Editor, The Beacon:

It is with great sadness that I read and hear in the news that we are abandoning our support for Ukraine in their war to defend their country against the Russian invasion. In what is left of our democratic republic, I understand that the president alone cannot continue to commit our nation to support another country, but that a consensus of Congress is also required. Unfortunately, the majority of our country’s legislators have decided to cut off further aid for the Ukrainians. Shortsighted? Time will tell.

However, abandoning former (and current) allies is something we have done repeatedly. Our country has a checkered past when it comes to such actions: the Hungarians in 1956, the Cuban expats at the Bay of Pigs, the Montagnards in Vietnam, the Kurds in Iraq, our interpreters and supporters in Afghanistan, and many others over the years who didn’t make headlines.

We continue this modus operandi to this day but, amazingly, somehow our allies still trust us. Will this trust continue after we back away from NATO, Taiwan, Israel and others? Once again, time will tell what the ultimate damage to our country will be.

Studying history teaches us an important lesson: that we do not learn from it. Our nation once had a long-standing practice of treating those who betrayed its trust and security with harsh penalties. The various Benedict Arnolds, Rosenbergs and a host of modern-day double agents all were executed or spent their lives in prison. Today, we elect them to public office.

That these practices are untenable is clear. What our nation is going to do about it is less so. Time will tell.

Don Kanfer
DeLand