Urgently Needed: Exit Strategy, Before the Mushroom Clouds Bloom
Friends,
Please sign and share the petition I have linked in this essay.
Let me begin with an unpopular truth: there are only two ways out of this crisis in Ukraine: Russian military victory or negotiations, and the only basis on which negotiations can take place is recognition that Russia, like all other countries, like the US, has legitimate security interests.
The petition makes a very simple demand: that the Biden Administration state publicly what we all know to be true: that the US has no intention of adding Ukraine to NATO.
Further: I urge all of you to contact Senator Bernie Sanders’ office and the office of Representative Pramila Jayapal, head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and demand that they call for such a statement from the White House.
“But Myke: the Russians are the aggressors!”
Yes, they are. Why should that stop us from seeking a negotiated solution? Particularly because the Biden Administration provoked this crisis with its reckless talk of Ukraine joining NATO?
For those of you who are into history, this Twitter post goes into all the details of the many Russia experts, of various Administrations, who have cautioned against doing what Biden did:
https://twitter.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1498491107902062592
“But Myke: The Ukrainians are WINNING! :-) And soon, our weapons will arrive!”
I know, the media is filled with glowing reports of the Brits seizing a Russian yacht, etc. But none of this affects the situation on the ground, where Russia has control of the airspace and all the time in the world to pursue its attack. Control of the airspace means that any Western weapons that reach Ukraine will be attacked and presumably destroyed. And while all the media focus is on Kyiv and Kharkov, let me point out that Kherson fell three days ago, Melitopol has been taken, Mariopol isolated and there are signs that a pincer operation is developing, with one arm moving north from the Melitopol area and the other south from near Kharkiv, to potentially cut off the Ukranian volunteer units of the Donbass front, including the Azov Battalion.
“You are a dirty Putin supporter!”
Please. Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Let me tell you what keeps me up at night:
Russia will continue to make gains on the ground. That is a fact. And as it does, public opinion across the West will become increasingly frenzied. People will demand that ‘we’ do ‘whatever it takes’ to defend Ukraine: boots on the ground, a no-fly zone to allow Western arms to reach Kyiv. Either of which would, as Joe has pointed out, cause World War III.
And when our ‘leaders’ refuse to act? What will people do when they realize the scale of the lie they’ve been told? How will the peoples of the EU react, who in additon to skyrocketing fuel and food prices are already seeing a wave of plant closures as manufacturers in Germany, France and Italy come up against fuel shortages and a lack of raw materials and spare parts? If you think that Joe Biden’s popularity is in the gutter now, just wait.
We NEED an exit strategy in Ukraine, and we need one now, before the shit hits the fan for everyone, including the people over there suffering under the bombs. The only way forward is East/West negotiations, and the only viable basis for such negotiations is recognition that Joe done fucked up with his reckless bellowing about Ukraine joining NATO.
No Russia! No NATO! Sign the petition, make the call:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/labor-statement-on-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine?source=direct_link&"