Russian troops are on the ground in the Ukraine. They took two airports and have been flying in transports of more troops. They are there and Putin has outmaneuvered the weak Obama and the EU. Even as Obama and Kerry continue to drone on about, “You better not do this,” Putin has already done it. So what do we do to keep all of Ukraine from falling in a a domino effect and eastern Europe being dominated by Russia?
1) Immediately have the US and the EU confer with Ukraine and tell them to NOT attack the Russian troops in the Crimea. Have them immediately mobilize their forces to their borders and take up positions and prepare and make any further Russian aggression have to come through their prepared positions. Right now the Crimea is lost, and attacking them there will only invite a much larger invasion and the potential loss of all of the Ukraine.
2) The US should immediately start flying C-17s into Kiev (the Ukraine Capitol) loaded with advisors, provisions, trainers, and a a security force for those people. We cannot get enough people there to stop Putin at this point, but we can show him that the price for taking the Ukraine has now gone up and would be too steep for him.
3) Have the NATO and Euopean countries (Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain) do the same thing (Number 2) at other critical points throughout the Ukraine.
4) Immediately move to make the rest of the Ukraine a part of NATO.
5) Hasten the Ukraine’s entry into the EU.
These measures will block Putin now, and hold him where he is with the gains he has made. It is not likely that the Ukraine will get the Crimea back, no more than Georgia will got its two lost provinces back. But we can limit the damage and build a strong coalition of the Baltic States, Poland, Hungary , Slovakia, the Czech Republic and western Europe to stop Russia where it is.
Otherwise we may see the whole of the Ukraine go over...and that would bne the first step in a process for Russia to once again establish a buffer between itself and western Europe.
Folks, when you elect a man who sat with the Russian Prime Minister Medvedev, just before the 2012 Elections, and told him...when he thought he was off microphone...that after the elections, he, Obama, “would be a lot more flexible,” with Putin...this is what you get.
We need to neuter this guy politically in 2014, and then run he and his ilk out of the White House for good in 2016. If we do not, things will get worse...much worse.
bttt
Jeff, I do not desire our nation to become involved in Ukraine. putin has made his move and it is and was a bold one. obama has rattled his sword and sword rattling has a way of causing people to die. I truly believe that if obama does not watch his step we could be quickly on a very slippery slope. I want NATO to stay on the sidelines and allow our Military to rest and regroup. I would like to see EU do the same. Convince me I'm wrong, please.
“Russia ready to help Ukraine’s economy: Kerry”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3128094/posts
Jeff, your plan of action makes sense. Though, I wonder at its consequences. Once, it would've been certain to cause Putin and Russia to halt in place. Now, though, it's only a probability -- maybe 75-80%.
Because, if Putin continues to impinge on Ukraine, say, in the Donetsk, there's not a damn thing we or NATO can do about it. Only the Ukrainian forces in the field would have any credibility.
The question would still be how far does Putin want to push it?
“4) Immediately move to make the rest of the Ukraine a part of NATO.”
I don’t think the world is ready for a nuclear war.
Putin will not even try to take Western Ukraine. It cannot be done without Stalin at the helm, and without battle-ready troops that just came back after taking Berlin. That's what it took last time, in 1945, to defeat OUN and more or less pacify Western Ukraine.
Russia only can take control over the Eastern Ukraine. The population there is largely Russian already, or at least bilingual. The people there do not want a revolution every few years; they do not want corrupted bureaucrats (though Russia is not exactly a solution to that) and, most importantly, they do not want to be locked in a poor country that has limited resources, not much money, and practically no future as part of the EU. They will pick Russia as a lesser evil, and probably it would be a good decision for them. Western Ukraine has to be left to pure Ukrainians, who will be free to live as they want.
1) Immediately have the US and the EU confer with Ukraine and tell them to NOT attack the Russian troops in the Crimea.
At this point Ukraine does not have armed forces that could try to do that. The military was silent during the violence in Kiev. They will not interfere in any way. Besides, soldiers and officers are Ukrainians too, and they know what they want for themselves. If the change is gradual enough, and if it is properly supported politically (such as by election of right people who then immediately say the right words) then there isn't much that the army can do, unless laurels of Augusto Pinochet become very appealing to some general. (There are no such generals in Ukraine.)
2) The US should immediately start flying C-17s into Kiev (the Ukraine Capitol) loaded with advisors, provisions, trainers, and a a security force for those people.
That would be seen as occupation by many Ukrainians. Remember, Yanukovich was elected with something like 55% to 45%. Kiev is full of people who do not support the new government. Also, the police forces are pretty much gone by now, so any attack on US workers will not be investigated. There is a lot of serious firearms floating around, stolen from military bases earlier, and a lot of people drive around the city, armed and very dangerous. The "security force" that you propose to send is incompatible with the concept of Ukraine as an independent country; it's what occupiers do. Would you like it if China sends "advisors" here who would be driving around in tanks and shoot americans left and right just because they thought them suspicious? If not, why would Ukrainians like it? They are well armed now, and if need be the army depots will be opened again. They have a lot of hardware there.
Additionally, this is just yet another way to dump billions of dollars into the black hole that Ukraine is.
4) Immediately move to make the rest of the Ukraine a part of NATO.
It is not possible because a country has to be stable before it enters NATO. It wouldn't be very wise to start World War III over a border conflict that was instigated (or staged) by persons unknown. Membership in NATO is a large responsibility. Ukraine is not ready for that, just as it is not ready for EU. (On the other hand, considering the current state of EU, it may be a good fit.)