Dealing with Vladimir Putin Means Doing Everything We Can Except Something Stupid

When political disagreements involve doing nothing in congress, (or as little as possible) you have political polarization.  As it relates to our current political climate, we can debate the root of it all day long, but it amounts to nothing more than the politicians we elect doing whatever we allow.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is hardly concerned about a president who is not serious about his words.  He watches FOX news just like the rest of us do.  He knows exactly what congress and all of those who oppose this president are saying.  Putin is certain of very little except America’s unwillingness to support the decisions of this president, no matter what those decisions might be.

The common refrain from those who vowed to make Obama a one term president, is that he has not followed up on his warnings against certain nations with consequences, that includes Russia.    

When it came to Syria, it looked for a moment that the president was ready to strike, but congress quickly declared that America’s imminent threat was not involved.  In response, president Obama encouraged congress to vote on the matter, in which they abstained long enough for Russia to intervene and force a deal to be made.

President Obama could do what other presidents have done.  He could have moved on Syria and forced congress to stop him.  Given the characterization of the republican designed Affordable Care Act being  rammed down the throat of America, it makes a lot of sense that he would challenge the resolve of congress instead of adding to his dictatorial image.

Personally, I would have said to hell with congress and done what I believed to be correct, even if FOX news hardly needed another distorted story to help drive their ratings.  President Obama chose political expediency when it comes to Syria, but Barack Obama has always been a political pragmatist who most resembles the republicans that despise him. 

Barack Obama did not fight tooth and nail to save the food stamp cuts or the cancelled unemployment benefits.  Obama did lean far to the right on things like surveillance and the use of drones. Obama did not rush to join black organizations like My Brother’s Keeper when many of those who elected him begged for such support early in his presidency.  He is joining his support to his version of NAFTA with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP which is seen as a clear challenge to American jobs and opposed by most of his party. He is driving down the deficit with his plan to cut the military, but in classic form, republicans are attacking him for cuts that they themselves have proposed.  He had the voting majority to install a single payer insurance plan but decided upon RomneyCare 2.0 instead.

President Barack Obama is a fantastic American.  He is Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King with a side dish of Bill Clinton.  Each of these great American’s, despite their awesome stature, are as humanly flawed as is every president who ever assumed the role.  Rather it be in deed or perspective, no president can make every decision, with such a vast list of them, correctly.

So now the decision on Russia and the Ukraine is at hand……..allegedly.  Whatever he does, Obama will have critics as most presidents do, but there is a right answer to this no matter what the critics declare.

Many will remind you that Bush warned Putin back when he put troops in Georgia without consequence just as we have now done in Syria.  As a result, Putin does not believe there is any consequence to his actions.  

When you raise kids and don’t give them consequence, you may inherit a problem much like Putin is to America right now.  Unlike children, adults, and nations of free adults are not subject to the consequence of a disapproving nation who dislikes your 19^th century diplomacy.  Ukraine fought over trade allegiance and engaged in a 19^th century governmental overthrow which Russia allowed without interruption.  If America can offer a billion dollar loan to the Ukraine without a duly elected government, Russia clearly has a duty  to support their Ukrainian allies (which they did not do during the upheaval) or insure a democratic Ukraine moving forward for the sake of their relationship with that future regime.  Like it or not, this is clearly a matter of Russian  geopolitical, and thus, economic concern.

Sometimes the proper consequence of 19^th century diplomacy is boots to the ground.  Our 21^st century approach may result in future boots on the ground, but it certainly should not begin there.  Absent of such a punitive response, Barack Obama is doing exactly what he can do, which is everything except something stupid.