Thank you for sharing your perspective on this tragic situation. For your many detractors, I would say this: understanding is not justifying! For example, we can now understand, in hindsight, how the European Allies’harshly punitive betrayal of the Treaty of Versailles led directly to the rise of Hitler in a demoralized, resentful Germany. But this does not in any way justify Hitler’s murderous aggression toward his neighbors that triggered WW II. Similarly, we can understand why Russia would feel threatened and humiliated by NATO expansion, but likewise, we can never justify Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. In both instances, the vain and foolish urge of the victors to seize the advantage and humiliate their rivals caused a karmic blowback that created a monster. Alas…