I knew from the first paragraph where you were going.
I was waiting for the stink of the 'Get Russia' narrative to rear it's ugly head, and I wasn't disappointed.

"As a case in point, one must only look at the behavior of Russia at the onset of its invasion of Ukraine..."

The problem isn't Russia, the problem is your own stupid country.
One only needs to click your name in the forum to see you're from NYC.

America started this war, when they overthrew the country in 2014.
It's no-one else's fault except YOUR COUNTRY.

MUST WATCH: Nov 2013 (Pre-Maidan!): Ukraine Deputy has proof of USA staging civil war in Ukraine
http://youtu.be/y9hOl8TuBUM
(Turn on closed captions or read video transcript)

TechCamp Kyiv 2012
http://youtu.be/bpIoBUDuL3U

F-ck the EU!" (original File) - Victoria Nuland phoning with Geoffrey Pyatt
http://youtu.be/KIvRljAaNgg

Even now, America doesn't want to stop the war in Ukraine and push harder for a negotiated settlement, because to do so would be bad for Biden in the November mid terms.

“While a ‘military’ invasion has not yet occurred, there are other ways Russia can attack Ukraine that would be debilitating for Ukrainians and European security more generally,” said Risch. “Rather than simply restating authorities the president already has, the NYET Act takes immediate action to permanently stop Nord Stream 2, sends a powerful deterrent message, imposes heavy economic and military costs on Russia, strengthens U.S. allies and partners, and supports Ukraine via new authorities, funds, and tools.”
http://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ranking/release/risch-leads-majority-of-republican-colleagues-in-introducing-russia-sanctions-legislation

You overthrow other countries, and use trade and sanctions as weapons against other nations.

Ukraine Should Admit Defeat NOW! Says Top U.S Military Leader
http://youtu.be/A9bnFWmHggk

Russian Sanctions Are Hurting U.S. WAY MORE Than Russia
http://youtu.be/9fIA4OfOg8E

America's been hoisted by its own petard, don't complain you caused this yourselves.
The United States doesn't bring anything good to the world anymore, all it brings is misery.
So stop trying to point the finger of blame the worlds shortcomings and go take a look in the mirror.
We're all having to pay for YOUR NATIONS blatant aggression and stupidity.

Yes and one of the most important reforms is the removal of the power of veto by a minority of the security council! Other things need only a majority vote to pass! And all nations need to pay their annual fee rather than coast along as freeloading passengers the others pay for. And for the UN to remain relevant, it needs to take stronger action against rogue nation that attack others in unprovoked action.
Alan B.

While I disagree with most of what he says, A.C. makes one important point and that is, who the sanctions are hurting? And the cost to us of coal-fired power a case in point. And only possible due to the privatization of most energy provision and a gas cartel operating down the eastern seaboard.

I mean, it's our coal and our gas! We built and paid for the power stations and the transmission lines! The real cost is what it costs to mine not what the international price may be! A 3,000% increase for heaven's sake!

Current outcome all down to asinine administrations that sold energy assets at fire sale prices due to idiotic idealogical imperatives. And I won't add they were all conservative admins because I don't have to! You and they know who they were and I know you know what I'm saying.

I won't say I told you so even though I did as I advocated for years for the transition to MSR thorium nuclear energy and without foreign involvement.

And as mass produced SMR's that could be placed close to the intended users. And meant local councils and or Co-ops would have controlled prices that could have been as low as 1 cent PKWH! And competing supply would greatly outstrip demand!

Still doable but requires energy Ministers with more than jelly for a backbone and a can do attitude, not one that is defeated before a pen makes a single stroke!

Such investment in infrastructure returns more than 2 dollars for every dollar invested! If that then means some foreign energy cartels have stranded assets? It's an animal of their own greed is good creation!
Alan B.

Ukraine is a sovereign country that was not threatening Russia. The assault by 100 000s of Russian troops and tanks is an invasion and a war by any definition of the word committing 1000s of war crimes.

In 2014 hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians marched to depose the Russian puppet regime after which Russia invaded for the first time.

The Minsk agreement that was supposedly a cease-fire was violated far more often by the Russians than the Ukrainians.

Putin is appearing to be as much of a Nazi as Hitler ever was.

Hey shadowminister,
You're proof that the right is just as incapable of thinking rationally as the libtard left, no matter what evidence is presented to them.
- The end result is that conflict is unavoidable -

I'm going to add to that statement above.
The only policy worth anything at all is a policy of unity in self-sustainability, and neutrality from the self-induced crises of rest of the world.
Anything less than that is a part of the problem, and most certainly not a part of the solution.