Be it within the icy taiga or beneath mounds of silent rime and deep snow in dark Vorkuta, there lies a fortitude unknown in the hearts of those outside, a determination, a resolute patriotism secretly envied by Europe and the world. Many times has she been assailed by hordes of opportune strangers and many times has she responded with absolute and complete dedication to the preservation of her peoples and their way of life. Napoleon Bonaparte learned how vicious she becomes when enemies knock on her door. Hitler and his Nazi army learned.

The outside world cannot seem to grasp that Mother Russia and her people simply desire to be left alone to enjoy the Volga, the Lena, and the mighty volcanic vistas of Kamchatka. Nomadic reindeer herders on the expansive taiga prefer to be out with their herds, but when called to defend their homes and their posterity, they will put down their whips and axes to answer. And answer with all the enthusiasm of a man whose family and livelihood are threatened, they will. The same can be said for the factory worker in Saint Petersburg, or the dedicated farmers of the agrarian steppe.

As an American, I can but look with admiration at a nation which, against all odds at various times, has emerged from military and economic threats to prosper in a world that too often wishes them ill. Their leaders have repeatedly appealed to the better judgement of their “colleagues” both in Europe and abroad to improve relationships and trade, only to invariably discover treachery in their dealings. The Minsk “agreements” are but one of many examples. As war with Ukraine was impending, the west agreed to measures that would prevent conflict, only to later renege, as Germany’s Angel Merkel later admitted, the Minsk accords were simply a feint to allow more time to arm the Ukraine and prepare for war against Russia, the other signatory of the “agreement”. The west never had any intention to abide by the Minsk terms.

During the Reagan years, the US promised via Jim Wright that if the Soviet Union would but “tear down that wall”, the NATO pact nations would never move an inch eastward. That was before several more former Soviet nations, such as Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, and several others joined NATO at the behest of the “west”. So much for Jim Wright’s promise, but then the Russians are used to being betrayed. That doesn’t mean they like it, or that they will forever tolerate it.

After theatrics that would make a circus master envious, the current American president has ceased to pretend there is a desire for peace and amicable relations with Russia, and again has resorted to typical western treachery, such as resuming arms to Ukraine. The Ukrainians have launched many moves and attacks into Russia proper – the ill-fated Kursk foray was but one such attack; a high-ranking Russian general was just recently assassinated, an act for which Vladimir Putin chose not to publicly assign blame to western intelligence, but he knows where it came from. He won’t forget. He never does.

When the current US president was inaugurated, with his less hostile approach to Vladimir Putin, there seemed to be reason for optimism that east-west relations might improve and we all might be able to breathe somewhat more freely in the hope that the world might not be on the edge of nuclear annihilation, but now that Donald Trump has assumed the role of bear-poker in chief and America is now publicly once again arming her enemies, one wonders how far away Russia might be from once more exercising her formidable military option outside the Ukraine in defense of the Russian homeland.

Britian is yapping like a poodle, and Putin has repeatedly warned the UK to at least make sure all Britons know how to swim, but their false bravado continues. Makes one think of that last wolf in the pack that still tries to confront the great bear after the rest of the pack has decided to think better of it, but he’s sure that if he can get an attack started the others will come to his rescue – but the retreating pack called it off for a reason, and they are unlikely to return. If provoked to war, the bear will show no mercy. Let’s hope somehow reason and common sense might surface in the west before this gets really ugly. Then maybe those reindeer nomads can stay peacefully with their herds.

MK