Quote:
Originally Posted by MaDef
How many times do we have to tell you, before you get it into your thick skulls, We see this as a regional issue, and we really really don't want anything to do with it.
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I wanted to offer a counterpoint to your post. I can easily understand your position and perhaps those of my fellow Americans. No one wants to keep pumping money into what is perceived as a losing effort. Trump and Company have moved swiftly to root out tax payer waste, fraud and outright abuse. They have moved quickly to right the Economy and remove dangerous invaders. These are all good things in my book. These are the things that the vast majority of American's voted for. We never voted to hurt our friends and certainly don't want to hurt them
However, with regards to Ukraine, our approach in my opinion, is all wrong. The U.S in 1994 in conjunction with England guaranteed the security of the Ukraine. France signed a separate but similar agreement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Memorandum
Both the U.S and England realize the folly of their trusting Russia and entering into this agreement. However, while the U.S wants to pull the rug out from under Ukraine, The U.K has remained steadfast by living up to it's Security Agreement. The U.K like the U.S has it's many Issues. However, unlike the U.S, the U.K knows how to honor it's agreements. If the U.S didn't want to be responsible for Ukraine, it never should have entered into any agreements making the U.S responsible. It's that simple.
Perhaps I'm naive but I firmly believe that you are only as good as your word. If you say you're going to do something and shake hands in agreement, then your word is your bond. I would bet you're a man of your word as well. If your friends know you are not a man of your word, in this case, the U.S, why would they ever trust you again ??
Putin wants to reclaim all of the former Soviet Union including Poland and part of Germany. He has said this. Europe understands the threat posed by Putin and Russia, apparently better than we do. Is Putin any different than Hitler was ? We have a chance to stand with our NATO allies and take the lead and say, not on my watch. All relationships are based on trust and respect. In the case of Europe. the long standing relationships we have had with Germany, England and other European Countries have been based on these aspects and also shared Values. Self Determination and Freedom are and remain some of those core Values.
If the U.S has issues with financing NATO and commerce imbalance, then it should sit down with it's friends and NATO members and work it out. Friends resolve their differences all the time. Should this be any different ?