03/04/2022
Lynn Murphy Mark
You have to be a certain age to remember the years of what was known as “The Cold War”. It’s a term given to the time between the end of World War II, circa 1945, and late into the 1980’s.
It was called a cold war because the two adversaries, Russia and the United States, never went to war against each other. But there was plenty of tension as our understanding of the power of a nuclear bomb was made clear. Both countries had a nuclear arsenal that could have shut down the other if its weapons were ever deployed.
I grew up in the 1950’s and 1960’s – really at the height of the Cold War. As school children, we were to practice getting under our desks in the event of a nuclear attack. As if that would have been any kind of protection against the devastation of a nuclear bomb. It was an exercise designed to give us a (false) sense of security.
Last night the news came that a section of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located in Ukraine, was under attack and that a fire had started in one of its buildings. As the news unfolded we were told that the power plant itself was intact and there were no indications of radiation in the air surrounding the plant. Nevertheless, the fact that Russia was willing to attack a nuclear arsenal and attempt to take it over was absolutely chilling.
This morning’s news is that Russian forces have gained control of the plant after fierce fighting.
This against the background of Putin’s increasingly erratic behavior. I can’t imagine a more terrifying combination.
Yesterday I had lunch with a friend. We talked about the situation in Ukraine and how Putin’s plan to waltz in and take over this country has backfired. She pointed out that his actions have actually caused over 150 countries to sanction Russia in ways that will no doubt hurt its economy and its people. Despite this, Russian troops’ aggressive actions in bombarding civilian areas increases each day.
Just writing about this causes a cold hand to close around my heart. Putin, now backed into a corner, may well decide to use his nuclear arsenal against any country that interferes with his devastating moves in Ukraine. And, in Russia, any use of the word “war” may result in an arrest and imprisonment. News media agencies who reported the truth to the Russian people have disbanded and fled the country.
I pray for peace, knowing that it may be a long time before this war is resolved. I pray for the people of Ukraine as they are terrorized by a mad man. I’ve even tried praying for Putin. I pray for our government and the efforts we are making to assist Ukraine without actually setting foot in the country. I understand why we can’t join their fighting forces. But we can supply them with whatever they need to hold off a Russian take over.
I pray for all of us as the specter of another Cold War looms over us. As for the people in this country who are verbalizing support for Putin, I say go join him. You deserve each other.