Vladimir Putin channeling the (FSU) Former Soviet Union in 2022
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on Feb. 23, 2021 asks what democracies should do and how much should they commit to a situation where innocent lives are at stake. The United Nations replaced the League of Nations following the end of World War Two. The LON failed to check the Nazi Party and Adolf Hitler's egregious ambitions. Now, the international community is faced with mercurial Russian leader, Vladimir Putin invading neighbour and peaceful nation - Ukraine - in the pursuit of correcting wrongs that he feels his predecessors committed leading to the demise of the Soviet Union. Putin, a proud former KGB and autocrat would like to be remembered for bringing meaning back to a long forgotten Russia that may include a place for him in Red Square when he leaves this world for the great gulag in the sky with Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and others. In true authoritarian fashion, nobody knows what he is thinking in order to calculate his next step. Putin's direct threat to those who might try to prevent Russia's annexation of Ukraine is reminiscent of the Kim family in North Korea threatening to obliterate their opponents and neighbours with nuclear weapons. Problem here is that Russia has them. North Korea does not. And so NATO allies are threatening sanctions that could deter Putin, though, in all probability, it will be too late to rescue Ukrainian freedoms and autonomy. The sting that coud be inflicted - removing Russia from the SWIFT international banking system cannot be agreed upon by EU and NATO members lest they get cut off from Russian gas and oil. Even Donald Trump criticized the "two dollar" sanctions that Putin will not take seriously since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and got away with bloody murder, while Obama and others, including Joe Biden, were snoozing in Washington.
So, what in the world does collective security mean in 2022? Chinese officials are correct when they castigate America because of it's race relations problems. How can the U.S. understand international relations when they cannot manage their own affairs, particularly, their arcane gun laws. It is kind of like nukes - every county should have one to create a balance of power. Should every citizen own a gun? NO NO NO!
To consider the mycelium metaphor that where ideas take root and expand, democracy grew out of a post WW2 vacuum into the rules - based international order that exists today. Conversely, Russia and China are attempting to uproot this system, that, although flawed, supports a stronger sense of human rights and obligations that communism and authoritarianism can never muster no matter those entities financial and technological prowess. In 2022, a warhead or even cyber warfare cannot be utilized against Red Square to correct an injustice because the repercussions will be too great. Therefore, give Putin the full bore of sanctions and NATO partners on the periphery adequate troop levels to stare down Russia as Putin's Russia has done to Ukraine. Belarus is complicit in this invasion and President Lukashenko must be held accountable, as well. Finland and Sweden talked today of joining NATO to counter the fire breathing Putin who has Soviet aspirations and is in their own back yard including, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia and Hungary. To place 25,000 troops on alert on their borders will send Putin a strong message to stand down in Ukraine and not even attempt a coup d'etat on a NATO country. Given that Vladimir Putin continues this campaign, he must face war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court at The Hague. Then autocrats may get the message to leave democracies well enough alone, while, collective security can be a legitimate tool for protecting territorial integrity and not merely a concept.
