By James Mullin
Everyone recalls Biden’s remark that the U.S. might soft-pedal its response if Russia engaged in only a “minor incursion” in Ukraine.  Well, surprise, surprise!  Given the green light from Biden, Russia is unilaterally annexing only a portion of Ukraine.  There’s its “minor incursion.”  Biden is trying to talk and act tough, but it’s too late.  And here’s something to ponder: don’t think that can’t happen here.
Having given Putin the go-ahead, Biden is now imposing a few sanctions on Putin’s cronies, as well as putting a sanction on sovereign debt, limiting Putin’s ability to raise money in the West (but there’s still China…).  This was because even Biden had to concede that what Putin grabbed wasn’t a minor incursion.  Instead, Biden admitted, “Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine.”
Put another way, Putin just grabbed one quarter of the country and a much greater percentage of its mining and heavy industry.  Significantly, he did so by claiming that this is what the mostly Russian people in those regions wanted.
