Angus King: “I recently read a book by the great historian William L. Shirer--not ``The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,'' which we…”

“I recently read a book by the great historian William L. Shirer--not ``The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,'' which we all read some years ago, but a book about the fall of the Third Republic. It was about France between the wars, between World War I and World War II. One of the most haunting parts of that book--more than a chapter--was about the failure of the European allies, particularly France and Great Britain, to confront Hitler in the late 1930s when stopping him would have been relatively easy. Whenever people write to my office, they say: Why are we supporting Ukraine? I answer: Google Sudetenland, 1938. We could have stopped a murderous dictator who was bent on geographic expansion at that time--I say ``we,'' the West--at a relatively low cost. The result of not doing so was 55 million deaths. That chapter has haunted me because it echoes so strongly in what is happening now in Ukraine. We are going to have one of the most important votes that any of us have ever taken--hopefully in the next few days--on support for the people of Ukraine, as they fight for our values. This vote will echo throughout the history of this country and the history of the world for generations, particularly if we fail to meet what I believe is a commitment to the people of Ukraine. If we back away, walk away, pull out, and leave the Ukrainians without the resources to defend themselves, it will compromise the interests of this country for 50 years.…”