WILLIAM RAU

In my youth I was anti-Reagan because of his attacks on unions and his policies accelerating American inequality. Nonetheless, Former President Ronald Reagan deserves credit for the demise of the Soviet Union, Evil Empire 1.0. By getting the Saudis to open their oil spigots, which deprived the Soviets of vital oil revenues, and by arming the Afghan mujahidin, thus contributing to Russia’s disaster in Afghanistan, Reagan helped collapse a repressive and corrupt regime.

That was four decades ago. If there were any Reaganites left in Congress, they would be lambasting the Biden Administration’s timid and tardy support of Ukraine. Biden’s unwillingness to provide crucial weapons (F-16 fighter jets, ATACMS missiles), when Ukraine needed them most, played a major role in Ukraine’s inability to turn the tide against Russia. Instead, Republicans are blocking aid on the claim that Ukraine lacks a clear strategy for victory when Ukraine cannot develop a clear strategy without knowing what aid they will receive (Nielson 2024)!

It is worth noting that almost 90% of the military aid to Ukraine goes to American defense contractors and their employees — monies that contribute to the economic prosperity of scores of American communities (Thiesen 2023). Ukraine receives munitions and equipment from our armories, which are then restocked with new, often with more advanced, replacements. In some cases, Ukraine receives the equivalent of 20-year-old Chevy Equinoxes with our armories then receiving new Corvettes. For example, our stockpiles of ATACMS missiles face expiry dates and will be replaced with more advanced missiles. Decommissioning end-of-life ATCAMS is expensive (Cook 2023), making it far cheaper to send more to Ukraine to cripple the Russian army.

Providing Ukraine with our military technology also improves our own security. Recently, Ukraine used our Patriot air defense system to shoot down all 10 of Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal missiles fired at its cities. Putin claims the Kinzhal is an “invincible super weapon.” Not quite, and less so than when Ukraine first started shooting down most of them. The reason is that each successful intercept provides “live test” data that improves the Patriot’s missile-intercept algorithm thus making it more accurate against future missile attacks. The end result is improved air defense for all Patriot systems held by the US, NATO, Japan, and Taiwan (Pannella 2024).

Yet, pro-Russian Republicans fabricate reasons to block aid to Ukraine even though this aid helps modernize our own armaments while economically supporting American communities, improves our national security, and covers the back of a worthy ally. Instead, Republicans appear willing to cut defense jobs in their own districts just to knife Ukraine in the back. Why this dramatic turn for a once hawkish, anti-Russian party?

Donald Trump, who has “tangled the whole party in his pro-Russia ties” (Frum 2023). The pro-Russian embrace among elected Republicans came after Trump’s first impeachment. Initiated due to Trump’s efforts to withhold Congressionally authorized Ukrainian aid unless Zelensky announced a criminal investigation into Joe Biden’s family, that impeachment had Trump zealots burning to “inflict payback on Ukraine for the indignity of Trump’s first impeachment” (Frum 2023).

They might now get their payback, abandon NATO as well (Pengelley 2024), and midwife the birth of Evil Empire 2.0. Reagan must be gyrating in his grave.

References

• Cook, Elie. 2024 (Jan 2). Newsweek
• Frum, David. 2023 (Dec 18). They do it for Trump. The Atlantic
• Nielson, Anders Puck. 2024 (Jan 13). Why Ukraine can’t provide a clear strategy to Mike Johnson. Youtube
• Pannella, Chris. 2024 (Jan 4). Shooting down Russia’s overhyped missiles with Patriots is … ‘intelligence bonanza.’ Business Insider
• Pengelly, Martin. 2024 (Jan 11). Trump told European leaders that US ‘will never come to help you’. Guardian
• Thiesen, Marc A. 2023 (Nov 29). Ukraine aid’s best-kept secret: Most of the money stays in the U.S.A. Washington Post