This is all hat and no cattle, and Vlad knows it.
Obama is working for Putin, that is why there has been such a pitifully weak response by the US to date to Russia.
Eastern Ukraine will fold back into Russia with ease in the near future, as the folks there are mostly pro-Russian. Besides, having the eastern part guarantees Russia the ability to possess and to protect all the pipelines heading out of Russia to the west.
You have pretty much all your facts wrong. Congratulations.
Less than 40% of E. Ukraine was “pro-russian” according to the polls. That was before the Al Qaeda in Ukraine kidnapping and murdering routine. I see they did more Al Qaeda style hostage videos today. Huge own goal there. Ukrainians are watching this. They don’t wants to be ruled by thugs like this. So Putin is down to 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 who are pro-Russian. Maybe less. That leaves invasion as his only card. The people in E. Ukraine won’t be revolting and ejecting the Kiev govt for him.
The Russian economy is tanking and there is no genuine civilian revolt in E. Ukraine.
Of course Putin is free to invade if he chooses. Then the kenyan is free to pull the plug on Russian access to the banking system. That means no Visa and mastercard in Russia for example. The Russians will then be surviving on cabbage rolls and farmers cheese for the next decade. For entertainment they can watch NATO troops digging in in the FSU.
It will be fail all around for Team KGB if they choose to invade E. Ukraine.
You seem to forget that Obama told the Russian prime minister that he would have “more flexibility” after the No. 2012 elections.
Why do you think he said that?
As for Eastern Ukraine, let’s see how that plays out. All I see are Russian flags in the demonstrations. Kiev sends troops and armor, and they defect.
Most of the easterners remember being a part of Russia before 1994. They don’t identify with “Ukraine”.
Bottom line is that Vlad can pretty much do what he wants. The US is not going to interfere, and neither is the EU.
What we have now is all posturing. We are NOT going to get into a war with Russia over the Ukraine.
The American people have had enough of war for the last 13 years. Let the EU fight this one.
We’re broke, too.
As far as the sanctions go, Russia has all the gas and oil that the EU needs. that’s their bargaining chip and it is a huge one. The EU knows it, too.
The US Cavalry is not coming to the rescue this time.