Look, I’ve always believed America stands for something bigger. Like that old line about the “shining city upon a hill” from Winthrop and Reagan—it’s not just rhetoric, it’s a call to be a force for good, to stand up when the world’s bullies start throwing punches. And right now, there’s no clearer test of that than what’s happening in Ukraine.
Three years into Russia’s war, it’s baffling how some folks in D.C. still think this can end with a polite chat or some backroom deal. This isn’t a negotiation gone wrong—it’s a straight-up crime. Russia’s the one kidnapping kids, beheading prisoners, roping in North Korean troops, and buying missiles from Iran. If anyone’s wondering who’s the bad guy here, it’s not hard to figure out. The war stops when Moscow stops.
Ukraine’s people are out there giving everything—lives, homes, futures—to keep their country free. They’re not just fighting for themselves; they’re holding the line against a world where might makes right. And what does America do? We waver. We talk big, but when it comes down to it, we’re leaving them hanging. That’s not the America I grew up believing in.
Just look at what happened after Trump’s team tried playing nice. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sits down with Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, extending some kind of olive branch, and what does Moscow do? They hit Ukraine with a record 267 drones. That’s not a response; that’s a middle finger. If Putin wanted peace, he’d pull his troops out of a sovereign nation. It’s not like withdrawing would weaken Russia—unless you think bullying a neighbor is what makes a country strong. If NATO was really the threat, why isn’t Putin fortifying his border with Finland instead of pouring everything into crushing Ukraine?
Let’s get real: America didn’t “win” the Cold War to humiliate anyone. When the Soviet Union fell, it wasn’t a loss for Russians or Ukrainians or anyone else—it was a chance to step back from nuclear nightmares and give people a shot at freedom. Putin calls it a catastrophe because it loosened his grip on power. He’s not fighting for Russia’s survival; he’s fighting to drag the world back to a time when empires could just gobble up whoever they wanted.
The America I know doesn’t sit back while tyrants redraw maps with tanks. Think about Desert Storm—when we led, the world respected us. The America I know doesn’t ditch its friends or kick them when they’re down. We don’t negotiate with war criminals. And when we see people willing to die for freedom, we’ve always had their backs.
But if we let Ukraine fall, we’re not just betraying them—we’re sending a signal to every dictator in Tehran, Pyongyang, or Beijing. They’re watching, and they see Russia getting away with slaughtering civilians and breaking every rule in the book. If we don’t stand firm, we’re inviting a world where no one’s safe, not even us.
Reagan once said the real fight isn’t about bombs or rockets—it’s about wills, ideas, and the values we hold dear. America’s been that generous, principled place more often than not. Our economy’s the strongest in the world; we spend a tiny fraction—half a penny on the dollar—of our budget helping Ukraine. They didn’t ask for this war, and they shouldn’t have to beg for our support.
If we let Russia’s neo-imperialist rampage succeed, we’re not just failing Ukraine—we’re unraveling everything we’ve built since the Cold War. Our security, our credibility, our leadership—it’s all on the line. This war needs to end, but not with some weak compromise or another frozen conflict. Putin can stop this tomorrow if we make it clear there’s no other option. That’s the America I believe in—one that stands tall and demands better.
