By RAY KREIG
Recently propagated by Republican members of the Alaska Legislature are two narratives about which they should know better:
• First, that George Soros (Open Society Foundations) helped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy become president of Ukraine through massive propaganda campaign and he now backs the puppet regime he installed.
• Second, that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is tied to Klaus Schwab (World Economic Forum), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and other global elites.
According to the theory, the enemy (President Vladimir Putin) of my enemy (Soros) is my friend. Therefore, apparently, there should be a hesitation to support Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s resistance of the Russian invasion at this pivotal point in history.
Conservatives are justified for crucifying President Joe Biden for his weakness inviting the invasion itself while he continues to pander to green energy as prices skyrocket. Outrage is also warranted as Biden demands defense of Ukraine’s borders while he opens our own to massive illegal immigration. His son Hunter Biden’s sleaze with his suspicious Ukrainian gas company Burisma “no-show job” also is a justifiable cause for outrage.
But in pounding away on these points, things go off the rails when the rhetoric turns to, “There is no U.S. interest in Ukraine”, “Ukraine is a corrupt, undemocratic failed state,” concepts espoused by Fox News and Tucker Carlson.
That is wrong. The U.S. has an essential national interest in a Russia that stands down from authoritarianism, becomes a functioning democracy and reduced military threat. We would save trillions of dollars and live in a better world. The future of Ukraine is critical to that much larger objective.
Some opine that the West, and America in particular, is responsible for this invasion because the continued expansion of the NATO military alliance eastward to Russia’s borders threatens Russian national security. Is Ukraine then doomed to remain in a Russian sphere of influence as some sort of vassal state to Moscow, notwithstanding the desires of Ukrainians themselves to look to the West, the EU for their integration into a free market and democracy? It’s completely understandable that, feeling threatened by Russia, Ukraine would want to be a part of the NATO defense alliance.
Yes, Russia and Putin have been consistent for over two decades in saying NATO and Ukraine pose an unacceptable threat to Russia and regional security. They use the missiles in Cuba analogy. Maybe the West did push NATO too hard and too far East to the borders of Russia, but these expansions were popular and were wanted by the people in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
Maybe this invasion was avoidable with better, more adroit diplomacy that sought to probe the limits of Russia’s security concerns while not conceding our own principles. Maybe Russia President Putin and his proud countryman in mourning for the loss of the Soviet Empire should not have been insulted and embarrassed by a triumphant West after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
By no means does any of this excuse what Putin has unleashed. Thousands of innocent people have perished. All thinking and feeling people around the world are shocked and disgusted by the devastation and carnage being unleashed on that poor country. The sight of rows of apartment buildings, cars, factories, hospitals, schools, bridges, and public buildings being rocketed and bombed is disgusting and unacceptable for all civilized people.
Regarding NATO on its borders: As frightening to Putin and Russia’s Kremlin powerful elite is the tug and attraction of the West for Ukraine’s 50 million people.
Since the shock of losing Crimea and the Donbas to Russian occupation in 2014, Ukraine has been decisively turning away from Russia. Culturally both the Ukrainian speaking areas in Western Ukraine and the Russian speaking areas in Eastern Ukraine are reorienting from Moscow to the West — the European Union, the United Kingdom, and America. Russian speaking Ukrainians are so disgusted with Putin that they are even making the choice to reduce speaking their native language and switching to Ukrainian.
Russia feels the pain of losing its totalitarian empire and witnessing the success of its former vassals in building democratic and free societies. Putin sees the existential threat building in a thriving Ukraine — the size of Texas with 50 million people — that is increasingly bonded with the West. He will lose all 144 million people in the Russian Federation as they become aware of how much better off Ukrainians are becoming. There are close and intimate ties between Ukrainians across Russia, from St Petersburg to Magadan; these include family, friends, and business partners. It will not be possible to keep Ukrainian successes from them, so Putin instead is destroying Ukraine and slaughtering thousands.
As for President Zelenskyy being elected in 2019 with help from George Soros, that election is generally considered to be a free and fair election. Soros’ help may or may not have been significant. Even if it was, everything is changed after the living hell of the Russian invasion.
Zelenskyy has rallied his people to fight tyranny to the death like no one since Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle in the darkest days of World War II.
After the Russians are defeated, Zelenskyy can be expected to pivot away from any Soros and global elite forces that are incompatible with values now etched into the souls of Ukrainians.
Example: Ukraine’s Parliament last week just granted its citizens the right to bear arms—hours before Putin’s invasion. By now, we are seeing that their citizens slinging Kalashnikovs and AR-15’s are on their way to victory assisting the Ukrainian defense forces. Those citizens are not going to give these guns up and this is a lesson to the world. The Second Amendment means weapons like these. Soros and the one-worlders are not going to make any headway against this. Certainly not with President Zelenskyy.
As for strange bedfellows in war: Remember that in World War II, the West had to ally with mass murderer Joseph Stalin in order to defeat the common enemy, Hitler. Right here in Alaska, 8,000 U.S. planes were turned over to Soviet pilots who flew them on across Siberia as part of Lend-Lease Program. You do what you have to — to survive and win — and then later oppose your allies, if necessary, after the common foe is defeated.
Ukrainians are fighting the greatest battle for liberty the world has seen this century – maybe since World War II. Remember these names: Irpin, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol, Hostomel, Kherson, Melitopol.
The courage of the Ukrainians (citizens and military) already has ensured that they will go down in history as famous battles for liberty — battles such as Normandy, Iwo Jima, the Alamo, and Yorktown. Ukraine is the front line of freedom in the world today.
We may not be in a “World War” yet. For now, it is one big bully invading a smaller neighbor. However, if Putin is allowed to take independent Ukraine after the abomination and war crimes he has vested on the world, an emboldened China can be expected to invade Taiwan. Then you do have an axis of Russia, China (and others) against the free world — World War III.
Finally, Ukrainian heroism and Russian miscalculations appear likely to result in failure of Putin’s reckless invasion and the end of his rule.
The media will then help Biden and the Democrats claim credit for defeating Vladimir Putin.
Conservatives who are soft on Zelenskyy and Putin need to get smart, pay attention, and grab this liberty narrative away from the Democrats. At least make sure you are on the stage and not a useful idiot for this new Hitler — Putin. Don’t be on the wrong side of history — it will give President Biden and the Democrats cover to evade their responsibility for the disasters they have brought down on America, Alaska, and the world.
Ray Kreig is an Anchorage civil engineer and is former president of Chugach Electric. His Russian experience includes extensive Siberian terrain assessment, pipeline routing, and infrastructure evaluation. Kreig was in the capital of Anadyr, Chukotka Province (adjoining Alaska, west of Nome) during the August, 1991 Soviet coup d’état attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev. He helped the deputy mayor with non-combat tasks opposing the coup. In 1994 Kreig briefed then-Vice President Al Gore at the White House on the Russian Komi Oil Spill and was appointed his representative for the on-site UN field investigation mission.
Sorry, not even close. An insulting and asinine comparison. Trolling for clicks?
9-11 was a deliberate attack on civilians for the sole purpose of killing them to inspire fear. It occurred without clear warning.
Putin made it abundantly clear for weeks he was going in. He has clear, however barbaric objectives.
An honest comparison is closer to Bosnia or the invasion of Poland. But that’s not inflammatory enough for you.
As someone who lost family friends in 9-11, go pound sand. I’d be a bit more direct, but it would never get past the moderation.
Frankly I’m surprised MRA would post this crap.
The author needs to
1-get a clue
2-read a history book
3-grow the hell up.
Ok title offense aside, did you read the article? I too was perplexed by the title but Mr. Kreig wrote a pretty interesting and well thought out article.
Yes.
And I’m poorer for it. It was an incoherent, rambling mess. If I were grading it as a high school term paper it would get an F.
This is Ukrainian propaganda. Poorly written, poorly organized propaganda.
I had no problem with it. Are you a high school history teacher? I would give it an A as an astounding effort to present the other side of the argument. Biden and the Greenies have incentivized Putin to attack a harmless nation through their actions, inactions and policies. The disastrous retreat from Afghanistan sent the final signal to Putin that he could invade Ukraine. Remember, Joe Biden was the ONLY person in the War Room who did NOT want to take Osama Bin Laden down when Obama was president. Biden is reluctant, reticent, a coward and a feckless leader. This means terrible trouble for America and the Free World when, and I mean when, China goes for Taiwan. Be prepared for more feckless leadership from Biden.
When I got to the part where he downplays the Soros roll in Ukraine’s election, I realized how much this guy knows – nothing but propaganda. (And he probably doesn’t believe our election was stolen either.) He completely downplays globalist interference for world domination. It’s much more complex than his skewed view. This I know – when our news media is fanning the flames of hysteria to get Americans on the hysteria train on an issue with no room for debate (Covid, Ukraine, fill in the blank), it isn’t news. It’s psychological warfare to control the narrative. You know someone is drinking the Kool Aid when they are near hysterical when you bring up the subject. Also, When Soros, Hillary, and every other globalist nutcase you can name are saying yea and amen to MSM’s version of the story, you know it’s largely propaganda. No, Putin isn’t a nice guy. But Mr. Krieg doesn’t have the whole story. It’s clear he’s been heavily influenced by the propaganda. Keep looking. There’s more.
This guy is off on just about everything. Sorry Ray, you’re wrong. Ukraine is everything you said it wasn’t and is not a responsibility of ours to clean up or protect. Not one more dime of American money should be wasted in this corrupt hell hole. Remember Biden giving them the money for firing the attorney???? Well sunovabitch….. they did it. Get a clue Ray
It’s strange. Just like if you didn’t believe the masks worked and wondered about the side effects of the shot, you were antivax. Now if you don’t think we should get too involved in a fight between neighbors you support the new Hitler. Here’s my prediction:1. Putin wins and there is continued unrest and fighting within the country by people who don’t want to be ruled by a Russian puppet governor.
2. We all help Ukraine win and they get a good shot of western culture and values. Then there is unrest and fighting within the country by people who don’t want our trash in their yard.
Pump our own oil and grow our own wheat and let them sort it out.
Ukraine’s an easy fix:
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1. Requisition a C-130
2. Fly it to DC
3. Grab Victoria Nuland
4. Swing by Ukraine
5. Load up any and all supporters/members of the Azov Battalion
6. Swing by Gitmo, and unload the crap
7. Fly home
8. Stop funding NATO
Remember when Victoria Nuland said– “f@ck NATO” — well, she got that part correct.
Job done.
You’re definitely on point with the first two narratives. Most people have no clue about who Klaus Schwab or George Soros are and their role in the global conspiracy to depopulate the world. They need their puppets to execute their goals. Puppets include our Biden regime and most of our elected officials. Covid narrative winding down (for now) and the globalists need a distraction to roll in digital currency because the dollar is collapsing. So perfect time for a war. A result of this will mean famine and starvation for millions. We will see this shaking out by mid summer so wake up sheeple and learn how to garden and be more self sustaining. Alaska is very vulnerable. How will this shakes out….don’t know but it’s not looking good. There’s so much misinformation out there the only certainty is things will get worse.
Looks like MRA has gone full on UniParty NeoCon Chickenhawk.
NATO is an FDR disaster. Where are they while Ukraine fights on its own? I bet it remorses laying down its nukes. Wrong of Europe not to build its own military defenses, so there aren’t just three countries well equipped in military strength.
Ray is a good man. But this article made no sense to me.
Let’s talk about the Azov battalions and the crimes committed in the Donbas region.
Lets talk about the mass graves that were needed there to bury those they murdered and mutilated.
Lets talk about Zelensky speaking about removing all ethnic Russians from the country.
Lets talk about the 95.5 % vote in Crimea to leave Ukraine to become a part of Russia.
Lets talk about the Crimean water supply canal for fresh water that was destroyed by the Azov armies.
Let’s Talk about the crimes against these Eastern UKRAINE people and how nothing was done to protect them when all of this was reported to the worlds “LEADERS”.
Watch the documentary “Ukraine on Fire”
Ray, just how will Zelensky pivot away from Soros? I understand your zeal but there are questions that remain. Also, didn’t Zelensky imprison his political opponents? Funny that you didn’t mention that.
Putin struck because we have a weak and corrupted leader in charge of the USA. Why didn’t you mention that?
Ukraine’s leadership expected to be covered by NATO forces, they miscalculated.
And what of these Bio- Labs in the Ukraine? How does that figure into your argument?
Yes, “…there should be a hesitation to support Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s resistance of the Russian invasion at this pivotal point in history.”, although it may be more accurately described as “…Zelenskyy and his faction’s resistance of the Russian intervention in the Ukranian civil war…”. I recommend finding and listening to “Sergey Lavrov’s Answers to Media–Antalya Diplomacy Forum–March 10, 2022”. It certainly sounds as though Pres. Z has not held up his part of the bargain, signed on to at the highest levels, 8 years ago, a political solution known as the Minsk agreement– a diplomatic document specifically outlining actions to be taken in order to establish peace and prosperity in the region. Now as an American and a survivor of the Cold War, mistrust of anything “Russian” (or more specifically Soviet Russian) has been deeply engrained in my psyche, and for that good reason, I remain skeptical of ALL sides in this particular debate. I will say, though, that Sergey Lavrov conducted himself as a true Statesman and Diplomat during this meeting. I was honestly embarrased when comparing his manner with the American Heads of State, ambassadors and diplomats I have seen recently. To me, that certainly lends credit to his statements. As for the rest of THIS article, my cold war veteran internal sensors were klaxoning with red alert when I got to the part stating: “Example: Ukraine’s Parliament last week just granted its citizens the right to bear arms—hours before Putin’s invasion.” We all know that THIS RIGHT is not “granted” by any Parliament, Congress, President, or King, but by the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God. Thus, I am afraid, Sir, that your credit rating is on the wrong side of history.
Spooky
Ray, Not that I completely agree, but thanks for your well written opinion piece. Shame some of those commenting can’t tell the difference between the deep and shallow end of a pool, but insist on wading in anyway. Oh well, it is a free country…..
There is much in this column that should be heard. A mistake, however, is made when Ukraine is set up as a western democracy with any further reference. As much as we in the West want to ignore it, Ukraine shares a long border with Russia. As much as we want to ignore it, Russia and Putin believe NATO is attempting to encircle Ukraine. As much as we want to ignore it, spheres of influence continue to exist in the world. A clear example of this – for those who were not able to study US history – is the Monroe Doctrine. In 1962 the US almost went to nuclear war with the Soviet Union over Cuba and based on the Monroe Doctrine.
It is not appropriate for the US in general and many Americans to simply decide that Russia’s angst over NATO is not real. How arrogant. For Putin’s Russia the worry is very real. And is my view that the conversation must change in tenor and tempo when those on the other side have more nuclear weapons than anyone else in the world. It is not possible to ignore or dismiss this reality.
As unpleasant as it may be, it may be necessary to concede that however courageous Ukraine may be, it will have to consider and act based on how Russia sees the world. We may have to admit that there still is a Russian sphere of influence.
I wish this were not the case. I abhor the Russian aggression. I do not like Mr. Putin. But we need to step back, survey the terrain and think about what it will take to stop the killing and destruction. The choices are limited. Continued war carries the risk of escalation into nuclear war. The longer that war goes on, the greater the risk of error or miscalculation. I favor an approach that guarantees Ukrainian neutrality.
In the long run the West will not be able to dictate the outcome of the Ukraine war to Russia. Both sides will need to make concessions. Look to Austria in 1955 and Cuba in 1962 for templates. The longer we avoid that conclusion, the more will die.
In the first paragraph I intended to say “encircle Russia.”
To be blunt:
Ukraine is not, as of now, an American problem. They are not an ally, not a member of NATO, we have no treaties requiring us to aid them. What is happening is barbaric, but honestly there is damn little we can or should do.
Right now the US military is more concerned about pronouns and trans rights than fighting and willing wars. Getting involved with Ukraine, especially under grandpa Biden, has far more risk than reward.
If Ukraine falls to Russia, it will not dramatically alter the geopolitical situation of the world.
Will it eventually become our problem? Probably. We have alliances all over Europe. But right now it’s a European problem requiring a European solution. We’ve spent the last 100 years cleaning up Europe’s messes. I’m tired of it.
Part of the reason Ukraine is threat to Europe is a generation of stupid decisions by Europe. Failure to develop their own energy independence led them here.
Make you a deal. If Ukraine comes forward with verifiable proof of Biden family corruption, we’ll bail them out.
Otherwise, if the author is so worried, I suggest he grab a flight and join the fight in person.
Ukraine is decidedly a US ally. There are in fact treaties requiring the US to aid Ukraine, the 1994 Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances would be a good place to start your familiarization with the treaties requiring US aid to Ukraine.
Link. And be damn specific where it involves boots on the ground.
Any one not from info wars will do.
How many American lives are you willing to serve up to make you feel better? You willing to join the author on the front lines?
Be patient: Biden will blunder us into a shooting war soon enough.
What do you want a link to that you can’t find for yourself, the ally part or the treaty part?
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Where did I say anything about boots on the ground?
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You said we don’t have treaties requiring the US to aid the Ukraine, that’s false.
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You said the US and Ukraine aren’t allies, that’s also false.
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I’m sorry that what you said is demonstrably wrong, perhaps you ought to pull your choke in before getting so rev’d up next time?
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I’ve no doubt Biden will do just like Obama said he will and “f@&k things up”
I wish you were as concerned about that forgotten treaty with the American people, especially where the first amendment and bigTech/Media/Government is concerned. Instead you are an apologist for bigTech/Media/Government censoring our former President, in order to *illegitimately* win an election for your boy Biden. I’m more than a little concerned that you protest too much, and are merely a democrat who tries to troll people MRAK.
Your two dimensional thinking is all those people, a lot smarter than you require, to get away with your constant manipulation.
‘https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/
Masked Avenger, what would have been your response to Hitler? Remember, we had no treaties with any European countries then. Would you have championed Neville Chamberlain’s position?
In 1940 there were no nuclear weapons. Comparison to the German National Socialists of that time is a false choice, not to mention childish. If we are asking questions of one another: In your world, what would nuclear war look like? Heroic? Noble? Passionate? Is it something you would wish for your children?
Nice try, but you contradicted your opening statement when you state that Soros supporting Zelensky for President is a false narrative & then in your closing paragraphs state that even though Soros helped Zelensky get elected it was not significant. That is your opinion. Smarter minds will disagree with you. Also, you state that Zelensky has no ties to Claus Schwab of the World Economic Forum. Again other more inquisitive minds have found that Zelensky is a WEF “young leader”, who also owns a waterfront mansion in Miami & a sizeable offshore bank account that belies his comedy & acting livelihood.
Ukraine isn’t perfect by any means, the good versus evil narrative that some portray does not help the reality of this situation. It’s sad that so many who claim to be conservative allow themselves to be diluted to the point of believing an obvious mad man and the propaganda he is pushing.
Liz Cheney? That you?
Your macho leaps in logic are … unique. Tell me, do you think Pence had the Constitution authority to overturn a duly held election?
Since you have appointed yourself arbiter of conservatism, share us your wisdom.
What?
Here’s an interesting read on Ukraine, one with some depth, from a self proclaimed liberal (plenty of links too):
‘https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/p/the-great-pivot-of-spring-2022-v?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo4MjI4NTE2NCwicG9zdF9pZCI6NTA0NzgxMjUsIl8iOiIyWTBIbyIsImlhdCI6MTY0NzQ2OTk3OCwiZXhwIjoxNjQ3NDczNTc4LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItNTgzMjAwIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.ydkMpnYenbxvvihq8oozz4WxsYtrC5qoc_eLi_S_kdk&s=r
Ray, you’ve put an excellent experiential account on that part of the world in perspective for me. Thank you.
Yet another dreary jeremiad on their Ukraine
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…while our America and our Alaska circle the drain.
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To Ray Kreig we ask not unkindly: forget the sermon, what the hell do you want; what are Americans supposed to do for Ukraine which they don’t seem to be allowed to do for America?
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First mistake, Ray, was listening to propagations from Republicans or anyone else in Alaska Legislature. No point in listening to them… if their news is bad and concerns us, we’ll find out, we’ll get the bill.
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Like Ukrainians, Alaska’s legislators are outnumbered 7 to 1 by predatory special interests who see them and their constituents as means to an end, sacrificial lambs if necessary.
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Unlike Ukrainians, Alaska’s legislators seem to lack the fortitude to defend their state from the aggressive political rot attacking its very existence.
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So, Ray, kindly get to the point: what specifically do you want?
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If Vlad the Invader says don’t do it or he’ll light off the nuke that got smuggled with the fentanyl over America’s wide open southern border, or worse, spill all the secrets about Hunter Biden’s and Team Clinton’s Russian adventures, what’ll you do then?
Thank you, Ray, for taking the time to share your insights and observations on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Excellent analysis, Ray, and timely. Very glad you wrote this. Well done!
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