Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron meet today about Ukraine
Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’and they will lead many astray.
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
Matthew 24:4-8
Why does the dog wag its tail?
Because a dog is smarter than its tail.
If the tail were smarter, it would wag the dog
Did you see the film Wag the Dog, the 1997 political satire? It was about a spin doctor and a movie producer who attempt to divert attention from a sex scandal involving the president of the United States by "producing"a war with a small state in Eastern Europe (Albania.) The film was clever and the cast was amazing, included Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. In a bizarre twist the film became a "reality" the next year because of the sex scandal involving then-president Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Days after the scandal broke Clinton ordered missile strikes against Sudan and Afganistan. Of course, during the Trump years we learned that Americans don't really care about sex scandals after all.
Well, fast forward and we are watching as Russia's leader, Vladimir Putin, flexing his muscles by amassing his military on the border with Ukraine. The concern is that an invasion is imminent. Putin is a strongman dictator in a country which had briefly flirted with democracy but things are not going well for Russia. The economy is in a shambles and the government has badly mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic. The Russians aren't even allowed to participate at the Olympics under their chosen banner, although they are competing.
The threat agains Ukraine is not an idle one, and the nations of NATO are responding with stern warnings to Russia. Things are not going particularly well for President Biden either and there is a lot of huffing and puffing going on with thousands of American troops being deployed or put on alert in the region. This despite assurances that the US would not respond militarily if an invasion occurs.
We humans are an aggressive and bloodthirsty lot, don't you think? I'm dubious about St.Augustine's doctrine of original sin but if ever there were proof that it does exist it is in our propensity for violence and war. We love our bullies as leaders, it would seem, we engage in toxic patriotism, we get enthused about vanquishing enemies, real or imagined.
Why is it that we are so dubious about peace and enamoured of posturing? Why do we seem so ready to allow the tail to wag the dog of our better selves? So many oresidents who have claimed allegiance to Jesus the Christ, the Prince of Peace, default to tough-guy talk and military action when it suits their purposes. The only president in more than a hundred years whose term of office didn't involve military action of some kind was Jimmy Carter, and he was regarded by many as a weakling. Carter has "talked the talk" and "walked the walk" of his faith all through his long life, but that has never seemed to play well in his supposedly Christian nation.
I suppose we pray for peace and resolve for diplomatic responses to the Russians, along with sanctions and rebukes. French President Macron is up to bat with Putin today and perhaps progress witll be made. I hope that Putin will decide that there has been enough "tough guy" theatre for now and order the troops home.
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