Even as the United States slapped personal economic sanctions on 7 Russians and 4 Ukrainians, a move that seemed to draw chuckles in Moscow, President Obama quietly made clear that the U.S. would prevent any NATO allies from suffering a fate similar to Ukraine's.
"I'll be traveling to Europe next week," the President told reporters in the White House Briefing Room. "Our message will be clear. As NATO allies, we have a solemn commitment to our collective defense, and we will uphold this commitment."
While Mr. Obama clearly has tried to emphasize diplomatic solutions to the troubles in Crimea and Ukraine, that statement was a reminder of the broader ramifications of what could happen if Vladimir Putin turns his attention to other former Soviet satellites after Ukraine.
For now, no U.S. military action in Ukraine has been talked about in any serious manner inside the Obama Administration; only a handful of Republicans have urged the White House to offer Ukraine military aid.
"But when victims of aggression beseech us for better means to defend themselves from further aggression, free peoples should provide that assistance," said Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who urged "non-lethal assistance, such as protective equipment, spare parts, fuel."
"That is the right and decent thing to do," McCain added.
Some Putin "What if" Scenarios
If we could figure out Vladimir Putin, we would know whether or not the Russian leader might try to take back other areas that once were within the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union.
But we have no idea what Putin might do in the future - and that means the "What if?" scenarios can't be ignored.
What if Putin decides to move on other Eastern European nations? What if the Russians start to spur trouble inside Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia? In Moldova? Along the Polish border from the enclave of Kaliningrad?
How might the United States and NATO respond?
Vice President Biden arrives Tuesday in Poland, and then he'll meet with leaders of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia in coming days, obviously ready to assure them that the U.S. and NATO would come to their defense if Russia began to threaten them.
But if Russia were to begin efforts to undermine Lithuania, Estonia or Latvia, would NATO really be there?
Would the United States, Great Britain and other NATO countries be ready for a shooting war with the Russians over Estonia? Lithuania? Latvia? Or would it have to move on to Poland?
Check out a map. Think about it for a little while.
What if the Russians start stirring up trouble outside of Ukraine?
History reminds us that Britain and France promised to stand by Poland in 1939 as an effort to deter Nazi Germany. It didn't exactly work out well for the Poles.
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