MSNBC's Ali Velshi calls for 'direct military' action from NATO, the west in Ukraine
Experts and diplomats warn that military intervention on behalf of NATO and the West could trigger a Third World War
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC's Ali Velshi on Saturday called for "direct military involvement" in Ukraine from NATO and the west in light of harrowing new images providing the world a glimpse into Russia's brutality on Ukrainian civilians.
Velshi, who is reporting from Ukraine, called on NATO and the west to take immediate action in a series of tweets over the weekend.
ZELENSKYY REACTS TO DEVASTATING IMAGES COMING OUT OF UKRAINE
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The turning point for the west and NATO will come when the sun rises over Kyiv on Sunday, & the war crimes against civilian non-combatants becomes visible to all," Velshi wrote. "There is no more time for prevarication. If ‘never again’ means anything, then this is the time to act."
MSNBC's Ali Velshi calls for military intervention from NATO and the west in Ukraine. (Twitter)
When asked by journalist Aaron Maté to clarify what exactly he was calling for, Velshi said pointedly, "direct military involvement."
The MSNBC host's stance has been largely dismissed by foreign policy experts and diplomats who've continuously warned that military intervention on behalf of NATO and the west could trigger a Third World War.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MSNBC host Ali Velshi speaks onstage during Global Citizen - Movement Makers at The Times Center on September 25, 2018 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty images for Global Citizen)
Velshi doubled down on his position on his show Sunday, telling viewers that "Me saying that the west needs to do more, or NATO needs to do more, and we have to look at the fact that civilians are being killed and there are atrocities, sometimes rings hollow." he said.
Velshi acknowledged "that what I say involves actual danger to people. It involves danger to NATO soldiers and pilots, and American Marines and Naval officers. So explain that to me. How do you get involved more and not get us into World War III, and not get us into a nuclear war with Russia?" he asked his guest retired Army Major John Spencer.
MSNBC host told a Twitter user that he supports "direct military intervention" from NATO and the U.S. in Ukraine (Twitter)
"I'm ready to commit at this moment — unlike I was before this day — to put people in direct contact with Russia, to stop Russia. Call it peacekeeping. Call it what you will. We have to do more than provide weapons. And by "we," I mean the United States. Yes, we’ll do it as a coalition with lots of other people, but we are the example. So put boots on the ground, send weapons directly at Russia. This is a massacre. This is a special kind of evil," Spencer said.
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Spencer added, "It is a huge risk, I understand that. But today is different."
"Today is different," Velshi agreed.