Russia and Ukraine

[Anomalocaris]

Yes, we offered Soviet agreements while our forces stood ready to invade Cuba with just 90 minutes of notice.  It’s called making sure the other side realise you are serious.   The Russians now took rather longer to invade after the collapse of negotiation.

Where was the hat tip to international law when we imposed a naval blockade on a sovereign cuba with which we were not at war?

True necessities of National security does trump international law.

Firstly, it wasn’t a blockade. Second - and more importantly - the US did not invade Cuba (you know, that time). Even though some of his advisors urged an immediate attack on Cuba to destroy the missiles and missile sites, Kennedy opted for the more prudent course.

I find it interesting that you’re excusing Putin for invading a sovereign nation, while excoriating Kennedy for not doing so.

Boru

No, learn to read.

No, I am not excoriating Kennedy.

Yes, Kennedy did not invade as his opening move. but was ready to invade if Russia did not come to terms and withdraw the missiles.   In fact, all invasion forces were full embarked and stood in readiness to sail on 90 minute notice as he sent his brother to talk to Khrushchev’ s embassador.

Yet what he did was against all international law and norm.  Quibbling whether a blockade is a blockade when it interferes with, what’s our favorite term now, freedoms is navigation? Is meaningless.    He may not have invaded yet, but what he did was an act of war against cuba.

But what he did was fully justified, because Soviet nuclear weapons in cuba greatly reduce the credibility of US nuclear deterrence because it makes it plausible for the Soviets to launch a preemptive decapitating strike against Washington DC.    Eliminating that degradation to America’s freedom of action trumps any international law and norm.

The difference between then an now, is then, both US and USSR tried to tone down the temperature, both want to not burn bridges and be able to negotiate and deal with each other afterwards.   The Soviets could have done what the US is doing now in an effort to make Russia look bad for defending her core interest.   They could have dared us to invade a sovereign cuba, and the made propaganda hay out of it after we do, and leave the nuclear weapons to the Cubans to make it really bloody for us.  They didn’t.

So Noblesse oblige, we offered to not make them look bad by pulling out of cuba, by also pulling strategic nuclear weapons out of Turkey.

That’s how civilized adversaries conduct business.

Since the end of Cold War, especially since 2001, face it, we are the crude brutal savages of the world, who think who owe nothing to any one whom we do not approve.   We fabricate excuses to invade other countries, think we are so tough we can trample major power’s core interests at will.