Kerry lays down the law

[bateman]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/john-kerry-russia-has-until-monday-to-reverse-course-in-ukraine/article/2545610

“There will be a response of some kind ...” Kerry said. “If there is no sign [from Russia] of any capacity to respond to this issue ... there will be a very serious series of steps on Monday.”

Lulz. That ought to do it, John.

[wr250]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/john-kerry-russia-has-until-monday-to-reverse-course-in-ukraine/article/2545610

Lulz. That ought to do it, John.

next kerry will wave a finger around

[Bart Ell]

[Juan]

So (ha), is Kerry now supporting the Orange Revolution?

[VtaGeezer]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/john-kerry-russia-has-until-monday-to-reverse-course-in-ukraine/article/2545610

Lulz. That ought to do it, John.

Then there's Shoot-First Sarah's idea: threaten Putin with nukes.

[Foodlion]

Kerry turned Guido
[attachimg=1]

[bateman]

Kerry turned Guido
[attachimg=1]

Got himself some Boehner face.

[ItsOver]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/john-kerry-russia-has-until-monday-to-reverse-course-in-ukraine/article/2545610

Lulz. That ought to do it, John.

Uh, oh.  He's going to tell his mommy.  Be afraid, Putin.  Be very afraid.

[West of the Rockies]

Boys sporting the duck face...  Kill me now.  Sometimes I detest pop culture.

[Foodlion]

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" Edmund Burke

kids can't answer basic questions
We're becoming weaker and weaker as a country. Won't be long before Russia slaps us in the face with a hard dose of reality.

[Bart Ell]

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" Edmund Burke

kids can't answer basic questions
We're becoming weaker and weaker as a country. Won't be long before Russia slaps us in the face with a hard dose of reality.

They may not know state capitals or any history but they sure can take a picture of cats doing some crazy funny stuff... and videos of their kids talking all sassy mouth to them.

[FightTheFuture]

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" Edmund Burke

kids can't answer basic questions
We're becoming weaker and weaker as a country. Won't be long before Russia slaps us in the face with a hard dose of reality.

Yeah, but I'll bet they possess encyclopedic knowledge of the important stuff. Like American Idol, all things Kardashian...

[The General]

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" Edmund Burke

I thought that was Santayana.
And I ain't talking about Carlos.

[wr250]

Yeah, but I'll bet they possess encyclopedic knowledge of the important stuff. Like American Idol, all things Kardashian...

you forgot portals and angels.

[Foodlion]

I thought that was Santayana.
And I ain't talking about Carlos.

George Santayana May be the first to have said it. Not completely sure to be honest, but you're point is valid.


Edit:
George Santayana December 16, 1863 - September 26, 1952

Edmund Burke January 12, 1729 - July 9, 1797

[George Drooly]

So (ha), is Kerry now supporting the Orange Revolution?

[SciFiAuthor]

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" Edmund Burke

kids can't answer basic questions
We're becoming weaker and weaker as a country. Won't be long before Russia slaps us in the face with a hard dose of reality.

Probably going to happen this week as Kerry's intentionally scary Monday ultimatum passes with zero action and zero consequences.

[Imconfused]

Kerry turned Guido
[attachimg=1]

My god people,  lay off of the carrots!

[NowhereInTime]

Probably going to happen this week as Kerry's intentionally scary Monday ultimatum passes with zero action and zero consequences.

Right, because big bad Vlad is scheming in plain sight to steal Crimea.  Putin Wins! Putin Wins! Thhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhe PUTIN WINS!!!

[SciFiAuthor]

Right, because big bad Vlad is scheming in plain sight to steal Crimea.  Putin Wins! Putin Wins! Thhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhe PUTIN WINS!!!

Well, if the Estonians are right, he'll be marching into eastern Ukraine right about the time Kerry's ultimatum passes. Putin's becoming a megalomaniac that's apparently bent on making the world more dangerous.

[NowhereInTime]

Well, if the Estonians are right, he'll be marching into eastern Ukraine right about the time Kerry's ultimatum passes. Putin's becoming a megalomaniac that's apparently bent on making the world more dangerous.

Putin has forever been a megalomaniac.  He's bored and frustrated that he didn't get the accolades from the world he was expecting for Sochi.  He should be grateful more athletes weren't seriously hurt in the crap venues and conditions there.
This march into the Sudetenland won't be ignored.  You may mock financial & trade sanctions but sure as shit guaranteed Putin won't.  He has a teetering economy and as the northern hemisphere warms up for spring his gas sales will plummet. If the Germans are serious about follow through then Putin will either have to march away or face an increasingly dissatisfied Russian public.

[PB the Deplorable]

Putin has forever been a megalomaniac.  He's bored and frustrated that he didn't get the accolades from the world he was expecting for Sochi...

He decided to do this because his ass wasn't kissed enough in Sochi? 

[FightTheFuture]

I don`t think the EU has the intestinal fortitude to follow through with economic sanctions. Putin steps on the oil and gas hose feeding Western Europe, and there will be riots in the streets from Liverpool to Munich. And don`t overlook Putin`s new BFF, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The unholy alliance of China and Russia, if real, can be an extraordinarily dangerous thing to the West.

[NowhereInTime]

He decided to do this because his ass wasn't kissed enough in Sochi?

He decided to do this to demonstrate Russia's tremendous power and influence and importance in the world.  He, much like most conservatives, only feel validation when others acknowledge their "greatness".  Sochi was but one instance where Putin didn't get the favor of the world he seeks.
SciFi Author is right; he's a megalomaniac.

[PB the Deplorable]

He decided to do this to demonstrate Russia's tremendous power and influence and importance in the world.  He, much like most conservatives, only feel validation when others acknowledge their "greatness".  Sochi was but one instance where Putin didn't get the favor of the world he seeks.
SciFi Author is right; he's a megalomaniac.

I'm asking what you think was his timeline.  Do you really think he - or anyone - could plan and carry this out in just a few weeks? 

If not, what does Sochi have to do with it?

[FightTheFuture]

He decided to do this to demonstrate Russia's tremendous power and influence and importance in the world.  He, much like most conservatives, only feel validation when others acknowledge their "greatness".  Sochi was but one instance where Putin didn't get the favor of the world he seeks.
SciFi Author is right; he's a megalomaniac.

NiT, you`re not suggesting that this whole ordeal is a manifestation of Putin`s arrogance, are you? I think it`s far more complex. Putin, at his core, is an old Soviet KGB Colonel. He pines for the old glory days of the Soviet Union.

I`m not completely discounting his arrogant nature -- it could be his blind spot, but I think he`s far too shrewd to allow personal feelings to interfere with a much broader strategy.

[NowhereInTime]

NiT, you`re not suggesting that this whole ordeal is a manifestation of Putin`s arrogance, are you? I think it`s far more complex. Putin, at his core, is an old Soviet KGB Colonel. He pines for the old glory days of the Soviet Union.

I`m not completely discounting his arrogant nature -- it could be his blind spot, but I think he`s far too shrewd to allow personal feelings to interfere with a much broader strategy.

Really?  This guy rides horseback shirtless and has the pictures released around the world.  He attends judo fights and shows off his skills.  He publicly impugns the United States for every malady in the world (including the disappearance of the Malaysian airliner) and tries to challenge us in every foreign policy arena, like Syria, where he still supports Assad and tried to kill our agreement to destroy Assad's chemical weapons.
He's shrewd in the sense that he knows who to kill and when to kill them, much like Joey S. did, but does that connote skill to you?  Otherwise, what's the point of this?
Please tell me you don't buy this crap about "protecting ethnic Russians".

[NowhereInTime]

I'm asking what you think was his timeline.  Do you really think he - or anyone - could plan and carry this out in just a few weeks? 

If not, what does Sochi have to do with it?

Putin has designs on the whole old Soviet empire,  He's always looking for opportunity to bolster his image to the world as a great leader.  In this instance, he's trying to get the world to believe that he's "protecting" ethnic Russians when in fact, he wants Crimea.
The difference is, the world has had enough of Russia's antics.  The last 100 years has involved this nation's half assed chicanery around the globe and, let's face it, aside from nuclear weapons they are the Iraqi military.  Their ground fighting force is limited, their navy more so.  He put on this grand show a couple of years back having a couple of bombers fly through Alaskan airspace and those sputtering buckets barely got back to base.
In terms of timeline?  As I said, there has always been interest in refortifying Russia by getting the band back together, so when the opportunity arose (the embarrassment of his hand picked leader being chased away by the Ukraine equivalent of "Occupy thugs") during the Olympics, he decided to go for it. 
Sochi was supposed to be about Russia as a 21st century nation but, between the gay fiasco, the shoddy venues, the half built hotels, the olympic ring that wouldn't light, the slew of athletes injured on poor surfaces, and the distractions in Kiev, Putin's grand moment turned into humiliation.
Now he wants his tough guy credentials back.

[FightTheFuture]

Really?  This guy rides horseback shirtless and has the pictures released around the world.  He attends judo fights and shows off his skills.  He publicly impugns the United States for every malady in the world (including the disappearance of the Malaysian airliner) and tries to challenge us in every foreign policy arena, like Syria, where he still supports Assad and tried to kill our agreement to destroy Assad's chemical weapons.
He's shrewd in the sense that he knows who to kill and when to kill them, much like Joey S. did, but does that connote skill to you?  Otherwise, what's the point of this?
Please tell me you don't buy this crap about "protecting ethnic Russians".

He`s an egotistical neanderthal. Yeah, we all get it. But the point of this is to expand  Russian influence. It has nothing to do with protecting anybody.

We, in the West, constantly make the mistake of projecting our mores on those in the East. Unfortunately, they have a radically different view of the world, and will take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.

[VtaGeezer]

Putin's world view was formed as a apparachik in the USSR.  As a native Russian, he sees the old Soviet Union as his perpetually beleaguered motherland's historic buffer to invasion and domination.  Ever since the break-up, the old guard in Moscow has been paranoid about the old Soviet "republics" turning on their nasty old master; especially those with Western leanings.  Ukraine's westward turn would; to the old Soviet types, be like Canada throwing in with Russia to Americans.

I think Putin used the Olympics for cover; the "Iron Ring" around Sochi covered concentration of troops in the S. Caucasus.  The  Crimea is effectively gone, and Putin's tactical moves were, it seems to me, extraordinarily well planned and rehearsed considering typical Russian "delicacy"; e.g. sending tanks into Georgia in 08.  If Putin goes into E. Ukraine, we're back to 1985; Cold War Revisited. We'll have to worry about Putin going after the Baltic States, and unlike Ukraine, they're now in NATO.  If that happens, its 1914 again...with tactical nukes.  The fucking Euros are waffling badly...surprise, surprise. At least, Merckel is opening her eyes. The Brit reaction from that Tory asshole Cameron not to do anything that hurts UK business is despicable.