Published by
Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Sure, optimism is a virtue. I guess. But when does optimism fade into a complacent obliviousness that blinds us to just how bad things could get? And things could get very bad. There are a number of ways to illustrate this point, but a few gloomy examples should suffice: It’s very difficult, for example, to imagine a happy ending to the current standoff over Ukraine. We await Vladimir Putin’s responses to our responses to his demands, but it would require the most starry-eyed optimist to imagine that he will be satisfied. If Putin invades Ukraine, turmoil and bloodshed will ensue. The United S…