Russian Military Moves Spark Concern of Ukraine Invasion

Russian troops are amassed on the Ukraine border. Putin calls Western warnings “hysteria.”


Summary

With Russia’s military buildup on the border with Ukraine, concerns that Russia is preparing for war with the embattled nation are rising among Western officials.

 

reporting from the left side of the aisle

 

 

 

  • Fox News’ reporting also highlights Russia’s accusation of the West “artificially creating panic” after the release of satellite images showing a near-100,000 troop buildup on Ukraine’s border. 
  • Breitbart noted Ukraine’s moves to beef up its border with Belarus over fears it could do what it’s doing to Poland: push immigrants from the Middle East into their neighbor as part of a Russian effort to sow discord and political instability in the region. 
  • Newsmax published an opinion piece from Pat Buchanan, former presidential candidate and prominent hyper-isolationist, saying Eastern Europe should defend itself, that the United States has no vital interests in the region, and the NATO pledge to defend an attack on a member nation is “anachronistic.”

Author’s Take

Thinking like Buchanan’s is what allows dictators like Putin and China’s Xi to act with impunity. Buchanan’s short-sightedness underestimates the threat the West is under: constant Russian and Chinese counterattacks, military maneuvers in contested territories, and the potential for economic skirmishes. Isolationists like him are engaged in 19th century geopolitical thinking while China is preparing for the 22nd century.

With respect to American intervention in Ukraine, there is a clear distinction between significant American assistance, like the selling and gifting of arms, and a deployment of the American military. Our asset assistance can be enough to turn the tide, as suggested by diplomats who argued Georgia greatly benefited from Israeli weaponry.


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© Dallas Gerber, 2021