H.R. McMaster and Bradley Bowman make a fine case for why the U.S. shouldn’t cut off weapons to Ukraine (Letters, July 11). Here’s another: Failing to deliver promised weapons after President Trump’s successful North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit where allies committed to investing 5% of gross domestic product on defense would have undermined our credibility at a geopolitical high point. The decision wouldn’t merely risk demoralizing Ukraine and emboldening the Kremlin; it could cause European allies to question our word as Mr. Trump is trying to get them to boost defense procurement by buying American weapons.
Opponents of aiding Ukraine who call themselves “restrainers” objected to our support for Israel’s military campaign against Iran and fiercely opposed U.S. military action to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. They argued that these operations would impair the president’s hand to deal with China and inevitably cause uncontrolled escalation. Neither has happened, as China is weakened when Russia and Iran are weakened.
The better course for such analysts now is to put aside emotion, recognize these hard realities and prioritize the safety of Americans by supporting the president’s wise decision to arm Kyiv and rebuild the defense industrial base.