Article

2014-03-04 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Some things we can do to get Russia to reverse course on Crimea

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Posted by gorb 2014-03-04 10:29|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top

#1 "Possession is nine tenths of the law"

Just keep in mind the currents of history where a country seeks to reestablish it's 'greatness' usually leads in the end to a lot of pain and suffering for all.

Posted by Procopius2k 2014-03-04 11:02|| 2014-03-04 11:02|| Front Page Top

#2 And remember, WE'RE one of them.

With Obama at the helm, we've fallen and can't get up.
(Not until the next election, and pray Hillary DOESN'T get it, (Count those dead carefully))

Posted by Redneck Jim 2014-03-04 11:16|| 2014-03-04 11:16|| Front Page Top

#3 Putin can never back down. That is the totality of his ju-ju. He only has one gear and no reverse. His image is all he's got.

Posted by bigjim-CA 2014-03-04 11:24|| 2014-03-04 11:24|| Front Page Top

#4 Putin indeed can't back down.

Moreover, he doesn't need to. Who's going to stop him?

There is nothing we can do at this point to persuade the Russians to "reverse course" on the Crimea. It's theirs, they just took it. The Euros need Russian natural gas, and the Russians have too many ways of causing trouble for the U.S., for us to stand up to this.

Indeed, if Russia were to take all of eastern Ukraine there's precious little we could do to stop them.

Long term: we could improve our independent energy production, export LNG to Europe, get Europe to fracking on their own continent, help Israel and Cyprus export NG to Europe, and persuade the Euros to reverse the decline in their military capacity (and reverse the decline in our own). Then we could make Russian oligarchs uncomfortable, track Russian funny money in the west, and counter Russian propaganda.

All that presumes that we have the will to stand up to the Russians, something our current administration does not have.

Posted by Steve White 2014-03-04 11:39|| 2014-03-04 11:39|| Front Page Top

#5 Long term: we could improve our independent energy production, export LNG to Europe, get Europe to fracking on their own continent, help Israel and Cyprus export NG to Europe, and persuade the Euros to reverse the decline in their military capacity (and reverse the decline in our own). Then we could make Russian oligarchs uncomfortable, track Russian funny money in the west, and counter Russian propaganda.

And that Zero does none of that (or the other things I mentioned this weekend) shows which side he's really on.

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2014-03-04 14:02|| 2014-03-04 14:02|| Front Page Top

#6 Somebody is behind Obama and always has been: Who? Is he part of a communist 'long game?' The facts are more consistent than other explanations. If so, Ukraine could even be an arranged venture.

Posted by Glenmore 2014-03-04 14:22|| 2014-03-04 14:22|| Front Page Top

#7 Putin won't back down over the Crimea and can't back down because it represents a major strategic interest for Russia. They would go to war over this. Serious shooting war, way beyond that holiday in Georgia thing.

They would *like* to have a friendly regime on their doorstep (eastern Ukraine), especially if they can get it with threats alone - chess is all about maneuver and threats. Personally, I think Ukraine will end up in two parts ala Czechoslovakia, with the Crimea under Russian control in whatever form that takes.

Posted by SteveS 2014-03-04 14:26|| 2014-03-04 14:26|| Front Page Top

#8 As for Obama, I don't think he really gives a rat's ass about the international scene. Sure, it's a nice opportunity to give serious speeches and moralize, but for him, it's all about grabbing and holding power here at home. And vacations. The man does love his perks.

Posted by SteveS 2014-03-04 14:29|| 2014-03-04 14:29|| Front Page Top

#9 Champ uses any international crisis to help 'run out the clock' and provide a diversion from the sordid events of his failed presidency. Otherwise, I'm with you SteveS.

Posted by Besoeker 2014-03-04 15:17|| 2014-03-04 15:17|| Front Page Top

#10 All will be sweet in the short term. The Russ have thrown up a demobilization scheme. All will quieten in the Crimea proper, then it's just a matter of waiting a year or 2 for the unhappy Russian majority in the East to explode in a nationalistic outrage that must not be stopped. Then the Tartars and Ukrainians move to the rump state and the board is cleared for the next round.

Posted by Shipman 2014-03-04 16:37|| 2014-03-04 16:37|| Front Page Top

#11 Let's not forget Ukraine is an economic basket case, and things will only get worse.

Not long before the poor Russians in Ukraine vote with their wallets to become much better off Russian Russians.

Posted by phil_b 2014-03-04 17:12|| 2014-03-04 17:12|| Front Page Top

#12 Again, wid Germany now as Russia's strategic ally + BFF, IMO Putin's focii are the Muslim powers across the pond, i.e. Islamist-pressured Turkey [Neo-Ottoman?] + Bammer, Globalist-desired future OWG Global Co-Superpower Rising Iran.

Iff post-1991 Russia wanted to keep the Ukraine including the Crimea, it would never had allowed the Ukraine to become independent - AFAIK, as per the MSM-Net, Putin semingly wants a sovereign Ukraine to become part of his proposed Eurasian Union or Customs Union, not to return to Mama Russia as another $$$-costly SSR/RFR.

IMO Putin's best bet is to convert + lease the Crimea into Russia's version of Guantanamo Bay US Base in Cuba, where Russia-n-only-Russia has sovereignty on the Crimean Milbases despite being in official "leasehold", + Russia-n-only-Russia decides when to vacate the bases in some future time. All land outside the Russian Milbases are sovereign Ukrainian territory.

In return, Ukraine on its part will be allowed to base NATO forces on its soil wid Russia's assent.

Wid Radical Islam's soon-to-be-nuclear Hard Boyz/Jihadis planing andor beginning to penetrate into Europe, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WESTERN JUDEOCHRISTIANITY TO FORM A PREEMPTIVE, MULTI-BLOC/ OWG GLOBAL FED UNION SECURITY ALLIANCE AGZ THE COMING [Nuclear = Nuke-WMD] EURO-JIHAD, + ENTRENCH ITSELF FIRMLY + POTENTLY.

Before its too late, before traditional inter-Christian competition + geopol rivalry lends itself once again to unified, Jihadi-led Euro, Global Muslim conquest, save this time wid Nukulaar = Nuke-WMD goodness.

ITS NOTSOMUCH WHAT PUTIN DOES PARTICULARLY THAT MATTERS, BUT THE COUNTER-RESPONSE FROM THE US-WEST.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2014-03-04 19:04|| 2014-03-04 19:04|| Front Page Top

#13 Now comeths ...

* DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > [Turner Radio Network] US AIRCRAFT BATTLE GROUP NEARS BLACK SEA.

USS George W. Bush CVN CBG + 3 Missle Subs + Other.

* JAPAN TIMES > US PREPARES US$1.0BILYUHN AID TO UKRAINE [Energy], PUTIN RESERVES RIGHT TO USE FORCE.

versus

* WORLD NEWS > RUSSIA SAYS WILL BUILD BRIDGE TO UKRAINE'S CRIMEA.

* RUSSIA TODAY > RUSSIA ALLOWED [by Treaty] TO HAVE [up to] 25,000 TROOPS IN CRIMEA, + OTHER FACTS YOU DIDN'T KNOW.

RELATED BHARAT RAKSHAK > BRITISH FM HAGUE SAYS RUSSIA ENTITLED TO HAVE TROPS AND NAVAL FORCES AT ITS BASES IN CRIMEA.

TOPIX, WORLD NEWS = BRITAIN WILL NOT SUPPORT MILITARY ACTION AGZ RUSSIA IN CRIMEA.

* DRUDGEREPORT > PUTIN FIRES WARNING SHOTS AGZ THE WEST, vee pre-scheduled LR ICBM test.

* SAME > [Times of Israel = Fars News Agency] IRANIAN GENERAL: OBAMA'S THREATS ARE "JOKE OF THE YEAR".

GEN. Masuoud Jazayeri, whom also labels POTUS Obama as a "LOW-IQ" US PRESIDENT.

* TOPIX, BHARAT RAKSHAK > OFFICIAL: WEST MUST PRESUME RUSSIA CONTROLS CRIMEA.

* Also from SAME = ... ...
> NEW POWERS {conspicuously] ABSENT DURING UKRAINE CRISIS.
> UKRAINE CRISIS AS 1962 CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS: WILL OBAMA HOLD THE LINE LIKE KENNEDY, OR BLINK LIKE KHRUSCHEV?

RELATED TOPIX > OBAMA FACES MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY TEST IN SHOWDOWN WID PUTIN.

At "High Noon" not-starring Gary Cooper + Grace Kelly???

As goes the CRIMEA, so goes East Asia + Pacific + Persian Gulf, Other???

* SAME > JAPAN TIMES > JAPAN EMBRACE OF RUSSIA [agz China] UNDER THREAT WID UKRAINE CRISIS | ABE BETWEEN ROCK + A HARD PLACE AFTER PUTIN NABS CRIMEA.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2014-03-04 20:03|| 2014-03-04 20:03|| Front Page Top

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