That is the first qualifying question, but is rarely asked. The Russian dispute with Ukraine poses ZERO threat to the security of the United States or to any of our European allies. But the continued expansion of NATO around the Black Sea poses a very serious national security threat to Russia, which is why Putin has responded so forcefully to the recent West-sponsored coup in Kiev.
James Jeffrey defends the many "tripwires" that the United States has installed around the world by our forward deployment of small combat brigades. But four new realities make this old Cold War posturing more dangerous than ever:
1. We have made far more of these "tripwire" commitments than we can possibly honor at any one time;
2. Our armed forces are depleted and exhausted from two decades of constant war, and are presently downsizing to our weakest conventional position since before the Korean War;
3. Our economy is overwhelmed with debt and would be crushed by the spending required to support a major war; and
4. Our numerous enemies around the world know all of these things, and are encouraged to act in concert.
And still the War Party beats the drums for more military adventurism, more taxation and even more borrowing, so that we will buy more weapons and spill more blood and then buy even more weapons and... For the political class, war is a racket. But for everyday Americans, needless war damns our future.
Great post!
Indeed. Agree.
My Post 43 explains my position as influenced by a short ‘think piece’ published back in the 90’s.