Russia is having a good laugh at the US at us imposing sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea. According to a foreign policy aide at the Kremlin “These sanctions are already a bore, they truly cause a sense of irony and even sarcasm.” Another aide compared the sanctions to a “political Oscar” that he is proud of.
Why? How absolutely hypocritical is it of the US to condemn Russia? At least they had the decency to go through the motions of a referendum in Crimea to justify the transfer of Crimea to Russia. Did we do anything like that before we invaded Iraq or Afghanistan? Or killed innocent civilians in countries that are supposedly our allies using drones? Or use torture in violation of international law?
Or as Ron Paul put it:
Critics point to the Russian “occupation” of Crimea as evidence that no fair vote could have taken place. Where were these people when an election held in an Iraq occupied by U.S. troops was called a “triumph of democracy”?
7 Comments
America lost moral superiority with Iraq and elongated Afghan war. I am thinking if Russian behavior would have been different if those two wars had not happened. Also would American response now be different if nation was not fatigued and broke due to those wars?
Absolutely! Where in the world do we think we have the moral superiority to condemn a breakaway group of another nation that VOTED to leave? Guns or not, the Russians haven’t caused massive death and destruction. These Russian speaking Ukrainians may regret their decision as Russia becomes more and more totalitarian, but what makes the US think it has any authority to get it’s nose into the conversation? I believe that neo-cons are still trying to start yet another war. If not Syria, then this. The only thing that gives me hope is that Russia is still too powerful for the chickenhawks to try to bully. They can peddle their arms to Moldovia, or Romania.
What we ought to do is use our business intellect and figure out the fastest way to start supplying Europe with natural gas and oil. If Vlad wants to give us an opportunity to take some of his business we should oblige, just like the Chinese did while we were off fighting in the middle east.
I also think we should try different diplomatic tactics and borrow a page from the Chinese again. Instead of us blabbing and drawing lines all we need to do is say we’re watching the developments and plead with all sides for restraint. Meanwhile, we should develop some plans for the inevitable what if’s, oh crap’s and the unthinkable.
Nobody, and especially Putin is going to listen to us, so it’s better we just say nothing. Every time we talk tough and then change our mind it just looks so pathetic. For our great sanctions we targeted no country, but did pick on 7 individuals out of like 100 million. Are you kidding me? No wonder the Russians are laughing, what a joke.
Patriotsgt – I totally agree. If Obama, Biden, Clinton and Kerry would just shut their yaps and plan, we’d all be better off. There’s nothing worse than an empty threat.
As for the chickenhawks – they never saw a war that they didn’t mind some one elses’s kids fighting. Enough of that too.
Putin does not predicate anything he does on the US. Quit being so simple.
Try this for a better perspective.
http://agonist.org/we-dont-even-have-to-lift-a-finger/#more-117932
Comparisons and past mistakes aside, lets all hope that this is indeed an isolated case and Putin stops there. If he doesn’t and he continues with his quest of forming the old Soviet Union I’m curious what the reaction of people like Rand Paul will be. Will it still be none of our business at that point?