"Most importantly, due to the simple fact that America is the judge, the jury, and the executioner of this order, it has disproportionately benefited Americans. Russia’s threat to Ukraine is not simply a threat to Ukraine; it is a challenge to this very order." And THAT isn't a problem? Perhaps good portions of the global community are a…
"Most importantly, due to the simple fact that America is the judge, the jury, and the executioner of this order, it has disproportionately benefited Americans. Russia’s threat to Ukraine is not simply a threat to Ukraine; it is a challenge to this very order." And THAT isn't a problem? Perhaps good portions of the global community are actually tired of the imbalance of the world order?
Putting that aside:
I am not concerned by what may or may not happen to Ukraine. Not because I am indifferent to their cause but because I fear what the conflict will mean for the USA domestically.
The American people are no longer enthusiastic about international engagements to begin with. Add to this hyperpartisan environment and a perfect storm of failure is brewing for us.
Biden may want to lead but it is pretty clear that a majority of Republicans are ready to drag him no matter what approach he takes. If Trump runs he will declare that Ukraine would never have happened under his watch and that he would have handled it perfectly. And Republicans will do what they can to undermine Biden.
That was the reality that Obama woke up to when he laid down the "red line" in Syria--- he had naively assumed that there would be an internationalist consensus in Congress that had sustained (for good or bad) American foreign policy and military engagements since World War 2. When he realized that Congressional Republicans would definitely not have his back on the issue he had to simply stand down. I think similar dynamics impacted George W Bush's response to the Russia/Georgia conflict. Obama would not go out on that limb again over Crimea in 2014.
These Dynamics have not shifted and are probably worse. I do not believe the Pro-Ukrainian intelligentsia can educate the American public on the left and right to pursue anything more than a sanctions regime and never a military intervention. Even within the Democratic mainstream Biden's support is a mile wide and an inch deep for anything more serious than sanctions.
What the real policy seems to be is to let Putin do what he likes with Ukraine and to make the likely Russian success cost as much as possible but not enough to actually change the outcome.
In other words the west if fully prepared to confront Putin and fight him down to the last Ukrainian.
"Most importantly, due to the simple fact that America is the judge, the jury, and the executioner of this order, it has disproportionately benefited Americans. Russia’s threat to Ukraine is not simply a threat to Ukraine; it is a challenge to this very order." And THAT isn't a problem? Perhaps good portions of the global community are actually tired of the imbalance of the world order?
Putting that aside:
I am not concerned by what may or may not happen to Ukraine. Not because I am indifferent to their cause but because I fear what the conflict will mean for the USA domestically.
The American people are no longer enthusiastic about international engagements to begin with. Add to this hyperpartisan environment and a perfect storm of failure is brewing for us.
Biden may want to lead but it is pretty clear that a majority of Republicans are ready to drag him no matter what approach he takes. If Trump runs he will declare that Ukraine would never have happened under his watch and that he would have handled it perfectly. And Republicans will do what they can to undermine Biden.
That was the reality that Obama woke up to when he laid down the "red line" in Syria--- he had naively assumed that there would be an internationalist consensus in Congress that had sustained (for good or bad) American foreign policy and military engagements since World War 2. When he realized that Congressional Republicans would definitely not have his back on the issue he had to simply stand down. I think similar dynamics impacted George W Bush's response to the Russia/Georgia conflict. Obama would not go out on that limb again over Crimea in 2014.
These Dynamics have not shifted and are probably worse. I do not believe the Pro-Ukrainian intelligentsia can educate the American public on the left and right to pursue anything more than a sanctions regime and never a military intervention. Even within the Democratic mainstream Biden's support is a mile wide and an inch deep for anything more serious than sanctions.
What the real policy seems to be is to let Putin do what he likes with Ukraine and to make the likely Russian success cost as much as possible but not enough to actually change the outcome.
In other words the west if fully prepared to confront Putin and fight him down to the last Ukrainian.