Obama Preps World to Wage Economic Warfare
Since Russian rebels in the East refuse to lay down arms and crazy crews in Kiev just as determined, it appears an escalation of hostilities in Ukraine is inevitable. With few realistic options to peruse, the Obama administration hopes waging economic warfare through biting sanctions will curb Russia's "suspected" ambitions.
Relying on photos of "suspected" Russian military operatives mingling amongst rank and file refuseniks as evidence, the White House has to convince Europe to stand firm, united and behind U.S leadership against "Russia's naked aggression". By all accounts, waging economic warfare against an economy the size of Russia's will be expensive and disruptive far beyond the Kremlin. Hence, it makes perfect sense to conduct a cost benefit analysis of the U.S. led sanctions.
Considering the United States has the least to lose of the Western powers, it is Europe that should be persuading the United States to support its solutions to the Ukraine crises, not the other way around. Instead of Joe Biden traveling to Europe to rally support, Merkel, Cameron and Hollande should be in the oval office presenting their proposals for confronting the Russian Federation.
Until Russia commits an act of aggression against a member of NATO, the Unites States is not "obligated" to intervene on behalf of anybody. If Eastern Europe has regional issues that must be addressed, Europe's history will show military intervention is not the answer and neither is economic warfare. If the Europeans have been able to resolve disagreements without damaging international relations for the last thirty years, they are capable of handling this challenge.
Europe and the United States must place a value on Ukraine. Europe specifically, has to consider the ramifications and repercussions of engaging in economic warfare against a regional giant like Russia. Bluntly speaking, is Ukraine worth the sacrifice of international business losses and decades of soured relations with Russia, if another approach could yield acceptable results?
The questionable legality and legitimacy of international sanctions notwithstanding, the full extent of global economic sacrifices should be clearly understood by all involved before moving forward too quickly. Letting Congressional hacks in Washington influence a foreign policy conflict of this magnitude during a politically charged election cycle will only exacerbate strained diplomatic conditions.
Unfortunately, any efforts to comprehend why Barack Obama allowed himself to be sucked into a conflict between corrupt and incompetent factions in a region of the world that thrives on corruption and incompetence will bear little fruit now, for events are taking on a life of their own. Still, its not too late to avert real problems if Barack Obama can stand up to domestic critics.
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