Edwin Starr Got It Right

The World is in a dangerous place.

One of the biggest truisms of modern life has been that war is too destructive to be an effective tool of policy.  You destroy something and you find you have bought it.  It is for that reason that a strong competitive military exist as much to deter wars as fight them. The stakes become too high and as we have learned the conflicts are not resolved.

Economically, Europe is a major market for Russian Oil and Russian Oil is financed by banks around the world.  Oil may not seem like a giant part of the economy, but it touches transportation and is something that consumers are very aware of as those costs are integral to a modern economy.  It is possible to use substitutes for oil but that can take time and be even more expensive as supplies are disrupted and demand continues and may increase for nonproductive uses.  This is a worldwide problem and will require folks to cooperate and sacrifice to contain its spread.

It is possible that the conflict could spread.

The idea that sanctions will limit the conflict is going to be tested. It has been going on for about eight years and taken a dangerous turn.

The idea that countries like the Ukraine will be allowed to exist with autonomy has been compromised.

There have already been casualties and they will no doubt mount each day the conflict continues.