To the Editor,

In a recent press briefing at the German Ramstein Air Base, U.S. Defense Sec. Austin said that the current conflict in Ukraine is the result of “Russia’s unprovoked aggression.” This is a lie! Russia had made it crystal clear that it would not tolerate a militant Ukraine within NATO with offensive missiles aimed at its heartland, but would tolerate a neutral Ukraine as established in Austria. We have heard this lie before – when President Lincoln employed trickery and deceit to provoke the South’s bombardment of Fort Sumter, and again when President Roosevelt did the same with Pearl Harbor (read Day of Deceit by Robert Stinnet). Even the RI radiomen at Chopmist Hill knew that Japan was about to attack and were surprised that Washington pretended ignorance (Prov Journal Dec 6, 1981). Sec. Austin concluded with the assertion that the sovereign state of Ukraine must be defended because it “isn’t just about Ukraine’s security, it’s also about European security and it’s about global security.” This is true! There is no mention of American security because this war is about globalism and the destruction of Russia as a sovereign nation. Ukraine is not the 51st state and we have neither treaty nor obligation to defend the borders of Ukraine as she is not a member of NATO bound by Article Five. However, Washington does have a real obligation to secure our borders and prevent the entry of illegal migrants, equal to the current RI population, from invading our country every three or four months. Ukraine has suffered more than enough, and there must be an immediate, unconditional cease fire before this conflict escalates into WW3. A negotiated settlement is the only viable option.

Erik Thorp

Warwick