I would wager quite a bit that Putin/Russia is only interested in Crimea. The warm water port would be a huge addition to Russia and from what I understand Crimea would be rather easy to absorb due to most of the residents being very pro-russia.
It will send a msg how toothy they are imo. If they lack teeth expect more expansion into Ukraine imo. I think we need to nip this in the ass right now before he rolls right up to Poland.
Putin sees the USA reducing our military and it just sends a message that we are all chickens and will do nothing. Meanwhile everywhere in Europe, Russian Oil is on sale. If I was a terrorist, I would attack their oil industry. That would cripple both the EU and the Russians but that is their problem.
I can't possibly fathom what you're basing this on. It seems like wishful thinking combined with partisanship. If you look at Obama's foreign policy record he has been quite successful, with the notable exception of Syria. Putin's actions here are likely screwing Russia long term, I feel it is likely that he is just in a bad spot where he feels like he can't do anything else.
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It's some guy in the government running his big mouth, Russia already said he is speaking for himself and not the Russian government. There is a lot of inflammatory rhetoric and loose words that make the news. Reality is always far less dramatic than Cold War rhetoric the media covers.
Yet our Dear Leader's media spews tons of garbage insinuating the impeachment was legal. I read the Ukraine constitution last night and it's pretty clear as to what has to happen, and their president was not impeached. Not even close, really. Yet all of the liberal outlets have huge headlines direct from our Dear Leader's mouth claiming it was all legal....
So now, since legally yanukovych is still president, Ukraine is at a point where it's going through a "forceful takeover" by the people....... So what would you expect russia to do with one of their top foreign interests??
And even then, he specifically sends troops with NO insignia, shit half of them don't even have bullets!
If roles were reversed, and a US friendly country had this going on, we would have drones over there killing innocents right and left, soldiers kicking down doors, and bringing our military up 100%, all while showing propoganda on CNN about WMDs and gearing up for another stupid pointless war.
I think russia's reaction is actually fairly reasonable. It's not like putin is putting in a new president or some crap, all his people are doing is guarding russia-financed military installations.
Any links to where you get some of these ideas?
Seriously, I'd like to understand where you're coming from.
Where in Russia are you currently stationed?
Ukraine and Russia will negotiate a mutually acceptable solution, most likely preservation of status quo on Russian fleet and keeping NATO out of the Crimea, in exchange for Russia taking Crimean independence off the table.
Any links to where you get some of these ideas?
Seriously, I'd like to understand where you're coming from.
Where in Russia are you currently stationed?
It isn't about that, it's about showing the rest of his political tribe that he's against Obama. Doesn't matter if he's cheering on thugs who run other countries against the interests of his own so long as his domestic political enemies are wrong and bad.
So I assume you're conceding that Europe has been vocal in their support of Obama now? Not sure how you missed all that.
The ball won't be in Putin's court, the US and Europe will start sanctioning Russia. I'm interested to see how toothy those sanctions are. That will say a lot.
Crimea can benefit from BOTH Russian fleet's presence as leverage with Kiev, and from Ukraine's closer ties with the west, especially financial aid and increased tourism. It's going to be like a spoiled child with two divorced parents each outdoing each other to win their favor. They are doing a good job playing their cards for maximum leverage.
Apparently one of the biggest issues with this revolution is the right to bear arms... Claims that these fights happened with molotov cocktails and homemade devices, and it's not right for the people to have such a disparity of power against their government.
Interesting how so much of this concept rings home here in the US.
Crimea isn't going to get a say in this.
They are either going to do what Kiev says or what Moscow says. At the moment they are going to have to do what Moscow says, and I'm guessing that it's going to stay that way.
It isn't about that, it's about showing the rest of his political tribe that he's against Obama. Doesn't matter if he's cheering on thugs who run other countries against the interests of his own so long as his domestic political enemies are wrong and bad.
If that was the case, Russia wouldn't be putting in the effort to propagandize and shape public opinion in Crimea, and offering them aid. Crimeans are going to decide this.
Shaping public opinion by stationing an army there? Crimeans are going to decide whatever Moscow instructs them. You have to ignore decades of history to believe otherwise.
If that was the case, Russia wouldn't be putting in the effort to propagandize and shape public opinion in Crimea, and offering them aid. Crimeans are going to decide this.