ICYMI: Congressman Don Young and Senator Josh Revak in The Hill: Project American leadership and resources to defend global democracy

Op-Ed

This past weekend, amid Russia's continued war in Ukraine, Alaska Congressman Don Young and State Senator Josh Revak, both veterans, penned an op-ed in The Hill calling on the United States to stand for global democracy and utilize domestic resources. Read excerpts below and find the full op-ed by clicking here.

"Russia's aggression toward Ukraine, and blatant disregard for other nations' sovereignty, is a glaring example of why democracies worldwide need to establish energy independence from despotic authoritarian regimes. Unfortunately, western dependence on Russian oil and gas has left the United States and our allies at a disadvantage and only emboldened Russia as they bully their neighbors.

As the United States considers aid for Ukraine, we must also consider the impacts that failing to protect imperiled democracies could have on American power and influence worldwide. Historically the United States has been willing to intervene in defense of democracy and free expression. If America steps back from this long-time priority, tyrants will take note. Authoritarians depend on a disengaged America that chooses to bury its head in the face of aggression from bad actors. If the United States doesn't lead, the flame of global freedom and democracy could be snuffed out. Too often, we have seen some democracies fail to defend the growth of emerging ones around the globe; this is in part because many times, they have been overly reliant on warmongering countries for their own energy needs. It is time to stand up for what is right: freedom."

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