Russian forces tighten grip on Crimea despite U.S. warning

By Alissa de Carbonnel
Mar 9, 2014

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine Sun Mar 9, 2014 9:25am EDT

(Reuters) - Russian forces tightened their grip on Crimea on Sunday despite a U.S. warning to Moscow that annexing the southern Ukrainian region would close the door to diplomacy in a tense East-West standoff.

Russian forces' seizure of the Black Sea peninsula has been bloodless but tensions are mounting following the decision by pro-Russian groups that have taken over the regional parliament to make Crimea part of Russia.

The operation to seize Crimea began within days of Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich's flight from the country last month. Yanukovich was toppled after three months of demonstrations against a decision to spurn a free trade deal with the European Union for closer ties with Russia.

In the latest armed action, Russians took over a Ukrainian border post on the western edge of Crimea at around 6 a.m. (0400) GMT, trapping about 30 personnel inside, a border guard spokesman said.

The spokesman, Oleh Slobodyan, said Russian forces now controlled 11 border guard posts across Crimea, a former Russian territory that is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet and has an ethnic Russian majority.


(Excerpt)

Read more:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/09/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSBREA1Q1E820140309

To quote the German government in regard to the imposed referendum by Putin's' Russia, "Holding it violates the Ukrainian constitution and international law."

 

Is there anybody that expected Obama's threat to de-friend Putin on Facebook to amount to anything more than a punchline?

 

I say Bankrupt the Russian Federation, the same way we bankrupted the U.S.S.R.
link

 

The US have no power in this. Europe is affected much more than they want. Putin can (*)(*)(*)(*) them up without firing a single bullet if there is any serious sanctions.

This isn't a backwater country with little influence. It is an energy super power.

 

Crimea historically belongs to Russia. Israel ought to do the same to those silly Palestinians who are squatting on ancestral land that never really belonged to them anyway.

 

We're a bigger energy Super Power. Just off the coast of Florida alone, we have enough oil to flood the markets to where oil prices around the world would collapse and send the Russian economy into a tailspin.

 

this is NOT about the US. The US is not at stake here. Europe is.

Germany and France and other Euro countries have much more to lose than US.

This is not your call.

You cannot guarantee Europe energy dependence from Russia.

 

Oooh. Gooood point.

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That is one whopper of a naive view of geo-politics.

Now you creep somewhat closer to a defensible position. We all have much to lose, so why would you begrudge the US in making moves to 'not lose' at all?

Thanks, Cap'n Obvious.

And?

 

Because for sanctions to be effective you need your allies to be on board. You aren't going to get your sanctions to be effective when Europe refuses.

 

How do you know they will? Europe is exceedingly nervous to have the 'new' USSR right on their doorstep. You don't think accommodations could be made? You are unwilling to even try?

Sanctions is not the only route to take here. Nosocialism.com identified a really good strategy, in fact.

 

You are obviously too "pro merika" to realize how naive you sound.

Germany and France will never allow tough sanctions towards Russia.

 

Baseless insult noted. Since I served overseas - and you didn't - you'd be best served checking the mirror for the definition of that word.

You have no idea what Germany and France would allow, nor what strategy could be adopted. You don't sound willing to even fight.

In fact, you were the one not three days ago explaining how Russia wasn't doing anything in Crimea.

 

that is a simple reality that most people don't want to notice, he is a bad dictator. The oil soviet union is back. Do you know about the invadion os czechoslovakia decades ago?

 

So you wasted your whole life being a glorified government thug for uncle sam. Am I supposed to think you were smart for being a target dummy?

 

Trouble is, gee whiz, if we did that, it would make Canadian oil too expensive to produce, and they would be in the same tailspin.
This is the fun of the whole debacle, and I think that Putin is getting a good laugh out of it. Everyone wants to threaten economic repercussions and rattle sabers, but no-one can move against Russia without shooting themselves in the foot.
I suspect that this will take some time to play out, and there will be some surprises for all except Putin. He is posing a riddle for everyone to figure out....

 

Wasted my whole life? I am retired Army Ranger and was involved in a number of 'interesting' missions. One of them protected an entire school full of Iraqi kids. If you think that was 'thuggery' and 'being a 'target dummy', I guess that you're entitled to your opinion.

Just understand the cowardice and total ignorance behind the thought.

 

Not if the alliance of energy producers pooled their efforts and shared technology.

 

Comments such are those are populous after all, it's easy for a "internet warrior" to trash the military, and all those who served overseas in various capacities. But Madam Palin is correct: Without those brave men and women who served at the front, our security would be less secure. This, with antagonizing nations not merely Russia but China/North Korea. The risk of nuclear warheads in the hands of terrorists, etc.

Where I disagree with the Madam, is that I don't love the military. That is to say, I'd never call a war "God's plan" . I understand its necessity and its function, but I love the country it protects: America. I respect the military, I don't love it.

And to those cowards who want to bow away from Russia: If we bow away, we'll be forced to consider even worse contingencies down the road. We must face down Russia and Putin here, and tell them unequivocally: NO. The Monroe Doctrine and the Marshall Plan are etched in American history, we must defend the European motherland from which we're apart. No to Crimea, no to Ukraine. We are NOT revisiting 1939, and if we must, it will be with the same results: An American victory.

 

Good for you. Your fellow military personell are still responsible for killing thousands of innocent civillians. But hey if you want to remember the one time you were there on the good side, be my guest. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

 

Despite their ever tightening "grip" have the several thousand armed men we constantly see photos of, killed, or even injured, anyone?

Or have the thousands upon thousands of aggrieved "rebels" hurt anybody? (Both these questions are after November 13)

This seems a damned strange rebellion OR invasion.

I don't want to be put in the conspiracy section but, given that all these soldiers don't have any insignia, couldn't this whole thing be staged with Americans et al, brought in? In fact, couldn't the whole thing be actually photographed somewhere in Wyoming? It's truly remarkable what you can do with Photoshop nowadays.

(Now next I'll be asking if the Crimea really exists, I mean, have you ever gotten a letter from there? )

 

I laugh at the cowardice of those who cannot even begrudgingly understand that their freedoms are enjoyed due to the loss of blood and life of people like me, and think nothing of demonizing that which they do not understand.

You are on ignore.

 

Oh you have all of the answers. And jf your proposal had any legit truth, it would still take quite a few time to set all of that up. So what do these countries do in the meantime?

 

We didn't bankrupt the USSR.

 

Okay. I laugh at all of the mongrels who believe the Iraq war was a war for freedom.
Every single American soldier in the Iraq war died in vain. Died for nothing.

 

The Europeans have a big problem described in three sentences.

Putin is aggressively reconstituting the old Russian Empire - at least.
Hussein Obama is taking America into isolationism.
Europe, while not even remotely ready, is on its own.