A few quick thoughts...
* If our State Dept was more proactive I believe this war could have been avoided. Unfortunately our foreign policy has devolved into one of military involvement. That is a huge mistake but one that can be easily seen if one was to open their eyes. What do you always hear from our State Dept? Some new defense treaty. Trade deals, economic (not military or cultural but REAL assistance to aid foreign nations develop their home industry is non-existent) assistance is a thing of the past.
* NATO is an organization that lost its reason for being once the Soviet Union collapsed. It serves no purpose except to give bureaucrats a reason to exist. Even if you believe this war is necessary then a temporary joint headquarters could be formed. A standing organization is just a money sponge.
* Speaking of money sponges, Ukraine is IT!!!! Zelensky is out of control, demands when he should ask and feels a type of entitlement that is to be frank...INFURIATING!
* The sanctions along with the lingering economic recovery from covid is a problem. 2022 was bad. 2023 is set to be worse...economically for the entire Western world. Our leadership seriously fucked this whole thing up.
* This fight exposed something that should send chills up your spine. It exposed a cabal of national security/foreign policy wonks that have been wanting a direct confrontation with Russia since the Reagan years.