The stock market took a plunge. Gas pump prices are edging upward by the hour. Whether Americans like it or not, the war in Ukraine is going to affect us in profound and unpleasant ways. Citizens and politicians in this country can help shorten the duration by suspending the political sniping and uniting behind President Joe Biden's efforts to keep the United States out of a shooting war with Russia while making President Vladimir Putin suffer maximum consequences for his aggression. The preceding sentence will strike many of our readers as laughable coming from a newspaper that has devoted years complimenting the policies of former President Donald Trump. But Trump never had to face a situation like this. we supporters will argue that his tough policies were what deterred Putin from ever attempting such a move on Trump's watch. There are very strong facts about Trump's record that back that argument. But those are political arguments for another time. Right now, the world is at a level of crisis not seen since the Cuban missile crisis of 1961, if not the Sept. 1, 1939, German invasion of Poland, when World War II started. Putin stated Tuesday that he was acting to defend two Russianspeaking eastern regions of Ukraine that, he asserted, were proclaiming their independence. It appeared that Russia's incursion would be limited to that eastern region, much like Putin's illegal seizure and annexation of Crimea in 2014. But if that were true, why did Putin launch attacks across all of Ukraine deploy ground troops to Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, 200 miles to the northwest? Why is there a 40 mile caravan of military vehicles headed to surround Kyiv as we go to press? Every justification Putin claimed was based on lies. People are asking… If he goes unchallenged, why should he stop at Ukraine? True to his megalomaniacal form, Putin has made clear his intention to restore Russia's former glory through territorial expansion. But further aggression towards a NATO country would be met with military force… So we are hearing, are we ready for that? In an Associated Press/ NORC poll, only 26% of respondents supported a greater U.S. role in Ukraine. As if this rapidly escalating crisis would magically resolve itself if the United States just stood back and watched. The poll was conducted Feb. 18 to 21, before fighting had begun and Putin's words amounted to little more than bluster. Does it change their minds seeing for themselves the missile explosions, tanks and troops deploying across Ukraine, and frightened civilians taking shelter in subways -- exactly as Britons did to escape Hitler's air raids and rocket attacks in World War II? The poll also showed that only 23% of Americans trusted U.S. intelligence reports about the Russian military buildup and forecasts of Putin's intentions to invade. On Thursday, every single one of the warnings the Biden administration issued, based on declassified intelligence, turned out to be true. Go figure. A big reason Biden declassified the intelligence was to let Putin know he could not rely on the element of surprise, perhaps to make Putin rethink the wisdom of invading. Unfortunately, the tactic didn’t even stall Putin's plans. So now comes the hard part: imposing and sustaining international sanctions so severe they would put a stranglehold on Russia's economy, crashing the ruble and denying Moscow's ability to sell oil, access foreign bank accounts or conduct foreign financial transactions. Russian billionaires, some of whom are helping launder money that Putin has stolen from his own people, will be cut off from their international accounts. One billionaire oligarch reportedly saw his net worth drop by 30% on Wednesday alone. But all the sanctions imposed mean nothing as long as we and the world continue to give Russia…. Millions of dollars daily …. For their oil! That's why gasoline prices are going up and the stock market is plunging. Biden needs to immediately restart the Keystone Pipeline and remove all obstacles he put in place on all fossil fuels, day one of his presidency! Even Democrats are now seeing that Biden is to blame for these domestic repercussions caused by his actions as Trumpers are touting the low gas prices we Americans enjoyed during his presidency, reminding everyone that Biden’s policies have raised the price of fossil fuel products long prior to this Russian invasion, when you hit us in the pocket book/wallet … we all notice! Republicans might well argue that Biden and the Democrats don't deserve a magnanimous gesture of national unity, given the way Democrats savaged President George W. Bush during the Iraq War….but…. We conservatives are much more likely to display the national unity we all demonstrated after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when Democrats and Republicans joined together as one…. Does it really require a major catastrophe to unite us? And why is it always our side that goes along when, given the chance, the other side fights tooth and nail? Putin's action is not the same as the direct attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, but it is a direct challenge to global stability unwitnessed since World War II. What matters most right now is for Putin to encounter an unshakable wall of unified American (and whole world) resolve, with all of us, joining together in declaring, that "this aggression will not stand." Let us all just put the political posturing on hold for a while, heck I’d love to see it put away for good but I’m not that naive. If ever there was a need for national unity, and for America to speak with one voice in opposition to Putin's aggression, this is that moment. The Sun Bay Paper Page 8 March 4, 2022 - March 10, 2022 Letters To The Editor Editorial PHONE: (239) 267-4000 MAIL: 16970 San Carlos Blvd. #160, Ft Myers, Fl 33908 E-MAIL: production@sunbaypaper.com WEBSITE & DIGITAL VERSION: http://www.sunbaypaper.com The Sun Bay Paper To the Editor. Hi Bobby and Jennifer, It was very nice to meet you at the Island View Friday night. We had an exciting night watching our son’s friend get engaged. And of course our meal was wonderful, too, as you know. I’m sending you several pictures and you can use what you want. Derek Schultz & Xandra Young were taking sunset pictures with friends, Kris Heller & Mattie Boswell…..or so Xandra thought! When Derek dropped to one knee she was totally surprised, but did not hesitate to answer with a resounding YES!! As an added surprise, her friend Kaylee flew in and suddenly appeared on the beach to join the celebration. Lori and Kent Heller Ed. Note: Thanks for including us in their “moment” ...... see page 9 To the Editor. Stop lying about global warming and climate change. It's real. Start believing science and not mythology and that stupid bastard, Trump. Wake up to reality, A..holes. Thomas Smith Ed. Note: thanks for your letter Tom, Love us or Hate us...... as long as you’re reading us! see page 13, but it might raise your lood pressure! Quote of the Week Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, to long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who Love, time is eternity. -Henery Van Dyke To the Editor. I'm outraged. .. only 28 pages in your paper. I'll have to lock myself in a safe space and read it again. All this information has reduced me to being a victim of the left. I'll have to find a therapist... and can't wait for the next issue. Sonya Hatton Ed. Note: We would like nothing more than to add a lot more pages, there is never enough room for all we want to print... we just need more advertisers. If you have a business and want to attract conservatives who spend money, give me a call, our readers support our advertisers with their wallets! That is a fact!
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