Sanctions = Act of War

Yes. Plus, Sanctions hurt the victim country's economy, meaning Russian people who are not military or politicians can get laid off and not be able to afford necessities, and rent, and become homeless and probably die. All because of a sanction. Get a clue people

So, if a Russian oligarch gets his yacht confiscated, does he get a Purple Heart?

That's a red herring. Nobody said "sanctions are equal to attacking someone". Acts of war =/= shots fired. If an army rolls over the border without shooting it's still an act of war. If a navy blockades all of your ports without firing a single shot, that's still an act of war. A sanction is the modern day naval blockade. It is an attack on the resources and well-being of another country. I'm not arguing whether it's right or wrong, but those who think it's the "peaceful way out" and will "avoid war" are mistaken.

Not really. Neither Russia nor NATO are coming to blows as a result of sanctions. Putin seems to think he’s prepared adequately for a full economic divorce with the West. Well, so be it.

You can’t force countries to trade with nuclear blackmail-threatening warmongerers, against their wishes — that doesn’t really stand up.

1) You don't need to "come to blows" to be an act of war. A naval blockade of a port or city can be an act of war and not a single shot fired. If an army invades your territory without firing a single shot. It's still an act of war.

2) Russia and NATO haven't come to blows *YET*

3) Nobody said anything about forcing anyone to trade with anyone. That's a straw man. I'm not arguing there shouldn't be sanctions. I'm arguing people are deluded to think sanctions aren't a step towards war. If you cripple another countries economy and back them up against a wall, it is a equivalent to a modern day naval blockade. Eventually, they may just very well try to force their way out.

Sure, but I want to stay as far away from the Putinist double-speak as possible. Sanctions, boycotts, tariffs, etc. are all routinely imposed for various reasons and it’s a country’s sovereign right (and a company’s prerogative) to choose its business partners.

Putin wants to keep defining Russia as the victim of a war that was entirely his choosing. Well, not everyone out there is going to keep funding the Kremlin’s war machine. In the meantime he can trade with less scrupulous partners like China.

Pearl Harbor???

So what you're saying, Fyre.Is, is that since we've imposed sanctions, and sanctions are acts of war, we may as well go full-Putin and send the troops into Ukraine, right?

So what you're saying is if we send troops into Ukraine we should go full Herbert Hoover and nuke Moscow, right?

What I'm saying is imposing sanctions isn't avoiding war, it's further involving NATO in a war.

Full Herbert Hoover? What in the blessed name of Elvis does that even mean?

"What I'm saying is imposing sanctions isn't avoiding war, it's further involving NATO in a war."

Okay then, what are you *really* saying? I don't know about you, but if NATO is already involved in a war, as in being a participant, then I think NATO should win. And to win we'll have to put boots on the ground. Is that what you're saying should be done?

Or are you just making an observation that doesn't really mean anything?

Sorry, but you're just not being very clear.

Sanctions are what dictator laugh at and ignore as they steamroll their neighbors.