[Mouton]

Eastern Ukraine is the bread basket of both it and the former USSR. Were I he, that is what I would want. Once in firm control over both fuels to Europe and food stuffs that are exported, he has both feet on Europes throat. Europe will do nothing and the US under Obama is impotent militarily to force Putin to do otherwise. Meanwhile, the press is already making a play that his excellency intends to squeeze Russia financially. What a joke, the largest debtor country in the world is going to financially squeeze one that is solvent! Keep dreaming NBC.

[Reaganite Republican]

What WAS needed was an effective US detterent, long frittered away by this vile administration

[meatloaf]

To control the flow of gas into Europe, Putin will need all of Ukraine. Otherwise the Ukrainians in the Western part can close the pipeline down. There's a good chance Putin's actions may heighten nationalism throughout Ukraine. Things may not go as well for Putin as he hopes. Especially if Ukraine shuts of 50% of the natural gas to Europe.

[justa-hairyape]

What a joke, the largest debtor country in the world is going to financially squeeze one that is solvent!

And the financial chaos alone that this is already causing can set the world back into a deeper depression. DC needs to be tied up in impeachment proceedings and full investigations into Obama's background.