Vultures Are Circling the Ukraine Crisis Dont worry Mike, our natural gas stocks are up, we are sticking it to Putin!
Did you read my previous post concerning the arming of Ukraine prior to all of this? Did you read if I recall @GatorBen post concerning Ukraine requests to join NATO. I know this is becoming a long thread but rehashing previous information doesn't help matters. We know what they are doing one just needs to open their eyes. We also knew in advance what they were concerned about. Paranoia speaks volumes and should be heeded. The Cuban missile crisis was a prime example. Cooler heads prevailed and diplomatic solutions arose out of it but make no mistake, paranoia on the part on the part of the US was a driving factor. We couldn't have gotten much closer to a war with Russia during that time period.
Libya was more like Iran than NK or Ukraine. It didn't have nukes but was on it's way to developing them.
this is actually a great time for hacktivists...hide under the veil of state sanctioned cyber warfare
Individual sanctions now. Good. Hope it hurts although he had to see this coming and may have prepared for it U.S. to impose sanctions on Vladimir Putin and top aide, White House says — CNBC U.S. to impose sanctions on Vladimir Putin and top aide, White House says The United States will impose individual sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following similar sanctions announced Friday by the United Kingdom and the European Union. Putin and Lavrov are the highest ranking officials to be sanctioned by the United States in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It's unclear how much individual sanctions against Putin will accomplish, however. Putin publicly claims his salary of about $140,000 is his only source of income.
not exactly releasing information out of the kremlin in real time. And just because the president says something doesnt make it declassified.
The real question here is how hard do they search for his money. His money is buried in a bunch of accounts all over the world that belong to financial entities controlled by his allies and personal friends. Our intelligence services know at least some of this (Putin viewed the release of the Panama Papers as a direct attack on him by US intelligence). If we decide to really hunt down his money, things could get very interesting.
China State Banks Restrict Financing for Russian Commodities China State Banks Restrict Financing for Russian Commodities That is a surprise.
The Cuban middle crisis is something I also gave some thought to, but ultimately dismissed. That was in the middle of the Cold War. It has some relevance, but not enough to make your comparison. i appreciate and value open-mindedness, but when all is said and done, Russia invaded a sovereign nation to overthrow a democratically elected government. That’s just not defensible, it seems to me, and until these times, no American would suggest otherwise. Frankly, as a former service member in the 60’s, I’m shocked by it.
From CNN live update: " 92 Chernobyl power plant employees held hostage by Russian forces, Ukrainian Ambassador to the US says From CNN's Ellie Kaufman Ninety-two members of the Chernobyl power plant operational personnel are being held hostage by Russian forces, Ukrainian ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova said during a press conference in Washington, DC, on Friday. Because the power plant personnel are being held hostage, they are not able to work in shifts and follow the strict regulations that the power plant requires, she said. The responsibility of the power plant now “relies on Russian forces and Russian army,” Markarova said. Ukraine is reaching out to all nuclear regulators and other countries to alert them to the situation at Chernobyl, she added. “In defending these plants, we are trying to be very responsible and careful so there is no damage to it. We can’t say the same about the Russian federation, so that’s why we are warning and that’s why we’re reaching out to everyone,” Markarova said. "
So, wait...restrictions on commodities financing isn't a problem? I get he's squarely on Putin's side, but this won't be a problem? And even if it's small (which I have no idea) Putin can't be happy about it. Unless they're doing it to play both sides...still it's unexpected and shocking to see anything remotely resembling a consequence from China against Russia.
Everyone here knows how much I loath - yes, loath - Trump, but I honestly can't say his policies were totally off the rails. I agree, for example, we had to confront China's trade policies, but he went about it the wrong way. I agree we needed immigration reform, but, being motivated by racial animus, it was a disaster. He is an absolutely despicable human being, and how anyone can support him as POTUS is quite simply beyond my comprehension. Character, integrity, kindness and all the other attributes we admire, learn about in our places of worship and teach our kids matter in a President far more than his policies, about which reasonable people can differ. That's the essence of my loathing of Trump. He has none of them!
