DUMMERSTON — I am wondering what the reaction in the United States would be if the chain of events that led to the current crisis in Ukraine were to similarly occur here.
Can we imagine this?
1. The Soviet Union collapses, then Russia promises the United States that Russia will not recruit former NATO countries to join a Russian-backed military coalition. Russia reneges on this promise and four former NATO countries join the coalition.
2. Russia deploys several missile defense systems close to U.S. borders, which the U.S. vehemently opposes.
3. Russia announces that it plans to spend $1 trillion over the next 30 years to upgrade its nuclear weapons arsenal.
4. Russia sends former Russian heads of state and wealthy businessmen to Canada, where they attempt to recruit the Canadian prime minister into Canadian membership in the Russian-backed military coalition and a Russian-backed free trade organization. The prime minister rejects both.
5. Russia spends millions of dollars to foment discontent and civil unrest in Canada, which leads to the forced overthrow of the democratically-elected Canadian prime minister. Russia then places ultra-rich Russian loyalist oligarchs into power in Canada.
I have this to say to the congressional hawks and others who see nothing except a military solution to the Ukraine crisis: “Walk a mile in their shoes.”