A Tale of Two Leaders: Obama vs. Putin

Posted on February 28, 2014 by

The video above and the story below say it all:

Ukraine denounces ‘armed invasion’ as suspected Russian forces raid Crimea airports

Ukraine’s interior minister claims Russian forces have now taken control of two airports in Crimea.

Eyewitnesses in the regional centre of Simferopol say the group was dressed in the same clothing as those who seized the parliament in Crimea yesterday.

One man in uniform told euronews: “We want the people of Crimea to understand that we will stay here for a long, long period of time and that it’s a place not only for Russians and Tatars, but also for Ukrainians, Germans, Jews and they want to live here in peace.”

An airport spokesperson said the attackers eventually abandoned their plans and apologised.

But shortly afterwards a military airport near the port of Sevastopol was seized. There are no reports of any bloodshed or clashes near where the Russian Black Sea fleet has a base.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov has described the raid as an armed invasion in violation of international accords.

The United States has not looked this weak since the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The truth is there isn’t much Obama could do at this point, and Vladimir Putin knows it. A POTUS with balls would have made moves weeks ago to prepare for this – moving troops and ships into position to counter Russian aggression.

Obama did nothing. Other than make speeches filled with empty threats, Obama will do nothing.

We are so fucked. Looks like I’m gonna start drinking early today.

My work is done here.

My work is done here.

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About Myiq2xu™

Peaceful coexistence or mutually assured destruction. Your choice.
This entry was posted in #Ukraine, Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

135 Responses to A Tale of Two Leaders: Obama vs. Putin

  1. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    This is fucking embarrassing.

  2. helenk3 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    backtrack is the best thing to ever happen for Putin

  3. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Kerry, in comments that highlighted Washington’s rising suspicion of Moscow, said the U.S. is watching to see if Russian activity in Crimea “might be crossing a line in any way.” He added that the administration would be “very careful” in making judgments about that.

    “While we were told that they are not engaging in any violation of the sovereignty and do not intend to, I nevertheless made it clear that could be misinterpreted at this moment,” Kerry said. “There are enough tensions that it is important for everybody to be extremely careful not to inflame the situation and not send the wrong messages.”

    #smh

  4. DandyTIger says:
    February 28, 2014 at 12:55 pm

    We have no leader. Or maybe worse, we have a crazy, narcissist, fruitcake leader. So anything goes. The Dem party in ’08 chose this loser over the person that won the primaries. And we’re supposed to forget that and stick with them. They’re actually dangerous.

    • lyn says:
      February 28, 2014 at 12:57 pm

      … and evil.

    • DeniseVB says:
      February 28, 2014 at 1:50 pm

      Worse, we have no LOYAL OPPO in Congress grabbing him by his Unicorn tail. Instead they bash the Whacko Birds trying to stop the bleeding. And a media who keeps rolling over to have their bellies rubbed.

      You know this political atmosphere is eerily similar to the state of the State of Alaska when Sarah was voted in as Gov to field dress the corruption, including her own party ?

  6. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 12:59 pm
    • Lulu says:
      February 28, 2014 at 1:30 pm

      It means “we don’t know what to do” is what it means. Putin is playing a very different game than Prezzy Tiddlywinks.

  7. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:00 pm

    Russia was never, ever going to give up access to that Black Sea port. Any idiot knew that. The USA could have pressured EU to leave Ukraine alone, stop meddling. What Russia is doing was entirely predictable, and COULD have been headed off. Don’t poke the bear unless you are willing to follow through when they inevitably react. This is not rocket science. Now, if your whole goal was to cut them off, then fine. But you’d better be fucking prepared to back that up. Because Russia WILL react to that. What did the morons THINK Russia was going to do faced with prospect of losing their only Black Sea port? We have IDIOTS in office.

    Russia has been invaded from West multiple times in history. She is nervous about that. I don’t blame her. But WE need to be savvy about it. Reagan understood Russia on an intuitive level. That’s why he promised Gorby that the former USSR satellites would never be allowed to join NATO (a promise that the West has now broken, multiple times.) Reagan understood that Russia needs that “buffer zone” to her west, or she’s going to go batshit aggressive. Sure as the sunrise, she will. Reagan would have NEVER been so stupid as to expand NATO and the EU to the point of making the bear feel trapped. He was smart. Maybe not in everything, but in how to play the geopolitics game re: Russia? Yes, the old geezer was savvy.

    I’m not saying Russia is justified in rolling tanks to Ukraine, or landing troops. I’m saying it was entirely predictable/avoidable, for anyone who has the least freaking clue about Russia’s fears and concerns.

    • The Klown says:
      February 28, 2014 at 1:03 pm

      The worst part about Obama’s ineffectualness re Ukraine is knowing that every two-bit tinhorn despot in the world is watching and plotting his own moves.

      • The Klown says:
        February 28, 2014 at 1:05 pm

        Two weeks after the bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut Ronnie Raygun invaded Grenada just so nobody got any big ideas.

        • wmcb says:
          February 28, 2014 at 1:09 pm

          Yep. And he was smart enough to pick a quick, easy win to flex muscle on – not a fucking protracted quagmire. The man understood power symbols and posturing.

          • The Klown says:
            February 28, 2014 at 1:19 pm

            We may not be strong enough to take on Russia or China by ourselves, but we can pretty much bitch-slap anyone else if we need to. It really makes a difference when the rest of the world understands that we’re not gonna take any shit.

          • 49erDweet says:
            February 28, 2014 at 4:17 pm

            So Zero sez to Putin there’ll be a “cost” if Russia reenters Ukraine? Who knew he’d been billing Vladimir for all that red paint?

      • wmcb says:
        February 28, 2014 at 1:07 pm

        Yep. It’s open field. And this is why I can never get on board with the whole “No Superpowers” bullshit. I’d love nothing more than for that to be the way the world worked. In theory, I wish with all my heart it could work that way.

        But it DOESN’T. If the Big Dawg on the world stage crawls under the porch, Big Dawgs don’t cease to exist. You just get the rest competing for who gets to be the next Big Dawg.

        There is GOING TO BE a Big Dawg. The only real question is which country.

    • r u reddy says:
      March 1, 2014 at 12:27 pm

      That promise was kept throughtout the Bush Senior Administration. It was broken during the Clinton Administration.

  8. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:02 pm
  9. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:08 pm
  10. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:10 pm

    If I was Poland I would be feeling very nervous right now.

  11. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:14 pm
  12. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:14 pm

    Some black conservatives on Twitter are getting attacked nonstop for talking about issues in black community. How dare they SHAME their people!

  13. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:27 pm
    • wmcb says:
      February 28, 2014 at 1:36 pm

      I’m beginning to view anything other than very very early abortion the same way I view torture of enemy combatants. Might it sometimes be necessary? Yes. Those rare circumstances do happen. But if you make a very broad law saying it’s legal, then pinky swear that it’s only really going to be used for extenuating, rare circumstances, people end up abusing it.

      • The Klown says:
        February 28, 2014 at 1:53 pm

        My thinking is make torture illegal with no exceptions, and if someone really believes it is necessary they should be willing to accept the punishment.

        • wmcb says:
          February 28, 2014 at 3:18 pm

          That’s my position on torture. And if it really is a doomsday scenario, you either do it and take your lumps afterward, or try to do it in secret and God save your soul.

  14. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:27 pm

    HAHAHAHA!

  15. helenk3 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    backtrack to make a speech in about 15 minutes. per Fox News

  16. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:40 pm

  17. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:42 pm

  18. foxyladi14 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    Guess What??/ Prezzy giving a Speech, 🙂

  20. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:49 pm
  21. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 1:49 pm

  23. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:03 pm

  24. helenk3 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    per backtrack…there will be costs if Russia invades Ukraine.

    has anyone checked backtrack’s schedule” Does he have any fund raisers to fly to in the next couple of days?

  25. helenk3 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:20 pm

    have a question. I read somewhere today that the people who took over the Crimean airports were Russian contractors. Like our use of blackwater. so is it a violation of the treaty if contractors and not troops are used? Would Putin be lying if he said no Russian troops were on the ground in Crimea?

  26. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:22 pm

  27. swanspirit says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:22 pm

    As far as the rest of the world is concerned, our POTUS is not much more than a “concern troll ” Putin knows what a coward he is …. Good Goddess …

  28. helenk3 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    Report Crimea’s main airport closed, several Russian military transport planes seen arriving – @BillNeelyNBC

  29. mothy67 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:28 pm

    Played with the coolest toy ever today. About the size of a Zippo . A computer. Projects screen onto a flat surface. Everything was beet red or black but had no problem checking email and responding. Far cry from a techie so I might be wrong but the developer told me its all cloud based. Have to connect to do anything. Goal is to make it the size of wrist watch. Lots of kinks but still cool as all hell.

  30. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Golden oldie:

    The Sources of Soviet Conduct
    By “X” (George F. Kennan)
    From the July 1947 Issue of Foreign Affairs

    […]

    These considerations make Soviet diplomacy at once easier and more difficult to deal with than the diplomacy of individual aggressive leaders like Napoleon and Hitler. On the one hand it is more sensitive to contrary force, more ready to yield on individual sectors of the diplomatic front when that force is felt to be too strong, and thus more rational in the logic and rhetoric of power. On the other hand it cannot be easily defeated or discouraged by a single victory on the part of its opponents. And the patient persistence by which it is animated means that it can be effectively countered not by sporadic acts which represent the momentary whims of democratic opinion but only by intelligent long-range policies on the part of Russia’s adversaries — policies no less steady in their purpose, and no less variegated and resourceful in their application, than those of the Soviet Union itself.

    In these circumstances it is clear that the main element of any United States policy toward the Soviet Union must be that of a long-term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russian expansive tendencies. It is important to note, however, that such a policy has nothing to do with outward histrionics: with threats or blustering or superfluous gestures of outward “toughness.” While the Kremlin is basically flexible in its reaction to political realities, it is by no means unamenable to considerations of prestige. Like almost any other government, it can be placed by tactless and threatening gestures in a position where it cannot afford to yield even though this might be dictated by its sense of realism. The Russian leaders are keen judges of human psychology, and as such they are highly conscious that loss of temper and of self-control is never a source of strength in political affairs. They are quick to exploit such evidences of weakness. For these reasons, it is a sine qua non of successful dealing with Russia that the foreign government in question should remain at all times cool and collected and that its demands on Russian policy should be put forward in such a manner as to leave the way open for a compliance not too detrimental to Russian prestige.

    […]

    • wmcb says:
      February 28, 2014 at 2:36 pm

      Again, Reagan understood that balance, and how to deal with the Russian temperament. They are very much a face-based culture. They react badly to losing face with their people in the public eye. They also react aggressively to weakness. The trick of containment is to allow them to keep face, but never show weakness yourself.

  31. driguana says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    So I’m thinkin’ that maybe the next Obama play is that he is going to change gender and run again as a woman. He and Michelle will become the first gay couple in the White House.

  32. votermom says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Obviously I picked a good day to retreat into a Justified marathon.

  33. votermom says:
    February 28, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    Oh look, Obama is ON it!

  34. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    A day old but still relevant.

  35. swanspirit says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:09 pm

  36. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:14 pm

  37. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:23 pm
  38. helenk3 says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    http://ricochet.com/main-feed/Vladimir-Putin-The-World-s-Greatest-Fool

    Putin the world’s greatest fool.

    interesting article. not sure if it is whistling in the dark or true

  39. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:38 pm

    We could use a POTUS with a backbone right now.

  40. DeniseVB says:
    February 28, 2014 at 3:49 pm

    If I had enough digits, I would have cc’d this to @crawdadhole. myiq was my inspiration for this faux media war post on HRC. It was a response to Jake Tapper if that didn’t show up……

  42. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 4:07 pm
  43. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 4:09 pm
    • DandyTIger says:
      February 28, 2014 at 4:19 pm

      These are clearly all lies. Just like all those lies about people having trouble with Obamacare. Evil FoxNews.

    • SHV says:
      February 28, 2014 at 8:37 pm

      “CNN airing new image of Russian tanks in Ukraine”
      *******
      CNN, the 24/7 comedy channel….Those are Russian 122mm self propelled howitzers “Gvozdika”; leftovers from the good old Cold War days.

  44. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 4:13 pm

    Todd Starnes:

    I just finished chatting with Sarah Palin. Here’s a comment she asked me to share exclusively with you folks:

    “Back in 2008, I accurately predicted the possibility of Putin feeling emboldened to invade Ukraine because I could see what kind of leader Barack Obama would be. The bullies of the world are always emboldened by indecision and moral equivalence. We can expect more of this sort of thing in a world where America is gutting its military and ‘leading from behind.'”

    • The Klown says:
      February 28, 2014 at 5:09 pm

      Those pictures aren’t shocking, they are typical.

      • 49erDweet says:
        February 28, 2014 at 11:28 pm

        If those views are “shocking” apparently no newsperson has ever driven past San Luis Reservoir on Hwy 152 in late November before. Or seen Don Pedro in any fall month.

        • The Klown says:
          February 28, 2014 at 11:40 pm

          Before we started building hydroelectric dams in the Sierra Nevadas it was not unusual for those rivers to flood in the Spring and then run dry by early Fall each year.

          • 49erDweet says:
            February 28, 2014 at 11:54 pm

            In those days about 40% of the valley was unusable because during wet season it flooded, then turned to swampland and bogs, then dried up and blew away for a couple of months until the cycle began again. The first reservoirs, except for Hetch Hetchy, were for flood relief.
            Then they discovered a use for the stored water to help pay for everything, and went to high water requirement crops because they paid much better. Most farmers can adapt unless they’ve mortgaged too much – and that could be the case due to short memory syndrome.

  46. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    I’ve been told this one made Twitchy:

  47. votermom says:
    February 28, 2014 at 4:47 pm

  49. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 5:00 pm
  52. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 6:40 pm

    Watching Casablanca. Again.

  54. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    So the NRA went to England…….

  55. The Klown says:
    February 28, 2014 at 7:55 pm

    Whole Foods: America’s Temple of Pseudoscience
    Americans get riled up about creationists and climate change deniers, but lap up the quasi-religious snake oil at Whole Foods. It’s all pseudoscience—so why are some kinds of pseudoscience more equal than others?

    If you want to write about spiritually-motivated pseudoscience in America, you head to the Creation Museum in Kentucky. It’s like a Law of Journalism. The museum has inspired hundreds of book chapters and articles (some of them, admittedly, mine) since it opened up in 2007. The place is like media magnet. And our nation’s liberal, coastal journalists are so many piles of iron fillings.

    But you don’t have to schlep all the way to Kentucky in order to visit America’s greatest shrine to pseudoscience. In fact, that shrine is a 15-minute trip away from most American urbanites.

    I’m talking, of course, about Whole Foods Market. From the probiotics aisle to the vaguely ridiculous Organic Integrity outreach effort (more on that later), Whole Foods has all the ingredients necessary to give Richard Dawkins nightmares. And if you want a sense of how weird, and how fraught, the relationship between science, politics, and commerce is in our modern world, then there’s really no better place to go. Because anti-science isn’t just a religious, conservative phenomenon—and the way in which it crosses cultural lines can tell us a lot about why places like the Creation Museum inspire so much rage, while places like Whole Foods don’t.

  58. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    This young man did a fine job.

  59. wmcb says:
    February 28, 2014 at 10:19 pm

  61. driguana says:
    March 1, 2014 at 5:34 am

    Don’t think that’s water that Obama and Biden are drinking. I’d guess it’s an afternoon vodka toast to Putin!

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