Ukraine and Russia

Could the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict Start World War III?

I can't answer this question - it is well beyond my grasp of history and peoples' patriotism. Try to Google the history of the Ukraine even since the start of World War II and your brain will feel like it is watching a Wimbledon final. What I read was full of back and forth, separation, unification, corruption, conflicts, death etc.

What it does make clear to me is that we in North America are mere babes in arms, barely weaned from mother Britain. Almost any European country has a history as long as your arm which only historians could detail. So understanding the emotions involved in the potential invasion of the Ukraine by Russia is difficult.

If Great Britain attacked either Canada or America with a view to taking them back under her reign, you would have a small taste of what citizens over the pond have experienced for centuries.

Here is my attempt to place this in perspective:

Let us assume - and this is not entirely unrealistic - that Texas declared its independence from America. I don't know if that is possible legally but if they wanted it badly enough the law would not matter. Let us also assume that they succeeded without war erupting between Texas and the other 49 states. Soon Texas might want to join NATO as a full member, expecting support if America crossed its northern border.

It is likely that America would try to get Texas to re-join the union. Now let us say that Russia, or China, or North Korea for example then sent massive forces to the northern border of Mexico in support of Texas, even though there was no Texan / American state of war.

America would have a 100% butt out attitude. This seems to be what Russia is saying. There are those in the Ukraine who want to re-join Russia and those who do not.

Not long ago America would have sent massive military forces to take on Russian troupes. Would that happen today? I doubt it. There would be economic sanctions but Russia would never give back territory it overtook. Also many European countries need Russian oil and other resources.

In this one area Trump had it right. Most Americans no longer want thousands of their sons and daughters losing their lives on behalf of yet another country. America would finance most of it. As usual many other nations would fail to contribute their share. 

Although there have been Ukrainian referendums before on whether to join Russia or not, perhaps another under international control is needed. Then whatever action others took to support Ukraine, it would be tougher for Putin to justify his actions.

He will likely be happy to follow the old policy of taking one small territory at a time calculating that none of the small actions is worth total war. Eventually he or his heirs will succeed

There again Biden could promise help on condition that Zelensky give up some dirt on Trump!

#thebrewsterblock