A lot of debate on political forum is ideological and can't reach a useful conclusion, it will end exactly where it started. I often refer back to the Vietnam War because all the large wars we've been in since have had similarities, and some differences. A big concern about American public thinking in Vietnam was we were being ideological, with no concern about whether we were winning or losing, just that we were right. It turned out in the end, after we'd killed 3 million Vietnamese, that maybe we may have been ideologically wrong, as well as practically wrong.
The same split between ideology and reality exists in the war in Ukraine. The Russian Federation has only 7% of the GDP of the US, and a NATO trained and equipped army almost as big as Russia's (it depends on whether you count active servicemen or also reservists Etc.). We've also claimed Russia is demoralized, disorganized and is the aggressor and has all the disadvantages those bring with them. And we have about 40 countries on our side. What if our ideology is wrong again?
As for the last two options - if our weapons makers are right and the US is surrounded by powerful vicious enemies, then we shouldn't be wasting the weapons we do have in Ukraine, and showing them off to our enemies. And letting them be sold on the black market to anyone who wants to pay pennies in the dollar for them.
The point about this thread is I'm advocating Realism as opposed to one of the forms of Idealism. To me the various different idealisms don't seem to have much relevance or testability, and are therefore just different types of building castles in the air the air.
'Freedom' is an invisible sort of thing, Emperor's New Clothes thing that makes money for weapons makers and death and destruction for the common people.
