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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat are Obama's Politically Realistic Options in Ukraine?
Interesting piece form politico. I think it lays out what the actual options the administration is thinking about:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/russia-ukraine-obamas-options-104160.html
1) Kick Russia out of the G-8
2) Take Rubles from Russia
3) Void the visas
4) Send in the fleet
5) Give Putin Crimea, but nothing more
I think that gets it about right in what the administration is actually considering. Given these are the options on the table, would you do any? Would you do some?
I would do 1 through 4. I think one needs to deter Russia. But that is my thought.
Warpy
(111,270 posts)However, the population there is ethnic Russian and the nutcases on the far western fringe of the country have written about ethnic cleansing Russians and Jews. I think he's likely to be giving a show of strength and telling Svoboda that ethnic cleansing is a very, very bad idea.
Since being bogged down in Afghanistan cost them their empire, I sincerely doubt they want to be bogged down in Ukraine. Hell, they still haven settled the Chechen mess completely.
Sabre rattling and mild trade sanctions should be it unless he escalates it to a big shooting war with the stated aim of annexing the whole Ukraine. Then the rest of the world will have to find ways to tell Putin it's a bad idea.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)The void visa and seizing rubble part would be reasonable painful.
Bad Thoughts
(2,524 posts)7. Freeze assets
8. Sell arms to Urkaine ...
longship
(40,416 posts)1000words
(7,051 posts)The U.S. really has no real options, short of war and I just don't see it happening.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)Seizing assets, voiding visas... that will be painful. A lot of powerful Russians like to send their kids to Western schools.
1000words
(7,051 posts)And I have serious doubts the U.S. economy has the vitality to endure economic warfare.
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)last time I checked the Ukrainian government wasn't at the beck and call of the USA. "Engage diplomatically with Ukraine and Russia in cooperation with EU partners and encourage a peaceful resolution of issues" is a realistic option; persuading the Ukrainian government to agree to a plebiscite on the status of the Crimea is an option; "give Putin the Crimea" is not an option.
BrentWil
(2,384 posts)If the US doesn't support the Ukraine and Russia doesn't WANT to give it back, its a done deal.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)Obama has got this.
Having Kerry as SoS helps a lot.
The Ukranians will decide how far Russia can go and I get the feeling it won't be far. Russia got its ass handed to it in E. Europe a short while back and they know better than to get themselves in that situation again.
Now, Fukushima? That is some thing to worry about. Did you hare the pollution from that has already been washing ashore in Canada? Yup. And there's more from where that came from.