Liar, Liar
Blogger Caitlin Johnstone claims, “The single most egregious display of war propaganda in the 21st century occurred last year when the entire Western political/media class began uniformly bleating the word unprovoked in reference to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

We have heard that Putin was power-hungry and unwilling to tolerate an independent, pro-Western Ukraine on its border. Putin wants to conquer Ukraine, and NATO is needed to cover his colonial venture.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Steven Pifer says, “For the Kremlin, a democratic, Western-oriented, economically successful Ukraine poses a nightmare. Ukraine would cause Russians to question why they cannot have the same political voice and democratic rights that Ukrainians do.”

The Truth
Russian leaders regard Ukraine in Moscow’s sphere of influence and a vital Russian security buffer zone. George Kennan, the father of the American Cold War containment policy, warned about the 1998 US Senate ratification of NATO expansion. “Is the beginning of a new cold war,” Kennan stated. ”I think the Russians will gradually react quite adversely and it will affect their policies. I think it is a tragic mistake.”

After Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, extensive arms shipments began. Kyiv, the U.S., and NATO conducted joint military exercises, and the CIA initiated secret paramilitary training programs. In essence, the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations began to treat Ukraine as a NATO member in all but name.

Catching the Liars
September 6, 2023, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg inadvertently let the truth be known. “President Putin declared in the autumn of 2021 and sent a draft treaty that they wanted NATO to sign, to promise no more NATO enlargement. That was what he sent us. And as a pre-condition for not invading (sic) Ukraine. Of course, we didn’t sign that.” Consequently, “he went to war to prevent NATO, more NATO, close to his borders.”

In 1996, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright when asked, “We have heard that half a million children have died [because of sanctions against Iraq]. I mean that’s more children than died in Hiroshima. And–you know, is the price worth it?” she replied, “I think this is a very hard choice, but the price–we think the price is worth it.”

Ukraine Is On Fire
President Joe Biden, is it worth it? 9,614 Ukrainian civilian deaths, 17,535 injured, 120,000 Ukrainian soldier deaths, 170,000 to 180,000 injured troops, 70,000 Russian soldiers killed, and 100,000 to 120,000 wounded.