Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Putin Backs Down by Infidel753




Blogger Infidel753, who actually knows what he's talking about when it comes to the Russian/Ukraine conflict, has posted this over at his blog:

"The conflict in eastern Ukraine isn't over yet, but we already know who one of the victors is: President Obama. 

As Thomas Friedman observed this week in a widely-cited column, Putin has backed down. He has withdrawn Russian forces from the Ukrainian border and back to their bases. He declared last week that he would recognize the outcome of Ukraine's election on Sunday, though even then it was expected that the nationalist Poroshenko would win (and he did). Even as the Ukrainian government brought the full weight of its military into action to smash the "pro-Russian separatists" (actually Russian agents), killing dozens of them in the battle to recapture Donetsk airport alone, and Poroshenko declared that there will be no negotiation with "bandits", Putin has done nothing. He may manage to hold Crimea, but his effort to subvert and seize the rich industrial regions of eastern Ukraine seems to have been abandoned. 

The only plausible explanation for this dramatic change in policy is the effectiveness of the economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the US and its allies. Powerful Russian oligarchs have felt serious threats to their personal wealth, while the Russian stock market and the value of the ruble have been battered. Beyond that, Europe has taken steps to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, undermining not only Putin's main economic counter-weapon against the West, but also a formerly-reliable source of revenue. Much publicity has attended Russia's recent gas deal with China, a substitute market -- but the prices agreed will mean a distinctly sub-par profit. Putin was wise to conclude that pursuing the seizure of eastern Ukraine was not worth the economic costs the West had shown itself able to exact. 

It can't be coincidence, either, that just this week Obama delivered a much-commented speech at West Point declaring that, while the US must continue to lead the world and defend human rights and Western values, military force will play a smaller role in that leadership than it has done in the past, with "soft power" coming to the fore. The speech drew the expected attacks from Republicans who believe any American response to an international challenge is a failure unless it involves bombing the crap out of something -- but if American and European economic pressure can make a nation as mighty as Russia abandon military aggression, then the day of "soft power" has truly arrived."


Please go to Infidel753's blog and the links he provided in his report.


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Below is a list, with links and comments, of rightwingers on the Ukraine situation and their noninsightful opinions on how President Obama handled the situation.  They all condemn Mr. Obama's reaction as weak, pathetic, or ineffective.  But as we now know, those bloggers didn't know what they were blathering about.   All they knew was that President Obama, along with NATO allies, issued sanctions, and that was enough for them to tell each other that those sanctions would be ineffectual and accomplish nothing, all the while supporting the ex-KGB Communist against our own president.  

They weren't the only stooges doing this.  All of the conservative punditocracy and politicians chimed in with their withering condemnations of President Obama for not marching into the Crimea and shooting Putin in his nads to show the world what defenders of democracy America is.

President Obama has been vindicated and proved to be the measured, temperate and correct leader who was not willing to drag this country into a war with Russia.  

Here are the people who mocked this prudent and, in the end, best outcome for America's interests:

GONE IN 60 SECONDS


The Personification of Ineptitude


Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war



The Steak Knife and the Cupcake


Crimea River




Here are some of their wrong predictions and assertions.  President Obama, in the end, has proved them to be naive, unwise, and lacking understanding in complicated foreign policy problems -- know-nothings with opinions.








Oh Boy, Obama just announced sanctions against Russia! I bet that they are shaking in their boots.

Another slap on the Bear's wrist.





The larger point in all of this is the complete collapse of a coherent US foreign policy.

Why isn't anyone calling for Mr. Heinz Kerry to resign?

Our intelligence apparatus is too focused on spying on Americans and chasing goat herders, and our diplomatic corps is incompetent, almost criminally so.

We are off the rails. George Bush wielded a big stick and bellowed at the top of his lungs and didn't give a damn what other countries thought.

Barack Obama threw the big stick in the wood chipper and whispered sweet nothings into the world's ear.

Can we get some balance here? Is it too much to ask for some adult leadership and basic competence in our government?









HERE'S THE DEAL AS I SEE IT:

Could the WHITE HOUSE have said nothing throughout this Ukraine/Crimea situation?

I think not

Could the WHITE HOUSE have not threatened?

yes...it's the finger-wagging threats that have us looking weak right now
Ukraine: Putin pulls Russian troops back from eastern border


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Ukraine: Putin pulls Russian troops back from eastern border



Putin: Troops have pulled back from Ukraine border





14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wrong on the ACA, wrong on the debt ceiling, wrong on Benghazi (it's not a scandal), wrong on the IRS (it's not a scandal), wrong on the Ukraine. So far the loony right's batting 1,000.

Don't forget these people believed Sarah Palin was smarter than President Obama.

Les Carpenter said...

My own views are that Crimea and the Ukraine are not in our sphere of influence and therefore should be low priority, certainly nothing to rattle our sabers over.

It is easy to criticize when one has no responsibilty for initiating action, and many do. I dare most do at one time or the other.

In regards to this situation, the President, at the end of the day called it right. Our nation should be grateful, including the righty-tighties that did all the bitchin. As the Sage FreeThinke is noted for saying... only the results matter.

Infidel753 said...

Shaw, Thanks for the link.

I've never yet seen any of the right-wing complainers state what specific actions they think Obama should have taken that he hasn't. Should we have used or threatened military force against a country with 8,000 nuclear weapons? Do these people realize that not all foreign countries are like Iraq or Grenada?

Don't forget these people believed Sarah Palin was smarter than President Obama.

I'm trying to imagine what would have happened if Palin had been President during the Ukrainian crisis, but I just can't. The world dodged a bullet there.

okjimm said...

'Sarah Palin was smarter than President Obama.'

sheesh....Sarah Palin is smarter than most bath soaps....but not by much. And bath soaps do not need six colleges for a degree in cleaning.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anon @7:29, the extremists on the right have only one goal, and that's to demonize everything President Obama does.

Reasonable people have no problem with legitimate criticism of his policies--I have them myself, but the constant belligerent howling about every single thing he or his wife says or does destroys their credibility.


RN, I don't anticipate any of the folks who mocked the president's prudent policy in this instance will do any mea culpas. They never give credit to the guy when he gets something right.

Infidel753, a majority of Americans knew what an utter disaster Palin was. What is puzzling is the number of people who didn't.

Ray Cranston said...

I’m sure Anonymous is right. More people died in consulate and embassy attacks during Georgie Bushie's administration.

Veterans died in the VA hospitals during Georgie Bushie's administration--Walter Reed scandal for example, and it will be perfectly acceptable for future conservative dumbasses to pretend those things didn't happen.

It is also possible that Anonymous is a typical "libtard," which means that he or she understands the duplicitious hackery of those who continue to be blind to reality.

(O)CT(O)PUS said...

No offense, people. I'd rather talk about Obama's cautious and thoughtful handling of the Ukraine situation than give attention to village idiots who think their dog is smarter than your honor student.

BB-Idaho said...

A fan of entertainment, I am waiting for the GOP/TP response to the release of Sgt. Bergdahl
after 5 years in Taliban hands...
probably an imagined impeachment
offense?

Lisa said...

You are funny Shaw

Dervish Sanders said...

If only Obama had gotten us out of Afghanistan a lot earlier instead of "surging". But it's obviously easier to get into a war than out of one. "Soft power" is indeed the way to go. Likely more drones as well, but that isn't so smart IMO. Not that drones couldn't be used smartly, but I don't think our government is doing that currently.

Anonymous said...

The man who made the comment including "the complete collapse of a coherent US foreign policy" must be extremely intelligent.

But, careful. You copied and pasted Kurt Silverfiddle's words without attribution. Octo would call that plagiarism.

;-)

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anonymous @3:36 PM.

Plagiarism is taking someone else's ideas or words and passing them off as one's own.

In my post I clearly state this:

"Below is a list, with links and comments, of rightwingers on the Ukraine situation and their noninsightful opinions on how President Obama handled the situation. They all condemn Mr. Obama's reaction as weak, pathetic, or ineffective. But as we now know, those bloggers didn't know what they were blathering about. All they knew was that President Obama, along with NATO allies, issued sanctions, and that was enough for them to tell each other that those sanctions would be ineffectual and accomplish nothing, all the while supporting the ex-KGB Communist against our own president."

I CLEARLY state those ideas and words are not mine.

So, if you're not S.F., how do you know they're his?

Please read up on what plagiarism is before you accuse someone of engaging in it.

And yes, I accept your apology. Everyone goofs up once in a while.

Anonymous said...

I didn't apologize.

And lighten up!

;-)

Shaw Kenawe said...

I have to lighten up? YOU, Anon, came here and suggested what I wrote would be called plagiarism by (O)CT(O).

All I responded with is a definition of what plagiarism is.

I'm as light a baby's sigh.