Quote Originally Posted by Omegstrat6 View Post
The situation is now escalating quickly as Putin makes his address to the. country. Doubtless many Russians can see through his rhetoric but are powerless to do anything. The recognition of the two "independent" states will almost certainly be a pretext for invasion of the Ukraine now and this will really test the resolve of NATO countries, particularly Germany and France. Putin has been sabre rattling for decades and pushing the boundaries in this increasing game of chicken. No one really wants a war and the use of truly severe sanctions by the West could genuinely hurt Putin, but will they really be fully used?

Comparisons to Hitler and the Allied appeasement policy in 1939 are bound to be made. Maybe one solution might be to let these two states gain their independent status If the vast majority of their population wants it. The borders of Ukraine could then be re-drawn. The problem would then be whether Putin would accept that. In 1939 the majority of the Sudetenland were happy to become part of Germany again but, correctly sensing that the Allies would do little but protest, Hitler proceeded to invade the rest of Czechoslovakia.

Doubtless China will be watching with keen interest to see the West's response to this given its own aspirations over Taiwan and the South China Sea-although I have a feeling that the reactions of the US, Japan and Australia would be more robust in this region than we may see over the Ukraine. Worrying times still..
Can’t see the cheese eating surrender monkeys doing much be up to us and the yanks again. Wish the world could learn from its history!