I'm pretty sure Putin meant that he is deliberately provoking us to see how we will respond to his actions. Since it is likely that Obama will do nothing, seeing as he is impotent, and the Ukrainians seem content not to offer resistance, I do not think it is a situation in which we need to be involved.
But, the whole of the world expects us to do something. I think they'd better get used to disappointment.
Besides, why would Obama oppose a fellow marxist?
Marxist?
Putin...
...opposes abortion, which is down 83%
...instituted a low, flat tax
...opposes gay marriage and homosexuality
...decentralized agriculture, which went from 98% farm factories to 58% household plots (measured by output)
...routinely delivers stern condemnations against communism, statism and centralization of industry (rhetoric or not, the arguments get heard)
...decriminalized tax violations and removed taxing authorities from local officials
He may use strong-arm tactics; he may have not made enough reforms against corruption. But to call him a socialist, compared to America, is just silly.
Seems to me that the EU is about as Marxist as Russia is, maybe more so.
Why is this our problem? Why is is our responsibility to defend Europe? They wouldn’t pee on us if we were on fire!
Furthermore, in case people haven’t noticed, the US is broke, the military is stretched to the limit, and after 11 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan, the American people want an end to sending our men and women to die for the sake of politicians.
Also, it’s fairly obvious that the US does not tangle with countries that have nukes, or we would have taken out the nutball in North Korea a long time ago. The idea of US troops going to the Ukraine is beyond insane.