However that would have take more of an effort and commitment that modern liberals would have permitted us to apply. Perhaps it was doomed from the start after all.
We have our own domestic enemies to defeat first.
Preaching to the choir here. Oddly, those that would brand all thus far in this thread 'Putinistas' and 'Quislings' haven't yet shown up...
Putin won't be around forever. All we're doing with our current policy is cultivating another generation of conflict while forcing Russia & China closer. Interesting whom that benefits...
We had much in common with the Russian people in WWII except their government's ideology, of which the people were victims. Now the Russia-haters would have us believe that all Russians are the enemy because of their leader and that somehow the persecuted Ukrainians are our friends. With that logic, how many countries see Americans as their enemy because of our so-called 'leader'? I am all for 'strength as a deterrence' and certainly to some respect 'preemption', but not when it's based on lies & propaganda. Our military mission has been destroyed by those that have abused that trust and are seeing the destruction of our military from within. It will take decades to repair the damage, both in personnel & leadership.
'Domestic enemies' is right. The same ones that would see our sovereignty & Constitution undermined. We can only hope the next conflict is 'winnable'...and the way things are going it won't be a foreign one (at least in conclusion).