Consider this as Obama's best play on the Ukraine

I have analyzed the situation fully now, and think in all honesty the US has no moral, or economic, or security interests in the Ukraine. We are a signatory to a treaty signed by Clinton, but are not bound by it, nor does the treaty specify any reasonable course of action, therefore... Despite the fact that Obama brought this on himself in many ways for his weakness on almost everything foreign policy over the last five years, and despite the fact that Kerry think rhetoric will sway Putin, and despite the fact that Hillary pushed the reset button with Russia, I think Obama's best play here would have been, sorry Ukraine, and sorry EU, but unless Russia is out there mass murdering Ukrainians, or overstepping their bounds, the USA is staying out of this. This is a European problem, and should be dealt with accordingly. We offer our experience, and support of course, but we are not obliged nor are we particularly interested in solving every dispute around the world. The US certainly implore the Russian leadership to step very carefully, but does recognize its right to protect important corridors integral to their economic self interests.

There, done.. When is my next campaign funds raiser, someone hand me my iPhone?


Tim-

There's a lot to be said for staying out of it. Interestingly Russia is also a signatory of said treaty, but treaties are made to be broken.

At the end of the day, I hate that we're out there courting the "new" government. All we're saying to the people of Ukraine is, "Go ahead and have a revolution instead of an election, and keep doing it every few years. We'll bail you out." They wanted democracy, wrote a Constitution that enshrines one, yet the people continue to ignore that.

rocket88 said:

There's a lot to be said for staying out of it. Interestingly Russia is also a signatory of said treaty, but treaties are made to be broken.

At the end of the day, I hate that we're out there courting the "new" government. All we're saying to the people of Ukraine is, "Go ahead and have a revolution instead of an election, and keep doing it every few years. We'll bail you out." They wanted democracy, wrote a Constitution that enshrines one, yet the people continue to ignore that.

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Agreed, and I really hate to piss off my conservative buddies, but this really was his best play at the time of the incident. It's too late now of course, and it will be interesting to see how he changes the news cycle, but come on, does anyone really believe that Obama is capable of handling this? I don't and it has nothing to do with the fact that he has a D next to his name. He's just a buffoon, and both our allies, and enemies know it, and are playing him like a fiddle.


Tim-

Hicup said:

There, done.. When is my next campaign funds raiser, someone hand me my iPhone?


Tim-

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Do you need a driver?
I also have experience as a Machiavellian political mastermind.

radioman said:

Do you need a driver?
I also have experience as a Machiavellian political mastermind.

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hehe, I'll stick to Monday morning quarterbacking for now.. The other stuff is above my pay-grade.


Tim-

Hicup said:

The other stuff is above my pay-grade.

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Or beneath your dignity.

Ronald Reagan was right when he famously said that the best way to keep the peace and prevent countries from going to war, is "peace through strength". This situation demonstrates what happens when you don't subscribe to that philosophy, and instead portrait weakness to world leaders with aspirations of conquest.

a few sayings come to mind:

You can say that we are against taking military action, but never let them forget that you could change your mind tomorrow.

It's one thing to say we're a nation of peace, but it's another to diminish our ability to engage in war.

It's one thing to extend a hand in friendship, but it's quite another to abandon your values and standards in doing so.

Grim17 said:

Ronald Reagan was right when he famously said that the best way to keep the peace and prevent countries from going to war, is "peace through strength". This situation demonstrates what happens when you don't subscribe to that philosophy, and instead portrait weakness to world leaders with aspirations of conquest.

a few sayings come to mind:

You can say that we are against taking military action, but never let them forget that you could change your mind tomorrow.

It's one thing to say we're a nation of peace, but it's another to diminish our ability to engage in war.

It's one thing to extend a hand in friendship, but it's quite another to abandon your values and standards in doing so.

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Additionally, Obama and his cohorts are too stupid to realize that if he had taken my approach (not our problem EU but we're here to assist) he could have used that as leverage in the things that really matter to us, like cooperation on Iran, Syria, China.. By laying it on the European nations to fix it coz it's in their backyard, he could have gained way more respect among his peers internationally, and shown us here in the US that he's geo-politically savvy and not such a dolt afterall. Who's advising this clown anyway?


Tim-

Hicup said:

Additionally, Obama and his cohorts are too stupid to realize that if he had taken my approach (not our problem EU but we're here to assist) he could have used that as leverage in the things that really matter to us, like cooperation on Iran, Syria, China.. By laying it on the European nations to fix it coz it's in their backyard, he could have gained way more respect among his peers internationally, and shown us here in the US that he's geo-politically savvy and not such a dolt afterall. Who's advising this clown anyway?


Tim-

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Susan Rice. Adept foreign policy would've avoided the whole thing. Truly adept foreign policy would have prevented it. I'd settle for adept, but it's painfully obvious that's asking way too much. To make matters worse, Obama won't shut up about consequences.

Hicup said:

Who's advising this clown anyway?


Tim-

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Obama surrounded himself with unqualified people that had no governing or practical business experience. People who instead offered him the abundance of progressive ideas that he wanted, but ideas that had either never been implemented before, or had been implemented elsewhere and failed... He indeed wanted to transform America, but built a team of progressive dreamers and community organizers that didn't have the first clue how to successfully run a taco stand, much less a government... We are all seeing the results now, first hand.