Sickles still on the payroll?

I'd like to remind this network why the risk they're speaking of is a necessary one.

For an aggressor that hasn't changed from this in five years - indeed, has continued to build on these structures - the only reason the aggressor would make any conciliatory moves (such as pulling back on a land border) is because there's a visible risk that aggressor is not willing to take. To blame an incumbent for the willingness to ensure that risk stays visible reflects badly on the network in the first link (that's not counting the cherry-picking coverage a network with such an international reach so enjoys doing, but I digress). Perhaps it should focus instead on coverage of ideological cannibalism (thought you guys loved that play).

A few more idioms that I think apply here -

For the specific situation in the video (and the general situation in the featured waterway) - 以强凌弱

For the situation along the land border -

以逸待劳

For the aggressor's efforts along every front in which it's been involved (sickles and who else? included) -

先声夺人