Vanity: Biden/Blinken, et al, are driving Putin straight to China.

[Jim Robinson]

They're trying to bankrupt Putin through financial sanctions, but we (and others) are still buying Russian oil? And we're also financing Russia via China and it's impossible to cut that off.

Prayers up.

[stuck_in_new_orleans]

Yeah cause those two weren’t close before? Cmon

[Jim Robinson]

Well, I meant that even if we could completely block Putin’s financing from the west, China could probably spare a few bucks he earns from us to help Putie.

[McGavin999]

We have had two years to move our pharmaceuticals out of China and we still haven’t done so.

Elections have consequences and we are just beginning to pay the price.

[daniel1212]

In 2020 Russia produced 10.1 million barrels per day (BPD) of crude oil and natural gas condensate. That was good for second place behind the U.S. at 11.3 million BPD...

However, the U.S. also consumes far more oil (17.2 million BPD) than Russia (3.2 million BPD) or Saudi Arabia (3.5 million BPD). The net result is that the U.S. is a net importer of crude oil, while Russia and Saudi Arabia are major crude oil exporters.

As of late 2021,.. Canada was our top supplier, sending the U.S. 4.5 million BPD. (Having secure oil supplies from close allies highlights the importance of the Keystone XL Pipeline expansion). - https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2022/02/21/russia-is-a-major-supplier-of-oil-to-the-us/?sh=72862aca18c3

Instead of sanctions reducing the Russian spigot supply:

Although on April 15, 2021 the U.S. Department of the Treasury instituted multiple sanctions actions against Russia under a new Executive Order, yet that Spring imports of Russian oil to the United States reached their highest level in a decade, and Russia became the second-largest exporter of oil to the US that year.

And even in 2020:

Russia’s exports of petroleum products to the United States more than doubled in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, reaching their highest levels since at least 2004. ussia’s oil products exports to the U.S. jumped to 9.1 million tons between January and June 2020, up from 4 million tons for the same period in 2019.

The U.S. was Russia’s second-largest buyer of oil products – accounting for 12 percent of Russia’s petroleum products exports..The U.S. has been raising its imports of fuel oil from Russia over the past year and a half after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s exports. - https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Russias-Oil-Product-Exports-To-The-US-Jump-To-16-Year-High.html

in 2020 Russia produced 10.1 million barrels per day (BPD) of crude oil and natural gas condensate. That was good for second place behind the U.S. at 11.3 million BPD...

However, the U.S. also consumes far more oil (17.2 million BPD) than Russia (3.2 million BPD) or Saudi Arabia (3.5 million BPD). The net result is that the U.S. is a net importer of crude oil, while Russia and Saudi Arabia are major crude oil exporters.

Meanwhile, as regards Russia Exports to United States:

Exports to United States CMLV in Russia averaged 5930.21 USD Million from 2006 until 2021, reaching an all time high of 17537.80 USD Million in December of 2021 and a record low of 444.30 USD Million in January of 2007.

Also, Russia Exports to United States: Exports to United States CMLV in Russia averaged 5930.21 USD Million from 2006 until 2021, reaching an all time high of 17537.80 USD Million in December of 2021 and a record low of 444.30 USD Million in January of 2007.

https://tradingeconomics.com/russia/exports-to-united-states

Meanwhile,

Is Trump The Toughest Ever On Russia?.. much tougher on Russia than any in the post-Cold War era. NPR | July 20, 2018

Trump sought to add $1.4 billion for fiscal year 2018 to the European Deterrence Initiative — a military effort to deter Russian aggression that was initially known as the European Reassurance Initiative. That's a 41 percent increase from the last year of the Obama administration. The president also agreed to send lethal weapons to Ukraine — a step that Obama resisted. And Trump gave U.S. forces in Syria more leeway to engage with Russian troops...actually resulting in one incident in hundreds of casualties on the Russian side,"

And as reported by abcnews.go.com om Dec. 23, 2020, "Trump admin approves new sale of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.." The new package included Javelin anti-tank weapons, 150 missiles and two launchers, which came after a first sale, completed in March 2018, which included 210 Javelin missiles and 37 launch units.. "The Trump administration first approved the sale of Javelins to Ukraine in December 2017 -- a step that former President Barack Obama never took.

In contrast, "Russia's Putin praises Obama's missile defense decision" to "cancel a radar installation in the Czech Republic and ground-based interceptors planned for Poland," LA Times Sep 19, 2009

[Lurkinanloomin]

Stolen elections are a direct consequence of not upholding the Constitution and allowing a British subject/Kenyan/Indonesian to corrupt our entire government.

[yesthatjallen]

China media goads Russia to use CIPS over SWIFT: Researchers in state media say China’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System can help Russia survive Western SWIFT sanctions

"Russia can use China’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) for its international trade after its major banks were removed from the US dollar-based SWIFT payment system in response to the Ukraine war, according to Chinese state media reports.

Several Chinese researchers were quoted by Xinhua and the Communist Youth League Central Committee’s website as saying Russia would not be seriously hurt by the Western world’s SWIFT ban as it had developed its own payment system – the System for Transfer of Financial Messages (SPFS) – since the Crimea crisis in 2014.

They said CIPS together with SPFS would continue to grow and become an important global interbank payment system."

[wardaddy]

You’re right

[Bobalu]

This is what you get when you buy a mail-order president.

I hope I am wrong but I think that if Putin does not get a win in Ukraine then this will go nuclear... freepers should prepare.

Regardless of who is in the right in this conflict if it is not brought to a close, and soon, then billions of people will suffer and a large portion will die. That horrifying end must be avoided, at nearly any cost.

Keep in mind that in a conflict BOTH sides can be the bad guys.

Absolutely all of the devils that comprise what is referred to as the deep state are banging the drum for war with Russia... sadly, many that I would never have guessed are banging in rhythm with them.

IMO, if attacks are launched against Russian forces from states close to Ukraine... especially the launching of fighter jets from airfields under the cover of being piloted by Ukrainians this will result in the destruction of those external bases by Russia... that will lead to a dark place.

Pray.

[sport]

Russia has everything they need to be self sufficient. They could use more food, but they can cope with what they have. We do not. We have 0 deposits of chrome ore for one thing. The World’s movers and shakers are Russia into the arms of Red China and possibly India . Which will not be good for the united States of America. But then, the American youth must protect the source of the American politician’s filthy lucre And Fauchi’s bio labs so he can cultivate and grow super virus to unleash upon the United States of America.

[yesthatjallen]

"We have had two years to move our pharmaceuticals out of China and we still haven’t done so."

I have yet to hear any legislator propose this. This should be a top priority along with other strategic manufacturing.

We're just sloughing toward the next crisis.

[Jim Robinson]

bump that

[Dave Wright]

China (CCP) is gaming the West with a classic “good-cop/bad-cop” play. Putin is the “bad-cop” and Xi is the “good-cop”. Xi is willing to negotiate a settlement with Russia on behalf of the West which will elevate him enormously with the terrified EU. China is talking tough in public but will backstop the Russian economy to keep Putin, their ally, in power.

China is a much larger economy and could crush Russia if they wanted but they are coordinating a deal to give Russia what it wants, a warm water port and restored national pride, in exchange for deals on coal and oil which China needs to be independent of US imports.

[Bobalu]

[kabar]

The mission has changed. It is regime change in Russia. Putin delenda est. Blinken’s press briefing this afternoon was an in your face victory lap. Blinken gave a bellicose response.

Biden will fight the Russians until the last Ukrainian. The MSM has been irresponsible in encouraging the Ukrainians to fight against insurmountable odds. Better to fight another day than suffer a senseless loss of life. My biggest fear is that emotion will get us involved in the fight.

Does anyone think Putin won’t retaliate against those who are destroying his economy? Escalation is inevitable. We are in dangerous territory. Cyber warfare could be the new battlefield.

[1Old Pro]

we (and others) are still buying Russian oil?

Non sensical.

[Jim Robinson]

getting into bed with China may have been the worst mistake we ever made.

[Jim Robinson]

We went cold turkey on Russian oil? I didn’t know that.

[Jim Robinson]

Commander Biden is a real ass.

[1Old Pro]

We went cold turkey on Russian oil? I didn’t know that.

I thought we hit an all time high in Russian imports in 2021.

[Fledermaus]

Only total idiots (Democrats) would pick a Sec of State named Blinkin.