The steady, almost inch by inch advance by Russia westwards into the sovereign country of Ukraine continues despite wringing of hands by Western leaders. There are two kinds of people – those, like Putin, who do what they want to do when they want to do it, and those who are always surprised the Putins of the world are doing what they want to do. Nobody sees the moving shadow until it blots out the light. The Rheinland bridge was just a bridge, the Marco Polo bridge was just a bridge, until the tolls came due. British music halls once rang with the defiant cry of “The Russians shall not have Constantinople!” No more. Lord Cardigan will not throw his light brigade upon the Russian guns, nor will the ghosts of the Wehrmacht’s 17th Army appear in the Crimea any time soon. Go back to sleep, child, it’s just a dream.
Upon the lake the setting sun
Cast shadows deep and dark
And somewhere, noting day is done
There sang a plaintive lark
The darkness crept from east to west
Unheard the loon’s shrill cries
Important people who knew best
Sang soft sweet lullabies
Inside the dark the red eyes stared
Fixed tight upon the prey
Who woke at last, and trembling, scared
Prayed for the light of day