Wednesday, July 23, 2014

THE SPEECH THE WORLD SHOULD HEAR- -BUT WON'T.



 

In an odd turn of events I find myself in total disagreement with both Liberals and Conservatives about how to re-act to the downing of MA 17 last week in Ukraine by Russian separatist forces and what our response should be to Vladimir Putin’s recent foreign policy of taking what he wants by aggression.  Liberals, to no one’s surprise, back either a policy of strict economic sanctions or one of “turn the other cheek”, be a friend and eventually he’ll stop. Conservatives, also as expected, are screaming for a show of force and military strength. Both groups, in my opinion, are completely wrong.
 

As anyone can tell from the photos of Putin (carefully staged and released by the state-controlled Russian media) showing him shirtless and engaged in so-called “manly pursuits” the guy has a HUGE ego. Reading his speeches and analyzing his actions clearly paint a picture of a man who sees himself as a world leader, a statesman and the George Washington of the “New Russia”. He believes he is invincible because his ego will not allow him to believe anything else and because the leaders of the rest of the world have been spineless in dealing with him. The President of the US, Barack Obama, has been notably and most particularly feckless in his dealings with Putin at a time when US leadership is sorely needed. But the POTUS could change all this quickly by showing the same kind of leadership demonstrated by John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan in confronting Russian aggression. And if I were Obama’s Chief-of-Staff I would insist he do so by delivering a speech at the UN and calling Putin out in front of a world body. It would sound something like this.


Friday July 25, 2014

10:00 AM

The UN General Assembly

New York

 

POTUS stands at the dais of the UN and welcomes those in attendance as required by protocol. He pauses for a moment (for dramatic effect), shuffles his “notes”, discards them with flourish then proceeds to speak.
 

“I came here today with the original intent of addressing this world body about several current global events. And if you were to see the notes I just threw away you would know that was the text they contained. But as I rode here from my hotel I changed my mind about the content and purpose of my speech this morning. Yes, I still want to address this body as a whole but in so doing I want my message to be unmistakably targeted to someone who isn’t here- -Vladimir Putin. So, Ambassador Churkin would you please dispatch someone from your delegation to phone President Putin and let him know that as I stand at this podium I am talking directly to him.” 

POTUS shifts, smiles and acknowledges the sea of flashes from the cameras of the startled world press and cups his ear to take in the growing murmur of the assembled diplomats. Then he continues. 

“Recently the world was shocked and saddened by the downing of Malaysian Air Flight 17 by Russian separatists in Ukraine. 298 innocent people who had nothing to do with the politics of that region died. And why did they die? They died because you, Mr. Putin, did not respect the laws of international sovereignty and took Crimea by force. Then while signaling that your designs did not stop there you installed a proxy army of unschooled partisans inside Ukraine and sent your military advisors to arm and train them. The problem is that your advisors and trainers made two errors with the proxy army you installed in sovereign Ukraine territory: They over armed them and under trained them. Thus the blood of those 298 people is on your hands as head of an aggressive Russian state.

By now Mr. Putin, as you watch from your office in the Kremlin, you are probably angrily sneering, “What hypocrisy coming from a man who leads a nation which has armies stationed in Afghanistan, Japan, South Korea, Okinawa, The Philippines  and virtually every western European country. . .how dare he lecture me about a comparatively small “proxy army” in Ukraine!”

But consider this: in Afghanistan as it was in Iraq, Russia did little to stem the forces of global radicalism- -forces that are as much a threat to the Russian people as they are to the people of the western democracies. And so it was left to a coalition of the willing led by the US to try to turn that tide. And what have you done during that period? You’ve armed those radicals and their sponsor states like Iran and North Korea with the ability to make and deliver atomic weapons ignoring the fact that in so doing you are probably handing the rope to your own executioners.  Also consider that every other country in which the US has military bases, the people of those countries are politically free, secure and economically prosperous. Yet, almost unanimously the former Soviet states are seeking alliances with the western democracies because they want that same political freedom, security and prosperity. What does that tell you about the message and the universal needs of people as well as the intent of America and the world’s great democracies? 

President Putin I know that you have a strong desire to be considered a world leader, a great statesman and the founding father of the New Russia. So, I am calling you out here and now. I am issuing a “put-up or shut-up, yes or no” challenge. Will you join the leaders and statesmen of the western democracies in working jointly to stem the tide of radicalism? Will you stop arming proxy armies and client trouble makers? Will you give up your policy of aggression for one of international détente? Will you put Iran and North Korea on notice that you will no longer bankroll their subversion, sponsorships of terrorism and dreams of world domination?  Will you become a true leader, a respected statesman and a founding figure? The answer to each of these questions is a simple “yes” or “no”- -“Da or Nyet”. Any other response of any sort or explanation is unacceptable. So Mr. Putin, what is your answer? The world waits? It’s your move. Pick up the phone, call Ambassador Churkin who is sitting just a few feet away from me and tell him to stand up and say, “Da”.  If you do, and demonstrate it, the world will start to change tomorrow. If you don’t the continuing danger and chaos will be on you. It will be your legacy. Yes or No? 

POTUS leaves the podium and for several seconds there is a  stunned and complete silence in the Assembly Chamber. Then, one by one, each delegation stands and applauds loudly. The applause is broken by the ring of a telephone in the Russian delegation. Ambassador Churkin walks to the podium and utters one word. . . 

OK, so I’ve put forth an improbable scenario. But the improbability is there only because unlike Kennedy and Reagan who were true leaders and can easily be imagined delivering such a speech, Barack Obama is unlikely to have such courage. After all, what are we expecting from a man with such a paucity of experience and a scarcity of leadership skills on his résumé not to mention a complete lack of testicular fortitude.
And meanwhile, Rome burns.

 

 

 

3 comments:

Sandi Hunter said...

I vote for HAL! Spot on commentary and brilliant speech to give to Mr. Putin before the U.N. I vote for HAL, the sage of Tampa.

Unknown said...

Thanks for painting a picture of leadership and strength Sage. Welcome back!!

Katsnip said...

Outstanding, Hal! It reads almost like a wonderful novel imparting not only a vital message but a visual impression that makes it truly come to life. Well done, my friend...well done, indeed.