The Washington Post: Opinion: The West may not be able to deter Putin. But at least he knows the consequences will be devastating.

“Ukraine is shaping up for Russia to be something like the functional equivalent of what the 2003 Iraq War was to America — a costly disaster for Russia that undermines its geopolitical position,” says Brian Katulis of the Middle East Institute. “If Putin makes a move, he and his country will suffer major costs for doing so.”