re: MH17 & Putin - What If?

If this incident had happened in a vacuum, I would not advocate for the 5 points I outlined in my original post, which I agree can and should be interpreted as "provocative." However, ever since the Russian invasion of Georgia, the US and Europe have treated Russia with kit gloves. Putin has interpreted our tolerance as weakness, and he has only grown emboldened.

I realize comparisons to Nazi Germany and World War II are viewed as either simplistic or unenlightened by the self-styled foreign policy experts on this board, but I can't help but think about Hitler's comments about his invasion of The Rhineland in 1936 - “The forty-eight hours after the march into the Rhineland were the most nerve-racking in my life….If the French had then marched into the Rhineland, we would have had to withdraw with our tails between our legs, for the military resources at our disposal would have been wholly inadequate for even moderate resistance.” All the French (the most powerful military in continental Europe at the time) had to do was mount a show of force and Hitler would've fled the Rhineland in disgrace.They could have neutered Hitler without firing a shot; all they had to do was (figuratively) stand their ground.

The time has come to flex our muscles and emasculate Putin a little bit on the world stage. We've tried the other way, and it hasn't turned out well thus far.