In a desperate effort to keep pace with Vladimir Putin as the Russian Federation quickly establishes facts on the ground in Crimea, the Obama administration announced Ukraine interim Prime Minister will be received at the White House Wednesday.
Racing to legitimize Mr. Arseniy Yatsenyuk may be the only way the United States can pressure Russia into accepting the West's man in Ukraine.
Why Europe has withheld gushing support for the fledgling usurpers is no mystery. The E.U. already has a corrupt economic catastrophe with strong Neo-Nazi, xenophobic and racist elements within its midst. The E.U. has had Greece and its Golden Dawn party to contend with, far longer than its patience can withstand.
Since Ukraine is conceivably nothing more than a money pit, the Europeans are wise to carefully weigh its option and actions before risking economic ties with Russia. Failing to see anything significant Ukraine can bring to the European Union, the usual pleas for freedom and dignity ring rather hollow right now.
Looking more like rabid aggressors than peacefully protesting underdogs, by all accounts, when the going got tough, the tough guys started kicking asses. In the street battle of the "borscht boyz," the latest so-called fighters for freedom won it hands down. No reason for pity here.
Smartly keeping its powder dry, the Europeans are content to let the United States take the lead and all the risk. Angela Merkel and company will simply hide in the thicket of confusion, until its clear Ukraine is worth the time, effort and expense. Embracing a bunch of corrupt, broke and uncouth losers with little if any value, can bring nothing but aggravation and a guarantee of economic instability.
The United States on the other hand, has already cast its lot with the upstart Ukrainians. Scrambling airpower to the region, the Unites States backed that up with a warship in a show of faux force.
The Pentagon said six U.S. F-15 fighter jets are now in Lithuania to augment air patrols over the Baltics. As the stand-off over Russia's incursion into Ukraine continues, the U.S. warship USS Truxtun is participating in exercises with Romania and Bulgaria and is expected to remain in the Black Sea for several days.
Reportedly, these assets have just been mobilized to the Black Sea to participate in long-planned exercises, but the message to Vladimir Putin is blatant; The United States is near if needed. Still, without the threat of military engagement behind all the saber rattling, the price to feign force can be costly.
Considering the White House is having difficulties explaining Ukraine's strategic value to the United States, its beginning to looks as though Barack Obama has been lured into another international conflict with nothing to gain and everything to lose.
Bottom line: The only thing worse than getting involved in another man's fight, is doing so blindly. And taking sides too early is always a bad idea.