Why Putin must not win
For most of my life, I lived happy, optimistically embracing scientific progress and the future to come. Until nowadays. Covid-19 and subsequent crises, I feel, have shown the ugly in mankind, and I am appalled by these people on the one side, and afraid, on the other.
One such thing is Vladimir Putin’s brutal war on Ukraine. Even though planned and already on-going for much longer, on 24th of February 2022 a new dawn came upon Europe, with a full-fledged war being fought in our midst. And despite how clear the fronts and standpoints seem to be (a tyrannic despot grasping for imperialistic fantasies, killing, torturing and raping in the process), the world seems too scared to truly help, or even join sides with the attacker.
Take Germany as an example: after the unspeakable horrors of World War 2, conducted by Germans, the world gave Germany a new chance, a clean slate so to speak. That is, in the American, French and British military occupied zones. Sure, life was tough, as a year-long world war had just ended and the country was in ruins — but the “occupiers” (which, in reality, of course were liberators from a terror regime) helped rebuild the country and were mostly fair “rulers,” friends and neighbors. And, maybe more importantly, with World Wars I and II making the United States the dominant world power, a time of peace and prosperity came to the West. For more than 70 years, inhabitants of Europe were able to live in peace, grow their countries and themselves. I, for my side, am very thankful and grateful for this — as should others be.
Not so in the Russian occupation zone. Here, the occupiers were truly occupiers, one regime of terror was replaced by another one. Rapes and crimes continued just as the soldiers of the Red army had ended the war, prisoners of war were brutally used to rebuilt the Soviet Union. Even more, East Germany was imprisoned within the infamous Berlin Wall, and only returned to Germany in the 90s. Despite this, nowadays, especially in the eastern parts of Germany, but unfortunately in other places too, there are some people despising the United States, and glorifying Russia.
I am not speaking of imported hate on the West, as is the case too stemming from migrants of mainly Arabic countries, but born Germans from the far left — and more recently also the far right, followers of the AfD in weird collaboration with members from the opposite political wing. Why, one can only speculate. It might be poor education, fear of the future and new technologies, and nostalgia for a harder, but in their minds maybe simpler time growing up in East Germany.
However, it should be absolutely clear: If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, it is the end of life in Germany, and all of Europe, as we know it. Sure, there are these crazy lies spewed by Putin and his propaganda ministers, that they are fighting Nazis, Gays, NATO, and whatever. And that they “only” want to stop NATO from “invading” Russia’s border. But let me tell you one thing: all these people ever do is lie. Do not doubt for one second, that Putin will move on, after finishing Ukraine. With Transnistria already a Russian stronghold is established in Moldova, the Baltics could soon follow. And, when he feels confident — a direct attack on NATO.
I can only repeat: do not believe their lies, as only lying was done in the interview with Putin’s puppet Tucker recently. “No intentions of attacking NATO”? Well, that is a strange choice of words — as it echoes exactly what I remember from previous communist propaganda speeches: “Nobody has any intention to invade Ukraine” (Putin, February 2022, right before the invasion). “Nobody has any intention to build a wall” (Walter Ulbricht, June 1961 — two months before the Berlin wall was built).
I hope my point is clear. Thus, I can only address my fellow Germans, Europeans, inhabitants of the free world: Support Ukraine with whatever you got. Putin must be stopped. If not, you and me might find ourselves in the trenches in a couple of years. Face to face with Russian soldiers, dirt, and death — with World War 3 upon us. Is this a thing you want? Would you be willing to fight? If not, then let’s pray it never comes to this. There is still time to make a difference.
