Posted on 03/02/2014 11:13:56 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
On This Week With George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning, the titular host pressed Secretary of State John Kerry for specifics as to the United States’ planned responses to Russia’s invasion of the Crimean peninsula, and whether President Barack Obama had the ability to execute repercussions against Russia. “All those violations,” Stephanopoulos said, “what’s the penalty for what Russia’s already done?”
“The United States is currently considering all options,” Kerry said. “This really puts into question Russia’s role in the world…They are inviting the possibility of very serious repercussions, on trade, on investment, on asset freeze, on visa bans, on the potential of actions by the global community.”
Kerry called upon Congress to pass economic aid for Ukraine, and Stephanopoulos asked if the US was considering economic sanctions against Russia, in addition to Ukrainian aid. “It may well come that we will have to engage in that kind of activity,” Kerry said.
Kerry added that Russia was jeopardizing its membership in the G8 and G20. “You cannot behave this way in the 21st Century, and sit around the table with the normal entities and pretend that life is as usual,” he said. “But we believe that there is an alternative. We call on Russia to engage with the government of Ukraine. We are prepared to work very closely with Russia in order to address the very legitimate concerns that exist.”
“Do you have any indication at all that President Putin is taking heed of what President Obama is saying?” Stephanopoulos asked, in reference to the fruitless phone call yesterday between Obama and Putin.
“Well, they just had the conservation yesterday,” Kerry said. “We’re going to continue to engage diplomatically. This is a time for diplomacy, in order to steer this away from an increase of tension and the level of the crisis.”
Watch the video below, via ABC News:
(VIDEO-AT-LINK)
Lurch & Obozo = won’t end well
Putin is laughing at how well his plan is going.
Listening enough to laugh at those two boneheaded clowns.
Of course hes not listening. Why would he?
Obama is just another world leader, no different to the leaders of Denmark and Norway. That’s how Russia views him and that’s how he views himself.
Key consequences of Obama’s weakness:
1) US’ word means nothing. Our treaties are void.
2) China is emboldened to seize the Senkaku Islands from Japan. The US would do nothing beyond sending ketchup face on the Sunday shows.
3) Poor countries increasingly see Russia as the world’s power broker
4) Arms race in Europe, and a growing climate of fear
Of course he listens. He listened very carefully when Obama announced we weren’t the world’s policeman, and when Obama told him he’d have more leeway to cut our missles after the election. And I’m sure he listened very well when Obama’s administration announced they are cutting our military to pre WWII levels.
Now if Stephanopoulos had asked if Putin RESPECTS Obama or fears him, that would probably be a No.
Obama reeks of incompetence. Putin is well aware of it.
I think Putin has more important things to do than listen to that Kenyan impostor. Remember, every minute spent listening to him...is gone and you can’t get it back! ;)
“Putin is laughing at how well his plan is going.”
March 2, 2014
“Today the majority of the Ukrainian armed forces deployed in Crimea passed to the side of the authorities of the Crimean autonomous republic. The transition was absolutely peaceful, without a single shot fired either by the military or by the forces of self-defense.”
Newly appointed by Kiev, the Navy Chief rear admiral Denis Berezovsky has sworn allegiance to the people of Crimea.
Ukraine’s Navy flagship, the Hetman Sahaidachny frigate, has refused to follow orders from Kiev, and come over to Russia’s side in the port of Sevastopol, flying St.Andrew, the Russian naval flag.
Five top military, security commanders take oath to Crimea:
The head of the Security Service of Crimea Petyor Zima, Chief of Department of Internal Affairs in the Crimea Sergey Abisov, the head of Service for Emergency Situations Sergei Shakhov and acting Chief of the Border Guards of Crimea Victor Melnichenko all took an oath of allegiance to the people of Crimea.
Steffy grills Kerry ? Would that be with or without kneepads ?
Not taking that bet.
It’s kinda funny, I remember several years ago discussing with another FReeper the subject of Obama’s ability to be easily rattled, and his naive views on foreign affairs. The FReeper (I forget his name) commented that I could be sure that Moscow and Beijing had noticed the same thing, and were including that in their intel profiles and adjusting accordingly.
It would seem that FReeper’s observations are coming true before our very eyes. Though I do not share the love for Putin some folks around here have, there’s no denying he is a force. He has also consistently outgamed the U.S. in the past few years, and seems to have little fear of U.S. objections over his actions. To paraphrase an old cliche, one side is playing checkers, while the other is playing a very shrewd game of chess.
Does passionately wanting someone else to go die for the Crimea count? We have lots of those.
typical. I think I prefer the idea of stepping back and allowing things to... develop. Not just in the Ukraine mind you.
“Well, they just had the conservation yesterday,” Kerry said. Really, the word “conversation” was mispelled in your paste-up? Makes sense, given the parameters of quoting, Secretary of State John F. Kerry.
I didn’t believe it was yours, brother.
Not in the least I think.
Steffie is not a jounalist. He majored in Orthodox Greek Divinity before becoming Bill Clinton’s lead rear end coverer. I refuse to watch him as he is a Democrat strategist first and foremost.
Better yet, who would you rather have walking next to you if in a dark alley?
Who in the media ISN’T a Democrat strategist ?
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