Posted on 03/28/2014 12:48:45 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
(CNN) -- Russia could ease tensions with Ukraine if it were to move its troops away from its border with Ukraine and begin direct talks with the Kiev government, U.S. President Barack Obama said in an interview aired Friday by CBS News.
"You've seen a range of troops massing along that border under the guise of military exercises, but these are not what Russia would normally be doing," the President said. "It may simply be an effort to intimidate Ukraine, or it may be that they've got additional plans.
"And, in either case, what we need right now to resolve and de-escalate the situation would be for Russia to move back those troops and to begin negotiations directly with the Ukrainian government as well as the international community."
Russia may have 40,000 troops near its border with Ukraine, two U.S. officials told CNN on Thursday. The officials said that this estimate was largely based on satellite imagery and that a firm number is difficult to assess.
However, a spokesman for Ukraine's Council of National Security and Defense, Yarema Dukh, told CNN his government estimates 88,000 Russian troops are at the Ukrainian border.
U.S. officials said they believe the higher estimates may reflect Russian troops on alert farther to the east. Russia has said its troops are carrying out snap military exercises in the region.
Obama said he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin still harbors a grievance over the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Putin Urges Obama to move away from the bong...................
Krauthammer says Obama talking Foreign Policy sounds like a Miss America contestant talking about world peace.
ROLF ROLF OUCH LOVE IT!!!
or I’ll give many speeches !!!!
It is almost as if we are starting to live out for real the 1984 movie Red Dawn — The officers at our Ballistic Missile defense sites are being punished for cheating — Putin is acting aggressive, our borders are wide open and illegal immigration is on the rise and our president is powerless to stop any aggression — It is almost a prelude to “what’s next.” Okay, putting tin foil hat back on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qc8jJ0TjSY
The Russians can use some comic relief at times, I’m sure.
NATO should send observers to the Russo-Ukraine border. Let the UN send a peacekeeping force. Otherwise, what damn good are they?
Sanctions are so 20th century. Russia is not some 3rd world satrapy to be threatened by sanctions. They have been to this rodeo before. What must be said to Russia (Putin) must be stern and made in private, but most importantly be believable. With this president believability is the hardest part.
“Urge” is too strong a word in the title. Perhaps “suggest” or “intimate” maybe.
Who is this ROLF of which you speak?
Putin: “Or else what ???”
Just thinking out loud, but I suspect Putin might NOT invade Ukraine now, precisely so Bambi will think “peace through weakness” worked. When Putin wants a really big operation, Obama will play his weakness card and wake up with Russian bootprints on his face.
Putin knows what it is like for a once great nation to collapse from within; he probably both enjoys our plight and pities us.
Obama called Putin to say “Comrade, what do I do now”? Putin said “We pretend meeting, send that doofus with the powdered wig” and we talk. It will all be okay.
Obama, Lugar go to Soviet Union. Val Jarret of Iranian heritage. Obama pretends to put in Brotherhood in Egypt to please Saudis, Brotherhood gets ditched and Egypt sides up with Putin.
Libya, gets screwed up, Saudis and Al Qaeda and Brotherhood make Benghazi happen. Obama lies, but he knows he screwed up. Libya, a giant mess like the wild west.
Syria, supposed to kiss Saudis and pretend we are helping rebels backed by Saudis because they know Assad backed by Iran and Russia. Dope Cary makes deal to help Assad and Russia and Iran. The last three listed are winning that one.
Iran, Jon Cary the clown makes deal that allows Iran to keep developing nuclear weapons. Good deal. Mullahs very happy.
Ukraine, Obama sees to it elected leader ousted and replaced by a damn nazi. Putin takes Crimea and probably most of Ukraine as Obama yaks.
Vlad love this flexibility. He wins and we lose and US looks pathetic all around.
Saudis call in Obama and threaten him, who knows what that will result in...yet, but I am sure we will find out and it will be costly.
Great foreign policy. Putin could not have done better.
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