The faceoff in the Ukraine has been and remains very simple, Putin came to the battlefield bringing tanks, the West came to the battlefield bringing international norms.

And whether it’s WWII or anytime since, tanks always beat international norms.

Whatever one thinks about whether the United States should have been involved in the Ukraine, or the degree of its involvement, there was always a clear path forward to preventing any Russian invasion. Putin, even after Afghanistan, tested the West to see if there would be any more meaningful response than more empty threats of sanctions.

And there weren’t. As the papers rush off furious editorials, Putin deploys tanks and artillery. And it’s not much of a contest. And never will be.

After a century of diplomatic failures leading to war, the feckless leaders of the West have yet to learn the simple basic truths that cost so much blood and treasure.

International condemnations are not only worthless, they signal amply to the aggressor that the condemners have no intention of doing anything beyond blowing more hot air, and rushing off some more sanctions. There could hardly be a whiter White flag than that.

And that’s where we are now.

Well we talk, put next. And action beats words.