While I have my own views on this subject, I'd like to help set up an open discussion where everyone has an equal chance to offer an opinion. First let's look at the facts:
Certainly the government of Ukraine is on the brink of collapse. Without a massive about of financial aid, it will happen within the next six months. One newsman for the Financial Times, Neil Martin, estimated recently Kiev needs "$27 billion." And this by this coming summer, June, 2015. Ukraine's economy, never very clean of corruption nor healthy, is near a complete collapse. The prices of heating oil, gasoline and food have skyrocketed along with almost everything else since the ouster of Yanukovich.
This battle (Some might call it a "war"!) over eastern Ukraine soon may resume into an almost all out war between the Ukrainian military and the separatists despite the cease fire agreement recently concluded in Minsk between Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine. Notably absent, the United States. Germany's Chancellor Merkel has adamantly opposed the supply of weapons to Kiev. There has been continued shelling of Ukrainian positions near the southern town of Mariupol near the Black Sea. Odessa, a larger city on the Black Sea, may also be threatened.
Both Vice President Biden and many of President Obama's advisers especially at the Pentagon are in favor of supplying some degree of heavy weapons to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression which has given the separtists thousands of soldiers and heavy weapons including artillery and tanks. During the past few days British Prime Minister Cameron has said he would supply "up to 75 military trainers." This was three day ago on February 24, 2015. President Obama has been quiet both about applying more sanctions to try to slow Russia down and supplying heavy weapons to Kiev. The obvious fear is that either course may cause President Putin to send in even more troops and weapons. On the other hand Putin does not want to witness more dead Russian soldiers coming back to Moscow in body bags.
So, what do the residents of West County, as well as throughout Sonoma County and California think? I would like your opinion.
For example, as we are now doing in Iraq, we could send in our own advisers. Clearly what we (meaning the West and our allies, Britain, Germany and France primarily) must be is resolved with Russia.
How much of Ukraine are we willing to see handed over to Russian control? Keep in mind also that our mainstream media seems intent on down-pedalling/under-reporting the crisis in Ukraine. Today (Feb. 27.2015) for example, three more amateur fighters for Ukraine (the Azov battalion) were killed near Donetsk. According to the Minsk agreement there was supposed to be "no mans land" of thirty to eighty miles throughout eastern Ukraine separating the east from the west.