Instead of gawking over headlines, buying a sunflower, or hanging a Ukrainian flag up, let’s look at this soberly.

by Kolby LaMarche

I apologize if this headline unsettles you, but it’s necessary. And, to some of the public, this very headline may cause fluid to seep from the mouth in total rage and agony. I understand that many of you deeply care about the impact of this conflict on the Ukrainian people, and so do I.

But of all the wars that are occurring right now why Ukraine? Why not Afghanistan, or Central African Republic, Ethiopia, or Libya, Somalia, South Sudan? Syria? Remember Syria? Back when that conflict and the influx of refugees that came with it captivated Vermonters.

Instead of gawking over headlines, buying a sunflower, or hanging a Ukrainian flag up, let’s look at this soberly.

It is time for the United States to abandon Ukraine. When, other than World War II, has our engagement or aid been helpful in creating long-term national and global stability? Where have trillions upon trillions of our great American dollars gotten us, our image, and our principles?

We must get over this total bed-wetting fear we have about Russia. It is no longer the 15-member strong Socialist Republic bloc; its economy is in shambles, plagued by civil unrest and internal government conflicts. They are still stuck in a war with little significant progress. Despite this, despite our nearly $800 billion annual military expenditure and all of our allies across the world, we still anxiously fret over Russia.

This isn’t about democracy – that is something the U.S. simply can’t get right. This isn’t about national security – our enemies lay further East. This, simply, is about quick corporate profit. And I beseech you to play their game no more.

The Ukrainians will not be the ones who reap the greatest benefits of our support. Arms industry operatives like Lockheed Martin or Raytheon Technologies will, so long as this war continues, rake in billions. And even after the war ends, profit will be for the taking. The multinational firms BlackRock and JPMorgan are setting the groundwork to have enormous influence in post-war Ukraine under the guise of “support”.

When this war dissolves, the Ukrainians will be ensnared by the corporatists of the West. Unexploded American cluster munitions will stain their countryside in blood. Resentment towards the West by Russia and its supporting states will reach a tipping point. But the West will still, as always, claim victory for peace. But at what cost?

Currently, 133 billion crisp U.S. dollars and growing. Critical U.S. pocket change that has the potential to eradicate poverty, feed every American, house the homeless, provide quality care to our veterans, and heal American infrastructure to strengthen it against the impacts of a changing climate. But we’ve opted to shovel it off to corporations.

If we honestly care about the future of Ukraine, if we care about U.S. interests, then we must respect Ukraine’s autonomy and refrain from further engagement as we open a path that enables the Ukrainian people to shape their destiny and find their own solutions to the challenges they face. We have certainly given them the tools to succeed. Meanwhile, we in the U.S. must strategically target our vast economic resources on providing relief to marginalized Americans desperately in need. It’s time.

Burning Sky is dedicated to providing critique and commentary on the issues of the day from an unapologetic perspective, fueling change in the heart of Vermont. Authored by Kolby LaMarche every Saturday.