As we enter the energy war phase of this crisis, when Americans are asked to pay more, perhaps twice as much to fill up their tanks of gas, it is vitally important that our leaders communicate that this is the relatively small sacrifice we must make to help defeat Russia.
They must drive home the point that Russia has not just attacked Ukraine. Russia is attacking democracy, attacking freedom, attacking the international order that so many Americans have fought and died for. Russia is threatening our allies in Europe and the Atlantic Alliance.
If Russia goes unchecked the consequences will be enormous. NATO countries that Putin has targeted as part of his twisted vision of the empire he wants to build will be next. Not only are they allies, but should he threaten them, we will be obligated to fight to defend them.
Not only will that put the members of the American military at risk, it will raise the possibility of nuclear conflict. It will put the whole world at risk. Our leaders need to make this very clear. The fight for Ukraine is not a fight for some distant place and people.
It is, for us, our values, for what we hold dear. History has shown that if we fail to stand up to aggressors catastrophe is the inevitable result. Further, while the sacrifices we will be forced to make may be a hardship for many, it is a relatively small one compared to the burden being born by the people of Ukraine in this battle. They are risking and losing their lives and homes, watching their nation be turned to rubble, seeing war crimes committed where they weeks ago were simply and innocently going about their lives.
And while they fight for their country, they are also fighting for us. Further, our allies in Europe are more dependent on Russian oil and gas and business with Russia than we are. Their countries are the ones that may have to absorb and care for as many as 5 million refugees. Their countries are where the next fight will take place. Their countries are where forces are being moved forward. Their countries are bearing an even greater cost for aiding and defending Ukraine and turning back Russia.
Our leaders must communicate clearly and simply that for Vladimir Putin, a brutal, bloodthirsty dictator, curtailing energy supplies to the west is a weapon. Once again, he expects us not to have the will or the resolve to accept the burdens that this situation requires of us.
Once again, he is underestimating America’s ability to lead and our alliance’s ability to be unified and to stand firm. Once again, he is counting on a few extreme voices in our society to try to capitalize on this situation for their own personal political benefit.
He does not believe we can remain united. He believes the political divisiveness in the U.S. that he cultivated, into which he poured money and effort, into which he spread disinformation that he saw as equivalent to pouring gasoline on a political fire, will weaken us.
Our leaders must make a clear call that this not be the case. This is a moment we should rise above politics. We cannot expect the most selfish and short-sighted of politicians or media commentators to do so. They have already shown their disloyal and frankly despicable colors.
But President Biden and his team, who have handled this crisis so masterfully so far, must reach out to reasonable voices from the other party and seek the kind of support and spirit of common interests that have served us so well in moments like this in the past.
The administration must use all the tools at their disposal to minimize the sting of sacrifice at home, seeking new sources of oil and gas, seeking to promote greater energy diversity, creating tax breaks and incentives to help consumers through this time and to reduce long-term vulnerability. They are already doing so, leaving no stone unturned. As they do so, it is important to be wise in the options we choose and to make expedient choices that run contrary to our long-term interests.
We should also ensure by whatever means that profitable big corporations and rich investors and local businesspeople are not able to cynically capitalize on this situation for their own benefit or to grow already bloated profits. They too must share the burden.
While this war may have seemed remote to many of us when it started, that was an illusion. It connects to each and every one of us in profound and long-lasting ways. @POTUS, @VP, @SecBlinken, @JakeSullivan46 @SecDef, @SecYellen and their teams have realized that from the beginning.
They must go out across the country and ensure all of us recognize that now and accept our role in this, that we understand that it is not enough to post Ukrainian flags on our social media pages or to pound the table with strong words during dinnertime conversations.
Now is a moment to step up, to make the modest sacrifices being asked of us, to be prepared to make them for as long as takes to turn back the monster in the Kremlin, restore security to Europe and bring justice to the brave people of Ukraine.
While our leaders have a role to play here, so do each of us. Let’s make it our shared goal to communicate the responsibility this moment demands of all of us and to try set this debate above the normal political brawling that is so common in our public life today.
