There is fighting underway in the eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian government says that it is fighting against Russian troops while the Russians say that the Ukrainians are attacking ethnic Russian protesters. If you have any doubt who is telling the truth, consider this: two Ukrainian helicopters have been shot down today by surface to air missiles. Protesters, no matter how organized, do not come equipped with surface to air missiles. These are Russian troops who are shooting down Ukrainian government aircraft far inside the Ukraine. These are Russian troops who are engaged in a clear act of war.
Once again, president Obama has done nothing in response to these events. There is talk that Obama may issue new sanctions against the Russians by cutting off all sales of dog food for the pets of 16 Russian officials, but some in the administration argue that such sanctions may be too severe since this is only a Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
Seriously, Obama has done nothing. It may be that doing nothing is the best course of action for the USA, although I do not believe that. At a minimum, however, America has to start preparing for the next confrontation. Once Russia swallows eastern Ukraine and its ethnic Russians, it will surely turn its attention to Western Ukraine and tens of millions of people who do not want anything to do with Moscow. Maybe the next target will be Estonia or Latvia or Moldova. Shouldn't the USA take steps to get ready for that challenge. I am not talking about Obama giving another speech. I mean that America really ought to work out a strategy to keep Putin and his Russian horde from grabbing up more territory from their neighbors.
Maybe someone should tell Obama that it is "so 19th century" for Putin to invade Ukraine. Nothing else seems to get him to move.
Once again, president Obama has done nothing in response to these events. There is talk that Obama may issue new sanctions against the Russians by cutting off all sales of dog food for the pets of 16 Russian officials, but some in the administration argue that such sanctions may be too severe since this is only a Russian invasion of the Ukraine.
Seriously, Obama has done nothing. It may be that doing nothing is the best course of action for the USA, although I do not believe that. At a minimum, however, America has to start preparing for the next confrontation. Once Russia swallows eastern Ukraine and its ethnic Russians, it will surely turn its attention to Western Ukraine and tens of millions of people who do not want anything to do with Moscow. Maybe the next target will be Estonia or Latvia or Moldova. Shouldn't the USA take steps to get ready for that challenge. I am not talking about Obama giving another speech. I mean that America really ought to work out a strategy to keep Putin and his Russian horde from grabbing up more territory from their neighbors.
Maybe someone should tell Obama that it is "so 19th century" for Putin to invade Ukraine. Nothing else seems to get him to move.
No comments:
Post a Comment