Posted on 03/16/2014 6:11:16 AM PDT by Dartman
On Thursday, Barack Obama was talking tough about Russia. His secretary of state, John Kerry, issued an ultimatum to Vladimir Putin. If Putin did not stop his troops massing on the Ukrainian border, “there will be a very serious series of steps on Monday.”
That’s what he said on Thursday.
On Friday, he capitulated. Kerry capitulated, that is. Not Putin.
On Friday, Kerry not only erased any threat he had made. He positively made concessions to Russia.
He said that Russia has “legitimate interests in Ukraine.”
As in, Russia legitimately has as say in a foreign, sovereign, independent country.
Kerry helpfully described those legitimate interests: “historical, cultural, current strategic. These are real interests. And I think all of us who are joined together in the EU and extended contact group understand those interest and are prepared to respect them.”
Neville Chamberlain himself wasn’t that speedy in giving his approval to Adolf Hitler’s annexation of Czechoslovakia. And for the same reasons – ethnic, cultural and strategic claims of Germany.
It is true that there are some ethnic Russians in Ukraine. This is not an accident. After the Soviet Union enslaved Ukraine, Josef Stalin launched the world’s largest deliberate famine, called the Holodomor, that killed an estimated 7.5 million Ukrainians. Stalin also forcibly deported other ethnic groups, like the Tatars. And his policy of Russification – shipping in ethnic Russians to dominate political and business life – lingers on today. Not just in Ukraine, but all across the former Soviet Union, in places like Poland, Lithuania and Estonia.
Will John Kerry also “respect” Vladimir Putin’s “legitimate interests” in those foreign countries, too?
This is a spectacular submission by the United States. Spectacular because it was uttered just two days before a referendum in Crimea, part of Ukraine. The referendum question would make the Parti Quebecois jealous: neither option allows Ukrainians there to vote to stay in Ukraine.
The first choice is to outright join Russia. The second option is a bizarre, legally meaningless choice to adopt a defunct 1992 Ukrainian constitutional status for Crimea. Either choice destroys Ukraine’s sovereignty over Crimea.
It goes without saying the vote is rigged. The group that normally monitors elections in Europe – the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – isn’t even sending observers. They say the entire election is illegal from the start – they won’t dignify it with their presence. The ballot question is absurd. There are reports of ballots being shipped in, from Russia, with the “join Russia” option pre-checked. And of course there is the traditional Russian vote-rigging apparatus, from the censorship of opposition media to violence against opposition political leaders.
But John Kerry is happy to declare, even advance of such a fraud, that Vladimir Putin’s imperial interests are “legitimate.”
This is outrageous by any standard. But the standard in Ukraine is especially high, since in the 1990s Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in return for a specific American guarantee to protect them from Russian interference. It’s a written treaty. And now the world knows the value of an American promise, under Barack Obama.
This isn’t news, actually. Last year, the world saw Obama declare his intentions to attack Syria in response to Bashar Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons. At the last moment, Obama countermanded his own orders, handed the Syrian file to Putin – Assad’s arms dealer! – and Obama literally went golfing the same day.
This is the second Obama surrender to Putin in two years. Do you think it will be the last?
The world is watching and learning. Former Soviet colonies from the Baltics to Poland to Asia are watching and learning. Obama will not protect them.
Iran and North Korea are watching and learning. China is recalibrating its strategy regarding disputed islands claimed by Japan.
And Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia now know what Obama’s word is worth, too.
Obama will be president for another two years. America’s enemies will not let that go to waste.
The ONLY documentation on pRes _ _ent Obama
is that he wears Mom Jeans, pedals girls’ bikes,
and did not pledge the US flag until exposed in photos.
Of course Crimea will rejoin Russia.
And Moscow knows Obama and Kerry are not going to do anything about it.
Sanctions? Moscow is going to absorb the pain; its gotten what it wanted - with America’s blessing.
Life goes on.
Everyone knows that 0bamao is a lying sack of putrid scat.
By extension, so are demoncrats.
Their “words” are never, ever, ever to be taken at face value.
Bammy’s enhanced flexibility is apparently associated with bending over.
Drawing a “Red Line” in the sand for this administration, is nothing more than a meeting place for their mutual marxist ideals to be joined together. God Help Us.
Yet further foreign policy genius, no? Clown Prince nobama and traitor kerry are so impressive in their incompetence and purposeful destroying of Free America’s influence abroad. Both should be in prison for their many, many crimes.
hussein was overheard saying.. I’m gonna go kick Putins ass. What to wear, what to wear.
On Friday, he [Obama via Kerry] capitulated.
******************************
And we are not surprised why? They both have been giving new meaning to ‘surrender monkeys’. Obama is going to have to start borrowing lipstick from Moochelle if he wants to draw more red lines around the world ... Crayola & Sharpie are out of red.
Which is why I respect Putin. At least he has principles.
Obama doesn’t have any - and now he’s thrown Kiev under the bus.
I tried to warn Kiev’s new leaders about enraging the Russian Bear, that the West is a fickle, unreliable and untrustworthy friend.
Now they’re watching their country being dismembered without a Western response. This is what you get by choosing the West as your friend.
Now see if it’ll bail out your bankrupt economy. When its too much of a burden for them, they’ll dump Ukraine at first opportunity.
And you’re stuck with Russia anyway.
This episode has demonstrated to the American people that Putin is a Russian nationalist and a serious man. It has also shown that Obama and Kerry are out of their depth. Obama looks puny and silly when the inevitable comparisons are made.
Bump!
Yes. The O_tard had already told Putin he would do nothing.
BUT notice John Fn Kerry’s statement:
“I think all of us who are joined together in the EU and extended contact group understand those interest and are prepared to respect them.”
—
We do not belong to the EU, but I am sure that is part of Obozo’s end game plan. Destroy the US and merge US the the other Global Fascist B_tards.
Now the question? Is this the real reason that the Congress refuses to confront Obozo’s abuse of his authority? Are they all complicit in this scheme.
The answer? Unknown. I am sure some are, how many is the question.
Stalin's successor knows exactly how many divisions we have but doesn't fear them in the least.That's because he knows that today many of them fly the rainbow banner....and he knows who's ultimately in command of them.
Implicit in the article is the thought that either the Europeans or the Americans could influence the events.
Neither has any ability to do so. The absorption of Crimea is a fiat accompli.
There is a question about an illegal election. An election is an election. The people will speak........ and favor Russia over the undesirable government in Kiev. The question of legality is therefore moot.
Even if Obama/Lurch had international credibility or respect, there is no real leverage over events in Ukraine. It will play out as it will with no influence from America.
Dragging out tired old Chamberlain thoughts are also meaningless. He was like Obama, powerless to influence events but screwed up mightily by uttering “peace in out time”.
If I was Crimean - I would vote to join Russia.
Why? Because I see Kiev cannot even keep the country together, it cannot count on the West to protect it.
But I can count on Russia - it can be counted to be there when a call was put out for its help and its acceded to the request to allow Crimea to join it.
I would definitely rely more on Russia than on the West - and quite frankly, so would any sane person living in that part of the world.
An Obama promise is an expendable one.
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