HUMANITARIAN AID AND MILITARY HARDWARE NOW

Mariupol (NBC News)

The seaport and industrial city of Mariupol has been bombarded by the Russians since the first days of the war. The news we hear is that the ruins of the city may fall any day. The fate of the 1000 citizens and the Ukrainian military are taking a last stand in an industrial steel complex and cry out for salvation. The Russians will not allow a humanitarian corridor to evacuate the women, children and injured from the underground tunnels and basements. 

Russian refusal adds to the growing war crimes of Putin and his barbaric forces. President Putin has scoffed at sanctions even though they will eventually cripple the economy and the poor Russian people will suffer. But, these sanctions have been too slow to have a consequential effect. The United States has pledged billions to support Ukraine in this heinous war with reports of atrocities growing by day. There is not yet confirmation of the thousands of civilian casualties. 

 Putin is not fazed by any human element as a result of war. The only thing he will respect is if he is met with the same intimidation and threat of military action. Putin views the United States as being weak by the lack of action as the White House issues only words in the defense of NATO. It is time to adopt new strategy and take bold action to counter Russia and begin to intimidate Mr. Putin. Russia knows no boundaries or limits in the conduct of the war. The U.S. and the Allies must take calculated risks throughout the country and especially in Mariupol. 

 • Ukrainian forces have already taken out the Russian flagship with the missile attacks that sent the Moscow to the bottom of the Black Sea. Ukraine has achieved the almost impossible without a navy. Where is the US fleet and carrier groups. It is rather shocking that an armada has been nowhere to be seen since the first signs of the invasion. 

 • A US presence of superior naval force would have and will have a tremendous deterrence to Russian aggression by sea and land. 

 • A convoy and presence of aircraft carrier groups may have deterred the Russians from taking the inhumane actions unleashed upon Mariupol. And it will protect Odessa, the last seaport vital to Ukraine's export economy and ease the threat of an agricultural catastrophe on countries dependent upon their wheat. 

 • A US naval presence will assure that transport ships carrying humanitarian aid would reach Odessa timely and with efficiency. A convoy could be escorted by our navy. Putin understands this bold action. We are talking about the Black Sea, international waters. Had the US Navy taken a stand in these waters, Mariupol would not be in such dire straits today.

• Due to the presence of obvious unimaginable war crimes the US and NATO allies should declare they have every right to take action. A convoy of UN, Red Cross or whatever auspices should have been on the way to the Ukrainian cities under bombardment. A convoy that will have the protection of US forces including air cover. Yes, there is a calculated risk Putin will take this to mean an act of war but the West must call his bluff. 

• In addition, the tactical turn of an all-out humanitarian mission should be accompanied with a terse diplomatic warning to Putin and his nukes. "Any act of aggression upon this convoy and American military will be met with a pronounced air attack on Russian forces and a possible air attack within their borders. This action will be directed toward military and support targets only. There will be no attack upon civilians." 

Does the US, NATO and the world have any choice. Time is of the essence, a phrase that is now trite. The fall of Mariupol will only embolden Putin's army to continue on to city after city. The US will have blood on our hands if we fail.