”Visionaries like the great American statesman of yesteryear, George Kennan, saw the original purpose of a unified West as ensuring that the core industrial, economic and military regions of the world not fall under the sway of a hostile power. The idea was not, and should not now be, growth for growth’s sake. NATO is not a club of democracies trying to enlarge as much as it can.
Ukraine, Georgia, and other former Soviet republics are wonderful, proud, sovereign countries. They are not, with all due respect, key parts of the world’s core strategic zones in terms of scientific, industrial or economic prowess. They are not places we should be prepared to send U.S. troops to fight and die, with risk of escalation even to nuclear conflict, in the event of war.”
, USA Today 14 december