Be careful with enthusiasm!

Expression that demonstrates a state of mind, generally, full of enthusiasm or euphoria and which is rich in clarifying synonyms such as: passion, fervour, frenzy, heat, fervour, ardour, boiling, vehemence, liveliness and exaltation.

A state of mind that is usually reached relatively easily after successful public, private, sporting or even gambling events or as a result of sudden changes in our behaviour in the face of a probable success or towards apparent cohesion because this state has a propagating effect and collective contagion.

Generally, it is usually provoked by an external event of various kinds and even by words of exaltation derived from heroic deeds, sporting comebacks or by fiery speeches made by real orators, experts in this field, who, with their apparent or real frankness, and supported by certain surrounding circumstances, are enough to gain unconditional followers despite the subsequent consequences. 

But enthusiasm also has a series of antonyms that are known or defined as disenchantment, distancing or coldness. Situations which, like the previous ones, although contrary, can and in fact almost always have a sudden and very contagious effect; mainly when that which led us to believe in it wholeheartedly disappoints us or shows its true face.

There are many examples and they occur daily; but a very practical and real one is that suffered by Jesus Christ himself, who in one week went from entering triumphantly before a people who acclaimed him and threw flowers at him, to being dragged to Calvary, under spitting and stoning, to be nailed to a cross until his death.

It is created and felt on a personal, family and collective level, by peoples, nations and even in their alliances, as seems to have emerged as a result of the unjustifiable and bloody invasion of Ukraine at Russian hands, without even a prior declaration of war, as well as certain reactions to it.

There are many actions and reactions that may indeed have played a role in creating the sense of unity and euphoria to which I refer. Among these, I would like to highlight a few: the disastrous images of the cities being massacred by the Russians; the numantine reaction of the Ukrainian president, Zelenski, leading and encouraging his people to resist; the change in the political and military orientation of the apparently new Germany after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's reversal of its politico-military orientation on 27 February and in a heated speech by EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy José Borrell on 1 March, clearly confronting Putin's policy and denouncing the lukewarmness and consequences for those who lag behind in their reproaches to Russia and support for Ukraine. 

If all of them could have had a major influence, I dare say that it was Borrell's speech that put the icing on a cake that was already well advanced in the kitchen and which only lacked the finishing touch to be even more effective.

Precisely because of this, the alarm bells rang faster and deeper. For being a character, generally lukewarm and sparing with words in both Spanish and English, who seems to grow in moments of great difficulty when he speaks to the masses, who are waiting for someone to lead them towards exaltation and unity, even though the results and effects to which such a stance can lead us are not appreciated, nor have they been minimally evaluated.

I remember that fiery speech in Barcelona on 8 October 2017, when he managed to convince almost all Spaniards that the days of Catalan separatism were numbered, because we good Spaniards, lovers of Spain, united and holding hands, were not going to allow it. And look how we are after some harsh disappointments and reality baths, mostly brought about by the political party to which he belongs.

On the other hand, history has shown us that any sanction, restriction or political or economic punishment imposed on any country, no matter how bad the consequences of its previous actions or abuses, sooner or later end up being reduced, softened or definitively abolished. 

Especially when we have gone too far and the repercussions of the harsh measures adopted have a way back, a boomerang effect or even become a butterfly effect as soon as they are really implemented and begin to work effectively.

The tools to combat this disproportionate, unequal, unjustified and unrealistic massacre are very few: an all-out war against Russia and its puppets; selective, powerful and effective direct support in terms of resources and intelligence; a shameful semi- or total capitulation or the imposition of strong economic measures on the attacker; which, no matter how much they are trumpeted, will be temporary in nature.

Several of these measures are totally unrealisable and, in any case, we will see what this situation and its possible solution will lead to for the Ukrainian people, who are really the ones who are suffering in desolate solitude.

First of all, Putin has been announcing for more than fifteen years his intention to take back Greater Russia in order to become a new tsar; he has launched the attack because he thought that his forces were well prepared and the International Community (IC) was going through its worst moments of weakness, and that the excuse of taking Ukraine to prevent it from joining NATO and thus being threatened by the Alliance is unrealistic and unrealistic; because if Ukraine is annexed, it will then really share borders with it.

Moreover, it has been eating pieces of the cake it is trying to consolidate for years and no one has said anything serious to it so far; its participation in real wars to test its weapons and train its forces, such as in Libya, Syria and others, has not even been criticised by the IC, and its incoherent and shameful actions in the UN and its Security Council are unparalleled in today's world.

On the other hand, the attacks and massacres in Ukraine are not an isolated phenomenon and, in the other cases, the reactions of the aforementioned IC to them have been very poor or have not appeared in the international arena at all.

In this sense, we have very recent examples such as in Syria, Libya, Iran, Afghanistan or the Kurdish people at the hands of Turkey, which after a few comments and brief days on the front pages of the media, mostly aimed at justifying the international position or hiding its incompetence and fragility, have quickly passed into oblivion without looking back.

The numerous and constant massacres of entire peoples in certain Asian countries and on the African continent because of race or religion are no longer discussed in the media, because they do not sell and nobody really gives a damn. 

The same is true of the expansion of Bolivarian communism on the American continent, the political persecutions and the state of ruin to which fruitful and wealthy regions are being brought by the ruling satraps are something that only matters to those who profit handsomely from such barbarity.

It may, however, be that China, in view of its recent change of heart, depending on the final outcome and the real consequences, will then be the time to decide whether or not to go ahead with its expansionism across the sea and its threat to Taiwan.

We are too selective and almost always too late to be alarmed, tear our hair out, roll up our sleeves and get down to work. We need to quieten our consciences and everything suggests that we only react when it affects our pockets, our stomachs or big business overseas.

In any case, as all's well that's well that ends well, maybe this real mess will finally help the EU and NATO wake up from a continued lethargy that was leading them irretrievably to the grave in the arena of peace and security.

But really, as I have written several times, I don't think it will buy everything that needs to be bought, no matter how much we get our act together in Europe and rev up the defence spending machine. Vested interests in most countries, especially among the strongest in the Union, will make truly effective and autonomous military command and control initiatives unfeasible. We will continue to play the double hat game and that, in the long run, is no more than a stopgap that does not provide much more.

Last but not least, I would like to warn that this collective euphoria and exaltation, which will necessarily lead us, if it has not already done so, to the acceptance of terrible consequences for our economy in general and in particular, will be taken advantage of by those who know how to do big business in crisis situations and, unfortunately, by many governments, including Spain's, to cover up their bad practices, abuses and deficiencies prior to this moment and lump all the filth into a single bag; At a time when even rubbish must be sorted out so that it can be combated with force and even, in some cases, transformed into something that can be reused.

Euphorias do not usually end well because they appear as a result of heated situations, based on external phenomena, little studied and with unforeseen consequences. They usually end in disenchantment, forgetfulness or sad coldness.