I like this column by Rev. Jesse Jackson. My only quibble is that Putin saw the expansion of NATO eastward less as a danger and more as an opportunity to pursue his dream of reconstituting the Russian Empire of old. And the takeover – violent if necessary – of Ukraine was central to that vision. In his mind, Ukraine was never a sovereign state. It was always subservient and subordinate to Russia. It had no legitimate claim to independence, which explains Putin’s visceral hatred of Lenin. In his time, Lenin insisted on the right of oppressed nations of the Russian empire to independent statehood if they so chose. In ordering the invasion of Ukraine Putin, therefore, was only correcting historical wrongs, that is, restoring Russia to its former and rightful glory.

Targeted sanctions against Putin and Russia’s oligarchy make perfect sense, but I would hope that the main accent of the Biden administration is on diplomacy, restraint and negotiation. Of course, as long as the Russian army is bombing and killing the people of Ukraine that is difficult.

What is surprising is that some on the left have bought – hook, line and sinker – into Putin’s every rationale for invading Ukraine.

One could easily make an argument that the expansion of NATO provided Putin with a cover to pursue his own geopolitical agenda of reestablishing a 21st century Russian empire, extending far beyond its present borders and shorn of any democratic features. It’s no secret that he never recognized the sovereign rights of Ukraine and coveted its inclusion into a greater Russia.

Up until recently though, an invasion of Ukraine wasn’t opportune from Putin’s vantage point. It would have appeared as naked aggression to the world and likely garnered little support from even states friendly to Russia. But the ill considered and dangerous march of NATO to Ukraine’s borders changed that calculus in Putin’s mind. It allowed him, he thought, to present Russia as an aggrieved party and reluctant aggressor against Ukraine, while pointing the finger at the oligarchies in U.S. and Western Europe and NATO as the real culprit. But his calculus is proving to be wrong. The world is repelled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Putin’s message to the world that Russia’s nuclear weapons systems are on alert should be reminder that humanity has to address the unfinished business of nuclear disarmament. It should also puncture any illusions that some on the left have about Putin. But it hasn’t which only goes to prove that reflexive thinking can be a stubborn thing.