I read an article on AT the other morning covering the same tired ground: “Armchair Generals and Diplomatic Gasbags Seek War.” A summary of the article might leave many to believe that Russia is a good actor, acting only in its logical national interest. At the same time, Europe and the U.S. are being influenced by armchair generals who lack either a sense of history or insight into what’s happening from Putin’s perspective.
Let’s begin with a preface: Europe is only just starting to wake up to the reality that it is on the chopping block. They bear sole responsibility for the error of their ways, and many on our side of the pond believe we should leave them to their just fate. Those voices would be wrong. A friend wrote to me:
“When you look at Europe 20 years from now, would you rather it be under Muslim control or Russian control, because it’s going to be one or the other?”
Are we that callous, ready to cede that Europe is lost and irredeemable? Are we certain that America can exist as a fortress America with no significant allies? Perhaps a function of distance, hubris, ego, or the lack of a history of death and destruction by a foreign power on American soil for at least 200 years (excepting Pearl Harbor) has led us to think we can go it alone. As long as we stay out of “entanglements,” we’ll be fine, some proclaim.
Naïve does not even begin to describe the most extreme understanding of America First. For some of the people I talk to, ‘America first’ means we live our lives on our own land and let the international world take care of its own affairs. No foreign trade, if challenged, no coming to the aid of allies, no foreign military bases, no telling the world how to live, and most importantly, no longer being the policemen to the world—a permanent withdrawal to our shores, allowing the chips to fall where they may.
Reflects of Short Memories:-
Our title today: “Honey! I spent the Kid’s Inheritance.” Reflects the short memories (blame our failed school system) many have in recalling the ditty “Freedom is never free.” It’s a throwaway or meaningless catchphrase to almost all I know, yet it is central to my everyday thinking. I take to heart the veracity and essential nature of the belief that every generation must defend freedom. Are we somehow an exception?
We say that facts are funny things because indeed they are. Russia is fighting a war of conquest, claiming it fears (without an ounce of proof) NATO’s warlike rhetoric. This ignores the more logical reasons of invading Ukraine, thereby capturing millions of new potential Russian soldiers to prepare for Russia’s next move, the assault on NATO’s Balkan States. The result so far is that NATO has two new members, Sweden and Finland, neither of which is weak or as naïve as some other nations that previously spent their budgets almost solely on social programs. These newcomers know what Russia’s capable of and don’t want to be outside NATO’s Article 5 protections when Mr. Putin comes calling, as they believe he will.
Russia is tearing up undersea fiber-optic, electrical, and other connections between Estonia and Finland by dragging anchors across the Baltic Sea floor. Copenhagen and Munich’s airports have been intermittently shut down due to “unidentified drones” within the airport’s airspace. Poland’s and Romania’s airspace has been breached multiple times by Russian drones and manned fighter planes in recent days.
Europe is rapidly militarizing and fortifying its eastern flank in response to a growing belief that a Russian invasion is coming, as the Russian bear probes for weaknesses and responses. For the first time since the end of the Second World War, Europe can be seen as on a war footing, with the majority of its citizens not even aware of the tectonic moves underway. Need proof?:
- EU Defense Loans: A €150 billion loan is funding defense upgrades, especially in eastern states. Four flagship projects include missile defense, space shields, and security on the east flank.
- Frozen Russian Assets: Europe is considering utilizing frozen Russian central bank assets to fund a €140 billion loan for Ukraine’s war effort.
- Push for Strategic Autonomy: Danish PM Mette Frederiksendeclared Europe must be able to “fully defend itself” by 2030, signaling a shift toward independent military capability.
- Macron’s Confrontation Stance: France’s President openly declared Europe is “in a confrontation with Russia,” emphasizing the need for unity and resilience.
- Drone Wall Initiative: The EU is developing a pan-European “drone wall” to detect and neutralize aerial threats, especially after Russian drones violated airspace in Poland, Estonia, and Denmark.
- Withdrawal from the Landmine Ban: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia withdrew from the Ottawa Conventionto resume landmine stockpiling, citing the need for flexible defense options.
- Lithuania’s Shelter Campaign: Over 6,400 bomb shelters have been identified, with evacuation plans and citizen training underway.
- Poland’s Civilian Training: Plans are in motion to train every adult male for wartime readiness.
- Norway’s Bunker Restoration: Cold War-era bunkers are being reactivated, and new buildings must include bomb shelters.
The essential takeaway is that war is looking for us, even as we close our eyes to the visible signs. The U.S. alone has the innate ability to prevent war. We see Putin circling Europe already, probing militarily, active sabotage, fifth columnists in Moldova, and creating coalitions of like-minded thugs who see profit and even destiny in engaging the West in war and near-war to extract the maximum amount of concessions, which will never be quite enough.
We have our heads in the sand, even as Europe, the last group I thought would see the writing on the wall, is coalescing around the vital understanding of what looks to be all but inevitable. Hitler stated he would have been satisfied if England had remained an impotent island nation and if America had acquiesced to the “inevitability” of Germany’s Third Reich. They didn’t, and our country prospered. But what if Biden had been our President instead of Roosevelt? What if Starmer were leading GB rather than Churchill?
That is why politics matters a great deal more than most give it credit for. Leadership is never assured. Putin and Xi play the long game, whereas we prioritize spin and gamesmanship.
Conclusion:-
In the not-too-distant future, America and the world will be tested once more, of that I’m certain. History is never wrong. We are overdue for our next pivotal confrontation. The only question is whether we wait to fight on our beaches or meet the challenge now, which would likely push back into the future, our next kinetic war, costing us much more than our peace of mind.
God Bless America!
Allan J. Feifer—Patriot
Author, Businessman, Thinker, and Strategist. Read more about Allan, his background, and his ideas to create a better tomorrow at www.1plus1equals2.com. Read additional great writers here.
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