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 What's next?by Jamie McKenzie(about author) |
Much as we would like to be clairvoyant and see what is coming, especially when it comes to a horrendous war like the one punishing the people of the Ukraine and threatening all of Europe, it is nearly impossible to guess the next moves of a madman like Putin or his band of henchmen and women. It is tempting in such cases to allow wishful thinking like that shown below to shape one's forecast.
PredictionThere will be a coup d'état within the next few months, and Putin's regime will come to an end.Putin's cruel and criminal war against the people of the Ukraine has proven disastrously incompetent for all concerned, with horrible destruction, civilian casualties, and injuries. He has shown himself to be out of touch with reality and unable to manage. Countless thousands have perished because of his madness and many more will die if he is not stopped. The poem below was written for a different regime but seems timely for Putin. Let's hope his inner circle grows tired of his bad leadership and sends him off to Siberia. Some regimes need changingSome regimesJust like diapers Trash Or dirty laundry Need changing From time to time Smelling bad And reeking of corruption Putin should be shackled Turned out of office And sent packing Banned from Pravda VGTRK And news outlets of all kinds This madman should be sent into exile Like Napoleon Sent to labor in Siberian salt mines Or stranded on some desert island Like Robinson Crusoe Unplugged And deprived of all pleasures Like Borscht Coffee And quail eggs He must be silenced Once and for all Muzzled Gagged And muted Put out of commission And hushed Finally CaveatEven with Putin sent packing, there is no guarantee the new leaders will stop this insane war, as the conflict gives authoritan leaders an excuse for harsh measures and the suspension of civil liberties. It is unlikely a new regime will accept defeat and dishonor. If anything, they are likely to shake up and replace the military leadership that has bungled the first year of the war.Regime change -- as was shown during the French and Russian revolutions -- often brings with it turmoil, uncertainty and even more change. Rarely does it proceed calmly and well. The guillotine first used on the king, the queen and the nobility was soon sharpened and used to behead some of the early leaders of the rebellion like Robespierre. As the old adage goes, "Be careful what you wish for!" Celebrating Victory in 2017I spent six months living in Russia –– Sochi -- during 2017, and I watched families marching in the Victory Day Parade like those shown in the photo below. It was very touching seeing the reverence felt for fathers, mothers and grandparents who turned aside the Nazi assaults in World War II. But it was also disturbing to see the militarization of tiny children. So many little kids dressed up in uniforms. One wonders how many of the men, women and children who marched that day will die in Putin's war or lose a parent? Watching this parade inspired the following poem: Never EndingEach war beginsIt seems With celebration Cheers And fanfare The promise of a quick victory Death to the Hun! The Nazi! The zealot on the other side An end to tyranny An end to war altogether The triumph of our side Against their side With God’s blessing A chance for young men And young women To taste glory Show courage And win medals But each war lies Breaks promises Maims And lasts far too long Each war takes the husbands From wives Wives from husbands Mothers and fathers From children 
Each war takes away the young Before their time Kills dreams Destroys hope And plants new seeds For wars to come We cannot escape It seems As time and again Destiny beckons Parades begin Flags fly proudly And trumpets sound the call to arms As sons and daughters heed the call And once again We go marching Marching Happily marching Off to war While few people recognize it, Putin actually started his war against the Ukrainian people back in 2014, and the militarization of his citizens is no accident, as the New York Times pointed out recently in "In a Celebration of War, Moscow Displays, and Demands, Unity." |
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