Now that the Olympics are over, Putin's Russia seems to be all done with any pretense of a smiley-face image on the world stage.
Armed men have seized Crimea's parliament building and hoisted the Russian flag.
Russian military jets are patrolling the border with Ukraine.
And a Russian warship has docked in Havana without any explanation from the Cuban government.
Would you want Russia intervening in our (of course disputed) internal affairs? There are plenty of strong words being strung, should our US forces be flung? Again, as with the Middle East, we do not want to go without our international coalitions. We've made that mistake before.
ReplyDeleteToo little too soon?
ReplyDeleteBRUSSELS — Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel warned Russia on Thursday to stay out of the turmoil in Ukraine, while NATO defense ministers issued repeated statements meant to show support for the new leadership in Kiev.
“We expect other nations to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and avoid provocative action,” Mr. Hagel said after the ministers met at NATO headquarters here. “That’s why I’m closely watching Russia’s military exercises along the Ukrainian border, which they just announced yesterday.”
read more at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/world/europe/hagel-warns-russia-not-to-intervene-in-ukraine.html?rref=world/europe&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Europe&pgtype=article
Well, ain't he vigilant? This is going to curb Russian moves?
ReplyDeleteOK, what would you do, send troops, if not drones, and duke it out over there on our own, not that we are too weak to do so, we are too smart to.
ReplyDeleteAs in so many other situations on the world stage, the time to prevent this sort of scenario was years ago. Instead of "reset buttons" and thumbing our nose at the missile-shield agreements we'd worked out with Poland and the Czech Republic, and whispered assurances to Medvedev by the Most Equal Comrade that he'd "have more flexibility" after he was re-elected, we could - should - have forthrightly let Russia know that, even though there was a new administration, the United States intended to maintain its primacy as the leader on the world stage and as the world's lone superpower. But, no, we squandered that in favor the MEC's mad vision of an unexceptional America.
ReplyDeleteYou know history, but you don't know the future. Of what real good would it be for the US to jealousy guard its primacy as the world's lone superpower? The future belongs more to leaderless organizations and this phenomenon will change the world with its interactivity. As I repeatedly remind you, the world and US populations have doubled since you were born. And you think one man or one country can control all that? Let go and let God who has been in control all along and you/we have no more of a main line to him than the rest of all the other poor bastards on the globe.
ReplyDeleteYou clearly have not thought through the implications of the US leaving a power vacuum on the world stage. All other countries that would vie for the role we'd be abdicating would have ill intent.
ReplyDeleteThe other countries are? The world largely yawns at Putin. If you say China, the real freed9om haters, they've got many other thing coming if they try. You only get what you give, guy.
ReplyDeleteAn Iranian nuclear arsenal is inevitable. China's military buildup has been exponential. Russia not only provokes situations like Ukraine, but is utterly unwilling to stop nuclear proliferation in countries like Iran and North Korea.
ReplyDeletePost-America's military might is only worth anything if the Most Equal Comrade is willing to employ it.
ReplyDeleteAnd it is not at all clear that he would do so. His track record is not one of assertiveness - at least when it comes to foreign policy.
ReplyDeleteWe tried assertiveness for nearly 8 years, actually longer, and what did we get? Another decade older and deeper in debt. The American people have twice rejected your preempters. Your only hope is that these enemies actually do attack us again. Your ilk wanted to attack sovereign nations in response to terrorist attack(s) but the largely leaderless organizations like Al Queda are more like starfish (which regenerate) than spiders (lop off the head and they're dead). I'd like to think America is more like a starfish too. Russia, China & Iraq are definitely spiders, in more than one sense of the word.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you always think I'm equating assertiveness with military action in every instance?
ReplyDeleteFrom Krauthammer's NRO column today:
Start with a declaration of full-throated American support for Ukraine’s revolution. Follow that with a serious loan/aid package — say, replacing Moscow’s $15 billion — to get Ukraine through its immediate financial crisis. Then join with the EU to extend a longer substitute package, preferably through the International Monetary Fund.
Secretary of State John Kerry says Russian intervention would be a mistake. Alas, any such declaration from this administration carries the weight of a feather. But better that than nothing. Better still would be backing these words with a naval flotilla in the Black Sea.