An Unfolding Human Tragedy in Ukraine - A Test of All Humanity, by Peter Boyce

Starkly before the eyes of all the world, a human tragey is ongoing and still unfolding in Ukraine because of Russia's violent invasion into the sovereign nation.

There have been many civilian and military casualties already across Ukraine and with a reported 40-mile Russian military armed force closing in on Kyiv, it seems imminent that greater carnage faces the Ukrainian people, especially in the absence of direct western military personnel to help preserve Ukrainian democracy.

Yet, the rest of humanity - the stalwarts of democracy, the Uniteds States (US), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN) and many others, though donating arms assets, continue to sit as observers to the unfolding human tragedy without any offers of manpower to help defend Ukraine, not even offers of a voluntary military force pulled from among the many nations.

That the fear of a direct confrontation with nuclear-Russia has acted as a deterrent to western troops standing with Ukraine, is preposterous. Such counter to reasoning excuses to confront a deadly inevitable were once used prior to another human tragedy - World War II.

Russia's Vladimir Putin has attacked sovereignty, humanity, democracy and the existing world order via his invasion into Ukraine. Therefore, lessons from history should encourage the powers that be to take a firm stand now rather than later.