Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

To the Editor:

Lately, there has been much saber-rattling regarding Russia’s involvement in Ukraine and the United States.

Military experts argue that we are closer to the brink of nuclear war than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. That year, President Kennedy, a war hero, navigated this country through turbulent waters to save humanity and obviate WWIII. Unfortunately, many Americans do not share that same confidence in President Biden, who often appears unstable and dubious about critical foreign policy crises.

In his Inaugural Address on January 20, 1961, President Kennedy elucidated, “We should never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” Biden should take lessons from the JFK years (1961-1963) and spare us nuclear annihilation. Numerous Americans and, as Kennedy was fond of saying, “my fellow citizens of the world,” recall Biden calling Putin a ‘murderous dictator’ and ‘a pure thug’in March of this year. (CNN)

The aforesaid vulgarities suggest that Biden is not prioritizing the need for fruitful discussions with Putin. If I were President, I would have arranged, before the invasion of Ukraine, a meeting with Putin to discuss our differences and commonalities of international interests over tea and cookies.

As I have argued repeatedly, Biden must not view the global community through the lens of arrogance or act supercilious towards other national leaders. Moreover, the threat of nuclear war is real, and we must work harder to get along with not just countries harboring nuclear weapons; efforts should be made to promote world peace in the honorable tradition of President Carter.

Indeed, President McKinley was spot on when he uttered, “Peace is more preferable to war in any contingency.” (President McKinley’s War Message to Congress, 1898)

Recently, Andrey Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, asserted, “Any use of nuclear weapons in this conflict should be detrimental to everybody engaged.” He continued, “You cannot win a nuclear war.”

Additionally, Kortunov maintains that there is a perception that the West would like to destroy, completely, or weaken Russia. At least, this narrative is promulgated by the Russian leadership. (Amanpour & Company)

In conclusion, let’s ask, “Are we headed to Hell in a proverbial handbasket?” We shall see.

Keith W. Cooper

Greenville