Posted on 03/17/2014 5:11:57 AM PDT by goldstategop
Russia gave its clearest signal yet Monday that it plans to move fast to annex Crimea, defying U.S. and European threats of sanctions a day after a referendum in the breakaway Ukrainian region to secede passed handily.
The Moscow-backed leadership of Crimea wasted no time in formally asking to join Russia following the hastily called referendum in which 97% of voters supported becoming part of Russia.
"We will take care of our part quickly, quickly and responsibly," Sergei Naryshkin, speaker of the lower house of Russia's parliament, told reporters in response to the Crimean parliamentary vote, according to local news agencies.
Mr. Naryshkin's comments came shortly after officials announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin will address a joint session of parliament Tuesday on the issue.
The Kremlin didn't immediately specify what Mr. Putin's message would be, but the official ITAR-Tass news agency said the address would cover "accepting Crimea into the Russian Federation."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Germany is already backtracking on Crimea.
NO...Moscow gave its clearest signal of its intentions with respect to the Crimea the day it move troops into the Crimea. From that day forward this outcome was inevitable.
We wake up and it’s 1983 again. But then we realize we have no Reagan as President. Scary.
Isn’t today Kerry’s deadline for them to get out?
Would this in any way be analogous to the United States annexing, say, Baja California, thus removing it from Mexican jurisdiction?
Warm water ports, jutting out on a peninsula....
Crimea is none of our business. Quite frankly, that is the Russians’ own affair.
And presuming no war is in the offing, I think it’ll be all forgotten within six months.
That's irrelevant! [/sarc]
“And presuming no war is in the offing, I think it’ll be all forgotten within six months.”
Or it’s just the start of much more.
What is Lurch going to do? Order them to get out?
I’m dying of laughter. Once the Russians take over a place, they stay for good. Crimea is now a Russian possession.
Yup, all under Obama’s watchful eye, at the 9th hole.
Maybe a better analogy would be the people in the Panama Canal Zone asking to be taken back by the United States after Jimmy Carter gave it away. (Unfortunately, the Chinese have already taken it over).
Wednesday, March 18th, Putin will announce to his Parliament that the people of Crimea, under duress and after being abused by the rest of Ukraine invited Russia to help, and then voted to become a part of Russia and that it is imperative for the Russian assembly to vote equally unanimously to annex Crimea according to their wishes. Then a vote will follow that does exactly that.
It will not matter to Putin or those Russian elected officials what Barack Obama or John Kerry say about it or drone on regarding it. Those two have done NOTHING to stop or deter a man like Putin. He understands one thing...force.
The only question now is whether the will be satisfied with just the one Province of the Ukraine.
Potential things the US could have done (or still could do):
1. Immediately begin sending C-17s into Kiev with military supplies, military advisors, military trainers, humanitarian supplies, and small security detachments to protect the same. Make it a river of C-17s, and ensure those aircraft are escorted into and out of Kiev and other major cities in the Ukraine at the invite of the Ukraine.
2. Immediately release all restrictions on the exploration, extraction, and production of natural gas and oil, and restrictions on its import to Europe. Sadly, this should have been done (and was in the process of being done) in 2008 as Bush left office...but Obama turned it all off. It will now take 3-5 years to be in a position to address Europe’s needs, but starting the process will send the message and impact the Ruble.
3. Take whatever financial means necessary to isolate the Ruble as a world currency.
Europe will never join with us in number 3, until they are sure we are serious about number 2. Putin will never believe we are truly serious about number 2, until we do something like number 1.
Crimea is none of our business.
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I definitely believe that.
Another poster (alloysteel) mentioned that this may be tantamount to US having Baja join us after a vote backed by us.
Frankly, it is none of Russia’s business, now Mexico may have something to say about it but that is for them to decide if they want to do anything about it.
I think a ‘better’ example would be Texas or Arizona or Southern California voting to join Mexico with 97% of the vote FOR. Or Maine or Montana to Canada. Though Washington with all the Libs would be better...
Can ‘bet your bippy’ that the ‘OLD ANTIQUATED CONSTITUTION’ would be put to use then.
AND, it would be no more Russia’s business than an election WE have in Alabama.
You know as well as I do Obama will never be Jimmy Carter. He really thinks America is not a force for good in the world.
And Putin is taking full advantage of it. He is as popular at home as Obama is unpopular at home. He has the upper hand and has the full deck.
What is Obama’s counter?
Yeah, but that’s one of them flexible red lines.
Texas seems to be have the closest correlation to the events in Crimea.
Yep - Just like Syria and its children.
When will mexico force a referendum on parts of Texas, Kalifornia and Arizona and then break them off to be annexed?
Interesting read! Still... we all saw the action of Obama’s admin on the military take over of Muslim Brotherhood. Frankly nothing! Obama is very reactive man, no clear understanding of preventative or predictive actions!
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