Russia and the U.S.

There seems little doubt, outside Russia that is, that their invasion of Ukraine violates international law and multiple treaties and agreements.   Both President Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkle of Germany have talked directly with President Putin and told him that.

Secretary of State John Kerry said on CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday:  "You just don't in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pre-text."

Careful there, Mr. Kerry.   It's been proven that the Bush administration convinced the U. S. to invade Iraq on what turned out to be the "trumped up pre-text" of non-existent weapons of mass destruction.   And that was in the 21st century !!!!

Perhaps we should keep a touch of historical humility here.

Russia has the pretext that there is a sizable portion of Russian citizens who live in what is now Eastern Ukraine and Crimea, who feel threatened by what they consider an illegal take-over of the government by Europe-leaning leaders, who will weaken Ukraine's ties with Russia.

Now keep both pretexts in mind here.   I'm not saying that Putin is in the right.   I don't think we were in the right to invade Iraq either.   But before we get all high and mighty, let's keep a balanced perspective.    

Chancellor Merkle is said to have gotten Putin to agree to a dialogue with a "contact group" from the new Ukrainian government through the auspices of the Organization of Security and Cooperation of Europe. 

Let's give diplomacy and negotiation a chance.   We certainly aren't going to go to war with Russia.  Putin is not going to be swayed by denunciation, having already demonstrated by this invasion that he's willing to throw away whatever p.r. good will his $53 billion Olympics bought him.   He can veto any resolution passed by the U.N. Security Council.    Will economic or trade sanctions have an effect?   Maybe.   But there's not much else we can do unless we want to risk triggering a war.

 Ralph