Czar Putin Invades Ukraine

Ignoring warnings from the West, Russian mini-czar (and right-wing hero) Vladimir Putin upped the stakes yesterday by occupying large portions of the Crimea:

Russia's parliament granted President Vladimir Putin permission to use the country's military in Ukraine and also recommended Saturday that Moscow's ambassador be recalled from Washington over comments made by President Barack Obama. 

The unanimous vote in an emergency session formalized what Ukrainian officials described as an invasion of Russian troops in the strategic region of Crimea. With pro-Russian protests breaking out in other parts of Ukraine, Moscow now could send its military elsewhere in Ukraine.

 In doing so, the tiny, overcompensating tyrant is abrogating a 1994 agreement between his country and the West:

So much, then, for a 1994 memorandum signed by Moscow ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a newly independent state of Ukraine (one encompassing Crimea). Russia has now decided that it’d rather take by force what it pleases, when it pleases, and in contravention of international law—all on the pretext of protecting its own Slavic brethren. This from a regime that never shies from accusing other countries of stoking “sectarianism.” Its other favorite word is “sovereignty,” and I invite you to Google that in conjunction with Russia Foreign Ministry statements since March 2011 on the Syria conflict to see what bottomless hypocrisy looks like. Or consider how Sergei Lavrov would respond if Saudi Arabia or Qatar or Turkey invaded Aleppo out of a similarly advanced motive to rescue their fellow Sunni Muslims who have suffered far worse in three years than what Crimean Russians have suffered since Viktor Yanukovych was toppled a week ago.

So much for the Potemkin village that was Sochi.  The world can no longer ignore the actions of this autocrat.  Every economic and diplomatic sanction available must be used against this cheap-screw mini-czar.  G8?  Kick 'em out.  Most favored nation?  Drop them.  How about some NATO exercises in Ukraine-bordering member countries Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary?  The European Community must also rise to this challenge and put the screws to Putin by all means available.  Not gradual, reactive, phased sanctions, but immediate action.

Otherwise, next stop:  Kiev.