A bipartisan pair of senators are warning the United States and its allies that they need to confront authoritarianism that they say is rising on a global scale.
Senators Jeanne Shaheen (DN.H.) and Thom Tillis (RN.C.) wrote a op-ed for MSNBC which raised the alarm about authoritarian regimes. The two legislators also highlighted their confidence in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), stating that further improvements and investments still need to be made.
“The winds of authoritarianism blow in all directions – leaving no nation, not even ours, untouched. Warning sirens are sounding that our adversaries intend to dismantle the international world order and remake it in their image,” the lawmakers wrote.
They cited Russian President Vladimir Putin as one of the reasons for the rise in authoritarianism, saying that his country “ignored international law to advance Putin’s imperial agenda, including the partial annexation of Georgia in 2008 and the massive invasion scale of Ukraine in 2022”. ”
They also noted that Putin is supported by the People’s Republic of China and is “enabled by the resurgence of authoritarian pariahs, North Korea and Iran.”
Their op-ed was published Thursday, the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Lawmakers discussed how NATO was formed after the end of World War II, noting that the U.S. has allies to help confront authoritarianism.
“But just as we prepared the beaches of Normandy with allied partners, the United States is not alone in facing these daunting challenges. Born out of the bravery of Normandy and the eventual victory of World War II, an agreement to form a military alliance that would ensure that Europe and its allies would never again be devastated or engulfed in a world war,” they stated.
President Biden, world leaders and several lawmakers traveled to Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Biden on Thursday told veterans who served in the invasion that they “saved the world.”
Lawmakers concluded their paper by reiterating the need to strengthen U.S. alliances.
“With so much at stake in an ever-changing landscape, learning lessons from history and renewing our commitment to preserving and strengthening our alliances is the only way to victory. As happened in 1944, when the strength of our alliances guaranteed victory, this is how democracy will continue to prevail”, they wrote.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
