“Seriously, the whole strategy right now is containment. The Ukrainians being advised by guys like Hagel are limiting their military action to avoid a massive Russian response.”
I see it as the exact opposite...
The phone lines from Washington are likely on fire, demanding action, that the Ukrainians “Do Something!!!”
Immediately after Hagel’s visit, they announced an attack on the pro-Russians that ended embarassingly.
Immediately after Biden’s visit, they announce another offensive that gets repelled, and causes Russia to start rattling sabres.
This has become a world-wide embarrassment for Obama, as well as impacting the larger efforts the Saudi’s have been pushing of Energy Geopolitics. They want ACTION for their money.
If the Russians move into eastern Ukraine there will be some sanctions but nothing other than defensive military steps by the US-NATO.
The traditional strategy is to contain, not destroy and defeat enemies. Its been that way with a bipartisan foreign policy by our leaders since WW II.
Like Don Rumsfeld said not too many years ago, this war on terror is not like WW II, its a “new kind of war”.li
No total victory like the kind we got over Germany and Japan in WW II.