The question remains, why did all those who for so long foretold this war do so little to stop it, and so much to hasten the disaster Russia has now set in motion? Indeed. Why didn't the government of Germany guarantee in writing that it would veto any additional NATO membership? It would have solved at least half of the problem. Why didn't any other NATO government do so? Wake up. Otherwise this will end in disaster. Not for Russia but for the rest of Europe.
[moonofalabama.org]
This war could have been stopped in 2000 when Putin asked for Russia to join NATO. If that had come about then the entire direction of the alliance would have been different.