On Mar. 12, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed the country of Austria. Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler’s goal was to unite German speaking countries. Sound familiar? Russian President Valdimir putin’s actions against Ukraine are going to force the start of a  possible third world war.

    A long struggle in Ukraine proved a win for the Ukrainian rebels, creating a new government. In the beginning of March, the new weak government of Ukraine began mobilizing troops in the fear of a Russian invasion.

    Putin says the reason for invading Ukraine is to put back in place the Pro-Russian government. In lieu of a vote in Crimea seceding from Ukraine, citizens have been lining the banks to withdraw their cash, unsure of the future.

    The European Union and the United States disagree greatly with Russia’s decision to annex the Crimean Peninsula. Their answer: sanctions. Sanctions on Russia don’t propose a real threat. If they are going to do it, European powers need to back  their threat with a real consequence.

      “Russia will face more serious consequences and I will push European leaders to agree further EU measures,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said, according to BBC News.

     How truthful are these so called threats? So far, the Western powers have just talked the talk, but not yet walked the walk.

    Sanctions aren’t going to stop Putin in annexing the Crimean Peninsula. The Russian government requires much more harsh penalties than anything financial. The actions Putin is taking almost exactly resembles what Hitler was doing in 1938. If society doesn’t do something more than stop trade, nothing will stop Putin.

    Allowing him to place military personnel on the Crimean Peninsula only establishes the precedent that annexing parts of countries isn’t acceptable. He will continue to find reasons to annex countries that have strategic value or economic value.

     If the Russians hold the Crimean Peninsula, it will be their only warm water port. This makes mobilizing a year round possibility. Sending troops into another country on a personal vendetta is an unacceptable action for a “democratic” country.  Becoming a tyrant like Hitler is a great way to be seen from the people of the world.

     The majority of Americans in the world we live in today disagree with the United States being the “police” of the world, but the only way to put an end to Putin is to enforce some sort of military action.

     Sanctions against Russia won’t stop them from doing as they please. In a press conference, Putin made remarks claiming that parts of Southern Ukraine were part of the Soviet Union.

    The world should fear further actions by the Russians. History has shown that a country allowed to “take over” another country doesn’t stop at just one. They continue until military action prevents further spread. Countries of the world need to step up and prevent the possibility of a third world war.