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Why and what we owe Ukraine: a brief history [1]
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Date: 2022-12-10
Why and What we owe Ukraine: A Brief History
A bit of history for use with those who push the idea of appeasing Russia and abandoning Ukraine. (Do let me know if I have misstated any facts.)
On December 1, 1991, more than 90% of Ukrainians voted for independence. [This is known as democracy.]
On May 23, 1992, Russia, The U.S. and Ukraine (along with Belarus, Kazakhstan) signed The Lisbon Protocol committing the three former USSR states to relinquishing their nuclear weapons and their delivery systems (i.e. missiles and bombers).
The Point:
Ukraine voluntarily relinquished the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world (176 ICBMs, and about 1,700 warheads). Ukraine voluntarily relinquished 33 heavy bombers. Had Ukraine kept these weapons, it is unlikely Russia would have risked invasion. Ukraine could have chosen to continue to wield significant destructive power but did not. Ukraine chose to make nuclear Armageddon exponentially less likely for all of us. Ukraine did this out of a desire for democracy. Ukraine did this based on our security assurances (see below).
On December 5, 1994, The U.S., The Russian Federation, and The U.K., signed The Budapest Memorandum committing to these six points. (Note: condensed by me for clarity):
“...to respect the independence and sovereignty and the existing borders of Ukraine.” “...to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine…” “… to refrain from economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest the exercise by Ukraine of the rights inherent in its sovereignty and thus to secure advantages of any kind.” “…to provide assistance to Ukraine, as a non-nuclear-weapon state party to the The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons … if Ukraine should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used.” “… not to use nuclear weapons against any non-nuclear-weapon state party…” “...will consult in the event a situation arises which raises a question concerning these commitments.”
Queries for Appeasers:
How deep is your respect for democracy? How deep is your respect for international agreements? How deep is your pride in our nation’s commitments to our agreements? Do you understand the cost to our standing in the world when we abandon our commitments, especially to nascent democracies? Do you understand that Vlad plans to be the Tsar who reconstituted the U.S.S.R.? Do you understand that Vlad has long planned to do this regardless of NATO expansion? Do you understand that the Russian idea of an ‘existential threat’ from Ukraine is misdirection? Do you know who Neville Chamberlain was?
A List of Those Who Owe Ukraine:
We Who Love Democracy We Who Love The Rule of Law We Who Cherish Our National Integrity We Americans We Humans
What We Must Do:
Remain stalwart Remain committed Remain prepared for some personal sacrifice Continue to give all reasonable assistance Be patient, no matter how long it takes Take no shit from appeasers
What/Who We Must Avoid:
[END]
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