Posted on 01/06/2022 5:08:27 AM PST by tlozo
The White House is writing off an ally to appease an enemy. The situation in Ukraine has become very grave.
On December 17, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin sent U.S. president Joe Biden an ultimatum, effectively demanding that NATO abandon Eastern Europe or face military action. Biden agreed to a phone conversation with Putin to talk it over, giving the Kremlin what it sought: The affected countries were now on the table instead of at the table. When the two then talked on December 30, according to the White House, Biden rejected the ultimatum and informed Putin that if he proceeded to invade Ukraine, he would face strong economic sanctions from the U.S. and its European partners. Putin then countered by saying that such sanctions would result in a “complete rupture in relations” between Russia and the U.S.
The Russian ultimatum was outrageous, so much so that it is clear that it was designed to be rejected, giving Russia a pretext for war. Furthermore, in promising to cut off relations in response to any new Western sanctions, Putin was threatening retaliation for Western actions that would only occur in the event of an invasion.
In other words: The invasion is on. Putin is planning to take Ukraine, or the bulk of it, because he thinks he can.
Putin looks at Biden and his European counterparts and sees weakness. And why wouldn’t he? In July 2014, when Russia-backed fighters shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew aboard, the Obama–Biden administration refused to hold them responsible for it; instead, the White House called for a prolonged “investigation” to defuse the issue. A month later, when Ukrainian forces were advancing into Donetsk to retake the city from Russian-backed separatists, Russia massed armored forces on the Ukrainians’ flanks. These tank concentrations could not have escaped observation by U.S. reconnaissance satellites. But rather than “provoke” Russia by warning the Ukrainians of the impending envelopment, the Obama–Biden administration shamefully kept quiet, allowing the Ukrainian forces to be surprised, surrounded, and defeated. The economic sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its seizure of Ukrainian territory and its killing of over 14,000 Ukrainian citizens were a joke, limited to reducing a few secondary Kremlin figures’ opportunities to shop and enjoy the sites in Western countries. Meanwhile, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project was allowed to proceed apace.
More than five years later, Russia is mobilizing troops on the Ukrainian border, and the Biden administration seems to be taking the Russian seizure of Ukraine as a fait accompli. Rather than warn Putin that he will be held responsible for any harm that might come to the 15,000 American citizens currently in Ukraine, the administration has announced that it is developing plans for their evacuation. Biden has threatened to impose more serious sanctions in the event of an invasion, but Putin is betting that any sanctions with real teeth will be temporary in nature, and well worth the pain if he can take Ukraine and discredit the Western alliance in the bargain...
Face the facts...Zelensky won’t implement Minsk-2 because giving the DPR any political power means he’ll lose the next election.
That’s also the reason he’s prosecuting the former President Porochenko for treason...its about holding onto power.
Same as it ever was in the corrupt oligarchy called Ukraine.
“NATO is too big already and the US has no interests in any part of Ukraine.”
It’s not about the US nor Russia.
It’s about Ukraine’s sovereignty to do as it wishes.
It’s none of Russia’s business.
Face the facts that you omitted. Russia has violated the Minsk agreement by having forces inside Ukraine.
They have been cited for hundreds of attacks inside of Ukraine.
Most would find it odd, that Minsk, which was drawn up due to Russian invasions, you, oddly find wrong doing in the nation that has been illegally attacked.
Now, we have another 150,000 on Ukraine’s border.
Minsk-2 is an agreement between the government regime in Kiev and the Donbas People's Republic aimed at national reconciliation. Russia is involved as a facilitator, as are France and Germany.
Ukraine government reports of Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine just aren't credible, which is why international observers from OSCE are on the ground monitoring things.
Does the OSCE report the presence of Russian troops inside Ukraine?
I'll wait...
Congrats National Review!
You wanted rid of Trump, depsite KNOWING what a catastrophe Brandon was!
All of your ilk in GOP, Inc. got what you wanted so just shut up and embrace the suck that you helped cause.
(Russia has always been an aggressively expansionist entity for many centuries under many rulers. It has historically had, and still has, fantasies of the conquest of most or all of Europe. Finally, then, the world will know, and recognize, that Russia is a mighty global power forever. With this current regime, they might just accomplish it with not even a whimper of protest.)
LOL, is that a new name for an invader?
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe has been monitoring the line of control separating the Kiev regime forces and those from DPR since 2015.
If Russian forces are operating inside Ukraine where are the OSCE reports showing their activities?
Putin uses "little green men " like he used in Crimea. What OSCE has spotted is Russian convoys entering Ukraine on dirt roads to avoid detection and Russia's newest military hardware in Donbas, like the R-330Zh, Zhitel. 
"OSCE drone captures latest Russian incursion into their western neighbor" It is important to note that these convoys traveled dirt roads in order to avoid
https://medium.com/dfrlab/minskmonitor-russian-military-convoy-filmed-entering-ukraine-aa56296e96d5
“It’s none of Russia’s business.”
And most certainly not ours, no matter the events that transpire.
Cool story bro...but some trucks crossing the UKR/RUS border at night and some Russian made anti-jamming hardware does not add up to an invasion.
For context the same OSCE report also spotted two “Russian made” surface-to-air missile systems (9K35 Strela-10) near Verkhnotoretske, about 25 klm Northeast of Donetsk and in direct violation of the ceasefire.
Verkhnotoretske...that’s UKR government controlled territory isn’t it?
I don’t follow your logic.
Ukraine is a sovereign nation.
It’s none of Russia’s business.
If Russia makes it their business to intervene in Ukraine’s sovereign rights, then it follows that the US can have intervention into Russia’s intervention.
Of course we aren’t sending troops, but we can severely restrict Russian access to Euro markets, increase troops in Poland and the Baltics, operate covert operations to destabilize Russian security...etc.
Russia invaded Crimea, already.
Russian soldiers have been in eastern Ukraine since 2016. Russian soldiers have been captured inside Ukraine in 2021.
The same Wagner former special operations guy that Trump wiped out in Syria. About 200 of them.
So, if Putin invades with conventional forces, it is not really an INVASION, but a continuation of the current illegal annexation in the west of Ukraine, destabilizing operations in eastern Ukraine, and a continuing imperial operation.
LOL, sure what can it possibly mean when Russia's newest military hardware is spotted inside a "separatist" controlled area. Stop the BS. You know the Ruskies are sending a massive amount of equipment with Ruskie soldiers to man it. Russia's newest radar jamming equipment isn't manned by some local untrained yokels. Its the same with the Buk that shot down the Malaysian airliner; it was supplied by Russia's 53rd anti-aircraft brigade in Kursk. You just don't care.
“If Russia makes it their business to intervene in Ukraine’s sovereign rights, then it follows that the US can have intervention into Russia’s intervention.”
Absurd.
Russia has strategic interests in Ukraine.
The US has no interests whatsoever. A complete annihilation of Ukraine would not affect ANY US interest. Nor would any form of imposed governance.
Though it would sure cause those despicable neocons to foam at the mouth.
How many times has the US invaded other countries in the Western Hemisphere? What if Russia tried to intervene in those cases? Of course look how we reacted when the Soviets were putting missiles in Cuba? Why would we expect the Russians to be any different when we are playing in their backyard?
What’s the old demented pervert doing now? Yelling, “Get off my lawn?”
The Ukraine, and many of the lower eastern European FSU countries have no business becoming NATO members, or ‘aspirants’ like the Ukraine. That organization shouldn’t even EXIST anymore. The Warsaw Pact is kaput, over long ago, and this expansion beyond its original charter will never stop util it is forced to stop. Let the EU defend itself and fund its own EDF. They won’t even pay into NATO at the the agree-upon 2% of GDP rate. Screw Europe.
“Russia has strategic interests in Ukraine.”
LOL. We have strategic interests in Cuba.
The US doesn’t invade due to that only.
We also have strategic interests in a Europe that is safe from Russian aggression.
“How many times has the US invaded other countries in the Western Hemisphere?”
In the contemporary time period, I can think of 2 cases: Grenada and Panama.
1. Grenada: American citizens in the medical school were being threatened and roughed up by police from Granada and Cuban military.
We invaded, secured our citizens and found Cuban military and arms all over the island. THEN WE LEFT.
2. Panama: Again, “Dignity Battalions” were beating and shooting at US citizens and military. AGAIN WE LEFT.
RUSSIA: Georgia, Crimea, Ukraine...THEY HAVE NOT LEFT.
Not to mention attempts in the Baltics after the Soviet implosion.
Former Warsaw Pact countries joined NATO due to the tyrannical repression of their Soviet occupiers.
They are sovereign Nations and can do what they wish.
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