Let Us Understand

Let's understand some facts.

The people of the autonomous republic of Crimea under the Ukrainian government did not rise up and revolt against their own government, meaning the government of Ukraine. Under the direction of Putin the Russian army invaded, occupied and annexed Crimea.

The Russian military then took Ukrainian military positions and dismissed the government of Crimea to sign a treaty with the illegal interim government of Crimea when the people "voted" for independence and then annexation into the Russian Federation.

That's the difference because all of the other revolts around the world have come from within the country by the people of the country. While the US invaded and occupied Iraq, we didn't claim it as part of the US and we eventually gave it independence.

That's the difference which makes Russia's invasion and occupation of Crimea and now annexation. The people of Crimea didn't want independence from Ukraine, didn't ask the Ukrainian government for separation, and didn't revolt against their own government.

This was all Russia, and that's the issue before the United Nations and the issue under consideration by the European Union, NATO, and the U.S. Russia invaded another country contrary to every agreement they have signed with the treaties they signed with the Ukraine and other former Soviet republics.

And we're back to the real question, do we trust Putin who says all he wanted was Crimea and has no plans to invade the rest of Ukaine. And do we trust any negotiation and agreement he would make with the EU and the US about any future plans for the Ukraine.

And what do we do with the Ukraine? We have to build its economy and help it incorporate all of the people into a single government representing all Ukrainians. But we also have to see that the Ukraine has a modern military to ensure the integrity of its border with Russia.

We have to find ways for the Ukraine to pay down the debt with Russia over natural gas while getting Russia to agree to a price the Ukraine can afford and not be threatened with it being shut off on a moments notice at any time in the future.

But all that said, we don't know because we don't know what Putin will do since all we can do is reassure Putin his actions have consequences. It's all just talk for now, but at least it's not bullets as we've already seen in Crimea.