I've got a pen and a phone ... a RED pen ... a Marks-a-Lot RED pen.
AND, Secretary of State
Zzzzzzzz Zzzzzzzzz
Putin to Odumbo: I WON!
Remind me to miss that.
I’m still waiting for my daily Obama — so I can keep regular.
It got delayed by this morning’s little temblor.
10:45 means sometime before the end of the day, maybe! /S
Take a drink for every time he mentions a red line.
Well, Obama does have a pen and a phone. An Obamaphone at that!
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release March 17, 2014 FACT SHEET: Ukraine-Related Sanctions President Obama today issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) under the national emergency with respect to Ukraine that finds that the actions and policies of the Russian government with respect to Ukraine -– including through the deployment of Russian military forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine –- undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets.
This new authority expands upon E.O. 13660, which the President signed less than two weeks ago, by authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to impose sanctions on named officials of the Russian government, any individual or entity that operates in the Russian arms industry, and any designated individual or entity that acts on behalf of, or that provides material or other support to, any senior Russian government official. We have fashioned these sanctions to impose costs on named individuals who wield influence in the Russian government and those responsible for the deteriorating situation in Ukraine. We stand ready to use these authorities in a direct and targeted fashion as events warrant.
In response to the Russian government’s actions contributing to the crisis in Ukraine, this new E.O. lists seven Russian government officials who are being designated for sanctions. These individuals are Vladislav Surkov, Sergey Glazyev, Leonid Slutsky, Andrei Klishas, Valentina Matviyenko, Dmitry Rogozin, and Yelena Mizulina.
The United States also will seek to hold accountable individuals who use their resources or influence to support or act on behalf of senior Russian government officials. We recognize that the Russian leadership derives significant support from, and takes action through, individuals who do not themselves serve in any official capacity. Our current focus is to identify these individuals and target their personal assets, but not companies that they may manage on behalf of the Russian state.
In addition to the new E.O., the Treasury Department today has imposed sanctions on four other individuals under E.O. 13660, issued on March 6, for their actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine and in undermining the Government of Ukraine. They are Crimea-based separatist leaders Sergey Aksyonov and Vladimir Konstantinov; former Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Viktor Medvedchuk; and former President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych.
Today’s actions send a strong message to the Russian government that there are consequences for their actions that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including their actions supporting the illegal referendum for Crimean separation. The United States, together with international partners, will continue to stand by the Ukrainian government to ensure that costs are imposed on Crimean separatists and their Russian backers. Today’s actions also serve as notice to Russia that unless it abides by its international obligations and returns its military forces to their original bases and respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the United States is prepared to take additional steps to impose further political and economic costs.
•Vladislav Surkov: Surkov is being sanctioned for his status as a Presidential Aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
•Sergey Glazyev: Glazyev is being sanctioned for his status as a Presidential Adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
•Leonid Slutsky: Slutsky is being sanctioned for his status as a State Duma deputy, where he is Chairman of the Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots.
•Andrei Klishas: Klishas is being sanctioned for his status as a Member of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and as Chairman of the Federation Council Committee of Constitutional Law, Judicial, and Legal Affairs, and the Development of Civil Society.
•Valentina Matviyenko: Matviyenko is being sanctioned for her status as Head of the Federation Council
•Dmitry Rogozin: Rogozin is being sanctioned for his status as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
•Yelena Mizulina: Mizulina is being sanctioned for her status as a State Duma Deputy.
•Sergey Aksyonov: Aksyonov is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. Aksyonov claims to be the Prime Minister of Crimea and has rejected the authority of the legitimate government in Kyiv.
•Vladimir Konstantinov: Konstantinov is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. Konstantinov is the speaker of the Crimean parliament, which on March 11, 2014, declared independence from Ukraine.
•Viktor Medvedchuk: Medvedchuk, leader of Ukrainian Choice, is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. He is also being designated because he has materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support to Yanukovych and because he is a leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in actions or policies that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine and actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine. •Viktor Yanukovych: Former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is being designated for threatening the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for undermining Ukraine’s democratic institutions and processes. After abandoning Kyiv and ultimately fleeing to Russia, Viktor Yanukovych called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to send Russian troops into Ukraine.
This is a meaningless and belated “action”. Those Russians have had plenty of time to move their assets. The clown prince is stumbling around trying to look relevant. Its a pathetic show and the rest of the world see’s the charade for what it is.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release March 17, 2014
Letter -- Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine Dear Mr. Speaker: (Mr. President:)
Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the "order") expanding the scope of the national emergency I declared in Executive Order 13660 of March 6, 2014, with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Ukraine.
In the order, I find that the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine -- including the recent deployment of Russian Federation military forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine -- undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. The order blocks the property and interests in property of persons listed in an Annex to the order. The order also blocks the property and interests in property of persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State:
•to be an official of the Government of the Russian Federation;
• to operate in the arms and related materiel sector in the Russian Federation;
• to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly:
o a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation; or
o a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order; or
• to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of: o a senior official of the Government of the Russian Federation; or
o a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order.
In addition, the order suspends entry into the United States of any alien determined to meet one or more of the above criteria.
I have delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury the authority, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the order. All agencies of the United States Government are directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of the order.
I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
Really, what can Obama do that would be effective? Sanctions? Putin would laugh in his face.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say he’s not gonna open with “we begin bombing in five minutes”...
Is it possible that this guy and his handlers don’t realize that the “magic” of his speeches dried up and blew away a long time ago? More likely they’ve got nothing else.
Say what you will about past presidents. World leaders looked at most of them (not you, peanut farmer) and erred on the side of “well, he might be crazy or calculating enough to...” The current loser in the White House has done all but skywrite that he will do nothing but talk. Once Putin realized that he saw this president as an opportunity, not an obstacle.
We are so #^#$%#.
The whitehouse website lists a briefing by The Carney...but didnt mention Obama ...
Damn The SOB is on time!
Russia violates international law. There are consequences for their actions. Extended sanctions. Further sanctions possible. Sanctions against Russian leaders.
Our message will be clear.
This will deepen Russia’s isolation.
[shhhhhhh! Putin’s laughing so loud I can hear him through the Internet.]
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Jay’s gonna answer questions, because Bam is late for his T time.
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KT McFarland on FoxNews is saying none are taking Obama seriously.
Did he just say he’s issuing an Executive Order?
Does that mean he’ll use his pen and phone against Putin?