As is so often the case with events that jar the dynamics of the world stage, in March, when the missiles started to fly and major Ukrainian cities underwent horrific devastation, there was a general reaction in the West along the lines of, "Wasn't sure if the Kremlin was really going to do this, but it's now pretty clear they intend to be thorough about it."
That phase didn't actually last long. Russia skedaddled out of Kyiv, leaving behind scorched tanks that curious onlookers now examine.
Ukraine has had a fraught history since regaining independent-nation status in 1991. Yes, there's been a fair amount of corruption and unrest. And upon the election of a comic actor (whose show about a high-school teacher who improbably becomes president is really quality television) as president, much of the world wondered if Ukraine was on a path of unseriousness.
But there's no doubt now that he's proven his mettle. He's hands-on, patriotic, savvy and courageous. Whether that will translate to the chops required of a head of state once peace is concluded (hopefully by a decisive Ukrainian victory) remains to be seen. Let us recall that British voters removed Winston Churchill from 10 Downing Street mere months after he'd helped orchestrate an Allied victory in World War II.
Speculation that Western unity might give way to burnout has not been borne out. Consider the zeal with which Finland and Sweden wanted to join NATO, and Germany's interest in bolstering its military strength.
About that presumption of Russian thoroughness: Over the summer, that gave way to a "grinding war of attrition" narrative.
In the past two weeks, that view has required recalibration. Ukraine has demonstrated that it can pull off a stunning reversal, taking back 3,000 square miles of territory and reoccupying Izyum. The difference in morale between Russian troops and Ukrainian troops is an enormous chasm.
What's going to be necessary for this turn of events to maintain momentum is Western aid: more HIMARS systems in particular.
And we're going to have to clench our jaws and steel our spines as Russian policy influencers continue to dish out the apocalyptic rhetoric. Otherwise, the blackmail precedent becomes more entrenched and a stable world order continues to elude us.
A side-note-type observation: Since the invasion began, I've been impressed with how much Ukrainians love their animals. It was so gratifying to see refugees at train stations and in shelters carrying, along with some clothing and personal effects, pens containing their dogs and cats. Even now, there's time for a military vehicle to stop and scoot a recalcitrant hedgehog off the road before proceeding.
I've come to have an affection for Ukraine's national character. They love things dear to my own heart: music, food, animals. As February gave way to March, they were just sitting there, sorting our their society's issues as all societies do, when they were subjected to unprovoked savagery of a scale not seen in Europe in over 70 years.
Which is why it's nauseating to see the likes of J.D. Vance and Tucker Carlson try to craft some kind of bandwagon onto which "national conservative" types are expected to climb. A who-cares-what's-going-on-in-Ukraine attitude requires an astounding level of willful ignorance about the stakes for a viable West as the 21st century nears conclusion of its first quarter.
It's to be expected, I guess, from their ilk, but it's dismaying in the extreme to see the Heritage Foundation, once one of America's most reliably three-pillar-conservative think tanks, getting on board to the extent that scholars are bailing over intolerance of their support for solidarity with Ukraine.
My intuition tells me that such types aren't going to convince a critical mass of Americans to sign on to their nihilistic, cynical program. What's really going on is too clear to most of us.
There's substantive reason to harbor hope. What's called for is maintaining resolve. It's a cacophonous world, and the number of attention-worthy items that come across our radar screens is overwhelming. But on any given day of prioritizing it all, Ukraine ought to make the cut. Someday, God willing, they'll make a strong, confident and freedom-loving member of a West equipped for a challenging future.
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