Is Crimea gone? Annexation no longer the focus of Ukraine crisis

CNN ^ | April 1, 2014 | Tom Cohen

[caww]

Kerry’s words from his last meeting with Lavrov show that Crimea already belongs to Russia and not being challenged by US. None of the commentaries after this meeting mentioned Crimea..

So despite the verbal jargon that the annexation of Crimea by Russia won’t be recognized...it’s already been recognized ‘by the US Administration’....it wasn’t the focus of the of the Lavrov-Kerry discussions......neither are the troops on the border.

[caww]

Meanwhile Russia's LUKoil Starts Production At Iraqi Oil Field...Putin's not letting any grass grow under his feet

A ceremony was held at the West Qurna-2 field marking the start of commercial production.........Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister for Energy said he expected output to reach some 100,000 barrels per day by the start of April......plans for production to reach some 420,000 barrels daily by the end of this year.

[spetznaz]

Exactly! This is the unfortunate thing, that the narrative has shifted and moved away from the annexation of the Crimea.

I had written this (part of a longer post) on Monday:

....My view is that Russia will be pulling the South Ossetia/Crimea move every 4-5 years. As it goes stronger, and the US (depending on leadership) weaker, it will move from the 'Georgias' to the 'Ukraines.' It will pick up breakaway regions (Moldova will lose something soon ...although Transnistria is technically lost). The West will do nothing ....much. For example, the talks going on now have assumed Crimea is a part of Russia. That is not under discussion, just that Russia leave Eastern Ukraine.

Sanctions will be lifted in a week, Europe will breath a sigh of relief, Russia will smile, and Kerry and Obama will claim victory. Similar to the Georgia situation ...without Kerry and Obama to smirk. In essence, gain land, get hit with sanctions for a few weeks, threaten escalation, the West has talks to de escalate the situation, Russia agrees, every one is happy and says Russia has withdrawn, and Russia withdraws with the new territory that got ignored during the talks.

If that is losing it is a great thing Russia is not winning.

....America needs stronger leadership, or this will repeat again in 4 years. Only difference is China may also get on that choochoo train.

[no-to-illegals]

Am still wondering if this was an agreement made before obama’s reelection and this was not something obama and his minions wanted to take credit for in giving away Crimea. If was an agreement between obama and putin, prior to the election, wonder how Europe is thinking and if they have actual intelligence of this was going to take place?