How the west brought war to ukraine

UNDERSTANDING HOW U.S. AND NATO POLICIES LED TO CRISIS, WAR, AND THE RISK OF NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE

Endorsements

PUBLISHED REVIEWS

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UKRAINE WAR?

Washington and the mainstream media assert that Vladimir Putin is a Hitler-like expansionist who invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked land grab. If you disagree—or even if you are unsure—-you may be called “Putin’s puppet” or a “dupe of the Kremlin.”

In this book, I present the other side of the story. I show that Russia’s invasion is best understood as a response to misguided and provocative Western policies, especially to the encroachment of U.S. and NATO forces on Russia’s borders. Had the shoe been on the other foot—had Russia acted toward the U.S the way the U.S acted toward Russia—Washington would have gone to war, too.

This book tells the story that Washington and its allies—the Western politicians and military strategists who helped cause this catastrophe—do not want you to hear.

Video Clips of the Author

From "Useful Idiots" Podcast

Play Video
Is Western support for the Ukraine war "humanitarian"?
(2 minutes 20 seconds)
Play Video
Does Ukraine have a "right" to join NATO?
(2 minutes 18 seconds)

About the author

Benjamin Abelow has worked in Washington, DC, writing, lecturing, and lobbying Congress about nuclear arms policy. He holds a B.A. in modern European history from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.D. from the Yale University School of Medicine. His other areas of interest include the psychology of trauma, including war trauma. You can reach Benjamin directly at b.abelow.2022@gmail.com. Please write “Ukraine War” in the subject line.

Q & A

Q: Does this book defend the Russian invasion?

A: My goal is not to defend the invasion but to explain why it happened. Most American citizens have heard a sugarcoated explanation of how this war came about. This explanation is one-sided and simplistic. It says that the West is all good and Russia is all evil. I try to balance that account. The truth can be painful, but it is nonetheless essential—because if you don’t diagnose a problem correctly, you won’t be able to find a solution.

Q: Isn’t our involvement in the war a humanitarian effort?

A: The war has been portrayed as a humanitarian endeavor but it is actually a humanitarian disaster. The war is destroying Ukraine, killing and maiming tens of thousands of Ukrainians, and displacing millions. And the longer the war goes on, the worse things will get. Even a Western victory likely would destroy Ukraine. Such a “victory” almost certainly would require a long, bloody, highly destructive war fought on Ukrainian territory with tremendous loss of Ukrainian life, both of soldiers and civilians. Further, the war carries an unacceptable risk of going nuclear, and that could be the ultimate catastrophe. A nuclear war could kill hundreds of millions or even billions of people.

Q: What is the solution?

A: The best solution is a rapidly negotiated settlement. This solution is far from perfect, but it is much better than an ongoing war. There is a reason diplomacy is often called the “art of the possible.” We live in the real world, with real constraints. We must recognize that fact. Neither side is going to come away entirely satisfied but at least the destruction of Ukraine will be limited and the world will not be subject to the risk of nuclear war.

our podcast

Interactive Perspective: Gun Violence in the United States
New Federal Incentives for Diversity in Clinical Trials
Acetazolamide in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure with Volume Overload
Play Video
Play Video

Subscribe for Updates!

Join the mailing list for periodic updates from Benjamin Abelow. We value your privacy and never sell or share your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Note From the Author: “To reach me directly, please email b.abelow.2022@gmail.com and write “Ukraine War” in the subject line. I will do my best to respond at least briefly to all messages. If you belong to a civic group, religious organization, educational forum, school or university and want to give copies away for free, let me know and I may be able to arrange for a bulk discount.”

Copyright © 2022 Benjamin Abelow. All Rights Reserved.