Blame it on the Ukraine

It's said that while history doesn't exactly repeat itself, it does rhyme.

That's why I've been reviewing a bit of history. The Crimean War isn't exactly well studied in American schools. Maybe it should be. How about “The Charge of the Light Brigade?” That bit of poetry is more recognized than the war it took place in. Most kids in school probably haven't been exposed to the poem either.

How about Geography? Take a good look at a map. See where the Ukraine is? See where the Crimea is? Oh look, what's the big powerful country right next door? Russia. How about on the other side? Poland? The Balkans? Seems like Europe might have some skin the game?

The United States? It's not anywhere in the neighborhood. Of course, that hasn't kept American troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe it should have. At least Russia has geography and history to point to as excuses for their involvement. (Not saying they are in the right here, just that they really do have skin the game.)

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to review the Crimean War. It was a huge failure of balance of power politics that had kept the peace. Railroads and telegraphs made it a modern war -faster travel and communications. The war set up the conditions that eventually led to WWI. Yep, conflict in this little piece of real estate once became the spark that broke the world.

Too bad no one ever learns anything from history.

-Sixbears