A-10 ‘Warthog’ Thunderbolt II

A response to Kelly Scoles' "Second Opinion":

Hi Kelly,
With the savagery being inflicted upon the citizens of Ukraine this very minute, I won' t engage in sarcastic characterizations about Russia, Putin, Trump or their individual supporters.

Much is being said about escalating nuclear threats due to the rash judgments of Vladimir Putin. He has put his nuclear forces into “special combat readiness.” This order came only a few days after he warned the United States and other NATO powers to “stay out of the [Ukraine] conflict, adding that ‘the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history”.

In the meantime, Russia intensifies its unprovoked war with Ukraine, a sovereign, independent nation of some 41 million citizens, which is not a threat to Russia. Having badly misjudged the determination of Ukrainians to defend their country against Russian invasion, Putin has apparently panicked and turned to the use of banned weapons of war, like cluster munitions, thermobaric weapons. "The first-stage charge distributes an aerosol made up of very fine material – from a carbon-based fuel to tiny metal particles. A second charge ignites that cloud, creating a fireball, a huge shock wave, and a vacuum as it sucks up all surrounding oxygen. The [thermobaric] blast wave can last for significantly longer than a conventional explosive and is capable of vaporizing human bodies." "One of the things we know about Russian tactics is that they are willing to destroy everything." Keep in mind this weapon is being used against civilians, mothers, children, in apartment buildings.

Kelly, it is extraordinarily defamatory (though not actionable) to accuse Fox News, "Tucky", or Trump of being "pro-Putin." Ukraine has been viciously attacked by Putin's Russia. They are at war. This war threatens the entire West. This situation could have been avoided if only democratic countries would understand the extent to which Communism and socialist dictatorships are evil - and I mean that in the traditional Judeo-Christian sense. Being entirely evil, it is an exercise in pure stupidity to believe anything they may say, at any time. That is, the word "trust" should never be included in any dialogue with Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, etc. Otherwise, we tempt national suicide by naiveté.

I'm glad, and completely surprised, by NATO's quick reaction to Putin's threat of nuclear war. Everybody is finally chipping-in, with food, money, neighborly assistance, and, especially, lethal weaponry (Stinger and Javelin missiles). We now understand that Putin's threat to one is a threat to all. The Democratic West must defend Ukraine immediately, militarily. He has already virtually bankrupt Russia by provoking the denial of SWIFT and appearing as a madman. Today, the Russian Ruble is worth a penny against the dollar, and the Russian people still don't know why. When they figure it out, Putin may go the way of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. Ironically, the U.S. is actually financing Putin's war by purchasing 700,000 barrels of his oil every day, at over $200 per barrel.

In the meantime, Putin's murderous invasion of Ukraine must be stopped, abruptly, or else Western Democracies will continue to be overrun, living in the perpetual shadow of Communist blackmail.

I can't get two things out of my mind. The first, women and babies being burned alive. The second, that infamous "40-miles" of Russian armaments now creeping towards the capital of Ukraine - Kyiv, the seventh-most populous city in Europe. It's time to call Putin's bluff and join the fight or continue to shamefully cower in the face of his threats.

NATO (and America) can fix this 40-mile threat with a half-dozen U.S. Air Force A-10 "Warthog" Thunderbolt IIs - in about an hour.

Time to stand up with honor - or surrender and run away like we did in Afghanistan!

Go Warthogs!