[Right_Wing_Madman]

Declining to provide a guarantee (because it may have been imprudent, short-sighted, or otherwise unfeasible to do so) hardly constitutes an "escalation."

Since you've rejected the possibility of a negotiated settlement, before or during the war, I'll return to my original question at the beginning of this thread: how do you intend to finish what you started? Truman and LBJ faced this problem during their wars and couldn't solve the riddle.

[alexander_busek]

Since you've rejected the possibility of a negotiated settlement, before or during the war [...]

Where, for heaven's sake, did I ever reject the possibility of a negotiated settlement?! On the contrary, I would very much welcome an immediate negotiated settlement.

Of course, some of the minor conditions of such a settlement might not sit well with you, e.g.: Russia immediate withdraws all of its military forces; Russia admits culpability for a "war of aggression;" Russia surrenders Putin to an international war tribunal; etc.

I'll return to my original question at the beginning of this thread: how do you intend to finish what you started?

Again with the false imputations! Putin started this - by suddenly attacking peaceful Ukraine.

Regards,