When President Roosevelt launched the program to lend Britain destroyers in return for bases, he wasn’t wasn’t just being benevolent. He realized that Britain was the only nation standing against a Europe dominated by the Fascist governments of Germany and Italy. Many isolationist Americans and some pro-German Americans opposed Roosevelt’s moves, asking what a conflict in Europe had to do with America. We were just coming out of the Depression–better to spend money at home.
Now we are facing a somewhat similar situation with Ukraine. If Putin takes Ukraine, what is to stop him from expanding, with moving into other former members of the USSR. To many Americans (I’m looking at you Tucker Carlson, and you, Donald Trump, and you, Republican House members), this doesn’t matter. After all, it is all the way over there in Europe. Not our problem.
Someone who does get it is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He said, “Today it’s no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the world are on the United States Senate. Our allies and partners are hoping that the indispensable nation, the leader of the free world, has the resolve to continue.”
In the meantime Trump continues to denigrate NATO, even suggesting that Russia may want to attack members who, in Trump’s eyes, aren’t contributing enough. In 1940 most Americans instinctively understood what FDR was attempting. I’m not sure in 2024 most Americans understand our policy, but at least McConnell does.
I think more people know it than you think, especially when you remember the money will be spent on arms manufacturing in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteMore people may know it, but I too have little faith in the average voter
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