NATOSource Director and Brent Scowcroft Center Senior Fellow Jorge Benitez writes for US News and World Report on why the West should become militarily involved in the crisis in Ukraine:
It is becoming harder and harder to ignore Russia’s growing military intervention in Ukraine. The diplomatic and economic efforts of President Barack Obama and European leaders have failed to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin’s repeated escalation of this crisis. It is irresponsible to not examine how the West can use a limited amount of force to prevent Russia from conquering more of Ukraine. No matter how reluctant transatlantic leaders are to consider military options, the simple truth is that the West can defend Ukraine from further Russian invasion and do so without a prolonged conflict.
The key element of this military option is the important distinction that it only involves using force against Russian units attacking Ukraine. This is a defensive military option to protect Ukraine and stop Russian aggression in another country. It is not an offensive military option; only Russian forces beyond Russia’s borders would be targeted. It would not be a military threat to Russia or the Russian people.