His original comments were a little too much beating the war drums. This is better.
I get the feeling Cruz isn't as good on 20th centruy history as he is on so many subjects. This more trade thing? He's got to do that without undermining the US citizens who need jobs. Too often, more trade means more cheap goods dumped on the US market.
The US should stay out of this one. Let Germany and the rest of Europe figure out how to help what will be left of western Ukraine, and how to provide for its oil and gas.
Good post. Since he thinks trade is the fix-all, we should try it with Iran but perhaps he is just getting off his war-horse.
This is the EU’s problem. We don’t have to spend treasure or die.
Why not call Putin’s bluff. The only reason he is flexing his muscle is we are weak. He is all swagger.
The history since independence as been UK/US/EU business and trade promoted publicly by governments, international governance organizations, trade associations and private sector business, working in partnership.
Perhaps Ted is just not aware of the magnitude of trade and investment between Ukraine and the West.
Perhaps he’s not up to speed on State Department operations and public statements in this regard.
It’s been an enormous operation if you consider World Bank and the US directly, as well as all the other NGOs and international banking organizations, etc.
“Increase trade” is a statement that will sound quite different to those who know how fast trade has been expanding.
The US-Ukraine Business Council had only a handful of US companies as members in 2005 - today it has over 200.
Increasing trade would mean then, well, allowing them to continue to expand, to hundreds more.
Which... well... they ARE encouraged to continue to expand right now. There has never been ANY request by the US government to stop expanding trade and investment with and in Ukraine.
But to the low-information voter, yes, the principle sounds great.
They just don’t realize that a policy of expanding trade is no change from the policy which has been consistent throughout the Clinton, Bush II and Obama administrations.
Some of my threads about historical Western trade and investment in post-Soviet Ukraine:
UPDATE 1-EBRD offers Ukraine 5 bln euro package, sticks with Russia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3130120/posts
IFC Helps Ukrainian Poultry Producer Take Flight [2013 article, IFC in Ukraine since 1993]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3130106/posts
Ukraine Background: Conspiracies or Puppets [Vanity]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3126045/posts