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Administrations of both parties have badly miscalculated the intentions of Vladimir Putin and the Russian state over the last decade and a half. The latest developments underscore the urgent need for the U.S. and EU to develop a strategy to deal with the realities of the Russian state under Vladimir Putin.

NATO was created to stop Russia, and President Reagan showed that with American leadership, NATO works. To show leadership in this crisis, the United States should undertake the following actions immediately:

Provide lethal aid to the Ukrainians so they can defend themselves

Increase sanctions, including reconsidering Russia’s continued access to the SWIFT international banking system

Fast track permits for LNG export facilities on the East Coast to flood the European market with American natural gas.

Lead the debate in NATO to allow a permanent deployment of U.S. and NATO allies to Poland and the Baltics to protect our allies and assets in the area, including U.S. bomber wings in the Baltic republics and permanent U.S. Army forces in Poland

Conduct port visits by the U.S. Navy in the Baltics

The United States needs to get back in the game. The administration’s actions have put us on the sidelines.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/rick-perry-takes-putin_862673.html