Victor Davis Hanson Why Did Putin Invade Now? Wars usually start with the loss of deterrence. So legitimate questions are raised why Putin chose to invade Ukraine in February 2022, and not say during 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020? After all, these were all periods when Donald Trump was under attack by a special prosecutor, […]
Victor Davis Hanson Historian’s Corner Inflation Does President Biden deliberately invite inflation? Is it some sort of cruel Jacobin redistribution scheme? As inflation roars, those of the middle class on fixed incomes or with modest passbook accounts lose 5-7 percent of their money per year. What are they supposed to do with their life-savings of $50,000–$100,000?
Victor Davis HansonHistorian’s Corner Afghanistan How does one destroy Afghanistan in a matter of days? How could anyone just abandon a new $1 billion embassy, a huge $300 million refitted Bagram air base, and $50-70 billion in military equipment to the Taliban? How could a president virtually destroy U.S. deterrence at a time when Russia
Victor Davis Hanson Historian’s Corner Critics of the Biden administration have a difficult time assessing motive, given the inexplicable suicidal nature of Biden’s chaotic policies. How could a kind, sane, or capable man do such things since January 20, 2021? Americans know the effects of his disastrous first 14 months but argue over the causes for
Victor Davis HansonHistorian’s Corner 8. History. It is critical to cite historical exempla. So by all means we need to learn of the tortured 500-year relationship between Ukraine and Russia. Remind us that Army Group South slaughtered 5-million Russians, including somewhere between 500,000 to 1 million Ukrainians during Operation Barbarossa. Do not forget Erich von
Victor Davis HansonHistorian’s Corner Here are three more paradoxes and pitfalls to be avoided in the Ukraine War. 5. Zelensky has a right to feel furious that he cannot stop the aerial bombardment of his nation, and the ease so far with which Russian missiles and bombs flatten his cities. It may indeed be wise
Victor Davis Hanson Historian’s Corner We hear daily dozens of Ukrainian war contradictions. One news show seems at odds on the war with the one following it—which is healthy. Corrupt CNN suddenly believes it is George Patton. MSNBC sounds like Uncle Billy Sherman marching through Georgia, furious that we are not triggering World War III
Victor Davis HansonHistorian’s Corner C. Analysis. So why is the Left Saber-rattling? There are four choices, and they are not mutually exclusive: The Left knows that Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden serially appeased Putin. They privately accept that his invasion of Ukraine is a manifestation of their own efforts that weakened U.S. deterrence that
Victor Davis HansonHistorian’s Corner A. The Record of Leftwing Appeasement Consider the following. From 2009 until the recent present, the Left did the following: Appeased Vladimir Putin with “reset.” This included both the relevant laxity toward Russia—inviting Russia into the Middle East, bringing it into the Iran Nuclear Deal discussions, the Obama hot mic revelation,
Victor Davis Hanson Historian’s Corner Alternative View #4: Paleo Putin Wait a minute. Putin is a dictator, yes, but have we recently cut off all dictators? Xi? The Saudi royal family? Castro, Inc.? The ayatollahs? At least Putin does not desecrate Christianity. At least Russians do not make apologies for their own country. Who fought