Dangerous Silence
The specter of nuclear war is haunting us. Vladimir Putin’s recent speech made clear his willingness to consider the use of nuclear weapons. As he insisted that the invasion of Ukraine was in defense of Russian sovereignty, he declared, “If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people.” He emphasized, “This is not a bluff.”
This threat was combined with a risky political decision to mobilize Russia for a longer war, calling up 300,000 additional troops in a highly unpopular military draft. Further, Putin has backed a series of referendums to formally move regions of Ukraine into Russia.
These decisions, coming in the wake of Ukrainian progress in regaining territory, were greeted by the Biden administration with a commitment to continued military engagement. Speaking at the UN President Biden said, “We will stand in solidarity to Russia’s aggression.” He acknowledged that Putin was making “irresponsible nuclear threats.’’
Much of the mainstream thinking has focused on these commitments by Putin and the very real possibility that as he suffers military defeats and domestic unrest, the likelihood of “strategic” nuclear attacks escalates.
Little has been said about the possibilities of the US doing the same thing. It is important for us to remember that we are the only nation to have used nuclear weapons. Twice. Currently, many people in our government are pushing for an escalation of military might, not a de-escalation toward a negotiated settlement.
This position was made clear by the responses in congress this week to the efforts of the Peace in Ukraine Coalition. Under the leadership of CODEPINK, Veterans for Peace, Democratic Socialists of America, Massachusetts Peace Action, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and other organizations, public demonstrations demanding a “ceasefire now” were held in multiple cities. Meanwhile, congressional offices were targeted for visits, urging members to vote against increased military spending for Ukraine. These efforts were met with no support.
After a sure-to-pass congressional vote at the end of this month, the US will have committed $67 billion since February to this war. The amount specifically for military weapons and intelligence could surpass $40 billion. To understand what this means, by comparison, this is 4 times the entire budget of the US Environmental Protection Agency, charged with addressing the global climate crisis.
CODEPINK co-founder, Media Benjamin said of the week of resistance to the war, “Further escalation should be unthinkable, but so should a long war of endless crushing artillery barrages and brutal urban and trench warfare that slowly and agonizingly destroys Ukraine, killing hundreds of Ukrainians with each day that passes. The only realistic alternative to this endless slaughter is a return to peace talks to bring the fighting to an end.”
We are in the midst of what is being described as a slow-moving Cuban missile crisis. Yet no one in public authority is showing any wisdom or commitment to peace. Rather, the US is digging in to push Putin out of power. Such efforts are endangering all life. We do not know how many thousands of Ukrainians have died. We know that 12 million people have been displaced. We know that 80,000 Russian soldiers have been killed. We know the fertile lands of Ukraine have been poisoned by the waste of military conflict.
The Peace in Ukraine Coalition condemns the Russian invasion. But it recognizes that there can be no military solution. We encourage people who are thinking about peace, about justice, and about the possibilities of creating a world that honors our interdependence, to support the efforts of this coalition. The drive by the US to dominate and dictate cannot be encouraged by our silence.