I agree with each and every suggestion, to include a ban on Russian oil and gas. The question for me is will Americans actually put up with the economic disruption all of this might cause in the US? Saudi Arabia could step up, oil wise. Americans have no memory of WW2 rationing, so there must be a massive PR campaign to inform the public. Too bad European History is being dropped in schools and colleges across the US now.
The other day a news report from the US was saying these exact same things and saying that Americans don't even know where Ukraine is so they care very little if at all of the outcome of this war. The problem with this thinking is the what happens in one part of this world happens in some form or another to the rest of the world. We are paying the price, literally or figuratively, for our choices.
The "cost" of cheap products from China to fill Walmarts' et al shelves is never cheap. If we think that what Ukrainians are fighting for with Russia doesn't involve us then wait until China wants Taiwan back for the same ideological reasons Putin put forth in this war.
I am still surprised that the West hasn't used it's massive technology resources to shut down Russia's infrastructure and war machine. in the 21st Century, technology is the new nuclear weapon. It's past time to turn Russia into a tech free zone until they get out of Ukraine and Crimea.
Although Russia is a petrostate, they still have highly sophisticated tech sector and computer skills. If we attack them with cyber warfare, they will retaliate.
Americans, especially the MAGA crowd, will not be willing to put up with the necessary sacrifice.
I heard yesterday that Anonymous shut down one of their communication systems - not sure which one. It might not need to be US, but an ally hacker that cannot be traced. I really don't care anymore about the MAGA fools - what they believe or what they think or how much inconvenience they suffer. As far as I'm concerned, pump prices can go sky high, perhaps keeping their gigantic oversized pickup trucks off the roads for a while. Sorry to be such a jerk about it - but I'm just done with them.
This belongs on the front page of every newspaper in America. It is the most comprehensive statement I have seen on what the response to Russia should be. On another point, I would appreciate your thoughts on why so many West Point graduates including the former secretary of state are such hooten fans. Is it trump derangement symptom Or is it the successful implementation of Russian disinformation?
John, West Point enrolls people from all locations across the US. The grads are a reflection of the country at large. That means a variety of political views. I don’t think that the likes of Pompeo represent the prevailing view of most of us. Sad.
A man named Allen Hingston lives in the Ukraine with wife Tanya and dog Lucky. He posted this over on Heather Cox Richardson:
Lucien [sic] K Truscott IV just published his post to which I do not subscribe so cannot comment. He is totally misinformed about what is happening here so far. He writes:
"Russia has seized most airports in Ukraine, civilian and military – and all of them in the eastern and central regions – and achieved air-superiority over the entire country, completely cutting off the air-bridge by which the West could have supplied the Ukraine military with more weapons, ammunition, helmets, combat vests, all the equipment necessary to fight the Russian invaders. What Ukraine has right now is what they will have. If and when they shoot off all their Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, that’s it. When they fire their last 105mm and 155 mm artillery rounds, that’s it. "
No they have not got control of most of the airports but the main ones are damaged too badly for them to use. If they can come down the west side of |Ukraine and cut off the land route for resupplies, then we have more trouble. I wish people would do their damn homework. Ukraine is fighting back ferociously. Russia is not making the progress they expected. Don't make things worse than they are.
Isolating the Russian people is one thing and would send a message the entire world is not going to do business with them. But, it is not "the people" who make decisions in Russia or have any voice in what is going to happen. It is the hierarchy which sets policies and , most importantly, decides how and where national wealth will be distributed. All of the sanctions you mentioned will not have the effect we desire. What will is to immediately cut off Russia from any income from the West.
Until the world stops buying gas and oil from Russian Putin will continue to finance his military and future adventurism wit petro dollars, petro pound, petro euros and petro yuan. So long as we pay him for his natural resources he will use our money to continue his madness. So, when the West decides it is willing to put up with the short term pain of higher energy prices for oil and gas I will begin to listen to leaders like Biden, Macron, et al as to their plans to "stop Putin and make Russia pay a price.? The only price Putin understands is the latest price for a barrel of oil or cubic foot of natural gas.
Good ideas but won’t a boycott be bypassed by China making billions selling goods to Russia and increasing the dependency and vassal state status to Xi? China plays a long game too. Siberia has natural resources and no people. That’s the prize. They have Putin in a bind of his own making and our sanctions will drive him deeper into the Panda’s embrace. I don’t think we have a choice though and it’s a wake up to on shore more manufacturing to the Americas.
Our weakness emboldened Putin to do this. Four years of a Trumpian inept presidency while he buddied up with autocrats, followed by his nearly successful authoritarian putsch. Putin probably thinks "The New American Century" was the last one, and this century is up for grabs, so it might as well be his.
We are fortunate to be energy self-sufficient but Europe is not. Germany's lack of a domestic fossil fuel energy resource makes Germany particularly vulnerable to a tit-for-tat trade embargo with Russia. (Ironic - lack of domestic fossil energy is the same problem that Germany had in WWII when Germany was the aggressor)
I hate what Putin is and what he has done. But hs is quite good at this.
This is so reasonable and well presented. Could you send this to Washington and Brussels? What’s wrong with our, NATO and EU leadership that they don’t see what’s needed to stop this. Ukraine is only the beginning if Rasputin, sorry, Putin, is permitted to continue so easily. At the very least, why hasn’t SWIFT been implemented to cut off the money?
I agree with each and every suggestion, to include a ban on Russian oil and gas. The question for me is will Americans actually put up with the economic disruption all of this might cause in the US? Saudi Arabia could step up, oil wise. Americans have no memory of WW2 rationing, so there must be a massive PR campaign to inform the public. Too bad European History is being dropped in schools and colleges across the US now.
The other day a news report from the US was saying these exact same things and saying that Americans don't even know where Ukraine is so they care very little if at all of the outcome of this war. The problem with this thinking is the what happens in one part of this world happens in some form or another to the rest of the world. We are paying the price, literally or figuratively, for our choices.
The "cost" of cheap products from China to fill Walmarts' et al shelves is never cheap. If we think that what Ukrainians are fighting for with Russia doesn't involve us then wait until China wants Taiwan back for the same ideological reasons Putin put forth in this war.
That was my first thought as well :)
As always, this is so good. The key here is "Russia is an outlaw country" and we need to treat it as such.
I am still surprised that the West hasn't used it's massive technology resources to shut down Russia's infrastructure and war machine. in the 21st Century, technology is the new nuclear weapon. It's past time to turn Russia into a tech free zone until they get out of Ukraine and Crimea.
Although Russia is a petrostate, they still have highly sophisticated tech sector and computer skills. If we attack them with cyber warfare, they will retaliate.
Americans, especially the MAGA crowd, will not be willing to put up with the necessary sacrifice.
I heard yesterday that Anonymous shut down one of their communication systems - not sure which one. It might not need to be US, but an ally hacker that cannot be traced. I really don't care anymore about the MAGA fools - what they believe or what they think or how much inconvenience they suffer. As far as I'm concerned, pump prices can go sky high, perhaps keeping their gigantic oversized pickup trucks off the roads for a while. Sorry to be such a jerk about it - but I'm just done with them.
This is AWESOME!
I absolutely LOVE Anonymous! Anytime they can mess with a country's government system that is corrupt is A- OKAY by me!
Cut off their internet connection.
There are a few fiber optic cables running to Russia. Cut them and he will really be isolated, and severely limited in his ability to cyberattack.
Shut down access via satellite.
Cut the cables to his puppets like Belarus if they try to help
Well-said and well-argued.
This belongs on the front page of every newspaper in America. It is the most comprehensive statement I have seen on what the response to Russia should be. On another point, I would appreciate your thoughts on why so many West Point graduates including the former secretary of state are such hooten fans. Is it trump derangement symptom Or is it the successful implementation of Russian disinformation?
John, West Point enrolls people from all locations across the US. The grads are a reflection of the country at large. That means a variety of political views. I don’t think that the likes of Pompeo represent the prevailing view of most of us. Sad.
A man named Allen Hingston lives in the Ukraine with wife Tanya and dog Lucky. He posted this over on Heather Cox Richardson:
Lucien [sic] K Truscott IV just published his post to which I do not subscribe so cannot comment. He is totally misinformed about what is happening here so far. He writes:
"Russia has seized most airports in Ukraine, civilian and military – and all of them in the eastern and central regions – and achieved air-superiority over the entire country, completely cutting off the air-bridge by which the West could have supplied the Ukraine military with more weapons, ammunition, helmets, combat vests, all the equipment necessary to fight the Russian invaders. What Ukraine has right now is what they will have. If and when they shoot off all their Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, that’s it. When they fire their last 105mm and 155 mm artillery rounds, that’s it. "
No they have not got control of most of the airports but the main ones are damaged too badly for them to use. If they can come down the west side of |Ukraine and cut off the land route for resupplies, then we have more trouble. I wish people would do their damn homework. Ukraine is fighting back ferociously. Russia is not making the progress they expected. Don't make things worse than they are.
Isolating the Russian people is one thing and would send a message the entire world is not going to do business with them. But, it is not "the people" who make decisions in Russia or have any voice in what is going to happen. It is the hierarchy which sets policies and , most importantly, decides how and where national wealth will be distributed. All of the sanctions you mentioned will not have the effect we desire. What will is to immediately cut off Russia from any income from the West.
Until the world stops buying gas and oil from Russian Putin will continue to finance his military and future adventurism wit petro dollars, petro pound, petro euros and petro yuan. So long as we pay him for his natural resources he will use our money to continue his madness. So, when the West decides it is willing to put up with the short term pain of higher energy prices for oil and gas I will begin to listen to leaders like Biden, Macron, et al as to their plans to "stop Putin and make Russia pay a price.? The only price Putin understands is the latest price for a barrel of oil or cubic foot of natural gas.
Good ideas but won’t a boycott be bypassed by China making billions selling goods to Russia and increasing the dependency and vassal state status to Xi? China plays a long game too. Siberia has natural resources and no people. That’s the prize. They have Putin in a bind of his own making and our sanctions will drive him deeper into the Panda’s embrace. I don’t think we have a choice though and it’s a wake up to on shore more manufacturing to the Americas.
the worst part of playing chicken is knowing the other guy won't flinch
Our weakness emboldened Putin to do this. Four years of a Trumpian inept presidency while he buddied up with autocrats, followed by his nearly successful authoritarian putsch. Putin probably thinks "The New American Century" was the last one, and this century is up for grabs, so it might as well be his.
We are fortunate to be energy self-sufficient but Europe is not. Germany's lack of a domestic fossil fuel energy resource makes Germany particularly vulnerable to a tit-for-tat trade embargo with Russia. (Ironic - lack of domestic fossil energy is the same problem that Germany had in WWII when Germany was the aggressor)
I hate what Putin is and what he has done. But hs is quite good at this.
We stand with Ukraine
Send this to DC and Brussels. This is the blueprint for meaningful consequences.
In a word, YES!
This is so reasonable and well presented. Could you send this to Washington and Brussels? What’s wrong with our, NATO and EU leadership that they don’t see what’s needed to stop this. Ukraine is only the beginning if Rasputin, sorry, Putin, is permitted to continue so easily. At the very least, why hasn’t SWIFT been implemented to cut off the money?
All these "should's" and "must's." None of which will happen.