On Tuesday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson called someone “evil,” which is not something he would normally do.
The governor was referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he was saying it in response to a question about former President Trump, whom Hutchinson isn’t crazy about, either.
In a radio interview, Trump described Putin’s declaring part of Ukraine independent and then invading, supposedly to help keep peace, as “genius” and “savvy.”
Trump wasn’t endorsing the invasion. He was saying the Russian leader’s geopolitical tactics and strategies were effective in achieving their ends.
If that’s all he was doing, then Trump misread the situation. Putin has united much of the world against him, and his economy is headed toward a collapse. His military invasion of his much weaker neighbor has stalled as of this writing. He can’t even keep his trucks fueled up.
Anyway, here’s what Hutchinson, chairman of the National Governors Association, said on MSNBC Tuesday.
“Putin is evil, and he needs to be called such, and anybody who does not call out Putin for the person that he is and the atrocities that he is conducting, they’re not the leader of the party that I believe in, in terms of Ronald Reagan’s strength,” he said. “And ‘course, [Reagan] called Russia the evil empire. Well, let’s call it as it is, and this is aggression that needs to stop, and I want all of our Republican leaders to be united in that voice.”
The governor typically has been careful not to paint things in an us-versus-them light, which can’t be said of many elected officials – and aspiring elected officials – these days. A few weeks ago, he sat almost shoulder to shoulder on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with his Democratic vice chairman from New Jersey and extolled the virtues of finding common ground.
But he understandably doesn’t see any common ground with Putin. This week, he directed his state agencies to determine if they were doing any business with Russia and ensure the state isn’t helping strengthen the Russian economy. Likewise, both the Arkansas House and Senate passed resolutions calling on the United States to take strong steps against Russia while increasing its own energy production.
When thinking about Putin’s actions, we should at least try to understand his geopolitical motivations. We’ve all safely assumed that he’s trying to rebuild the old
Soviet empire, red brick by red brick. This time, he decided to do it using brute force against his weaker neighbor.
The Russians do have an understandable concern about the expansion of NATO, the alliance built to contain and, if needed, defeat the U.S.S.R. That’s the country Putin served as a KGB agent as a young man.
But that certainly doesn’t justify this invasion. It’s the illegitimate act of a frightened, isolated bully that lost its last fight, the Cold War.
Putin should have no reason to invade Ukraine. It ought to be to Russia as Canada is to the United States – a close, smaller ally that’s happy to benefit from a peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship. Russia and Ukraine have a shared history, and many Ukrainians speak Russian. Many Ukrainians have family in Russia and vice versa.
Instead, Ukraine has been moving in the other direction, toward Europe. That’s because that direction offers more freedom and prosperity, and because Russia is a threat.
If you’re Russia and your own younger brother is moving away from you, and the friends you have left are China and a few other bad actors, and the rest of the world is condemning you (and China’s not too happy with you, either) – then maybe your problem isn’t Ukraine.
Maybe the problem is you, and your leader.
Steve Brawner is a freelance journalist and syndicated columnist. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @stevebrawner.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Governor calls Putin ‘evil’; he’s definitely a bully | Steve Brawner