Crimea after a Year

In today's Wall Street Journal, Paul Sonne writes an interesting article about Putin's own statements about how he directed the takeover of Crimea by Russian forces [ Putin Details Crimea Takeover Before One-Year Anniversary].  Perhaps the most significant thing about this self-centered description of how it was done, was Putin's portrayal of his willingness to put his nuclear forces on alert if he felt it was necessary.  Crimea might have been a different ballgame if he had done that.  Just the thought that he might think the nuclear option is in play here, may scare enough of the Europeans for them to rethink providing more support to the Ukrainians.  Certainly this accounts for why the Obama Administration is so anxious to avoid sending lethal aid to Ukraine.  Maybe Putin's strategy worked and Europe, the Uk and US were not ready to deal with the Cold War again.  They have all cut their militaries back to the point of not being able to wage a conventional war anywhere against a force like the Russians have put into Ukraine.  The only way to stop someone in that scenario is to haul out the nuclear threat. Putin was willing to do raise the ante, but nobody on our side was willing to counter.  The outcome was the loss of the Crimea to a Russian invasion.   Putin didn't stop there and he isn't likely too as long as nobody puts a force up to match his.  When he said he could be in Kiev in three days, he probably wasn't far off.  

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