Ukraine (closed; covers till August 2014)

[Stan]

Carl,

Stan:

I figure the biggest event in the history of humans still has a lot of lessons to teach. I figure too that some people may not want to look at the biggest event in the history of the humans for lessons because what they see may not be what they want to see, especially if it involves doing something more than hoping hard and in a pious manner.

As a devout Roman Catholic and a witness to the Rwandan Genocide, I not only think we learned a horrific lesson in humanity, we also learned that if we are going to react, it should have been fast, really fast. But, our system is anything but fast with Congress and Senate on vacations, etc.

Let's leave the Teutons out of it for a second. When the Italians went on their adventure in Abyssinia they did it only because the Brits let them. I remember reading if the RN had indicated even a slight willingness to stop them, Benito wouldn't have chanced it and sailed on back. That would have had an effect.

Didn't that end with a military occupation of Ethiopia ? They would only later be defeated in Africa ? Why would the USA want to replay that in history on my dime ? Maybe I lost your point herein.

The unfortunate plain truth of the matter is that sometimes, you actually gotta do something. A lot of influential people don't want to hear that.

Agreed 100%, but should be done with every Tom, Dick and Harry. We should not be running with the ball alone.

Yep, it will take an enormous amount of time to get the EU and NATO in gear, ever fearful of another Iraq (they didn't agree with that and most still conclude the war as both illegal and illegitimate). In the meantime, the Ukrainians also need to attach some sort of responsibility to their actions instead of spouting words in the press that get Yankee blood boiling.