I think that was an SNL skit, with Phil Hartman as Clinton, from Clinton’s first year as President. As I recall, he’s on a jog with the Secret Service when he makes an unscheduled detour to McDonald’s. The Secret Service objects that Mrs. Clinton wouldn’t want him eating at McDonald’s. Clinton says, “There’s going to be a lot of things we don’t tell Mrs. Clinton.”
It was just a matter of time before sanctions cut both ways. Russia warns the West: our sanctions will hurt you Not sure what's coming yet but I suspect it will be foreign corporation assets within Russia that will become state owned assets.
Can't read the article but companies that have already pulled out, and there are plenty, don't really have to worry. As to the sanctions that may actually have bite especially for Europe, folks have been preparing for that.
Other than the innocents that would harm, let them end themselves. Go for it. Except it wouldn't get Putin nor would he care. If the winds carry enough the other one who's got major worries with that is China, as that would mess up their soil, foods, etc.
Russia was already known as a “gangster state” with weak rule of law. Western (particularly U.S.) companies hardly invest there due to this perception of the state under Putin. It is also a relatively small market. So Russia’s threats have very little teeth, compared to say China (a HUGE market with a ton of western investments).
Speaking of which: Adidas just pulled out of Russia. Where will those dudes get their track suits now?
Someone in that Reuters thread said maybe Russia is trying to cause a meltdown to destroy Ukraine &make an uninhabitable buffer between them and NATO. You know, that's insane enough that I'd buy Putin being dumb enough AND crazy enough to think that would be a great idea. Wouldn't that also affect Belarus & others? *facepalm*
There are 3 U.S. states with more GDP than Russia. Russia has very little leverage, other than cutting off their energy and mineral exports. They can definitely cut off supply… which would have the impact of raising prices (one of the reasons oil prices have surged is the fear of exactly this disruption). Doing so would theoretically impose “pain” on the west, perhaps severe pain in certain sectors of western free market economies. If they do this, they are also cutting off one of their own sources of funding their own govt and economy (and remember they are by no means a free market economy, there is nowhere for them to go). So while they would be imposing “pain” on the west, they would be literally impoverishing their own economy to do it.
From CNN live: "Movement through evacuation corridors in Ukraine has been limited From CNN's Tim Lister in Kyiv and Olga Voitovych After Ukraine and Russia agreed on several evacuation corridors Wednesday for the evacuation of civilians, there was limited progress in moving people from the worst-affected areas. Heavy weapons fire appears to have disrupted some routes." Once again shooting at/near evacuation routes, agreed on buses being held back, 1 cop killed trying to help get evacuations going, etc.
Many people say the Chernobyl reactor incident was the final straw in the downfall of the Soviet Union. Since Putin wants to restore the old USSR I could see him using that reactor in some way to make it happen.
Of course, they cut both ways. Anyone who needed that explained to them is not worth the explanation. That’s just about the textbook definition of war: mutual suffering. And as with any war, the implication is: “I can take the pain a lot more than you can.” That’s what Russia essentially said to Ukraine, and it’s what we are now saying to Russia.
Doesn't appear that way to me. Oil is still a major problem and none of the EU nations have taken the lead of the US concerning an oil embargo. I don't think they will short of the UK and even they will not sanction natural gas and are hoping to phase out Russian imports by the of 2022. U.K. Plans to Ban Russian Oil Imports in New Sanctions Move The U.K. government will ban all imports of Russian oil, its latest sanctions move against Vladimir Putin’s administration over the war in Ukraine. The measure -- taken in concert with the U.S. -- will be phased in over the rest of 2022, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said. The ban applies to refined products such as diesel -- which the U.K. relies on Russia for about a third of its imports. It won’t apply to natural gas.
