Putin and Russian aggression

With time and new generations, memories fade or at least soften, and I believe we are seeing exactly that with the countries in NATO and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Cold War is ancient history, and many do not associate the USSR with current Russian aggression despite continued Russian aggression in Eastern Europe, including Georgia in 2008 and in Ukraine in an ongoing conflict. The Russians are not carrying out a large- scale military attack, which would probably generate a military response from NATO. Many in the West believe the fighting ended with the Russians controlling eastern Ukraine, but that is not true.

Diane M. Francis, editor-at-large for the National Post in Canada, a distinguished professor at Ryerson University's Ted Rogers School of Management, wrote in August 2015, "In just over a year, Russia has seized 9 percent of Ukraine, killed 6,200, wounded 30,000, displaced 1.2 million people and shot down a commercial airliner with 298 people aboard," Francis continued, "Even so, European and American retaliation has been soft and ineffective. The Russians have ignored a cease-fire agreement reached in February and captured another 28 towns and villages, 250 square kilometers and killed 200 Ukrainians. It's also moving tanks, artillery, troops and equipment into Ukraine by the trainload." She forecasts a Russian invasion this fall.

Ukrainian MP Dmytro Lubinets forecasts that the Russians will send in operatives to stir up unrest in Ukraine. That unrest will climax as the demonstrators begin waving Russian flags and calling for Russian "help." Russia's response will be to send in its military to stop the supposed persecution of ethnic Russians. Based on the reactions of the U.S. and other NATO countries to Russian actions, the Russians will expect a weak, if any, response.

Meanwhile the Russians have demonstrated that the opinions of other nations do not matter as they send military forces and weapons to Syria. Russian support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad flies in the face of worldwide condemnation of his actions, including using chemical weapons against his own citizens.

The last time the world ignored the actions of an aggressor like Putin, the world woke too late to Nazi Germany's intentions. We need to present a united front to demonstrate to Putin that continuing his actions will result in a military response.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.