WILLIAMSON
FOR
U.S. CONGRESS

DEMOCRAT

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6

480-607-9726

"The Future Can Be Ours!"

Dear Friend,

Russian President Vladimir Putin is probably not going to be winning the
Nobel Peace Prize anytime soon. It is said that President Putin has a
nostalgia for the days of the Soviet Union; that nostalgia has perhaps
obscured his awareness that Ukraine is no longer a part of the Soviet
Union, but a sovereign country unto itself. President Putin has evidently
not yet caught up with this concept.

While it is true that in the past Crimea was a part of the Soviet Union,
in today's world it is part of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Therefore,
Russian President Vladimir Putin's order that Russian troops occupy Crimea
is, as President Obama has stated, a violation of international law; it
interferes with Ukraine's self-determination and autonomy.

Crimea has long been associated with Russian history. Leo Tolstoy, author
of the great Russian novel WAR AND PEACE, first broke into print with his
literary work THE SEBASTOPOL SKETCHES, published in 1855. Tolstoy, who was
an officer in the Russian army at the time, transferred to the besieged
town of Sebastopol in Crimea in 1854. He wished to see at first hand the
action of what would become known as the Crimean War. He was spurred on to
do this not only by patriotism but also by a desire to alert the
authorities to appalling conditions in the army. (information source:
Description of the Penguin Classic at www.amazon.com.)

Prior to the Russian occupation of Crimea on Friday, Feb. 28, Sebastopol
seemed once again in an insecure condition, because Russians living in
that area felt threatened by the opposition government that had just taken
power in Kiev. When Russian troops crossed Ukraine's boundaries, this
disrespected its sovereignty. Further, Michael McFaul, the former U.S.
ambassador to Russia, said in an NPR news interview this morning, that
there is no threat to the Russian-speaking people in Crimea posed by the
new government in Kiev; the so-called threats appear to be unfounded.

My hope is that the German leadership, under Chancellor Angela Merkel,
will play a strong diplomatic role in resolving the crisis. President
Obama could be supportive of her efforts. Germany is much closer to the
crisis area and has a greater economic interest in the political, and
therefore economic, stability of that area.

Moreover, what President Obama and the U.S. Congress can do is provide as
much support as possible to the interim government in Kiev. The President
and Congressional leaders can urge the International Monetary Fund to
provide financial aid to the Kiev government headed by acting prime
minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk, a veteran public official. ("In Ukraine,
Naming of Interim Government Gets Mixed Response," New York Times, Feb.
26, 2014). This will enable the new government to gain economic strength
that it needs to lead effectively. It is important not only to bolster the
new government in Kiev but also to pursue short and long-term sanctions
against the Russian government. For example, it would be well, in my
judgment, for the G-8 countries to cancel their next meeting to be held in
June in Sochi and schedule it to be held elsewhere. In time, if Putin does
not reverse course, the European Union and other G-8 countries will be
able to put in place some appropriate economic sanctions, I'm sure.

While this may sound naive, perhaps President Putin had good intentions
when he sent troops into Crimea. President George W. Bush had good
intentions, too, perhaps, when he invaded Iraq, even though it was
eventually learned that there were no WMD's on the premises. We know from
watching the Winter Olympics on NBC that President Putin is not a man
without a heart, as we learned of him congratulating athletes from other
countries who had won medals. Indeed, he recently visited a Russian skier
in the hospital who, as a result of a terrible fall, is paralyzed from the
waist down. ("Russian Skier Was Paralyzed in Sochi Fall," New York Times,
Feb. 26, 2014.)

But I think he should have known better than to think he can violate the
sovereignty of a fledgling nation like Ukraine and, at the same time, hold
onto the goodwill of the world community. Maybe Putin, after watching his
athletes win medals at Sochi, wanted to win a medal himself for strategic
military brilliance. The problem is, in my opinion, he chose the wrong
place and time to show that he and his army are powerful.

If you wish to make a financial contribution to my campaign, please check
out my website at williamsonforuscongress.com. Click on the Donations
Page, where, using safe and secure PayPal, you may donate. If you wish to
circulate my nomination petition, please call me at the above number or
send me an e-mail, and I will send you some.

The Future Can Be Ours with respect to foreign policy in such places as
Ukraine if we support the fledgling Kiev government in whatever
non-military way we can. At times like these, in the face of cynical
behavior such as Vladimir Putin has shown over the past few days, it is
well to remember what Anne Frank says in her Diary somewhere: that she
thought that people are basically good. Idealism has its place, and we
should show our belief in the interim government in Kiev and help them in
every non-military way. If we can ensure the survival of the interim
government in Kiev, the light of democracy, however struggling, will
continue to shine for the courageous Ukrainian people. And Ukraine's
priceless sovereignty will prevail.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
John

W. John Williamson

Scottsdale, Arizona

                  PAID FOR BY WILLIAMSON FOR U.S.CONGRESS