FIGHTER JETS ARE DEFENSIVE WEAPONS: UKRAINE NEED TO DEFEND ITS AIRSPACE.

 #SendTheFighterJets.

PUTIN HAS ALREADY DONE HIS WORST: ADMIT UKRAINE TO NATO AND THE EU NOW.

ICHEOKU says if Ukraine can hold Russia off for this long, nearly three weeks now, imagine what a combined 29 nations NATO force would do to Russia, possibly fight them right into the streets of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. If they use nukes on the West, the West will respond in kind, nuke them back and get over the hampering fear of a nuclear attack. Russians and their sole administrator Vladimir Putin are not suicidal and dare not use nuclear bombs on the West. They are only using the threat as a sword of Damocles to starve the West off helping Ukraine. 

It is the fear of what Russia might do to Ukraine that has been holding the West back from admitting Ukraine into NATO and the European Union. Now that the balloon of fear has been busted, what is the West still waiting for before admitting Ukraine into their fold. The West said that they did not want to provoke Putin's ire by admitting Ukraine into their fold, but Russia still invaded Ukraine anyway. 

What else has the West and/or Ukraine got to lose by not admitting Ukraine into both NATO and the EU now since their worst fear of what Russia's reaction might be has come through. A bold NATO should now go forth and formalize Ukraine as a bona fide member of the organization since Putin has done his worst and cannot destroy Ukraine more than he has already done and continues to do.

President Vladimir Putin is a bully and only recognizes force as a means to achieve an end. It is only a face-off and facedown with Putin that will put the fear of God in him and force him to change course. But as long as he continues to sense fear in the West, and that the West is afraid of engaging in a real war with Russia because their war-averse populace is not in the mood for any extended bloodshed, that long will he continue to seize the initiative and set the benchmarks in the current Ukrainian crisis between Russia and the West. 

If it was the Joe Biden of a few years ago that is the president in the White House now, Europe would have been wiped into a war ready and fighting shape to help America go full throttle metal jacket against Russia. What then is the use of the over $700 billion annual defense budget of the United States of America if those weapons cannot be put into effective use. If not against Russia, which other country? If not against Vladimir Putin for his many decades of provocations and wagging his index finger at America, who else? 

The only reason all these small talks are still going on is that ICHEOKU is not the president. It is also doubtful if even President Donald John Trump could have been able to do what is needed right now because he may not be as mad or mad enough to counter Putin's madness. William Shakespeare put it quite succinctly in The Taming of the Shrew that when two great fires meet they consume the thing feeding their furry, and although little fire grows with little wind but extreme gusts do blow them away. 

President Vladimir Mad-man Putin needs to be stopped now. A massive bombardment of his invading military Ukraine will send a clear message to him that his madness has reached the marketplace and needs to be forcefully contained. What type of monster would bomb a maternity hospital with women in labor and premature babies in incubators. Which man born of a woman would be so heartless not to have compassion for heavily pregnant women as well as some already in labor pangs to violate them in such a vicious way.

It is time President Joe Biden throws all his unnecessary cautions to the wind, firm his backbone and allow the West to meet Russia's challenge head-on. People will die, properties will be damaged and even nuclear bomb might be dropped, so what? How much of Putin's insult will the West continue to stomach before responding in kind to his idiocy. Enough of the Putin fear, meet him force for force and let the skies tumble down. Admit Ukraine to NATO and EU now an dot hell with Putin and his Russian murderous thugs. 

'NEVER AGAIN' IS NOT JEWISH PEOPLE'S EXCLUSIVE PRESERVE: UKRAINIAN LIVES MATTER.

ICHEOKU says Russia has already escalated the war in Ukraine far beyond anyone had anticipated and any continuing excuse by the West not to assist Ukraine because such would provoke Russia into escalating the war is nothing but pure bombast. Russia is callously and with deprave heart bombarding Ukraine with missiles, rockets and mother of all bombs (MOAB) which is digging sixty feet wide by twenty feet deep craters, such that even hospitals, maternity wards and shopping centers are now fair games for targeting by the Russian murderous invaders. 

Children, aged parents, women and even pregnant women, as well as other innocent civilians are being killed indiscriminately by Russians explosives. Schools and residential places are also being targeted for complete destruction. This begs the question what else needs to happen to Ukrainians and in their own country, before the world will go to the help of Ukrainians or haven't they suffered enough already for just desiring freedom and courageously sacrificing so much to achieve it.  Does the West not have certain redlines which cover the rule of engagement in a war, crossing of which they cannot tolerate from Russia. 

When again has it become an acceptable new normal for pregnant women in labor to be targeted in a war? Is it now okay in war to drop massive bombs at hospitals and maternity and also shell residential apartment buildings with mortars? Is the West waiting for Putin to first kill six million Ukrainians before they can firm their resolve and confront Russia to stop them from committing further atrocities on Ukrainians. When the West resolved NEVER AGAIN following holocaust, was it not as it appertains to every man's inhumanity to man as a whole; or is it only Jewish people that were insured by it? If Ukrainians are not Jews, at least their duly elected president is a Jew.

Ukrainian Lives Matter and such a declaration of NEVER AGAIN should be of uniform application throughout humanity and should cover any part of humanity that is facing a threat of extinction in the hand of another. The West knew that the odds were stacked against Ukraine when they goaded them into challenging Russia, and even when Ukraine still had a series of off ramp opportunities to climb down and avoid a direct war with Russia, the West continued talking as if they would help Ukraine in the fight against Russia. 

They promised Ukraine help but did not include the full range of help such as ballistic missiles and jet fighters and you ask yourself how did anyone expect Ukraine to defend themselves from an incoming missile when they have no anti missile batteries? How can Ukraine defend itself from prowling Russian fighter jets when they have no fighter jets of their own to engage the Russians in aerial fight? Where are the defensive weapons promised and why are they not defending Ukraine from Russian bombardments?

Now the West is pussyfooting about supplying Ukraine with Poland's donated MIG fighter jets, begging the question, is anyone even sure that NATO will hold in the event Putin decides to complete his military objective reclaiming former Soviet countries. It is time the West firmed their backbone and in an unmistakable language communicated to Russia that enough is enough. If it leads to a third world war, so be it and let those who survive the war repopulate and rebuild the world. Adolf Hitler started the same way and the West should not wait to later apologize to future Ukrainians for not coming to the present generation's aid when it mattered most.

This hesitance or rather outright refusal to assist Ukraine in the largely unbalanced war with Russia needs to end. Vladimir Putin should not be allowed to hold the West hostage to his nuclear threat. If the Kremlin goblin succeeds in having his way with Ukraine, it will be an unforgivable mistake which the West intentionally made and Ukraine will never forgive them for abandoning them in the hour of greatest need. If it was Israel that Putin invaded and bombarding as he is currently doing to Ukraine, will there be any discussion of a qualifying NATO membership? 

The West should send anything and everything to Ukraine now including boots on the ground, fighter jets, ballistic missiles and even tactical nuclear bombs. Anything that will stop the unfolding madness in Ukraine and help Putin undergo an epiphany should be done without any further delay, debate or rationalization. It is better to end the Ukraine war now with whatever military supplies possible, than to allow it to linger on, regardless of whatever military and intelligence gathering benefits the West might be mining from the war. Ukraine is being destroyed and Ukrainian people are dying, suffering and being displaced. End the war now, stop Putin now!

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.

TALK OF A POST ZELENSKY'S UKRAINE NOW IS DEFEATIST: SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED.

ICHEOKU says it is utterly disappointing and disheartening to hear the West already contemplating the death or capture of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and making plans for his succession. Which other Ukrainian person would still willingly listen to the West or volunteer him or herself for another Western experiment at holding power in Kiev if the West couldn't protect President Zelenskiy? The capture or kill of the president by Russia, despite all he bravely sacrificed to identify with the West, will take away the oxygen in the Ukrainian resistance and should be guarded against very seriously. 

No harm therefore must be allowed to come to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy because it will leave many Ukrainians wondering, if Russia could get Zelenskiy, what then is the point fighting and what chances does any other Western installed leader in Kiev have in avoiding a similar fate. He is the symbol of the Ukrainian defiance to President Vladimir Putin and the arrowhead of the current resistance against Russia. He must be protected in order to keep the hope of saving Ukraine alive. Having successfully galvanized and mobilized the Ukrainian people, he has become the reason the face of the courageous fight against the Russian invaders. 

There will never be another Ukrainian war leader like him, so the West must bear this in mind and stop the morbid talk about his demise or toppling. The West must do whatever it takes to ensure his safety because without him, Russia will quickly seal up the fate of Ukraine as despondent Ukrainians would lose their appetite to carry on fighting. If it means sending some Secret Service officials or any other presidential protection detail from other countries to Kiev to help protect the president, so be it. That guy is the reason Russia has not overrun Ukraine and he needs to stay alive for Ukraine to have any chance at forcing Russians out.

The Ukrainian president and his people are already under a heavy amount of pressure, worrying themselves sick about protecting their country from the Russians. The great destruction which Russian bombs and artillery shells are causing in Ukraine is already keeping the leadership sleepless in Kiev, so why turn their bad situation into a nightmare by making plans for an Ukraine without President Zelenskyy. What Ukraine needs now is all the help they can get and not an additional issue to worry about, admitted they are mindful of the imperative and are already taking care of the business, ensuring the safety and security of their president. 

Such a loose talk about who will succeed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and whether the West will recognize any government installed in Kiev by Moscow is irresponsible and should be discouraged and discontinued. Imagine how the Ukrainian president, who has become the face of the resistance against Russia, would feel reading his own obituary by the West while still cheerleading his country men and women to sacrifice for their country. The West should join the Ukrainian president in the cheerleading resistance and not entertain such a ghoulish ill thought about the president. It is demoralizing.

Ukrainians need their rallying figure, the center of gravity of their resistance, to stay alive if they are to have any chance of forcing Russians to abandon the cause and leave their country. The West should help Ukrainians sustain their willingness to fight on and keep their morale high, and stop such destructive and undermining demoralizing talks about an inevitable death or capture of their president. Ukraine is fighting for their survival as an independent sovereign nation and their presidential security services are working overtime to ensure that their president remains safe and secure; they should be encouraged and not discouraged or in any other way damage their high morale to persevere. 

It is very foolish too for the West to say that they will not recognize any Russian installed government in Ukraine post President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Russia does not care whether or not the West recognizes such a future government, provided they have their installed government in place in Kiev. There are so many governments throughout the world which the West does not recognize and/or which are under the "strictest" Western sanctions, yet they are still flourishing. Zimbabwe, North Korea, Myanmar, Mali, Iran and Venezuela for example are all still functioning. 

Unless the West has already given up on Ukraine and is now preparing to lick its wounds of defeat by Russia, the present "we do not want to escalate the war" approach to the war in Ukraine should change. The West, instead of looking forward to the fall of Ukraine or the killing or capture of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, should actively be helping Ukraine to starve off both outcomes. Ukrainians want to win the war and they are fighting to win the war and save their homeland from Putin's assured dissolution. 

Many countries are also closely watching the events in Ukraine to see whether it will become another West's lured out and West's abandoned country which the West refused to defend when the consequences of their listening to the West came calling. China for example must be calibrating its next move in its quest to reunify Taiwan with the mainland, based on its assessment of the West 's response to the Ukraine invasion. Will North Korea be tempted to send a missile right into Japan? A lot is dependent on the outcome of the Ukrainian conflict and whether it is resolved in favor of the West, otherwise it will erode so much of the West's clout in the world. #NoHarmMustComeToZelenskiy.

INVASIONS FREQUENTLY DO HAPPEN: WHY THE UKRAINE INVASION IS DIFFERENT.

ICHEOKU says Ukraine is not the first country and will not be the last country to be ever invaded by a more powerful foreign military force. It will also not be the first country to ever be heavily bombarded from the air, causing many deaths, massive destruction of infrastructures and also a heavy displacement of its local population. 

What is going on in Ukraine presently has gone on before in many other countries and will most likely still go on in more countries in the future, long after the current hostilities in Ukraine are concluded. Many people are asking why the current obsession with the Ukraine invasion when other previous invasions, both those carried out by the same Russia as well as those carried out by America, did not receive much attention. 

According to them, the world is so affixed to the present invasion of Ukraine as if it is the end of the world or the first time ever a far more powerful country is breathing down fire on a weaker small country. There is also a noticeable difference in the manner the invasion is being "wall to wall" reported, the rush to evacuate Ukrainians, providing them with every assistance imaginable including quick resettlements throughout Europe.

The disparity in treatments is now fueling the growing murmur of white bias and racist preferential treatment of Ukrainians simply because they are white people. Some critics even point at the different treatment meted to black African students studying in Ukraine who were discriminated against as they also fled the same war, including being denied boarding access on evacuation trains and also refused entry at the Polish border. 

If the different treatment was due to white people's acute racism and their regard of white skin as superior and more important than other skin colors, why then did other previous Russian invasions of Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea, not attract the same level of global condemnation of Russia and support for Ukraine? Why did Georgia's invasion by Russia not attract the same amount of world sympathy, Georgians are white people too? So, there was a good reason for the galvanized global opposition to the military campaign of Russia in Ukraine, short of racism and white bias.

The most plausible explanation is the pathetic reason given by President Vladimir Putin for the havoc which he is currently wrecking on Ukraine. How can any sane leader of a country, on a whiff, declare another country illegitimate and then take such destructive steps of levying a vicious war on the country to achieve his objective. The Russian strongman unequivocally stated that he does not recognize Ukraine's existence as a sovereign and independent country, forcing the world to take notice.

It would have been a different story had President Vladimir Putin claimed that  President Volodymyr of Ukraine was a drug dealer or was facilitating terrorism on Russia by providing safe haven and corridor for enemies of Russia to carry out attacks on Russia from Ukraine soil. If he had given even a minuscule of rational reason, manufactured or genuine, and then sought to topple such a government, the world would have looked the other way or at least curbed their enthusiasm and not be as hysteric as the present. 

He simply asserted that he does not recognize Ukraine as an independent and sovereign country and then took steps to dismantle it and annul its existence with a premeditated invasion. According to him, Ukraine is part of Russia, adding that he will never accept an independent Ukraine living side by side with Russia as that violates his conscience and understanding of history. He also did not care that Ukraine has been in existence for a long time, for more than 30 years as an independent and sovereign country.

This is where Putin's cookie of aggression crumbled as the world woke up to say that it is unacceptable for one man to decide to unilaterally "nullify" a country by fiat of his indignation. It is the brazenness of this illegality that shocked the conscience of the world to rise up to challenge Putin's declaration of war on Ukraine to achieve his objective to annul the country. A galvanized world has said no to Putin and have now practically isolated Russia in condemnation of what their president did.

Which sensible and conscionable person would accept such an international brigandage or in any other way, find any rationality in it. To accept what Russia is doing in Ukraine is to give license to every big country in the world to wake any one morning and decide to swallow its smaller and weaker neighbor. It is the law or lack thereof, of the jungle, that President Vladimir Putin is trying to brutally impose on Ukraine by indiscriminate bombardment.

Such lawless action is not an acceptable behavior in a civilized world and should be fought with every tool available, including putting Western boots on the ground in Ukraine as sanctions alone are not yielding the desired and expected result. Bullies need to be stopped and they only respond to force. President Vladimir Putin is a bully and his Russian military is now terrorizing and bullying Ukraine around, trying to bombard it into submission, subjugation and annexation. 

Those complaining that there is a double standard in the condemnation of Russia's invasion and not America's many invasions, should understand that the Ukraine invasion is different. It is not an ordinary invasion as Russia is trying to dismantle the country and absorb it into Russia. Other invasions have always been targeted at the leadership of a country but never at the country itself. To question the right of a country to exist is an attack which resonates among every independent and sovereign country.

So yes, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine 2.0, there were America's invasions of Cuba, Grenada, Haiti, Panama, Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. Russia also previously invaded Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova seizing territories therein. Germany also carried out its own invasion of Europe. But in none of these invasions was the primary objective to nullify the victim country and put them out of existence. 

This is the reason the current invasion of Ukraine is different and has attracted a generalized world condemnation than other invasions. Those complaining about a Western hypocrisy and bias against Russia because of the barrage of condemnations and sanctions, should see the distinction; and then adjust their indignation against the West accordingly, as not even Adolf Hitler's Germany did in Europe what Vladimir Putin is trying to accomplish in Ukraine. Viva Ukraine. Long live President Volodymyr Zelensky.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALEXANDER VINDMAN: TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR UKRAINE..

ICHEOKU says his birth nation Ukraine needs him now more than ever before as they face existential threat of extinction by Russia. His great military expertise and war fighting experience would be very handy in Ukraine as they are rallying to defend themselves. 

At least he can start pooling together a volunteer-army force to go help Ukraine. Many veterans and other brave people are ready to go help his fatherland Ukraine protect themselves and their chosen way of life from the Russians, but they need to see his leadership in the effort. His fatherland has called, what is his response? #WhereIsLieutenantColonelAlexanderVindmam

UKRAINIAN ARMY ABANDONING SUPPLIED WEAPONS, FLEEING AND NOT FIGHTING?

ICHEOKU says many analysts have been wondering about the ease at which the Russian army is moving through Ukraine capturing cities, one city at a time, and without much resistance by the Ukrainian defense force. The Ukrainian military had ample time to prepare for this war and they also were repeatedly warned by America that this war was coming. Why did they not heavily mine the roads and bridges and/or blew them all up to slow the Russian invaders and trap them in batches for quick destruction and elimination.

People are beginning to second-guess the level of preparations made by the Ukrainian military to defend and protect their country from the Russian invaders. Ukraine is not a third world country nor is it a third rate military power and should have anticipated certain Russian maneuvers and guarded against them. Even the belated road blocks they are mounting now should have since been in place throughout the country. How can any army worth its name allow the 40 mile long Russian army column to sit steadily in one position for over one week now without blowing them all up? Such a sitting duck sight, made possible by the ineptitude of the Ukrainian military, is a sore eye to behold, especially for a country defending itself from an existential threat from a much bigger military machine.

Ukraine is as old as Russia and has been independent for over 30 years now. So, what exactly have the country been doing all these decades to shore up their defensive capabilities, establish and maintain a capable and formidable defense force. Their military have army engineers and war planners as well as a lot of generals, so what were they thinking that deprived them good preparation and readiness for their current fate with destiny; or do they think that being a country is just having a government, a president and a parliament. They know that they have a hostile neighbor Russia which has attacked them before, seized their territory Crimea, so why this apparent docility in readying for this period? What were their defense spending for if the West has to supply them this amount of weapons.

Could this be the reason the West banned every Russia media outlet, including RT, from broadcasting in the West to prevent this shortcomings from being known? They don't want their populace to see the war in Ukraine from every angle but only through their agenda-driven Western camera lens and talking-heads perspective. Who will then tell us the apparent lapses and noticeable lack of adequate preparation by the West backed and supported Ukrainian military. Who will report the story that some Ukrainian soldiers refused to fight or are not fighting the Russian invaders as expected with every fiber in their being, and are abandoning Western supplied weapons and ammunition in their military bases and fleeing the war? 

Could the West be staring at another military disappointment in Ukraine as they faced in Afghanistan when the Afghanistan National Army abandoned their Western supplied weapons, including armored tanks and helicopters and fled, without firing a shot in defense of Kabul. As with the Taliban, are we going to see another inheritance of a huge cache of Western weapons and ammunition, including armored tanks and planes/helicopters killers, by the Russian army? Is it possible too that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy knows what is happening on the battle fronts and is now desperately trying to drag the West into the war and offload the responsibility of defending Ukraine to them since his military is not willing or capable of defending their country. 

As the West continues to surge weapons into Ukraine, they should be very cautious not to inadvertently arm Russia with weapons which Russia could use to attack the West later. The West should ensure that the Ukrainian military is actually standing up and fighting Russians with those supplied weapons, and not as RT reported, abandoning them and fleeing the battle. Imagine seeing the Russian army turning those anti tanks rockets and anti aircraft javelins against Western tanks and aircrafts some day in a confrontation with the West. It will be sad watching Western soldiers being killed with Western weapons just because the Ukrainian military turned out not to be what the West thought they were. 

Kherson fell without much of a resistance as the Ukrainian soldiers stationed there to defend the flank deserted their defensive positions and fled. It could be due to deliberate sabotage or out of  hopelessness, faced with the Russian mighty army and convinced that they are not good enough to defeat them. Whatever the reason, if Ukraine has made a conscious decision not to stand their ground and battle the Russian army to the finish, or that they could not do it without the presence of Western boots on the ground, they should save everybody the headache of worrying about Ukraine and just surrender now. It will also spare Ukraine further destruction by Russian bombs and artillery, as well as save many lives. Such will also sensibly bring the war to an end before more lives and limbs are lost, and further properties and infrastructures are destroyed. 

It is possible that such desertions are not widely spread throughout the military formations in Ukraine; but so many Ukrainian cities have fallen within such a short period of hostilities, more than what would be considered normal or acceptable for any formidable army defending their country, that the fear is mounting that such unpatriotic act is wider and bigger than what has been reported so far. Their morals could be low from feeling psychologically defeated already before they are actually defeat; and their loyalty could also be divided between the West and Russia. They should know that any lack of defense of Ukraine anywhere in the country is a catastrophic weak-link to the collective resolve of the West to ensure that Ukraine's independence and sovereignty remain sacrosanct and non negotiable. 

The Ukrainian army should therefore fight as if their lives, that of their families and friends, as well as the future of their country depend on it, because they actually do. They should envision themselves being tied at the stake and summarily shot in a firing squad formation by the Russians if they lose the war because that is the fate which awaits them in defeat. They should be honorable enough to decide to die fighting as heroes rather than being killed later as captured war criminals by Russia. Everything that makes Ukraine Ukraine is at stake and a victorious Russia will not show them mercy. They should leave their all in the battle fields and not turn tails or their backs against their country as a succeeded Ukraine will immortalize them. 

Only brave and courageous men and women take up the selfless responsibility to defend their country at such optimal level, requiring the supreme sacrifice if need be. History and posterity only reserve places for heroic soldiers and not the linguine-spine cowards among them who abandon their country and colleagues at their hour of greatest need for their expertise and bravery. It is understandable if they ran out of munitions and supplies, or they were surprised with a massive overwhelming enemy force; but to scurry away even before the first shot was fired is the lowest of the low of any soldier. They must not dampen the current support in the West for their cause by showing that they are not real soldiers as real soldiers do not desert their duty posts. God's speed to the Ukrainian military as they fight in defense of their homeland and a civilized way of life. #ShameOnPutin.

PLEASE LET PUTIN KNOW.

 #UkrainianLivesMatter

TAKE PUTIN OUT - LINDSEY GRAHAM.

“Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military? The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country and the world a great service.” - Lindsey Graham, US Senator from South Carolina. 

ICHEOKU shares his sentiments and has repeatedly called for the overthrow of the Russian mad man or at worst, to separate his head from his shoulders. His removal from power is the only meaningful and most assured way to permanently put to an end the recurring Putin-problem. President Vladimir Putin is a terror to Ukraine, a nightmare to the West and a bad omen to the Russian people, whom he is holding hostage to his dictates behind his newly drawn shut iron curtain. #OverthrowPutin and do it now!

ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ATTACK: A DELIBERATE SHOW OF WILLINGNESS TO USE NUKE.

ICHEOKU says President Vladimir Putin is a man on jitters and dangerously teetering on the edge of a complete nervous breakdown. It is also increasingly apparent that he has placed his thumb very close to the red button and one provocation or one frustration away from committing a mass destruction. It is a risk he has weighed and is now willing and ready to take, aware that once he detonates the atom bomb that the response will be very catastrophic for Russia, such that it might also claim his life as well. 

The guy no longer seems to care that he has become somewhat suicidal and now fanatically committed to his cause just like Islamist terrorists; and like ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi and other terrorist leaders, he has also strapped on a suicide belt, ready to detonate it after causing such a mass murder event. He is goading the West to make him do it and the West knows that he will do it if pushed, the reason the West has chickened out from defending Ukraine. At least, they should have put a NO FLY zone over Ukraine to help mitigate their exposure from Russian airborne killer weapons. The West did it in Serbia, Libya, Syria and Iraq, so why not in Ukraine?

Why else would President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stick his neck out to challenge Russia if not that he anticipated such help from NATO? Why is NATO leaving Ukraine to hang out to dry after seducing Ukraine into balking Russia and making a play for the West? Why is NATO so afraid of fighting Russia and trembling at President Vladimir Putin's threat of nuclear weapons use, when NATO equally have their own higher yielding nuclear bombs? Why is the West scared of even dying battling evil Putin since everyone is going to eventually die someday? Why is the West   allowing President Vladimir Putin such a field day that he has declared an open season in Ukraine, freely roaming about as he destroys beautiful cities and ancient landmarks in Ukraine? 

Where is the moral conscience of the West as they watch the over-handedness being displayed by Russia as they try to wipe Ukraine off the map. Was the West expecting Ukraine to single-handedly beat back Russia, otherwise where is their "be your brothers keeper" in them? Hasn't Ukraine suffered enough already? Hasn't enough Ukrainian people been killed so far? Hasn't enough structures been destroyed and damaged in Ukraine already? If not the West, who will stop Putin's army and help save Ukraine from a certain destruction by Russia or at least, help them checkmate the Russian invaders. 

President Vladimir Putin knew exactly what he was doing when he ordered his troops to forcefully take control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, aware that explosives, shrapnels and bullets could rupture some cooling systems of the plant and cause a major disastrous meltdown of nuclear rods. He also knew that any resulting meltdown would cause a mass casualty event and that the ensuing radiation would travel far and wide throughout Europe, causing extensive mass destruction, but he did it anyway. He does not care and he does not give a damn and he is fanatically committed to his current cause. 

The underlying reason for the attack on the nuclear plant being to emphatically drum it into the West's ears that he will have no reservations or hesitations nor compunction in pushing the nuclear button in the event of a shooting hostilities with the West. He is playing the war-politics of intimidation, trying to hold back the West and prevent them from coming to the aid of Ukraine by issuing threats of what he will do to them if they dared. His strategy is succeeding or at least seemingly so, as the West has backed away from actually assisting Ukraine defend themselves from the Russian onslaught. 

It is a grave mistake which will later bite the West in their rear should Ukraine fall, because President Vladimir Putin will continue to threaten more nuclear strikes as he goes to reclaim other former Soviet countries post Ukraine. Woke politics is the bane of the West, the reason Europe has become so weak militarily that they now tremble in fear just because Putin made a threat. Had the earlier Europeans lived by the new woke code of the present Europeans, the entire continent of Europe would all be German speakers today. But thanks to their bravery and courage, and with some help from Americans, they rejected German's imposition and liberated themselves. 

Those European war heroes of the past will be turning in their graves today, seeing what their Europe has become, a continent of sissy wussies who cannot even stand the sight of blood or watch a building vaporized before saturating everyone's ears with rules of engagement in wars. It is either naivety or sheer paralyzing fear that is making the West about to repeat their mistake with Adolf Hitler. They failed to correctly read him to understand his intentions over Europe when he first unleashed the German Wehrmacht on the first European country. The West needs to act now to stop Putin and save Ukraine while they still can before they find themselves fighting a protracted war with Russia which might only end with a nuclear annihilation. It might even be more cost effective if they can get Russia military high command to do it by overthrowing Putin. #EndPutinNow. #PutPutinOut.

SACRIFICING UKRAINE WILL NOT PLACATE PUTIN: THE WEST SHOULD ENTER THE WAR NOW.

ICHEOKU says the West might be thinking that once President Vladimir Putin takes Ukraine that he will be pacified into contentment and abandon his current military expedition in Eastern Europe. But the West is mistaken because when the Russian strongman is done with Ukraine, he will direct his "fired up" army to head West and replicate what they did in Ukraine in all the other former Soviet countries. The unleashed Russian red army is not returning back to Russia until a new Berlin Wall is erected in Germany.

He had the effrontery to invade Ukraine because he is convinced that the West has lost the appetite for fighting wars due to their new woke-centric political-cultural disposition. It is an opportunity which he waited for a long time and having assessed the too level-headedness of the present crop of leaders in the West, decided to strike now while his iron is still hot. He will use the opportunity, enhanced by the apparent lack of interest in the West for war, to take everything back: all the former Soviet countries and he will expend the entire Russian military force, if need be, to accomplish the objective. 

Unless the West is counting on taking on a "tired and war-weary" Russian military by the time President Vladimir Putin shifts his focus on NATO countries, it is better for the West to enter the fray now that Ukraine has not yet fallen. Ukraine is the biggest and strongest of these former Soviet countries and if it falls, other smaller ones will be a mere walkover for the rumbling Russian war machine, with or without NATO resistance. The Russian Red Army is on the march, on a mission to recover Soviet territories and having been unleashed, will continue rumbling until they accomplish all their given military objectives or are violently stopped and humiliated in defeat.

It is regrettable that the West which prides itself as defender of the bullied and protector of values dear to the West, including democracy, is still pussyfooting around and second-guessing itself about sending troops into Ukraine. A little country is being pounded into the ground by Russia and the West is hedging whether to assist the little country defend itself from the unprovoked and premeditated, atrocious, ferocious and scorch-earth bombardment, being wrought on them by Russia. It is a common saying that when your brother is in trouble, you render assistance or is the West saying that Ukraine is not their brother or that Ukraine is not white enough to be deserving of such help. 

All the weapons and equipment belatedly being sent to Ukraine by the West will amount to nothing if Ukraine falls. All the resistance being shown by Ukraine will also amount to nothing should President Volodymyr Zelensky unfortunately lose his life. He is the indisputable arrowhead and global face of the resistance, and the reason Ukrainian people are giving it their all and trying everything possible to defend their country. They have held the Russian invaders off for over one week and have proved themselves a worthy adversary to the Russians. It is about time the West acknowledged their great peril and sent in troops to help them.

The West will have on their hand the blood of Ukrainians being slaughtered and slashed to pieces by Russian bombs and shrapnels. The West will also share in the blame for all the destruction which Russia is levying on Ukraine, in their attempt to wipe out all the beautiful structures dotting the landscape of Ukraine. What cogent excuse will the West give for not helping Ukraine, watching Ukraine pounded into smithereens despite putting up a stellar resistance and eventually falling? The "Ukraine is not a member of NATO" excuse is no longer germane nor acceptable; at worst, the West should make an exception for Ukraine based on humanitarian grounds in order to prevent further carnage and loss of human lives.

Will President Vladimir Putin go scot-free or be put in handcuffs as a war criminal? Will the world ever forgive him for the wanton destruction he is causing in Ukraine? Will the world still deal with him when these hostilities finally end? Why has the Russia military not overthrown Putin yet or just put a projectile into his cranium and get the Putin trouble over? Why are Russian generals still tolerating this madness, obeying his unlawful orders to attack, kill, maim and destroy their innocent Ukrainian brothers and neighbors? The West must seize every Russian asset and monetary reserve anywhere found around the world and hold them in trust for the eventual reconstruction and rebuild of a post war Ukraine. 

Ukraine could use more snipers and sabotages and change their war tactic from conventional to a guerrilla hit and run warfare; and incrementally wear the Russian invaders down. Lacing all the vodka in Ukraine with cyanid should also be on the table as such will help reduce the number of those murderous, cold blooded Russians and let their body bags mount. Lastly, no matter the cost, in losses in human and materials, President Vladimir Putin must never be allowed to declare victory in Ukraine and at best, a pyrrhic victory. The experience of the USSR army in Afghanistan should serve the Russian army in Ukraine and let Putin be forced to eat his humble pie as a sore loser. Hopefully, he will die a completely isolated, sad and most loathed man in the world. What a pitiful vermin, a little elf of the Kremlin with Bonaparte syndrome.

 #OverthrowPutinNow

PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS LOST LEGITIMACY TO LEAD RUSSIA: TIME FOR HIM TO GO.

ICHEOKU says the West must not wait until President Vladimir Putin first wipes off the map, a major Western city, before taking his threats of nuclear annihilation more seriously. The Russian strongman has lost his marbles and by attacking Ukraine, despite all the assurances he gave the world that he will not attack the country, shows a man who is completely unhinged and possibly trying to go down with millions of innocent souls. 

The West should therefore treat his latest threat of a nuclear attack very seriously, and ready itself for it and also prepare for a swift and devastating punitive retaliatory response in kind. The fact that he is now readying his anti aircrafts and anti missiles S-400 Triumf Air Defense Missile Systems based in Siberia shows that Ukraine is no longer his main focus, already feeling mission-accomplished on that; and has moved his eyes on his other major prize, other former Soviet countries who are now members of NATO.  The question remains: would NATO fight in defense of these countries or will they shirk away at the opportune time simply because of fear of Putin's threatened use of nuclear weapons?

The other day President Vladimir Putin said he had a couple of words for those in the West who might be tempted to interfere in what he is doing in Ukraine or intervene to protect Ukraine or in any other way try to harm Russia. According to him, Russia's response to such provocative action will be immediate and will lead to consequences which the West have not seen nor imagined ever before, and throughout their history. Many analysts, including ICHEOKU, interpreted his remarks as a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons against the West should they provoke him any further. What other thing could President Vladimir Putin possibly do to the West that would have such adverse consequences which nobody has ever seen nor imagined  before, and throughout history?

A day after making the threat and to ensure that nobody was left in doubt about what he said, he  took additional steps towards this intention by ordering Russian defense officials and top military commanders to put Russia's nuclear deterrent forces on a heightened red alert. He ordered them to be on a "special regime of combat duty" readiness, thus ratcheting up the tension between his country and the West and increasing the threat of nuclear war between Russia and the West. It is a war which both sides will suffer dearly from, but it is a war which the West must not shy away from just because President Vladimir Putin is a mad man and does not care if millions of people perish as a result. 

He could be bluffing or just making empty threats to scare the West away from defending those former Soviet countries when he finally attacks them. But whatever may be the underlying factor, his threat should not be dismissed, but treated with every seriousness commensurate to such a threat. What he said previously coupled to his new direct order on his defense officials and military commanders should be clear enough evidence that President Vladimir Putin is poised to use nuclear weapons against the West. 

It requires no further effort at understanding or interpretation or any other nuanced reading for context. It should be taken at face value that he actually intends to use nuclear weapons in any confrontation with the West and wants the weapons readied now and handy for use when he orders it. He has also conducted nuclear drills and test-fired some nuclear warheads carrying missiles in recent days in furtherance of his preparation and readiness to use them.

The West should immediately counter his threat by also announcing their own preparations for use of nuclear weapons. They should start undermining his government towards delegitimizing him and find a way to remove him from office and put him out of power. The West should reach out to senior Russian military officers and persuade them to move against President Vladimir Putin. Taking him out of power is the only magic silver bullet that will end the recurring Putin problem; just kill the Kremlin monster and solve his problem once and for all. 

Overthrowing President Vladimir Putin is the right thing to do in order to achieve an enduring peace between the West and Russia. What we have in Russia is a dictatorship and not a democracy, so there will be no argument about the need to protect Russia's democracy. Moving against President Vladimir Putin will be finding a permanent and long term solution to Putin's problem. This should be an added focus of the West as they continue to help Ukraine in their war against the invading Russians. President Vladimir Putin should be removed from office now and permanently separated from power and Russia's stockpile of nuclear weapons before he causes a mushroom cloud to hang over a Western city. 

Were President Vladimir Putin a rational person, maybe the West can continue with its appeasing containment accommodation of him, but he is not. He has completely lost his mind and has repeatedly shown that he is not rational and his capacity to lie is now beyond belief. He cannot be trusted and his words do not mean much, if anything. So, continuing to have such a psychopath in charge of Russia and its nuclear stockpile should no longer be an option. He should be removed from office however possible and regardless of the short term cost of such effort. The long term benefit of his removal to overall world peace, particularly Russia's neighboring countries, will be tremendous. 

The West should seriously consider confronting Putin now in Ukraine and in victory, force him to cough up Crimea. If he is allowed to secure victory in Ukraine just because the West is afraid of his threat of nuclear weapons use, he will eventually come for the rest of former Soviet countries now members of NATO. Will the West then also pony up these countries to Putin since his nuclear weapons use threat is still subsisting and not lifted nor defused? This should be the reason the West should jump into the fray now and defeat him in Ukraine rather than wait for him to score victory and then make a play for other former Soviet countries. He should be discouraged in defeat now in Ukraine than allow his victory there to propel him to other victories elsewhere. 

The fear of nuclear weapons should not scare the West away or intimidate them into abandoning  a confrontation with President Vladimir Putin's Russia. Many people survived the Nagasaki and Hiroshima explosions and so will many people also survive any nuclear attack on the West by President Vladimir Putin. He is not immune from atomic annihilation himself and likewise his Russian people who have tolerated and enabled his ruinousness for all these many years. Russians too are as susceptible to nuclear radiation and destruction, so the West should not succumb to the hostage of its fear. A nuke for a nuke is an existing deterrent and his irrationality does not seem to have reached the level of being oblivious of this fact of a mutually assured destruction.

The threat should be seen for what it is, an attempt to bully Ukraine into surrender and scare off the West from rendering help to Ukraine. He wants to keep the West away from sending troops to Ukraine and keep them on the sideline watching while he runs Ukraine over like a roadkill. The West must not allow themselves to be intimidated into inaction by his threat and should actively engage Putin now by rendering direct assistance to Ukraine. 

The West should join forces with Ukraine now and fight the Russian roguery while it is still confined within the borders of Ukraine. They must not wait for Russia to first declare victory in Ukraine and make an example out of Ukraine like they did in Chechnya before belatedly trying to head Russia off. Adolf Hitler started the same way, will the West allow President Vladimir Putin to be next? 

The true test of having a belief is what such believers are prepared to do in defense of their belief. If the West indeed believes in democracy and freedom, and also fights for values dear to them, they should be engaged right now in Ukraine, fighting alongside Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin is destroying Ukraine to prevent it from becoming a fully functioning democratic society where people's rights are protected and where people are free and not under the thumb  of one individual, a tin-coat dictator named Vladimir Putin. 

Therefore, under no circumstances must the West allow President Vladimir Putin to declare victory in Ukraine because such will send a wrong message that democracy was defeated in Ukraine because the West did not defend democracy in Ukraine and the West considered democracy in Ukraine as not worth being defended. It must not be a repeat of the Afghanistan experience where Afghans were abandoned and forced to go back to their Taliban vomit after 20 years of relatively blossoming freedom and  democracy. 

Ukraine has come a long way, 30 years of democracy and freedom, and should be assisted in their fight not to be forcibly dragged back to the asphyxiating Russian command and control of Putinistic autocracy. They are fighting to stay the course and the West should help them as an ally and ensure they are not forced back to acute dictatorship. Posterity will not forgive the West if cowardice or unnecessary hedging render them impotent and prevent them from rising up to the occasion of the challenge which President Vladimir Putin has now imposed on their moral compass. 

Will the West continue to watch as Putin destroys the beauty in Ukraine? Will the West continue to hide under NATO membership rule while Putin renders Ukraine a wasteland like he did to Chechnya? How many women and children must first die before the West is awoken from its slumber? Britain, France, Italy and other countries of Europe that were under Germany's boot were not members of NATO as NATO did not exist then, when America rose to the occasion with allied forces and liberated them. Kuwait was not a member of NATO when it was rescued from Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army occupation. So, why is Ukraine being shortchanged? #SendTroopsIntoUkraineNow

FIGHT THE WAR NOW.

 If Ukraine falls, the West failed.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS 2022.

Madam Speaker, Madam Vice President, our First Lady and Second Gentleman. Members of Congress and the Cabinet. Justices of the Supreme Court. My fellow Americans.

Last year COVID-19 kept us apart. This year we are finally together again. Tonight, we meet as Democrats Republicans and Independents. But most importantly as Americans. With a duty to one another to the American people to the Constitution. And with an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny.

Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But he badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. 

Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people. From President Zelenskyy to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their courage, their determination, inspires the world. Groups of citizens blocking tanks with their bodies. Everyone from students to retirees teachers turned soldiers defending their homeland.

In this struggle as President Zelenskyy said in his speech to the European Parliament “Light will win over darkness.” The Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States is here tonight. Let each of us here tonight in this Chamber send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world. Please rise if you are able and show that, yes, we the United States of America stand with the Ukrainian people. 

Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression they cause more chaos. They keep moving. And the costs and the threats to America and the world keep rising. That’s why the NATO Alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War 2. The United States is a member along with 29 other nations. It matters. American diplomacy matters. American resolve matters.

Putin’s latest attack on Ukraine was premeditated and unprovoked. He rejected repeated efforts at diplomacy. He thought the West and NATO wouldn’t respond. And he thought he could divide us at home. Putin was wrong. We were ready.

Here is what we did. We prepared extensively and carefully. We spent months building a coalition of other freedom-loving nations from Europe and the Americas to Asia and Africa to confront Putin. I spent countless hours unifying our European allies. We shared with the world in advance what we knew Putin was planning and precisely how he would try to falsely justify his aggression.

We countered Russia’s lies with truth. And now that he has acted the free world is holding him accountable. Along with twenty-seven members of the European Union including France, Germany, Italy, as well as countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and many others, even Switzerland. 

We are inflicting pain on Russia and supporting the people of Ukraine. Putin is now isolated from the world more than ever. Together with our allies – we are right now enforcing powerful economic sanctions. We are cutting off Russia’s largest banks from the international financial system. Preventing Russia’s central bank from defending the Russian Ruble making Putin’s $630 Billion “war fund” worthless. We are choking off Russia’s access to technology that will sap its economic strength and weaken its military for years to come.

Tonight I say to the Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime no more. The U.S. Department of Justice is assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of Russian oligarchs. We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts your luxury apartments your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.

And tonight I am announcing that we will join our allies in closing off American air space to all Russian flights – further isolating Russia – and adding an additional squeeze –on their economy. The Ruble has lost 30% of its value. The Russian stock market has lost 40% of its value and trading remains suspended. Russia’s economy is reeling and Putin alone is to blame.

Together with our allies we are providing support to the Ukrainians in their fight for freedom. Military assistance. Economic assistance. Humanitarian assistance. We are giving more than $1 Billion in direct assistance to Ukraine. And we will continue to aid the Ukrainian people as they defend their country and to help ease their suffering. 

Let me be clear, our forces are not engaged and will not engage in conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine. Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to defend our NATO Allies – in the event that Putin decides to keep moving west. For that purpose we’ve mobilized American ground forces, air squadrons, and ship deployments to protect NATO countries including Poland, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. As I have made crystal clear the United States and our Allies will defend every inch of territory of NATO countries with the full force of our collective power. And we remain clear-eyed.

The Ukrainians are fighting back with pure courage. But the next few days weeks, months, will be hard on them. Putin has unleashed violence and chaos. But while he may make gains on the battlefield – he will pay a continuing high price over the long run. And a proud Ukrainian people, who have known 30 years of independence, have repeatedly shown that they will not tolerate anyone who tries to take their country backwards.

To all Americans, I will be honest with you, as I’ve always promised. A Russian dictator, invading a foreign country, has costs around the world. And I’m taking robust action to make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at Russia’s economy. And I will use every tool at our disposal to protect American businesses and consumers. 

Tonight, I can announce that the United States has worked with 30 other countries to release 60 million barrels of oil from reserves around the world. America will lead that effort, releasing 30 Million barrels from our own Strategic Petroleum Reserve. And we stand ready to do more if necessary, unified with our allies.

These steps will help blunt gas prices here at home. And I know the news about what’s happening can seem alarming. But I want you to know that we are going to be okay. When the history of this era is written Putin’s war on Ukraine will have left Russia weaker and the rest of the world stronger.

While it shouldn’t have taken something so terrible for people around the world to see what’s at stake now everyone sees it clearly. We see the unity among leaders of nations and a more unified Europe a more unified West. And we see unity among the people who are gathering in cities in large crowds around the world even in Russia to demonstrate their support for Ukraine. In the battle between democracy and autocracy, democracies are rising to the moment, and the world is clearly choosing the side of peace and security.

This is a real test. It’s going to take time. So let us continue to draw inspiration from the iron will of the Ukrainian people. To our fellow Ukrainian Americans who forge a deep bond that connects our two nations we stand with you. Putin may circle Kyiv with tanks, but he will never gain the hearts and souls of the Ukrainian people. He will never extinguish their love of freedom. He will never weaken the resolve of the free world. 

We meet tonight in an America that has lived through two of the hardest years this nation has ever faced. The pandemic has been punishing. And so many families are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising cost of food, gas, housing, and so much more.

I understand. I remember when my Dad had to leave our home in Scranton, Pennsylvania to find work. I grew up in a family where if the price of food went up, you felt it. That’s why one of the first things I did as President was fight to pass the American Rescue Plan. Because people were hurting. We needed to act, and we did.

Few pieces of legislation have done more in a critical moment in our history to lift us out of crisis. It fueled our efforts to vaccinate the nation and combat COVID-19. It delivered immediate economic relief for tens of millions of Americans. Helped put food on their table, keep a roof over their heads, and cut the cost of health insurance. And as my Dad used to say, it gave people a little breathing room.

And unlike the $2 Trillion tax cut passed in the previous administration that benefitted the top 1% of Americans, the American Rescue Plan helped working people — and left no one behind. And it worked. It created jobs. Lots of jobs. In fact — our economy created over 6.5 Million new jobs just last year, more jobs created in one year than ever before in the history of America. 

Our economy grew at a rate of 5.7% last year, the strongest growth in nearly 40 years, the first step in bringing fundamental change to an economy that hasn’t worked for the working people of this nation for too long.

For the past 40 years we were told that if we gave tax breaks to those at the very top, the benefits would trickle down to everyone else. But that trickle-down theory led to weaker economic growth, lower wages, bigger deficits, and the widest gap between those at the top and everyone else in nearly a century.

Vice President Harris and I ran for office with a new economic vision for America. Invest in America. Educate Americans. Grow the workforce. Build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down. Because we know that when the middle class grows, the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy do very well.

America used to have the best roads, bridges, and airports on Earth. Now our infrastructure is ranked 13th in the world. We won’t be able to compete for the jobs of the 21st Century if we don’t fix that. That’s why it was so important to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—the most sweeping investment to rebuild America in history. This was a bipartisan effort, and I want to thank the members of both parties who worked to make it happen. 

We’re done talking about infrastructure weeks. We’re going to have an infrastructure decade. It is going to transform America and put us on a path to win the economic competition of the 21st Century that we face with the rest of the world—particularly with China. As I’ve told Xi Jinping, it is never a good bet to bet against the American people.

We’ll create good jobs for millions of Americans, modernizing roads, airports, ports, and waterways all across America. And we’ll do it all to withstand the devastating effects of the climate crisis and promote environmental justice. We’ll build a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations, begin to replace poisonous lead pipes—so every child—and every American—has clean water to drink at home and at school, provide affordable high-speed internet for every American—urban, suburban, rural, and tribal communities.

4,000 projects have already been announced. And tonight, I’m announcing that this year we will start fixing over 65,000 miles of highway and 1,500 bridges in disrepair. When we use taxpayer dollars to rebuild America – we are going to Buy American: buy American products to support American jobs.

The federal government spends about $600 Billion a year to keep the country safe and secure. There’s been a law on the books for almost a century to make sure taxpayers’ dollars support American jobs and businesses. Every Administration says they’ll do it, but we are actually doing it. We will buy American to make sure everything from the deck of an aircraft carrier to the steel on highway guardrails are made in America. 

But to compete for the best jobs of the future, we also need to level the playing field with China and other competitors. That’s why it is so important to pass the Bipartisan Innovation Act sitting in Congress that will make record investments in emerging technologies and American manufacturing.

Let me give you one example of why it’s so important to pass it. If you travel 20 miles east of Columbus, Ohio, you’ll find 1,000 empty acres of land. It won’t look like much, but if you stop and look closely, you’ll see a “Field of dreams,” the ground on which America’s future will be built.

This is where Intel, the American company that helped build Silicon Valley, is going to build its $20 billion semiconductor “mega site”. Up to eight state-of-the-art factories in one place. 10,000 new good-paying jobs. Some of the most sophisticated manufacturing in the world to make computer chips the size of a fingertip that power the world and our everyday lives. Smartphones. The Internet. Technology we have yet to invent.

But that’s just the beginning. Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, who is here tonight, told me they are ready to increase their investment from $20 billion to $100 billion. That would be one of the biggest investments in manufacturing in American history. And all they’re waiting for is for you to pass this bill. So let’s not wait any longer. Send it to my desk. I’ll sign it. And we will really take off.

And Intel is not alone. There’s something happening in America. Just look around and you’ll see an amazing story. The rebirth of the pride that comes from stamping products “Made In America.” The revitalization of American manufacturing. Companies are choosing to build new factories here, when just a few years ago, they would have built them overseas. That’s what is happening. Ford is investing $11 billion to build electric vehicles, creating 11,000 jobs across the country. GM is making the largest investment in its history—$7 billion to build electric vehicles, creating 4,000 jobs in Michigan.

All told, we created 369,000 new manufacturing jobs in America just last year. Powered by people I’ve met like JoJo Burgess, from generations of union steelworkers from Pittsburgh, who’s here with us tonight. As Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown says, “It’s time to bury the label “Rust Belt.” It’s time.

But with all the bright spots in our economy, record job growth and higher wages, too many families are struggling to keep up with the bills. Inflation is robbing them of the gains they might otherwise feel. I get it. That’s why my top priority is getting prices under control. 

Look, our economy roared back faster than most predicted, but the pandemic meant that businesses had a hard time hiring enough workers to keep up production in their factories. The pandemic also disrupted global supply chains. When factories close, it takes longer to make goods and get them from the warehouse to the store, and prices go up. Look at cars. Last year, there weren’t enough semiconductors to make all the cars that people wanted to buy. And guess what, prices of automobiles went up.

So—we have a choice. One way to fight inflation is to drive down wages and make Americans poorer. I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages. Make more cars and semiconductors in America. More infrastructure and innovation in America. More goods moving faster and cheaper in America. More jobs where you can earn a good living in America. And instead of relying on foreign supply chains, let’s make it in America.

Economists call it “increasing the productive capacity of our economy.” I call it building a better America. My plan to fight inflation will lower your costs and lower the deficit. 17 Nobel laureates in economics say my plan will ease long-term inflationary pressures. Top business leaders and most Americans support my plan.

And here’s the plan: First – cut the cost of prescription drugs. Just look at insulin. One in ten Americans has diabetes. In Virginia, I met a 13-year-old boy named Joshua Davis. He and his Dad both have Type 1 diabetes, which means they need insulin every day. Insulin costs about $10 a vial to make. But drug companies charge families like Joshua and his Dad up to 30 times more. I spoke with Joshua’s mom. Imagine what it’s like to look at your child who needs insulin and have no idea how you’re going to pay for it. What it does to your dignity, your ability to look your child in the eye, to be the parent you expect to be. 

Joshua is here with us tonight. Yesterday was his birthday. Happy birthday, buddy. For Joshua, and for the 200,000 other young people with Type 1 diabetes, let’s cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month so everyone can afford it. Drug companies will still do very well. And while we’re at it let Medicare negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs, like the VA already does. Look, the American Rescue Plan is helping millions of families on Affordable Care Act plans save $2,400 a year on their health care premiums. Let’s close the coverage gap and make those savings permanent.

Second: cut energy costs for families an average of $500 a year by combatting climate change. Let’s provide investments and tax credits to weatherize your homes and businesses to be energy efficient and you get a tax credit; double America’s clean energy production in solar, wind, and so much more; lower the price of electric vehicles, saving you another $80 a month because you’ll never have to pay at the gas pump again.

Third: cut the cost of child care. Many families pay up to $14,000 a year for child care per child. Middle-class and working families shouldn’t have to pay more than 7% of their income for care of young children. My plan will cut the cost in half for most families and help parents, including millions of women, who left the workforce during the pandemic because they couldn’t afford child care, to be able to get back to work. 

My plan doesn’t stop there. It also includes home and long-term care. More affordable housing. And Pre-K for every 3- and 4-year-old. All of these will lower costs. And under my plan, nobody earning less than $400,000 a year will pay an additional penny in new taxes. Nobody. The one thing all Americans agree on is that the tax system is not fair. We have to fix it.

I’m not looking to punish anyone. But let’s make sure corporations and the wealthiest Americans start paying their fair share. Just last year, 55 Fortune 500 corporations earned $40 billion in profits and paid zero dollars in federal income tax. That’s simply not fair. That’s why I’ve proposed a 15% minimum tax rate for corporations. We got more than 130 countries to agree on a global minimum tax rate so companies can’t get out of paying their taxes at home by shipping jobs and factories overseas. That’s why I’ve proposed closing loopholes so the very wealthy don’t pay a lower tax rate than a teacher or a firefighter.

So that’s my plan. It will grow the economy and lower costs for families. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get this done. And while you’re at it, confirm my nominees to the Federal Reserve, which plays a critical role in fighting inflation. My plan will not only lower costs to give families a fair shot, it will lower the deficit. 

The previous Administration not only ballooned the deficit with tax cuts for the very wealthy and corporations, it undermined the watchdogs whose job was to keep pandemic relief funds from being wasted. But in my administration, the watchdogs have been welcomed back. We’re going after the criminals who stole billions in relief money meant for small businesses and millions of Americans. And tonight, I’m announcing that the Justice Department will name a chief prosecutor for pandemic fraud.

By the end of this year, the deficit will be down to less than half what it was before I took office. The only president ever to cut the deficit by more than one trillion dollars in a single year. Lowering your costs also means demanding more competition. I’m a capitalist, but capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism. It’s exploitation—and it drives up prices. When corporations don’t have to compete, their profits go up, your prices go up, and small businesses and family farmers and ranchers go under. We see it happening with ocean carriers moving goods in and out of America. During the pandemic, these foreign-owned companies raised prices by as much as 1,000% and made record profits.

Tonight, I’m announcing a crackdown on these companies overcharging American businesses and consumers. And as Wall Street firms take over more nursing homes, quality in those homes has gone down and costs have gone up. That ends on my watch. Medicare is going to set higher standards for nursing homes and make sure your loved ones get the care they deserve and expect.

We’ll also cut costs and keep the economy going strong by giving workers a fair shot, provide more training and apprenticeships, hire them based on their skills not degrees. Let’s pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and paid leave. Raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and extend the Child Tax Credit, so no one has to raise a family in poverty. Let’s increase Pell Grants and increase our historic support of HBCUs, and invest in what Jill—our First Lady who teaches full-time—calls America’s best-kept secret: community colleges. And let’s pass the PRO Act when a majority of workers want to form a union—they shouldn’t be stopped. 

When we invest in our workers, when we build the economy from the bottom up and the middle out together, we can do something we haven’t done in a long time: build a better America. For more than two years, COVID-19 has impacted every decision in our lives and the life of the nation. And I know you’re tired, frustrated, and exhausted. But I also know this. Because of the progress we’ve made, because of your resilience and the tools we have, tonight I can say we are moving forward safely, back to more normal routines. We’ve reached a new moment in the fight against COVID-19, with severe cases down to a level not seen since last July.

Just a few days ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—the CDC—issued new mask guidelines. Under these new guidelines, most Americans in most of the country can now be mask free. And based on the projections, more of the country will reach that point across the next couple of weeks. Thanks to the progress we have made this past year, COVID-19 need no longer control our lives. I know some are talking about “living with COVID-19”. Tonight – I say that we will never just accept living with COVID-19. We will continue to combat the virus as we do other diseases. And because this is a virus that mutates and spreads, we will stay on guard. 

Here are four common sense steps as we move forward safely. First, stay protected with vaccines and treatments. We know how incredibly effective vaccines are. If you’re vaccinated and boosted you have the highest degree of protection. We will never give up on vaccinating more Americans. Now, I know parents with kids under 5 are eager to see a vaccine authorized for their children. The scientists are working hard to get that done and we’ll be ready with plenty of vaccines when they do. We’re also ready with anti-viral treatments. If you get COVID-19, the Pfizer pill reduces your chances of ending up in the hospital by 90%. We’ve ordered more of these pills than anyone in the world. And Pfizer is working overtime to get us 1 Million pills this month and more than double that next month.

And we’re launching the “Test to Treat” initiative so people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if they’re positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost. If you’re immunocompromised or have some other vulnerability, we have treatments and free high-quality masks. We’re leaving no one behind or ignoring anyone’s needs as we move forward. And on testing, we have made hundreds of millions of tests available for you to order for free. Even if you already ordered free tests tonight, I am announcing that you can order more from covidtests.gov starting next week.

Second – we must prepare for new variants. Over the past year, we’ve gotten much better at detecting new variants. If necessary, we’ll be able to deploy new vaccines within 100 days instead of many more months or years. And, if Congress provides the funds we need, we’ll have new stockpiles of tests, masks, and pills ready if needed. I cannot promise a new variant won’t come. But I can promise you we’ll do everything within our power to be ready if it does.

Third – we can end the shutdown of schools and businesses. We have the tools we need. It’s time for Americans to get back to work and fill our great downtowns again. People working from home can feel safe to begin to return to the office. We’re doing that here in the federal government. The vast majority of federal workers will once again work in person. Our schools are open. Let’s keep it that way. Our kids need to be in school. 

And with 75% of adult Americans fully vaccinated and hospitalizations down by 77%, most Americans can remove their masks, return to work, stay in the classroom, and move forward safely. We achieved this because we provided free vaccines, treatments, tests, and masks. Of course, continuing this costs money. I will soon send Congress a request. The vast majority of Americans have used these tools and may want to again, so I expect Congress to pass it quickly.

Fourth, we will continue vaccinating the world. We’ve sent 475 Million vaccine doses to 112 countries, more than any other nation. And we won’t stop.

We have lost so much to COVID-19. Time with one another. And worst of all, so much loss of life. Let’s use this moment to reset. Let’s stop looking at COVID-19 as a partisan dividing line and see it for what it is: A God-awful disease. Let’s stop seeing each other as enemies, and start seeing each other for who we really are: Fellow Americans. We can’t change how divided we’ve been. But we can change how we move forward—on COVID-19 and other issues we must face together.

I recently visited the New York City Police Department days after the funerals of Officer Wilbert Mora and his partner, Officer Jason Rivera. They were responding to a 9-1-1 call when a man shot and killed them with a stolen gun. Officer Mora was 27 years old. Officer Rivera was 22. Both Dominican Americans who’d grown up on the same streets they later chose to patrol as police officers. I spoke with their families and told them that we are forever in debt for their sacrifice, and we will carry on their mission to restore the trust and safety every community deserves. 

I’ve worked on these issues a long time. I know what works: Investing in crime prevention and community police officers who’ll walk the beat, who’ll know the neighborhood, and who can restore trust and safety. So let’s not abandon our streets. Or choose between safety and equal justice. Let’s come together to protect our communities, restore trust, and hold law enforcement accountable.

That’s why the Justice Department required body cameras, banned chokeholds, and restricted no-knock warrants for its officers. That’s why the American Rescue Plan provided $350 Billion that cities, states, and counties can use to hire more police and invest in proven strategies like community violence interruption—trusted messengers breaking the cycle of violence and trauma and giving young people hope.

We should all agree: The answer is not to Defund the police. The answer is to FUND the police with the resources and training they need to protect our communities. I ask Democrats and Republicans alike: Pass my budget and keep our neighborhoods safe. And I will keep doing everything in my power to crack down on gun trafficking and ghost guns you can buy online and make at home—they have no serial numbers and can’t be traced.

And I ask Congress to pass proven measures to reduce gun violence. Pass universal background checks. Why should anyone on a terrorist list be able to purchase a weapon? Ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Repeal the liability shield that makes gun manufacturers the only industry in America that can’t be sued. These laws don’t infringe on the Second Amendment. They save lives. 

The most fundamental right in America is the right to vote – and to have it counted. And it’s under assault. In state after state, new laws have been passed, not only to suppress the vote, but to subvert entire elections. We cannot let this happen.

Tonight. I call on the Senate to: Pass the Freedom to Vote Act. Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. And while you’re at it, pass the Disclose Act so Americans can know who is funding our elections.

Tonight, I’d like to honor someone who has dedicated his life to serve this country: Justice Stephen Breyer—an Army veteran, Constitutional scholar, and retiring Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Justice Breyer, thank you for your service.

One of the most serious constitutional responsibilities a President has is nominating someone to serve on the United States Supreme Court. And I did that 4 days ago, when I nominated Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. One of our nation’s top legal minds, who will continue Justice Breyer’s legacy of excellence. A former top litigator in private practice. A former federal public defender. And from a family of public school educators and police officers. A consensus builder. Since she’s been nominated, she’s received a broad range of support—from the Fraternal Order of Police to former judges appointed by Democrats and Republicans. 

And if we are to advance liberty and justice, we need to secure the Border and fix the immigration system. We can do both. At our border, we’ve installed new technology like cutting-edge scanners to better detect drug smuggling. We’ve set up joint patrols with Mexico and Guatemala to catch more human traffickers. We’re putting in place dedicated immigration judges so families fleeing persecution and violence can have their cases heard faster. We’re securing commitments and supporting partners in South and Central America to host more refugees and secure their own borders.

We can do all this while keeping lit the torch of liberty that has led generations of immigrants to this land—my forefathers and so many of yours. Provide a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers, those on temporary status, farm workers, and essential workers. Revise our laws so businesses have the workers they need and families don’t wait decades to reunite. It’s not only the right thing to do—it’s the economically smart thing to do. That’s why immigration reform is supported by everyone from labor unions to religious leaders to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Let’s get it done once and for all.

Advancing liberty and justice also requires protecting the rights of women. The constitutional right affirmed in Roe v. Wade—standing precedent for half a century—is under attack as never before. If we want to go forward—not backward—we must protect access to health care. Preserve a woman’s right to choose. And let’s continue to advance maternal health care in America.

And for our LGBTQ+ Americans, let’s finally get the bipartisan Equality Act to my desk. The onslaught of state laws targeting transgender Americans and their families is wrong. As I said last year, especially to our younger transgender Americans, I will always have your back as your President, so you can be yourself and reach your God-given potential. 

While it often appears that we never agree, that isn’t true. I signed 80 bipartisan bills into law last year. From preventing government shutdowns to protecting Asian-Americans from still-too-common hate crimes to reforming military justice.

And soon, we’ll strengthen the Violence Against Women Act that I first wrote three decades ago. It is important for us to show the nation that we can come together and do big things. So tonight I’m offering a Unity Agenda for the Nation. Four big things we can do together.

First, beat the opioid epidemic. There is so much we can do. Increase funding for prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery. Get rid of outdated rules that stop doctors from prescribing treatments. And stop the flow of illicit drugs by working with state and local law enforcement to go after traffickers. 

If you’re suffering from addiction, know you are not alone. I believe in recovery, and I celebrate the 23 million Americans in recovery. Second, let’s take on mental health. Especially among our children, whose lives and education have been turned upside down. The American Rescue Plan gave schools money to hire teachers and help students make up for lost learning. I urge every parent to make sure your school does just that. And we can all play a part—sign up to be a tutor or a mentor.

Children were also struggling before the pandemic. Bullying, violence, trauma, and the harms of social media. As Frances Haugen, who is here with us tonight, has shown, we must hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they’re conducting on our children for profit. It’s time to strengthen privacy protections, ban targeted advertising to children, demand tech companies stop collecting personal data on our children.

And let’s get all Americans the mental health services they need. More people they can turn to for help, and full parity between physical and mental health care.

Third, support our veterans. Veterans are the best of us. I’ve always believed that we have a sacred obligation to equip all those we send to war and care for them and their families when they come home. My administration is providing assistance with job training and housing, and now helping lower-income veterans get VA care debt-free. Our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan faced many dangers. One was stationed at bases and breathing in toxic smoke from “burn pits” that incinerated wastes of war—medical and hazard material, jet fuel, and more. When they came home, many of the world’s fittest and best trained warriors were never the same. Headaches. Numbness. Dizziness. A cancer that would put them in a flag-draped coffin. 

I know. One of those soldiers was my son Major Beau Biden. We don’t know for sure if a burn pit was the cause of his brain cancer, or the diseases of so many of our troops. But I’m committed to finding out everything we can.

Committed to military families like Danielle Robinson from Ohio. The widow of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson. He was born a soldier. Army National Guard. Combat medic in Kosovo and Iraq. Stationed near Baghdad, just yards from burn pits the size of football fields. Heath’s widow Danielle is here with us tonight. They loved going to Ohio State football games. He loved building Legos with their daughter. But cancer from prolonged exposure to burn pits ravaged Heath’s lungs and body. Danielle says Heath was a fighter to the very end. He didn’t know how to stop fighting, and neither did she. Through her pain she found purpose to demand we do better. Tonight, Danielle—we are.

The VA is pioneering new ways of linking toxic exposures to diseases, already helping more veterans get benefits. And tonight, I’m announcing we’re expanding eligibility to veterans suffering from nine respiratory cancers. I’m also calling on Congress: pass a law to make sure veterans devastated by toxic exposures in Iraq and Afghanistan finally get the benefits and comprehensive health care they deserve.

And fourth, let’s end cancer as we know it. This is personal to me and Jill, to Kamala, and to so many of you. Cancer is the #2 cause of death in America–second only to heart disease. Last month, I announced our plan to supercharge the Cancer Moonshot that President Obama asked me to lead six years ago. Our goal is to cut the cancer death rate by at least 50% over the next 25 years, turn more cancers from death sentences into treatable diseases. More support for patients and families. To get there, I call on Congress to fund ARPA-H, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. It’s based on DARPA—the Defense Department project that led to the Internet, GPS, and so much more. ARPA-H will have a singular purpose—to drive breakthroughs in cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and more. A unity agenda for the nation. We can do this.

My fellow Americans—tonight , we have gathered in a sacred space—the citadel of our democracy. In this Capitol, generation after generation, Americans have debated great questions amid great strife, and have done great things. We have fought for freedom, expanded liberty, defeated totalitarianism and terror. And built the strongest, freest, and most prosperous nation the world has ever known.

Now is the hour. Our moment of responsibility. Our test of resolve and conscience, of history itself. It is in this moment that our character is formed. Our purpose is found. Our future is forged.

Well I know this nation. We will meet the test. To protect freedom and liberty, to expand fairness and opportunity. We will save democracy. As hard as these times have been, I am more optimistic about America today than I have been my whole life. Because I see the future that is within our grasp. Because I know there is simply nothing beyond our capacity. We are the only nation on Earth that has always turned every crisis we have faced into an opportunity. The only nation that can be defined by a single word: possibilities. 

So on this night, in our 245th year as a nation, I have come to report on the State of the Union. And my report is this: the State of the Union is strong—because you, the American people, are strong. We are stronger today than we were a year ago. And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today. Now is our moment to meet and overcome the challenges of our time.

And we will, as one people. One America. The United States of America. May God bless you all. May God protect our troops.