THE WEST STILL WON'T FIGHT RUSSIA: AFRAID OF A POSSIBLE DEFEAT?

ICHEOKU says was the West merely huffing and puffing prelude to the war, hoping they could intimidate President Vladimir Putin into changing his mind about invading Ukraine? He called the West's bluff and is now ravaging Ukraine but the West is still fidgeting with their response. Instead of meeting Putin in kind with an overwhelming force, the West is still struggling to come up with an "appropriate" response nearly two weeks into the war. The West is still trying to figure out how to best counter the brazen audacity of Putin, who repeatedly lied to the world about his true intentions with the amassed Russian army at Ukraine's border, only to give his middle finger to the West and still invaded Ukraine. 

Why is the West afraid to confront Russia or is their fable sloganeering "NEVER AGAIN" only reserved for the Jews? How many times does Ukraine need to be attacked by Russia before they too can qualify and acquire the same protected status as the Jews? The West prides itself as the nemesis of bullies who always come to the defense of the bullied little guy, so what is stopping them now from helping Ukraine. Is the West afraid that any direct conflict with Russia might expose their weakness as mere "Hollywood-manufactured" superheroes, who cannot excel in a real war with a formidable adversary such as the Russian military? Otherwise, why the perpetual avoidance by the West of a direct confrontation with Russia each time Russia pokes its finger in their eyes, daring them to a fight.

It did not start today as it was a constant occurrence during the Cold War, but each time an opportunity for a direct confrontation presents itself, it is always the West led by America that chickens out, humbled. What is the reason behind this West's coyness in matters of fighting Russia or is the West so afraid of Russia that they quickly backs off each time Russia provokes and prods them to a fight. 

Before President Vladimir Putin called off the West's sanctions bluff and sent his forces into Ukraine, many people thought that the opportunity for a West's direct confrontation with Russia had finally come, only for the West to again become a no show. What is the West fearful of or has they lost the will to defend their values and protect their interests. They have a willing partner in Ukraine, so what is the second guessing about?

Even the weapons which the West is providing to Ukraine is limited and does not include long range missiles, fighter jets and advanced radar weapons systems that could easily detect Russian military locations in Ukraine with pinpoint accuracy for precision targeted destruction. How can Ukraine defend themselves without such anti aircrafts and anti missiles defense systems when Russia is attacking them from the air and bombarding them with rockets and missiles as well as dumb bombs from great distances.

Ukrainian people have found themselves on the crossroads, left stranded, holding the plate and waiting for a much needed and anticipated assistance from the West, which unfortunately, is not coming forth. How anybody in the West thought or expected that Ukraine could stand a chance with Russia all by themselves alone, is simply ridiculous. It is possible too that Kiev would not have walked itself into a war with Russia and would have simply capitulated to Russia's demand if they knew that the West would not assist them in the fight with Russia. 

It would have been a much more palatable pill for Ukraine to swallow rather than to watch as Russia is now destroying their beautiful country, killing Ukrainian people in large numbers and also causing a massive displacement of their population and communities. Who will rebuild Ukraine and why not stop Russia now from their wicked intention of ruining Ukraine. 

If the story was different and it was Russia that demanded the West not to invade Ukraine, there would have been no invasion of Ukraine today.  It happened in Syria and Venezuela when the West wanted to change the leadership of both countries before Russia stepped in and said no way Jose. Several years later, President Bashar Assad of Syria and President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela are still in power because Russia put its feet down and was prepared to use its military power to achieve the objective. 

President Vladimir Putin also shored up the presidency of Alexander Lukanhesko of Belarus who was nearly removed from power by a Western sponsored democracy revolution, which the West did not protect when Russia roared. Why can't the West take a page from Putin's Russia and learn to resolutely put its money where its mouth is by defending its positions, regardless of any threat. Will the West continue to run away from meeting the Russian challenge and for how long?

Another opportunity for the West to confront Russia has opened up in Ukraine but the West is not dealing nor biting the bait. It seems that Russia has once again successfully intimidated the West into forswearing their expected assistance for Ukraine. If not now, when? And if not in Ukraine, where? When will the battle for superiority between the West and Russia be finally tested? 

Ukrainians are courageously fighting the Russians now and presents a golden opportunity for the West to fight Russia, if not formally, as military advisers. Ukraine needs help and deserves to get some help from the West. The fear of Russia's threatened use of nuclear weapons should not deter the West, the West also has nuclear weapons too.

No matter how much the West tries to avoid fighting Russia, they can never run away from fighting Russia, unless the West is willing to lie down and surrender to Russia. If the West fails to defend democracy now in Ukraine, they will eventually be forced to defend it someplace else. Russia will eventually bring the fight to them in Eastern Europe and let's see whether the West will summarily surrender Eastern Europe to Russia. 

Ukraine cannot do it all by themselves alone; they need all the help they can get and together, President Vladimir Putin can be stopped now while he is still in Ukraine. It took the collective strength of the West to stop Adolf Hitler and the West should take a page from that historical lesson and surge forces immediately into Ukraine before Russia becomes battle hardened. Stop fearing Putin, #FightPutinNow.