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Great. Thanks for posting that link. I does appear that the US has invested 5 billion in the Ukraine. But what was so conveniently left out is the fact that that 5 billion is from 1991, a period of over 23 years. It is not as some would have you believe a result of President Obama's policies. I might remind those who don't keep up with the US democratic process, no president could just hand out 5 billion to a foreign nation unless it was approved by congress.
So yes, the short answer is that America has invested 5 billion in promoting democracy in Ukraine. But over a period of 23 years, a very important fact. Obviously, 4 presidential administrations have felt that Ukraine was important enough to do so.
I'm not here to argue over who's right or wrong concerning Ukraine. That is the heart of the Ukraine matter. Putin is right because Ukraine and Crimea is vitally important to Russian security. The West, including the US is right because Ukraine is vitally important to the EU for many strategic reasons.
Interesting wording about who is "right" and the "heart of the matter".
One of the more interesting writers today is Ron Fournier of the National Journal. Fournier is a big Obama supporter, but he is also a disillusioned supporter. He can see the problems and ofter now writes about them, but he still can't quite understand where Obama is going wrong .... or why.
Days before Vladimir Putin's troops invaded Ukraine, National Security Adviser Susan Rice dismissed suggestions that Russia was about to pounce. "It's in nobody's interest," she said. Days later, President Obama declared the invasion to be illegal. "In 2014," he said, "we are well beyond the days when borders can be drawn over the heads of democratic leaders."
Two things strike me about those quotes. First, they were right. From the viewpoint of the United States and its allies, invading Crimea made no sense, legally or strategically. Second, it didn't matter: Putin plays by his own set of rules, and it's dangerously naive not to realize that.
Fournier thinks Obama is a bit naive, but still "right" - he can't see that the Obama Team tunnel vision is incapable of understanding either Geo-Politics or even Domestic Politics. A big part of that is because they don't know enough to understand where they are going wrong. This is all 'Faculty Lounge' chatter without any understanding or knowledge of History. The O-Team thinks it's all an "easy fix" if they would just listen to us, and yet they won't listen to anyone outside their Echo Chamber. Scary times to have someone with no experience AND with an advisory team that also has no experience.
Politico had a recent article on "Obama Thinking" that follows similar lines (these are also Obama supporters).
They seriously thought that a couple of phone calls was enough, they seriously thought they could turn this all over to Merkel and life would be rosy ..... problemo solved/easy peasy. They are like a Jr High School group trying to mange a crisis. Once they became convinced that Putin was desperate :roll eyes: for an "Off Ramp" - they totally dismissed anything outside of that construct. There is really only one thing that is likely to slow Putin down - he smells blood in the water and is like a Shark, he will push to the max. Russia's economy is not good and it's dependent on their Oil & Gas - nothing would scare them more (because the Kerry/Obama ultimatums sure won't do it) than a major ramp up of our Energy sector with a LOT of press about Executive Orders clearing the way to ship our excess LNG to Europe.
Obama can't do that, because his Leftist Base would throw a MAJOR Hissy fit and of course .... they come first about all else. He is a fool.
Obama's Ego is involved now, just as it was during the Syria Red Line. He doesn't want to be considered a "wuss", so he issues ultimatums. The problem there is that Europe won't back him, his Base won't back him, Congress won't back him and the American people won't back him ..... and yet ..... he continues to do this. Russia has one of those "ultimatums" that is due on Monday - Putin knows for a fact that Obama and Kerry won't follow through on their "threats" and that Europe won't back the USA ...... so he doubles down and pokes in finger in the O-Team's eye.
I worry that there is a real danger ..... will our Ego Driven Prez go off the rails and do something stupid to "prove" to the world that he is not a "wuss"? Exactly who are the adults in Washington that are attempting to keep them from going off the rails now that Gates, Panetta and Clinton are gone? Not a one of the left over Kiddies and Chicago crowd have any experience with a guy like Putin - they are all basically out for themselves. Hagel, Kerry, Biden & Obama are more interested in their "Legacy" than they are in National Security of Geo Politics. Biden might actually be the only "hope" - how scary is that?
"But US efforts to turn the political tide in Ukraine away from Russian influence began much earlier. In 2004, the Bush administration had given $65 million to provide 'democracy training' to opposition leaders and political activists aligned with them, including paying to bring opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko to meet US leaders and help underwrite exit polls indicating he won disputed elections.
This programme has accelerated under Obama. In a speech at the National Press Club in Washington DC last December as Ukraine's Maidan Square clashes escalated, Nuland confirmed that the US had invested in total "over $5 billion" to "ensure a secure and prosperous and democratic Ukraine" - she specifically congratulated the "Euromaidan" movement."
PS. Oh, they've even came up with video here - how fancy.
Yeah some of that is mentioned in the links I posted above. The IMF global governance reforms being pushed as a result of this conflict are the most important issues in terms of long term affects and significance.
Yeah some of that is mentioned in the links I posted above. The IMF global governance reforms being pushed as a result of this conflict are the most important issues in terms of long term affects and significance.
There will be other steps, but this will be the most major global change.
From the other IMF thread.
The bail-outs and bail-ins can do this. Taxes can also be used. PPPs, also. Many ways. If you read the fairly recent IMF paper, they have made suggestions, one was a one-off tax, similar to what is codified in Dodd-Frank. (bail-in). Been going on, seems it is now is ready for another level.
However, these new global governance reforms will be a much bigger transfer. Look at the details. One IMF paper seems to give the best information.
Look for r42844.pdf, think that is the paper on the reforms iirc. There is information on IMF site though.
quote:
Inflation will be the preferred option - in spite of the potential for social unrest and the difficult consequences for middle-class savers should it really take hold. However, boosting inflation has not worked so far because of the pressure to deleverage and because of the low demand for new credit.
.....
There is one thing we would like to bring to our readers' attention because we are confident, that one way or another, sooner or later, it will be implemented. Namely a one-time wealth tax: in other words, instead of stealth inflation, the government will be forced to proceed with over transfer of wealth. According to BCG, the amount of developed world debt between household, corporate and government that needs to be eliminated is just over $21 trillion. Which unfortunately means that there is an equity shortfall that will have to be funded with incremental cash which will have to come from somewhere. That somewhere is tax of the middle and upper classes, which are in possession of $74 trillion in financial assets, which in turn will have to be taxed at a blended rate of 28.7%.
Obama's Ego is involved now, just as it was during the Syria Red Line. He doesn't want to be considered a "wuss", so he issues ultimatums. The problem there is that Europe won't back him, his Base won't back him, Congress won't back him and the American people won't back him ..... and yet ..... he continues to do this. Russia has one of those "ultimatums" that is due on Monday - Putin knows for a fact that Obama and Kerry won't follow through on their "threats" and that Europe won't back the USA ...... so he doubles down and pokes in finger in the O-Team's eye.
I worry that there is a real danger ..... will our Ego Driven Prez go off the rails and do something stupid to "prove" to the world that he is not a "wuss"? Exactly who are the adults in Washington that are attempting to keep them from going off the rails now that Gates, Panetta and Clinton are gone? Not a one of the left over Kiddies and Chicago crowd have any experience with a guy like Putin - they are all basically out for themselves. Hagel, Kerry, Biden & Obama are more interested in their "Legacy" than they are in National Security of Geo Politics. Biden might actually be the only "hope" - how scary is that?
Obama is an idiot of the first order.
He can't win in any battle with Putin and if he pushes too hard, there's this:
What is our funding to the IMF as i can't remember.......is it 20% or 40%? They are just stealing more wealth from the US.........seems to be the thing to do nowdays.
Yes they do.
They don't want to deal, apparently, with morons like this that helped to bring today's government in Kiev to power, so I can't blame them.
Yes they do.
They don't want to deal, apparently, with morons like this that helped to bring today's government in Kiev to power, so I can't blame them.
They aren't going to like what the IMF, Obama and the EU have in store for them.
The show in western Ukraine is just getting started.
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