FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS IN UKRAINE

Ernest Hemingway may have written the novel, but the title of his book was not original. It was written in 1624 by the poet, John Donne, who had fought in the Anglo Spanish War, and knew full the price of life and the horrors of war. Hemingway’s book was written about his fighting as a volunteer during  the Spanish Civil War.    Nationalist Franco finally prevailed in l939, after a bloody three year war against the opposing Republicans.   The war itself, bears many  similarities to the current war in Ukraine, where a fascist bully seeks to control freedom loving people.   Now, we might ask the same question as John Donne.  For Whom Does the Bell Toll in Ukraine?

For Whom Does the Bell Toll in Ukraine? No man is an island.
FOR WHOM DOES THE BELL TOLL IN UKRAINE? No man is an island, and each man’s death diminishes us all.

Franco lasted 30 years as a dictator—much longer than his pals Mussolini and Hitler after World War II. But good finally won out over evil after his death in 1974, when Juan Carlos was made king and established a democracy in that country.

Putin has been in power in Russia for 24 years.  While his war against Ukraine seems far away, none of us can ignore the atrocities the Russians are committing against the innocent people there.  No man is an island.  The murder and torture  of Ukrainians diminishes all of mankind, even here in the United States of America.  How long will the War between Russia and Ukraine continue, and when will good  triumph over evil? Unfortunately, it may take longer than we think.  And it may eventually lead to World War III.

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

by John Donne

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

FOR WHOM DOES THE BELL TOLL IN UKRAINE?

 

WHY DO WE SEND MILLIONS TO UKRAINE?

One good thing has come out of the impeachment hearings.   We’re now aware that our taxpayer dollars are being sent to support one of the most corrupt countries in the world. While the politicians fight it out in congress, we have to ask ourselves: Why do we send millions to Ukraine?

The cold war supposedly ended in 1991, when  U.S. President George H.W. Bush announced,  ” By the grace of God, America won the Cold War: ”  After that,  the average American stopped worrying about Russia .  Since Sept. 11, we’ve been preoccupied with ISIS, the Taliban  and terrorism.   So, why are we so invested in Ukraine?

Why send millions of dollars to corrupt Ukraine
Wikipedia quotes Ernest and Young as saying Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

It started in 2014, when Russia seized Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and continued to occupy it. Many foreign policy experts believe that Ukraine,   caught in the middle between East and West., is the bulwark against Russian expansionism.  And so, through NATO,  we got sucked into sending aid to Ukraine.

 In 2015 The Guardian called Ukraine “the most corrupt nation in Europe”. According to a poll conducted by Ernst & Young (accounting firm) in 2017, experts considered Ukraine to be the ninth-most corrupt nation in the world.”

Marie Yovanovitch marching in gay parade in Ukriane
Marie Yovanovitch grew up speaking Russian.

So now, we’re in an impeachment inquiry about withholding money from  Ukraine.  At least two of the star witnesses have family ties to  either the Ukraine or Russia.   Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman, Director of European Affairs for the National Security Council. was born in the Ukraine.  Former Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch’ s parents fled Russia before she was born in Canada.  She grew up speaking Russian.

So, what will happen if the president is impeached because he demanded an investigation into  Ukraine corruption?  Will we keep sending  more and more aid,  with no strings attached? ?    Maybe we’re spreading ourselves a bit thin, fighting battles all over the world and giving away money  without getting anything back in return.

Can the average American understand why we sent $400 million dollars in aid  to the Ukraine?  One of the most corrupt countries in the world?  Honestly, I don’t think so.

WHY DID RUSSIA DO IT, & HOW?

Now that we’ve endured endless hours of Mueller’s testimony before Congress,  we know for sure that Russia interfered in our election.  The question is: Why did Russia back Trump, and how ?  You have to dig pretty deep to find out.

why putin hated clinton
Putin hated Clinton for interfering in his 2011 election

Back in 2011 , when  Prime Minister Putin was running for President,  then Secretary of State Clinton interfered with his election bid against a guy named Medvedev.   It seems she bet on the wrong horse.  Putin won, and he’s held a grudge against Hillary ever since.  I think it’s important for Americans to understand why Putin didn’t want her to win. .    https://time.com/4422723/putin-russia-hillary-clinton/

Speaking from personal experience, I can remember many Facebook advertisements  slamming Clinton and supporting  Trump.  I saw them as spam.  I was annoyed when Facebook allowed  all of these unwanted posts on my page. Why aren’t they  now sharing some of the blame for what happened?  It was quite obvious that someone had it in for Clinton.  Are we supposed to believe Facebook executives  didn’t know the origin of these posts?

The media has led us to believe that Trump was doing something illegal by trying to establish a hotel in Moscow.  If that is true, what about the other 3,000  American companies that currently do business in Russia?  My former brother in law was with a big accounting firm that  had an office in Moscow over 30 years  ago. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2016/08/03/headline-halah-t/#6db933635f99

After listening to hours of tedious testimony by Mueller in the hearings this week, It seems to me that it was all much ado about nothing.  As FBI agent Peter Storzok said in his famous e mail, “ I’m afraid there’s no there , there.”

Let’s stop wasting money on this investigation that means very  little to the average American.   Why doesn’t Congress focus their efforts on lowering prescription drug prices,  cleaning up the mess at the border, improving our crumbling infrastructure, and changing the way we grant student loans?

Get to work, guys.