Ukraine has become the focus of attention in recent weeks due to a buildup of Russian troops near its eastern border.
Ukraine, which lies along Russia's western border, was part of the Soviet Union before its collapse in 1991. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Russian glory was crushed, and its superpower status severely diminished. Now, Russian President Vladimir Putin is seeking to regain some of that former glory.
Russia has denied having plans to invade Ukraine, but NATO and Ukrainian allies are skeptical because Russia has amassed a 100,000-man army near the Ukrainian border. And according to the Wall Street Journal, Russia has been "moving tanks, infantry, fighting vehicles, rocket launchers, and other military equipment westward from bases in Russia’s far east." (1)
NATO's Response:
NATO allies are slowly but surely reinforcing the alliance's eastern flank, deploying jet fighters and ships to the region. The EU has plans for more than $1.3 billion in loans and grants to Ukraine, and the U.S. Pentagon has ordered thousands of troops to be ready for possible deployment.
What if Russia Invades Ukraine?
In a press conference on Jan. 25th, President Biden said that if Russia were to invade Ukraine, it would be the biggest invasion since World War II.
Mr. Biden said that he was clear with Putin early on “that if he were to move into Ukraine there’d be severe consequences, including significant economic sanctions, as well as I’d feel obliged to beef up our presence, NATO’s presence, in an eastern front, Poland, Romania, etc.” (This is a direct quote from the president’s press conference on Jan. 25th.)
This came after a supposed "gaff" made by Mr. Biden that minimized the significance of "only a minor incursion" into Ukraine. The Whitehouse has since walked back these remarks.
Bottom Line:
The exact “right way” for the U.S. to handle this is unclear, but hindsight is 20-20, and historically speaking, one thing is for sure: If we were to enter a war with Russia it would be very costly in blood and treasure, and we would lose no matter the outcome.
Even though we might win the war, true victory would be very hard to define, and American lives will be lost fighting yet another war over foreign soil. The deployment of American troops to fight someone else's war should never be taken lightly.
– The Post Opinion
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Al K. Scott
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