01 October 2022
Giant North Korea?
Thomas Friedman’s article in the 1 October 2022 NYT is only wishful thinking that the world will naturally correct for the predations of a colossally dangerous dictator. In fact, to deal with a madman leader of a powerful country like Russia we must resort to Natural Law. It is no use to conform to principles of international law or conventions such as the United Nations Charter. As long as the overwhelming majority of Russians, traditionally acquiescent to autocratic rule, remain subservient to the grandiose impulses of their leadership there may only be one solution to the worldwide risk Putin’s threat of nuclear war—elimination of the crazyman.
The flight of Russia’s intellectual elite is probably being copied by its wealthy oligarchs and others with the means and opportunity to leave a potentially doomed land. Putin is forcing a tightening coalition of the rest of the world to object to his strategy in Ukraine, not to mention his stamping out of domestic political opponents. The ultimate outcome of this dynamic could be annihilation of the Russian population and a good portion of the world’s inhabitants, as well.
As Mr. Friedman points out, liberal democracy around the globe is decaying. Citizens have become passive bystanders as professional politicians manipulate the tools of government to advance their own careers and personal wealth. In the case of Vladimir Putin, as with Kim Jung Un, the worst of the autocrats are trying further to write their places in history books as consequential national heroes. The rest of us are responsible for preventing that megalomania from jeopardizing our future common welfare.
