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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt feels like Ukraine is Buffer Fodder
No matter how I look at this, our refusal to stop the slaughter of Ukrainian citizens militarily is a moral failure. And a threat to our national security.
I know, I know, WW3. We cant this and we cant that. But we will do sanctions and send weapons and intelligence. All the while they are bombed to bits. We could stop it. We wont, because we fear an escalation from the russian madman who has nukes.
If you were a Ukrainian how would you be feeling about the US? They are being slaughtered from the air. Putin doesnt need a fricken functional convoy to kill them and destroy their country. And we are helpless to stop it for so many reasons, say many people for reasons I understand but do not accept.
We have let Putin get by for 10 years with a hella lot. Did nothing cause they have nukes. He didnt stop. He became more emboldened.
If he steps one foot on NATO well, then we do something people say. We are willing to accept the consequence. Why are we only willing then to do something. What good does an obliterated Ukraine do for anyone?
Do you think we will not be dragged in at some point? Do you actually think this man stops?
Yeah Im not an expert. I am, however, a human being though with a heart and a brain.
Walleye
(34,093 posts)denbot
(9,906 posts)Fuck Putin, fuck Russia.
onecaliberal
(35,161 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,609 posts)6,500 Nuclear weapons.
onecaliberal
(35,161 posts)Calculating
(2,993 posts)Appeasing Hitler 2 isn't gonna help, it just emboldens him and now he knows that all he has to do is threaten nukes and nobody will stop him. Might as well just give him Europe.
brer cat
(25,768 posts)I have a lot of faith in Biden, but this slaughter of Ukrainians is killing my soul and I'm afraid it is killing our national soul.
Mr.Bill
(24,609 posts)The best thing we have going for us is the people running things in the White House right now. I am confident he is doing the right thing.
Painful as it is, we are talking about a death toll in the thousands versus possibly in the millions. I dont believe for a moment its pooties threats that keep us from acting. This is about containing the damage.
And we cannot act unilaterally without NATO! Talk about crazy.
In war there are no good outcomes...
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)qazplm135
(7,452 posts)And yeah they view is as sacrificing then so we don't have to get involved.
left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)Just 'no'.
Voltaire2
(14,470 posts)Estimated deaths from a US Russia nuclear exchange start at around 150,000,000 immediate deaths.
So if you want some cannon fodder, that would be us.
herding cats
(19,585 posts)That would be the first play by Putin. I'm not afraid of him nuking the world, but I do think he's got plans to completely destroy Ukraine, Moldova and the better part of Romania before we stop him. Serious damage to life in Poland as well before he's stopped.
Then, of course there will be the loss of life from all the NATO members as we fight Russia.
He's just that evil.
For what it's worth, I expect this outcome. It's what Putin is attempting and feels like it still may happen. He's saving his military hoping for an escalation he can use as his glory moment. His opus.
I don't think he's looking for a nuclear war, but rather a slaughter of as many NATO nations in an all out end game of his regime. The nuclear bluster is bullshit, the same as how sanctions, military aid, etc. is an act of war. He's trying so very hard to escalate this beyond Ukraine. His message is, he wants more. He's just not getting it yet.
On edit: I'm not an expert. I'm not a geopolitical professional and I'm not playing one on the internet. All opinions are my own.
JCMach1
(27,876 posts)We can and should do more, but that's a big NO for direct action.