The inception of the blogging phenomenon occurred during a  break from worrying about Nuclear Holocaust and for that reason not many pixels have been spent on this topic. Looks like we're unlucky enough to have our opportunity.

The Moron-in-Chief:

You can't say that's not tough... but I am beginning to wonder about the incredible commitments to fight a nuclear war with Russia over these former enslaved states.

As a neocon, I recognize this is the moral position.

As a realist, I also recognize we're talking about global war with Russia over countries not named "America."

Unfortunately for Ace, he just made the same argument the left has been making since 9/11 against spreading freedom around the world.  Simultaneously, he overlooks an argument I know he's made a thousand times.

Correctly, he states the realist's view (and also the majority of the left) of a choice between having a nuclear war over Georgia and Ukraine or not having a nuclear war over Georgia and Ukraine.

On the neocon argument, he makes a mistake. That would be a choice between a nuclear war with Russia now or a nuclear war with Russia later.

Now, I'm not saying we're going to have a nuclear war with Russia nor that any serious conflict is inevitable.  It is entirely possible that Russia can pull out and the status-quo ante can be restored, more or less.  Even if they took over Georgia, it could be made clear that no further advances are acceptable and Putin may listen.  He may not.  The one wildcard is what, exactly, Russia wants out of this manufactured crisis.

What I am saying is if Russia is intent on spreading their influence over poor, defenseless neighbors they will not stop with tiny ex-Soviet Republics.  Most likely, the passive bystanding of the world's police will only encourage a hungry Russian Empire to grab the rest of the old satellites while the gun barrels are still warm.  Hell, why not take over all over Europe?  Seriously, have you see the state of their militaries lately?

Were Russia to be encouraged to continue pushing around their neighbors by American acquiescence, what possible future threat would yield any better results?  What would stop them from Estonia and Latvia and Lithuania?  How would we convince our NATO allies that they were worthy of defense when other, larger nations weren't? 

Then why not Poland?  Why not Slovakia?  The only thing that would eventually stop them is to finally draw a line in the sand somewhere.  The allies in World War 2 drew that line in Poland far later than they should have.  Are we to draw the line in Poland as well?  Or Germany?  France?

I leave it to people in positions of power to determine what the Russians want but if it is to rebuild their empire, it must be stopped and they must be told in no uncertain terms that we are willing to stop them. 

This aggression cannot stand. 

Posted by: Moron Pundit at 04:41 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
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