oda.krell
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August 30, 2014, 09:19:47 PM

Point of no return

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28993873

aint nato joke

Maybe the EU will impose more sanctions, that will teach Putin.
Wait, they might send a strongly worded letter.

The Russians will do what they want because Europe is a tiger with no teeth, no fangs.  The US cares, but is too busy.

Conspiracy theory: Russia funds and trains ISIS just to keep the US out of the conflict.


Meh. Not the biggest friend of EU in its current form, but also don't think your description is entirely fair.

What is anyone supposed to do, US or EU? Go to war? With a nuclear superpower, over a territory that is neither part of the EU, nor NATO?

Seriously, what are the realistic options on how to handle this? Don't just say "send military support, under the radar". That doesn't really work in Russia (the "under the radar" part, I mean), so it sure won't work in the Union.

Any military support will be out in the open. And I can see two scenarios: Russia is impressed, and backs down. Or the conflict escalates.

Now, how high is the probability that it'll escalate? Let's say, up to nuclear escalation. Unlikely, maybe. But there was a reason for the way the US and the USSR avoided direct confrontations during the cold war... let's not pretend everything is completely different now, just because Russia is a democracy now, on paper at least.

Realistically, sanctions and diplomatic pressure are the only option I see - although I'd prefer the US and EU would impose more severe sanctions than what we've seen so far.