Devotees of American westerns might recall a line from Firecreek, an old-time Hollywood western with Jimmy Stewart as the good guy and his friend Henry Fonda as the bad guy.  In the movie, Fonda believes he's killed Stewart, only to have Stewart return, gunning for him.  That's when Fonda spouts a classic line: "Anyone worth shooting is worth killing."  It's a good movie and worth seeing.  In this post, with no meanness intended to Jimmy Stewart, a fantastic actor and great patriot, he is the stand-in here for the nefarious Vladimir Putin, at least for the sake of the argument I'm about to make.

Recently, there's been much debate and, unfortunately, occasional rancor among conservatives over whether America should respond militarily to help Ukraine survive.  Some argue that there is a moral imperative to do so.  Others, like Tucker Carlson, argue that we must hold back because of the danger of triggering an all-out war.  It's an honest debate worth having.  Conservatives should not get bent out of shape because there is credibility on both sides of this very complicated issue.  And of course, guess whom the rancor helps domestically.

Take a step back.  A lot of Russian tank crews (and infantry and pilots) have been killed by U.S./NATO-made javelin (and other) missiles in the past week.  I am certain that Putin has taken notice and been infuriated.  That is the above-mentioned "shooting" part.  It's an act that is already done and, in Putin's calculus, will require eventual payback.  Moreover, he doesn't seem the forgetful type — and he's definitely not the forgiving type.

That brings me to the "killing" part.  Much is made of "don't get Putin too angry, or World War III will start."  My point is this: trust me; he's already angry.  I'd say the die is cast.  I'm not a huge fan of Senator Lindsey, but the West does urgently need to take him "out."  And that can proceed in myriad ways that don't involve our CIA trying to assassinate a world leader.

First, kill Nord Stream 2, resurrect Keystone XL, and start exporting liquefied natural gas immediately — and hugely, as the last worthwhile holder of the Oval Office might say.  That will hurt Putin hugely.  It will also hurt the Saudis, and more importantly the Iranians and the Venezuelans.  Excellent collateral.

The Ukrainians and their president, against all expectations and odds, are staying in the fight (probably causing apoplexy in more than a few Western capitals).  This may not be quick and easy for Vladimir, and if it isn't, the economics matters — again, hugely.

In addition, the price of oil being driven down would be an enormous boon to Americans and to Western economies generally, as well as kneecapping inflation.  As I said, excellent collateral.

Image: Vladimir Putin (edited).  YouTube screen grab.

I get that Mr. Biden's overseers and puppet masters strongly want to force us into electric vehicles, at any cost to Americans.  But two points of logic loom large here.  First, oil is oil, and, whether we burn Texan or North Dakotan oil and gas or Russian or Iranian oil and gas, the CO2 output is the same, except that despots get richer from the latter activity.

Second, electric vehicles do, in fact, burn oil and coal.  Where do the environmentalists think the electric power comes from for those chic charging stations?

So Massachusetts and Vermont burning Russian oil and gas to keep all those leftist progressives warm — yes, they really are doing that this winter — makes no sense, whether environmentally, politically, or economically.  In these times, it's just wrong for Biden not to initiate massive drilling and exploration in North America tomorrow or to take the chains off Keystone XL.

I lack the experience and wisdom to know if NATO pilots need to enforce a no-fly zone.  I don't know if massive arms deliveries to the Ukrainians will be sufficient — or arrive in enough time.

But I do know from history that trying to stay in Vlad's good graces is a ridiculous move on the West's part, unless Germany, France, Italy, Norway, and the U.S. seek only to live their remaining (short) lives as satraps of Moscow and Beijing.  Vlad and Xi hate the West from the core of their being.  It is who they are.  They are at least true to themselves.  The feckless leaders of the West, however, are another breed entirely.  History will judge them scornfully.  All of them.

I read over the weekend that deliveries of fighter jets in NATO countries over to Ukrainian pilots were blocked by NATO foreign ministers (or was it our NSC)?  I also know that the lack of any attack on a 40-mile-long Russian armored convoy stalled for four days outside Kyiv speaks volumes.  It hearkens to the same sort of decision-making that was evident in the last days of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.

As a student of history, I always wondered who was in the cadre of Trojan leaders that argued for bringing that big wooden horse inside the city gates.  I would bet there was a vigorous and near-violent debate in the halls of Trojan power in the preceding 24 hours.  But we know which side won out in that debate, and we know what became of Troy.  Pray that the West — and the U.S. — fares better.