The US and Britain Have a Treaty with Ukraine Pledging to Come to Their Aid if Their Territorial Integrity is Violated

It was signed by Clinton and John Major in 1994. The reason we signed this treaty was to give the Ukraine a guarantee that we wouldn't let Russia invade them -- and we had to do that because we were asking them to give up their nuclear weapons.

They did give up their nukes. The one thing that could have guaranteed their freedom from Russia. And we in turn promised to help protect them.

And here we are.

I call it a "treaty" so you understand what I'm talking about, but I don't know if it's actually a treaty. It is called the "Budapest Memorandum," and I don't know if it was ever submitted to Congress.

he U.S. and Britain have both made crisis phone calls to President Putin to urge him not to intervene in Ukraine's Crimea, with the White House warning him it would be a 'grave mistake'.

NATO also asked Russia not to take action that could escalate tension. However Moscow responded by telling the organization to 'refrain' from provocative statements on Ukraine and respect its 'non-bloc' status.

Sir Tony Brenton, who served as British Ambassador from 2004 to 2008, said that war could be an option 'if we do conclude the [Budapest] Memorandum is legally binding.'
It promises to protect Ukraine's borders, in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons.

Today Kiev has demanded the agreement is activated after insisting their borders had been violated.

In response Mr Brenton said in a BBC radio interview: 'If indeed this is a Russian invasion of Crimea and if we do conclude the [Budapest] Memorandum is legally binding then it's very difficult to avoid the conclusion that we're going to go to war with Russia'.
Ukraine accused Russia of a 'military invasion and occupation', saying Russian troops have taken up positions around a coast guard base and two airports on its strategic Crimea peninsula.

And maybe this is why they are claiming that Ukraine hasn't been invaded at all: Why, the thousands of Russian troops coming into the Ukraine in APCs and military planes don't represent an invasion that would trigger our treaty obligations. No no no, foolish boy. It's not an invasion -- it's an "uncontested arrival" of troops, according to Obama.

Much like someone might arrive uncontestedly in your mouth, after promising not to.

And, as JohnE says, here we are:

And here we are:

And more gaffes from Republicans, circa 2008:

Also thanks to @johnekdahl for that. In fact, all of this post.

posted by Ace at 06:28 PM

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