Toothless sanctions having little noticeable effect on Russia’s economy

 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/17/us-eu-sanctions-russia-ukraine-crimea-referendum

US rejects criticism of 'toothless' sanctions following Crimea referendum

 

Obama seems to have targeted individuals Putin himself would have approved. As a result, the U.S. action has had little noticeable effect on Russia’s economy as of this writing. In fact, the Russian market rose today on the news of these weak sanctions.
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/u-s-sanctions-russian-officials-might-seem/#0oDcPvDyV8KvGK2g.99

 

U.S. action has had little noticeable effect on Russia’s economy. In fact, the Russian market rose today on the news of these weak sanctions.

B. Christopher Agee: Western Journalism.17 March 2014.

Obama seems to have targeted individuals Putin himself would have approved. As a result, the U.S. action has had little noticeable effect on Russia’s economy as of this writing. In fact, the Russian market rose today on the news of these weak sanctions.
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/u-s-sanctions-russian-officials-might-seem/#0oDcPvDyV8KvGK2g.99

Obama seems to have targeted individuals Putin himself would have approved. As a result, the U.S. action has had little noticeable effect on Russia’s economy as of this writing. In fact, the Russian market rose today on the news of these weak sanctions.
Read more at http://www.westernjournalism.com/u-s-sanctions-russian-officials-might-seem/#0oDcPvDyV8KvGK2g.99

 

After all the rhetoric and hypocrisy from Obama, Hague, Kerry and the rest over the past few weeks, the constant, boring cliches about, the referendum is "illegitimate", there will be "consequences", "you can't go round invading other peoples countries", "we will not recognise the referendum result" and all the other words pouring out of Washington, London and Europe, we now have "The Sanctions". The description of "toothless" is adequate for a set of words cobbled together to give an impression of strength and determination, but providing only an image of the President of the United States, the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain and the "High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy", (the rather grandiose title of the un elected and unaccountable Baroness Ashton), strutting around having temper tantrums like infants in the nursery, and all because they cannot have have their own way.

Ashton, Hague and Kerry

 

The motivations for this childish demonstration are simple. The "International Community" (otherwise known as the United States and Great Britain) have long held an ambition for the Ukraine to become a full member of NATO, to almost complete an encirclement of the former Soviet Union and those countries still remaining within the influence of Russia. Only recently there was a well publicised proposal for NATO to permanently install anti missile systems, and a strategic missile capability within Ukrainian territory. At the same time, the European Union seeks to extend the tentacles of its influence even further to the east and absorb by treaty, bribery and incitement, that which the Germans could not achieve by conquest and occupation.

It should come as no surprise to anyone, that the people of Crimea should vote to be, with their historic Russian heritage (which incidentally, goes back beyond the 17th Century and not as the "International Community" and the western media would have you believe only as far as the 1950's) part of Russia and not part of a satellite of Europe or America. The people of Crimea and of the eastern areas of Ukraine many of whom remember the German invasion and occupation of 1941, consequently have little trust for those in the west of Ukraine (particularly as Ukrainian battalions from the west were trained by the Germans and formed part of the invading Wehrmacht forces in 1941) America or for the western European powers.

Whether the “International Community” recognise the outcome of the Crimea referendum or not is neither here nor there. The fact remains that the peoples of Crimea have been given a choice and have chosen Russia. Washington and London can huff and puff as much as they chose, but such posturing will have little if any, effect on the reality of the situation. It is inconceivable that the west will resort to a “military option” and invade a country where the indigenous population have made a democratic decision, not withstanding the fact that such a decision has not prevented such intervention elsewhere, but in those instances there was little effective opposition. The facts of the military balance and abilities in the case the present situation with Russia have been noted by the NATO planners.

Consequently, the west are left with the option of sanctions, and have produced a collection of “targeted and specific” measures against less than 50 named individuals. That is it. No companies, no organisations, no high ranking officials, nothing in fact that will make one iota of difference to what is the reality of the situation and which will clearly remain the case for many years to come.

Crimea will shortly become part of Russia and will soon be joined by other parts of Eastern Ukraine.

The “International Community” will posture, strut around and produce more sets of weasel words and claim that they are “punishing the Russians”. Just as happening now, the western media will seize on the words, and seek to demonise the Russians as the bad guys, regardless of the fact that toothless sanctions have little if any useful purpose.