MUNICH, AGAIN

There is no Charlie Chaplin to confront us with Putin's aberrations, alas. 

There is no massive indignation after a normal country is carved-up in the name of historic reclamation. Putin is getting his "Palestine" or "Sudetenland".  He doesn't need to grow a moustache to remind us of Hitler.

Since Ukraine is not a NATO member, it stands alone, leaving every country in the West to shed tears, act aggrieved, and reluctantly agree on sanctions that hurt but don't bite. 

After World War II the grand reorderning was supposed to guarantee some form of deterrence against a repeat of evil. 

Sarajevo provoked (late) a muscled Western reaction. Now that Russia comes close to swallowing, or neutering, an innocent other, there is plenty of talk about sanctions. Most of all, the bruised egos of Western leaders that have been subjected to Putin's bad white table manners demand "reparation". 

Given the measured attention given to Ukraine's descent into hell, Putin might well tackle the Baltic States later. The hardcore believers in NATO's Article 5 should be warned.

The images that come out of Kiev look like a rerun of the last days of Berlin in 1945...and this is Europe today, a continent plagued by bad cholesterol, plaque and fake news. America sits too deep in its own civil culture war to reclaim its former high ground. Putin fooled them all.

Ukraine stands alone. The world watches yet other refugees and destruction.  CNN Breaking news is filled with images of broken hopes. 

The ultra left and right crazies who have taken over the social media are spinning.

Sad !