Quote Originally Posted by Ulenspiegel View Post
Sorry, we obviously live on different planets. Putin chose the lesser of two evils, that is not a gain but limiting his losses.
There is the first problem. Why were the post-Soviet Russians allowed to believe that they would be allowed dominate nationalities/peoples/ethnic groups in vassal states to maintain the delusional dream of a 'right' to maintain an empire?

The deal in 1990 was, that the west did not destroy the buffer in Russias west. With the events the last 12 months it became clear that we, the west had not remember this part of the deal.
I hear about this supposed deal but see nothing in writing. If there was then the joke is on them... nobody believes promises made by the US.

You still sell the affair as if Russian forces have occupied a part of a NATO or EU country. A realpolitiker would remember the Bismarck quote in respect to Serbia and the worth of a Pommeranian Grenadier.
Spoken like a great appeaser. It doesn't take a genius to read the writing on the wall about Russia's future intentions.

Your "In response to this recent Russian military aggression Russia should be reduced to the level where they will never be able to embark on military adventurism ever again. Sadly there are not enough political ‘balls’ across the whole of ‘western’ Europe and North America to put Russia firmly and finally in its place." is pure hyperventilation, sorry.
Yes I know there are no balls big enough to confront Russia and dismember the federation and flush out the criminal regime either in Europe or North America.

Regardless if the same had been done with Russia as was done with post 1945 Germany there would not be this problem now. Bush #41 screwed this up Bush #43 and Obama have made a bad situation worse in the process opening the door for Russian expansionism.

The reaction of the former Bundeskanzler Schmidt, who was the main architect of the NATO double track decision in 1979-1982 and who was very pragmatic and a really hard bone when it mattered, should tell you the opposite.
Don't know the detail of that but the point I am making is that had the Russians been emasculated like the Germans were then we would not be having this problem now.

Re economic sanctions: The west is the economically stronger fighter and, in addition, is able to perform an asymmetric economic war. Why your unelegant brute force approach? In my book that means self-inflicted pain, that can easily by avoided.
It is like keeping a lid on a pressure cooker. What I am saying is now is the time to settle the 'Russian problem' once and for all. This will also provide Germany no reason sometime in the future to put a proper military together.

As I said in Europe one needs to keep an eye on both the Germans and the Russians. History has taught the world these two nations are the main protagonists.