“In Europe and America there’s a growing feeling of hysteria
Conditioned to respond to all the threats
In the rhetorical speeches of the Soviets …

There’s no thing as a winnable war
It’s a lie we don’t believe anymore …

There is no monopoly on common sense
On either side of the political fence …

We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
What might save us me and you
Is that the Russians love their children too.”

The words above are song lyrics written in 1985 by the musician named Sting. The album was titled “The Dream of the Blue Turtles.” The song was titled “Russians.” It would appear that in 38 years, we haven’t come far. Since World War II, the U.S. has been involved in conflicts based on ideology, religious as well as political competition for resource access, land, global power and money.

Demonizing Russia, while failing to acknowledge both the overt and covert actions of U.S. foreign policy over the years, is disingenuous to the American people, especially to our young, who are less knowledgeable of our foreign policy history. Supporting the overthrow of democratically elected presidents, human rights abuses, assassinations, invasions and fear mongering are all actions used by both Russia and the U.S. Given the resources, human and material, spent over decades, it would seem to demand a different course of action.

Jerry Provencher
Bath