REPUBLICANS WRONG AGAIN: Sanctions Force Putin To CALL Obama and PROPOSE Settlement

[Segami]

BAM!!!................



After seeing Obama’s sanctions take a bite out of the Russian economy, Putin blinked and called the president today with a settlement proposal to end the crisis in Ukraine. According to a readout of the call provided by the White House:

President Putin called President Obama today to discuss the U.S. proposal for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, which Secretary Kerry had again presented to Foreign Minister Lavrov at the meeting at the Hague earlier this week, and which we developed following U.S. consultations with our Ukrainian and European partners. President Obama suggested that Russia put a concrete response in writing and the presidents agreed that Kerry and Lavrov would meet to discuss next steps.


President Obama noted that the Ukrainian government continues to take a restrained and de-escalatory approach to the crisis and is moving ahead with constitutional reform and democratic elections, and urged Russia to support this process and avoid further provocations, including the buildup of forces on its border with Ukraine.


President Obama underscored to President Putin that the United States continues to support a diplomatic path in close consultation with the Government of Ukraine and in support of the Ukrainian people with the aim of de-escalation of the crisis. President Obama made clear that this remains possible only if Russia pulls back its troops and does not take any steps to further violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. President Obama reiterated that the United States has strongly opposed the actions that Russia has already taken to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Bloomberg reported that the sanctions are pushing Russia’s economy towards a recession and that current sanctions will already hurt Russia’s economic growth for two quarters. Experts also suggest that the energy sector of the Russian economy could take a big hit if the sanctions are expanded. All of the Republicans who suggested that sanctions have been a pointless failure are wrong. The sanctions are doing what they are supposed to do. Putin is coming to the table, and he suggesting that he is ready to solve this crisis diplomatically. President Obama hasn’t needed troops or to threaten militarily. His administration has clearly targeted Putin and the oligarchs that control the Russian economy. Republicans have been like fanboys with their praise of Putin’s strength, but it turns out their new hero has been being brought to his knees by the intelligent and determined foreign policy of Barack Obama.






http://www.politicususa.com/2014/03/28/republicans-wrong-again-sanctions-force-putin-call-obama-propose-settlement.html

[BeyondGeography]

1. Russia's gdp is slightly higher than Canada's with about 4X as many people

Just one way of looking at it...

[elleng]

2. Exactly!

[Segami]

3. “We’re witnessing the start of a new geopolitical and economic Cold War...

...and I think it will take at least two to three years to establish some sort of equilibrium,” he said. “The ones who’ll pay the bill for this aggression, no matter how popular and patriotic it looks, will be the Russian people because there’s a huge difference between the economic force of the EU and the U.S. and that of Russia.”


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-23/russia-staring-at-recession-on-sanctions-that-could-get-tougher.html

[genwah]

5. Not so much geopolitical as just economic. Once the multinationals realize that they CAN

get together and run everything...

[genwah]

4. Gee, imagine that. What no one on the We-Hate-Obamaz side realized is that the

Brits alone could cause the businesses of about 4-7 oligarchs to screech to a halt within days. Russia has the same problem we have, the big banks have their hand on the spigot

[Benton D Struckcheon]

6. Like I said,

...everyone underestimates Obama, until they run into his brick wall. Then they wonder what hit em.
There were other things besides the sanctions that made Putin blink, but bringing it up here would only get everyone riled up. It was pretty obvious what was going on if you paid attention though.

[Cha]

15. "..everyone underestimates Obama, until they run into his brick wall." I like the

you put that, Benton.

Too bad I would have liked to read what all else "made Putin blink."


"It was pretty obvious what was going on if you paid attention though." yeah, if you paid attention to the best source of information.

[BlackAndBeyond]

7. Little premature

Might be a little bit premature for a victory dance. Putin has already achieved his objective, and unless he withdraws completely from Crimea and returns it to the Ukraine, it's going to be hard to spin this a victory. Nevertheless, we can hopefully avoid an escalation.

[Segami]

8. Oh, I'm not ready to dance around the bon fire yet,..

...I'm just gonna sit and watch President Obama play Tri-Dimensional chess with Putin...

[go west young man]

9. Russian media is putting out a different report than the White House's.

http://rt.com/news/churkin-un-obama-putin-977/

Excerpt:

Churkin said that Western partners as well as Ukrainian representatives keep urging Russia to engage in a dialogue – at the same time turning a deaf ear to what Russia is saying.

“If you want dialogue, please respond to what we’ve been saying. They are responding, sometimes, but the response is that: ‘Well, but you know, the Ukrainians.. We understand the importance of constitution, but how can they do it now? Can they do this constitutional assembly? There is no one to organize the constitutional assembly!”

“Well, if there is nobody to organize, maybe this is exactly the role of the international community? This Compact support group we have been proposing to help them organize those things if there is nobody currently in Ukraine who can take this responsibility,” Churkin said.

“Our position is very clear,” Churkin said, adding it is “disappointing that those things which are obvious to us do not seem to sink in in the minds of our international interlocutors and our Ukrainian colleagues.”

[randome]

19. Of course RT would be pushing a different story.

They're funded by the government! Why would we expect anything different?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]A 90% chance of rain means the same as a 10% chance:
It might rain and it might not.[/center][/font][hr]

[Schema Thing]

10. huh? No one thinks he's giving back Crimea.

And we didn't start this, and it isn't war, so any good outcome that avoids war and hopefully further aggression from Putin are "a victory". No spinning needed.

[Iliyah]

11. K & R

And Pres O did it without the support of majority of the GOP party.

[7962]

12. I'll hold my applause until I'm sure Putin isnt going further into Ukraine.

You cannot trust the Russians. You cannot trust the Iranians either, as we'll soon see.

[iamthebandfanman]

13. Sanctions work.

Which is good news for peace loving peoples.

But, still a little too soon to celebrate I think.

We'll see.

[randome]

18. True, no reason to celebrate.

But we can give credit where credit is due. Events may still not work out the way Obama wants but they appear to be headed in that direction.

That's worth noting.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
Leonard Cohen, Anthem (1992)[/center][/font][hr]

[ProSense]

21. When

"But, still a little too soon to celebrate I think. "

...diplomacy remains on track, it's good news.

John Kerry Talks Ukraine With Russian's Foreign Minister, Reroutes Trip
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024749306

[Cha]

14. Republicons aren't the only ones who were Wrong on this..

I've seen it around here.. unless they're fucking recons in disguise.

[ProSense]

16. Hello, Republican Party? Mr. Putin holding on Line 1 for Mr. Obama

Hello, Republican Party? Mr. Putin holding on Line 1 for Mr. Obama
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/28/1288111/-Hello-Republican-Party-Mr-Putin-holding-on-Line-1-for-Mr-Obama

[randome]

17. "Hello, angry, self-absorbed DU detractors? Mr. Putin holding on Line 1 for Mr. Obama."

Sweet. Not bad for a 'piece of shit', huh?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]“If you're not committed to anything, you're just taking up space.”
Gregory Peck, Mirage (1965)[/center][/font][hr]

[Segami]

20. LOL!

[Hekate]

22. But...but... Obama wears Mom-jeans and Putin goes bare-chested bareback on a stallion!

The situation is still unfolding -- interesting times ahead, for sure.