Posted on 03/24/2014 5:38:50 PM PDT by kristinn
President Barack Obama and leaders of the world’s largest industrialized countries expelled Russia from the group until it “changes course” in Ukraine and formally canceled plans to attend an economic summit in Russia in June.
The move was aimed at Russian President Vladmir Putin’s plan to host the G-8 group of economic powers at Sochi, Russia, which would have been its second starring role on the world stage after this winter’s Olympics.
Instead, the G-7 leaders will meet in Brussels without Putin. At the same time, the group said it would not send its foreign ministers to a planned G-8 meeting in Moscow next month.
Though largely symbolic and falling short of new sanctions against Russia, the statement from the G-7 leaders pledged that they “remain ready” to intensify sanctions if Russia takes further action in Ukraine.
SNIP
The move is symbolic but still important, Michael McFaul, a Stanford University-based Russia specialist who until recently was U.S. ambassador to Moscow, told reporters on a conference call.
McFaul said he believes Putin understands that he’s growing isolated and is bracing for a possible military engagement with NATO forces at some point.
“Right now I think he’s focused on consolidating and digging in for confrontation with the West,” McFaul said. “They fully expect it and that’s what they’re doing.”
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
as the old saying goes, from small changes come big results
Why do I believe that if Putin goes to war with NATO, that Putin will drag the war into US territory? That it won’t just stay in the East, but will come into the US hemisphere?
you suggesting Alaska?
........my god!...........full blown war with Russia and we have children in command of our military!
God help us...............please!
Why do you think our southern border is nothing more than a swinging gate? It's not by accident or a coincidence.
Damn, that Obama is QUITE the diplomat, isn’t he?
We have an acquaintance who was thrown out of the city dump once. Didn’t hurt him a bit.
If he’s not careful, Obama may make a mess of things before he’s through.
Imagining a fictional scenario where Putin might secretly agitate and encourage the 50% that don’t appreciate Zero to rise up, with a little help. I’m sure his spies have identified this as a way to divide and conquer from within. Just spit-balling here though.
Its a good thing we’re not drastically cutting our military.
That is frightening to anticipate!
Russia simply doesn't have the numbers to fight such a war, and it most certainly doesn't have the conventional weapons or infrastructure to quickly make them.
NATO doesn't have the forces in being for such a large front war either, but they would fair much better than the Russians on the expanses of Poland and Belarus, where the large tank battles would rage. In the south, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria are sharp hilled geography sprinkled with tiber patches and pillbox-like houses. Ivan would have a very tough go of it, against those peoples, where willingness to fight would make all the difference. Ivan would also have to contend with some really pissed off Ukrainians overlooking his supply lines.
The Baltic states might get taken before they could be protected, but I wouldn't count Sweden and Finland out of the game, just because they aren't NATO. And China might just decide it was time to annex a good sized chuck of Siberia, while everything was sorting out in the west.
Once again, the Poles would do a lot of the fighting and the dying.
Russia, flexing its muscles and begins to choke itself.
Putin, ya azzhat, you act like a two bit rogue state and you get treated like one.
Russia is happy McFaul packed his bags and went home. No love lost there obviously.
Russia will start looking for new friends now. Three guesses who’s first on the list.
Dang, for an Ambassador to Russia who resigned just last month, this McFaul guy comes down on Putin very hard. (Is it ok to post a link to McFaul’s op ed in NYT?)
Then again, back in 1994, it appears that some hard line Russkis arranged for a gunshot through his office window, so he’s probably under no illusions, unlike some here...
Interesting history on (former) Ambassador McFaul:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_McFaul
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