Posted on 08/31/2014 1:51:47 AM PDT by blueplum
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Amid significant gains being made by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine and denies by Russia of a military intervention in the country, the European Union has issued a one week ultimatum for Moscow to remove its alleged forces from the country.
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said that Russia had a week to withdraw its soldiers from eastern Ukraine or face further severe sanctions, while Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his country was "close to a point of no return - full scale-war" with Russia.
The Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite went one step further, calling Russia's alleged invasion of eastern Ukraine a declaration of war with Europe. Calling Russia's support for pro-Russian separatists in the country "practically in a war against Europe", she said the EU needed to send military support to Kiev.
"We need to support Ukraine, and send military materials to help Ukraine defend itself. Today Ukraine is fighting a war on behalf of all Europe," said Grybauskaite.
...French President Francois Hollande called for urgent action to be taken by the EU to avoid all-out war with Russia. "Are we going to let the situation worsen, until it leads to war? Because that's the risk today. There is no time to waste," he said at a summit in Brussels....
(Excerpt) Read more at arizona.statenews.net ...
There was a time, the US led the world and countries dared not to cross us, however with the massive vacuum at the top in the WH, the world now feels free o go ahead and do what it likes because it knows our current Pres won’t lift a damn finger to stop it. You put a wimp in charge, you get bullies beating you to a pulp.
It was not hard to see this coming.
It’s not good to make public ultimatums. The one that backs down usually tries to “get even” for the public humiliation. It’s best to resolve things diplomatically behind closed doors.
If Russia doesn’t backdown, is NATO prepared to go to war?
Exactly as said, we used to just send a message and they backed down, now they are all emboldened due the muppets in charge.
Guess what - it’s a war already.
I’m not sure how NATO can go to war with Russia and ISIL at the same time. It would be a (cough) accomplishment.
Wars all over the planet and all we got is this lousy T-shirt, I mean lousy President!
“It’s not good to make public ultimatums.”
That is precisely what obama did with syria and its chemical weapons. Which makes me wonder about what is happening in Ukraine.
It could have done, in the past, before the decline of the US precipitated by the election of Obamateur.
Once you lose that, it's extremely difficult to get it back.
I think the proper place to draw the line is the Baltic States and Poland, but not the Ukraine.
Just my 2 cents....
You’re exactly right. This is just another meaningless “red line” statement that Russia will see for the empty threat that it is.
Weakness invites aggression. Always has, always will.
I think the proper place to draw the line is the Baltic States and Poland, but not the Ukraine.
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You may be right but not sure Russia would be deterred. The U.S. is not so good at drawing lines anymore. The weak and feckless Obama has no gravitas or credibility and I can’t imagine him initiating any serious form of military retaliation against any aggressive act on the part of Russia. I just don’t see that as a possibility.
After being re-elected, Obama now has “more flexibility” don’t you know. Putin is just beginning to stretch, twist and bend him. We are only in the first inning of this game IMHO.
You would actually have to put US bases there. Tripwire—just like in South Korea.
Obama is destroying American prestige and power. Its hard to watch our once great, respected and feared country being deliberately dimished by this POS.
Fortunately, there are ways to put the screws to Russia without going to war.
For example, Russia is totally dependent on oil revenues (90%), so simply by ramping up North American production, or just talking about it, we can depress the price of oil for years to come, which jacks Russia around like you wouldn’t believe. (The Athabasca Oil Sands are expected to double their output in the next 5 years to over 5 million barrels/day).
Similarly, Russian can be banned from all major sporting events. The World Cup will be revoked, and if you really want to drive them bonkers, kick all Russian athletes out of the Olympics. That will get their attention.
Bit by bit, Russia will be isolated in ways that it doesn’t want or like. And that’s how it should be - if Russia doesn’t want to behave like a civilized country, it won’t be allowed to be part of the civilized world.
rumors of war to make the rumor mongers seem relevant.
The status quo ante in either Ukraine or the fertile crescent is not important enough for the EU, the Brits or the Americans to engage in full blown war.
The outcome might be managed to a small extent by negotiating for small territories around the edges.
I honestly can’t imagine Obama responding to any military provocation against us or even allowing us to be in any defensive scenario that might result in the use of force. Such a posture simply does not fit his distorted, utopian world view. He’s simply incapable of “pushing” the buttons necessary to protect us.
There is really no reason for any country to fear him. We are sitting ducks IMO. I sincerely hope I’m wrong about this and would welcome comments to the contrary.
Yea... SHE says a lot of stuff as long as it's not HER butt in the foxhole..!
all this talk of territory and war and sanctions begs the question...... how is a declining Mother Russia going to survive the apathy that is destroying the will to be within?
Putin’s problem is existential. The current activity is to deflect attention from the problem
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