OPINION:
How would America react if Russia allied itself with Mexico and started bringing military hardware and military forces into that country? Our government would demand that Russia withdraw immediately. Mr. Putin is feeling the same way about Ukraine joining NATO.
Too many Americans live in their own here-and-now world. The Afghanistan debacle should have made most Americans recoil with disgust because their government and military deserted fellow Americans and thousands of Afghan allies. Unfortunately, too many Americans soon forgot the importance of this tragedy. But this horrific episode made Russia and China see the Biden administration as weak.
Ukraine has been in Mr. Putin’s sights for some time because it was a part of the Soviet Union, it is increasingly becoming more democratic, its higher standard of living has the potential to stir the more impoverished Russians, and it is a necessary geographic buffer that separates NATO countries from Russia.
When Mr. Putin ordered well over 100,000 troops and all the military hardware and supporting units to the Ukraine border, he handed himself a conundrum of his own making. If he invaded, there would probably be thousands of Russian casualties. He also has to worry about his adversaries ousting him from power (or worse).
President Biden has refused to stop Ukraine’s (potential) admission to NATO. This may leave Mr. Putin to believe he has little choice but to stand his ground and set a time limit for the invasion. If Mr. Biden reacts forcefully and starts sanctions after the start of an invasion, drastically harming Russia’s economy, it could lead to a heightened potential for war between the United States and Russia.
ANDY FARKAS
Traverse City, Michigan
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