But like they say, be careful of the quiet ones.
If NATO cannot deter Putin from taking Ukraine, I seriously doubt NATO can deter Putin from taking the Baltic states That's my point. That's why it is so important that Putin be deterred from taking Ukraine - this isn't only about Ukraine, it's also about all Russia's weak neighbors and whether he should be allowed to take them piecemeal. Although I will say that I doubt Ukraine ever regains the Crimea, which historically has belonged to Russia more often than to Ukraine, which Putin needs to support his port in bullying his neighbors, and which is now filled with ethnic Russians who want to be part of Mother Russia. Morally I think it should belong to Ukraine because of the relatively recent genocide against the Tartars, but I don't see how we manage that without forcibly taking it away.
I suspect that the fledgling Russian Empire will grow quite a bit before it feels froggy about Finland again.There were voluntary military exercises this weekend for me. I refused to go, felt lazy and the invitation was before this Russian aggression. Maybe I should've gone to learn the use of the new anti-tank weapon NLAW. Who knows I might need the skills soon.
Yep. Sending troops into Ukraine would be considered a provocation (as well as being pointless since Putin already has troops in place to invade on a moment's notice) whereas sending troops from one NATO country to another is perfectly normal.The US sent 600 troops (I think total 700 for NATO forces?) and warship(s) to the Baltics early this week.
At least we see that the situation is being treated differently within NATO countries.
Putin refusing to speak to Washington now is certainly not good. It's the type of thing that leads me to think that invasion is imminent.
I suspect that the fledgling Russian Empire will grow quite a bit before it feels froggy about Finland again.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you.
yes, I do doubt that Putin is this stupid, but word from my sources in Latvia are that everyone pretty much assumes Putin will be sending his army in relatively soon.
You see, unlike the fantasy world where people like senseamp believe this to be "ancient history," nearly everyone alive today, in those countries, know full well what it is like to be invaded and occupied by Russia.
You are conflating separate questions.
Crimean Tatar deportation is ancient history.
Tell that to the Tatars alive, today, that witnessed their families being taken from them. Tell that to those deported and survived, who either fled back to Crimea or live wandering in the barren shithole that is....almost the entirety of Mother Russia.
Crimean Tatar deportation is ancient history.
This guy was already deported in 1944.http://www.euronews.com/2014/04/22/crimean-authorities-move-against-tatars-and-their-leader/
Ukrainian citizen and leader of the Crimean Tatars, Mustafa Dzhemilev, has been handed a document on the Ukrainian border informing him he is banned by federal law from entering Russian territory for five years.
There were voluntary military exercises this weekend for me. I refused to go, felt lazy and the invitation was before this Russian aggression. Maybe I should've gone to learn the use of the new anti-tank weapon NLAW. Who knows I might need the skills soon.
...Chile?
This guy was already deported in 1944.
So let's do a recap:
"Freedom fighters" take over Ukraine
Russia enters Crimea to secure $B's in Russian military assets
Crimea residents vote to join Russia
Crimea joins Russia
US is mad????
I heard an interview with a resident of Crimea. He was a school teacher. He said the Russian pay for a teacher was 4x higher than in the Ukraine plus they get a sizable pension. I think I'd be voting for an annex to Russia as well.
Your recap is missing a few details. cubby1223 is online now Report Post
So let's do a recap:
"Freedom fighters" take over Ukraine
Russia enters Crimea to secure $B's in Russian military assets
Crimea residents vote to join Russia
Crimea joins Russia
US is mad????
I heard an interview with a resident of Crimea. He was a school teacher. He said the Russian pay for a teacher was 4x higher than in the Ukraine plus they get a sizable pension. I think I'd be voting for an annex to Russia as well.
there are a lot of crimean tatars who live in uzbekistan because they never went back to the crimean peninsula
Well, it seems that things are about to get nasty.
The US is refusing to allow Russian banks into FATCA verification. That basically means any transfers of US money to Russian banks gets a 30% tax. Any bank that wants to remain exempt can't act as a gateway either. That starts in July.
So what's next?
Russia is the #2 exporter of crude oil, and the #1 producer of crude oil. #1 exporter is Saudi Arabia. You rarely see this in the media - the only thing that gets mentioned is the amount of natural gas Russia sells, primarily to europe.
My guess is we'll have average $4/gal gas within a month from now. On Feb 7th the US national gas price average was 3.26, today its 3.66. That happened just on talk, and I think $4 will happen just on talk as well.
If Putin responds in kind by stopping oil (and nat gas) shipments to the west for lets say, 6 months...
And if you think they can't, consider this: Russia has about $550B in foreign reserves. That's about how much they export each year (of everything). Literally speaking, the Kremin could purchase all that oil and gas from its major oil producers for 6 months.
So, what does everyone think will happen to gas prices?
If it hits $8/gal, how many people will just stop going to work because of the expense? What will be the effect on the US economy, world economy, if the line labelled "Russia" in the chart below goes to zero for a bit?