Thread by @mafevema

I found terrifying -thinking of India, Pakistan, Iran, Israel-that the West has now set the precedent that if a leader is mad enough or cynical enough to threaten nuclear force, then he can destroy the country next door & commit atrocities while the world watches the gory details

It seems to me - but of course I am no expert- that the West - for this read the US, the only power who has vastly superior forces to his own- should have reacted to Putin's threat differently. Calmly but leaving him in no doubt that threatening humanity placed Russia beyond

the pale & that any attack would be reciprocated 10 times while at the same time bringing massively more troops on Ukraine borders - 10,000 is a joke, at least 150,000 are needed to constitute a threat - to make him pause.

I understand that it is by no means certain that his entourage would stop Putin: they are either non-entities or scared or, like him, cornered - but, despite all the excellent sanctions, we have shown a fundamental weakness & other nuclear powers are watching. I also understand

that there are no good options &that popular support for taking a stance is uncertain. But this isn't just about Ukraine. It is about credibility & deterrence vis-a-vis other rogue powers & conflicts. I wish someone would give me a good answer. @BrunoTertrais @benjaminhaddad

What is the point of deterrence if it stops us from doing what is right? Stopping weapons shipments & not reacting to the use of chemical weapons would be - in my little view from my comfortable house & with the limited information at my disposal-

another terrible signal that we value our comfort far more than the ideals on which our societies are built. And not for the first time (Syria). How can we hope for a peace which isnt capitulation unless we show resolve? Putin doesn't care about

making his people miserable. He will be all right. He & his supporters will always manage to extract enough from the Russian economy. His army has shown its vulnerability & lack of motivation for close combat operations. It is bogged down behind its artillery barrages, to some

extent very exposed. I understand Europe armed forces are in many respect deficient & the US isn't willing nor politically able. In short we are not ready. But is this really the best we can do?
I really hesitated to write this but I think so many of us in the West are

struggling with this moral dilemma. A honest assessment of our options -or lack of them- should be made by our politicians & military & explained to the public.