Posted on 03/02/2014 5:26:16 PM PST by SkyPilot
The Obama administration on Sunday worked to isolate Russia on the world stage even as its president, Vladimir Putin, showed no signs of rolling back his military intervention in Ukraine.
President Obama spoke by phone with leaders from Great Britain, Germany and Poland, and he dispatched Secretary of State to Kiev on Tuesday for a show of solidarity with the new Ukrainian government.
After suspending preparations for an upcoming Group of 8 summit in Sochi, the administration began canceling lower-level diplomatic and economic meetings with Russian counterparts. And senior administration officials warned that Russia could be booted from the G8 altogether and that its economy would suffer because of Putin’s decision to occupy the Crimean peninsula following the ouster last week of Ukraine’s pro-Russia president, Viktor Yakunovych.
The strategy, described in a briefing senior administration officials on the condition of anonymity, was aimed at demonstrating to Putin that his intervention in Crimea would not go unpunished while also offering him “an offramp” if he chose to reverse course.
“It is Russia’s choice to behave in this manner,” one senior administration said, or whether it wants to return “to the community of civilized nations.”
Yet it was unclear Sunday if Putin cared or was even listening to the condemnation of Obama and U.S. allies. He sought and received authorization from the Russian parliament for military force just hours after Obama warned him to stay out of Ukraine, and administration officials acknowledged that Russia had reinforced its military position over the weekend.
The administration officials said more than 6,000 Russian troops in Ukraine and that its forces now had “completely operational control of Crimea.” The U.S. has seen evidence of unrest and “ethnic skirmishes” in eastern Ukraine, an official said...
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
If this crew picks a direction, it’s always good to take the opposite one. Thus far every direction they have gone is either illegal or wrong.
This is no different. Some freepers don’t agree but oh well. Facts are what they are.
If only I could get Lydia in FONV....
Comical. We’re going to “isolate” the largest country in the world, with a top 10 economy, that is a major trading partner with Germany?
Are they smoking dope or doing lines of blow again in the White House?
The real fun starts when Serbian and Russian tanks roll back into Kosovo.
Kerry was dispatched to Kiev, and he will wind up making a speech in support of gay Ukrainians fighting against global warming.
From your lips to God’s ears...Kosovo is Serbia.
It began to became clear that he is consolidating his power and there might be no more fair elections ever.
He was also impeached by legal parliament, who had given up on him. Also the 2004 constitution was restored. And new elections were scheduled.
So, answer Sarah Palin’s question , how does this differ from the invasion of Georgia 6 years ago? The thesis is that Putin will use every opportunity to exercise hegemony over the territory of the former USSR. Yours is?
Thanks for the background; so , he was using the Chavez model of having a phone, a pen and a judiciary in his back pocket, huh? Seems to be the way to go these days.
Good point. We double crossed Poland, and now Obama is calling them for help?
I don’t need to answer Palins questions or statements. I was just tossing out what this prof said about we might be on the wrong side of this deal and Putin so FAR is only protecting Russian interests in Crimea by not invading the Ukraine.
Maybe they could get their sycophants in the media to call this “The Baltic Spring.”
First, she was right. Second, the thing she could not have forseen is that a big chunk of those folks WANT Russia there now...or to go back.
When I look at Russia and the EU I do not see one being far more evil than the other. And to be completely honest, it’s their call anyway. We have ZERO business in any of it.
Agree. 981 more days of Obama and we may not have a country even left.
Krosan had a really good answer to the prof. Thanks for bringing in what he said, actually, as I had wondered myself why Medvedev wasn’t right that “they should have impeached him.” I think Krosan’s perspective went a long way to answering that.
You are correct. The Ukrainian President and legislature was duly elected. The media isn’t exactly pointing that out, are they?
So we should just sit back and do nothing while Uncle Vlad rebuilds the Soviet Union? Nuclear war was always a possibility during CWI. Should we have just cut and run from that war too?
What exactly do you propose we do? Not yesterday because thats over. You want war? Thats your option. You want to dictate to Russia what they are gonna do? With Barry and the GOP clowns in charge? Because that’s your option.
So tell me. What are we going to do?
look at reply 49 for a different read on that.
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