We Launch Our Money Bomb
March 01st, 2022 by G.
Its difficult and probably unnecessary to sort out the day to day specifics in the Ukraine right now in the cloud of competing claims.
But what does seem certain is that we are getting close to launching our financial nuke, if we haven’t already: cutting off Russia from the international monetary system that we control.
I can’t help feeling that this is a mistake, that we will be squandering something pretty significant in return for no real gain. It hurts us and Russia but does not help the Ukraine. I fear we are ruling recklessly these days, without even an eye for short term gain. Governance by emotional spasm.
sute
March 1, 2022
Remember, Japan felt it had no choice by to attack the USA in the Philippines and Pearl Harbor shortly after we placed an embargo on them.
I’m not sure it’s better to cripple a nation’s economy and bleed out their military with weapons transfers than it is to simply come to the direct aid of nation that asks for our help and dare the Russians to fire the first shot.
Zen
March 1, 2022
The American South felt like it had no choice but to revolt.
I am not going to waste time defending them, but the way the North tried to cripple them economically and politically, wasn’t wise either.
And yes, we are burning political capital we have amassed over centuries, for little to no gain whatsoever.
E.C.
March 1, 2022
This brings to mind the question, ‘We could, but *should* we?’
My family seems to think we should, based purely on emotional reasoning. I’m not so sure.
After all, we forfeited any possible high ground in negotiations with Russia due to short-sighted leadership happily defenestrating energy independence because fossils fuels and coal are bad – despite not having any reasonable replacement in the short term. Governance by emotional spasm, indeed.
Quint
March 2, 2022
Long time lurker of this blog. I agree with the sentiment here. I feel that we as a nation have been provoking Russia. There have been so many opportunities for reconciliation throughout the years. Instead, we fell to the lowest common denominator. I feel that many innocent people will suffer for the hubris of the few.