US-Ukraine Observer: "America's Need for New Friends"

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the US-Ukraine Observer:

Writing in the US-Ukraine Observer, Michael Morris analyzes why "in Europe today Ukraine could become one of America's most trusted friends":

"America's Need for New Friends"

"It is no secret to anyone, whether politician or ordinary citizen, that many countries no longer number among America's friends. Even if some were only superficial friends, they nonetheless demonstrated their friendship. After the Arab Spring and its revolutions unfolded in those countries to which America sought to bring a greater degree of freedom, a virulent anti-American sentiment took hold. Governments coming to power have shown their hatred towards America; and the freedom which Mrs. Clinton brought to the "oppressed" has been throttled or incarcerated. What we have been witnessing here is the collision of two versions of freedom: the enlightened Western concept and the Sharia-based version.

"Certain political figures live with a naive belief that the entire world desires to embrace their notion of freedom. It is striking, but they do not grasp that, in a number of countries, there are people with views completely alien to theirs. And, just as one cannot expect to explain higher mathematics to a first-grader, so, too, is it impossible to convey the concepts of equality and freedom to a country whose laws allow women to be beaten and marriages to children to occur. It is likewise impossible to apply the knowledge acquired from liberal professors in American universities to a setting where people are prepared to assault and kill the "bearers of freedom."

"In many parts of the world, liberal theories do not work in reality. It is really so simple to recall that what is important is not only HOW one wants to change a regime but WHERE one wants to change it.

"I know that all revolutions - Soviet, Arab, those with symbolic colors and all the others - leave blood and death in their wake. On paper Marxism looks attractive and appealing, but, in reality, it always leads to concentration camps. We experienced that very keenly while living in Ukraine during Soviet times.

"Often I tell my children, I have hundreds of friends, but I need the fingers of only one hand to count my true friends. The same holds true for America.

"The very wise Solomon observed: There is a time for everything: a time to cast stones and a time to gather stones. There was a time when America lost friends. Perhaps now, though, we have reached a critical moment when we need to make new friendships.

"Let's take Ukraine as an example. It is a country with a population of some 50 million, wonderful people, and wonderful natural surroundings. After seventy years of Soviet subjugation, Ukraine today is a free nation and, for the past 20 years, has pursued a challenging path towards democracy and freedom. Ukraine holds an important strategic position as the gateway between Europe and Russia. Do you grasp what I am suggesting here? It is important to know who will be passing through that gateway.

"Ukraine is a country whose people have a long tradition of showing their love for America, not only its blue jeans but American songs and literature as well; they support America's policy goals. Simply stated, they love Americans. Let's not forget that Ukraine sent its own soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq to show its support for America.

"I am absolutely sure that in Europe today Ukraine could become one of America's most trusted friends. But America needs to show flexibility and not keep dwelling on Ukraine's deficiencies, which one can find in every other country as well. America should demonstrate its desire for a reliable, important and needed friend. With a hand on our hearts, we know that politics does not function without compromise. That is why even America has to close its eyes and avert its glance from situations in certain friendly countries, where not only is democracy absent but, as they say, "there is not even a scent" of it. By contrast, Ukraine is a large European power that genuinely wants to cooperate with the US. Allow me to repeat the important word "genuinely," which is extremely rare in the world's political life.

"The American president could undertake a friendship visit to ancient, magnificent Kiev. I am sure that one such visit would suffice to ensure friendship for many years. Incidentally, Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich, pinned with his country between the West and Russia, has constantly emphasized that for him Ukrainian-American friendship is a matter of the greatest priority.

"There is an ironic saying in Ukraine: The blind man proclaimed, We will see what will be!  We, however, are not blind; we can look out to the future. It is not without its perils. But in difficult situations true friends are particularly important."

US-Ukraine Observer, "America's Need for New Friends" http://www.usukraineobserver.com/issue19173.html

Contact: Frank Abernathy, 615-290-5662, [email protected]

SOURCE U.S.-Ukraine Observer

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED