Putin signs bills making Crimea part of Russia

[GannonFan]

Germany Warns Russia of 'Massive Damage' Over Crimea

"LONDON — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Moscow that Europe could inflict 'massive economic and political damage' to Russia if the situation in the Ukrainian region of Crimea escalates.

Germany now appears willing to use its diplomatic and economic muscle to turn up the heat on Moscow, analysts say. And they add that Merkel, a fluent Russian speaker, has been Europe's prime interlocutor with Russian President Vladimir Putin."

http://www.voanews.com/content/germany- ... 71469.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How much further does it need to escalate? Russia has annexed Crimea - what more does Merkel think Russia could do in Crimea more than it's already done?

[grizzaholic]

WHO CARES? Let the Russians do their thing...if Crimea or Turkey or wherever gets all butthurt, they can handle their business..or get some of their friends to help them WHILE leaving the USA out of it.

I don't think this is a hard decision...yet Obama has continued to surround himself with like thinkers and is an embarrassment.

[BDKJMU]

WHO CARES? Let the Russians do their thing...if Crimea or Turkey or wherever gets all butthurt, they can handle their business..or get some of their friends to help them WHILE leaving the USA out of it.

I don't think this is a hard decision...yet Obama has continued to surround himself with like thinkers and is an embarrassment.

As long as the US is part of NATO and most of eastern Europe is part of NATO (including Turkey whom you mentioned) saying who cares is a naivety at its best. NATO- an attack on one is an attack all.

[BlueHen86]

^ I agree. Europe standing up to Russia?

That said this isn't our problem. Enless Rusian tanks know how to swim, no real reason for us to worry.

Russian tanks don't need to learn how to swim to get to:
-Estonia
-Latvia
-Lithuania
-Romania
-Slovakia
-Slovenia
-Albania
-Croatia
-Czech Republic
-Hungary
-Poland
-Belgium
-Denmark
-France
-Italy
-Luxembourg
-Netherlands
-Norway
-Portugal
-Greece
-Germany
-Spain

All of the above are members of NATO, in addtion to US, UK, Iceland, Canada. Article Five of the treaty states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it should be considered an attack against all members, and other members shall assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary.

My understanding is that Article Five does not require the use of force as part of the aid. We may be obligated to assist, but we are not obligated to use force on the attacker.

I'm not expert on Article Five. If somebody knows different maybe they can clarify.

[grizzaholic]

WHO CARES? Let the Russians do their thing...if Crimea or Turkey or wherever gets all butthurt, they can handle their business..or get some of their friends to help them WHILE leaving the USA out of it.

I don't think this is a hard decision...yet Obama has continued to surround himself with like thinkers and is an embarrassment.

As long as the US is part of NATO and most of eastern Europe is part of NATO (including Turkey whom you mentioned) saying who cares is a naivety at its best. NATO- an attack on one is an attack all.

How about this.

We start the Cold War up again? US v. Russia and China can be the wildcard.

[SDHornet]

All of the above are members of NATO, in addtion to US, UK, Iceland, Canada. Article Five of the treaty states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it should be considered an attack against all members, and other members shall assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary.

My understanding is that Article Five does not require the use of force as part of the aid. We may be obligated to assist, but we are not obligated to use force on the attacker.

I'm not expert on Article Five. If somebody knows different maybe they can clarify.

Found this on Google, questionable source imo:

Article 5 is known as the "one-for-all and all-for-one" article, the keystone of NATO as an organization. It states that an "armed attack" against one member is an attack against all and sets in motion the possibility of collective self-defense.

However, it only commits members to "assist the party or parties so attacked" and to take "such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force…." It does not automatically result in military action.

All major NATO decisions are made by consensus, so any invocation of Article 5 would require the consent of all 28 members.

http://www.rferl.org/content/explainer- ... 26653.html

Sounds like there is a loophole to getting out of military action. Thank goodness because fuck Europe. The EU had no spine to do anything over Crimea, why would Putin expect them to suddenly get a spine if he reclaimed a few other former Soviet territories.

[VictorG]

They're pulling out the big guns now!

BTW, why is it that all women, doesn't matter size, race or creed seem to pull this???

"Ukrainian Women to Russian 'Aggressors': No Sex for You"

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukrain ... you-n62361" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CAA Flagship]

They're pulling out the big guns now!

BTW, why is it that all women, doesn't matter size, race or creed seem to pull this???

"Ukrainian Women to Russian 'Aggressors': No Sex for You"

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukrain ... you-n62361" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pussy Power. They have it. We do not.

[VictorG]

They're pulling out the big guns now!

BTW, why is it that all women, doesn't matter size, race or creed seem to pull this???

"Ukrainian Women to Russian 'Aggressors': No Sex for You"

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukrain ... you-n62361" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pussy Power. They have it. We do not.

Just think what the world will be like should these "women" ever truly organize! Until we're 16 we need them to feed and dress us. From 16 to 60(ish) they control us with their thighs and after that they hide the TV remote!

[BDKJMU]

F*uck Ukraine. Bunch of pussies. Same thing with all their bases. Didn't even put up a fight.

In military rout, Russia seizes 51 Ukrainian ships in Crimea
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine ... 40929.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[YoUDeeMan]

Germany Warns Russia of 'Massive Damage' Over Crimea

"LONDON — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned Moscow that Europe could inflict 'massive economic and political damage' to Russia if the situation in the Ukrainian region of Crimea escalates.

Germany now appears willing to use its diplomatic and economic muscle to turn up the heat on Moscow, analysts say. And they add that Merkel, a fluent Russian speaker, has been Europe's prime interlocutor with Russian President Vladimir Putin."

http://www.voanews.com/content/germany- ... 71469.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How much further does it need to escalate? Russia has annexed Crimea - what more does Merkel think Russia could do in Crimea more than it's already done?

Exactly. All the language is about "escalation" of the crisis.

Crimea is gone. See ya'. And that is as it should be. Self-determination is a bitch when it backfires on good ol' America.

If Russia is smart, they start building big pipelines to China with China's money. That will help Russia's economy through employment and a guaranteed purchaser for their energy supplies, and it will help solve China's need for oil and gas. America will soon be a net producer of oil and should take a step back from being the guardian of the world's oil supply. That will leave Europe dealing with the clowns in Middle East...woo-hoo!

Putin, get started on those pipelines!

Win-win-win-win-win-win.

[VictorG]

It's costing them!

"Russian economy hammered by massive money drain"


http://www.cnbc.com/id/101573528" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[SDHornet]

It's costing them!

"Russian economy hammered by massive money drain"


http://www.cnbc.com/id/101573528" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One very cold and long winter should even things out.