[paraclete]

Russia has retaliated to sanctions by banning imports, talk about shooting yourself in the foot. It has also banned cross Siberia flights which will bankrupt its own airline. I'm wondering if anyone is thinking this through over there, the only people Putin is hurting is the Russian people, the rest of us, well it is an inconvenience

Russia bans food imports from Australia, US, EU over sanctions - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I expect that Putin didn't get the lesson of the first cold war and now he has some chips in the form of energy, he thinks he has leverage. He had better ramp up all those old soviet industries and dust off some five year plans. I wonder what the Russians will think when they are driving Belurus tractors and Zim cars

[tomder55]

He is reacting to hardliners in the Kremlin . Both sides need to ratchet it down a few notches . What Putin is being told by the Kremlin ,and the vast majority of the Russian people is fight for Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts; the Donbas region now ,or fight in Russia later . The pressure on Putin is tremendous . He doesn't want direct Russian intervention .He'd prefer that a federalist system emerge. (and I also believe that is probably the best outcome to avoid a total military solution to the Ukraine civil war ) .

Our sanctions have been minor to now ...but they are being increased with increased economic impact on Russia ,and the Russian response you note is minor in the impact (and I agree that it will probably backfire). However ,if Russia shut off the energy spigot to the Western countries with winter approaching ,it would be a major move.


I don't think the emperor's rhetoric has been helpful ,with his childish and inaccurate trash talking of Russia to Reuters and The Economist .
3 Things Barack Obama Got Wrong About Russia - Forbes

Ignorance or deliberate disinformation? Obama?s 'facts' about Russia all wrong ? RT News

His insults are either his ignorance or even worse ,the ignorance of those advising him . The US should be trying to find ways to tamp down the rising crisis ;not throwing gasoline on the flames.

[paraclete]

Well Tom if he can't get war one way he will get it another. This is a nice european war, no muslims, very clear boundries.

[smoothy]

Obama wants a legacy... any legacy other than being the only Preisdent that made Jimmy Carter look not only competant, but look like a genious. Even if it means a war.

[paraclete]

I would have thought his nobel prize and his signature health care plan would be a sufficient legacy and he survived the GFC, hey

[smoothy]

I value that worthless prize I got in the last box of CrackerJacks I ate higher than I would a Noble prize after that fiasco.

[smoothy]

This is great... you've probibly all heard about it on the news...

VIDEO: Russian Students Mock Obama With Despicably Racist Laser Show

[tomder55]

Well Tom if he can't get war one way he will get it another

seems that is his goal...or at least the goal of Valerie Jarrett . I would remind the emperor that beyond some private industry start ups ,there is no way to get an American astronaut to ISS except by piggy back on a Soyez flight. I also would remind him that when an American astronaut almost drowned in his space suit ,the Russian model still operated properly . I would also remind the emperor that the only way available to supply American troops in Afghanistan is through Russian air space.

[talaniman]

None of which is a reason to take crap from Putin.

[paraclete]

Very short sighted of you Tal, of course you can fly your troops out to Diego Garcia or Guam but your astro naughts will come up a big zero but then you have experiemental space vehicles. These are the days of being cooperative, not confrontational.

Those Russian students gave Obama the big banana, now there is an insult you can't take lying down

[talaniman]

It's not just us Clete but the Europeans too, and they have more skin in the game than we do. Putin isn't cooperating in the Ukraine, so must be confronted. Ukraine has as much right to sovereignty as Israel does don't they?

[paraclete]

Sure do Tal but they have the means to enforce it, they have a large military but you have a separatist movement so this is a civil war. Remember your own civil war, your separatists were looking for outside help too

[talaniman]

Had they found it during our civil war we would still have slavery. Had Hitler found it, we would be speaking German. Ukraine has allies. US, and Europe. Russians have Putin and sanctions. Pick a side.

[paraclete]

No Tal I'm going to stay out of this one. I don't know enough to determine whether the seperatists have a legitimate grievence or not. I abhor their violence but you should remember your own nation was formed in this way, a few zealots with guns and a grievence. How can you say you had a right to do what you did and yet these people do not. In any case patriotism is the disguise of the scoundrel

[tomder55]

I know who is running Ukraine now ;and saints they aint .

[talaniman]

Putin sure ain't. Let the Ukrainians figure out their own stuff.

[paraclete]

Well they are doing that

[tomder55]

Putin sure ain't. Let the Ukrainians figure out their own stuff.

R2P is the foreign policy of the emperor and his advisor Valerie Jarrett . It was our rationale for our intervention in Libya ;it is the rationale behind the emperor's call for air strikes against ISIS . The Putin Doctrine is to intervene to protect native Russians.

[talaniman]

I got a bridge to sell you real cheap if you believe that.

[paraclete]

Putin does what is politically expedient for Putin, right now he is getting kudos in Russia for doing what he is doing, restoring former glory