“Who ya gonna believe, me, or your lying eyes?” Groucho Marx probably never uttered that famous line, but sometimes it seems like he should have.

Americans are experiencing one of those who-ya-gonna-believe moments. Yet another full-fledged war scare is upon us with reports that Russia will invade Ukraine. This one involves an adversary possessing considerably greater military capabilities than Afghanistan or Iraq, where, you will recall, our side did not fare well. It bears remembering that Russia possesses the world’s largest nuclear arsenal.

As is common in these situations, all parties involved proclaim their earnest hopes of avoiding bloodshed. Russian leaders emphasize their devotion to peace. So, too, do their counterparts in Washington and various European capitals. Who ya gonna believe?

The available facts are these: Substantial Russian combat forces appear poised to attack Ukraine, should President Vladimir Putin issue orders to do so. According to Western press reports, Russia has “massed” — a favored media characterization — an estimated 130,000 troops along Ukraine’s perimeter.

Read the full article in the Boston Globe.