Letter: Get firepower to Ukraine

Ukraine needs 500 tanks right now. Real tanks, like Leopard and Abrams, not infantry fighting vehicles. They need them also.

At the height of the Cold War, I was an officer in the Danish Army. Denmark was one of the original signers of the NATO defense alliance in 1949. We spent all our time on training to fight off "Red Ivan" when and if he came.

One of the critical places was the "Fulda Gap" in the middle of Germany. If the Soviets broke through here, they would cut Western Europe in half. I think the Soviets had over 10,000 tanks and NATO less than half that. Thank God they never came.

Now we need to have the Ukrainians prepare for the Russians coming through their "Fulda Gap" in Eastern Ukraine. A simple compromise would be that Germany and the rest of Europe send 250 Leopard tanks along with the planned the U.S. Abrams tanks.

I just read in one of the main Danish newspapers that the U.S. is landing 600 armored vehicles at a Danish seaport for the rail and truck shipment to Eastern Europe for maneuvers. Maybe more is happening than we know. I hope so.

If we supply the Ukrainians with enough firepower now, maybe Putin and Co. will think twice before the move west.

Peter Orum

St. Charles