Posted on 07/28/2017 11:14:28 AM PDT by Cecily
Russia's Foreign Ministry on Friday ordered a reduction in the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia and said it was closing down a U.S. recreation retreat in response to fresh sanctions against Russia.
The U.S. Senate approved a new package of stiff financial sanctions Friday against Russia, Iran and North Korea and sent it to President Donald Trump to sign.
The legislation bars Trump from easing or waiving the penalties on Russia unless Congress agrees.
The legislation is aimed at punishing Moscow for interfering in the 2016 presidential election and for its military aggression in Ukraine and Syria, where the Kremlin has backed President Bashar Assad.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Is there any evidence that Russia interfered with our election?
Merkel (and the EU) is seething over the new sanctions.
Nyet.
Nope. And Congress is just wasting time and tax payer money while at the same time pissing off Russia. Good job a-holes!
Only in the minds of Democrats and John McCain.
The globalists, Soros, and all the cronies of the US Deep State need a new cold war with Russia.
It works in so many ways for them - from damaging Trump, to neutering a non-globalist Eastern European power not following their multi-culti agenda, to moving more government $$ their way.
It is mostly only Merkel, somewhat France and a little bit Netherlands because their companies are minority partners in Russian North Stream 2 venture, that is targeted. For Netherlands the discontent can’t be strong as their people are absolutely pissed because Russia shot down an airliner with many Dutch people 3 years ago.
Yet many other countries are happy as North Stream 2 is a very controversial project and the countries feel Germany is bulldozing over everyone else with it.
Yes, they failed to elect the wicked witch of the west.. and thus they must pay.
The U.S. doesn't have any space vehicles that can reach the ISS.
This is all just a lot of theatrics, as far as I'm concerned. It's pathetic to hear a bunch of @ssholes in Congress describing Russia as an "adversary" while NASA has two astronauts up there right now on a joint mission with a Russian commander.
Perfect point! Perfect!
LOL. Thanks!
Germany and Merkel might find out they are less popular in the EU than they thought. I have been following the NS2 issue and believe there was a chance other countries will gang up and kill it despite the German objections and that was even before the US got involved.
But you repeat yourself.
Brilliant!
Trump should veto and say he doesn’t have the resources to enforce the sanctions (a nice wink to the world about what happens if the veto is overridden). Sanctions are only as effective as their enforcement mechanisms
Sanctions aren’t emotional - they are just another form of business competition.
I’d guess Russia will respond to these sanctions similarly to the response to the last set of sanctions - blocking imports of something Russia can buy from other countries or something Russia wants to encourage domestic production of. Russia previously blocked imports of foods, which they could easily buy from Turkey/Argentina/etc. or which their domestic producers could grow.
Similarly, Russia could block all purchases of Boeing aircraft. These can be purchased from Airbus (driving a wedge between EU and US) or China (Comac C919) and encourage domestic production (the Irkut MC-21 and Sukhoi Superjet 100).
Russia also imports about $1B yearly of cars and auto parts from the US - which would be another counter-sanctions target. Korean cars are increasingly taking over the Russian market, and Germany is a good alternate supplier. This would also help domestic producers (especially Lada).
It’s less likely that Russia will refuse to export things like the RD-180 rocket engine to NASA or selling titanium to Boeing, and unlikely that Russia will stop selling transport to the space station or stop letting US airlines fly over Russia. These kinds of things are very profitable for Russia, so it doesn’t fit the model of Russian counter-sanctions that encourage import substitution.
If the Russian Duma passed sanctions against us, I doubt we would be sitting quiet.
Congress is bent on punishing Russia in a fit of anger and when it has passed, the US will only handcuff itself.
The President can do the responsible thing and veto this ill-advised measure.
Congress is seeking to tie the President’s hands on foreign policy in a way detrimental to the long-term interests of our country.
Punishing Russia will not achieve its objectives. Russia can live with them indefinitely.
Russians were eating bread made out of sawdust during the Seige of Leningrad.
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