General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why is everyone in an uproar? [View all]peggysue2
(10,945 posts)Beyond viewing it as weakness? The press is spending an inordinate amount of time discussing the last nine words of President Biden's speech without considering the main theme:
Be not afraid.
Yes, this is risky business. Our response to Putin is risky bc Putin is a habitual aggressor accustomed to the West delaying, deferring and closing its eyes. President Biden has managed to pull our Allies together and become a partner in resisting the latest aggression in Ukraine. According to Putin all our responses--rebukes, arming the Ukrainians, leveling sanctions--are an Act of War which requires being reminded (for the umpteenth time) that Russia is a nuclear power, as well as the indirect, deflected threat of chemical, biological and/or strategic nuclear strikes.
Putin is a master of projection. He's even resorted to the cancel-culture whine.
President Biden said what the whole world is thinking. I don't think it was a mistake. I think it was a warning shot, a pointed message to Putin himself counteracting all the warnings the Kremlin has been giving since the debacle started. Putin is a thug, a butcher, an Assassin-in-Chief. All the pearl-clutching from the press won't change the fact or the man. And it won't bring about a peaceful resolution.
The world is watching and Biden's message comes from strength and faith: We've faced the darkness before.
There was also a very strong outreach to Russian citizens in that speech. The Russian people are not our enemies.
Putin and his cronies are enemies of democracy world-wide.
We need to own those words and,
Be Not Afraid.