Note to Putin: Don’t Read Obama’s Inexperience as American Weakness

            Dear Vladimir, I am an American.  I am very proud of my country and all the good it has done for the world.  It was America that won both World Wars I and II.  You Russians quit during World War I to have your revolution.  Without America joining the war, that would not have been possible.  America’s presence required the Germans to give up the Eastern front – and you were able to have your revolution.  Russia helped during World War II but rather than being liberators of the people that the Nazis had conquered; you just transposed the occupation by the Germans to the occupation by the Soviets.  Had America not entered either of the World Wars, you would be speaking German.

While you occupied Eastern Europe following World War II, America implemented the Marshall Plan to rebuild Western Europe and assure their freedom from Soviet totalitarianism.  After America won the second World War, we gave to those in need.  On the other hand, Russia imposed Soviet style communism/totalitarianism on the Eastern European countries in need.  When you tried to starve West Berlin into submission, it was the American air force that air lifted the supplies necessary for the West Berliners to survive your brutal tactics and to maintain their freedoms.  Thus began the cold war.

America won the cold war too.  Upon that victory, there was no gloating.  Instead, America was grateful that the freedoms enjoyed by the West could now be bestowed to the many peoples of the Soviet Union.  Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost was the beginning of such freedoms.  As momentum for freedom gathered, many of the former occupied countries of the Soviet Union seceded.  After decades of Soviet style totalitarianism, they wanted their own identities, national pride, and self-destinies restored.  Americans were overjoyed to see such a change in the world.  We wished all this for Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Ukraine and all satellite states of the former Soviet Union.  We also wished this for Russia itself.  We realized that the loss of an empire diminishes one’s self-image as a world power.  However, it was apparent at the time the Soviet Union was disassembled that the Russian people wanted more personal freedom and less government corruption than they wanted an empire.  Americans also wanted these freedoms and opportunities for the Russian people.

Unfortunately, democracy is not an easy task.  It is made more difficult when vestiges of power remain in place that focus on personal greed rather than the wealth and freedoms of their people – and so Russia has struggled.  Economic struggles cause unease among the people of any country.  When criticism of the Putin regime started to simmer, severe crackdowns on the right to free speech became the norm and elections became a farce.  Then to attempt to make Russia appear to be a semblance of a free democracy (just before the Sochi Olympics) hundreds of political prisoners were released from Russian jails.  The mere fact that there were hundreds of such prisoners is a statement on its own.  Personal freedoms in Russia have been curtailed and the economy is struggling – both causing uneasiness of the Russian people.

Mr. Putin, you are now following the tactics of all tyrants before you – create an enemy outside your regime for the troubled people of your nation to cast their frustrations upon.  You have selected America for good reason.  America has a totally inexperienced leader who probably has never been in a street fight.  He does not realize when it is time to show power, let alone when to use it.  He has lived a charmed life and has altruistic views that everyone in the world will respond to his goodness.  President Obama has very good intentions but he is an easy target for you to bully.  Unlike President Obama, you, Mr. Putin, know that evil does exist in this world.  You know this well because you are evil.  What you do not know is that the majority of Americans have been in street fights.  The majority of Americans utilizes its right to free speech and communicates with their representatives in Congress.  The majority of Americans have no fear of an impotent Russia that cannot govern its people in a manner that promotes economic growth and personal freedoms.  President Obama’s inexperience will slow America’s response to your evil - but the American people will force a reaction.  The Obama caused delay in our response will require our actions to be much mightier than you can imagine. 

I am an American that knows that the American military can annihilate the Russian military both in conventional and in nuclear war.  I am an American that is telling my Congressman to push for ground troops and war planes in Poland, Latvia, Romania and Turkey – and for a strong naval presence in the Black Sea.  I am an American that does not want war with Russia but one that realizes that a show of might is what is necessary to prevent that war.  I also realize that once a show of might is made, there is an increased chance of actual war.  But: I am proud of what America has done for the world and I believe that it is now our time to continue such good for the people of Ukraine.  So if war is needed, then war it shall be.  Think long and hard Mr. Putin, I am voicing the sentiments of Americans – not President Obama.  You may not be aware of this, but in a free democracy, those in power eventually follow the course its people demand.  I do not believe that you would be so stupid as to use nuclear weapons – but I am not naïve enough to completely dismiss this opportunity.  I know you are evil and that evil has no limits.  Just remember that although our missile defense system is not all encompassing – it is something you do not have.  By the way, I am also telling my Congressman that I want missile defense systems built inside the countries of every one of our NATO allies.  You must have known that this would be the minimum response to your provocations to this point in time.

The world knows that if war breaks out – it will be Russia’s fault.  The national pride you are calling on from your people by conquering Crimea will turn to shame if you start a war in Ukraine.  Can you imagine the pictures of defenseless Ukrainian soldiers lying dead on their homeland?  And if that happens, America will not let free people become subjects to a totalitarian dictator.  I am also telling my Congressman that our government must start building a coalition of our NATO allies NOW – to be ready to join America in defending Ukraine.

America is war-weary but not without a conscience of right and wrong.  Our NATO allies will be there with us because the very creation of NATO was to prevent the spread of Soviet totalitarianism.

By the way, your phone call to President Obama yesterday may fool the President, but it does not fool many other Americans.  We know an evil person such as you cannot be trusted and that the phone call was only a ploy for President Obama to continue to believe through his naivety that you are responding to his goodness – and thus buy you more time to ready your ground troops along the Ukraine border.

Another thing you should consider: America has the ability to shut down your entire economy.  America and Canada has the energy that Europe buys from you and we can build the infrastructure to get it there.  Act provocatively enough, and the Europeans will cut you off regardless of the short term damage their economies will suffer.  They will do so with assurances from America that we will help them through the tough times and establish the infrastructure needed to meet their energy needs.

To the Russian people, we Americans do not want war with you.  We want all the people of the world to enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, the right to choose their own destinies through fair elections, and the opportunity to pursue happiness.  Russia is a great country that has for far too long suffered from evil and corrupt leaders.  Please do not allow the sense of national pride the conquering of Crimea has created distract you from your basic problem: a corrupt government that prevents you from the freedoms enjoyed by the peoples of true democracies.  As always, we Americans wish the best for you.