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What Is Russia’s Aim in Ukraine?
New York Times ^ | Masrch 1, 2014 | THE Editorial Board

Posted on 03/01/2014 2:16:03 PM PST by Jim Robinson

Update March 1, 2014: The Russian Parliament granted President Vladimir Putin authority to use military force in Ukraine as Russian security forces effectively seized control of the Crimean peninsula.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia played the genial host at the Olympic Games in Sochi, but his dangerous approach to geopolitics could be his true legacy.

On Friday, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, Yuriy Sergeyev, said that Russian troops had taken control of two airports in Crimea and that the Russian Navy was blocking the Ukrainian Coast Guard.

Moscow denied that it had sent troops in. But the fact is, Russia was outrageously provocative when it put 150,000 troops on high alert on Wednesday for war games near Ukraine’s border and then on Friday allowed the deposed Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, to give a news conference when he showed up in the Russian city Rostov-on-Don.

The situation has now gone from chaos to the verge of military confrontation. The pro-Russia region of Crimea is seething, and the new central government that took over in Kiev after Mr. Yanukovych fled is barely functioning.

President Obama, speaking at the White House, was right to warn Russia against any military move and to indicate that the United States would join the world in condemning a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. He also said that “there will be costs” for any intervention in Ukraine, though it was not clear what, if realistically anything, that might involve.

~~snip~~

Russia and the West need to work together to help stabilize the country politically and develop an economic and trade package that will begin to resolve the economic crisis.

Mr. Putin’s dangerous tactics are sure to backfire and do more to alienate Ukrainians than to encourage them to accept any Russian role in their nation’s future.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: obama; putin; russia; ukraine
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The Times has spoken. Nothing here to worry about.

I'm sure our community organizer and boy military genius is on it.

1 posted on 03/01/2014 2:16:04 PM PST by Jim Robinson
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To: Jim Robinson

0bama will send a letter.


2 posted on 03/01/2014 2:17:21 PM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
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To: Jim Robinson
I'm sure our community organizer and boy military genius is on it.

I hope not.

Ain't no situation so bad what it can't be made worse by adding Obama.

3 posted on 03/01/2014 2:17:48 PM PST by humblegunner
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To: humblegunner

True dat.


4 posted on 03/01/2014 2:21:57 PM PST by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!!)
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To: Jim Robinson

The Russian guy at the U.N. gave a clear signal when he referred to “The Republic of Crimea.”

Crimea will separate from Ukraine and end up part of the Russian Federation.


5 posted on 03/01/2014 2:23:05 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: Jim Robinson

I only thing I believe coming from the NYT is the Date on the masthead.


6 posted on 03/01/2014 2:23:40 PM PST by AU72
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To: Jim Robinson

"Did someone say Boy King??"

7 posted on 03/01/2014 2:23:44 PM PST by ErnBatavia (The 0baMao Experiment: Abject Failure)
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To: humblegunner

“Ain’t no situation so bad what it can’t be made worse by adding Obama. “

Don’t you just get the feeling that anytime Obama announces a visit or an initiative aimed at a particular country that that country’s leader just sorta rolls their eyes, slumps their shoulders, and, just sorta wanders off wondering what they’ve done to deserve this sh!t.


8 posted on 03/01/2014 2:24:40 PM PST by FAA
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To: Jim Robinson
"What Is Russia’s Aim in Ukraine?"

To establish a position for conquering Poland and the Czech Republic again.


9 posted on 03/01/2014 2:25:04 PM PST by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: Jim Robinson

To win?


10 posted on 03/01/2014 2:25:12 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: Jim Robinson

Putin’s mission in the Ukraine is the same as Stalin’s — reconquer it from the west. (unfortunately back in the 40s it was controlled by the Nazi’s)


11 posted on 03/01/2014 2:26:15 PM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: Jim Robinson

Russia’s aim is to control the Black Sea. No more complicated than that.


12 posted on 03/01/2014 2:26:33 PM PST by wideawake
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yup. And win easy as pie.


13 posted on 03/01/2014 2:26:45 PM PST by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!!)
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To: Jim Robinson

To do the job Ukrainians won’t do.


14 posted on 03/01/2014 2:27:02 PM PST by icwhatudo (Low taxes and less spending in Sodom and Gomorrah is not my idea of a conservative victory)
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To: Jim Robinson

This is MUCH WORSE than Kennedy and Khrushchev. Who here thinks we would have had a “Cuban Missile Crisis” had Nixon won (which he actually did) in 1960?


15 posted on 03/01/2014 2:28:57 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: wideawake

Bingo!


16 posted on 03/01/2014 2:29:26 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both.)
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To: wideawake

That could very well be all there is to it. But there’s obviously a lot of history here. And opportunity.


17 posted on 03/01/2014 2:29:26 PM PST by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!!)
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To: BenLurkin
I believe a vote to again be part of Russia was already scheduled before the "coup" occurred. Crimea has a different status than the other districts.

IMO, Crimea should have never became part of Russia to start with.

18 posted on 03/01/2014 2:29:36 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: combat_boots

SWAT punitive expedition. At some point, we’ll hear from the “department spokes-people” that they meant well but got the wrong house ... er ... country.


19 posted on 03/01/2014 2:29:56 PM PST by First_Salute (May God save our democratic-republican government, from a government by judiciary.)
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To: Jim Robinson

Americans have gotten really stupid and weak. Our power is residual and generational.


20 posted on 03/01/2014 2:32:49 PM PST by sunrise_sunset
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