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Notes -
We invade or attack sovereign countries all the time without provocation, under novel ideas like 'responsibility to protect' or Bush's 'pre-emptive strike'. Libya, Syria, Iraq, Yugoslavia... The Russians had the good grace to mostly stay out of the way and not flood these countries with MANPADs or other weapons directly aimed at our troops. They mostly stayed out of our way and we stayed out of theirs. This is how we avoid WW3.
What were we doing in Syria if not supporting separatists? What are US troops doing on the ground there?
If we undermine the broad strokes of international law like 'don't attack people without Security Council approval' we shouldn't be surprised if others do the same thing. If we start sending tanks, aircraft, missiles to Ukraine, why shouldn't the Russians send weapons to anyone who causes problems for us? Shouldn't the Chinese decide 'well if they'll all fight us anyway - let's open the floodgates and pump Russia and everyone else full of arms'.
Raising the energy level of these conflicts is bad for everyone.
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