The Ukraine Question

[Adam Strange]

Me and the boys @FreelancePoliceman, @MrInternet, @ExpBunnyMacroverse, @Eudaimonia @Adam Strange are going to fly out to Ukraine and join the army in the fight against the Russian menace. We'll undoubtedly die rapidly in the conflict but will forever live on as heroes and martyrs in the hearts and memories of the Ukrainian people.

Wanting to die for your country is a big mistake. You want the OTHER guy to die for HIS country.

Anyway, I see no need to intervene. Putin is doing a great job all by himself of destroying Russia.

The Russian economy is now smaller than the individual economies of South Korea, Canada, Italy, and the state of Texas. Give Putin a few more years and he'll be duking it out with Akron, Ohio.

[Enters Laughing]

Europe should be stocking up its energy reserves without delay, even if there is no war Putin can threaten to cut energy exports.

Supposedly there's a limited timeframe (until the end of February or so) for a Russian invasion by land, because the Russians need the boggy ground to be frozen in order to drive the tanks in. But Putin could just focus on an air war for the most part.

I'm doubtful NATO will use its troops in anger, and yet it is putting forces on the border.

It is difficult to see Putin's comments accusing NATO, Ukraine etc. of provoking war as a means of persuading some countries that a Russian invasion would be justified. So that I guess that is either for domestic consumption to "justify" a war, or is part of some feint to get something from the West.