# Will war in Ukraine torpedo Biden's presidency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822 "2022-02-20T16:14:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/21 "2022-02-20T18:19:26Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > But we’re not going to war – Biden’s been adamant about that. Will the public view sanctions as “war” if we’re not literally fighting anyone? I think it depends on how it is framed. Democrats should get on top of this, and start framing ANY opposition to Biden as supporting Russian wars of aggression. Start asking Republicans why they support the invasion of Ukraine. Ask them where their support of the Russian war machine stops? Will they support Russia attacking and taking over all of Europe? ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/22 "2022-02-20T18:53:25Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > So, will the GOP take the united front approach to make sure we aren’t pushed around by Russia? Or will they look to score political points even if it weakens the US with respect to our foreign adversaries? > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Democrats should get on top of this, and start framing ANY opposition to Biden as supporting Russian wars of aggression. Start asking Republicans why they support the invasion of Ukraine. Ask them where their support of the Russian war machine stops? Will they support Russia attacking and taking over all of Europe? Excellent response. We know the GOP will seek to paint whatever Biden does as a corrupt leftist plot against hardworking Americans. Calling their patriotism into question isn’t only effective, it’s actually accurate. Regardless, I’m worried about the economic impact. Bush I won enormous popularity with the first gulf war, but it couldn’t save him when we had a recession the next year. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/23 "2022-02-20T18:57:02Z")
Way too early to tell what the actual political effects of events yet to unfold are, but the one thing I think we can confidently predict is that the same liars in the GOP will continue to make bullshit attacks against Biden no matter what occurs. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/24 "2022-02-20T19:49:19Z")
The Democrats will likely lose the mid-terms anyway. Sanctions against Russia may hurt the US economy a bit and that in turn will hurt them a little extra in November it probably won’t be decisive. And I don’t think this issue will be important in 2024 one way or another unless there is some massive escalation in which US troops are involved which is unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/25 "2022-02-20T19:52:35Z")
Republicans would gladly hand over all of Europe to Putin if it meant getting the presidency and Congress back in their hands. The man in the street, I’m not so sure. I can see fear of Russian expansion and memories of the total subservience of the Orange Galoot toward Putin combining to make things pretty difficult for Republicans in November. Sure, gas may go up a bit, but I think in the end standing up to Russian aggression will be a plus for Biden. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/26 "2022-02-21T02:14:17Z")
They could do both. I can easily imagine the GOP saying that Biden let Russia waltz into Ukraine and take whatever he wanted without consequence, when he should have stood up and been tougher (more and harsher sanctions, more military aid to Ukraine, military intervention etc.). Since whatever they propose didn’t come to pass they can always claim that it would have worked without any negative consequences for the US. Then in the same breath that they nail him for not having harsh enough sanctions, they complain about the state of the economy. They don’t have to blame it on the sanctions he did impose, they can blame it on his liberal socialist agenda and mask mandates. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/27 "2022-02-21T02:36:49Z")
The Republican response will be “We must unite behind Russia, in defense against this unwarranted aggression by Ukraine and the Democrats. Why does Coward Biden insist on abandoning our country when Ukraine attacks us?”. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/28 "2022-02-21T02:45:28Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Wartime presidents historically see a boost to their approval ratings. This could be just the thing the Democrats need to hold on to Congress and the White House. But only if the war was won. If the U.S. doesn’t intervene militarily in Ukraine - and there is no indication it intends to - then a Russian invasion of Ukraine will most likely produce a Russian victory on the ground, simple as that. Sure, Russia may be heavily sanctioned, but a war won is a war won. It’s hard to see how that leads to an increase in approval ratings for Biden. The exception would be if Biden does a masterful job of strengthening the NATO alliance postwar, in which the leadership image may do it. Ukraine isn’t in NATO, and its being conquered could be just the boost the alliance needs. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/29 "2022-02-21T19:57:27Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > So, let’s assume we do eventually sanction gas and oil exports. Pump prices spike and stay high. With all the economic consequences that might domino from there, how does that hurt the economy and Dems’ electability? Oil prices skyrocket, which makes US oil even more profitable, and finally gets Albertan oil back to being profitable instead of a net loss per barrel, so the Big Oil guys are suddenly happy and redirect at least some propaganda money toward explaining why high gas prices are good for Freedom&Democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/30 "2022-02-21T22:23:26Z")
Or … > [@Horatius](#): > > Oil prices skyrocket, which makes US oil even more profitable, … giving Big Oil more money to plow into campaign funding for candidates who hate the EPA and want to hasten climate change, a.k.a. Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/31 "2022-02-22T11:30:34Z")
I cannot decide which thread is best suited for this question but I do not believe it needs its own thread. Since this is about Ukraine and Biden this seems like the best fit to me. I just heard on the news that 60% of Russia’s military is surrounding Ukraine and the whole nation (Russia) is on high alert. As an aside, I believe Biden has stood up to Putin much better and much stronger than Trump ever dreamed of attempting. But given how he (Biden) will be attacked by the right politically, the more aggressive he appears the better it would have be for him. (Please understand I do not and never would suggest or endorse use of our military for political reasons!!) I think this is a fair encapsulation of the reality of the situation from several points of view. All that being said, how reckless and/or outright dangerous would it be for the US to stage major military exercises in and around the Aleutian Islands? I am not sure there is anything of actual value at that end of Russia, and it is absolutely the worst time of year for this kind of thing-- but massive naval and air operations would have to be somewhat distracting. And please let me qualify the question; any time there are military exercises there are going to be accidental deaths of service members (they just happen in the exercise area instead of at the home bases of the involved squadrons). I mean how reckless or dangerous would it be from an escalation point of view. To take this further, making a distraction for Russia almost has to benefit Ukraine and make defending their nation easier. But at what cost and how large or small might the benefit end up being. How far should it go? Would having nuclear capable boomers surface around several points of Russia’s homeland be a step too far-- or a perfectly legitimate naval exercise that has nothing to do with anything?? There must be a refinery or two in far eastern Russia, what if airborne American ground strike planes start broadcasting the coordinates of those installations to each other from different directions that are equal distances out (many hours of flying perhaps)? Would it be too far to suggest Russia itself might be under attack within hours shortly after the launch of Russian aggression in Ukraine? All of course deniable as just routine coordination exercises-- all done from well outside of Russian airspace or territorial waters. In addition, the US has suffered through a couple of Russian backed cyber attacks a couple of years ago. I would like to believe we have learned quite a bit from those and I would love to see a plausibly deniable cyber attack upon Russia itself (especially if it can target command and control of the Russian military!) I would love for the sanctions Russia must endure to be accompanied a massive cyber attack and a shrug of American shoulders as they wonder where the hell that could have come from??? So: 1. Should the US attempt military exercises to distract the Russian military? 2. Should a cyber attack be considered (even if completely successful and deniable it will give away abilities we may want to keep closer to the vest)? 3. If Putin simply redraws international boundaries should we just let it go if it mean a complete cease to all hostilities? 4. How aggressive can the United States be without committing combat troops ourselves? 5. Are there other, non military but strong stances the US and/or NATO countries can take that I have not considered? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/32 "2022-02-22T18:34:34Z")
Basically, Trump is claiming Putin would never have done this to him, and he’s only doing it to Biden because Biden was so good to him…… > **[News | Donald J. Trump For President 2024](https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news)** > > Certified Website of Donald J. Trump For President 2024. Text “Trump (This link is subject to change without notice because Trump’s website sucks, when they add more sad fake tweets, they change the URL of the existing ones) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/33 "2022-02-22T18:44:20Z")
The problem with the exercises you suggest is that Russia knows that Biden and the US wouldn’t actually do anything harmful - in other words, even if the U.S. sent warships up and down the Russian Pacific coast, Putin could just shrug it off - “We know the US, they don’t do anything beyond that.” So the exercises wouldn’t faze Moscow a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/34 "2022-02-22T18:54:35Z")
Per that statement: “[Putin] would have never done during the Trump Administration what he is doing now, no way!” I cant help but read that in Bill and Ted’s voice. Most excellent. _Not._ ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/35 "2022-02-22T19:12:05Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Most excellent. _Not._ I really associate the _Not_ thing with Wayne and Garth. I don’t remember B&T doing that. I will concede that Trump’s statement is stupider than anything put out by any of those characters, though. As for the question in the title, it’s really going to depend on how it goes, right? ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/36 "2022-02-22T19:15:27Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > “[Putin] would have never done during the Trump Administration what he is doing now, no way!” Correct – because Trump would have refused aid to Ukraine and told them to just roll over for Russia. That’ll teach 'em to withhold proof of Biden’s corruption! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/37 "2022-02-22T19:17:53Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > As an aside, I believe Biden has stood up to Putin much better and much stronger than Trump ever dreamed of attempting. How has Biden “stood up to Putin”? By promising a summit if Putin doesn’t invade? What does that accomplish? ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/38 "2022-02-22T19:27:17Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > I really associate the _Not_ thing with Wayne and Garth. I don’t remember B&T doing that. I’m likely a quart low on my pop culture expertise. You’re probably right. It’s been several years since I’ve seen any of the movies from either franchise (and I never did see the most recent _B&T_ movie). ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/39 "2022-02-22T19:32:21Z")
I’m still baffled why Putin didn’t invade while he had a stooge in the White House hell bent on weakening NATO. For DJT to claim Putin wouldn’t have invaded with him in charge is laughable,as is the rest of his deranged rant. Donnie would have called Zelenskyy and said “You know how I wanted you to announce an investigation into the Bidens? Well, enjoy Siberia, sucker!” ---
**Author:** ![3AxisCtrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/ecd19e/32.png) [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822/40 "2022-02-22T19:44:10Z")
> [@Temporary\_Name](#): > > I believe Biden has stood up to Putin … Like when he [made a point of noting that a “minor incursion” might not be met with a sharp response](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c67eB14OWJc)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-war-in-ukraine-torpedo-bidens-presidency/959822.md?page=3)