Posted on 03/09/2014 6:47:17 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Sen. Ted Cruz said President Obama's "weakness" has embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin to act militarily in Ukraine's Crimea region.
"Putin fears no retribution" from the United States, said the Texas Republican in an interview shown Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
Cruz, who called Putin a "KGB thug," said the Obama administration's policy has been to "alienate and abandon" U.S. allies and to "coddle and appease our enemies."
"You better believe Putin sees in Benghazi [Libya], four Americans are murdered and nothing happens, there's no retribution," he said. "You better believe that Putin sees that in Syria, Obama draws a red line and ignores the red line."
Cruz said the president was wrong not to "stand unapologetically, emphatically" in support of Ukrainian protests last month that eventually led to the ouster of former President Viktor Yanukovych.
"When the United States doesn't speak for freedom, tyrants notice," he said.
The Texan and Tea Party favorite stopped short of calling for American troops to become directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict but said the U.S. "absolutely" should impose sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Crimea.
"There are a host of things we can do," he said.
Cruz also criticized fellow conservative GOP Sen. Rand Paul for the Kentuckian's recent comments that the U.S. should have a "respectful" relationship with Russia.
"I'm a big fan of Rand Paul, he and I are good friends; I don't agree with him on foreign policy," he said.
Paul says he is considering a run for president in 2016, and there is widespread speculation Cruz also will run.
It’s like Chamberlain, Hitler, and the Rhine all over again.
If we didn’t have a candyass resident he would have seen this coming and would have been in Russia for the Olympics working some man to man diplomacy.
Instead he was cowering under a desk whining about gay rights.
No doubt about it.
When the perception is that the United States won't stand by its allies or the words our President speaks, tyrants like Putin, Kim jung Un, the Mullah's in Iran and islamic terrorist organizations around the world do what they will without fear of recrimination from the United States.
To put it in more recent terms, the same way the world laughed at Jimmy Carter, they're laughing in spades at Barack Obama.
Bingo. And they will continue to laugh at a buffoon.
Cruz and all of us conservatives should consider that obama is in on this Ukrainian fix.
During the 2012 election, we were all wondering what obama meant when he was recorded in a conversation with Putin, saying he would have more flexibility after he won the election.
It looks like obama has been very accommodating with Russian aggression in the Ukraine.
Which makes sense: Russian aggression in the ukraine and obama’s refusal to allow more US natural gas exports to Europe hurts America and Europe, while it helps Russia.
I would take the word “partially” out of the title.
What Sarah said in a debate is becoming true. Back then Sarah was ridiculed by the left, but I knew it might happen.
Cruz is right, Obama and his regime are entirely to blame for this.
This is where Rand Paul departs from reality.
Now's the time to destroy the Jeb's and the Christies and whatever other retread the bluebloods think they can hand the nomination to.
Time for a POTUS that doesn't go to DC to fix problems but to dismantle the apparatchik.
“tyrants like Putin, Kim jung Un, the Mullah’s in Iran and islamic terrorist organizations”
I for one don’t think lumping Putin in withe the rest of these is unjustified...
What have we seen from Putin that would warrant this? Of course we know he was KGB. I say so what... Bush 1 was the head of the CIA for God’s sake. Point to one thing that he has done that would suggest he deserves that label...
There is nothing we can or should do militarily about the Ukraine. It’s a European problem. This effort has to be a European effort, but you’re going to find much enthusiasm for WWIII there.
Europeans have their own problem. It’s the ‘Muslim timebomb’ in their midst. It’s a population time bomb from unfettered Muslim expansion, and therein lies the other half of the equation. Even the venerable British are vulnerable as the Muslim becomes the disgruntled poor of Europe.
Who could actually blame Putin? Power abhors a vacuum and the big Obama Suck is on full blast. While Europe commits suicide by political correctness, Russia plots, and the U.S needs to bolster her standings and influence, yet maintain friendliness to South America.
Truly, the SHTF moment is on the horizon.
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