bigtoughralf wrote:The mental gymnastics required to say that invasions and war are bad because people die, but that pouring lethal weapons into an active conflict in order to prelong it is good.
That's a great oversimplification.
In an ordinary squabble between two nations, it is probably best for other nations to mind their own business and stay out of it.
When there is a megaloman bent on conquest, however, the ordinary rules don't apply. Putin has made no secret of the fact that his life's work is the restoration of the Soviet Empire, in the same way that Hitler's obsession was the restoration of the German Empire. He has already beaten up Georgia and made satellites of Byelorussia, Kazakhstan and Kirghizia. Ukraine is essentially paying the price for the fact that nobody raised a finger when Georgia was raped, in the same sense that Hitler's demands on Czechoslovakia were only made because the world did nothing when he absorbed Austria.
If Ukraine holds, Putin's reconquista essentially ends. If (as seems, unfortunately, very likely) Ukraine eventually falls, Moldovia will be absorbed soon after. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also, most likely. After that, Putin's road forward gets problematic. Subjugating the Baltic States is tempting, but as long as NATO solidarity is more or less intact it seems unlikely that he will overtly invade. More likely a long period of cyberwarfare and disinformation campaigns will be used to cripple their economies and political systems. If NATO members squabble amongst themselves then the sky is the limit.
In any case, holding the line in Ukraine seems like the best way to prevent this bloodthirsty KGB officer from growing his power and influence and subjugating ever more people.
And if the line does not hold, then at least Europe has had some time to rearm.
ConfederateSS.out!(The Blue and Silver Rebellion)...