text: Russia's military intervention in Syria is not much different than America's intervention in Iraq. Propping up and overthrowing a brutal dictator respectively,  the underlying motivations were nevertheless the same and they had nothing to do with the welfare of the people. In both cases, it has produced tremendous death and destruction with little if any promise of peace and security in the region.
  
  Russia's invasion of the Ukraine and annexation of the Crimea is a different matter. It lacked even the veneer of 
  legitimacy. It amounted to naked aggression and hegemony. Absent NATO, Putin would wreak his own brand of terrorism across Eastern Europe. Continue to talk with Russia by all means, but talking is not the same as turning a blind eye to Putin's plan to re-create the Soviet bloc by force.
  
  Canada's role is of little consequence. Whether Putin succeeds with his plan is really down to Donald Trump. And that can't be comforting for the nations whose sovereignty is under threat.