Dear Mark: President Obama, along with the European Union, find themselves in a difficult predicament concerning Vladimir Putin's invasion of the Crimean part of Ukraine. Republicans have unfairly jumped on Obama by accusing him of being weak. As a country, we aren't prepared for boots on the ground over a piece of land that doesn't involve our national interests. If Republicans are so smart, what do you think should be done? — Rock and a Hard Place

Dear Rock: Remember when Barack Obama and other liberals promised that the world would like the United States again if only George Bush were out of office. Well KGB alumnus Vladimir Putin must have missed that memo. Unfortunately for the world, President Obama's has been reactive as opposed to proactive when it comes to foreign affairs and Vladimir Putin has taken advantage of the president's "strategy" to invade the Ukraine.

The problem is that Obama is happy to use his executive orders to bypass congress and "go it alone" domestically but acting abroad is another story. President Obama should already have a contingency plan in place for such violations, but instead he is waiting for world consensus on what action to take against Putin. President Obama should have immediately and unilaterally placed economic sanctions on Russia, expelled Russian diplomats, and frozen certain Russian assets.

The optics for Obama's foreign policy are awful; from his inaction during the Iranian Green Revolution to his missteps in Syria, the president appears weak. This standoff with Russia doesn't enhance the president's resume.

Dear Mark: The stage is set here in Texas for the November gubernatorial face-off between Republican Greg Abbott and Democrat Wendy Davis. It should be a good one with national appeal. What's your call? — Yee Haw Johnny in Abilene

Dear Yee Haw: Attorney General Greg Abbott will cruise to victory in the fall but it will be muddy. The Democrat National Committee and the media believe they've found a new superstar in Fort Worth — State Sen. Wendy Davis — hence the spotlight focused on this race will be hotter than normal. Not to mention the extra cash that will be flowing from outside of Texas to the newest darling on the left.

But I say bring it on, because this race may actually blow up in the face of the Democratic Party nationally. Wendy Davis is famous for one thing and one thing only — wearing pink sneakers while filibustering 11 hours for the rights of women to terminate their pregnancies after 20 weeks. Democrats worship at the altar of the aborted baby and the Texas gubernatorial race has a chance to show the rest of the country what a horribly vacuous stand the Democrats have taken. But if that's what Democrats want to hang their Stetson on, then go for it.

Dear Mark: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton compared Russian president Vladimir Putin to Adolph Hitler right in the middle of the Ukraine crisis. That's some pretty incendiary language to use in the middle of a serious crisis. What would the media and liberal politicians say if George W. Bush made this statement? — Double Standards in Colorado

Dear Double: President George W. Bush was excoriated by the media, liberal pundits and politicians when he referred to the countries of Iran, Iraq and North Korea as the "axis of evil" during his 2002 State of the Union address. I wouldn't expect anything less of them today if Bush had referred to Putin as "Hitler" but then again, I have long given up hope of finding consistency in the media.

Concerning Hillary's remarks negatively affecting the situation in Ukraine, as whacky as Vladimir Putin is behaving these days, I personally believe Putin thought Hillary was paying him a compliment.

E-mail your questions to marklevy92@aol.com. To find out more about Mark Levy, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com. Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkPLevy