By Robert Weiner, Hallvard Misje
Article first published in Palm Beach Post
Miami's Claude Pepper is remembered for many things--protecting Social Security, abolishing mandatory retirement, and expanding healthcare, among others. Less well known, yet perhaps just as significant, was his leadership in the Senate on the Lend-Lease Act, which armed America's allies against the German onslaught in the early years of World War II. According to the Washington Post, Pepper stared down Hitler in 1938 and was one of the first U.S. legislators to identify the threat of Nazi Germany, directly shaping President Franklin D. Roosevelt's policies. Roosevelt himself was deeply fond of Pepper, once remarking: Claude, if you were a woman I'd kiss you.
Claude Pepper's leadership in rallying allies and securing supplies as one of Roosevelt's strongest supporters sets a powerful precedent for what President Trump should propose to finally end the Ukraine-Russia war, over 80 years later.
Trump has shifted his views on Ukraine back and forth throughout his term. In July, he stated, We're sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%, and added, So what we're doing is, the weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons (to Ukraine), and NATO is paying for those weapons. This approach closely mirrors Pepper's Lend-Lease model to support allies in World war II and sets a strong precedent for the policy the President should and could follow.
Europe as a whole is under threat, with the war in Ukraine as the bloodiest example. Throughout September, Russian drones roamed over several European countries, and fighter jets violated foreign airspace making it clear that the danger extends across the entire continent. If President Trump fails to act swiftly, the threat in Europe will only continue to grow, and more soldiers will die in Ukraine. That is precisely Moscow's and Putin's strategy and it succeeds every time Trump retreats from his best talking points.
The new sanctions on Russia's largest oil companies, including Rosneft and Lukoil, are positive steps and will have an impact over time. However, they must be accompanied by the delivery of weapons something President Trump has so far refused to authorize. If the President can reach an agreement with Europe similar to the Lend-Lease Act during World War II to sell arms that Europe can then supply onward, the chances of ending the war would increase significantly. Ukraine would be better equipped to defend itself, and the same would hold true for the rest of Europe.
The Lend-Lease Act, strongly influenced by Claude Pepper, enabled the United States to provide weapons to its allies in Europe and, in doing so, secured its own safety by reinforcing Europes defenses. Today, Ukraine and Europe once again face a shortage of arms, even as they work to rebuild their stockpiles. The United States should draw lessons from history and help Europe make the final push. The weapons could include the long-range missiles Ukraine desperately seeks. By doing so, Washington would send a clear message to Putin and the Kremlin: do not test Europe's resolve.
Robert Weiner is a former spokesman and chief of staff for Florida Congressman Claude Pepper, a spokesman in the Clinton and Bush White Houses, and senior staff for Congressmen John Conyers, Charles Rangel, Ed Koch, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and 4-Star Gen. Barry McCaffrey. Hallvard Misje is a Norwegian journalist, former Border Guard in the Norwegian Army and a Policy Analyst at Robert Weiner Associates and the Solutions for Change Foundation.
Photos Bob Weiner: .weinerpublic.com/bobweiner2.jpg Hallvard Misje: .weinerpublic.com/hmisje.jpg
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