US Ambassador to Ukraine Resigns

Bridget Brink, the United States ambassador to Ukraine, has just resigned because she "could no longer in good faith carry out the administration's policy" towards Ukraine, which she characterizes as "put[ting] pressure on the victim, Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia."

While I don't agree with everything she says in her opinion piece, I think she is generally on-target in her assessment that how we conduct ourselves regarding Putin's War communicates (accurately or not) who we are as a nation and it will be taken by the likes of Putin and Xi as a reading on whether it is an opportune time for them to attack our allies.

The below is spot-on:

I cannot stand by while a country is invaded, a democracy bombarded and children killed with impunity. I believe that the only way to secure U.S. interests is to stand up for democracies and to stand against autocrats. Peace at any price is not peace at all -- it is appeasement. And history has taught us time and again that appeasement does not lead to safety, security or prosperity. It leads to more war and suffering. [bold added]

Later, she elaborates on her warning about appeasement:

Why does Russia's invasion of Ukraine matter to the United States?

It matters because how we handle this war will speak volumes to our friends as well as our foes. If we allow Putin to redraw borders by force, he won't stop with Ukraine. Taken at his word, Putin's ambition is to resurrect an imperial past -- and he can't do that without threatening the security of our NATO allies.

And if Putin succeeds, it sends signals to China that will undermine the security balance in Asia and throughout the world. That will have profound implications for America's safety, security and prosperity.

While Brink veers closer to the idea that America should be the world's policeman than I am comfortable with, standing up for freedom and helping our allies needn't imply such a role.

Even simply offering moral support would be far better than this Administration's policies to date, of which Brink's characterization as appeasement is generous to a fault.

It has been collaboration for all practical purposes, and it is disgraceful.

Donald Trump is quite frankly making me miss the comparatively manly and steadfast presence of Jimmy Carter.

-- CAV