CBS News:
John Kerry warns of consequences for Russia after Ukraine invasion
Secretary of State John Kerry warned Russia Sunday that it should rethink its military intervention in Ukraine, warning of possible economic consequences and embarrassment on the world stage.
Tensions flared over the weekend as Russian President Vladimir Putin sought and received permission from his parliament Saturday to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine. Troops have already stationed themselves in Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula that is home to one of Moscow’s naval bases.
“It’s an incredible act of aggression. It is really a stunning, willful choice by President Putin to invade another country,” Kerry said on “Face the Nation” Sunday, adding that Russia has violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and several of its obligations under international agreements. “You just don’t in the 21st Century behave in 19th Century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pretext.”
He urged Russia to consider other options, the message pushed by the White House in the wake of a 90-minute call between President Obama and Putin Saturday. The hope is that Putin will have to withdraw after vigorously arguing for the sovereignty rights of states like Syria and Iran on the world stage, inconsistent with Putin’s actions in Ukraine.
Several foreign powers are already preparing a set of economic consequences if Russia does not withdraw its forces. Kerry said he spoke to ten of the foreign ministers of the countries most engaged on the issue, and “all of them, every single one of them are prepared to go to the hilt in order to isolate Russia with respect to this invasion. They’re prepared to put sanctions in place, they’re prepared to isolate Russia economically.”
He also said the U.S. was “absolutely prepared” to boycott the upcoming G8 summit in Sochi, the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and suggested that visa bans, asset freezes and other acts to isolate Russia in the trade or business realm could motivate Putin to act.
“We’re not trying to make this a battle between East and West, we’re not trying to make this a Cold War. Nobody wants this kind of action, there are many ways to resolve this kind of problem,” Kerry said. “If Russia wants to be a G8 country, it needs to behave like a G8 country, and I guarantee you that everybody is determined that if this cannot be resolved in a reasonable, modern, 21st Century manner, there are going to be repercussions.”
Kerry said Putin’s actions were motivated by “weakness and out of a certain kind of desperation.”
The “cowboy” diplomacy of George W. Bush has been replaced with the “kick-me” diplomacy of Barack Obama. This is fucking embarrassing.
“We’re not gonna let Putin sit with us at the kewl kidz table anymore!”
I really hate seeing my country humiliated by these assholes.
Ooh, I’m scared! Nyet!
The Crawdad Hole 
Kerry was in Boston today. The events in Ukraine are so important that he didn’t even bother to stay in Washington D.C. to deal with it.
He prefers to be on his yacht when the shit hits the fan. I’m surprised it took him so long to get out of DC
Oh please let him ask which wheel.
LOL
Owners of tow services all through the Sierra Nevada enjoy annual Hawaiian vacations because of jeep owners who think like Dominic.
If you know how to drive you usually don’t need 4WD anyway. I always get a kick out of people who buy 4WD pick-ups with big tires and then never take them off pavement.
🙂 There’s some saying about “compensation” keeps running through my fevered mind, but with too much Kerry Krapola on the interthingy today everything is getting fuzzee…….
Just saw this in my TL
https://twitter.com/KILLERMOORS/status/440203973031886849
If Hillary’s a serious candidate for 2016, is she weighing in on this Obama Kerfluffle ? I’m really pi**ed at the oppo party too. Everyone seems to be throwing their sh*t at the wall to see what sticks. Good grief, our government sucks right now 😦
Oh look Squirrel, Oscar Night, nevermind 😉
There’s only one thing to do: send in the Brits. They stopped ’em last time (although it was a near thing – the major reason for Russian interest in the “stans” in the Tsarist era was to use them as a staging area for the conquest of British India). We’re obviously not up to it.
If there was a draft the kids at ThinkProgress would be dodging it.
They think the dictators & terrorists have the same daddy issues that they and Obama do. Kindred spirits, if you will.
A little bit OT. I just wanted to tell everybody here at TCH thanks, especially you Klown. I’ve been dealing with a bit of a crisis with my dog and haven’t been able to keep up with the news very much. I used my phone to pop on and off here at TCH and feel like I’m pretty much up to date thanks to the posts, comments and links. Some of your comments literally had me laughing out loud.
I think my dog is going to make a full recovery but it was a close one. He had an acute, SEVERE case of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. I hope none of you ever experience this with any of your pets, it is horrific.
Oh, no, poor pup! I dealt with it with my late schnauzer once. It is horrible. I seriously thought Gretchen was going to die, but she pulled through and lived another 5 years.
{{HUGS}}
Hugs to you and your dog, Somebody.
Good luck with your pup. Sending good vibes!
So glad she is better. 🙂
very glad your dog is getting better. hope both of you can get some rest
How awful. Hope the poor thing feels better soon.
Ellie sends puppy hugs and kisses.
Poor pup and poor you as well. Hope you both are better soon.
Poor puppy and poor you. I hope you both are better soon.. (I tried to send this reply a moment ago, but obviously something went wrong.)
WP is presenting many hoops for me to jump to post my infrequent comments.
Sorry to hear. Glad it looks like a full recovery now though.
Sorry!
Hoping for a fast recovery. I truly believe that our dogs are just kids wearing fur suits. They enrich our lives and expect so little in return.
Thanks everybody I think he’s out of danger. He did unfortunately lose almost a third of his body weight and obviously he’s quite anemic. He’s up and around a little bit, but still wobbly in the legs. We all slept through the night last night, finally!!! He’s also eating again so I think he’s going to pull through.
When all of this went down we found out our vet was closed for the week for rennovations. They left several options of places to call on their machine. We opted for one across the county in a small town that said they could see us ASAP. They’re about 20 miles away. As it turned out this place has more equipment than our vet, including a complete lab. It’s a farm area so I’m sure they deal with a lot of livestock. They’re AAHA certified and their prices were about half of our regular vet. I sense a vet change coming.
Glad he’s better! When Gretchen got it, I was broke. The vet kept her overnight the first night for IV fluids/meds, but I couldn’t afford more days, so took her home and sat up round the clock literally spooning teaspoons of broth into my limp baby every 30 minutes to keep her hydrated. I seriously thought she was going to die. Sooooo weak and skinny.
It’s scary. So happy he’s out of the woods.
So very glad things have come good for you. Hugs to you and the pup.
Drones are great at killing civilian targets, not military ones. I’ll concede that Obama is tops in killing the unarmed.
The question isn’t “Who is Dominic Nanni” it’s “How Has Dominic Nanni Managed to Escape Again”.
Putin isn’t scared of Obama’s phone *or* his pen.
Putin would stick the pen up Obama’s ass then make him put the phone up there himself.
Somehow I identify with Putin the Russian patriot more than Obama who I do not identify with at all. Where was Obama on 911 when our ambassador was killed in Benghazi and how has Obama dealt with the perpetrators of that terrorist attack? I don’t think he has even finished making up excuses yet. How do you think Putin would have handled the situation if Russian interests and citizens had been attacked? But maybe I’m just a racist.
If a bunch of Libyan terrorists attacked a Russian consulate and killed their ambassador and three other men, the Russians would hunt them down and kill not only the men who did it but also their families.
Back in the 80’s and 90’s there were a lot of Americans kidnapped in the Middle East but only one case where Russians were kidnapped. I remember reading back then that KGB agents contacted various terrorist leaders and showed them pictures of their families.
The kidnapping victims were quickly released.
People used to be afraid to touch a US citizen abroad as well.
My husband favors the old Roman way. We will leave you entirely alone, but you TOUCH a Roman citizen and the whole damn city burns. But he’s a crusty Italian misanthrope. 😉
The word “decimate” comes from the Roman policy of dealing with rebellion. They didn’t worry about finding the actual rebels. They would just march a legion or two into wherever was making trouble, line up all the men and then stick a sword or spear into every tenth man.
They also had a policy that after they won a battle they would kill all the enemy wounded and sometimes all the prisoners too.
Both policies were usually very effective. Jerusalem and Carthage both got the more extreme punishment – level the city, salt the foundations, then either kill all the inhabitants or take them away as slaves.
Well, Carthage at least deserved it.
What Constance said.
I don’t agree with his ends, methods, goals, etc. But I do admire the absolute and unapologetic commitment to his own country’s interests, period.
And no, fucking GWB did not have that, despite his warring. We haven’t **really** had that since Reagan. Clinton and Bush both had global and European and other agendas as much as American ones – though unlike Obama I do think they loved this country at heart.
Bush and Clinton may have loved America but they were on board with the multi national corporation world agenda. Obama is just off in his own little world and doesn’t identify with Americans. But let’s talk about gay rights and birth control.
The Russians were afraid of Reagan. They thought he was a trigger-happy cowboy.
And that little gem provides a very interesting measurement guide.
Which potential president would best give the bear and hyenas nightmares? Hillary, Joe, Elizabeth, Sarah, Chris, Marco, Paul, Scott or Ted? Or?
Granted, it’s just one element, but who we follow Obumbles with will be a significant marker for the rest of the world. Another softie is extremely likely to encourage even more deadly tests of our resolve.
Allen West
I doubt Putin gives a flying Fig what Obama or Kerry says. 😀
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/03/russia-swallows-up-crimea-as-west-hurls-hollow-threats/
so is it a done deal?
It’s all over but the sternly-worded letters to the editor.
My mom’s side of the family calls it a violin, and my dad’s side a fiddle. Yet somehow they both know how to get great music out of it.
Obviously it’s a fiddle.
Looks like the musical instrument Nero was accused of playing while Rome burned. Obama goofs/golfs off while an Ambassador and the Ukraine burns.
Obama’s really teed off at Putin.
http://weaselzippers.us/177890-flashback-obama-the-reset-button-has-worked-2/
about that reset button, seems there is a problem
Putin hit the reset button and it changed “Russia” back to “USSR”
ROFL good one !
https://twitter.com/themick1962/status/440233138015322112
Very true and that goes for most of the channels in the bundle and most of the crap in the cable bundle does not reflect American culture. If it did they could sell channels individually and people would actually choose to pay for the channels. The current cable bundle is a sexist liberal fantasy.
If Comcast gets 30% of the cable market, it’ll be worse. They’d offer MSNBC free just for the propaganda.
The Comcast Time Warner deal is against consumer interests but only if it is against some other corporate interest and Comcast doesn’t pay off that interest will the deal be stopped by our sold out government.
If the cable bundle reflects American culture then the Media have nothing to fear because given a choice people will voluntarily sign up for the channels in the bundle.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/3281263428001/judge-jeanine-obamas-policies-reducing-us-to-paper-tiger/#sp=show-clips
Judge Jeanine
backtrack policies reducing US to paper tiger
Russian President Putin has accepted Chancellor Merkel’s proposal to set up a ‘fact-finding mission to start political dialogue over Ukraine, German government spokesman, per @Reuters
President Obama spoke to Germany’s Merkel, underscored the ‘complete illegitimacy’ of Russia’s intervention in Ukraine’s Crimea, US official says –
LOL. of course US official says that. That must’ve been after the round of golf and between shots and Zoloft.
I believe that was my first tweet to a foreign head of state.
Maybe, but he’s only the UK one.
Listen for helicopters……..
That’s your first warning……..
…as soon as the WH can clear time between speaking engagements.
errr..you mean fund raising engagements.
There are other kinds?
http://www.dw.de/opinion-crimea-is-putins-bargaining-chip/a-17467330
Crimea is Putin’s bargaining chip
Crimea River….
http://www.bizpacreview.com/2014/03/02/obamabrandishes-phone-at-putin-what-people-are-saying-about-this-staged-wh-photo-release-104118
check these out
because Obama in his “mom” jeans is such a powerful image?
Putin’s power is all hard.
Kerry to visit Kiev on Tuesday
US official: Russian forces have ‘operational control’ of Crimean peninsula in Ukraine – @WSJ
read more on stream.wsj.com
stolen from a commenter at No Quarter
Kind of like when Eric Holder told the governors of states, if you don’t like a law, just ignore it, thats what I do. Putin took Holders advice !!
Okay, I’m gonna take a little break and try to rest up for all the Oscars excitement tonight.
Later gators!
Do they follow their bosses’ lead on the weekend and ALL get high? Stoner ennui is not an appropriate foreign policy.
Nor taking potshots at a guy who has been out of office 6 years while they have farted around.
In a feckless, rudderless ship the most recent policy remains official policy, even in the absence of updating policies over the last 5½ years. Give him a break! He’s an organizer, not a policy wonk.
Obama: I have speeches. I have the world stage.
Putin: I have balls. And a brain.
And right now he also has Ukraine.
http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-navy-chief-switches-allegiance-crimea-pro-russia-172726132.html;_ylt=AwrBJSDxahNTSBEA4VXQtDMD
Ukraine Navy Chief switches allegiance- crimea pro russia
Ban Ki-moon is dispatching Deputy Jan Eliasson to Ukraine; the latest @UN_Spokesperson statement here – @UN
read more on http://www.un.org
In UN Speak that means Eliasson should be arriving between Easter and early summer, depending on the prevailing tradewinds.
So, can anyone tell me how to log in at fun office pool for the Oscar thing?
Thanks……..
Hurry. Go to site. Create your own account. Join our pool. Make your selections. Save and exit. Good luck.
There is a link in the comments in the post below this one. I used it this morning and signed up.
Here is the link Leslie
http://www.funofficepools.com/joinpool.php?Passed_Pool_Key=ad6f8f4c00b
Sorry I was mistaken it was two threads down. Good luck with your picks!
Thanks you both.
It took me a minute to get it. Then I laughed out loud.
LOL
You know what I like most about Ellen? She’s always been so ordinary. She’s always been “Yeah, I’m gay, so what. Now here’s a funny joke……” Not “I AM GAY GAY GAY YOU STRAIGHT BIGOTED REPUBLICAN FUCKERS, WHAT’S IT TO YOU, HUH??!!!”
Call me crazy, but I think the former does more for integration and acceptance than the latter. Nuts, I know, but that’s my take.
Oh, and BTW, I actually don’t know very many real gay people who are in the former camp. A few, but not a lot. You know who’s the most in that camp? Straight lefty progbots on their moral zealot crusade.
I despise mindless crusading zealots. Of any stripe, belief, or ideology. They give me the heebs.
I guess I’m watching the awards as my kids came over and turned it on. Why is it that I like the lesbian’s outfits better than what the straight women wear?
Oscars thread up
OT
Klown , you might have to come east for this !
http://www.marylandbaconfestival.com/
YES APRIL 26th THE MARYLAND BACON FESTIVAL !!!