Ukraine invasion shows Putin’s folly

Vox Pop

These are perilous times. These could be the best of times. These are times when Americans have to be patient, which we are no longer good at. I remember Oct 16 - Oct 28 1962. The Cuban Missile Crisis. We are not too far off that level of perilousness today and we Americans need to be informed and patient. I am a long time military history student and I would like my community to be aware.

There is a very dangerous man who lives in a bubble in Russia. This man’s agenda is the renewal of the Russian Empire and he only accepts information and advice from a very small group of co-conspirators. Fortunately for the rest of the planet he has guessed wrong on the invasion of the Ukraine. Unfortunately for the rest of the planet he is now a trapped rat; a trapped rat with a lot of nuclear weapons and not a lot of ways to save face. The sanctions currently in place by the European Union with support by our country have begun the strangulation of the Russian economy.

Russia is the 3rd largest exporter of petroleum products to the world. These European sanctions agreed to by our government left an exception for Russian oil and gas exports. But they had no takers on 03.04.2022 - none. You will by now be aware that gas is $4.00 a gallon here in Medford. BP, Shell , and Exxonmobil have pulled out of the Russian oil market. No one wants Russian oil. The rat is highly aggressive now and threatening NATO and other non-aligned European countries. Remember that this man sent his army without pretext into Ukraine, accusing them of complicity with NATO in threats to Russia which is not true.

I remember John Kennedy on the radio telling Americans in October 1962 to fill up their cars and to go home and wait. I am suggesting my fellow citizens of Taylor County to do the same.

— Tom Rasmussen, Medford