Opinion | At Stake in the Ukraine-Russia War

To the Editor:

Re “The Biden Administration Is Escalating the War in Ukraine,” by Christopher Caldwell (Opinion visitor essay, Feb. 9):

As Vladimir Putin continues to escalate his battle in opposition to the civilian inhabitants of Ukraine with indiscriminate bombing of condominium homes, hospitals, colleges and very important infrastructure, Mr. Caldwell makes an attempt to mount an argument that it’s the Biden administration that’s wrongly escalating the battle.

He writes that “Russians say this is a war in which Russia is fighting for its survival and against the United States in an unfair global order in which the United States enjoys unearned privileges.”

Mr. Caldwell’s thesis appears to be that if we go away Ukraine in a comparatively weakened army place, peace will come via negotiations. We discovered virtually a century in the past how that type of appeasement technique is a recipe for catastrophe.

It is Mr. Putin who’s now combating for his personal survival, not the survival of Russia. And there isn’t any purpose to consider that he can or will decide on phrases that don’t contain the acquisition of considerable Ukrainian territory.

Is that an final result that serves the pursuits of the United States, Europe or the remainder of the free world? I don’t suppose so.

Mark A. Jacoby
Palm Beach, Fla.

To the Editor:

Christopher Caldwell’s essay criticizing the Biden administration for its army help of Ukraine and calling for negotiations seems to equate the invader and the invaded.

To check with historical past as justification for bare aggression covers Vladimir Putin’s need to reconstitute Russian and Soviet empires. It’s dictatorship versus democracy.

By serving to Ukraine, NATO and the Biden administration are defending greater than Ukraine. They are defending free nations previously underneath Russian domination and past.

To negotiate now would give Mr. Putin time to resume Russia’s army in order to assault Ukraine with better drive.

Peace, which all of us need, will come when aggression is repelled.

Aaron Krauss
Margate, N.J.

To the Editor:

Christopher Caldwell’s issues about additional escalation in Ukraine are completely legit and on level. The U.S. is funneling more and more highly effective weaponry to the Ukrainian Army and exhibits no signal of stopping till Kyiv achieves its battle aims. American weapons, to place it bluntly, are killing Russian troopers.

But it’s vital to notice that the Biden administration has up to now been profitable in treading the line between aiding Ukraine’s battle effort and avoiding the type of escalation that might draw NATO and Russia right into a direct confrontation. The Russian Army has its palms full coping with a vigilant, extremely motivated Ukrainian army and is in no place to broaden the battle by combating 30 NATO members concurrently.

Yet as worn out as the Russian Army is, the U.S. and its allies in Europe mustn’t underestimate Vladimir Putin’s dedication to succeeding in the battle — or a minimum of producing one thing that may be bought as a win again house. This is why rumors of some U.S. officers supporting a Ukrainian army offensive into Crimea are wholly irresponsible.

Unlike different areas of Ukraine’s east and south, Russia has successfully managed the strategic peninsula for almost a decade. Just as vital, Crimea is integrally tied to Mr. Putin’s personal legacy as a frontrunner. Losing it’s merely not an choice for him — and no one ought to dismiss his willingness to take extraordinary measures, together with presumably dabbling with nuclear weapons, to maintain it.

As troublesome as it’s for some to confess, the pursuits of the U.S. and Ukraine aren’t completely aligned. A battle over Crimea may deliver these variations to the forefront.

Daniel R. DePetris
New Rochelle, N.Y.
The author is a fellow at Defense Priorities, a international coverage suppose tank primarily based in Washington.

To the Editor:

Re “New York Drops Masking Rule for Hospitals” (news article, Feb. 12):

I’m appalled by the audacity of Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York State’s appearing well being commissioner, Dr. James McDonald, in eradicating the masks mandate in well being settings in the state.

This will put medically fragile individuals and seniors at better danger of Covid and its extra dire penalties. The authorities has a duty to guard all of its residents.

Dr. McDonald admits that “the pandemic is not over.” Why then are choices being made as if it’s?

The determination to go away masking guidelines as much as every well being facility is dangerous and unwell suggested; it have to be reversed.

How a lot of an inconvenience is it to put on a masks for one hour for a health care provider’s appointment, figuring out that you would be saving somebody’s life?

Vitalah Gayle Simon
Armonk, N.Y.

Averting Future Pandemics

Mr. Kristof highlights the true prices of large-scale pig manufacturing, whereas Ms. Tufekci discusses the hazard of H5N1 mutation via industrial poultry manufacturing.

As somebody who has labored since 2006 on avian influenza and rising pandemic threats in Africa and Southeast Asia, I used to be struck by the relationship between these items. As we assess the dangers of future pandemics, it’s helpful to take a step again to look at the underlying parts of the risk.

The demand for animal protein and its manufacturing is a significant supply of danger for future influenza and coronavirus outbreaks. Since pigs and poultry are confirmed conduits for spillover to people, viral surveillance at these manufacturing amenities have to be a nationwide and worldwide precedence.

Jerry Martin
Gaithersburg, Md.
The author is former director of USAID’s Preparedness and Response Project.

Turning to YouTube: Yes! Or Is It Maybe?

To the Editor:

Re “There Already Is a Better Search Engine Than Google, and It’s Not ChatGPT,” by Farhad Manjoo (column, Feb. 4):

I’m an 80-year-old lady residing alone. I flip to YouTube first every time one thing goes amiss in my house — largely in the space of expertise and typically even with recalcitrant home equipment. I do know sufficient to show off the energy sources to my home equipment earlier than I let YouTube assist me do its magic.

Aside from the feeling of satisfaction I get from fixing an annoying drawback, YouTube relieves me of the burden of calling my sons for assist. Although they all the time are prepared to come back to my assist, I understand how exasperating an aged, needy mom will be.

And apart from, my sons are quick approaching the age the place they too should flip to their super-savvy children for assist.

Nancy Wergeles
Marina del Rey, Calif.

To the Editor:

While I completely agree that watching YouTube movies could be very useful to discover ways to do a pirouette or repair the kitchen drainpipe, I take problem with it as a go-to analysis software.

There are already method too many children (and doubtless adults) who’ve neither the capability or stamina to learn via a prolonged article so that you can recommend that they additional cut back their talent stage by having them be taught from movies as an alternative of phrases.

This former English instructor encourages studying.

Mindi Lo Cicero
Yonkers, N.Y.