It's sad indeed. Logging in and seeing all these fans of Putin posting RT propaganda as if it were a legitimate news source has been disheartening.
Part of it I think is the rotten Ron Paul influence over many that call themselves conservatives. These people tend to be conspiracy nuts who think this is all about fiat currency or who has the most gold stocks. I guess some others actually like Putin because they hate the EU more (I also hate the EU, but not enough to wear blinders), or find him an ally against the homosexual agenda, or just reflexively side with anyone who opposes Obama no matter what the cause, etc.
If we let Russia continue to get away with this sort of thing, it will embolden our enemies everywhere. And where we recede from the world, something certainly worse than us will fill the void. Isolationism didn't work in the 30's and it sure as heck isn't going to work in today's globalized world.
It’s a sad day to be an American, a sad day to be a conservative, and a very sad day for this website when a bunch of pro-Putin loons can become the dominant voice on the site. Meanwhile, honest, ordinary, nonpolitical Ukrainians are being threatened, once again, by a former KGB agent, narcissistic psycho for pseudo nationalist reasons. When they started out as “conservatives” did they imagine they’d end up as apologists for a former KGB agent?
What effective measures would you have us take? The only reason Crimea is a part of Ukraine is because Kruschev gave it to them. I don’t want to go to war defending Kruschev’s decision. If you do, I’m sure there are plenty who will join you. Unfortunately, some wouldn’t have a choice if the war-hungry here on FR have their way.
I don’t like Putin, but I’m not stupid either. If the only effective response is the use of force, I don’t want it to be in defense of a bad decision by a Soviet bureaucrat.