OPINION:
Recently Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, an early front-runner in the 2024 GOP presidential campaign, got in hot water when he said that aid to Ukraine is not in the best interests of the United States.
As controversial as this statement is, I must agree with him.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago was triggered in part by Ukraine’s move toward joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The U.S. was encouraging it, which threatened Russia’s territorial sovereignty. Russian President Vladimir Putin has a valid point when he says Ukraine’s alliance with NATO would be a threat to Russia.
The U.S. is hardly in a position condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since 1798, the U.S. has used troops no less that 154 times around the world to protect U.S. interests. This includes 11 times in Cuba, seven times in Mexico, four times to Haiti, three times in the Dominican Republic and eight times in Nicaragua.
Ostensibly, these forays were us exercising our sovereign rights under the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. Nonetheless, how can the U.S. possibly condemn Mr. Putin in Ukraine when our nation has routinely practiced the same “big stick” policy since our independence?
As of Jan. 30, aid and support to Ukraine totaled $76.8 billion, with billions more planned. With so many dire needs in our own country — the border problem, infrastructure, etc. — is this justified?
JAMES W. ANDERSON
Talladega, Alabama
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