An important clarification from Russia Today News.

[BlueMTexpat]

56. I am actually flattered to have

attracted a comment from you, TM. I always admire your pithy, on-point comments.

Based on some comments I have seen on DU (sigh) and certainly in the MSM by the same "patriots" who want the US to resolve every crisis with a bomb, I would beg to differ with you that the treaty has even shown up as a blip on their scopes. In fact, most probably don't have enough information even to know where the Crimea is situated. Hopefully, this crisis will at least serve as a teaching point.

While I do not disagree with you at all on your cogent analysis, the treaty (and the absent "elected" President of Ukraine who fled to Moscow) still provide more justification for Putin's actions than anything that the US ever relied on to invade Iraq (or numerous other nations) or for its continuing drone warfare, along with its interference in internal domestic politics almost everywhere around the world. And no, I don't believe that Putin's actions were justified - he is an evil tyrant as dastardly as any - but ....

In similar circumstances (and I can't even think of an appropriate analogy because the US is so well protected by its physical isolation from the European and Asian continents - except perhaps for AK), I am not so sure that our leaders would have behaved any differently or with any less restraint.

We have lost any "high" ground that we once may have had. That is one of the most tragic consequences of our bellicose actions, especially those occurring in the past 12 years. But I support the actions of President Obama and John Kerry in this crisis so far and hope that the "adults" will prevail all round.