Mothra said:
bear2be2 said:
Doc Holliday said:
HuMcK said:
And that's how you get prolonged war.
History would suggest that appeasing and/or ignoring the threats and offenses of maniacal dictators also leads to prolonged war. So this isn't as simple as most are trying to make it.
If there's a prolonged war, it was both started and prolonged by one party. The western world's response/non-response to Putin won't make any difference if he is as determined as he appears to be to continue his imperial march.
Honest question: Was it completely out of the realm of possibility for Biden to say: "Ukraine will never be a part of NATO?" If Putin doesn't want American bases, troops and missiles at his border, would it be "appeasement" to tell him what he wants to hear? Do we not do that with our enemies at times? Have we not done that with China and Taiwan? Or are we likewise "appeasing" China?
There is no legitimate excuse for Putin's invasion, but the idea that this entire conflict is on one person just isn't reality. Conflicts rarely are.
If you are going to make such an offer, you do it at the negotiation table, not in the freaking media to the world!
You go into the private meeting with Putin, having declared that we will never give anything, and we are considering all out warfare. Then when you come out of the meeting with a ceasefire, it is seen as progress for both sides. Then after more meetings & negotiations, you come away with ceeding the Eastern provinces to Russia, and an agreement that Ukraine will never join NATO, but Russia also agrees to something.... THAT is how you negotiate.
You NEVER go into a major negotiation by publicly announcing that you will give into every demand being made by the other side. If you do that, then you have no room for compromise. You must set the stage so that both sides can claim some victories, and both sides can give some concessions.
What Biden is doing is to declare an unconditional surrender, before the war has even begun. Biden Inc. are giving a clinic on international weakness!
ShooterTX