I see we are on opposite sides of this fence, neolex -

“2) Bush & Co – had Bush and his incompetent associate Rumsfeld, not go into Iraq, or at least better conducted a war, US army would not be tied up, giving everyone opportunity to start flipping US off.”

You fight the war until you win. The Union lost Chancellorsville, lost Fredericksberg. Still one. Same with WW1, WW2. Al Q held on past the point of no return, soon the SFA will be signed and that conflict goes in the ….”W” column. All due respect…

We can handle the Russians tactically, in theater, by establishing air superiority, demonstrating the vulnerability of the Black Sea fleet, and putting troops on the GROUND. It will be a tripwire scenario, and I don’t pretend to know what will happen after that.

But the Russian strategic objective is realized if we (I, too, discount totally EU/UN/NATO assistance) do not act.

I don’t think anybody appreciates just how “spun up” the U.S. military is right now; it is quite unprecedented, and frankly the military is absolutely the most efficient and effective arm of the Federal Government, bar none. Getting there, getting there first, controlling the battle space, and accomplishing the mission… they are the New White Meat for our guys, and have been for the last seven years.

But the commands must be given, or they will remain in garrison.