Wednesday 19 March 2014

THE QUESTION OF UKRAINE

McCain: "I'm A Little Embarrassed" By GOP Response To Ukraine's Needs Just like losing Texas would change the American political calculus, losing Crimea has changed the balance of political power in Ukraine.,the deposed pro-Russian president of Ukraine's entire margin of victory in 2010 came from voters in Crimea, votes which will never be cast again.

QUESTION: There is legislation in the Senate, you’re behind it, but there’s an issue about the IMF that some find controversial. For example, Sen. Marco Rubio calls it flawed and divisive, and he’s not going to be supporting it. So is Congress also adding to the weakness of the United States that you say that we’re putting out there to the world by not passing legislation? Does Congress have a role?

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN: congress has a role and right now they are not playing it. They are showing a lack of appreciation for what is going on by placing a priority on an IMF fix, which frankly isn't a big deal, compared with a unified response to what has taken place in Ukraine. I am a little embarrassed, frankly, by some of my fellow Republicans’ attitude of placing the IMF reform over sending a signal and providing the assistance that Ukraine needs, including military assistance. And by the way, we provide military assistance to many countries throughout the world, but right now Ukrainians need it short-term and long-term.

 But I am disappointed with the Congress and I hope when we are back next Monday the Senate passes and we can get agreement with the House and move forward.
This is well earned mockery. It's true the Russian economy has slipped as a result of the the invasion, but not as a result of anything Obama has said or done. The sanctions he imposed yesterday are risible. The Russian stock market went up 3.7% in relief. The American stock market, all stock markets, all markets care about is tranquility, status quo, and continuation of what's going on. They went up radically because they were surprised by how weak were the American sanctions and how little it would do. 

Everybody understands these sanctions are a joke. There are real sanctions that we could impose on the Russian economy. There's nothing on the energy sector, which is the source of all their wealth. And there is nothing on the banks. We know from the Iranian example that if you cut off their access to western banks, unlike the Soviets who had an autarkic, an isolated economy where the banks didn't make any difference. The new Russian economy is in some ways integrated. 

So why isn't that happening, ?

 Because we have no leadership from the United States. All we get from this administration is air. You get Kerry talking about being on the wrong side of history, which is an old academic collegiate lefty slogan, which means nothing. And you get action on the part of Russia. Chuck is right. The real problem is that the next step would be, can be, might be attack on the rest of eastern Ukraine. And there is nothing that Obama has done that would in any way dissuade Putin.

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