The Madman of Moscow, Vladimir Putin, is not overtly calling for the death of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy – at least not yet. But there is no doubt that is exactly what Putin wants – and intends to get. Zelenskyy knows it.
In fact, Zelenskyy has publicly stated that he AND his family are Putin’s number one targets for assassination. And Zelenskyy is not alone. Intelligence reports show that Putin is developing a hit list of those he wants captured and executed.
This is nothing new for Putin – who used his “license to kill” when an operative for the old Soviet KGB. Putin sees killing opponents as just a part of political and diplomatic stagecraft. Even from a distance – and with a degree in psychology – one can safely say that Putin is a pathological killer – a man who can kill without any human compunction – without guilt. He is needlessly killing innocent men, women and children every day.
When asked if Putin was a killer, President Biden answered with a simple, “yes.” And Biden knows that if or when Putin’s military takes control of Kyiv, Zelenskyy will be tacked down and murdered – much like the Communists of yore summarily and mercilessly murdered the Romanoff royal family 104 years ago – and they have been routinely murdering as a core governing policy since then. In is in the Communist genes. The Communist Party of Russian is arguably the longest running Murder. Inc. political operation in history.
Zelenskyy is now the latest personification – the future victim — of Putin’s homicidal political policy. Zelenskyy is also the personification of Biden’s – and Europe’s – willingness to allow Putin to succeed again.
Unless there is a departure from Biden’s and Europe’s too little too late actions against Putin, Ukraine will fall, and Zelenskyy will die. All the praise about Zelenskyy’s courage and the noble resolve of the Ukraine people will be meaningless.
Slowing down Putin’s war – and even making him “pay a price” – will not matter in the end if he takes control of Ukraine and commits political genocide against the democratically-elected Ukrainian leadership.
Putin will not only have won a war, but he will have greatly enhanced his power on the world stage. It will accelerate his madness. He will become an even more deranged and dangerous bad actor. He will see no reason to not make a future move against the so-called “captive nations” that once comprised his beloved Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Republics?
Putin has been running the table ever since he came to power. The United States, NATO, the UN and the European Union have answered each and every Putin aggression – from invading nations to killing individual dissidents – with diplomatic rebukes – words, words, words, words.
He has survived with a belief in that children’s retort. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” For all the verbal rebukes, diplomatic condemnations, UN resolutions and harsh criticism, the civilized democracies of the world have never used “stones.” And that is the ONLY response that will stop Putin.
Biden promised that once any Russian boot stepped on Ukraine soil, Putin would be met with maximum sanctions – every tool in the American and allied toolbox. He lied. We have not yet used all the tools – not even all the non-military tools. At every step along the way, Biden and the European leaders responded with just enough to NOT dissuade Putin for more aggressive and egregious actions. If Biden is the leader of the free world – as he is said to be – then the tragedy that is unfolding in Ukraine falls more heavily on his shoulders.
Had anyone noticed that with each success in cowing the rest of the world, Putin’s actions get more outrageous … more reckless … and more dangerous? It does not appear that Biden has noticed – or if he did, he is too afraid to put a stop to Putin’s insane ambitions. He is leading a coalition of the unwilling.
President Teddy Roosevelt promoted a policy of “talking softly but carry a big stick.” The Biden version is “talk tough but cast aside the stick.” That is exactly what he did when he kept reassuring Putin that he could take Ukraine without any military response from the United States … NATO … or the UN.
I know Biden told Putin not to kill Zelenskyy – just like he told him not to invade Ukraine. If Zelenskyy and his family die along with the Ukrainian democracy, that blood will be on Biden’s hands – and the weak leaders of the so-called free world.
So, there ‘tis.
