The Left’s hatred of Trump could be clouding their judgement of Putin’s evil attack on Ukraine
FIRST, let’s all hopefully agree on one critical point.
In the past, most of the world rightfully viewed Saddam Hussein as a dangerous, megalomaniac strongman.
Today, most of the world views Vladimir Putin the same way.
The question then becomes: Were mistakes made in the past with regard to the best way to deal with Hussein and if so, do any of those lessons apply to the handling of Putin today?
At least to me, the fervor from many on the left for Ukraine to engage in a war with Russia and literally fight them in the streets in hand-to-hand combat is the tragic personification of a pyrrhic victory.
To be sure, more and more voices from the right are also engaging in this cheerleading of war, but it has been especially intense from various left-leaning outlets, pundits, and "experts".
Why? Again, let’s all agree that Putin does represent a clear and present danger to the world.
But, now that a real-world military defense is being waged by the Ukrainians, we have already seen the tragic consequences.
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The next obvious question then becomes: How many lives will be lost and will they have been sacrificed and wasted in a futile cause?
Just before the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003 during the administration of President George W. Bush, it seemed that some advocating for that invasion to “overthrow” the “evil” Hussein were coldly and impassionedly viewing the process as some sort of board game or sporting event with human pawns to be played with at will.
Civilians, pundits, and “experts” who had no skin in the game.
Meaning they were not in the military; they would not be walking point in the coming combat; nor would any of their relatives or friends.
Some pushed for that war from luxurious offices thousands of miles from the pending horror atop six and even seven figure financial platforms.
Good for them. But just as a reminder, that “war” with Iraq and the overthrow of Hussein came at a very steep price in human lives lost.
Approximately 4,500 American soldiers killed; 32,000 wounded; between 100,000 and 400,000 Iraqi deaths depending upon the study; and a Middle East which is destabilized to this day.
Saddam Hussein did not operate in a vacuum. Vladimir Putin does not operate in a vacuum.
Such strongmen often openly telegraph their moves but some choose to ignore the signals for a host of self-serving reasons.
Could the US “War” with Iraq have been prevented? Of course.
Could most of those lives lost have been spared? Yes.
Could Putin have been dissuaded from invading Ukraine via a number of diplomatic and other avenues? Some certainly believe so.
While some might deny it, many on the left have seemingly spot-welded Putin to Trump over the course of the last five years.
Much of that symbiotic association springing from the now discredited “Trump campaign-Moscow connection” pushed by Hillary Clinton operatives via the "Steele Dossier".
A debased dossier which did manage to accomplish one goal. The indelible linking of Trump to Putin in the minds of many on the left.
Be they in the media, academia, Hollywood, or the US government and political class.
The next question then becomes, could the dislike or even outright hatred of Trump by some of the left have created an irrational fog of reasoning in their minds when it came to the most prudent ways to deal with Vladimir Putin?
Is encouraging Ukraine into an all-out war with Russia – or telling citizens of other nations that this is a suicidal-sacrifice the Ukrainians simply must make – worth it as a way to go after Putin?
Especially considering the tragic cost of life and infrastructure to Ukraine while inching the rest of the world closer to an unintended nuclear war.
What is the ultimate "upside" in such a strategy for Ukraine?
Since the “Age of Trump” first dawned upon the world in June 2015, many in the US, UK, and world media, universities, political systems, and corporations have openly criticized Trump with some even speaking about becoming part of the “resistance” against him.
Now, many of those same voices have encouraged Ukraine to fight the "Good war" against Russia.
Again, why?
While it's a natural human trait to want to root for the underdog, the media most especially should not be taking a side in this invasion or outright war. Except, many have.
Such shading of the facts on the ground not only does not help Ukraine, and could ultimately hurt the nation dramatically.
Many in the media have grasped onto a David v Goliath narrative and have seemingly gone out of their way to paint a picture of a stumbling, stupid Goliath who seriously underestimated David.
Except, "Goliath" is doing much better than reported and as everyone surely knows, could completely crush Ukraine by dialling up the horrific weapon systems used in the war.
Again, could a media, academia, and neocon class so filled with admitted loathing and outright hatred for Trump, be viewing Putin through a prism which blocks reason when it comes to the best way to help the people of the Ukraine?
If ever there was a time for clear, unbiased, and reasoned thinking and strategy, it is now.
How is Ukraine losing the lives of potentially thousands of its citizens while watching much of its infrastructure turned into rubble beneficial to the people of that country?
Would it not make more sense to agree to an immediate ceasefire - no matter how unfair the terms may be - and then let almost every nation on Earth come to your defense via negotiations, sanctions, and other effective pressure points?
What have we learned from Iraq, Afghanistan, or almost every war ever fought?
Those who push a nation into war are almost exclusively from the privileged class operating from those plush offices thousands of miles from the battlefield.
Those who die in those wars are almost exclusively from the underclass either drafted into service or seeking a way to better the lives of themselves and their families.
Putin needs to be dealt with.
But pushing sacrificial lambs into the teeth of the Russian war machine while creating a potential trip-wire for an accidental nuclear war is a fatally senseless strategy.
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Some are playing with a fire which could scorch the earth.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the novel .