"It will do nothing but encourage the Ukranians to stand up to Russia, which they cannot do."
I'm glad our founding fathers didn't share that attitude.
Ukraine cannot stand up to any of its large neighbors except through alliances. Even then it would just be a battlefield. Again.
I understand where you are coming from, but let's review a little history.
Britain and France assured Poland they would come to it's rescue if it were invaded in WWII. Poland stood it's ground and Britain and France suffered simultanious amnesia when it was invaded.
In the 60s, Czeckoslovakians tried to stand tall against the Russians. The U.S. had shoot it's mouth off about why the Russians shouldn't go in. The Czecks thought they were going to be saved by the U.S. Were they?
Look, if were were realisticly likely to rush in to save the Ukrane, I might agree with the bluster. I don't think we're likely to and I don't want to raise false hopes.