OK, let me see if I get this.
Russia invades a foreign country to “saveguard” its (only) warm water port on the Black Sea, and takes over with real missiles, tanks, soldiers and planes around its own ships and dockyards, right?
Obama is going to propose economic “??????” against senior Russian officials, who don’t work in the west and who work FOR Russia, right?
And Obama is going to propose enforcing these “sanctions” against Russian senior officials by going to the EU and “demanding” action, right?
At which point Russia immediately turns off 75% of the natural gas flowing to the EU ....
And Obama is going to do .....?
Every time this administration opens it's mouth or leaks some planning they make the situation far worse, especially for US prestige...which is nearly exhausted.
All of them just need to STFU. If they're going to do something, do it. If not, shut up and quit shaming the nation!
I don't see that happening. Russia wants the money, and Europe wants the energy. My fearless prediction: America and the EU will come up with some sort of set of sanctions. These sections will be vague, and full of loopholes.
Nothing will change. Putin keeps the Crimea. The natural gas will continue to flow, although there might be a symbolic stoppage for a short while.
And then the EU will realize that the Big Dog on the block is no longer the USA. It's Russia.
Whoops, and thanks Robert A. Cook, PE for the ping.