Smart in Ukraine is for the U.S. to stay completely out of it. Stupid is for the U.S. to take provocative actions against Russia. That is, annoy, provoke, irritate and anger Russia. If possible, generate hostility. Stupid is to make diplomacy more difficult under the mistaken belief that provocative actions make the other side come round and see it your way. This includes the following.
1. Send a destroyer into the Black Sea, close to Russia.
2. Send fighter jets into Poland.
3. Make a big loan to the Ukrainian government.
4. Consider the option of supplying arms to the Ukrainian military.
5. Send the CIA Director to Kiev for a visit.
6. Impose sanctions.
It takes little imagination to think up more such stupid steps that the U.S. has taken already or may take in the future with respect to Russia and Ukraine.
The U.S. government is expert at doing stupid. It has honed stupidity into the science of not avoiding trouble.
2:42 pm on April 14, 2014
