BrentWil
BrentWil's JournalNot deterring Russia will have the same effect as not deterring Germany in Czechoslovakia in 1938
There are Russian ethnic groups throughout the old Soviet Union. If Putin is allowed to annex the eastern Ukraine and perhaps the whole state, it will have the same effect as it did for Hitler in 1938. Aggression will be rewarded. There is no political will to stop it. This will continue. Putin has said that the USSR dissolving is one of the biggest mistakes in history. Unless he is deterred here by some means, he may continue to try to make the map look like this:
Putin's War in Crimea will Soon Spread to Eastern Ukraine And nobody can stop it
Gets it right. In the end, Russia will expand and nobody will stop them or can stop them.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116810/putin-declares-war-ukraine-and-us-or-nato-wont-do-much
Russia's next target is eastern Ukraine. Because pessimism conquers all, don't bet that Putin is going to stop once he wrests Crimea from Kiev's orbit. Eastern, Russian-speaking Ukraineand all its heavy industryis looking pretty good right now. And if you're thinking "Why would Putin take eastern Ukraine?," well, you haven't been reading very carefully.
Kremlin TV Loves Anti-War Protests—Unless Russia Is the One Waging War
RT is such a joke. The fact that it is taken seriously here is ridiculous.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116816/whataboutism-russia-protests-against-war-ukraine
Well, oddly enough, RT has no coverage of the anti-war protests in Moscow and St. Petersburg, which, shockingly enough, were brutally broken up by police. In Moscow alone, some 350 people were arrested today. There were arrests in St. Pete, too. Here's what it all looked like, since you won't see it on Russia Today.
What are Obama's Politically Realistic Options in Ukraine?
Interesting piece form politico. I think it lays out what the actual options the administration is thinking about:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/russia-ukraine-obamas-options-104160.html
1) Kick Russia out of the G-8
2) Take Rubles from Russia
3) Void the visas
4) Send in the fleet
5) Give Putin Crimea, but nothing more
I think that gets it about right in what the administration is actually considering. Given these are the options on the table, would you do any? Would you do some?
I would do 1 through 4. I think one needs to deter Russia. But that is my thought.
If the Ukraine government asked, would you support helping control their airspace?
This is a quick comparison of the Russian and Ukraine military.
If one takes the air power out of the equation, the Ukraine can reasonable defend itself. The whole Russian military won't be used in an attack and Ukraine has already called up their reserves. Moreover, defenders have an important tactical advantage.
With that said, would you support a limited role in which the Ukraine simply asked the United States to help control its sovereign airspace? We would make it clear to Russia that is our only role. However, if they entered the air space, it would be a hostile act. One would think that Europe would be supportive of such an option.
Conflicting reports about explosions and gunfire in central Simferopol
Conflicting reports about explosions and gunfire in central Simferopol http://t.co/6FNiNt8gMC
John Kerry: All Options on the table, including military action
'All Options On The Table' , including military action, to Hold Russia Accountable in Ukraine.
http://t.co/BzvUHMDfkJ
West's puny response to Ukraine will not deter - If you want diplomacy, it only works with force
This article gets it right.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/02/west-response-ukraine-vladimir-putin-russia
Putin understands the West will not respond. The economic sanctions and a diplomatic response are of little consequence. Just as with Georgia, he will act without fear of any real response. Without the willingness to use force, there is no diplomacy . He has to fear that this actually could lead to a wider war before he will talk. Is this what our grandparents and great grandparents felt like watching the German occupation of Czechoslovakia?
US ambassador calls for deployment of international observers to Crimea
Hopefully the start of some sort of response. Calling for Russian withdraw and a UN force of observers.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/united-nations-ukraine-2014-3
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