Abandoning Ukraine

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is lurching towards disaster.  As predicted, provocations being engineered by Russian operatives and their sympathizers in eastern Ukraine have resulted in clashes with Ukrainian authorities.

Such clashes, in turn, will provide pretexts for those favoring a Crimea-style dismantling of Ukraine to invite  Russian assistance.  Given that Vladimir Putin has put large numbers of troops on the Ukrainian border ready to cross it at a moment’s notice, an invasion could occur at any time.

Meanwhile, we learn that the Obama administration has repeatedly declined recommendations of the U.S. commander in Europe to provide Ukraine with appreciable assistance, or even intelligence about what Russia is preparing to do. Instead, Team Obama has shamefully confined our support to providing meals-ready-to-eat to a country ready to be eaten.