It Is Time To Face It, The West Is Already In A Kind Of War With Russia

[Gokuy]

The presence of Russian troops in Ukraine, Russian fighter planes in European airspace above Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Britain shows a fact many prefer to deny – there is war with Russia, albeit less than a full-scale one.

While many European politicians, like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, try to defuse the situation and seek a way for president Vladimir Putin to retreat without losing face, the sad fact is that it is probably too late.

I hate war, but Europe cannot sit still while Russia continues to provoke. It is time for targeted counter action. Of course, NATO cannot start an invasion of Russia or pour troops into the Ukraine but tit-for-tat reactions to Russian steps need to be envisioned.

Sanctions need to be sharpened. No trade at all. No Aeroflot planes, no gas, no nothing. Western firms need to idle their plants in Russia and send their staff home. Russian assets in the West need to be seized, sealed off and eventually confiscated. It will hurt but will not last for very long.

Russia will react, the conflict will escalate but the way things are at the moment they will in any case. Putin is trying to find the limits to where he can go and Europe and NATO are unwilling to draw a line in the sand, *****-footing over sanctions and letting Putin come to them.

You must be registered for see images

It is too easy to find parallels with Munich and the peace talks with Adolf Hitler by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, but yet the situation is almost the same – the West yearns for peace and closes its eyes for evidence of the opposite.

Russia is a bigger economy and market than any country in Europe – a bigger market than Germany. But it is smaller than Europe combined. Russia cannot look after itself for long. Even if it concluded deals with China, North Korea and former satellite states, in the end it will be out of consumer goods soon and the Russian population will turn against its leaders.


The West needs Russia as a market, as a source for energy, as a stable political partner in the post-cold war world, to stop conflicts in Syria, Israel, end Islamist military action in Iraq, Africa, isolate and remove dictators in North Korea or Azerbaijan. Yes, but Putin is testing how far he can go and it is high time to say “STOP”.

I am a pacifist, I would hate to see people die in conflict, but pacifist means peace-seeker. Peace has gone, it needs to be retrieved.

You must be registered for see links

ww3 soon

 

[Akame]

I doubt it, America solos GG

 

[BlazeRelease]

...? I live here! I better not be drafted... (If that's even legal)

 

[Gokuy]

Germany shits on USA and China neg dif.

 

[Wabbit]

Since the start of the crisis US and Nato were already around Russia doing show of force and stuff

You must be registered for see links

You must be registered for see links

You must be registered for see links

All these people are making desperate Russians to fill their gap in conventional warfare with nukes.

 

[NaNaNaaaaa]

It is more a shuddering stand off than a war, but tensions are odd and the air is thick. Russia are playing a dangerous card, Russia can not really afford a war and allies are going to be thin. However I agree, there are shades of WW2 about Russia's actions that are...unsettling.

It is hard to know what they are thinking. It is as if they think that they can quietly take the Ukraine and the West will just watch...they may be right.

 

[Scooby Doo]

It is hard to know what they are thinking. It is as if they think that they can quietly take the Ukraine and the West will just watch...they may be right.

Well I've read a political analysis written 5 yrs ago (!) that the USA may sacrifice the Ukraine to keep the fragile balance of interests. The Ukraine has always belonged in Russian sphere of influence, the West have other priorities now (like the Middle-East).

 

[Fireplay]

The 4th Shinobi war...

We should all just unite and wipe russia off the face of the earth. Obama will be our Naruto.

 

[Raphael sannin]

The 4th Shinobi war...

We should all just unite and wipe russia off the face of the earth. Obama will be our Naruto.

Then I'm George Bush!!(Sasuke)U_U

 

[NaNaNaaaaa]

Well I've read a political analysis written 5 yrs ago (!) that the USA may sacrifice the Ukraine to keep the fragile balance of interests. The Ukraine has always belonged in Russian sphere of influence, the West have other priorities now (like the Middle-East).

Yes, I think that is what Russia are banking on, bit of a risky card to play but they obviously think it is worth it. I think that now the world is so preoccupied with terrorism they think that it is a good time to move.