For a more nuanced article on the Congress’s decision to supply $350 million of aid and arms to Ukraine, at the President’s option, see this revised link through Bloomberg.
I reproduce the very enjoyable comments here and now, but I omit author names and some details. I number the comments. I’ve omitted one long comment from some sort of biblical prophetic perspective.
(1) When will we ever learn? Congressmen are too busy stealing money and lining up cushey exit jobs to worry about the country or inciting a war with Russia that we will lose and lose badly. The economic war we have unleashed will soon blowback and come to haunt the EU and us in ways that will really hurt. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. As Mark Twain so famously responded when asked about congress:
“The only difference between a congressman and flea is that you can train a flea.”
(2) Maybe congress should think about deterring it’s own interference and tend to it’s own country.
(3) Does anybody in the GOP and Tea Party actually care that Russia has the power to turn America into a pile of ash?
The idea of sending American weapons to fight Russia is insane, dangerous and must never, ever be allowed.
(Yes, yes, yes, I know perfectly well that all the Republicans and Tea Partiers are going to start screaming that America has the power to turn Russia into a pile of ash, but exactly what kind of consolation is that going to give to the hundreds of millions of dead Americans?)
(4) Put this way both America and Russia have the capability to turn each other into to ashes . Nuclear war would devastate the world with its aftermath …Those who survive wont be able to live with no food and contaminated water and would leave a cloud around the earth that would block the sun out . You think Global warming is bad …..it would be nothing if there were a nuclear war . The atmosphere would be ruined for the rest that survive .
(5) Don’t forget, the people who are suggesting it are the only with balls, in their heads.
(6) What are these guys smoking? Georgia and Moldova? Utterly worthless countries. Four million people roughy. No one cared when they split off the USSR and no one should care what happens to them now. The Gadston Purchase was more significant than either of these places.
The idea that we would actually go to war for one of these countries is literally insane. What countries are these congress people willing to send their sons and daughters to fight and die for?
Unless a congress person can find a country on a map — they should be barred from voting on this idiocy.
(7) Actually, it only gives the President Congress’ authorization to impose further sanctions against Russia and provide military, defense, energy and civilian support to Ukraine without the need to go back to Congress to ask.
There’s no mention in it about actually going to war. It’s not much different than when the U.S. and it’s western allies supplied weapons and financial support to the Afghans when the Soviet Union invaded and occupied it from 1979-89. As well as the U.S. initiating an embargo on the Soviet Union.
Unless Putin decides to change direction, the U.S. in conjunction with the EU, Canada, Japan, Australia and all it’s other allies are probably going to cause considerable damage to the Russian economy. But they’ll leave it up to the Ukrainians (like the Afghans did) to eventually cause military damage to Russian forces currently serving in Eastern Ukraine.
When one remembers that the Soviet Union financially and politically collapsed shortly after leaving Afghanistan, it’s something for today’s Russian regime to ponder.
It can be found searching for Senate-Bill 2828 (or S.2828)
(8) Well it’s ok then. Anyway, the Dictator in Chief doesn’t need the permission the people or their lawful representatives in congress to start WWIII. Keep poking the bear! See what happens.
(9) Build LNG ports and pipelines and get our ally countries off of Russian supplied natural gas as soon as possible. It is almost inevitable the Putin will try to use it to retaliate during the coldest part of winter. If LNG can be supplied from elsewhere, it prevents whatever damage he might cause.
(10) That is all in the works. But it will take 3-4 years before most of the EU has access to these pipelines and shipping centers. There’s not way to expedite it for this or next winter. That means Putin has real leverage right now, that will increase exponentially going into the Winter, and it is unavoidable. Last year, Europe had a very mild winter (we weren’t so fortunate here in the US of course), but this year Europe is having a rough time already. Sooner than later, we’re going to have to just make peace.
We don’t have the ability to destroy Russia economically (India and China have both officially denounced the sanctions, and have offered to fill in any gaps in obtaining equipment or materiel as a result of them), and militarily China and Russia have been military allies for several years. Also, we keep pestering China about the South China Sea. At this point, India has now agreed just this week that they and Russia have a special 1st partner status in military tech and military trade. So Russia hates us, China hates us, and now India’s new leader is a person formerly banned from entering the US by the State Department. At this point, I would say Russia can actually resist us, because they have roughly half the world’s economy in their camp, and more than enough military power to ensure they are invincible from outside attack. Meanwhile, Russia has the threat of the open proliferation of conventional SAM launchers and AT weapons. They are legally allowed to sell weapons to anyone they choose, because like the US, they refused to sign the arms treaty in the UN. That means that when we go to fight some 3rd world bandits in some lousy part of the world, they may be using advanced anti-air against us. That will turn every single engagement into a living hell, with real casualties. I for one think it is foolish to get into this kind of conflict over the former Soviet block.
(11) Putin is first and foremost a pragmatic individual. There is no way he would shut down gas supplies to Europe. He cut off gas supplies to Ukraine for non payment and Ukraine couldn’t pay be cause basically it is an economic basket case then as well as now. Besides he needs the money as much as Europe needs the gas. Putin will also take a long term view of things and as much as he may want to retaliate his options are limited and he knows it. In 4 years the gas streams to China and India will go on line. Meantime Russia will batten down the hatches and weather the storm. It is a lot more independent than most countries and what it needs it can get from the Bric countries. These countries also have a lot of leverage in the world politically, economically and militarily. America would do well to gauge it’s relationship with these countries as it may find itself being isolated. The world is changing with China,India,Brazil and Russia Ascending. The Eu at least seems to realize this and is hesitant in applying more sanctions and I think Obama and the Democrats (I hope) are also starting to realize it. I hope so. The last thing the world needs is a military confrontation between East and West.
(12) How stupid can you get.
Apparently, not as stupid as some.
(13) Amazing, its like a prostitute lecturing someone on the virtues of promiscuity. Has the US congress finally lost it.
(14) Straight from the idiots handbook !
Brought to you by the same bunch of sick halfwits that KEEP ON SENDING THEIR YOUTH INTO HARMS WAY to invade small countries under false pretences, approves of the shooting and choking their own citizens and torturing SUSPECTS, then spouts off about human rights at any and all opportunities
Enough to amke anyone sick,.
Any country that is too big to invade and does not bow before these clowns, they round up the usual band of vassal states, ( England, Germany, France, Poland, Australia and the others led by weak kneed wankers ) to impose sanctions.
The sooner China takes up the mantle and puts these clowns in their place the better.
Most of them are straight out war criminals, all the people that have been killed,left homeless, tortured and abused.
Vietnam, Iraq, Panama, Grenada Honduras, etc etc etc.
(15) Having been caught with their pants down on torture and great humanitarian gestures like that, the world’s biggest collection for warmongerers and sickos, the US congress has decided to divert the attention by talking about sanctions. How about sanctions on the US for rectal feeding? Man you guys are sick.
(16) “It’s best not to mess with us…Thank God, I think no one is thinking of unleashing a
large-scale conflict with Russia. I want to remind you that Russia is one of
the leading nuclear powers,” — Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
on Friday, August 29, 2014
Meanwhile… In the land of the fee and the home of the depraved:
Torture – Mass Murder – Political assassination of Citizens – Indefinite detention – Police brutality – Militarization of Police- Government sanctioned Larceny (civil asset forfeiture) – Election fraud – etc…etc…etc….
(17) Obama has no intention of enforcing sanctions. Just like protecting the borders.
(18) Amazing, here is a group to raving maniacs, the US congress, wihich is perhaps the most sick collection of individuals, people who go around stuffing foodstuff into peoples backsides who now have the temerity to impose sanctions on people who are by far your superiors. How warped and stupid can you get.
12:51 pm on December 14, 2014
