[MartinSE]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

What would work better?

Nothing. Nothing would work better.

Our biggest problem as a nation is that we tend to see the affairs of other nations through the tinted lens of our own idealism and ignore history in the process. Our idealism (in part, anyway) motivates us to be the world's policeman but that rarely works out well and we've gotten a whole lot of bloody noses in the process. I think my tax dollar can be spent in a whole lot of better ways than pouring fuel on the various fires in the world.

Russia vs. Ukraine is a couple of things. First, it is a family squabble. Russia and Ukraine share a religion, a culture, and a way of life. I've known several Ukrainians in my time and have noticed that when they talk about themselves they refer to their nationality as "Russian--UKRAINIAN Russian". But the key word is Russian. Russia and Ukraine have been part of the same country off and on throughout history. The leaders of Russia have been titled "Tsar and autocrat of ALL the Russias", and one of those Russias is most definitely Ukraine. They've been part of the same country during most of the 20th Century.

Second, Ukraine, aside from Belarus, is Russia's last buffer against Europe, and before this conflict there was a LOT of talk about how Ukraine might become a member of NATO. There are a lot of Russians who remember WW II. We might think that an invasion by Western European powers is a ludicrous idea but most assuredly Russia does not. Most of the former iron curtain countries, which formed a virtually impregnable buffer after WW II, are now either neutral, cozying up to the west or are themselves members of NATO. And Ukraine happens to have a nice wide flat plain which could (in the past, has) serve beautifully as a highway to Russia itself.

We have no dog in this fight, and personally I don't much care how many Russians and Ukrainians kill each other. We have no treaty obligation to Ukraine. There is no vital American interest (in my opinion the ONLY reason we should ever interfere in another country's affairs) at stake. We stand to gain nothing, and to lose a lot.

Do nothing.

So, you are defending Russia's position?