Damn few things make sense to the Western mind regarding the two-week old Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
Putin’s once-vaunted military has shown itself to be more incompetent than a gaggle of U.N. bureaucrats working in conjunction with a venue of vultures, umm… I mean a band of dizzied Democrats. Things are so bad for Putin, he’s resorted to hiring Chechen-Muslim fundamentalists and Syrian thugs.
Things are just as weirded-out for Ukraine’s Zelenskyy. Between the funding his nation’s defense via donate buttons, he’s also founded Ukraine’s very own Foreign Legion… yeah, things certainly are weirded-out, and that’s putting it mildly.
With all that said, I really do think I have a solution to all this “no-fly zone” talk hitting the airwaves. But while you read my suggestion, please refrain from laughing. I know my idea is rather harebrained, but I never bitch about something unless I propose a solution.
So here’s my solution; let the Knights of St. John do it. While we’re at it, have them operate out of the non-NATO European nation of Moldova, literally right next-door to Ukraine.
On formal occasions, they’re known as Supremus Militaris Ordo Hospitalarius Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani Rhodiensis et Melitensis (Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta).
In regular life, they’re known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), or just simply as the Order of Malta.
Although thought by most Americans as a long-dead Crusader order of knights, SMOM is actually the smallest nation on Earth (sorry, Vatican City State).
While many Europeans, ANZACS, Asians and Africans are familiar with the Order for their widespread ambulance services.
Despite their sovereign territory consisting of just a handful of city blocks/ palaces in Italy and part of the Fort of St. Angelo in Malta, the Order actually had diplomatic ties to well over 100 nations and international organizations.
Interestingly enough, Ukraine, Russia and Moldova all have ties to the SMOM. This way, no one can claim their dealing with an unknown entity.
Anyhow, if any given nation should so desire to donate fighter and surveillance aircraft to the SMOM, and if pilots and support personnel should volunteer to live (at least temporarily) in Moldova and fight under the colors of the SMOM, I ask why not?
By the way, the SMOM actually does issue passports, that further enhances their diplomatic chops.
As nutty as this proposal may sound, it sure as hell beats the possibility of a nuclear war. Wouldn’t you agree?