Hi Jack. Yes, you're right, my inner-editor should have crushed my use of the word "crush". What I mean is what you point out, our economic/military strength vastly outmatches Russias. And like you say, we would take massive loses. That's what the U.S. is trying to avoid, but if Putin isn't deposed and Russia doesn't back off I believe we'll eventually be at war with Russia directly.

In a sense, the Ukraine war is a minor story. If Russia didn't have nukes the U.S. could take over its oil/gas fields and that would be that. I notice the Middle East has been quiet lately. Someone is telling them they better stop their cute talk with China.

I see the conflict from two angles. The first is a conflict over who controls commerce, authoritarian governments or democracies. That's front and center. at the moment The second is what WWII develved into, who controls energy. I expect that to come.

Russia's biggeset blunder it to underestimate how brutal the West can be when pushed too far. We have our Pattons and Mays in the wings somewhere. The West's biggest blunder is to believe every day Russia is still fighting the CCP remains still.

The U.S. cannot crush China. The U.S. should be in wartime production of weapons. I can't believe I"m saying that. 30-year-old Max would be aghast.

Or, we need to let Russia control Ukraine and let China take Taiwan. I see no middle ground. Do you?