Russian “armed invasion”; Obama “deeply concerned”
Fox News reports that armed Russian troops have landed in the Crimea, but don’t worry because the White House tells us that our President is “deeply concerned” about the developments;
At the White House, President Obama said the U.S. government is “deeply concerned” by reports of Russian “military movements” and warned any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty would be “deeply destabilizing.”
“There will be costs” for any military intervention, he said, without specifying what those costs might be.
U.S. officials told Fox News they see “evidence of air and maritime movement into and out of Crimea by Russian forces” although the Pentagon declined to officially “characterize” the movement.
Agence France Press quoted a top Ukranian official as saying Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops have landed at a military air base near the regional capital of the restive Crimean peninsula.
No one can seem to get a reaction about the armed invasion from Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, but he was reportedly rolling on the floor laughing his ass off. It’s not that I want Obama to do anything about this, it’s way too late for that. But, you know if he had any credibility in dealing with other nations, this might not have happened in the first place. We went from being the leader of the free world to being the laughing stock of our opponents. So, let’s just sit back and watch the EU and NATO deal with this one. From AFP;
Obama recognized that Russia had interests and cultural and economic ties with Ukraine, and also had a military facility in Crimea, which was ceded to the Soviet republic of Ukraine by the Soviet Union in 1954.
But he said any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be “deeply destabilizing.”
“The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine,” Obama said.
Yeah, this one will work out great.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Foreign Policy
Nice Monday morning quarterbacking.
For “paramilitaries” they have excellent trigger discipline because you’ll see their fingers laying flat against their AK’s. This is so classic that anyone with half a brain can see this coming and script it out.
How dare you sir!
Obama is deeply concerned about the people of the Ukraine!
So concerned that he will go out fund raising tonight!
https://twitter.com/chucktodd/status/439528424194179073
What more do you want from this dedicated, smartest man in the room, Constitutional scholar and dedicated public servant?
Sheez.
“At the White House, President Obama said the U.S. government is “deeply concerned” by reports of Russian “military movements” and warned any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty would be “deeply destabilizing.”
Who writes this crap for Obama? Who ever it is, is sitting back in their office snickering till milk comes out their nose as they listen to him. What an absolute fool he makes of himself and our nation in the opinion of the world.
Deeply concerned- Check
Military movements- check
Deeply destabilizing- Check
Dick head- Check
Putin dreams of bitch slapping him- Check
Everyone who works for him dreams of bitch slapping him- Check
I pray to God Almighty that the Obama-Kerry-Biden Circus doesn’t goatfuck us all into World War Three in the next week. You just never know with these fuckwits.
A policy of appeasement historically has had dire consequences. This has some very faint similarities with the 1930s. An emasculated former power seeking redemption; everyone else sick of more war after the last one; cuts to the military; invasion of a country seeking freedom (Czchec back then); Neville Chamberline aka Obama, etc.
I’m a history nerd, so perhaps only I am reading too much into things!
as a peacenik and lefty whose club meets down stairs from the anarchist’s turn left at the anti-globalists’s , two doors down, on your left, i must say your reading is correct. it’s a nice play by Putin. He will grab, in exactly the same way Hitler, “former Soviet Russian Holdings, as he pleases, because as you say, we all is TIRED of war, (for now) i don’t think Putin has Plans to go on to romania and poland though. i think he will be satisfied with half of Ukraine.
But that’s what Chamberlain said. Disturbing thoughts as i head towards Berchtesgaden and the Eagle’s nest for a month of work, and then a month in Slowakia in Sept. , with only Romania between me and ????????? with a blue passport
Relax world, Vlad has everything under control, dear comrades! 😉
#1, Joe, it would be Monday morning quarterbacking if I hadn’t predicted this, our current status in the world, since 2008.
After delivering his statement of “concern”, Barrycade went to a dem fundraiser, and proclaimed that it was 5pm and Happy Hour could now commence. What a leader!!! What a man!!!
Vlad to Barry… “Do you feel lucky, Punk?”
@6. Who is appeasing whom? We have no mutual-protection pact with Ukraine and we’re in no position to be threatening anyone. Phuk em.
Sparks, I’m not particularly fond of Putin, but I would pay to see him bitchslap the Glorious Leader.
Putin’s a totalitarian asshole, but he is smart, likes his own country, and he has balls. Obama is a totalitarian asshole who only thinks he’s smart, dislikes his own country, and never had any balls, ever.
Since he didn’t get his war with Syria, I guess the idiot-in charge will resort to poking the bear directly to get his money making conflict. Stupid fucking sociopath needs to look up the word “hubris” before his believing his own bullshit gets us all killed. I think this turd really does think he is the Messiah, the only reason I can come up with to provide a rational explanation for some of his actions.
OR, he could be just talking out of his ass, and not going to do anything but blow hot air.
@11… Why do you bring up mutual protection pacts? That was WWI (exactly 100 years ago). In the 1930s, Germany moved in to various places ie Austria, Czech, etc while blatantly violating its treaty obligations. At each phase, Europe expressed concern but was content to listen to Germany’s explanations that they had nothing to fear. It wasn’t until the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939 did they finally get it.
I am guilty of agreeing with your attitude of let Ukraine deal with it’s own problems, but again, I suspect this is the same attitude prevalent in the 1930s and big picture may not be the best thing.
@13, I’ll go with your second option.
I can’t help but notice how VWPussy avoids these threads like the plague. Could it be that he/she/it can’t stomach the fact that his/her/its beloved Eunuch-in-Chief might get us into a war that would be far more needless and nasty than Iraq on its worst day?
Well at least the Olympics are already over, so he can’t boycott them in protest ala Jimmy Carter.
And he can’t recall our ambassador as that portfolio remains unfilled.
I’m sure Obama is looking around for a piece of paper to wave around as he declares we will have “peace in our time” while Vlad gobbles up more territory.
If Mooch would let POTUS have his balls for the night, we might have a different outcome.
Guaranteed, our spec ops troops are all over this. Right? Wait, they’re budget has been cut.
Carry on…
I wonder how this is going to turn out. Hopefully Ukraine will be able to outmaneuver Ivan and keep this from snowballing.
@4: Hilarious little checklist. I feel like we need to put that on the official White House daily schedule.
Putin must really be afraid now after Dear Leader’s FU, Strong Message Follows. Oh, wait, Barry is a proven pussy on the international stage and Putin knows it. Now, if Moochelle had said that, Putin might listen.
I’m personally really concerned … what about my Ukranian bride? … 🙁 *raises fist* NOOOOOOOOOOOOO …
Man this administration is something else … can they do ANYTHING right?
Here’s my prediction.
1. Russia occupies the Crimea. They keep a strict “hands off” on other Ukrainian territory.
2. Russia cows the Ukraine with a bit of sabre-rattling.
3. After a while, a referendum is held in the Crimea. They vote to rejoin Russia. (Remember: nearly 60% of the Crimean population is ethnically Russian, and the Crimea has historically had far more linkage to Russia than the Ukraine. It’s a historical accident that they’re today part of the Ukraine.)
4. Using the results of that referendum, Russia annexes the Crimea. They keep “hands off’ of other Ukrainian territory.
5. The rest of the world grumbles, but eventually accepts this fait accompli.
My guess is that this is precisely what Putin had in mind. Love or hate him, he’s looking out for his own nation – with one eye on history, and the other on today.
Hondo, I think Putin may slice off a bit of the eastern Ukraine; pretty much the (say) 15% or so which is majority ethnic Russian.
I read (@Bring the Heat perhaps)that a lot of Ukrainians speak fluent Russian, so I’m not sure how accurate quoted proportions are.
@14. I could have just as well called it a mutual defense treaty as a mutual protection pact. My point is that we are under no obligation by treaty to come to Ukraine’s defense against Russian incursion. That’s all. I see no reason whatsoever for us to involve ourselves in that regional issue. And I still don’t know how appeasement factors into this.
Followup to Cmt 24. I should add that I am not at all in the camp of certainty that the rebellious Ukrainians are justified in their violence and don’t deserve a good ass kicking.
2/17 Air Cav: the “appeasement” argument can be made, and is plausible. However, there’s one thing that is often overlooked.
In 1938, Czechoslovakia’s fate was a vital concern for European nations. Less persuasively, one can argue that the Ukraine is similarly a vital concern for Europe today. Thus, “appeasement” in either case is a valid criticism – from the European point of view.
However: in 1938, Czechoslovakia was not a US vital concern – as the Ukraine isn’t today. Therefore, from the US point of view, what happens in the Ukraine may be regrettable, but isn’t a matter of real concern to the US. The same was true from the US point of view concerning Czechoslovakia in 1938.
In short: the “appeasement” argument is valid today – perhaps – for Europe, as it was for Europe in 1938. It is equally invalid for the US today. It was similarly invalid when applied to the US in 1938.
The US had no business getting involved in Czechoslovakia in 1938; that was not a US vital interest at the time. The same is true of the Ukraine today.
@6: Yeah, I’m a history buff as well and this sounds eerily familiar.
@8: Sarah Palin predicted this exact thing back in 2008 and was quickly ridiculed and mocked by the self proclaimed intellectually superior elitist progressives. they all thought they were much smarter than her. Seems they all need to belly up to the table for a steaming helping of crow.
@11: Um, yes we do. We signed it in 1994. From the Daily Mail:
“A treaty signed in 1994 by the US and Britain could pull both countries into a war to protect Ukraine if Putin’s troops intervene.
The Budapest Memorandum was signed by Bill Clinton, John Major, Boris Yeltsin and Leonid Kuchma – the then-rulers of the USA, UK, Russia and Ukraine – as part of the denuclearization of former Soviet republics after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Technically it means that if Russia has invaded Ukraine then it would be difficult for the US and Britain to avoid going to war.”
Putin’s troops have intervened and we will either live up to our agreement, or we will be viewed as more untrustworthy than we already are with our soon to be former allies. At the very least it means that no one can trust us to live up to our obligations.
I respectfully object to some previous posters referring to Mr. Obama as “emasculated”.
One cannot emasculate an individual that never possessed testicles.
Here ended the lesson.
@18 Close, but instead of “peace in our time” we get “uncontested arrival” in lieu of “invasion”. Ain’t semantics grand?
http://hotair.com/archives/2014/02/28/u-s-assessment-of-crimea-this-isnt-an-invasion-its-an-uncontested-arrival/
@27 – Trooper — From the ever-lovable Wiki
The Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances is an international treaty signed on February, 5, 1994, in Budapest between Ukraine, USA, Russia, and the United Kingdom concerning nuclear disarmament of Ukraine and security assurances of her independence. According to the treaty Ukraine has abandoned her nuclear arsenal to Russia, while Russia, USA, and the UK have promised:
to respect Ukrainian independence and sovereignty within its existing borders;
to protect Ukraine from outer aggression and not to conduct aggression toward Ukraine;
not to put economic pressure on Ukraine in order to influence her politics;
not to use nuclear arms against Ukraine.
I wonder if the Conservative press will bring this up? I wonder what the White House will say? It pains me to say, it doesn’t matter what the WH says because they have no credibility and for that reason their words will not change what Mr. Putin does.
obama to Putin,
This time I ain’t kidding! This time I ain’t just spray painting all over some railroad box car!
This time it’s for real! I’m spraying a red line in the sand! If you cross that red line… OK, I’m going to spray a second red line, I dare you!
Hmm, I’m going to spray a third yellow line! …Damn I’m running out of spray paint. (Phone call: ring, ring.) Hey Joe and John K., check your garages, do you have any white spray paint?
All the world leaders are snickering at the “Three Stooges” I guess we can too!
I hope the irony of announcing to cut the a10 a week ago because it was obsolete due to the cold war being over and no Russian aggression is lost to these twats obama and hagle.
A List of the Most Commonly Used Phrases at the UN:
Grave concern (is there any other kind?)
Deep(ly) concern
Deep(ly)regret
Strongly deplore
Solemnly warned
Growing anxiety
Extreme violation
Disproportionate
@32 that was my first thought.
Better look out boys and girls, if the toothless Chiwawa in chief gets any more peeved he might have to fly off to Hawaii again!
Well, what do you guys expect from someone whose nuts are in his wife’s purse?
This kind of thing is going to go on for some time, and the USofA will sit on its thumbs and sniffle in dismay.
I found those videos of Russian helicopters flying in formation to be as disturbing as you can get, but nothing will be done to get Vlad to step back by this administration, because bodaprez is just another neutered sebaka.