this warmongering as 'Effective Putin Management'. He's literally conducting nuclear drills with hypersonics that can hit Western soil right now:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-oversee-nuclear-drills-ukraine-crisis-mounts-2022-02-19/

https://www.voanews.com/a/russia-threatens-to-deploy-tactical-nuclear-weapons-/6354408.html

https://spectrum.ieee.org/russia-china-the-us-who-will-win-the-hypersonic-arms-race

Things never escalated this badly/quickly bc of Crimea.

So ya, a response like Obama's to the lead-up and aftermath of Crimea's annexation is preferable to this inflammatory mess. The only reason Americans talk the kind of exceptionalist bullshit you've typed here is bc the war you clamor for is always fought on other people's soil. Against smaller countries with weaker infrastructure, governments, and resources, who lack the capabilities to bring the fight back to your doorstep.

Threatening "swift and severe" military escalation with Russia only increases the likelihood of a nuke hitting Western soil if war breaks out bc as soon as Putin assesses the US might nuke Russia anyway, he def isn't going down without deploying the most giant fuck you possible to the West for history's sake. Russian vengeance against the West is at the core of Putin's worldview. He's been waiting his entire career for the moment to humble us, and Biden and Blinken accelerating the arrival of that moment is, imho, wildly irresponsible. There IS no scenario where the US/NATO deploys a "swift and severe" military response to Russia annexing Donbas and Putin retreats, it's either diplomacy or mutual death and destruction.