Today’s New York Times (August 18, 2022) reported that President Vladimir V. Putin of Imperial Russia and President Xi Jinping of China (PRC) plan to attend the November G20 Summit Conference in Bali, Indonesia.
Considering the ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine and the massacre of untold thousands of civilians, it is hard to understand how President Biden can sit in the same room with these dictators. We remember Guernica, Katyn, Lidice, Oradour Sur Glane and countless other atrocities against civilian populations. History and human decency require that the criminal Russian assault on Ukraine cannot be permitted to continue for another moment. So, President Biden, if you want to be a statesman remembered by history as one who stood up for humanity at a time of international criminal indecency, don’t meet with Putin and Xi. You have nothing to negotiate with them. No more Munichs! But if you want to be remembered as the American Neville Chamberlain, by all means go to Bali and lick the tyrant’s boots.
Joe, Americans believe that you are a decent man. Stay home! Don’t go to Bali!
Garry S. Sklar
Coimbra, Portugal
August 18, 2022
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