Let not anyone pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.
War is a terrible affair that should be avoided at all costs. Free people would rather occupy themselves with practically anything else. Most of us would like to have nothing to do with it. Sometimes, people develop an “anti-war” identity, which often extends to isolationism—a policy of non-intervention. It seems a high-minded principle. What’s wrong with wanting peace?
While peace is a most precious thing and a lofty goal, sadly, peace cannot come from non-intervention. History shows us how non-intervention, in fact, escalates the violence. There was a surplus of non-intervention at the start of the Second World War and it resulted in the most heinous atrocities in the history of mankind. To achieve peace, evil must be contested. The price we pay depends on how quickly we take the threat seriously.
If we hesitate, things will deteriorate in Ukraine. People who have tasted freedom will never accept enslavement, and so, Ukrainians will never bow to Russia. They will fight to the death, ensuring a protracted war that is shaped from the mold of continuous occupation and insurgency. The only way Russia can hold and stabilize Ukraine is genocide. The tactics of Russian attacks have already shown a steady march toward ratcheting up brutality. Looking away from this 21st century genocide, with the benefit of history to show us what is at stake, is not an option.
Non-intervention will only lead to further incursions against peace and more war.
