There is good news and bad news. The Ukrainians are proving tenacious, brave and effective in resisting the Russian military onslaught. On the other hand, tremendous damage is being done to the country and to the people. Cities are being decimated, innocents are being killed and a serious refugee dilemma is being foisted on Europe. After 4 weeks, the Russian military has been unable to achieve the quick victory and warm welcome promised by Putin. On the contrary, they are sustaining significant losses, stiff resistance and long delays.
Early on, the West imposed strict sanctions destructive to the Russian economy. That was good. The West severed most trade with Russia and imposed restrictions on its leadership and its oligarchs, seizing their assets and denying them mobility. That was good. The West continues to provide Ukraine with arms and munitions and that is good. BUT none of this seems enough. Waving the nuclear card and the specter of WW III, Putin has frightened NATO away from more direct military involvement. Guess what? We have a bigger nuclear card than Putin and, in a real sense, we are already in WWIII, particularly if we allow Putin to have his way in Ukraine.
I don’t think the free world can sit back any longer and just watch the systematic destruction of a courageous democratic country and the carnage of its people.
How about this: NATO gives Putin a 48-hour window to cease, desist and begin a withdrawal, or else NATO will unleash its full military might on Russian troops and armament in Ukraine and on any military presence nearby that is supporting the invasion. My hope is that the proud Russian military leadership will acknowledge that Putin has led it to an embarrassing, unjustified and brutal intrusion into a peaceful neighboring country, under a set of patently false premises, and will take action to remove from power those responsible, including Tsar Vladimir.
This would give essential and long overdue relief for Ukraine, be welcomed news for our western allies and perhaps be a lesson for other aspiring authoritarian tyrants – – – – maybe, including President Xi.
- – – Just the view of a common man
Views of a Common Man 
I like the way you explain what is happening and the consequences. I agree with your suggestion and hope there is an end soon. I feel with the people of Ukraine, they don’t deserve this, nobody does.
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Love it , but NATO will not do it !
Sent from my iPad
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Ollie’s proposal that NATO gives Putin a 48-hour window to cease, desist and begin a withdrawal, or else. .
is what we all believe would constitute effective leadership in a fast-changing, complex world. The lack
of an effective leader who influences people, makes strategic decisions quickly, takes risks and is innovative
has been a deterrent to NATO and any other leadership. Everyone is afraid of the consequences of such
decisions.
The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a high-readiness force comprising land, air, sea and special forces units capable of being deployed quickly. The 30-nation alliance has refused to send forces to Ukraine, either for war
or peacekeeping, and has denied Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s demand to impose a no-fly zone. Member nations,
however, are providing weapons and other necessary assistance, individually or in groups. NATO wants to
sidestep being pushed into a battle with nuclear power Russia.
If Ukraine were a NATO member, the alliance would be obligated to defend it against Russia and other
adversaries. France and Germany have in the past opposed Ukraine’s inclusion, and other European
members are wary. Ukraine’s membership has been a deal breaker for an alliance that grants membership
only by unanimous consent. Since Ukraine isn’t in NATO, any member country that intervenes would
in essence be declaring war. Ukraine is not a member, so they get no protection.
NATO expansion was not the sole cause of the war, but Ukrainian aspirations to join the military alliance
did arouse long-standing Russian fears of encirclement. Americans tend to forget that Russia is a
multi-ethnic state with a remarkable array of linguistic and cultural groups. In 2014, former Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger insisted that “The West must understand that, to Russia, Ukraine can never be
just a foreign country.”
Ollie’s sage advice for resolving the Putin and Ukraine issue is very accurate. Without NATO’s help, it is
highly unlikely that Ukraine will prevail and drive Russia out of its territory. Unfortunately, using statistics
like a drunken man uses a lamp post…for support rather than illumination, a more likely scenario is Russia
occupying Ukraine and making it a puppet state.
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