil society in the US and because I have a higher view of Ukrainians. Ukraine is not a plantation in which the west benignly oversees. The naysayers said the same things here. I did it, anyway. Training is not the key to civil society, but as in any business, good management and doing. Civil society in Ukraine is not sustainable because of poor tutelage of the West. It funds projects, but not sustainability – things like how to raise money locally, local governance and strategic planning. The West has failed in Ukraine. But, don’t the western aid agencies like to “crow” about their accomplishments! Once you understand that their target client is the US Congress, you understand that they are only interested in splashy projects. They sell. Furthermore, being creations of government, those in them think like government. Doctor McCoy “Bones”, of the original Star Trek said it rightly that, “The only constant in the universe is the bureaucratic mentality.” If anyone from USAID reads this, I’ll never get a job there – not that I want to spend my professional life in frustration, mind you. Ukrainians, those that do not suck on the tit of government, will learn to take responsibility for their own communities. The central government is unable to govern. Under the heading of civil society are the political parties. Now, political parties revolve around individuals or graft, and are unsustainable for those that want to change Ukraine. Rather than revolve around fickle personalities, Ukrainian political parties must revolve around a set of beliefs, called a “platform.” The Republican Party, in the US, has forgotten its platform (at least its establishment”) and may disintegrate as a result. That could be a positive development. c. Open voluntary connections with the West at all levels. It is said that “People don’t care until they know you care.” How true. Let them observe the difference between how the West operates contrasted against Russia. The reason why Communism failed (and Russia, under Putin will fail), is that they were selling something few people wanted to “buy.” Only force and massive violence gained them territory. The West has a product people are, literally, dying to get. We do not have to be arrogant about it. Further, being humble, will attract more people. The West can afford to be humble – but unlike our current President, never apologetic. True, there are historical incidents in which the US acted immorally, as in the Iranian coup d’état of 1953. It came back to “bite” the US – in a big way. Neocon”ism” has been proven to be a failure. d. Give the ordinary person reason to be confident in the Ukrainian economy. I think that this is one area for state intervention, through regulation. This is one of the proper roles of government. e. Encourage interaction between the West and Ukraine, militarily. At this moment, Ukraine is feeble, militarily. A strong military will make Ukraine secure enough to stand up for itself. The dirty truth about the Russian military is that it is little better than a third world country. Corruption within it has weakened it. Doing this does not mean that it has to join NATO. However, the West giving Ukraine military support, must come after its direction is known. f. Make Russian the other official language. Attract those in the east. Recognize their culture without giving away the culture that will unite all Ukraine. Respect them. g. Give Ukraine something to aspire to. The space program did that for the US in the 1960s. Ukraine is capable of doing many things. h. Create a national narrative that is instructive, unifying and inspirational. Create “the other.” Russia could easily be framed as “the other.” The West, as well. The more independent Ukraine becomes, the more a “citizen of the world” it will become. No “Yankee Jingoism” will be necessary. However, do not expect this to be an overnight thing. Creating and defending the national narrative might take decades. It will start with subliminal, nuanced ideas. i. I do not know everything. I am positive that others have ideas as good as mine. In conclusion, Ukraine’s only savior is Ukraine, itself. I argue that Ukrainian independence came too cheaply. Nobody was present to effectively stop it. What comes cheap is not as valuable as what comes at a high cost. The real cost of its independence has never been faced, as it was by the US, Mexico, and the former colonies of the great empires. While I would mourn for the dead, perhaps a war with Russia is what is necessary. It may be the only thing that will unite Ukraine. With covert assistance and materiel from the West, Ukraine could win that war. Summoning the national will be difficult. Western Ukraine needs eastern Ukraine. Without it, Western Ukraine, already economically feeble, will lose its access to any ports. Already, many have left western Ukraine to work, then send money back. Eastern Ukraine must be separate from Russia because (1) it will be a small fish in a big pond, at the whims of Moscow and (2) it is used to being independent. The Russian language is not as prevalent in the east and the Ukrainian language is in the west. The day Ukraine stands up and faces the consequences is the day that it will deserve to be called “Ukraine”, not “The Ukraine.” As I write this, it appears that Russia will invade Ukraine, proper, if only to gain a land bridge to the Crimea. Putin is full of himself. The day he does this is the day Ukraine must declare war. However, I am not a Ukrainian. I must be humble about this. Doing so will put at grave risk the whole of Ukraine, especially those in the east. (Give them something to fight for.) Making the decision to risk one’s life and family is not one for others to make. Unfortunately, the viability of Ukraine is on the line in this decision. Allowing Russia to invade will put Ukraine at the mercies of Russia. Why give Russia that power without fighting for it? Like Marty McFly, in the movie “Back to the Future” who resisted sending a letter to a prospective publisher for fear of failure, Ukraine must not shirk from defending itself for fear of failure. Fear of failure is not the most important consideration when it involves a nation. The lack of defense may be even more costly. Unlike Marty McFly’s situation, Ukraine will never be able to reclaim the time lost through inaction. Yet, to repeat, as an American, I cannot and should not make the choice for Ukraine – and neither should the American government. Pray for Ukraine and encourage our leaders to, well, act like leaders. (Footnote 1) Some may question US’ foreign policy choices during the Cold War. While I cannot give a defense for everything it did, I present the following for you. Many criticized the US for supporting autocrats such as Pinochet, Jose Napoleon Duarte, and Somoza. It is true that they were brutal, bloody autocrats. That they killed and oppressed many is beyond dispute. If that is all one knows about them then, of course, their existence on Earth is abhorrent. What changes the pictures is who their enemy was – and it was the same in every instance – Communism. If you think they were brutal, try communist dictators. Communist dictator’s victims number in the millions. (8-10 million died as a result of Communist “reorganization” of Ukrainian agriculture in the 1930s in Ukraine. The first thing that Yanukovich’s minister of education did was to remove all mention of it (the Holodomor) on Ukraine’s web site and bury it deep into Ukrainian archives, if not destroy it. Violence, was and is, a key mode of operation for Communists (and if they do not get what they want, socialists, as well). Putin was on the military and intelligence of the Communist vanguard. Even if he does not believe in Communism, he does believe in enriching himself and his cronies in the Kremlin. The ideology may have changed, but the mode is ingrained. I have known people who lived in Argentina under Pinochet. They supported him. If he lost, they knew that Argentina would have been violently torn apart followed by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of murders by the Communists. History taught them. If you ask me, I will take a Pinochet, every day – all day long, over Communism and socialism. Fewer people will die and more people will share in economic benefits. Finally, for Communists and socialists (socialism is just a pale shade of Communism), central government power is everything because “we, the people” do not know what is best for us – that is how they think. Belief in and, later, worship of the central government is only natural. That is why the Communists hated any religion other than the religion of humanistic Communism. Worshipping another God is forbidden. I worship Yhwh. At the end of the day, fighting Communism is a moral cause. I could not believe it when a fellow student, in graduate school and in an international economic development class asked, “What’s wrong with Communism?” I did not have the words. Later, as I thought about it, the explanation came down to numbers; (1) How many died crossing the Berlin Wall to get to the West? (2) How many died to get to the Soviet Union? (zero) (3) How many went past “the worker’s paradise” Cuba (or from Cuba) to get to Florida? (4) How many died try to get to Cuba or go the other way from the US? (zero) What else do you need to know? “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I am terrified for the US. Our schools no longer turn out children who revere the US. If any do, it is in spite of our public education system, not because of it. You can bet Russia, under Putin, is. He has taken control of the writing of Russian history books for the schools. He wants to “rehabilitate” Stalin and “rewrite” Soviet history. Those who write the history write the nation. If you are hostile to American multi-national business, it was American business, by and large, that brought with it a sense of morality. And if it did not, the American people would influence it to be better – just ask Nike and Starbucks. Furthermore, the US has a law called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In essence, American companies operating corruptly abroad will face US penalties – just ask McDonald’s and Siemens (a Germany company with US operations). The law is used and it has sharp teeth. If you think that other nations have similar provisions, I would guess that you lived in Colorado smoking dope. The US created the modern international economic system and the world is better for it. It is in the interest of the US to, legally and morally, abide by it – even though exceptions may be found. The center of international morality is the US. Yet, I am terrified for it. No successful economic system, society or government can operate without morality. Check with De ‘Tocqueville. The only other option is autocracy – good or bad. The Bible does did say that “all governments are instituted by God.” God is not limited to democracy or neoliberalism. At the end of time, the nations will be judged. I do not know exactly what that means, but somehow, each people group will face judgment. However, I do know the standard – God’s law and clear Biblical teaching. As in Romans 1, man, all mankind, is drawn to twisting God’s law and what the Bible says. I do not need to be someone standing on the corner proclaiming this for it to be true. I prefer non-confrontation! God has been and is quite capable of proclaiming His own messages. They are true, even if not a single person believes them. Man is not the measure. God is. (Footnote 2) Try starting a business in the EU – it is of a magnitude more difficult than in the US. Yet, Germany went through gut-wrenching changes a decade ago to make it more competitive, internationally. The rest of the EU did not, especially the other supposed “paymaster”, France. France’s only saving grace is that it is modern, but it is inefficient – inefficient because of massive social programs and governmental intrusion in business. Its newest President, Holland (pronounced “olland”) is a “died in the wool” socialist and who won on a “hope and change” platform. After he assumed power, he learned just how little he could do through socialist means. France’s future hangs in the balance. Germany wants “austerity” in the EU, France does not. Germany, I hope will win, because it is the “paymaster” in the EU. Greece, Portugal, Spain and others were (and would be) profligate spenders. If I were a German, I would be asking why Germany should keep the EU. Germany is one paying everybody’s bills in the EU. Germany will remain because of its actions during World War I and World War II. They are afraid of expressing their power, on their own. Central Europe is a “mine field.” If the US abandons its belief in its uniqueness and follows that up with policies designed to turn the US into Europe, the world will be the loser. The world depends upon a strong US, even if it despises it. NATO is the US. America’s problem has been government over-reach. (Even in healthcare, prior to Obamacare, was government distorting the healthcare market. Too much government was, and is, the problem. I ask you, is the US government efficient in anything it does?) Democracy is good because it is “messy.” However, if the populace is immoral, eventually central autocracy will only result. If you ask why Washington has gained more central control, it is because of the immorality of the populace. We do get the government we deserve. Remember, that when the Lord Jesus Christ said that all government was of God, he said so while under one of the most brutal governments ever known, the Roman Empire under the Caesars. NO democracy existed. Yet, He also said to “render unto Caesar what was Caesar’s.” We can either govern ourselves or someone else will – again, see de ‘Tocqueville. America’s foolish obsession with “fairness”, as opposed to “justice”, is the beginning of its downfall. Justice is based upon eternal, non-relative morality. Fairness is based upon a time’s or a person’s morality, or lack thereof. It always changes. (Footnote 3) If you want to get really scared where the US is going under Obama, all you need to do is compare him to how Yanukovich and Putin rule. These practices are common under their rule: a. Harassing political opponents with the federal tax service. Just as the Russian and Ukrainian federal tax services harass and even close down business belonging to the opposition, so has the IRS. b. Jailing political opponents. Trying to give substance to the lie that an American made video caused the uprising in Benghazi the producer of that video was jailed on specious charges of violating parole. The truth was that it was a terrorist action that inconvenienced an Obama administration that claimed that Al-Qaeda was “on the run.” Even so, I do not think that Russia or Ukraine would abandon its governmental servants to death. c. The Putin and Yanukovich administrations were unaccountable to the national legislative bodies. In Russia, Putin dominated them. In Ukraine, Yanukovich’s party, The Party of Regions nearly did. Observe how many in the Obama administration refuse to testify before Congress and refuse to provide subpoenaed documents. Furthermore, it makes unconstitutional presidential orders with impunity. In Ukraine and Russia, while their constitutions sound wonderful, they are not followed. So, too, the US constitution under the Obama administration. The Supreme court has said so, by ruling against some of his appointments. d. No one expected either Putin or Yanukovich to tell the truth. Evidently, many in the US do not care about whether Obama is truthful, either. It is one bald-faced lie after another. e. Selective enforcement of the law. The only person Eric Holder has prosecuted for the “knock –out” game is a white person. Sure, if he did it, he should be prosecuted. From what has been reported in all the news media, this violence has been perpetrated by African-Americans, predominately. While the Holder justice department singles out conservative political groups to prosecute, it egregiously overlooked the Black Panthers when they stood outside a polling location with instruments of violence in their hands. f. Most egregiously, proclaiming economic fairness, while the cronies of the Obama administration make out, well, like “bandits.” Same in Russia and Ukraine in every age. Like the Bolsheviks, proclaiming equality, the Obama administration has made promises that never will come true. In the end, as we are finding out, it is the rich that are benefitting. The middle class and the poor are poorer than ever under this administration, while Washington DC has become one of the most expensive real estate markets in the US. Disconnected? You bet. Knowingly disconnected? The evidence is piling up that it is. Obama’s recent family vacation to Africa, just in air costs, was $16,000,000. Let them eat cake! g. Just like the Communists, Obama’s pitch is to those that want to “get” from the state. h. The Bolsheviks proclaimed, “hope and change”, as well. And the “change” was an unmitigated disaster and everyone lost hope. Now that I think about it, pray for America, as well, and for righteous leadership.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:55:56 +0000
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