I am a lifelong, devout pacifist. I marched in demonstrations against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. But, even as a pacifist, I have to say Larry Seaquist is right [“Destroy the Russian army now or Putin’s world order wins,” April 21, Opinion].
One sad but clear lesson of history is that if aggressors are not stopped early, the aggression continues and gets worse. If Adolf Hitler had been confronted by an overwhelming combined European, British and American defense force before invading Poland, there likely would have been no invasion and no WWII.
Legitimate democracies must stand together to stop and repel Russia with overwhelming military force. We must teach the lesson that no country can be allowed to annex or gain territory of a weaker neighbor by unprovoked invasion and war. No one, not even Vladimir Putin with all his Hitler-like bravado and hubris, would launch or continue a war in which he is certain to suffer a devastating and humiliating loss. For him it would be a lesson begrudgingly learned.
Jerry Cronk, Shoreline