Bring Putin to his knees

OPINION:

Many people know of the story in the Book of Exodus about the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh. At the beginning of the story, the Hebrew population becomes numerous and Pharaoh becomes uneasy about the possibility that the Israelites will join forces with some other group to throw him off. But along comes Moses to liberate his people. We can find a contemporary analogy in the current situation in Ukraine.

It is no secret that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin would like to return Ukraine to the Russian Federation. As with Pharaoh in Exodus, Mr. Putin’s brutal war of aggression is means of terrible oppression. But he did not count on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to emerge as a modern-day Moses, rallying his people to preserve their freedom.

We do not know how many sanctions will be applied in the current situation or to what effect, but if we are to continue the biblical parallel, none will be good. The last plague in Exodus is the worst and brings Pharaoh and the Egyptians to their knees. Ukraine must have the weapons necessary to bring Putin to his knees, too — and time is running out.

The slowness of the West in its supply of aid to Ukraine has been galling. Ukraine immediately needs sufficient A-10s and other aircraft, drones, Stinger and Hellfire missiles, tanks, personnel carriers and rocket launchers. Only then will Mr. Putin be forced to relent. And only then will the West have made good on its claim that it supports freedom-loving people everywhere.

Otherwise, the Western world will forever have Ukrainian blood on its hands.

PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN

Mentor, Ohio