@Scepticalscribe I’m surprised to hear you say in a forum based on interaction, presentation of information, and opinion, that what we think is irrelevant. Actually I agree but…
What we think is the basis of a conversation, the process of that conversation brings information into, to influence the individuals involved in the conversation and possibly change or reinforce some opinions.
No, what we think means nothing to NATO, but I’ll argue that is not why we are here talking about any topic. Although I think education is an excellent purpose of a forum like this and on some small scale, if accurate education takes place then this is a plus. It’s better than spreading misinformation.
My use of the verb "think" was a direct response to the fact that this was the very verb you reached for, in the - your - first sentence of your original post - which read: "How many of you
think that admitting just about any country that professes to want to be democratic, and who wants to resist Russian expansionism, should be allowed to join NATO?"
Of course we can have a discussion - interact, debate, discuss, disagree, express opinions, present information and opinions, and the online world allows for this both cross country and cross continent.
Thus, in this discussion, I suppose that I should have been more precise in how I expressed myself: What I should have said is to offer what one thinks - when under current circumstances (a divided - and disintegrating) country) it is utterly inconceivable that NATO membership will be offered to Ukraine, or that Ukraine could, or would, - let alone will - be admitted to NATO, is to miss the point.
Under current circumstances,
it cannot happen (which is one of the reasons Mr Putin is trying to split the country by exerting extraordinary and impossible pressure on its political fault lines).
Therefore, to discuss this - by using the verb "think" - is, to my mind, to almost seriously suggest that this (NATO membership) is a real possibility currently on the political menu for Ukraine (it's not), and is to run the risk of confusing what one might like to see happen with what is likely to happen.
Under current conditions, it cannot happen: One might as well ask should the tooth fairy exist?
If you want a serious discussion - rather than a political wish list - then the question to ask is under what conditions - if any - might a future "west Ukraine" be considered for membership of NATO?