An open letter to Senator Johnson

To the Editor:

President Trump promised to quickly end the war in Ukraine. I was skeptical: history tells us the only quick end to a war is surrender.

After the USSR collapsed, the 1994 Budapest Memorandum signed by Russia, the U.K., and the U.S. gave Ukraine security promises in exchange for the country giving up its nuclear arsenal. I am shocked the President expects Ukraine to effectively surrender. Ukraine was under Soviet rule before and it did not go well they can expect no better if they surrender now.

Putin has made it clear he wants to make Russia great again and restore the Soviet empire. Our policies seem to be saying this is OK with us?!? We give Russia a sphere of influence in Europe and back out? I was part of the cold war. We won! Now we are giving it back?

Europe is rearming and countries are considering nuclear weapons as the US can’t be trusted to keep its commitments. This is destabilizing, increasing the likelihood of future conflict.

China is threatening Taiwan. Are we planning to let China take it? Then what about the rest of Southeast Asia? China is claiming the South China Sea already; are we really ready to let them control this critical international trade route?

Now we have declared an economic emergency and declared a trade war with the whole world. What happened to negotiation and treaties? China is ready to fill the trade leadership role we are abandoning. Trade wars also don’t end quickly unless someone surrenders. And now the whole world is uniting against us. Sadly, America first is becoming America alone! 

Our Founding Fathers mandated Congress make the laws and policies for the Executive Branch to enforce. I expect you to take a lead in getting Congress back in the saddle and starting meaningful bipartisan debate to take back Congress's Constitutional authority and establish policies in the long-term interests of the United States. 

William E. Wright

Rhinelander