The war in Ukraine is now two weeks old. And all the reporting and the videos coming from inside the country shows signs of things possibly getting worse.
More shelling in civilian areas by Russian troops with some cities cut off from food water and electricity. More refugees fleeing Ukraine, well over two million so far, with more to come. More concern among U.S. intelligence officials about what they say a frustrated and angry Vladimir Putin may do next.
And despite emotional pleas from the President of Ukraine for a no-fly zone or fighter jets from the U.S. and NATO, including an impassioned speech to the British Parliament this week quoting Winston Churchill from the start of World War II, except for Poland, the response has been no. But some arguing there is little difference between giving land-based anti-aircraft missiles and fighter jets to Ukraine.
All of this has raised worries among many people in the U.S and Europe who wonder if this is the start of another world war.
The history of Ukraine is riddled with communist and Nazi oppression and millions of deaths. And the history of Russia is marked by murderous dictators and the imprisonment and deaths of millions of Russians.
We must hope that all those involved keep in mind the quotation that Winston Churchill used, that “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
(Photo Getty Images)