President Obama can rightly be called the talk man. He is all talk and no action. Someone might tell him some day that it won’t be his words that count but what he did. Right now he is giving Ukraine to Russia.
February 21: Call # 1 President Obama calls Dictator Putin – A One Hour Call – Political Settlement?
In his first call on February 21 by President Obama to Russian Dictator Putin it was reported they agreed that a political settlement should come about. Susan Rice said: “that in Obama’s phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday the two agreed that a political settlement in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, should ensure the unity of the country and the right of Ukrainians to express their free will.”
February 23: Susan Rice – Grave Mistake?
On Sunday, February 23 Susan Rice when asked if President Obama feared Russian sending troops into Ukraine said: “That would be a grave mistake. It’s not in the interest of Ukraine or of Russia or of Europe or the United States to see the country split”. I guess that shows how much our national security adviser knows about Russia.
February 28 – Russia Invades Ukraine’s Section of Crimea:
Less than a week later on February 28 the Russian troops invaded Crimea.
February 28: President Obama – Deep Concern and Costs?
President Obama said he was ““deeply concerned by reports of military movements” and that there “will be costs for any military intervention.”” He must have been referring to what people call “hidden costs.” We’ve yet to see any.
March 1: Call # 2 President Obama calls Dictator Putin – A 90 Minute Call – Find A Different Path?
President Obama again calls Putin. He said “it was imperative to find a different path, to roll back this invasion and undo this act of invasion.” Apparently nothing said about grave mistake or costs.
March 6: Call # 3 President Obama calls Dictator Putin – An Hour Call – Violation of Sovereignty?
President Obama again called Putin He told him: “Moscow’s actions violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and urged him to instead to support direct talks between the Russian and Ukrainian governments.” Putin agreed to the direct talks with Ukrainian government but not the one we support, he’ll talk to the one which is headed by Yanukovych.
March 13, 2014 – A Retrospective: How We Stand Today
It’s hard to say what President Obama told Dictator Putin. Obama has not taken the measure of the man. Three times he called him! Tell me when in our history has a U.S. president done such a thing to beg someone to obey international law or to not invade a country. Is Obama unable to see that after each phone call that Putin and his thugs have a good laugh. They are anxiously awaiting another call, maybe they’ll get it after they invade Eastern Ukraine.
As they wait for the fourth call perhaps they can enjoy a good laugh at another meeting between the supplicant Secretary Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov where the latter lectures Kerry on the evils of America and Kerry solemnly nods.
I can’t help wondering if during the first call Obama didn’t give Putin a tacit understanding that we would work with him on his “Ukrainian problem” if he cut us a break in getting aid to the Syrian refugees who were starving. (Obama is desperate to do something that makes him look like he is doing something about the Syrian tragedy.) I thought this because the next day Russia withdrew its long standing veto threat at the UN and voted to allow the UN to provide food and medicine to the starving Syrians. How could you not wonder what Russia got to drop its veto threat?
All I can figure is that after the call some who read the transcript saw that it went dreadfully wrong and that Obama had laid the predicated for Putin’s invasion. Susan Rice’s statement of it being a “grave mistake” two days later was a way for Obama to back off but it was too late; Russia had come through by not vetoing the UN resolution. The Russians invaded and our empty threats, or if you read it another way our supplications, were ignored.
Two weeks after the invasion and three calls between Obama and Putin, Ukraine’s Crimea is solidly in Russia’s hand. The US has taken some very tiny steps such as not giving visas to people who would never want them. There have been no costs imposed. There have been no sanctions imposed.
Today we see Russia preparing to invade Eastern Ukraine. Why not do it, Putin figures. There is no price to be paid. Obama’s threats are empty. Europe has no courage. He has taken Crimea and has hardly heard a disparaging word.
Russia whose GDP is less than that of Brazil and slightly more than Italy is making the US look more like a super jerk than a super power. Obama should understand that he is not looking too good with his “peace in our time” position. Where did I hear that statement before?
Gus — Not a chance. Secretary Lurch would never part with one of his loafers.
Relax Mr. Matt, there’s nothing to worry about. The fearless John F. Kerry has set next Monday as the deadline. Putin and the Soviets had better retreat from Crimea – or else …… Maybe Kerry will take off one of his fine Italian loafers and soft toss them @ Putin !
Gus:
Kerry seems to have little clout. It is almost as if he’s standing around looking in the mirror pruning himself and asking “who is the fairest secretary of state of all” while the Russians and other clean out the room. Why he went to London escapes me other than a chance to hang around with some Brits. If he were around during the Revolution we’d still be under England’s thumb. He and his boss have been talking about costs for two or more weeks but nothing has come out yet; we’ll have to wait until Monday and see what happens. Putin would like him to throw both of them; he could put in in his collection next to Bob Kraft’s ring.