This summer, 30 Mainers held signs in Augusta protesting both the war in Ukraine, and more generally, U.S. involvement in endless wars. It reminded me of the 1960s and ’70s, when young people told the establishment to give peace a chance, and that sometimes, war is not the answer.

What worries me most today is that we might help Ukraine to almost win the war against Russia, and then Russians will try to get rid of Putin. And when his life is at risk, he is most likely to use tactical nuclear weapons to regain the upper hand. And what would that lead to? Could we be nuked?

The war in Ukraine is a complicated issue, and war and peace is even more complicated, with issues on both sides:

1. There is a need to somehow stop tyrants, protect people, and enforce justice.

2. President Eisenhower warned us in 1961 that if we did nothing to stop it, the military industrial complex would control our government and keep us in a constant state of war. The power of their political donations keeps our military budget, and our taxes, ever growing.

3. Escalating this conflict could take us closer to nuclear war.

4. There is “Thou shalt not kill,” and the win-lose model of war. My country has to win at all costs, and it doesn’t matter what your country loses, or how this breeds terrorists who hate us.

War is using up our resources, and we need them to deal with the crises we face at home (climate dangers, homelessness, etc.). If we can put our political biases aside, listen to all voices, and discuss all the issues of war and peace, we might find a wiser way to cope with this thorny issue.

Richard Thomas

Waterville