How the West Brought War to Ukraine

Understanding How U.S. and NATO Policies Led to Crisis, War, and the Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe

By: Benjamin Abelow

Narrated by: Larry Wayne

Length: 1 hr and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

"A brilliant, remarkably concise explanation of the danger that U.S and NATO military involvement in Ukraine has created. Needs to be read and pondered by every citizen capable of thinking rationally and responsibly about American and European security." (Jack F. Matlock, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1987-1991)

According to the mainstream Western narrative, Vladimir Putin is an insatiable, Hitler-like expansionist who invaded Ukraine in an unprovoked land grab. That story is incorrect. In reality, the United States and NATO bear much of the responsibility for the Ukraine crisis. Through a series of misguided policies, Washington and its European allies placed Russia in an untenable situation for which war seemed, to Mr. Putin and his military staff, the only workable solution. In How the West Brought War to Ukraine, author Benjamin Abelow lays out the relevant history and explains how the West needlessly produced conflict, subjecting its own citizens and the rest of the world to the risk of nuclear war.

"An invaluable primer on the trends and events that produced the escalating warfare in Ukraine. Without understanding the history documented in this book, there will be no de-escalation of the US-Russian confrontation on Europe's eastern borders." (Chas Freeman, previously Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs)

"Abelow makes a clear and compelling case that the United States and its NATO allies—not Vladimir Putin—are the principal culprits." (John J. Mearsheimer, the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago)

©2022 Benjamin Abelow (P)2022 Benjamin Abelow

An uncomfortable but important perspective

Regardless of how you feel about the conclusions they are sufficiently well reasoned and counter to the mainstream narrative that the book is worthy of your attention.

Good Contrast with Timothy Snyder’s Work

Listen to this and Timothy Snyder’s VERY different expanded version of “On Tyranny” back-to-back. They are both right. The result is that the US has to get Russia out of Ukraine by providing agreements on strategic stability that benefit both Russia & the West.

Excellent Research and Great Presentation

The author did a great job uncovering details and facts about the Ukraine war that have been buried. His presentation is very logical and the narration is very good too. The author is the type of policy maker we need in government instead of the imbeciles we are forced to put up with now who are marching us toward nuclear war.

Essential reading for a balanced view

To solve a dangerous and complicated problem, there has to be a willingness for open and honest debate, devoid of emotional, manipulative argument. Self awareness and courage is needed by all Americans and Europeans to speak up and not be manipulated by war profiteers on all sides who repeat history and beat the drums of false patriotism.

Excellent book!

This book should be read by every intelligent person and discussed in media. Very objective, with great respect for all sides, just citing facts many people would love to hide in pushing their secret agendas.

Other perspective of the attack on Ukraine

It is always important to consider the other perspective. However, this book defended Russia without explaining to the reader why so many countries fear Russia. This singular perspective is dangerous and can be considered propaganda. That being said, the information was well organized and comprehensive.

Russian (Soviet) Propaganda

Why spend money on this Russian (Soviet) propaganda, when you could call the Kremlin & get all the free propaganda you want? Maybe you think it's a newer, nicer Russia that isn't Soviet any more, but take my "advice". It's still the same "Evil Empire" that Ronald Reagan said it was, only smaller & smarter now. In order for this book to make any sense, you have to open it with the misguided belief that the U.S. & NATO are "offensive", a "threat", "provoking conflict" & all this other nonsense, like how the U.S. will still be the one to blame for nuclear war, even if Putin is the one to push the button. What?!
It's the same old lie that the Russians told all during the cold war, about how scary the U.S. is & what a bad threat we are, & how unfair it all is. They couldn't convince a lot of their own citizens of this & still can't. (Russians are being arrested & imprisoned all the time for protesting the war).
But unable to convince many of their own citizens of this propaganda, it's strange to me that they are now able to convince some Americans of it. To find out how they do this, read a book entitled "Russians Among Us" (available on Amazon) about how "sleeper agents" like Anna Chapman are likely living in the United States as "agents of influence", spreading the right propaganda at the right time to the right people in order to slowly turn America against itself. I even wonder if the author himself might be in the pocket of the GRU without knowing it, & be listed in their files as an "agent of influence".
But if you're still too blind to see a Soviet Invasion by a war criminal (CSI) & to put the blame where it belongs, then may I call your attention to Exhibit A (Crime A) Crimea! But he's already past the statute of limitations on that crime, which he committed in 2014.
You see, a bear can never really cover his tracks completely when he knows in his heart that he's trespassing, but he can give it his best "shot". Notwithstanding a bear has to walk all over something in order to find it, & eventually realize that it's something different than his own bear feet. Ukraine wasn't like Russia at the time Russia invaded Ukraine, & the Russian Army realized that when the Ukrainians fought back.
But I will agree that Vladimir Putin is no fool, and he used to be an honorable man, though he fought against democracy as a KGB agent during the cold war, arresting & getting people imprisoned for the things they said against the Soviet government, until the KGB disbanded & he went into politics. It's all in a book entitled "The New Tsar" also available on Amazon. He had no aspirations of becoming a world leader when he was young, he just wanted to be a KGB agent. However, he was a master manipulator & through a series of coincidences he was in the right place at the right time to get where he is today - which is a position I would certainly hate to be in. And if Putin goes nuclear the last thing the U.S. & NATO should do is to blame their own selves for it. Especially when we warned him NOT to, just like we warned him not to invade Ukraine. So don't let any writer of any nationality tell you it's the US or NATO's fault when it isn't. Because even if the U.S. or NATO has made a few mistakes (nobody's perfect) the U.S. is the country you live in & the citizenship that you have, & by golly, you ought to support it!