One year ago, I would have been with you that we need more time, resources, and political resolve to match Russian strength (if that was our goal). Now, it’s pretty obvious that we could smack Russia out of Ukraine with contemptuous ease (if that was our goal) and rapidly shift focus to China. The only element missing is the political resolve. Both the extreme left and right are at fault for that, but of course they both casually blame the other for it.
US would get waxed in Ukraine. US hasn’t won a war against a peer opponent, or even a near-peer opponent, in 77 years. Hell, it almost lost in Grenada. LOL, at all this breast-beating.
NATO is a defensive alliance and keep in mind that none of the NATO countries either the legacy countries or the new members have launched an unprovoked offensive operation unlike a certain former KGB colonel who has done so multiple times.
Well, that is quite the goal post move. First it was having people join a mutual defense agreement, now it is having any sort of military installation in a country?
I’d call moving 16 nations and 1,000 km an offensive agreement. In any case, that’s how Russia sees it. And that’s the only thing that matters.
Don't get me wrong if it was just Russia we were dealing with then by all means have at it. The problem is it is not just Russia we are dealing with and anyone who is paying attention knows this.
“Unprovoked,” of course, is a matter of perspective. I happen to agree with you that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was unprovoked. Where we would disagree, though, is probably if you thought that Serbia enforcing its own laws on its own soil “provoked” a NATO intervention in 1999. That was a purely political move by the NATO countries involved. And if different political parties had been in power, the same exact people under the same circumstances would have had opposite political opinions than what they did in our timeline.
Was NATO pointing guns at Poland telling them that they needed to join or else be invaded? Finland? If no, then it isn't an offensive agreement. In any case, Russia sees it however it will help them justify their offensive actions, which include invading the sovereign territory of a country with the intent of annexing that territory.
My whom? Certainly not Russia which despite having a larger army, a much larger air force and many more weapons is being waxed by Ukraine. Also, keep in mind that as the result of the policy of the US and its European allies the missile sites and air bases from which Russia is launching its attacks on Ukraine primarily on civilian targets are immune from retaliatory attacks to avoid an expansion of the war.
So you think Putin could take over the former Soviet bloc before he croaks? (Probably in no more than 8 or 9 years). I don’t think he has the means and neither does he. He would basically have to win WW3 against NATO and I don’t believe he thinks he can do that.
People keep saying “Former Soviet Union” when what they should mean is “Former Russian Empire.” And, yes, I think 10 months ago he thought he could win an indirect war against NATO.
Consistently beating the drum that we should cave to Putin because western economies are going to collapse otherwise. I don't understand it when all credible indicators is that Russian economy is collapsing and people are fleeing, not to mention that russia is losing badly on the battlefield
Your post betokens a complete misunderstanding of the conflict. First, Ukraine began the war with the largest army in Europe, armed to the teeth and exceeding well dug in. Second, SMO means that Russia deployed no more than 10% of its available sources, ceding authority to local militias most of the way, one hand and four fingers of the other tied behind its back. The Russo-Ukrainian War
Sure thing - Russia has been war crimiing, raping and mass murdering Ukrainian civilians with one hand and 4 finger behind its back. LOL you’d make Baghdad Bob blush
This is what comes of getting your intel from David Muir. Watching ABC, the last couple of nights, we’re supposed to believe that Russian troops pulled the gold teeth, out of the mouths of people who voted to join Russia, then burned down their villages on the way out.
You missed the point. Everyone will suffer including Russia but that is OK to cut off our noses to spite our own faces. As I stated earlier you're not going to turn the energy spigot back on whether Russia is removed from Ukraine or not. In the meantime all of the resources and money currently being expended will be a total waste. Money and resources that could certainly be used to get us out of this pickle.
What are everyone’s thoughts on 2014, Biden running Ukraine policy under the Obama administration, Burisma, Russia annexing Crimea…then nothing from Russia under President Trump…and then Biden takes back over…invasion.
