3/10/2022

My dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            I’m afraid that VVP has more mentions than you do in all of my newspapers. Even though he is vilified in all of the articles, he IS getting attention. Every American now knows his name. I hope everyone knows yours. Perhaps your strategy is to keep a low profile. How’s that working for you?

            I doubt the press will cover your phone call with Turkey Pres. Erdogan. He’s not my favorite leader but I am happy that he has chosen to “rekindle his alliance” with Israel by hosting Pres. Isaac Herzog this week. Apparently, they have some disagreements about who owns the gas in the Mediterranean & how the Palestinians are treated. I hope they can get past that.

            As we witness the latest atrocities around the world, including yesterday’s bombings of a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine & a Buddhist monastery housing refugees in Nat Myaung village, Burma, it reminds me that WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER. Some folks in Ukraine agree. Amy Goodman just interviewed Yurii Sheliazhenko (YS) on her radio show, Democracy Now. As Exec. Sec of the Ukranian Pacifist Movement, YS is objecting to the requirement that all adult males in Ukraine stay there to fight. He is disappointed that the support from the West is mainly military & ignores the non-violent resistance. He suggests we take a look at Kant’s pamphlet, Perpetual Peace. Let’s plan to do that.

            He also notes, “war profiteers of the West are the same threat to democracy as the authoritarian rulers of the East. And their attempts to divide and rule the Earth are essentially similar.” Food for thought, don’t you think?

            Given that sentiment, I’m disappointed that the spending bill just passed by Congress includes a 5.6% increase for military spending. What a waste when we have so many pressing needs at home.

            HYITL,