Evil has not changed its nature, just its face. When the dead of Ukraine are counted and we are asked where they are, will America, will we, reply “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Dr. Brad Birzer’s recent essay, The Ukraine Crisis: Is It Time to Debate War?, asks many pertinent questions. He encourages Americans to engage in a discussion which should be held in the public square and in the halls of Congress. Of course there should have been serious debate of these issues during the Russian buildup on the Ukrainian border. Many of these same questions were debated during the 2014 Russian invasion and seizing of Crimea. But it seems many Americans have short memories, and even shorter attention spans, when it comes to foreign policy. The questions my good friend Dr. Birzer rightly points us to regarding the purpose of NATO in a time of “globalization” deserve rigorous examination. Now also many are asking should we fight for Ukraine? How about Poland? Lithuania? Estonia? Latvia? Can Putin have them all as long as he leaves us alone? Tyrants take what they want until they are defeated. We know this.
Very simply, the many millions of deaths caused by the Communists (Russia, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, N. Korea) and the Nazis/Fascists (Germany, Japan, and Italy) in the 20th century were the result of their evil and twisted purposes. Fighting a war, unwanted and poorly prepared for, was necessary to defend millions of innocent lives and preserve what was left of civilization. Is war good for something? Well, yes. It is good for keeping a country, a people, from being annihilated by evil. It is a blunt tool but there are times when blunt tools are all we have.
I wish we had defeated Hitler, Stalin, and Mao before they killed millions of innocents. But we hesitated, and tens of millions died as hundreds of millions watched, debated, and waited. How terrible that evil people commit murder. How much more terrible that good people often do little until the bodies are stacked in mountains visible from continents away. Is a gun good for something? Yes. When a murderer comes to my house I’ll use my gun without remorse. War, like a gun, is a tool. It is not evil. The intent is what makes it good or evil. Destruction and death are a terrible cost of defending the innocent, they always have been, and will be until the second coming of our Lord.
I don’t want Americans in Putin’s war. However, as a man who respects the dignity of the human person, can I justify only wishing Ukraine good luck and offering prayers when millions of people are being bombed? Our national government is our tool for dealing with the violence of evil which confronts humanity on an international scale. A very imperfect tool indeed. Still, our national government (and NATO) is the tool we have and I thank God that, in this moment of existential threat to millions of Ukrainians, there is unity enough that we have significantly assisted Ukraine with weapons and humanitarian aid. I don’t see how it could possibly be virtuous to do any less.
Should we do more? Should we be prepared to fight in this situation? Well, we have in the past for the defense of Europe, and ourselves, against the evil empires of the 20th century. Evil has not changed its nature, just its face. Cain, when asked the whereabouts of Abel, replied “Am I my brother’s keeper?” When the dead of Ukraine are counted and we are asked where they are, will America, will we, reply “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
I hope and pray Russia’s war will end soon and that American men and women do not end up fighting, and dying, in the Ukraine. Of course it is right and just that we seek peaceful solutions and the avoidance of the use of more terrible weapons. Additionally, I pray that many more do not die while we wait, watch, and debate.
The peace of God eludes us. The Love that sustains us seems just beyond our grasp. Please Lord heal us, immerse us in your love, and bring peace to the Ukraine. Mother of God, Mother of us all, please intercede for us so that we may have true peace while preserving the lives and freedom of those made in the image of your Son.
The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.
The featured image is courtesy of Pixabay.
I sense more than a note of despair in Mr. Elliott’s assessment here. War is more than a blunt tool. It is a divine judgment, a result of the rupture of human relationships with God, a rupture in the brotherhood of man. What is the value of any of our worldly alliances if they, without God, still can lead to the deliberate slaughter of innocents. Don’t our collective unnamed and secret sins still accumulate until the back of peace is broken? As Solzhenitsyn reminded us, the line of sin and evil runs through the heart of each of us, each and every one of us. It is appropriate that we fall back to the ultra-local command to love our neighbor, and as we look beyond our neighborhood that the love of God fills us as only He can address the fullness of human fallenness. We stop world war by praying for our neighbor and for our enemies.
I’m understanding of the author’s position, but I have to say that President Biden has this about right. I don’t believe in utopias whether they be left wing or right wing utopias. We cannot be the policeman of the world, and this would be an attempt to bring justice to a sphere where we don’t have jurisdiction to exact justice. Now Biden (and the Democratic Party as a governing entity) probably encouraged Putin’s action, especially with Biden’s disastrous and contemptible pullout from Afghanistan, but I cannot see America’s justification for entering this war in a hot engagement. Support Ukraine as much as we can with arms and humanitarian aid but defend “every inch of NATO territory” as Biden has said. Once this is over, we should offer Ukraine entrance into NATO, bring back armored divisions into central Europe, and create a policy of Russian containment. As I’ve said elsewhere, there was a reason why all the former Soviet states desperately wanted to join NATO. They knew Russia better than we did.
Although I don’t want us directly involved in the war either I’ve seen some, here but more elsewhere, say being involved in the war would be like a repeat of Iraq or Afghanistan. In one way, the chance of success, maybe it could but in most others not.
The goal of stopping a nation from being invaded is not a “utopian” goal and is instead a pretty traditional justification for a war. Defense of one’s nation or allied nation I think is in traditional just war theory.
Now realistically going to war with Russia would probably be, or lead to, an even greater evil than Ukraine being conquered. (If it comes to that.) So war could be unjustified because of the imprudence of fighting a nuclear armed nation with a vast military. Still I don’t think there’s anything utopian in the notion of defending a nation from invasion. And as a Catholic I think it might be just for individuals to fight for Ukraine. (As a nation being attacked by a nation that has supported some hostility to “Uniates” and therefore might be an invader who would oppress the faith.)
Like you, I’m skeptical of any from either side of the political spectrum who suggest that they can deliver a utopia if they are given political power. I think it is unfair, however, to attribute the problems in the withdrawal from Afghanistan to just the current administration. The withdrawal was initiated under the prior administration which negotiated with the Taliban without even including the Afghan government in the negotiations. Terms for a U.S. withdrawal were set in an agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban in an agreement signed on February 29, 2020. Though the Afghan government had been excluded from the negotiations, it was pressured by the prior administration to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners it held as stipulated in the agreement. The agreement also called for the Taliban to reduce violence as a necessary condition for the reduction of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, but the Taliban continued to attack Afghan government forces. The DOD inspector general’s office noted in a May 19, 2020 report that U.S. forces were reduced from 13,000 to 8,600 though “the Taliban escalated violence further after signing the agreement.” Some in the GOP warned of the dangers posed by the Trump administration’s agreement with the Taliban. In November of 2020, Marco Rubio warned of the possibility of a “Saigon-type of situation where it would fall very quickly” and Mitch McConnell stated “A rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan now would hurt our allies and delight the people who wish us harm.” Intelligence estimates as to how long the Afghan government could maintain control in at least some parts of the country were obviously too optimistic, but I believe the fall of the Afghan government in a fairly short period of time was inevitable after the U.S. began its withdrawal as set out in the February 29, 200 agreement.
If the withdrawal was a factor in leading Putin to believe that any sanctions he might face would not be much greater than those Russia had endured for past transgressions, such as the seizing of Crimea in 2014 and the poisoning of Sergei Skripal on March 4, 2018, other factors, such as partisan rancor and the undermining of faith in America’s own electoral system, were likely also factors influencing a belief that there would not be a strong united condemnation of an invasion of Ukraine within the U.S. There are some in the U.S. who blame the government of Ukraine or the U.S. and NATO for the invasion for “provoking” Putin to try to gain control of even more territory within Ukraine.
Mr Elliott, like many Western commentators, seems to fall into the binary assumption that Putin is a bad guy, therefore Ukraine government/Zelensky is a “good guy”. To be clear, I am aware Putin is the aggressor here, and he has shown to be willing to use deadly force. And, many Ukrainian people are suffering, and dying, which is of course tragic. But we must ask the question, is the Ukrainian government and Zelensky “our brother”? Is this a good guy Verses bad guy? Or is this a couple of bad guys sacrificing the Ukrainian people? Or even something more complicated and nuanced which is resulting in suffering Ukrainians. What we need from the Imaginative Conservative and commentators such as Mr Elliot to provide a more robust and thorough analysis of the history, complexities and realities both sides are facing. With all due respect, this article is not much different from what we are hearing from the likes of CNN, Fox and others who simply simplify and sensationalize.
Dear Sir, please let me correct you, I did not say Putin is bad. I said that he is evil. This judgment is the result of seeing his army bomb and shoot Ukrainian civilians with little or no discrimination between military personnel and noncombatants. I also see Putin’s army attempting to prevent humanitarian aid to civilians. I am convinced this is his pattern (see 2014, Georgia, Chechnya). I did not mention Zelensky, or his government, so your suggestion that I said he is “good” is specious. I have lived too long, and read too much history, to see this tragedy in such superficial terms. When your country is invaded and bombed are you bad for defending your land and people? I do appreciate thorough historical analysis of major world events. Clearly, that is not the purpose of my essay. Sometimes complex issues must be broken down to the essence of the situation now, and what must be done now. Understanding requires analysis but while millions are at risk of dying from violence, disease, and starvation action is needed. Histories will be written to explain the roots of this conflict. For now, I am very grateful that we, and our allies, are supplying weapons and humanitarian aid, so that the Ukrainian people may live and Putin’s evil purposes may be defeated. Thousands are dying and millions have lost their homes. I have organized the raising of funds to assist the Ukrainian refugees. I suggest that you, and other readers, do the same if you have not done so already. We have published several essays regarding Putin’s war on the Ukraine and I offer them to you to fill in the nuance you feel my essay lacks. I wrote my essay in response to Dr. Birzer’s essay and with the desire to examine the essence of what is needed now. God bless you, and God bless the suffering people of the Ukraine, and the whole world. (P.S. This is a helpful detailed analysis of Putin’s actions offered by a BBC analyst: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60767454)
Have you read any viewpoints about war crimes committed by Americans since WWII? See Chris Hedges.
Dear Sir, yes I have and I object to America invading countries, and staying in them for decades. I object to war crimes regardless of the nationality of the perpetrators. I have written about this for The Imaginative Conservative in the past. The present essay is written in hope that we continue to supply weapons, and humanitarian assistance, to the Ukrainians so that the victims of Putin’s war crimes may be lessened and their suffering be diminished. God Bless you, and God Bless innocent victims of war across the world.
WILL WINNIE BE SENDING HIS KIDS TO FIGHT
Dear Mr. Bartholomew, sadly you use a classic name calling tactic. I would have hoped for something a bit more original. Also, your caps key seems to be locked, perhaps a new keyboard is in order? Lastly, my son served as a combat 82nd Airborne officer in forward bases in Afghanistan and remains an Airborne Major in the United States Army Reserves. I know the pride, and the fear, parents of combat soldiers experience. I hope my son is not called up, and I pray that it is not necessary for U.S. military men and women to fight in Putin’s war on Ukraine. As I said in my essay I also pray that millions of innocent Ukrainians do not die. To which specific point in my essay do you object?
Seriously? This is your reply? You obviously don’t have a clue about the Elliott family.
Dear Winston, thanks for the response. It’s not only excellent to have an editorial comment, but it’s also brilliant to have a wonderful editorial response. My point, of course, was not to delay action, but to clarify action. Sadly, the American people don’t seem interested in debating the question right now–even though I can’t imagine a better time to debate war powers–but such is life. You’re right, of course. Let’s please pray for all the lives in Ukraine, and may we always oppose tyranny and evil in the world. Yours, Brad
Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal after receiving security assurances from the United States, with the signing of the so-called Budapest referendum. As a nation-state we have legal obligations to providing Ukraine with security assistance. In May of 2021 Russia deployed 75,000 troops to the Ukraine border, instead of taking this and Putin’s public pronouncements about Ukraine seriously the Biden Administration and NATO did nothing. This encouraged Russia to pursue its deadly objectives. We should continue to supply Ukraine with humanitarian and military aid. And we should seriously aid the Christians who are being slaughtered by Muslims in Nigeria.