With Russia's $650 billion rearmament plan, the bear sharpens its teeth

[Fuzz]

Lawnman summed it up pretty well. Our foreign policy standing is in shambles, perception is everything and there used be a day where we could call KIO and people would listen, however, the current administrations continual blunders and apology tour has compromised any ability for us to be taken seriously. If you have the clout you don't have to take action, only threatening action can be enough. However, this administration's lack of street cred has lead to them standing there with egg on their face (Syria and the Red Line anyone?).

Furthermore this whining by Kerry shows that they really have no clue how things work on a international level in the real world, not the liberal utopia world they wish for. Putin isn't using 19th century tactics in the 21st century becuase he's not up on the times, he's doing it because its the most direct route to his goal and he doesn't fear the U.S. Also invading can be be a position of weakness or insanity but when you neither respect or fear your rival it is a position of power. Lets face it this administration is/will continue getting outplayed by Putin at every turn, and the U.S. will continue to look like a fool.

Its sad we used to have the "Speak softly and carry a big stick" as our foreign policy and now we have "Threaten loudly and do nothing". Obama has shown his cards by making his bluffs and the world has called them, he is now the player at the table with zero credibility.

[ClearedHot]

So we are going to boycott the paraolympics...that will teach those nasty Rooskies.

You gotta admit, Putin has a set of balls...without a second thought he is saying F You to America and everyone else...some much for the reset.

Edited March 4, 2014 by ClearedHot

[OverTQ]

There is absolutely nothing surprising in this except for all the highly educated DC types that are saying that they did not see this coming. Rule number 1 in foreign diplomacy:

Never trust the Russians.

(grammar edit)

Edited March 4, 2014 by OverTQ

[Champ Kind]

What did President Obama (mockingly) say to Romney with regard to Russia during the last debates? Something to the effect of, "The 1980s called and wants its foreign policy back."

In hindsight, I'll bet he wishes he'd chosen his words better.

[338skybolt]

In hindsight, I'll bet he wishes he'd chosen his words better.

That assumes he gives a rat's ass. I doubt it.

[08Dawg]

https://medium.com/war-is-boring/f3cd5115da7f

Don't mess with mother freakin' Ukrainians!

[MD]

Not wise to get into the middle of, what is by all respects, a civil war. Where one happens to live there, pretty much determines where their loyalties lie. We've made this mistake too many times. This, at worst, is an EU problem that the combined EU nations should determine what needs to be done.....sacntions, diplomacy, military action, peacekeeping or peace enforcement.

[Tulsa]

My two! flankers are armed to the teeth! them and these ing piss ants to themselves, like we did with the Georgia conflict.

[JarheadBoom]

The Russian military has given Ukrainian forces in Crimea until 5 a.m. Tuesday (10 p.m. ET Monday) to surrender or face a "storm," Interfax news agency reported.

"If they do not surrender by 5 a.m. tomorrow, we will start a real storm in Ukrainian bases in Crimea," according to the statement sent by the Russians to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, a ministry source told Interfax. NBC News could not immediately confirm the report.

The ultimatum was attributed to Alexandr Vitko, chief commander of Russia's Black Sea fleet.

[StoleIt]

Has anyone heard anything about what the EU is thinking/doing?

[ClearedHot]

Has anyone heard anything about what the EU is thinking/doing?

Hiding under their kitchen tables.

[Milchstrasse]

So, hypothetical here -- what happens to our astronauts currently aboard the ISS in the unlikely scenario of an all-out military conflict? We have two Americans, one Japanese, and three Russians (one of which is coincidentally Crimean) up there. Do they bug-out on their docked Soyuz's and abandon station?

Though I suppose in an all-out military conflict, orbit might be the safest place to be.

[panchbarnes]

So is it too late to restart the F-22 production line?

[waveshaper]

I would not be surprised to see the US send a signal to Putin by suspending indefinitely DoD Force Reductions/budget

cuts , particularly if this situation continues to escalate.

We may also end up sending ships into the Black Sea, hopefully with better results then the last time we did this. The

US Navy recently sent two ships into the Black Sea in support of the Sochi Winter Olympics and based on their performanceI don't think the Russians will be shaking in their boots if we do it again. One of these US Navy ships ran aground in

the Black Sea putting it out of action and the Commander was promptly fired just last week.

US Navy/Russian Navy in the Black Sea = Its a contact sport and you may get rammed (2010).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=N4jQhnXrWbg#t=2

[StoleIt]

US Navy/Russian Navy in the Black Sea = Its a contact sport and you may get rammed (1998).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=N4jQhnXrWbg#t=2

Close. The date it was uploaded to YouTube and filmed can be drastically different.

[waveshaper]

Close. The date it was uploaded to YouTube and filmed can be drastically different.

Thanks.

[HeloDude]

I would not be surprised to see the US send a signal to Putin by suspending indefinitely DoD Force Reductions/budgetcuts , particularly if this situation continues to escalate.

Really? Not going to happen...don't forget, our top civilian officials and GO's have been saying that even with the cuts that our military will still be just as capable as before with regards to achieving our natural security objectives. So according to those folks, 'we're good'.

But seriously, does anybody seriously think we should get militarily involved with this one?

[BitteEinBit]

So, hypothetical here -- what happens to our astronauts currently aboard the ISS in the unlikely scenario of an all-out military conflict? We have two Americans, one Japanese, and three Russians (one of which is coincidentally Crimean) up there. Do they bug-out on their docked Soyuz's and abandon station?

Though I suppose in an all-out military conflict, orbit might be the safest place to be.

Hopefully the Japanese dude knows Karate...

Really? Not going to happen...don't forget, our top civilian officials and GO's have been saying that even with the cuts that our military will still be just as capable as before with regards to achieving our natural security objectives. So according to those folks, 'we're good'.

But seriously, does anybody seriously think we should get militarily involved with this one?

Keep the drawdown coming...this is nothing we need to worry about. This is 80s era foreign policy. My "leaders" assure me that there is no threat here, and I believe them. The rest of the world will remain threat free...we've seen this kind of thing before.

How about those Oscars? Shiny things!

[ClearedHot]

France Surrenders to Russia Edited March 4, 2014 by ClearedHot

[waveshaper]

Here's an interesting vid from Vice showing the standoff between Russian and Ukrainian forces at a Crimean base.

Unfortunately, we don't get to see this style of reporting from the mainstream media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNKsLlK52ss

Good video; Balaclava = Charge of the Light Brigade.

[Majestik Møøse]

Awesome. I can recommend almost everything that Vice films. Lots of varied, interesting stuff, especially their guides to travel.

[338skybolt]

Something I'm not tracking: Putin says the Crimea invasion (or whatever euphemism he used) is a result of "an anti-constitutional coup and the armed seizure of power". Didn't this happen in Kiev? What does taking over the Crimean Peninsula accomplish if you're worried about a coup in Kiev?

Edit: Okay I missed this earlier but most likely common knowledge already. Apologies.

"With Ukraine torn between a desire to be part of the west, and its past as part of the Russian empire, and with the Kiev-based revolution forcing the issue, Crimea was the logical flashpoint. As the revolution unfolded, ethnic Russians attacked minority Ukrainians in Crimea's capital, Simferopol, even as Ukrainians persecuted ethnic Russians in the northern cities, including Kiev." https://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/03/crimea-caught-in-middle-as-russia-ukraine-drama-plays-out/

Edited March 4, 2014 by 338skybolt

[Milchstrasse]

It makes a whole lot of sense for Russia to make a grab at Crimea -- but their justification of doing so is tattered. They should have just said that they were harboring weapons of mass destruction.

These Ukranians have balls of steel. An unarmed march on a captured air base:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6tFJKPHonm0

And how the EU deals with this sort of provocation:

I give reddit all credit.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Milchstrasse

[OverTQ]

Crimea is necessary to control the Black Sea. With the oil and gas reserves in the area, he will not give up control of Crimea. My guess is that Putin will make some claim about Crimea being a majority Russian and to protect the people, it will remain under Russian control.

[Prozac]

So on the bright side, maybe we'll get to walk in the footsteps of our grandfathers and sleep with their women and drink their expensive wine as we liberate the French. Bonus points if we can liberate them before the Russians get there.