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What will Obama do about Ukraine with Vladimir Putin's hand on his throat?
The Washington Examiner ^ | MARCH 1, 2014 AT 12:24 PM | CHARLES HOSKINSON

Posted on 03/02/2014 6:21:09 AM PST by mandaladon

President Obama is tiptoeing around Russia's apparent intervention to help separatists in Ukraine's Crimea region, but what else can he do when he has squandered any clout he might have had?

Obama came to the podium in the White House to say that "we are now deeply concerned by military movements taken by the Russian Federation within Ukraine," and warned that intervention would invite international condemnation. Obama warned Russia that there would be "costs" from the international community, but did not say how that would be arranged. Russia, as one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, has the power to veto any action by the world body.

But what he said didn't go much farther than earlier statements by administration officials, including press secretary Jay Carney, who earlier refused repeatedly to speculate on what the U.S. might do if proof emerged of Russian intervention aimed at splitting Ukraine. Since Russia has a major naval base in the Crimea, at Sevastopol, at least some of its forces are already in the region and are a focus of reports that Moscow is aiding separatists there. Some conservatives slammed the response as insufficient, but there really isn't much the administration can do after years of giving Russian President Vladimir Putin the impression that President Obama is a pushover. From the "reset" through the voluntary withdrawal of missile defense deployments in Eastern Europe and the "red line" over chemical weapons use in Syria that wasn't a line at all to Obama's Feb. 19 comment that Ukraine is not a piece on a "Cold War chessboard," the administration hasn't given Putin much reason to fear its resolve.

Putin "views the United States as weak," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told Britain's Channel 4.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: obama; putin; russia; ukraine; viktoryanukovich; yuliatymoshenko
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To: Jim Noble

Not entirely true - he did skip his national security breifing - so there.


21 posted on 03/02/2014 6:39:45 AM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: mandaladon
I can almost hear Putin's thoughts now:

Well, whattya know. This guy really is flexible.

I can twist him around like a pretzel.

22 posted on 03/02/2014 6:40:00 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: mandaladon

What will Obama do about Ukraine with Vladimir Putin’s hand on his throat?”

...become sexually aroused.


23 posted on 03/02/2014 6:40:12 AM PST by albie
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To: Jim Noble
What will Obama do about Ukraine

Zero.

Or take note of some of the articles from the MSM trying to blame Bush for not stopping Putin's intentions for the Ukraine permanently (while ignoring that he did actually put a stop to it that Obama re-opened the door to) because it's obviously his fault that Putin didn't respect him enough to bow to the pansy in the WH....

Expect the Dims to come up with new and ingenious ways to keep the "Blame Bush" meme alive because the MSM has already written op-eds that push the meme and indicate full support of it.

The GOPe folks will immediately go into apology mode and pave the way for the final destruction of the Nation.

24 posted on 03/02/2014 6:41:03 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: mandaladon

This is what happens when a weak president has no discernible foreign policy and a decimated military.

Putin knows this country is weak, so he will do whatever he pleases. He knows there will he no consequences of his actions.

What is really hard for our allies is that after years of cooperation and assistance from the US, these countries can’t depend on the US anymore. Must be frightening to know that your country can be invaded by anyone and no one will do anything about it.


25 posted on 03/02/2014 6:41:19 AM PST by fatnotlazy
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To: mandaladon

The Russians know that Obama can do very little. They will reincorporate Crimea into Russia the way the Chinese seized Tibet. If the Russians care about foreign responses, they want the Saudis to notice.The Russians from the beginning understood what the Saudis have been doing. The Saudis hope to create an Arabic speaking pan Sunni confederation that would include large parts of Syria and Iraq. They have funded post bin Laden al Qaeda as an international Sunni fighting force currently deployed in Syria and Iraq. The Russians with a horrendous problem with jihadists in southern Russia cannot allow nearby Syria to become a jihadist haven and safe base. The Saudis were so impudent that they offered to guarantee the security of the Sochi Olympics if only the Russians withdrew from Syria. Putin was amused. He told the Saudis they were now accountable for any trouble at Sochi and stationed submarines off the coasts of Saudi Arabia to make his point. Sadly neither Obama nor Kerry have a clue on what is really happening.


26 posted on 03/02/2014 6:41:24 AM PST by allendale
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To: FRiends

"Should I confront Putin, or play golf?"



Click the Pic


Support Free Republic

27 posted on 03/02/2014 6:41:50 AM PST by deoetdoctrinae (Gun-free zones are playgrounds for felons.)
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To: mandaladon

Probably thank Allah for the continued destruction of America.


28 posted on 03/02/2014 6:43:41 AM PST by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
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To: mandaladon

"Da. I will transmit to Vlad. After election, you will be more malleable."

"No, no, no. I said flexible."

"Da. Malleable."

"No. Okay, fine. Whatever. I gotta tee time."

29 posted on 03/02/2014 6:44:06 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: mandaladon

I didnt think that I could despise the kids that voted for this guy even more than I already do.

They are the reason we have this mess.


30 posted on 03/02/2014 6:45:04 AM PST by VanDeKoik
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To: fatnotlazy

It seems to me that this is a bad time to decrease the size and strength of the U.S. Armed Forces.


31 posted on 03/02/2014 6:47:34 AM PST by Savage Beast (Hubris and denial overwhelm Western Civilization. Nemesis and tragedy always follow.)
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To: DoodleDawg

“What will Europe do with Putin’s hand on their throat? “

Now that is a real good question. Perhaps they’ll turn to the US to bail them out yet again? I hate seeing Russia turning the whole of Europe into a client block, but I also hate helping the Europeans again when they won’t spend (money, lives) to help their own selves out. What to do?


32 posted on 03/02/2014 6:48:45 AM PST by MRadtke (Light a candle or curse the darkness?)
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To: mandaladon

Obama will give Putin his scariest stare! O thay, but not too scary.


33 posted on 03/02/2014 6:53:13 AM PST by jetson
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To: mandaladon

NADA


34 posted on 03/02/2014 6:56:21 AM PST by billhilly
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To: Mr. Jeeves
"...If Russia invaded Alaska tomorrow, Obama couldn’t do more than threaten a stern warning through the UN..."

Sure he could. He'd-(sternly)-draw a red line across the northern boarders of WA, ID, MT, ND and MN.

That'd probably do it alright!

35 posted on 03/02/2014 6:58:24 AM PST by skimbell
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To: Savage Beast

Wrecking the military is all part of the plan to destroy the US.


36 posted on 03/02/2014 7:03:56 AM PST by fatnotlazy
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To: Cheerio

THANK YOU! Love it. Going to post on FB.


37 posted on 03/02/2014 7:05:11 AM PST by ilovesarah2012
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To: Cheerio

Everyone needs to see this. Perfect.


38 posted on 03/02/2014 7:07:20 AM PST by ilovesarah2012
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To: mandaladon
President Obama is tiptoeing around Russia's apparent intervention


39 posted on 03/02/2014 7:12:04 AM PST by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.)
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To: allendale

Interesting analysis. Do you see Saudi fingerprints in any other areas? I think I do.


40 posted on 03/02/2014 7:15:37 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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