On 3-29-2014, Dennis Revell went to speak to the Tehama GOP (which at the time had an active and functional GOP Central Committee).
The speech is linked here in its’ entirety, but the pertinent part to the Ukraine is posted below.
In a speech he gave in 1975, Ronald Reagan urged his party to raise a “banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors.”
That advice is as true today as it has been at any time before. Boldness would be an especially effective contrast to the timidity and confusion that many feel characterize the current administration’s response to the situation in the Ukraine.
In a subsequent speech a couple of years later, delivered before the Conservative Political Action Committee, D.C., Reagan argued that American leadership requires us to understand and express forcefully what makes America great and similarly to understand and speak clearly about how starkly our enemies stand in opposition to those values. In that speech he said: (Quote)
“The themes of a sound foreign policy should be no mystery, nor the result of endless agonizing reappraisals. They are rooted in our past — in our very beginning as a nation… Our principles were revolutionary… Our example inspired others, imperfectly at times, but it inspired them nevertheless… To this day, America is still the abiding alternative to tyranny. That is our purpose in the world — nothing more, nothing less.
To carry out that purpose, our fundamental aim in foreign policy must be to ensure our own survival and to protect those others who share our values. Under no circumstances should we have any illusions about the intensions of those who are enemies of freedom.
If we are to continue to be that example — if we are to preserve our own freedom — we must understand those who would dominate us and deal with them with determination.” (Unquote)
When he gave this speech, Ronald Reagan was referring to the failure of the United States under the Carter Administration to stand up for human rights against Soviet totalitarianism. But the same principles apply today to our struggle with radical Islamism and in particular to the unfolding crisis in the Ukraine.
First, it must be the policy of the United States to defend consistently and resolutely the standards for the universal rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence and codified into the law in the Constitution. This principle has much deeper and more complicated ramifications than a shallow support for democratic elections.
Instead, we should be on the side of genuine freedom for the people of the world. A Reagan Administration would be on the side of the Ukranian people and would be prepared to help them move toward democracy and solidarity with Europe and the United States.
This means that the United States must be willing to stand by the Ukrainian people as they continue on their path for free and fair elections with new parties and leaders in an environment that protects freedom of speech, the press and free assembly.
Under no circumstances should the United States continue to draw “lines in the sand” and step back and draw another every time an adversary to freedom then crosses each new line.
With all this being said, Ronald Reagan would have also understood that, despite the troublesome aspects of his rule, Vladimir Putin understands and respects only one thing, a stronger and more resolute opponent.
I believe Reagan would have been much more discreet about recognizing Putin’s ambitions in the first place, taken preemptive steps to make Putin’s recent actions more difficult to achieve and have worked to remove the leverage Putin has over the region by virtue of its oil and gas supplies. He would have recognized that doing anything less would send the wrong signal to other world leaders about how the U.S. treats its allies and freedom loving people around the world.
Most people feel, I suspect, that we are currently at best reacting to the developments in Ukraine, not on top of what is taking place, let alone managing it.
We expect our government, the President, Vice President, Secretary of State and others to speak with one voice, with one sense of purpose and determination and to give us the confidence and assurance that they are making every effort to ensure the peace and freedom for the Ukrainian people, but most importantly, providing assurance for the peace and security of the United States and its trusted allies.
