On Feb. 23 Sen. Mike Lee took to the friendly confines of Fox News to advocate for reduction of U.S. support of the fight for democracy currently underway in Ukraine. He parroted the former president’s talking point about holding back support until all NATO countries spend the same amount on defense as the U.S., something I am certain that the aggressor in this situation, Vladimir Putin, was happy to hear.
Facts get in the way of Lee’s argument, however. The U.S. is not carrying water for all European countries threatened by Russia’s war. Per the Institute for World Economy, the U.S. is fifth in total economic support of Ukraine as a percentage of GDP. Estonia is first, with nearly three times the relative support, followed closely by Latvia. From a financial-only perspective, Poland is first. From a humanitarian aid perspective, the U.S. ranks 16th. For the world’s richest country to rank this low is embarrassing.
Sen. Lee and others on the extreme right, apparently need to be reminded that 70 years ago the U.S.’s Greatest Generation was willing to fight and win a war on foreign soil against fascism. Lee and others in that camp now seem willing to let authoritarian, fascist behavior go unchecked. They dishonor those who defended democracy in WWII and their own oaths of office when they do so.
Bill Hooper, Taylorsville