Opinions on Ukraine

[Hoopington]

The U.S. is not being played like a fool.

The U.S. thought it's hand was a royal flush, everyone else had no hand, and no one else could possible know better than the U.S. how to play this game. It turns out Russia's hand was much stronger than the U.S. knew, and Putin knew how to play the game much better than the U.S.. All the sanctions are just a face saving disguise meant to obscure the fact that the U.S. lost a game it thought it would win handily, and had no idea how to deal with contingency at all.

So...it is then?

Or, should we use another term? As you used the Poker analgy, would "donk" be better?

Putin has made the US, and the EU (despite what many many might think in the US, Ukraine is actually in Europe) look incredibly foolish. Doesn't matter which way you flower it up mate.

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You can not risk projecting force where a another power with huge nuclear arsenal thinks it's own ability to secure its own backyard is under threat.

In effect, America has no credible ability to project hard power to the location where America chose as the next battle in rolling back russian influence and taking apart russian empire. Russian has an overwhelming ability to project hard power there. That is the reality on the ground.

But it appears to me those Americans who sought the anti-russia putsch in Ukraine either were so amateurish that they didn't realize what the reality on the ground were, or the made the same idiotic calculation the japanese had made prior to Pearl Harbor, which is to assume the enemy, in this case russia, despite greater relevant material powers, is so morally weak that it would fold if hit hard once rather thst rise up to defend its own vital interests.

Obviously Russian now failed to live up to American expectation just as the U.S. in 1942 failed to live up to japanese expectation. Both russia now and US then recognized the relevent balance of power in the arena where their opponent chose to attack them actually favored themselves and there was no need to accept an attack upon their own security and international status.

I am guessing you're American Chuck?

There are more players in action here than just the US and Russsia my friend.