Hi Theordore. Ukraine is not Afghanistan. The U.S. abandoned them to the 2nd largest military in the world and they fought back and earned the civilized world's support. Aghanistan could have done the same, but didn't, so they don't want it enough.

Sanctions are misunderstood IMO. It isn't a punishment. It's a simple decision NOT to let another country work in your business markets if they don't follow the rules. Russia invaded. It broke the rules. Yes, the U.S. did the same in Iraq, however, that's more complicated. Suffice it to say if the rest of the world felt that was wrong enough they would have moved their money out of the USD and into some other currency. But they didn't. Is Iraq better. Probaby not. But it isn't a problem anymore. It isn't run by the U.S. Iran has a lot of influence.

Pakistan and India are in tough spots. They have religiously different populations and serious pockets of poverty and unrest. Right? They must walk a fine line between the U.S., EU, Russia and China.

It's not impossible that the U.S., Russia and China obliterate themselves in the future and India/Pakistan get the bone ;)