John Glaser: Russia Didn’t Invade Ukraine Because of US ‘Weakness’

One of
the more vivid political talking points to come out of Washington
in the midst of Russia’s military incursions into Ukraine is that
Russian President Vladimir Putin carried out such provocative
actions because Obama’s failure to enforce his “red line” on Syria
and commence with a bombing campaign this past fall signaled to
Putin he would not face consequences. Whenever the United States
fails to act with violence abroad—a rarity, writes John Glaser—you
have politicians and pundits howling about America’s “credibility”
being at stake. But anyone who actually believes Putin took
military action in Ukraine because Obama backed away from his plans
to bomb Syria illegally, doesn’t know anything about international
relations.

View this article.