It started with Korea and via Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan (and others) western meddling in the internal affairs of far away countries has been a disaster. America in the lead at first with its preposterous domino theory and Red hunt at home. Tendentious justifications claiming the moral high ground.
Military actions doomed either to battlefield failure or losses of the peace – often both. The arrogant presumption has always been that “we” know best. Our governance systems are better than theirs and we care more about our people than they do about theirs. And yet when push comes to shove their failing and inadequate system and methods beat ours – as in Afghanistan with tragic consequences.
If the 21st century is to avoid the horrors of the 20th the West could benefit from having a bit more understanding and a lot more humility. America has enough of its own internal problems to address without thinking that it has a right to tell others what to do.
Paddy’s Blogs in a crazy world 
I think America has finally come to believe your headline as well. Let’s not forget Biden pulled out of Afghanistan and honored Trump’s treaty with the Taliban.
However, support for NATO I believe is not the same thing as being the world’s policeman. NATO is the guarantee of the defence of western Europe. After two world wars, peace through strong defence has seemed to work.
Putin knows that NATO is an Achilles heel when it comes to the security of his empire. Russian leaders have always possed a paranoid belief that the west will one day invade Russia. With good cause I might add. Napoleon and Hitler both almost succeeded.
Stalin after Yalta successfully demanded from the west a buffer zone of communist states after WW11 that protected the motherland. Russia deserved some spoils for its enormous war effort. America and Britain could not have defeated Germany alone. After the demise of the USSR, that protection fell away.
So I ask this. Is the current defence of Ukraine by the west once again America simply acting again as the world’s cop or is it been scheming to ensure Ukraine comes under the Nato umbrella?
17% of the population of Ukraine are ethnic Russians. Ukraine has a long history of political and cultural ties with Russia going back centuries. So it would be surprising if Putin, who is, in reality, an old Soviet did not make some attempt to rein the nation back into its orbit.
I have some sympathy for Putin’s stance. He is seeking defensive security guarantees from the west for Russia. That seems to be an entirely reasonable request. Western diplomacy needs to provide it and yes I agree with better understanding and humility.
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Pretty much agree 100%
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