The False Comfort of Illusions
In the Russia-Ukraine War, what is the truth?
When others asked the truth of me, I was convinced it was not the truth they wanted, but an illusion they could bear to live with. — Anaïs Nin
War, among other things, is a place of illusion. With the Russia-Ukraine War, the illusions are many. For the mainstream media in America, the illusion promoted is this: Ukraine, a quasi-democratic country, is enduring an unprovoked invasion by authoritarian Russia, now in its 18th month. The freedom-fighters of Ukraine have been greatly assisted by benevolent military and economic aid freely offered and given by the Biden administration and NATO countries. Ukraine fights for a noble cause that the U.S. should and must support, since allowing Russia to prevail would lead to further unprovoked Russian invasions of other freedom-loving peoples in Europe.
It’s an illusion that’s comforting for Americans to live with, since it flatters us while vilifying an old enemy, the former Soviet Union and now Russia. It’s flattering to the Biden administration, which can pose as a stalwart defender of Ukraine, and certainly flattering to U.S. weapons makers, who can pose collectively as the new arsenal of democracy. It’s an illusion, moreover, that elides or disguises any economic motives the U.S. might have in supporting Ukraine so generously since the war began.
The best illusions, the most seductive ones, have elements of truth to them. Yes, Russia did invade Ukraine; yes, Russia is authoritarian; yes, Ukraine has defied the odds and stymied Vladimir Putin’s designs; yes, NATO and U.S. weaponry has been important to Ukraine’s endurance. But partial facts are generally not impartial.
Briefly put, NATO expansion eastwards since the collapse of the Soviet Union is seen by Russia as provocative, constricting, and aggressive. Ukraine itself is very much an imperfect democracy, rating “high” on government corruption indices. U.S. meddling in Ukraine, especially in 2014, is most certainly problematic. The destruction of the Nordstream pipelines and subsequent profits by U.S.-based energy companies can’t be ignored. And, not surprisingly, U.S. weapons manufacturers are enjoying boom times. Not only does Ukraine need weaponry and ammunition, but U.S. and NATO stocks of the same must be replenished as arms and ammo are gifted to Ukrainian fighters. Nor is Ukraine completely free of neo-Nazi influences, which is to say that the situation is muddier and more complex than the comfortable illusion that’s so often sold by the mainstream media.
Which brings me to CNN’s report today, that showed up in my morning email:
President Joe Biden is asking Congress for more than $24 billion in aid for Ukraine and other international needs as he works to sustain support for the war amid signs of softening support among Americans. The request — which includes more than $13 billion in security assistance and $7 billion for economic and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine — sets up a potential battle with Republicans in Congress. Biden has promised support will last "as long as it takes," but an increasingly skeptical Republican Party has cast doubt on US involvement going forward. This comes after a CNN poll released last week found 55% of Americans believe Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine.
As the Russia-Ukraine War drags on with neither side apparently having a quick victory in sight, questions accelerate. How much are Americans prepared to pay to Ukraine? Is an open-ended, “as long as it takes” commitment truly wise? What happens if the war escalates even further? And, perish the thought: What happens if someone uses a nuclear weapon or another form of WMD?
Many Americans today are in dire straits. Credit card debt for Americans recently exceeded $1 trillion and rising. The Biden administration has failed to provide promised and significant student debt relief; a public option for health care; a $15 federal minimum wage; while acting to break a railroad strike and promoting more fossil fuel drilling on fragile federal lands as well as offshore.
Americans are not stupid to wonder about the priorities of the Biden administration and why Ukraine gets a blank check as Americans continue to suffer. Illusions may be comfortable, but they don’t put food on the table or pay health care bills. And the price they come at may be high indeed, which is one reason, I think, a majority of Americans are none too comfortable with this illusion.
Vietnam War--A false story was circulated that North Vietnamese torpedo boats unleashed two "unprovoked" attacks on US Destroyers in international waters. This led to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which allowed President Lyndon B. Johnson to dramatically escalate U.S. military involvement.
Grenada War--A false story was circulated by the US government accusing Grenada of constructing facilities to aid a Soviet-Cuban military buildup in the Caribbean based on a 9,000-foot runway which allegedly could accommodate the largest Soviet aircraft, such as the An-12, An-22, and the An-124.
Kuwait War-- A false story was circulated that Iraqi soldiers went into hospital rooms where babies were in incubators and took the babies out of the incubators and stole the incubators, leaving the babies on the cold floor to die.
Iraq War--A totally false lie was repeated ad nauseam that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and was a threat to world peace.
Libya War--A false story was concocted which claimed that Obama and Clinton were just trying to protect civilians and prevent a humanitarian disaster. Its actions revealed that all along it was intent on regime change.
Ukraine Coup--A false story was circulated that the massacre in 2014 during the Maidan uprising was perpetrated by the Ukrainian security forces loyal to the legally elected president, Viktor Yanukovych. In fact, the Maidan massacre trial and investigation produced overwhelming evidence that the victims were massacred by snipers firing from buildings controlled by the anti-Yanukovych protestors.
Ukraine War--A false narrative was created claiming that the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was totally "unprovoked" and is indicative of Russia's aggressive intentions to re-create the Soviet Union by absorbing Ukraine and perhaps other European countries.
Anyone notice a pattern here?
My list only includes some of the most egregious examples of duplicity and malfeasance. What is truly amazing and almost beyond comprehension is that, despite this track record of fabrication, falsehood and bold-faced lying, nothing seems to change. The MSM just carries on and acts as if none of this ever happened. So, year after year they faithfully continue to regurgitate the latest drivel dished out by the Pentagon, National Security Council, CIA, etc. as if the information/analysis shared by these nefarious agencies is factually accurate. One would think that, after this grotesque track record of total duplicity, it would be the exact opposite! But no, the lies are simply swept under a rug, and then it's on to the next war unleashed by the US National Security State (regardless of which party sits in the Oval Office), all justified with a fresh batch of lies and fabrications. Not only are all the lies and fabrications dutifully reported by the MSM, but also the overwhelming majority of the American public absorbs it all without questioning for one second its veracity. This process defies all logic and reason. I don't think anyone has really come up with an adequate explanation for this phenomenon. For me, "manufacturing consent" does not adequately explain the process by which the human brain can be so perverted so as to believe anything no matter how many lies it is exposed to. The bigger question is, How the hell do you ever cure this disease? The Germans were cured of their allegiance to Nazism 60+ years ago by having their country reduced to ashes. Are we to conclude that this is the only cure?