We are because we have more chances to explore. Openness brings us to new possibilities. To new interactions. And we become more apt to dare. To defy existing notions. To invent. Creativity calls for risk taking. Freedom opens the door to taking such risks. Every person is endowed with a variety of potentials. Freedom is an invitation to develop them. Yet not every person chooses that path. Many succumb to fear, freedom’s mortal enemy. If there is a god, then freedom and creativity bring us close to him or her. Every human being has to fight the darkness that comes with fear. The darkness that whispers to us, ‘don’t question, accept, be quiet, don’t follow your intuitions.’ Of course, sometimes fear makes sense and saves our lives. But we have to tell the difference. We don’t have to be loud to dare but we have to take risks and small steps count, too. A small step today. Perhaps a larger one tomorrow. But take steps we must, for otherwise are lives have no chance of attaining meaning. The meaning of our existences blossoms from our taking risks. Dare in your chosen fields. Dare in the sciences, in the arts, in your jobs, in your relationships, but dare to create! Dare politically, too. Political protests are acts of creation. Political systems that restrict us demean us. They rip from our souls our chance to enhance our personal meaning. Leaders that tell us what to think do violence to our essence. We are born to be free and yet in our world today – now 8 billion of us – a large portion live in bondage. In bondage to people who think they are better than the rest. In Iran, the governing mullahs think they have God’s ear, and the rest of the population better follow what they say. In Russia today, a poll reports that 79% of the population approves of Putin. That’s 79% of Russians who have chosen not to dare. In China, Xi Jinping tells the rest of the Chinese that his ‘sublime’ thought is the essence of their lives. ‘Just follow me. I’ve done the thinking for you.’ There’s something very sad about going through life and not having dared. When our time comes to die, it will be easier if we’ve dared. Easier to smile. Others will remember us well. Perhaps, even find inspiration in the lives we lived. So dear Iranians, courageous protesters, thank you for your daring. And dear Russians, dare to replace the man who calls himself your leader. And dear Chinese, dare to challenge Xi Jinping. Small steps count. They, too, are acts of creation. Fellow Americans, dare to keep and improve our democracy. And thank you, Ukrainians, for the inspiration you have become to the world. Winds of freedom are blowing from your efforts.
Do not let him silence your voices. He is no leader. Leaders are people who help us become better than who we are. Not worse. You need to join the world, not turn your back on it. Ukraine was never a threat to you or your country. Ukrainians want to become free to choose their destiny, not join in Putin’s plans. He is an envious man. He has not been able to develop your potential as a people and looks around and sees other nations moving past Russia. But he doesn’t know what to do. So his envy is turned to murderous rage. In your name. With your talents and resources you could become one of the top nations in the world. Instead, you have chosen to build nuclear weapons. You have chosen to enlarge your destructive powers rather than your creative ones. So you hide behind such weapons. That is your failure as a nation. But you can recover. Right now, in one of your prisons, sits Alexei Navalny, one of your bravest men. Navalny chose to openly challenge Putin. Because of it he was poisoned and nearly killed. He will never be released unless Russians speak up. You cannot win the war with Ukraine. The West won’t let you. It does not matter how many nuclear weapons you have because you can’t fire them. If you do, then you will burn also. Nuclear weapons are useful to scare people. But then you can’t use them. You can’t use them because other nations have the same weapons. If Putin fired a nuclear weapon toward the West and one of our cities burned, then your cities would burn, too. Beautiful Moscow and St Petersburg would be gone. The madness of nuclear weapons is that they can only scare people and that’s it. No more. Think about it. All that effort and that’s all you get for it. There was one leader, a real leader, a Russian leader, who once proposed to Reagan, then the American president, to ban all nuclear weapons. Imagine that. The vision. That leader wanted to free the world of fear. I wish Reagan would have had the imagination your leader had. That leader was Mikhail Gorbachev. That flash of brilliance came from a Russian. There is more of that in you. So step up and use that light you have to brighten the darkness in our world. Today, many countries are torn by war and repression, kept from fulfilling their potential by small minded men like Putin. We need you to emerge so other countries will emerge. And maybe the Chinese, seeing your example, will rise against the oppressive communist party that now deprives them of their freedom. Rise Russia, rise! Putin is holding you back. Rise and the world will rise with you. The price you pay will be well worth it. And we will all be grateful.
Early in the morning, on a Tuesday, North Korea time, president Joe Biden puts in a call to the ruler of that country. The call is made through a top secret video link that had been cleared days before by people on both sides. The stated topic is nuclear weapons.
Biden – Good morning to you. Kim – Good afternoon to you. Biden – Thank you. Kim… you keep firing the missiles… and I’m worried that you might make a mistake. Kim – I won’t. Biden – Mistakes can happen to the best of us. We understand you want to be acknowledged… and believe me, we do. We have no intention of harming you or your country in any manner. Kim – Then lift the sanctions. Biden – I’m getting there. Kim, it costs a lot of money and effort to build those weapons… money that can go to more productive uses. Let’s discuss the war in Ukraine for a moment. Your friend Putin has talked about firing his missiles at us… but he won’t. You know why? Kim – You will fire back. Biden – Exactly. If a city in the West burns, then Moscow and St Petersburg will burn… but Beijing and Shanghai will burn, too. People in Moscow, with their skin falling off because of radioactivity, will go hunting for the man responsible for such atrocity. ‘Where is Putin?’ the angry people will say. And they will find him. I don’t have to tell you what will happen to him when they do. Kim – You think the same will happen to me? Biden – Worse. If you hit us, China won’t risk their country to defend you. They have bigger plans. Kim – Why would the West hit China if Putin hits you with a missile? Biden – Because they are Putin’s accomplice, and if we let them stand they will continue his war to dominate the world. Kim – You are wrong, China wants every nation to be free. Biden – If you want to believe that, good luck. Let me ask you, do you think your people are free? Kim – Yes. Biden – Can they say anything they want? Kim – They understand they must sacrifice… for our glorious future. Biden – How long, Kim? Kim – I don’t know. Biden – Got you. I’ll get to the point. Our present strategy with you is not working. You keep building more weapons and like I said before, I really think you will make a mistake. So here’s my proposal. We would have to work with the United Nations to have it approved but here is what I have in mind. Kim – I’m listening. Biden – We would lift all economic sanctions on you… so you could trade with any nation in the world… so long as you abide by the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). That way businesses from anywhere could go into your country and employ your people, create goods and services, train your workers, relieve hunger and slowly begin the process of lifting your GDP. Kim – I will not stop building nuclear weapons. Biden – We wouldn’t ask you to stop. Kim – No? Biden – What we would ask you is not to sell your expertise in nuclear weapons to anyone. Kim – Hmm. But France does it? Biden – Yes but they are a mature and responsible nation. Kim, you have to prove yourself first. We can’t have you – in your desperation – selling nuclear expertise to anyone you want. With this offer, you would have the chance of developing your nation. Technologically, industrially, scientifically. And you and your people will benefit. Now, we know that you will be tempted to cheat, let companies into your country and then, secretly, try to sell your nuclear expertise to others. But we would have to insist with the companies willing to go into North Korea, that if you violate the agreement, they will have to stop doing business with you immediately. So you must decide. Again, the United Nations would have to approve this. I think your people would be very grateful if you agree to this idea. Kim – I’ll have to think about it. Biden – Of course. Think of what the West did for China when we went in with all our companies. China, on its own, would not be where they are now without the West. Sadly, they’re now choosing to deny our contributions to their development and think they have all the answers. Eventually, your political system will have to change to take maximum advantage of what the rest of the world has to offer, but that will take many years, more than your present life expectancy… so you will die while still in power. Kim – I’ll have to think about it. Biden – Take your time. One final note. Ukraine will win the war against Russia. The winds of freedom are blowing and they have reached Iran. I predict that the mullahs will fall and a woman will emerge as leader of that country. And they will be pro western. That will stop Iran’s interference in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and create conditions for more positive political changes throughout the Middle East. Kim – I predict the mullahs will repress that protest movement. Biden – Time will tell. So that’s all I have for you today. Hope you consider the proposal. Kim – I will. Biden – Oh, almost forgot. I was thinking of sending you a present… Kim – What? Biden – A pair of my favorite aviator glasses.
Kim laughs.
Kim – I won’t be able to use them when I meet with Putin or Xi but send them anyway. I’ll use them when I go fishing. Biden – Okay. Have a good day. Kim – Good night.
The Russian Army is retreating – unthinkable a few weeks ago – and Saudi Arabia just said to Biden, ‘take a hike, we’ll do what we have to do to keep our coffers filled, and if we help Putin get wealthier, you’ll just have to live with it.’ And they added, ‘we know how important affordable gas prices are to you, with the mid term elections coming up and inflation running high, but business is business, and if Republicans take over congress, well, too bad. You should have bowed to us last time you visited, instead of just giving us the fist bump.’ Oh, Saudi Arabians and gulf states, you’re one of a kind. If it weren’t for us the mullahs in Iran would long ago have swallowed you up, and you’d be kneeling before the ayatollahs, that blessed group of folks that the heavens sent us. But all is not well there now either. Iranian women, who have long put up with the absurdity of having to live with the head scarves, have been taking to the streets in blatant defiance. Something about freedom spurs them on. They have only one life to live so why defer to the ruling clerics? My hope is that the movement they’ve started will keep growing until it overthrows the theocracy. What a wonderful message would they be sending to the world. ‘Rise, sisters, rise! If men don’t give a damn about our unfreedom, then we’ll fight the fight ourselves.’ The heroic battle for freedom in Ukraine deserves much credit for the ongoing changes. They are inspiring people all over the world, telling us, ‘do not be intimidated, speak out, do not let others cow you into submission.’ Putin’s barbaric invasion has awakened the West. And the West is discovering powers it didn’t know it had. They’re discovering that they can cooperate, join forces, put up with hardships and learn from what mistakes they’ve made. Neither Putin nor China thought the West could learn how to do so. Of course, they had been encouraged to think that way by Donald Trump, who somehow got it into his head that America could become an island and live happily ever after. Now a new balance of power is being forged. The West and its allies are finding that they will be able to face down China and slowly begin to diminish whatever reliance they now have on them. An official in Singapore said sometime ago, ‘we don’t want to have to choose between one side and the other.’ But they may have to. The stronger the West, the more they will be an inspiration for the Chinese people now living under the oppressive rule of the communist party, with their insistence on suppression of free speech and constant surveillance. The communist party just can’t trust their own. The Chinese are looking at the world and seeing the debacle in Russia. They ask themselves, ‘How come, when Putin calls for people to be enlisted, so many of them run for the border to escape being sent to fight in Ukraine? Isn’t there glory in fighting for your country?’ Not if you’ve not been allowed to have your own voice, like Putin has done in Russia and Xi Jinping is doing in China. The powerful engines of the internet have helped spread the notion of freedom. Men and women all over the world want to hear their thoughts, want to hear the sound of what they think and share it with others. And they don’t want to live feeling intimidated by their leaders. Instead, leaders of nations should be agents of change, people with the gift to free their brothers and sisters. So fight on, brave Iranian women, fight on brave dissident Russians and dissident Chinese. Your time is now. No one should restrict your freedom.
Kim Jong Un gets a call from Xi Jinping early in the morning.
Xi – Good morning. Kim – You’re calling about the missile I shot over Japan. Xi – Yes. Kim – It went very well. Xi – I’m not calling to congratulate you. Kim – I see. Xi – You’re a fool.
Pause
Xi – Suppose the missile had been loaded… Kim – It was not. Xi – Suppose it had been… and it malfunctioned, which we all know can happen… then it would’ve fallen on Japan. Then what? Kim – It wouldn’t have happened. Xi – Missiles malfunction… yours are no different. Please answer my question.
Pause
Xi – Were you there to inspect the missile before it was launched? Kim – No. Xi – Then any nuthead could’ve loaded it with an explosive… without you knowing. Kim – We have strict security protocols… Xi – Yes, and people willing to circumvent them. Kim – No. They are fail proof. Xi – When it comes to humans, there’s nothing fail proof. Kim – Look, I had to do it. Xi – Why? Kim – The world forgets me unless I fire some missiles. Otherwise it’s you, and Putin and Modi and Biden, the English and the European Union getting all the attention. And now Iran, with all the women protesting. You think they’ll be able to push out the ayatollahs? Xi – I’m watching carefully. But let’s not get off track. Aside from your bombs and missiles, why are you not getting any attention? Kim – Because we don’t produce much? Xi – That’s right. I’m your main trading partner but if you ceased to exist, if you went up in a cloud of smoke, I could get everything I’m getting from you elsewhere.
Pause.
Xi – And it doesn’t have to be that way, does it? Kim – I’m following a policy of Self Reliance, just like you are. Xi – Yes, but we first opened up to the West so we could learn from them and then build on that. They came, showed us what they have, we paid attention, learned, copied and became creative enough that we’re seen as the ‘factory of the world’. Kim – But you had the huge market to entice the West, so their eyes widened with the expectation of riches… we don’t have that size market. Xi – Look at Vietnam, they’re attracting more and more investors who are worried I’m getting government more involved in how Chinese businesses are run. Kim – Vietnam is four times as large as we are… Xi – That’s not it. You’re about the size of Taiwan and look at where they are. Kim – I know what you’re saying… become more productive… open up to world markets… learn from them. Copy, steal, just like you did… and then create. Xi – Yes. Kim – But I’m afraid I’ll lose power. Xi – The Communist party still rules Vietnam, and yet they’ve opened up and now they are richer and better educated. If your people are important to you, take some chances. Look, on October 16th, just 11 days from now, the 20th National congress of the communist party will convene. I am expected to be unanimously reelected for a 3rd term. And I forbid freedom of speech and have everyone on surveillance. Still, somehow, the people… most of them, are happy. So it can be done. Kim – Congratulations. Xi – Thank you. My point is you need to take chances. Kim – The United Nations and America have put all these sanctions on me… because they don’t want me to have nuclear weapons… Xi – They don’t trust you… but if you stopped the bomb building and let them in so they could make a ton of money, then, when the time came, you could say, ‘I’d like to get back to building bombs’. Kim – That’s what you did. Xi – We did our first nuclear test in 1964, well before the West came along. But they didn’t complain when we kept building them, after they came in. They were making a ton of money. Of course, we added that we needed to defend against Russia. Just in case. But times have changed. Kim – Clever. Xi – It’s politics. The key is to let the West make money. I think Putin failed on that. With the making of money comes the transfer of knowledge and other skills. Putin has the art of suppressing freedom, he’s got that down, but if he had let more western companies go into Russia and make lots of money, instead of favoring his inside group, then he wouldn’t have felt threatened. He would’ve stayed in power for ever. Kim – You don’t think he will? Xi – He’s on his way out. I hope it’s not violent. I think you need to take the initiative and say to the world, ‘I’m putting all nuclear weapons development on hold. I will not do any more tests and will let UN inspectors come by and check. Please lift the sanctions.’ See what they say. Kim – I would still forbid freedom of speech and keep high surveillance of the people. Xi – Yes. You could say, ‘I’m trying the Chinese model’.
Kim laughs.
Kim – What do you think of Ukraine? Xi – I’m worried about them. They’re making people think of liberty in a whole new way. Which is why I’m against them. Kim – You think they’ve had an effect on the women in Iran? Xi – Definitely. It doesn’t help that the ayatollahs are selling drones to Russia to kill more Ukrainians. Kim – You think the Iran Nuclear deal will be revived? Xi – The West would be fools if they did.
Oscarvaldes.medium.com
This piece was edited on 10/6/22, to include the time when China first tested a nuclear weapon.
Two old friends, Pete and Sandy, get together for breakfast at a diner in Greenville, South Carolina.
Pete – Heard about the two doctors who got charged with conspiracy? Sandy – No, I didn’t. Pete – Read about it yesterday. They were working at a military base, I think in Virginia, and they contacted the Russian embassy offering to help. Sandy – Oops. Pete – Well, our intelligence services found out and had an undercover agent interview them. One of them was willing to provide medical records of soldiers to Russia to see if they could use them. Sandy – That would’ve been the start… Pete – It came out that they were disturbed by the hatred for Russia here in the US. Sandy – How old are they? Pete – Late thirties. Sandy – Amazing. Do you hate Russia? Pete – I don’t. I’m angry at them. Angry that they let themselves be bamboozled by Putin. Sandy – It goes back to the implosion of the Soviet Union during Gorbachev… and their feeling diminished in the world stage as a result. Putin slowly worked up that sentiment… stoking hopes that one day they’d get it all back. Pete – But they’d have to surrender their freedom. Sandy – Something similar is happening in China today. Surrender your freedom today and one day – sometime in the future – we’ll be on top of the world. Pete – But you won’t get your freedom back.
They laugh.
Sandy – Once given, it’s gone. You have to fight for it to get it back. Like you, I am angry at Russians… how the majority has gone along with the massacring of Ukrainians. But they are waking up. The massive exodus of people wanting to avoid the draft has stung Putin. Yet he still has his supporters. Pete – When will they get angry enough to remove Putin is the question, because they’re sure taking their sweet time. Sandy – It’s going to take a while because they’ve identified with him… letting him sink his claws into them, as they yearned to be great again… even though other nations were passing them by in terms of economic growth. The US, China, Japan, Germany, India, the UK, France, Brazil, Italy and Canada, all have greater GDPs than they do. And it has to hurt because they know they have the human capital to shine, in addition to an abundance of natural resources. But they couldn’t break away from the spell Putin had cast over them. ‘We will be great again,’ kept chanting the sorcerer in the Kremlin, just stick with me. And most Russians went along. Pete – ‘We will be great gain.’ Maybe that’s where our own sorcerer got that from. Sandy – Probably. He loves Putin. Pete – I hope our people get that. Sandy – I’m an optimist, I think they have. Pete – I’m not so sure. With what we saw on January 6th (2021), a clear attempt of Trump’s to install himself for a second term, we should have all stood up as one person, livid with rage at the blatant abuse of power. But that didn’t happen. Instead, there was significant opposition to the creating of the congressional committee investigating the incident, and there are many, many Republicans still in awe of the man. So something is very wrong in America. Sandy – Putin saw that and chose to invade. Pete – It wasn’t Biden pulling out of Afghanistan which gave him the impetus, it was Trump’s behavior and the free pass he got from a large number of Americans. Sandy – You’re angry, Pete. Pete – I am. And in spite of the sad spectacle of Republicans in both houses waiting for instructions from the sorcerer in Mar-a-Lago, there’s the possibility Republicans may hold both houses after the midterm elections. I can’t believe it. While we pour money to support Ukrainians fighting for their freedom, many here at home have tried to look the other way when one of our own has tried to negate the results of fair elections. Sandy – The dissonance is alarming. Pete – Yet you still think the majority is getting it? Sandy – I do. Pete – Immigration is an issue that needs to be fixed. Both sides have to sit down and come to an agreement. But compared to Trump’s attempt to usurp power on January 6th, immigration is child’s play. Sandy – Maybe our differences will have to become even sharper before we sit at the table to try and build bridges. Pete – They’re sharp enough. Sandy – Inflation was expected in the wake of all the financial support Americans got for covid, but now it’s being held against Biden. The big picture is not seen. Pete – If Biden wants to help democrats win in the mid terms he needs to campaign against Trump, how the man is a Putin admirer, and then give himself due credit for his tremendous role in forging an alliance with European nations to push back Putin. He has to do that. That issue is his. Trump could never have done what Biden has. Sandy – We have to educate the electorate… Pete – Good luck on that. Sandy – So, do we hate Russia? Pete – Of course not… but courage has been in short supply in their land… so they have to get it back. Meanwhile, we have to be mindful that we don’t lose ours.
I read yesterday that US representative Scalise from Louisiana had raised the question of continued support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia. He would not commit to continuing with such support should Republicans win majorities in the House and Senate on November 8th. It doesn’t take much imagination to realize that the gentleman is running for reelection. He argues that the moneys spent on Ukraine’s fight for its survival should instead be spent on preparations to confront China’s rise and, generally, on other projects here at home. Up until now it has been US support that has been the largest in defense of Ukraine. Europe, has contributed too, and the energy shortages and inflationary pressures have hit them the hardest. Yet, the western alliance against the brutal bullying of Putin stands. Mr Scalise should wipe off his moral compass. It has got foggy. He can’t see clearly anymore. I’m assuming he once did. But to threaten to withdraw funds from Ukraine is tantamount to saying, ‘Russia, go ahead and kill Ukrainians at will, do what you want with that nation.’ So, no, Mr Scalise, to withhold support from Ukraine now is the equivalent of appeasing Putin. And Trump also, who’s known to be sympathetic to Putin. Putin’s strategic mistake in Ukraine was not to have invaded while Trump was in the White House. If he had, he would have, likely, taken over all of Ukraine because they would not have had the means to defend themselves. And the world would be a poorer place as a result. With the approaching mid term elections, president Biden has to make clear our support of Ukraine’s struggle remains a central issue. Mr Biden’s exemplary leadership of the western alliance has Putin on his back foot and today, there is a good possibility Ukraine may drive Russia back to its borders. I am gratified to hear that Ukraine will not respect Russia’s efforts to legitimize the territories it has grabbed from Ukraine by force. Putin has taken to insisting that any attack on those territories would be an attack on Russia itself. But we won’t fall for that lie. President Biden and his administration are determined to keep supplying Ukraine with what it needs to fight the good fight. He is fully aware of the enormous benefit the world and America have already derived from Ukraine’s heroic fight. Ukraine’s valor has reminded us all of the effort needed to protect our freedom. The vigilance, the focus, the never lowering our guard. These are critical times for our nation and the world. On January 6th 2021, a sitting American president chose to incite a riot to overturn the official result of an election that had defeated him by a wide margin. Sadly, there are still those who believe his nonsense rhetoric. And even worse, that Trump holds influence over the minds of many confused Americans. Apparently, he holds influence also over the mind of representative Scalise. Dear sir, time to wipe off your moral compass. Mind you, those smudges may be hard to clean. But you should try.
Biden is in the White House, Putin is in his bunker. They talk via a special channel using advanced Zoom technology and they both fill their respective screens. While not visible, in the room with Biden are Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan. Two unnamed assistants sit near Putin.
Biden – It’s time to end this. Putin – Are you speaking for Zelensky? Biden – No… he speaks for himself. Putin – What do you propose? Biden – You pull back to behind your borders… and agree to pay reparations. Putin – You’re mad. Biden – You’ve just mobilized 300 thousand Russians to fight in Ukraine… 300 thousand men not well trained, and vulnerable to getting killed or maimed because they’re no match for Ukrainians… and for what? Putin – I have a dream of a greater Russia… a Russia that will be respected everywhere… consulted in all important decisions… Biden – You’ve had more than 20 years to do that… and you didn’t do it.
Putin lowers his eyes.
Biden – In those 20 years, China rose to become the second most important economy in the world… even though they were still denying their people the freedom of speech… but they let them create, invent, copy from the West which they were clever to invite in. But all the while in Russia, the power stayed concentrated on you and your oligarch friends. Now China is running into other problems which will limit their growth, but we won’t talk about that this moment. Putin – I admit they have done better than us… but they’re not better than us… like you’re not better than us. Biden – I agree… but we work hard to assure the freedom of all our people… citizens and residents… immigrants from all over the world who come in search of liberty and opportunity. Putin – You’re a racist country. Biden – We have been… and maybe still are… but we keep working on it.
The two men look at each other directly.
Biden – You started this war… not because you were being threatened… but because of envy… envy of all the nations which have surpassed you during the time you’ve been in power. So you invented this dream of a greater Russia to make up for all your blunders… and chose to sacrifice your fellow Russians. That is unforgivable. Putin – Unforgivable? Biden – There’s no way back. Putin – I know that.
They pause.
Biden – You can’t bring back the dead, the maimed… the tears for whom will never dry. And yet you go on TV the other day to say that representatives of NATO nations are threatening Russia with nuclear weapons. No one has said that. You invented it to justify calling for another 300 thousand people to join in your madness. Putin – I am not mad. Biden – I know… which gives me hope. Putin – Hope? Biden – Yes, hope that you announce to the world that this is over.
Putin laughs.
Biden – Admit that you made a colossal mistake out of envy… and that you deeply regret you have not made Russia a leading nation in the world… as your nation would have become… if they had been free. Putin (to himself)- My dear Russia… Biden – There is still time… time to act to redeem yourself. Putin (pulling his head back as he closes his eyes) – That time has passed… I’ve killed too many people… destroyed too many things… Biden – You could ask all the oligarchs you’ve made rich… to contribute four fifths of their wealth toward a fund to rebuild Ukraine. Putin (shaking his head slowly) – They’ll kill me. Biden – … and you could start by surrendering four fifths of your own wealth to set the example. Putin (smiling) – You’re mad, Biden. Biden – I’m sure there are better ideas to act on… but what is clear to me is that this is over. You can still insist on causing more damage, but it will get you nothing… and because it will be at the expense of your people, they will become less forgiving. Russia needs to breathe… you need to take your boot off their throats. Putin – I still have my nuclear weapons… Biden – What good will they do?
Putin lowers his head.
Biden – The West will never submit to you, or to China… or anyone. We will die for our freedom, like Ukraine is doing. Putin – Ukraine is now part of the West? Biden – Yes. You wouldn’t let them in, so they fought their way into it. Putin – I won’t surrender.
Biden is silent.
Putin – There’s still a chance we could beat Ukrainians. Why won’t they let me keep Crimea, the Donbas? Biden – Because it’s their land. Putin – You didn’t say anything when I first took it… Biden – It was another president… another time. Putin – I’m not envious of America. You’re a mess… violent… racist… Biden – … and free. The nation chose Trump as president in 2016… but didn’t like what they saw and didn’t reelect him. That’s choice. If Americans had reelected Trump in 2020, then you would’ve had no problem taking over Ukraine. Trump would’ve gone to your inauguration in Kyiv. But we didn’t reelect him and we won’t again.
Putin nods slowly.
Putin – I liked him… I should’ve invaded while he was president. Biden – Missed your chance. Putin – I won’t surrender. Biden – Then the dead and the destruction will keep climbing… for what? As destructive as you’ve been, you are still a human being… better die as a human being who acknowledged his humanity, than as one who never did.
Putin shakes his head.
Putin – I will not surrender. Russians love me. I am not envious. Russia will be great again. Biden – Putin… Russians are scared of you… and that feeling is just sinking in in all those Russians you’ve just called to enlist. They’re now learning that because they didn’t stand up to you before… you own them. Putin – I have more nuclear weapons than you do, more than anyone on this earth. Biden – You can’t win a nuclear war. Putin – That’s what they say but I will… and we’ll pick up the pieces… and we’ll be the greatest nation on earth. Biden – Russians will stop you. Putin – No, they won’t. Russians love me.
Putin pauses, looks tired.
Putin – I’ve had enough for today. Biden – Should we meet again? Putin – Maybe… I’m not sure… I’ll let you know… but maybe this will be our last meeting. Biden – Please do what is right. If not, we will stop you. No matter how much pain we must endure.
Putin looks directly at Biden for a moment, then his screen goes dark.
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Just learned that Putin has authorized that 300 thousand Russians be conscripted into the army. In other words, he’s giving you no choice. Just do as Putin says. He’s ordering the mass enlistment because he’s losing the war in Ukraine. A war he started because he didn’t give a damn about Ukrainians and thought they would kneel before him and kiss his feet when he asked them to join a new and greater Russia. Something like the Soviet Union but even bigger. Maybe to include all of Europe. And as you know, or maybe don’t know, if you only watch television and avoid the internet, Russians are losing in Ukraine. One estimate has it that there have been 80 thousand plus Russian casualties so far, from a total of 200 thousand he sent in starting on February 24th, hoping to quickly take Kyiv, the capital, and then march all the way to the West and South and celebrate a grand victory. But Ukrainians didn’t cooperate. Instead, they put up a heroic fight in defense of their land, a feat we haven’t seen since World War II. You see, contrary to what the television is telling you, Ukrainians don’t want to be Russian. They want to be Ukrainians and rule their own land. Would you want China to invade you and tell you how to live your life? Of course not. (although it could happen one day if you don’t keep your guard up) The war has been a colossal tragedy. Putin is getting beat by the Ukrainians but he’s saying, ‘Wait, I have more Russians willing to die for my dream of a great Russian empire. And after I use these next 300 thousand, I’ll enlist another 300 thousand if I need to.’ You get what I’m saying? That’s right. Your life means nothing to Putin. He’ll put a helmet on you, give you a gun and tell you, straight ahead, and kill as many Ukrainians as you can.’ You might want to ask, ‘what am I fighting for?’ And he’ll likely answer, ‘for a greater Russia.’ Eighty plus years ago Russia fought bravely against the Germans in World War II and helped turn around that war. Twenty million Russians died in that disaster. And you showed enormous courage, but you were fighting for your land. You weren’t taking another people’s territory (at least not at first, then Stalin decided to conquer parts of Europe). There is a similarity between that war and this one in Ukraine. They were started by one man. One man who convinced millions of other people that they needed to offer their lives for his dream. Yes, Hitler and Putin have much in common. But dear Russian, you do have a choice. You can rebel. You can say ‘No! I won’t go into Ukraine to kill people who are fighting for the freedom to be who they want.’ You could say that. And say it loud so others can hear you. And Putin will put you in prison for not giving him your life to play with. But you will be alive. And if all Russians say ‘No! I won’t go fight Ukrainians,’ then Putin will have to back off. That’s why it’s so important that you listen to your conscience. Do not believe what the government’s television is telling you. You do have an enemy to deal with but it’s not Ukrainian. Your enemy is Putin. The man you didn’t think you had surrendered to until he came asking for your life.
Read an article earlier today on the heroic resistance that Ukraine put up at the beginning of the war which prevented Russia from taking control of Kyiv. Titled ‘The Ragtag Army that Won the Battle of Kyiv and Saved Ukraine,’ by James Marson, it is a detailed account of the brave actions that some of the participants engaged in so they could stop an impending Russian occupation. Here’s the link https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-invasion-ukraine-battle-of-kyiv-ragtag-army-11663683336?st=zx1dqhhndyr5z6z&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink The article captures the commitment of a people determined to not be vassals of another nation. People from very different occupations came together to say to the Russians, ‘No, you shall not pass.’ And Kyiv was not captured. As I read it, I felt that those men and women’s actions were speaking to all of us here in America, saying, ‘freedom is in the fight to defend what you value, freedom is in the fight to have your voice heard, in the fight to be respected and in the fight to learn to respect others.’ I couldn’t help but think that, no matter what else they do with their lives, those men and women will always be able to say that they stood up and offered all they had when their nation demanded it. Their struggle for their independence is now in the 7th month. Thousands of lives have been lost with more to come. But today, because of Ukrainians’ will to fight and the enormous support they have got from the West, we can see that the end is near. We should not think in terms of a protracted war. We should think in terms of ending this war as soon as possible. The recent advances by Ukrainian forces offer a great opportunity to accomplish this. There is evidence of low morale in the Russian army, of incompetence and lack of commitment. This is the time to strike hard against the enemy. I do not see this war as a war against Russia but as a war primarily against Putin. And there is evidence that more and more people in Russia are gaining the courage to disagree with him. Putin knows he’s headed for a defeat. He may or may not be able to stay in power after that. But our task is to help Ukraine push Russia out of all their territory as soon as possible and to achieve that we should give them everything they need. Will Putin use nuclear weapons? I don’t think so. You have made it very clear that any such action will not be tolerated. Putin does not want to be extinguished. He still sees some role for himself as an ally of China. But when and if that happens, will be up to the Russian people. A Free Ukraine has become a shining light for all the world to see and, I trust, an inspiration to Russia itself. You, Mr Biden, have played a leading role in making it happen. Do not deprive yourself of the chance of seeing it in its full splendor. This is the time to give to that great nation all the support they need. We must not hesitate.
Oscar Valdes 