Republicans Weak

While thousands of high school girls in Iran lead nationwide protests risking arrest or death in a fight for freedom from the oppression of a government by religious leaders, Russian men either accept being conscripted into a war of conquest with Ukraine or run away seeking asylum in other countries including the United States.

Protests began in Tehran September 16 as a reaction to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested by the Guidance Patrol for wearing an "improper" hijab in violation of Iran's mandatory hijab law. Human rights group HRANA said that as of Friday 469 protesters had been killed, including 64 children, some as young as 9 years old. It said 61 government security forces had also been killed. More than 18,000 protesters are believed to have been arrested.

Russia invaded Ukraine in March and took control of vast sections of the country in weeks but failed to capture the capitol, Kyiv. Since then Ukrainian defenders with the aid of weapons provided by NATO countries including the United States have thrown Russian troops out of much of their country. Most recently Russian forces withdrew from Kherson, the only regional capitol, they’d managed to capture. Russian troops have suffered losses in the tens of thousands. While there have been some protests in Russia they’ve been quashed by local security forces.

Russian men apparently aren’t nearly as brave as Iranian teenage girls.

It was just a year ago that Senator Ted Cruz claimed that Russia’s manly army, in which same sex relationships are illegal, was a model that our armed forces should emulate. Now, those same manly men docilely accept being conscripted and thrown into the meat grinder that the attempt to conquer Ukraine has become; knowing they’ll receive no training, no winter coats or boots, and 50 year old weapons. Cruz claimed that our “woke” armed forces weren’t as effective as they could be because we have learned to accept LGBTQ service members.  Instead, it is the “woke” Ukrainian military which has thrown back the Russian aggressors and continues the fight to free their countrymen.

In 1995 George W. Bush said about his meeting with Vladimir Putin; “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. I was able to get a sense of his soul.” Earlier this year Donald Trump spoke to a crowd at a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago about Putin’s invasion; “I’d say that’s pretty smart. He’s taking over a country, really a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people, and just walking right in. I mean, he’s taking over a country for two dollars’ worth of sanctions.”

Recent polls now show that 48% of Republicans think the United States is spending too much on weapons and support for Ukraine. Senator elect J. D. Vance of Ohio said earlier this year; “I gotta be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.” Trump’s former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon said; “Every member of Conservative Inc. that backs this Ukraine war is a simp.” Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green just weeks ago said that; “Under Republicans, not another penny will go to Ukraine.”

What is it with Republicans praising authoritarian leaders like Putin? Why are they unwilling to assist those who are trying to defend their homes, their freedom, their democracy?

Published in the Seguin Gazette - December 7, 2022