"Look Boss, it's the Ukraine, it's the Ukraine...."
Posted on 03/08/2014 12:25:04 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The U.S. government and the Russian government have both been forced into positions where neither one of them can afford to back down. If Barack Obama backs down, he will be greatly criticized for being "weak" and for having been beaten by Vladimir Putin once again. If Putin backs down, he will be greatly criticized for being "weak" and for abandoning the Russians that live in Crimea. In essence, Obama and Putin find themselves trapped in a macho game of "chicken" and critics on both sides stand ready to pounce on the one who backs down. But this is not just an innocent game of "chicken" from a fifties movie. This is the real deal, and if nobody backs down the entire world will pay the price.
Leaving aside who is to blame for a moment, it is really frightening to think that we may be approaching the tensest moment in U.S.-Russian relations since the Cuban missile crisis.
There has been much talk about Obama's "red lines", but the truth is that Crimea (and in particular the naval base at Sevastopol) is a "red line" for Russia.
There is nothing that Obama could ever do that could force the Russians out of Sevastopol. They will never, ever willingly give up that naval base.
So what in the world does Obama expect to accomplish by imposing sanctions on Russia? By treaty, Russia is allowed to have 25,000 troops in Crimea and Russia has not sent troops into the rest of Ukraine.
Economic sanctions are not going to cause Putin to back down. Instead, they will just cause the Russians to retaliate.
(Excerpt) Read more at freedomoutpost.com ...
PING!
No one wants to spill blood to stop Russia, so the Ukraine people will start IMO blowing part of the pipeline up before Russia takes over the whole place.
They will bleed Russia to death.
I don’t see what else they can do to regain their own country back.
They need their own don’t mess with Texas moment.
Putin has shown the world that he is a forceful Russian nationalist and acts decisively and passionately in the interests of his country. Obama has demonstrated that he is not an American nationalist and does not take decisive action that is in the best interest of the United States.
To win a game of chicken you have to have courage, fortitude, gravitas, in a word BALLS! Putin has nothing to fear from our resident eunuch, Obama will fold like a cheap lawn chair sat on by a 800 pound bear.
What Macho?
One wears pant and the other throws like a little girl, One does karate and the other giggles and one is a man and the other is a ?????.
Putin is holding ALL the cards. Period.
Many people are trying to compare this situation to Hitler in 1939. I think a better comparison is California 1846.
bi-metrosexual?
Putin is not trapped, it’s silly to think it.
He is doing what he wants when he wants to.
makes me laugh on how Obama just crumbles when faced with opposition he can’t sick the FBI, NSA, Union thugs, DOJ, homeland security, and Harry Reid on.
There are some pissed off Ukrainians who will blow some stuff up. This is not 25 years ago and there is a lot of take charge folks who will bleed Russia of it’s oil money.
Look for a Ukrainian version of don’t mess with Texas coming.
I find the article to be pretty short sighted and not taking into account the reality of todays world. What happened in Georgia? As far as America is concerned, as far as Europe, nothing. Theres no question the Ukraine is larger and somewhat more of a headline. I don’t disagree with that in any way.
You have to look at 5 years of Obama. To paraphrase Hillary what difference does it make what Obama does? Its not what he does but rather how harsh he will claim whatever he does is. So throw Russia out of the G8. Make them listen to Kerry and want to puke. At the end of the day Its how the actions, however meager, are messaged to we the people. The exact same thing will go on in Europe except they with Russia as a neighbor are even less willing to do something but rather more readily accept a message of we tried.
There will be a series of toothless actions, Joy Behar and others will claim wow Obama is so forceful and the people of the Ukraine will be screwed. Thats it. everything else you see now is smoke and mirrors.
It is impossible for me to believe that Putin hasn’t run all the moves on the board months or years ago. He has no doubt also run all of the “Obama is a self serving a$$hole what if he does something REALLY stupid” moves.
maybe mexico will take back california!!!
Ol’ “Mom Jeans” ain’t gonna pull this one off... :)
There’s only one guy wearing the mom jeans in that contest
Article is way off. Putin is doing whatever he wants and does not give 2 cents regarding the words spewed by Obama.
The problem with that headline is that 0bama isn’t macho in any way that I can name.
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