Told you this would happen. Meet the new boss, taking orders from the old bosses:
The newly installed, pro-Russia prime minister of Crimea declared on Saturday that he had sole control over the military and the police in the disputed peninsula and he appealed to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for help in safeguarding the region.
[snip]
In his statement Saturday, the Crimean prime minister, Sergei Aksyonov, said, “Understanding my responsibility for the life and safety of citizens, I appeal to the president of Russia, Vladimir V. Putin, for assistance in providing peace and tranquillity on the territory of the autonomous Republic of Crimea.”
The New York Times, in that dry and slightly sarcastic tone of theirs that I hadn’t realized I missed until I actually heard it again, said that any kind of official Russian response would be “little more than a formality.” But as I said yesterday, it’s pretty obvious that the Russians intend to lop off the Crimea and either turn it into a client state, or just annex the whole thing. They appear to being prepping for both scenarios at the same time; no doubt the Russians will pick whichever one looks more likely to succeed, although to be honest I’m not sure what, if anything, the White House is prepared to do about this.
Neither is the New York Times:
“There will be costs,” Mr. Obama said in a hastily arranged statement from the White House.
That ‘hastily’ was a nice touch, and a rare light note in what is becoming a rather dreary replay of Russian imperialism*. And, oh, yeah: separatist movements in eastern Ukraine, too. This entire thing could end with Ukraine split into three parts, each of which would exist on Russian sufferance. And the Russians make for uncomfortable neighbors.
Via
Ukraine declares Crimea premier’s appointment illegal http://t.co/WiJjE7Jxlu
— Potemkinville Idiot (@vermontaigne) March 1, 2014
Moe Lane (crosspost)
*And may I note in passing that the Russians have a lousy track record when it comes to imperialism? – Particularly in this region. There were reasons that all of the ‘Stans broke away from Moscow’s control when the Soviet’s empire collapsed, and those reasons go back centuries.
And the White House responds with outrageously outraged outrage in a sternly worded warning not to do what they have all ready done….
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And I thought I couldn’t possibly hold obama in more contempt!
More like a puppet state.
Boom: Putin Looking For A War Declaration
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*sips coffee*
Why was the statement “hastily” arranged? This type of thing is what Russia does; they’ve been doing it for centuries. How is it that all the “really smart people” in DC didn’t they see this coming, and at least have a statement ready for it?
Yeah, yeah – those are rhetorical questions. The theme of the Obama administration ought to be “Don’t confuse college with knowledge.”
I’m imagining Romney’s “hasty response” right now. It probably would’ve been calm and polite but at the same time a firm get out. ( written in about a paragraph but meaning the same)
McCain’s would’ve been “get out or we’ll f*** you up!”
Either statements would have far more clout then the current residence of the White House.
They managed to hold on to their empire longer than the British, while enduring a messy revolution along the way.
They’re lousy at imperialism if the point is to “uplift” the conquered population.
If the point is to exploit, they’re the reigning world champs.
The Mongols were the masters of subjugating conquered populations, and the Russians learned from the experience of being enthusiastically crushed under their bootheels.
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Also, they’re one of the few powers still enthusiastic about “The Great Game”.
I continue to sense, in many comments, that people seem to assume Barack Obama is on our side. Why do they do that?
Feckless. A lovely word and very apt for the present administration. Yes. I was an English major.
In a sane world State would have been staffing their desks from the moment the Olympics closed waiting for this, and the President would have been briefed to expect it.
Our current collection of clods couldn’t be bothered.
It’s embarrassing to be an American citizen at this point.
The reality is that most of the world has already ceded the Crimea to Putin.
Maybe it would have gone that way even with a competent American President.
Maybe the Russians wouldn’t have tried if we’d had competent leadership.
But that’s where we are now and I see no way we’re going to change it.
The frightening part is that one can see Putin doing this yearly for the rest of the Obama administration, with no more effective response.
The response will change January, 2017 and as long as a selection of GOP candidates that aren’t Rand Paul are the ones who get elected ( Walker, Perry, Jindal, Pence, Haley or Martinez) preferably.