Posted on 03/26/2014 9:45:55 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
THE United States has once again twisted itself into a rhetorical pretzel. As when it threatened military action against Syria if a “red line” was crossed, the Obama administration’s rhetoric about Russia and Ukraine goes far beyond what it will be willing and able to enforce.
Earlier this month, President Obama warned that America would “isolate Russia” if it grabbed more land, and yesterday, he suggested that more sanctions were possible. Likewise, Secretary of State John Kerry said the Group of 7 nations were “prepared to go to the hilt” in order to isolate Russia.
But Washington’s rhetoric is dangerously excessive, for three main reasons: Ukraine is far more important to Vladimir V. Putin than it is to America; it will be hard for the United States and Europe to make good on their threats of crippling sanctions; and other countries could ultimately defang them.
First, the United States needs to see the Ukraine crisis from Russia’s viewpoint. Threats from America and Europe will never be the determining factor in Mr. Putin’s decision making. Ukraine is Russia’s single biggest national security issue beyond its borders, and Mr. Putin’s policy, including whether to seize more of Ukraine, will be informed overwhelmingly by national security interests, not near-term economics.
Furthermore, Russia has provided Ukraine with some $200-$300 billion in natural gas subsidies since 1991. With an anti-Russian government in Ukraine, Moscow is likely to stop these subsidies, lifting a major economic burden just as the West tries to squeeze it financially.
Second, if Russia pushes farther into Ukraine, America’s attempt at tougher Iran-style sanctions, coordinated with allies, will ultimately fail. Indeed, if Mr. Putin pursues a broader military campaign, a similarly robust response from both America and Europe is unlikely.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I know this is hard to get our minds around, but the average person here is more well read and more intelligent. He is little more than an actor reading scripts and “playing” the role of president.
I do not give him credit as some intelligent evil genius. He is simply the hip marketable face of a weather underground cell, of a revolutionary socialist movement, which obtained very good financial backing as they got older.
But he is essentially nothing but a role player, and not very bright. Watch the unscripted moments. He’s a true stoner and it shows.
“and I include the GOP primary voters,,”
Its time to stop blaming the primary voters for McCain, and then Romney. The GOP by blueprint has built a process to prevent another Reagan ascending to the top. They never want that to happen again.
It’s done with caucuses in Iowa, the most progressive state imaginable. Then it’s off to New England, (the GOPe theme park). It’s open caucuses, and crossover voting in the first states. It’s 25 debates that have 9 participants. It’s the GOP remaining silent when Sarah was savaged, and deliberately letting her deal with utterly vile attacks.
In truth, the voters have very few ways to overcome the GOP structural barriers to conservatism.
“Wonder how much truth is behind the theory that Obama’s CIA was behind this mess?”
Lots of it, unfortunately, and the evidence begins with Victoria Nuland, and the US Embassy in Kiev, coordinating with the NGO’s financing the ‘Revolutionary” groups.
All the US Media, but Fox, of course, acted like this call never happened. It never made any of the evening Network News shows.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/140207/us-diplomat-sorry-cursing-eu-bugged-ukraine-call
Putin is going to make sure Iran has a nuclear weapon.
” Russia’s oil and gas pipelines traverse all parts of the Ukraine”
________________________________________________
The Druuzhba pipeline came into Slovakia from Ukraine.
I lived at the Slovnaft refinery in Bratislava for three years. Slovnaft was supplied by the Druzhba line.
Disruption of this line could cause considerable problems
for central Europe.
I am worried that Putin will go for the whole ball of wax
Ukraine as a strategic buffer is important to Russia
Ukraine is also highly valuable ecenomically iron ore coal huge agricultural sector and big industrial base.
We will run our mouth but won’t actually do anything except draw another red line
There’s no truth to it at all. That’s just Russian propaganda.
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