U.S. should send troops to quell Ukraine crisis

washingtonpost.com ^ | April 15, 2014 | James Jeffrey

[Berlin_Freeper]

Despite much diplomatic effort, the situation in Ukraine worsens. A coordinated Russian campaign, including an invasion threat, special operations destabilization in eastern Ukraine patterned on the Crimea model, and warnings of gas cutoffs document ever more clearly Vladi­mir Putin’s aim to cripple the Ukrainian government and control much or even all of this strategically vital European country.

[Elsie]

Great reply; hot on the heels of mine!

[rbmillerjr]

1. We are not sending any troops to Ukraine.

2. This is not some “wag the dog” scenario.

It is a real former KGB agent named Putin, who is a tyrant and will take what is given to him.

[Rashputin]

We have no legitimate security interest in the Ukraine.

We have no reason to contribute US troops to a UN peacekeeping force in the Ukraine.

The whole point of the EU was to make an alternative to US power being the primary force in Europe.

So, let the EU strut it's stuff and put a force in the Ukraine to stare down Russia if they think that's the proper course of action.

[Blackyce]

There are so many other things we could do if we actually gave a crap. We could use our strategic petroleum reserves to tank the price of oil in the short term, while authorizing international sale of LNG and building the infrastructure on both sides to end their natural gas dominance in europe. We could pull out of the silly nuclear agreements Obama has negotiated with Putin and put Star Wars and nuclear testing back on the table. We could reposition NATO forces forward into the Poland, Romania and the Baltics and make every showing that we plan to leave them there permanently. We could coax Finland and Sweden into NATO and create a northern command with the Canadians and Scandinavians that’d be an irritant to Russian plans for the arctic. Etc, etc. There are a tons of ways to push back, without sending US forces on another foreign adventure. If we’re not even exploring the simpler options, what in the world would make people think we’d jump to something like this?

[Forward the Light Brigade]

We can send in troops and maybe a fleet of ships for the Black Sea—Then invade Criema! Take it back for Ukraine and kick out all the Russian troops and supporters! Sounds good BUT—What about NUCLEAR WAR! What about turning America into a glowing heap of radioactive Ashes??? For the sake of a corrupted UK government—and Obama’s Ego—it just isn’t worth it.

What can we do—send in “American Volunteers” Hot shot pilots to fly F-35’s for Ukraine (or F-18s) Like the old Flying Tigers in 1941. Ask for help from Poland/Germany to send tanks to secure western Ukraine from invasion. Send Guns to UKraine.
We can also sell Europe Gas—to replace Russia’s. But, I don’t think Obama has the balls for any of this. He will watch as Ukraine falls back under Russia and blame the Republicans, Tea Party and Ted Cruz for the bloodbath.

[Zhang Fei]

Zhukof and stalin fed millions into the meat grinder because they were invaded. Having enemy troops within spitting distance of your capital reorders one’s priorities.

Same thing happened in WWI. Besides, Russia brought the invasion on itself via the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which opened the way for the German invasion of the West. The Russians also provided the Germans with the war materials with which they attacked France and the Low Countries. Once Western Europe was overrun, the Germans could invade Russia without worrying about the French reaction.

[demshateGod]

Or we could do nothing.

[cork]

Must have gotten some really bad dope at the WaPo.

[Rodamala]

Send THEIR kids this time.

[GraceG]

Sending OUR troops to the Ukraine would be the EPITOME of “Foreign Entanglements”....

[bgill]

Bloody hell, no!

[Orangedog]

Okay, so we’ve beat the first two world wars to death. How about we not go poking a bear with a history sacrificing tens of millions of its own people to level the cities of an invading power?

[hondact200]

send all the gays and lesbians, let them have a love-in over there in the ukrain. that will do a lot to bolster the us standings in the world. hey at least back in the good ole usa less faggots and queers around.

[Zhang Fei]

You idea is even worse, are you for real? Risk US lives and possibly start WWIII on behalf of Kiev regime??

Russian pilots flew against the US during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. I don't recall WWIII starting over that.

[catnipman]

This is an European problem for the most part, so the Europeans should muster the combined might of their militaries and take care of this if they are so concerned (he said with irony).

[Amish with an attitude]

Let the Europeans deal with it.

[Zhang Fei]

How about we not go poking a bear with a history sacrificing tens of millions of its own people to level the cities of an invading power?

We're not poking the bear - they're poking the free world. Your reasoning led to Munich, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the deaths of tens of millions of Europeans. The Russian will to empire has remained constant all through the Romanov, Bolshevik and post-Bolshevik regimes. The Russian people will not be sated until they either rule the world or are completely defeated in the manner of the German people.

[Morpheus2009]

I’m not sure he stands much of a chance against Putin, it would probably be either Putin owning him as a world-class martial artist, or it would be Obama walking away and be his usual self and letting other people fight for him.

[WayneS]

FUJJ