---

Dear Editor;
As I see the destruction in Ukraine, this is the question I ask.
Biden just announced we will stop buying oil from Russia, but we have had months of buying blood oil under Biden's new energy policy. Remember, Putin first invaded Ukraine in 2014 and this war is simply a massive escalation. This is shameful, unconscionable, and preventable.
Putin saw weakness in Obama and he saw weakness in his successor, Biden.
Putin has had his eye on Ukraine for a long time and at age 69, with Biden as POTUS, he saw his chance. In Putin's own words,
Ukraine was created by communism and since communism no longer exists, Ukraine has no right to either. He used NATO membership, fighting the neo-Nazi Ukrainian government, and stopping genocide against Russians all as propaganda weapons. His true purpose was always to conquer Ukraine and make it Russia again as it was in the Russian Empire.
Trump's excellent Secretary of State, Pompeo, used a multi-prong strategy of deterrence and, a critical fact is we were energy independent. The price of oil was low and Putin was getting a fraction of the money he gets today. Skyrocketing inflation which is a direct tax on the poor is brought to you courtesy of Biden's Democrats. So is this war.
It is time to give them the greatest rebuke in history this November.
Please give to reputable charities to help Ukrainians. I have friends in Kiev I visited years ago.
charitynavigator.org rates charities. Use it to help you give your hard earned money. God bless Ukraine.

Gregory Erickson
Dodgeville, WI