On Monday, September 2, 1901, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, then Vice President, gave a speech from the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, with about 10,000 people present, in which he outlined his foreign policy and stated in part, that,
“A good many of you are probably acquainted with the old proverb:
‘Speak softly and carry a big stick — you will go far.’
If a man continually blusters, if he lacks civility,
a big stick will not save him from trouble;
and neither will speaking softly avail,
if back of the softness there does not lie strength, power.”
Theodore Roosevelt and Kermit Roosevelt, Jr., c.1916 September 26.
He entitled that hour-long speech “National Duties.”
Just four days after Roosevelt’s speech at the MN State Fair, President William McKinley was shot by an assassin in Buffalo, NY, and when he died a week later, Roosevelt then assumed the Presidency.
“Big Stick Diplomacy” characterized his leadership as President.
As POTUS, Theodore Roosevelt was also the surprise winner of the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize after using his “Big Stick” diplomacy to broker a peace treaty to end the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905).
Earlier this month, before the Russian thug Putin ordered Russian troops to invade Ukraine, then start shelling the capitol Kiev and other cities, I had written to POTUS BIDEN via the White House website, a letter which has similarly been shared with others.
That message, and the explanatory introduction, follow below.
America needs a leader with that kind of moxie, AGAIN!
But, to be certain, diplomacy ONLY works when BOTH/ALL involved parties are diplomatic, and seek the use of diplomacy to case, or ward off, strife & conflict.
The Russian thug Putin is neither diplomatic, nor honest. He ONLY understands BRUTE FORCE, which is why Option Number 5 is THE BEST CHOICE.
Reports circulating internationally say that the Russian people are VERY ANGRY at thug Putin’s actions, thereby also making Option Number 2 viable.
IF POTUS BIDEN WOULD take the “Big Stick” approach to this matter, his tenacity would yield successful results, I’m almost certain.
Despite the fact that Ukraine is not presently a NATO member nation, all it’s bordering neighbors are. And to the extent that we “drop the ball” at this CRITICAL moment in history — by whatever means — our NATO allies will remember it forever, as the moment when the United States, as the solitary beacon of freedom & democracy in the world, turned a cold shoulder to the suffering of others from a despot of Communism, and corrupt totalitarian thug — Vladimir Putin.
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To my great dismay, a longtime and dear friend told me that POTUS BIDEN is Read the rest of this entry »
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