There is already pressure to get involved if there is a full-scale invasion, but our history with proxy wars is littered with folly.
By Ted Galen Carpenter, Responsible Statecraft
The increasingly volatile situation involving Russia and Ukraine has the entire world on edge. Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize the “independence” of two separatist regions in Ukraine, and especially his deployment of Russian “peacekeeping” troops to those regions, has dramatically escalated tensions. Although a full-scale invasion and occupation of Ukraine is not certain, even that scenario cannot be ruled out.
One point is clear though: the West’s proclaimed commitment to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity does not include U.S. or NATO military forces. Biden has confirmed that he “would not send American serviceman to fight in Ukraine” under any circumstances. Other NATO leaders have adopted similar positions of military restraint. Even if a larger invasion takes place, the West’s response likely will focus on imposing new, harsher economic sanctions on Moscow.
U.S. and Western officials are grappling with the embarrassing fact that they oversold their backing for Kyiv and now face the reality that Putin has called their bluff with an invasion and occupation of at least some of Ukraine’s territory. Consequently, they are scrambling for an option that would go beyond merely implementing more economic sanctions — a move that might hurt the global economy as much as it would inflict pain on Russia. The current front-runner for a more robust response is a scheme to fund and arm Ukrainian fighters to mount a resistance to a Russian occupation. Indeed, there are news reports that CIA operatives already are busily training Ukrainian paramilitary units.
Recent Posts
This May Day, Let’s Follow The Lead Of Immigrant Workers
May 1, 2024
Take Action Now Let’s follow the lead of immigrant workers organizing for a world without borders — this May Day and beyond. by David Bennion and…
UK Students Begin New Wave Of Protests Against Gaza War After US Arrests
May 1, 2024
Take Action Now Protests planned in Sheffield, Bristol, Leeds, Newcastle and other universities in show of solidarity with Palestinians By Sally…
Police Storm Columbia’s Campus And Violently Arrest Protestors
May 1, 2024
Take Action Now “The U.S. government and institutions like Columbia are showing that they would rather brutalize students than divest from…
They Arrested Us. I Hope It Brings An End To Nuclear Weapons.
May 1, 2024
Take Action Now About 50 people protested April 15 outside the Kansas City National Security Campus, a plant run by Honeywell, calling for an end to…