I wrote the other day on Facebook that maybe leaders in Ukraine are a lot smarter than I am. They are exercising remarkable restraint against the provocations of a hostile foreign government that has illegally invaded their territory. I'm sure part of the reason is just the realization that bloodshed hurts everyone and their desire to keep diplomatic channels open.
In my heart I know the best action to take, especially from someone like me is to pray for a peaceful resolution, encourage others yo do the same, and minister comfort, reconciliation,and the Gospel when and where I can. But part of me just wants to fight.
So maybe I'm not smart enough to lead a country (although I have beaten Risk at the expert level on my IPad countless times!) But maybe I'm smart enough to write a good movie screenplay. The climactic scene in the final 1/3 of the movie might look something like this:
The American President takes his place in front of international news media for an important announcement. Think Bill Pullman from Independence Day or Harrison Ford from Air Force One.
He clears his throat and says: "Today I'd like to announce an historic meeting that will take place Friday. Almost 70 years ago the leaders of the free world gathered in Yalta to discuss re-drawing the map of Europe at the end of WW2. This Friday the PM from England, myself, and the President of Russia will meet again on those historic grounds for the same purpose. Actually, we forgot to invite Vlad, but if you're watching this on tv, feel free to come to the meeting. It will be in your best interest to do so. And actually, we won't be drawing any maps...we already did that. The map in question will look very familiar; it's the same map of Ukraine we've grown accustomed to these past 20 or so
years."
"The US and UK are guarantors of a treaty signed in Budapest to protect Ukraine's borders and sovereignty. The Acting President of Ukraine has invited us to Ukraine (unlike the bully who is there without an invitation) to enforce the treaty."
"Vlad has repeatedly suggested that their presence in the region is to protect their citizens. Our Ukrainian partners are at this minute issuing a declaration that Dual Citizenship Passports are no longer allowed in Ukraine. You can be an ethnic whatever-in-the-world you want to be but if you're in Ukraine you can only be a citizen of one country. If you're a Russian National, then pack your bags and go home. This week. Before Friday. Failure to do so will result in confiscation of all assets and immediate and irrevocable expulsion.
"Vlad made it a rather big deal last week when he called for a Snap Military Drill to see how quickly
he could mobilize his forces. Good job. You showed the world they can move quickly. That's a good thing because you'll have 24 hours following the close of Friday's meeting to withdraw all forces and hardware from Ukraine. This is not an empty threat. Beginning midday Saturday A-10 Warthogs will make scrap metal of every truck, tank, personnel carrier and riding lawnmower still in Ukraine."
"And as for the premise of protecting your naval base in Sevastopol; it is no longer yours. Your blatant disregard for Ukraine's sovereignty and that Budapest Agreement makes that lease agreement null and void effective immediately. If your ships and sailors aren't sailing out of Ukraine's water by Saturday afternoon we will sink them where they berth. If you interfere with our ships in international waters deployed to enforce this ultimatum then we will sink every ship you have in the Eastern Hemisphere. We know your Subs are stealthy but you know we can make it dang hard to ever come up for breath!"
The final scene features Ukrainians at peace looking at social media and newspaper headlines of Maidan-like uprisings in virtually every quarter of the Federation.
In my heart I know the best action to take, especially from someone like me is to pray for a peaceful resolution, encourage others yo do the same, and minister comfort, reconciliation,and the Gospel when and where I can. But part of me just wants to fight.
So maybe I'm not smart enough to lead a country (although I have beaten Risk at the expert level on my IPad countless times!) But maybe I'm smart enough to write a good movie screenplay. The climactic scene in the final 1/3 of the movie might look something like this:
The American President takes his place in front of international news media for an important announcement. Think Bill Pullman from Independence Day or Harrison Ford from Air Force One.
He clears his throat and says: "Today I'd like to announce an historic meeting that will take place Friday. Almost 70 years ago the leaders of the free world gathered in Yalta to discuss re-drawing the map of Europe at the end of WW2. This Friday the PM from England, myself, and the President of Russia will meet again on those historic grounds for the same purpose. Actually, we forgot to invite Vlad, but if you're watching this on tv, feel free to come to the meeting. It will be in your best interest to do so. And actually, we won't be drawing any maps...we already did that. The map in question will look very familiar; it's the same map of Ukraine we've grown accustomed to these past 20 or so
years."
"The US and UK are guarantors of a treaty signed in Budapest to protect Ukraine's borders and sovereignty. The Acting President of Ukraine has invited us to Ukraine (unlike the bully who is there without an invitation) to enforce the treaty."
"Vlad has repeatedly suggested that their presence in the region is to protect their citizens. Our Ukrainian partners are at this minute issuing a declaration that Dual Citizenship Passports are no longer allowed in Ukraine. You can be an ethnic whatever-in-the-world you want to be but if you're in Ukraine you can only be a citizen of one country. If you're a Russian National, then pack your bags and go home. This week. Before Friday. Failure to do so will result in confiscation of all assets and immediate and irrevocable expulsion.
"Vlad made it a rather big deal last week when he called for a Snap Military Drill to see how quickly
he could mobilize his forces. Good job. You showed the world they can move quickly. That's a good thing because you'll have 24 hours following the close of Friday's meeting to withdraw all forces and hardware from Ukraine. This is not an empty threat. Beginning midday Saturday A-10 Warthogs will make scrap metal of every truck, tank, personnel carrier and riding lawnmower still in Ukraine."
"And as for the premise of protecting your naval base in Sevastopol; it is no longer yours. Your blatant disregard for Ukraine's sovereignty and that Budapest Agreement makes that lease agreement null and void effective immediately. If your ships and sailors aren't sailing out of Ukraine's water by Saturday afternoon we will sink them where they berth. If you interfere with our ships in international waters deployed to enforce this ultimatum then we will sink every ship you have in the Eastern Hemisphere. We know your Subs are stealthy but you know we can make it dang hard to ever come up for breath!"
The final scene features Ukrainians at peace looking at social media and newspaper headlines of Maidan-like uprisings in virtually every quarter of the Federation.
2 comments:
I love this post. Thank you for writing about what is happening in Ukraine. I'm praying for peace and for reconciliatory fights, if/where needed. I cannot imagine what it's like for them to fight for their freedom in this way. Be safe and be well. - Love you, friend.
I love it...
Post a Comment