Quote Originally Posted by JMA View Post
This is what is hilarious about the Crimea/Ukraine situation... everybody is saying what should not be done, but none saying what should be done, other than to just let Putin do what he wants. A watershed moment in history.
I am, not quite sure that folks are saying just left Putin do what he wants.

I would include Putin among those dinosaurs I mentioned here. One way to get rid of creatures with such voracious appetites is to take away their food source. Putin's food seems to consist of money and power. The West's economic sanctions directed against individuals in Russia is part of that food source removal process--reducing Putin's access to money; some of his income is also being spoiled by such things as raising Gazprom's rates and sending aid to the Crimea. A well-placed campaign of discrediting the man's public utterances (such as Breedlove's press release quoted by Davidbfpo) is the start of one way of undercutting his public support, AKA power base. Turning back Russian visitors to the Ukraine is another way of pointing out the limitations to his power.

However, dinosaurs take a while to starve and could still cause damage before they succumb. Some other things, like putting a BMD frigate in the Black Sea, are a valuable tool to limit the collateral damage the dinosaur can cause as it thrashes around in its death throes.