Russian President Putin has invaded Ukraine and launched a brutal, unprovoked, and illegitimate invasion of an independent, sovereign nation. Why did Putin launch the war at this time? First, I believe that President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan had much to do with Putin’s motivation. Putin saw the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle as evidence of a weak U.S. and blatant evidence of feckless leadership in the White House and at the Pentagon. Furthermore, Biden’s insistence on instituting “woke” policies into the military has invited questioning the military competence of our Pentagon leaders. Americans can sleep well tonight knowing that one of the U.S. Army’s top priorities is to defeat climate change. And a recent press release from the Pentagon chronicled that “a need for diversity, equity and inclusion will be a consideration or part of all military decisions”. When I was in the military, only the best, brightest, and most motivated people were promoted to the higher ranks. What happened to the military being a meritocracy?
Another motivation for Putin is Biden’s energy policy. Biden shut down the Keystone pipeline and stopped leases and drilling on federal lands. Since that time, the U.S. is importing over 22 million barrels of oil a month from Russia alone – a 50% increase of Russian oil imports since 2019. Biden’s policies are enriching Putin and making the American consumer pay for Putin’s war. Average U.S. gas prices when Biden took office was $2.37 per gallon. Now the U.S. average gas price is $3.50 per gallon – the highest in U.S. history., This dependence on foreign oil contrasts with 2019 when the U.S. was energy independent and exporting oil and gas products. I will acknowledge that Putin’s primary motivation emanates from his dictator mentality and his desire to recreate the old Soviet Union. However, I believe that the timing of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has to do with President Biden and the prospect that Biden will not be reelected. Bottom line, Putin’s motivation for invading Ukraine at this time is President Joe Biden.
