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Obama demands West stand firm against Moscow's 'brute force'

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Russia might stop sending Soyus rockets to the Space Station with food and water.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

I don't think if that is good idea! @gokai

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Methinks Obama is calling the kettle non-white.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

"brute force cannot win"

Brute force has been winning conflicts since conflicts began.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Brute force has been winning conflicts since conflicts began.

And let's remember that the U.S. has and continues to use it in spades or insinuate it's eventual use to ensure they get the assets they want.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

"And let's remember that the U.S. has and continues to use it in spades or insinuate it's eventual use to ensure they get the assets they want."

Which assets please?

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Too little too late, both for rhetoric as well as action.

Syria's red line proved to be the proverbial slippery slope. When Obama says all options are on the table his enemies read it as "I will do everything as long as there is no fighting involved, outside of special forces and drones.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Crimean Voters Excited To Exercise Democracy For Last Time

http://www.theonion.com/articles/crimean-voters-excited-to-exercise-democracy-for-l,35548/

SIMFEROPOL, UKRAINE—Following yesterday’s referendum in which 97 percent of voters cast ballots in favor of seceding from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation, Crimean citizens expressed their excitement Monday at participating in the democratic process one final time. “It brought me such great personal joy to head to the polls and, for the last time ever, have my vote tallied and actually mean something,” said local businessman Sergei Petrov of his vote in support of annexation by Russia, echoing the enthusiasm of hundreds of thousands of his fellow Crimeans who proudly took part in their final opportunity to assert their collective will at the ballot box. “Yesterday was a historic day for Crimea. Our people had a say in their future, and our voices were heard loud and clear, which is extremely special given that it won’t happen again for who knows how long.” At press time, Crimeans were commemorating the vote to become Russian citizens by eagerly watching and reading coverage of the momentous event in the limited handful of sanctioned media sources they now have available to them.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

It is time the west stood firm against the utter incompetence of Obama and his contemporaries, and their complete lack of leadership and fiscal responsibility. It is their incompetence and weakness which encouraged Putin to move, they should be addressing their criticisms to themselves,

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Perhaps Mr Obama is prepared to return the State of Texas to Mexico. It is hard to fathom how the United States considers the secession of Crimea and subsequent annexation by Russia any less legal or legitimate than the secession of the Mexican State of Texas and subsequent annexation by the United States. At least the Crimeans appear to have acted because of fear of Ukrainian nationalism. In the case of the Mexican State of Texas, the motivation was to prevent Mexico from enforcing the prohibition of slavery. Approximately thirty percent of the population of the Mexican State of Texas were slaves that had no legal rights at all, much less any right to vote on these matters. The slaves hoped that Mexico could prevent secession and then later they hoped that Mexico would prevail in the war between the United States and Mexico. One of the first thing that the new Republic of Texas did in 1836 was to legalise slavery.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Inquisidor, the same for the annexation of The Kingdom of Hawaii, which Obama claims as his birthplace. The hypocrisy is too deep to measure.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Indeed hypocrisy. always have to have another enemy. his comment about nukes in a city were just bizarre. and pissing of Russia is only going to make it more likely that a rogue nuke gets into the hands of some loony.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

In the United States, most anyone who isn't too busy drinking beer, watching football, or some similr such thoughtless life, already knows World War III is coming... None of them have any interest, or option of otherwise. They need to just kick it off already. But, they're instead holding off on actual combat until arms dealers feel they've made enough money off everyone.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

what a bloody hypocrite that Obama, has he forgot that US has ignored international law everytime for conflicts that have nothing to do with US except oil price? Why someone cant just tell him straight at one of those conferences ?

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Which assets please?

Are you serious? Pick an invasion of your choice and then label opposition by residents as "insurgents".

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Um... . U.S. Gives Russia Free Military Equipment Used By Army, Marines... dated today! I wish Japan Today would use real journalist instead of just copy and pasting.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Where was the "brute Force" in Crimea? The majority of people welcomed the Russians. They voted for independence from Ukraine by a sizable majority. Crimea was under revolt against Kiev from Nov. 24, 2013 when Ukrainian was declared the only official language. If anything, the Russians had a calming effect. Crimea became like one big party. See if the Crimea birth rate spikes in 9 months. I am not joking.

Crimea was not Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya or Yugoslavia. The US has more blood on its hands than Putin at this moment.

You can argue about the plebiscite and annexation being illegal under International Law (which is murky) but calling the Russian presence in Crimea "brutal" is one big lie.

If you want to talk about brutality, talk about how the current Ukrainian government came to power.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Russia might stop sending Soyuz rockets to the space station with food and water.

Were Americans in charge, they would do it immediately. But Russians seem to be gentlemen in international cooperation of space activity. I think, Japanese, Canadians, Americans will continue use Soyuz rockets without problems. On internet forums Russians mock President Obama, laughing at him and calling a "clown" and "comrade Obama". They sure, that european and japanese business community will no obey "sanctions". I have read that recent economical forum between Japanese and Russian businessmen took place in Japan right after imposed sanctions.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

You owe Germans an apology for not supporting Hitler because Russia is not friends... never were... instead took sides to make money for you know who? Yeah that's right.. winner rewrite history... should be left to deal with it on your own now that for so many years made Germans feel like loser in history when actually they were the Vikings standing against the slavic hordes who will eat your children and kill their own kind.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

"Never fight against Russians. Your every cunning will be responded by their unpredictable stupidity" - Otto von Bismarck.

Just FYI.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

'It is their incompetence and weakness which encouraged Putin to move, they should be addressing their criticisms to themselves,'

The continued attempt of the US right to score points on this by dealing in hypotheticals is glaringly desperate. I've yet to hear anything remotely constructive from them. Please try to use present and/or future tenses to enlighten us.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Crimea's "illegal" annexation was "a disgrace in the 21st century", said Van Rompuy.

Maybe he thinks the Crimean independence is illegal because it does not conform to the (already abolished) Ukrainian Constitution.

However, the "declarations of independence may, and often do, violate domestic legislation. However, this does not make them violations of international law."

(A written statement of the USA, submitted to the UN International Court. April 17, 2009)

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Obama is throwing a tantrum, and Putin is laughing. What about the proverb of "talk softly and carry a big stick"? The White House seems to have reversed that.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

I believe our inaction on many fronts lately has empowered both Russia and China as both are aggressively acting against their neighbors knowing they face o real resistance! These so called reset buttons by Obama has lead to total degrading of US influence! Good or bad is in the eye of the beholder... Everyone around the world has sold out to China and look what that has got us, we think sanctions will have some sort of impact, well problem is that the second largest economy, China is Russia's best friend so supporting anyone that supports Russia is in return supporting Russia.. plus throw in Russia's grip on fuel provided to European countries.... seems the West and it other allies, when it comes to sanctions is totally worthless. We are still supporting the threats that are poised against us...

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

China is Russia's best friend....

Ha ha! No, neither Russia nor China has friends, and the weapons Russia sells to China will likely be used against them before against any other country, Japan included. Putin is aware of this.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

You guys don't seem to get that these guys are enforcing global politics. It's not an argument based on logic or rational at the level of what's actually happening compared to what did happen (comparison Crimea to Texas is irrelevant) it's about enforcing the idea that the powers of today will not allow small countries to be harassed or big powers to absorb others regardless of whom they are. This sets an example of what the global community disapproves of and sends a message. Not acting on that is fine because reality isn't always necessary to act on immediately. For example fighting Russia based on principle to free Crimea could strain limited resources and give the opportunity for china or another country to just do the exact same thing, and eventually the global police force no longer have the resources to deal with a global mob of people just acting entirely based off their personal interest and interest only. This is just another typical step in uh man politics and nothing more.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

"And let's remember that the U.S. has and continues to use it ( brute force ) in spades"

Yeah, to liberate countries from dictators/awful regimes to the benefit of billions around the world.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

5

Arthur Dumbolov

"Never fight against Russians. Your every cunning will be responded by their unpredictable stupidity" - Otto von Bismarck.

Cool!

"Human life is the only thing that takes care of itself."

Napoleon Bonaparte (on why he left men exposed to the enemy in Russia)
0 ( +0 / -0 )

Let's be fair, the US has done good and bad around the world. The good and the bad have both been done through pure self-interest. It's understandable. Leaders of countries don't curry favour with their electorate by acting against the national interest.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Let's be fair, the US has done good and bad around the world.

When one country starts a war under completely false pretexts, this country has no moral background to blame another state for "using brute force".

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

When one country starts a war under completely false pretexts, this country has no moral background to blame another state for "using brute force".

Straw an argument. There is absolutely No moral equivalency between Iraq/Afghanistan and Crimea. Desposing of a tyrant and hunting down a mass murder is so far out of the realm of annexing an entire nation and claiming that nation as yours violates EVERY international law. The countries still have their sovereignty, no new border lines were drawn Putin is using 19th century grab law in the 21st century. Putin just felt that the worst thing that every happened to the former Soviet Union was the fall of it. And even the hint of the Ukraine contemplating of wanting to join the EU is something that Putin could NOT would NOT tolerate, also feeling that Crimea and to a greater extent believes Ukraine is a part of Russia.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Coming from a guy who took selfies at Mandela's funeral, how can any world leader or our allies take Obama seriously.

RR

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

When one country starts a war under completely false pretexts, this country has no moral background to blame another state for "using brute force".

I see Saddam still has many fans feeling sorry for his demise.

I just think Obama is making a fool of himself traveling the world complaining about how Putin is acting like it's the 19th century and that modern states just aren't supposed to be doing what Russia is in fact doing. Well Putin says otherwise and unless Obama is willing to oppose force with force - or at least realize the strategic implications of what is going on - he might as well quick shaking his fist at the wind. How long is it going to take Obama to stop pretending that he is sitting in a faculty lounge talking about how things should be and open his eyes to the harsh realities of the real world?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"borders cannot be redrawn"

Sure they can! Look at Persia - it's been redrawn into a multitude of peaceful countries... wait a minute...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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