Opinion: In politics, my side is right, yours is wrong

Grant Shapps serves as the minister of defense for the United Kingdom. Shapps recently informed a conference in London that both U.S. and British defense intelligence agencies had evidence that, “lethal aid is now, or will be, flowing from China to Russia and into Ukraine, I think it is a significant development.”

The report goes on to state that Shapps could not provide any evidence to support his stunning assertion.

This type of report happens on a regular basis and always implies that the country sending support to the Russians has committed an offense against international law or even, more dastardly, a sin against “Western values” or “the International Rules-based-Order.”

For instance, when North Korea or Iran supposedly sent artillery ammunition or drones to Russia, news reports inferred they had no legal right to help their allies.

Every minister or secretary of defense, on the other hand, knows that more than 40 countries under the guidance of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group are providing “lethal aid” to Ukraine.

A glance at any media, major or minor, printed or electronic will confirm the suspicions of even the most confirmed skeptic that while aid to one side is a noble endeavor, aid to the other is a high crime or misdemeanor.

When Israel takes incoming missile strikes from the Houthis, Hamas or Hizballah, or the Houthis bottle up shipping in the Red Sea, calls to immediately retaliate against the Houthis, Hamas or Hizballah are not forthcoming. Rather calls go out to destroy Iran, the nation seen as the controller of the three proxies.

Recent reports about Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian early warning radar systems that provide long-distance monitoring of aircraft and ballistic missiles and are crucial to Russia’s missile defense strategy are causing some concern in Washington.

The Biden administration has recently lifted restrictions on Ukraine using U.S. supplied weapons to attack targets in Russia.

In 1954, the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line was built across Western Alaska across the Canadian Arctic to Greenland. This radar project was designed to detect Russian bomber incursions into North American airspace, and was upgraded to include missiles in the late 1980s. It became the North Warning System.

What would happen if North Korea used Russian supplied missiles to attack the North Warning System?

Rube Render is a former Clovis city commissioner and former chair of the Curry County Republican Party. Contact him:

[email protected]