After Iraq, the U.S. has a 'credibility problem' in Ukraine crisis, Washington Post columnist says

John Moore/Getty Images

After Iraq, the U.S. has a 'credibility problem' in Ukraine crisis, Washington Post columnist says
(Image credit: John Moore/Getty Images)

The thrust of Eugene Robinson's latest column over at The Washington Post is that the invasion of Iraq has left the U.S. with a "credibility problem" in decrying Russia's military intervention in Ukraine. It's a salient point for war doves: By invading a country ostensibly to protect its own interests, Russia is acting much like the U.S. has with its cantankerous, adventurous foreign policy in the Middle East and elsewhere:

Is it just me, or does the rhetoric about the crisis in Ukraine sound as if all of Washington is suffering from amnesia? We're supposed to be shocked — shocked! — that a great military power would cook up a pretext to invade a smaller, weaker nation? I'm sorry, but has everyone forgotten the unfortunate events in Iraq a few years ago.

My sentiments, to be clear, are with the legitimate Ukrainian government, not with the neo-imperialist regime in Russia. But the United States, frankly, has limited standing to insist on absolute respect for the territorial integrity of sovereign states. [The Washington Post]

To be sure, Robinson also condemns Russia's actions, but he suggests America's own intervention-happy foreign policy over the past few decades leaves it with little room to throw stones here. Go give his take a full read.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.