Puffs

History . . .

Does the Human Race really learn anything from history?

I’ve always contended that we do. However, from the actions of Russia in the past few weeks, I’m beginning to change my mind.

I’ve read much about the results of World War One and World War Two, along with those other conflicts (like Vietnam and Korea) that didn’t get categorized as “World Wars.” Reading about all the suffering, killings, and destruction that takes place in such event, I was about convinced we might just never see such events again. I was almost convinced world leaders just would not ever put the human race through that again.

I’ve contended as well for many years: “the only thing constant in the world is change.”

The history of wars in Europe go back many years and in the recent past (a couple of hundred years) a lot of the conflict has been between Western Europe and Russia (which includes both Europe and Asia).

I’ve been having trouble understanding just why Russia would “begin” a war. I thought that seeing the millions upon millions of people killed in Russia during WWII and after, as the Communist strengthen their hold on the country, they would have no desire to go through anything like that again.

Seems like I was wrong.

From all the information we’ve read or seen in the past few days, it seems Russia is determined to invade Ukraine at any time (as I write this).

Why, you ask ? ? ?

I’m no expert, but I have two answers.

No. 1: It’s as simple as thinking the Russian leader wanted to rebuild the old USSR Empire that failed in the 1990s. This in spite of the failed Socialist government was just another example of the failure of that type of government.

No. 2: I remember the history that led Japan into WWII.

Japan was trying to build an empire in Asia and America and others were trying to stop them as best they could without going to war. Japan was not sure they could survive economically as their sources of raw materials and energy were being eliminated by the U. S. and to their way of thinking, they had to destroy the U. S. Navy as the Navy was the visible sign of the American strength. That all led to the attack on Pearl Harbor and the entrance of the U. S. into WWII.

I’m not sure why, but I suspect Russia feels sort of ‘trapped’ by the NATO countries in Europe. I don’t know if they remember all those wars in the past that pitched European countries against Russia, or if they think they will be isolated unless they try to control everything on their own terms.

Socialism . . .

It seems that any socialist country has built into it the need to control . . . everything. (That’s how it is able to work.)

Now . . . look at Canada and all that’s happening up there in this last month, or less.

Canada does not praise itself as being a socialism type of economy, yet its leader and many in the government do picture themselves as socialist.

Now, take all the trucker’s protests in these last couple of weeks and see what the government has done in response.

The government could not take the action to solve the trucker’s protests, so they resorted to measures that could. That being the use of brute strength. The government “had too” control things and the only way they could was to eliminate the protesters with jail and financial ruin.

It may seem silly to say “that’s the way it starts,” but that is one way it could start. I wonder what might happen next in Canada that might just cause that government to take another step even more over-reaching than this one.

I certainly didn’t agree with all the ‘protests’ in American two years ago, but I was proud that we didn’t see the Army called in to stop them. All of the destruction was a terrible price to pay, but at least we’re not living in a police state right now.

Considering the government in power in America right now, I fear for what might happen with the whole Russia-Ukraine conflict. I just don’t understand all that is going on. I’m afraid of the American government right now that something will go wrong, something that we should have been able to keep from happening.

Please remember to keep the Russian and Ukraine people in your prayers and that their leaders find some way out of the possibilities of war. Also, pray for the American president and his advisors, that they are wise enough to aid the causes of justice and peace.

A O

For those of you who like to use all numerals to write out the date, did you enjoy 2-22-22 on Tuesday?

A O