No fool there were plenty of options short of war. Your concept of leadership is obviously flawed. Barry was push to put the few sanctions in he did. There was much more he could do. In addition he could have provided arms to Ukraine. Did you ever hear of deterrence????? Showing strength in Eastern Europe by adding to our forces stationed there. Oh yes he was sooo tough that he allowed Russia to reintroduce medium range nuclear missles to his western regions a violation of a treaty in force since Reagan. He did nothing to counter the increasing aggressive actions the Russians took against our forces. If Trump lifts, eases or doesn't impose greater sanctions on Russia I'll be as or more pissed than you. They are needed. Now China is much more liable to respect sanctions. Did you know we recently sanctioned a major Chinese bank as a money launderer. This removed that bank from the international banking structure. There are several more banks we can sanction as well. We can also sanction their steel exports. The Chinese have much greater stake in world economy than Russia. We have leverage if used. Sport you need to grow up. There are but a few here that think much of Trump or his actions. If you bother reading half or more of my posts you would understand I don't like him or his actions at all. However your shallow and baseless accusations show you to care less about current event than you do about cwhining that he is in office. You haven't recovered from the shock of his win. Why don't you stop imitating him (Trump) with wild and baseless comments and try real criticism? Why don't you take off your rose colored glasses and see how venial and incompetent the past administration and the loser in chief (HRC) were? We can have very good and fruitful discussions on our opposing ideas but until you get over your jealousy all you'll get is being ripped time and again for the crap you spew.
You think they didn't consider that, genius? It would have done nothing to deter Russia, who could have easily matched any arms and would have just escalated a conflict that Russia would have taken into more than just Crimea. Russia's motive in Ukraine was (and is) much more important to them than our own. And if supplying Ukraine with weapons was such a panacea there then why did Trump take lethal weapons supplies to Ukraine off the GOP party platform, and why hasn't Trump supplied then weapons? Utter bullshit. Under Obama's leadership, American and world economies recovered handsomely from Bush's recession. Over 30 million Americans could afford healthcare for the first time. No major acts of terrorism on American soil. The Paris accords. I could go on, but it wouldn't matter if I listed a thousand achievements you'd still call him incompetent. Fortunately, most of America disagrees with you... he left office with a 64% job approval rating. Here's what I think you're not intellectually mature enough to realize: sometimes shit happens. I started this very thread to underscore that point: even though his China diplomacy has been an utter failure so far, laying waste to his boasts of being such a great negotiator, I don't truly believe it's Trump's fault that North Korea now has ICBM capabilities. This was just to illustrate that it's very easy to cast blame in hindsight. Sorry, pal, but you haven't demonstrated that Obama was "incompetent" nor can you demonstrate that HIllary is "venal". So, stop spewing your immature bullshit.
@Rex you obviously don't understand deterrence. Standing up to aggression doesn't mean going to war. Usually wars begin when an aggressor believe his intended victim is either too weak or too weak kneed to stand up for himself/his country. Our presence on the Korean border in the Fulda gap, our Navy controlling the seas especially the critical sea passages, the Israeli armed forces etc are examples of using strength to deter aggression. Arming Ukraine even sending troops in a buffer would have told Putin the risk wasn't worth the reward. Putin has picked up cheap victories because Obama and to some extent W weren't willing to take the strong stand. Russia is weak economically, militarily and socially. Putin isn't crazy like Hitler but more like Stalin, Kruschev Brezhnev er all. He'll take advantage where he can but be patient when stood up to. As to Trump's actions I disliked them at the time and oppose any weakness he may show now. They are as wrong for Trump or anyone as the things Obama failed to do. Putin is a bully and will take advantage of every weakness. He is an adversary who sees us as an enemy. Neither Trump, Obama or HRC seem to understand or are so eaten up with pride they think they can charm him. They're all wrong and until we show strength in his face; strength of will, purpose and strength of action he will continue to try to weaken us. Trump has already harmed our standing in Europe and they question our resolve enough to hurt NATO Trump needs to stand up to Putin and affirm the last 70+ years of the strength and purpose of NATO.
December 2015: Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, a married Pakistani couple, stormed a San Bernardino County government building with combat gear and rifles and opened fire on about 80 employees enjoying an office Christmas party. They killed 14 after pledging loyalty to ISIS. A third Muslim was charged with helping buy weapons. July 2015: Mohammad Abdulazeez opened fire on a military recruiting center and US Navy Reserve center in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he shot to death four Marines and a sailor. Obama refused to call it terrorism. May 2015: ISIS-directed Muslims Nadir Soofi and Elton Simpson opened fire on the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas, shooting a security guard before police took them down. April 2013: Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, Muslim brothers from Chechnya, exploded a pair of pressure-cooker bombs at the Boston Marathon, killing three and wounding more than 260. At least 17 people lost limbs from the shrapnel. September 2012: Terrorists with al Qaeda in the Maghreb attacked the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, killing the US ambassador, a US Foreign Service officer and two CIA contractors. Obama and then-Secretary of State Clinton misled the American people, blaming the attack on an anti-Muslim video. November 2009: Army Maj. Nidal Hasan opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13. Obama ruled it “workplace violence,” even though Hasan was in contact with an al Qaeda leader before the strikes and praised Allah as he mowed down troops. June 2009: Al Qaeda-trained Abdulhakim Muhammad opened fire on an Army recruiting office in Little Rock, Ark., killing Pvt. William Long and wounding Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula.
more power to you tirk, i just don't consider weed so important that i would risk my livelihood on it.
