Stupid former guy Trump is a Russian asset. Calling Putin "smart" is treason.

This series of opinion letters sent to the Register Guard's editor express the depth of grief, anger and anti Putin sentiment from readers in the Eugene area of Oregon: 

The Former Guy is bought and paid for with useless Russian junk currency.

Praising the war criminal Vladimir Putin is treason!

Reading that #TFG Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “genius” for his “savvy” moves in Ukraine raises profound questions. Is that kind of praise coming from a past and future wannabe president of the United States in the midst of a globally significant crisis tantamount to treason?

Shouldn’t we be more outraged that a foreign leader, in particular, a ruthless, totalitarian oligarch like Putin, is freely playing into our political divide? Surely, Putin is testing our resolve as we are his. Surely, he sees NATO’s expansion along his borders as a threat, as we do his Russian troops invasion into Ukraine. 

From Jack Cooper, Eugene

A more fitting comparison:  Putin has compared NATO’s eastward expansion to Germany’s invasion of the USSR during World War II. A more apt comparison would be his invasion of Ukraine to “protect” Russians in the Donbas with Germany’s invasion of Czechoslovakia to “protect” Germans in the Sudetenland.

Hitler’s Rise to Power Explains Why Republicans Accept Donald Trump- The Intelligencer

From Lawrence N. Crumb, Eugene

A depraved fan: It takes a depraved person to order the brutal invasion of Ukraine, which has already caused the loss of lives, massive destruction, economic devastation and untold suffering. 

That special depraved person is Vladimir Putin. And it takes another special depraved person to describe Putin's actions as "savvy," "smart" and the product of "genius." That special depraved person is The Former Guy "Donald Trump".

Trump's repetitive idolization of Putin and Russia is an insult to all who believe in the rule of law and democracy. The United States has been, and always will be, a force for democracy and a foe of totalitarian rule.

Be it Russia, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and elsewhere, Trump will predictably favor totalitarian rule.

From David Jensen, Walterville, Oregon

Like Hitler, Trump is a radical, authoritarian figure who lies outside the normal parameters of his country’s conservative governing class.

War crimes

The attack and invasion of Ukraine is genocide, and the U.N. needs to begin war-criminal proceedings immediately against Putin. Innocent civilians are being targeted and lives lost due to a mad dictator. Please, citizens of the world, do all we can to help and support the beautiful people of Ukraine. 

From Cindee Robertson, Eugene

A tale of two mandates: Ukraine mandates all males age 18 to 60 remain in Ukraine, take a Kalashnikov into their hands to protect others and defend their right to be free from Russia. Hope: a free country. Risk to them: death.

From Larry Hirons, Eugene

Ukrainians deserve all our support

I've not been this upset on a political event for decades. Right-wing news asks, "Why is Russia the problem?” Freedom is OK, but not if it raises my gas prices. This mentality at World War II would have Europe speaking German and the Pacific nations (and Hawaii) speaking Japanese.

What I view as “American values” — proud of flying the flag, a threat to democracy anywhere needs to be challenged, people over politics are being eroded. A group not connected to the conflict, but close to home for many, feeling these events is the Afghanistan War vets. Twenty years, lost friends and family, and when we left, did Afghans fight for their country? No!

Did the cowardly President Ashraf Ghanirun away? Yes! 

In Afghanistan, billions of dollars were spent, and thousands of lives were lost or ruined. Do you feel it was worth your service for a country that lacks the courage to fight for your values? You were duped into believing that your service, as was mine in Vietnam, was moral and a cause worth dying for.

The Ukrainians deserve all the support we can offer.

From Dan French, Eugene