No you made an assertion that had no back up and in fact your conclusion contradicts your first assertion. Sport if sanctions will strangle Russia now wouldn't the same thing worked six years ago when Putin had less of a hold on the political apparatus? Try again
Obama repeatedly insulted Putin and crapped on his Olympics.... and now we wonder why Putin is acting like an idiot? Obama infuriated Putin and then he sends the imbecile Biden & Kerry to stoke the fire. His foreign relations grade is beyond failing....
Apparently Putin is not afraid to up the stakes. http://www.businessinsider.com/russ...um=email&utm_source=alerts&nr_email_referer=1 Whether he understands the true balance of power or not he is continuing to pursue his objective of reconstituting the historic Russia which BTW was almost the same as the Soviet Union except the Warsaw Pact nations. There seems to be increasing belief that more aggressive actions are required by the US and Western Europe. This would include steeper sanctions and providing real aid to Ukraine. By real aid they mean funding and providing arms and training as mere threats will not deter Putin.
What if it is all part of the plan? Russia is in with Ukraine to get US/western money. Then split the cash!
How did he do that? Be specific. Did you want him to kiss Putins ass like Bush did? Putin is harboring Snowden, trying to save Assad in Syria, and voting against us in the UN. So Obama stands up to him like he's supposed to. Putin has not changed since the day he came into office. He was always a former KGB spook with delusions of Soviet grandeur. His desire to regain Crimea and eventually restore the Soviet Union has nothing whatsoever to do with Obama. It's all about Putin. Obama is playing Putin like a violin. Putin is the one under pressure. Putin is the one suffering international condemnation. Putin is the one getting sanctions and about to get more. Putin is the one worried about internal dissent. Obama has many allies, Putin has none. Not even China is backing Russia on Ukraine.
No, arming Ukraine is not the solution. They are not an ally and part of NATO. Eastern Ukraine wants to be Russian, Western Ukraine wants to be European. Ukrainians need to sort out this issue themselves. Arming Ukraine will result in a divided Ukraine, like Germany was once divided. That never worked out and led to a protracted and expensive Cold War. We will have to increase the military posture of NATO to remind the Russians that they don't have the strength to act unilaterally anymore and that NATO draws the real lines that he can't cross. If they do invade and occupy eastern Ukraine, it will send Western Ukraine fleeing to the EU and NATO for support and Putin definitely doesn't want that. He really can't afford to occupy the whole country. Russia's GDP is lousy and the natives are restless already without another huge war expense. Their invasion and occupation of Afghanistan precipitated a revolution just 20 years ago that collapsed the Soviet Union. Putin does not wish to repeat that. Nor can he afford to allow Ukraine to become another permanently hostile region like Chechnya, which it certainly would. Ukrainian insurgents would look like Russians and speak Russian and it could spill over into Russia itself. Putin is playing with fire here and he's going to get burned if he is careless.
Many people say that the following Obama quote reset our relationship with Russia: "I know the press likes to focus on body language and he’s got that kind of slouch, looking like the bored kid in the back of the classroom." And here's another insult: "With respect to Mr. Romney’s assertion that Russia’s our number- one geopolitical foe, the truth of the matter is that, you know, America’s got a whole lot of challenges. Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbors -- not out of strength, but out of weakness") You should seriously consider that Obama's insults, including the big steaming turd he laid on Sochi, contributed to Putin's Russia attacking Ukraine.
Is that it? Both statements happen to be true. Putin is a slouch and Russia is a regional power, not a Superpower. Why do you expect an American President to kiss Putin's Soviet ass, Komrade. I'll ask you again, what did Obama say regarding the Olympics and how the hell did that "contribute" to Putin attacking the Ukraine. It really makes no sense at all.
Food for thought..according to this over 70% of those in eastern Ukraine including ethnic Russians don't want to be part of Russia and don't like Russian meddling. There are a few thugs either supported by or instigated by Putin and his clique causing these problems. Their noise is overwhelming the facts. http://www.businessinsider.com/ukra...y Thursday) 2014-05-01&utm_content=emailshare
It's been reported that the pro-russian forces that are occupying eastern ukraine buildings, and kidnapped NATO observers are russian special forces committing a silent invasion.
