oifuv wrote:
It's only people from the US who assume this. I guess it ties in with the idea of American Exceptionalism, a rough nut of an ideology if ever there was one. Everyone else in the world is aware of a concept called 'spheres of influence'. The Crimea doesn't involve the US any more than it involves any other globalised first-world country (ie economically).
Put simply, it doesn't concern the US politically or socially and besides, the US only goes to war against third-world countries, or at least makes them third-world before hostilities begin. Russia's second-world with some legacy first-world military hardware and thus are safe from Team Murica.
Yes it does. In 1994 Russia agreed that Crimea was part of Ukraine. In completely disregarding that treaty, Russia is saying that all of its treaties are worthless and it does not feel bound to follow any of them. This is hugely, hugely problematic for the entire world.
What should we (i.e. the international community that is outraged by this) do? I don't know. But Russia cannot break whatever international treaties it wants without consequences.