A Chill in the Air...

     On the heels of peaceful competition during the Winter Olympics at Sochi, Russia, the world cautiously awaits the host nation's next move on the world's stage. Ukraine, a neighbor to the east, ousted their president, which threw the country into upheaval. Russia quickly mobilized troops to the Crimea peninsula in an effort to "protect the Russian citizens of Ukraine", according to Russia's president, Vladmir Putin. Many NATO countries quickly condemned Russia's thinly veiled excuse for the invasion, seeing it, instead, as an excuse to recover land and resources previously held by the Soviet Union. Diplomatic negotiations and sanction warnings are being utilized in an effort to end the standoff, as military engagement of the two countries seems inevitable. President Obama spoke with Putin and demanded that the Russian army cease and desist this breach of international law. Putin, however, continues to claim his "protection right", comparing his decision to the justification the United States used to invade Iraq and Afghanistan. History reminds us that World War I and II began in similar fashion and concerns continue to mount as the situation escalates.

     The United States recently sent an economic relief package to assist with Ukraine's financial crisis and to show support for the struggling country. There is fear that sanctions against Russia will have a larger negative impact on the global economy, or Ukrainians will attempt to vote a partial secession from Ukraine to Russia to avoid further conflict.  Regardless, a Cold War reminiscent chill is in the air and the world, once again,faces the threat of war; pray that it is avoided.