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I lost my son, Private Heath Warner, on Nov. 22, 2006 during the Iraq War. My son watched the horrors of Sept. 11, 2001 and was inspired to fight for freedom. He said, I am going to fight them over there, so you do not have to fight them here.

At the time, I believed what I was told - that there were weapons of mass destruction. It was a bitter pill to swallow as the years went by and there were none. Many Gold Star Families have had to search our hearts with how to live sending our loved ones off to war only to realize believing the President of the United States of America lied to us.

In my heart, I developed a resentment, as I believed there was little to show for the enduring wars our country faced over 15 years.

The war in the Ukraine has awakened something in me that I thought I had lost my love of freedom.

Unlike what I observed in Iraq and Afghanistan, I am watching common, everyday people who love freedom, and their country, form a resistance that I believe will ultimately defeat the powers of Russian President Vladimir Putin. They are true patriots!

What I learned through losing my son is freedom is not free. It requires the blood, sweat and tears of the ones we love.

The people of Ukraine are living this in view of the worldwide community.

I have to ask: Is there more we can do to help the people of Ukraine before it is too late for their country?

I grew up during the Cold War. I was never more inspired than by President Ronald Reagan with his policy of peace through strength, not peace through fear. Without a gunshot, I watched in awe as the Berlin Wall came down in real time on television. That was the manifestation of peace through strength.

Now I ask, why we should take military options such as a no-fly zone off the table? When we talk about what we will do not do that sounds like fear to me and signals weakness to Putin. We are already at war with Russia by proxy. We are only deceiving ourselves that supplying weapons, providing training, intelligence, and necessary supplies for everyday life and as well as sanctions that Putin does not view these actions as acts of war.

How can we judge China for doing the same for Russia? Are they not fighting by proxy with Russia? Why else would the President Joe Biden say there would be severe consequences for China if they support Russia?

The war in Ukraine is different from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ukraine did nothing to deserve this. They were living their lives peacefully. What we are observing, as a world community, are atrocities of the worst kind: the shedding of blood of innocent people and the destruction of a civilization.

Each day we that passes is another day we could have done more.

I listened to President Volodymyr Zelensky address the United States Congress, asking us if a no-fly zone too much to ask for. I believe Zelensky was spot-on that this is not a war only with Ukraine. It is a war against the entire Western world who believes in freedom. If World War III is to come, it will come if Putin has decided this in his heart regardless of what we do or do not do.

As the father who has given a son for the cause of freedom, I know war is the last option we should pursue. War is beyond terror it is a horror that only the people of have suffered from the shocking, ghastly consequences really understand.

Fellow Americans, I encourage you to not live by fear, but to live by faith. Faith in doing the right thing, whatever it takes, to stop the atrocities of Putin against innocent people.

We can observe the current events of our time through the lens of pre-World War II global community.

We could have done more, but we did not and still ended up in war with the dictators of the time. When we live by faith, we will lead by strength.

May we all keep the people of Ukraine in our prayers, help provide donations to help them survive everyday life and the appropriate military support that signals we are Americans, we are fearless and we are strong.

May we be bold and courageous like the people of Ukraine doing whatever it takes to fight for freedom.

Dr. Scott N. Warner isan Assistant Professor of Management at Northwood University. He is the father of the latePrivate Heath Warner, killed in action Nov. 22, 2006 inAl Anbar Province, Iraq. Warner is aGold Star Father.

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Ukraine doing whatever it takes to fight for freedom - Midland Daily News