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© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Obama invites G7 leaders for meeting on Ukraine
By NEDRA PICKLER WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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RomeoRII
Obama has looked so weak and miss guided in this situation that he is putting the U.S. in a bad light by playing the part of the paper tiger.
With a friend like Obama, the Ukraine doesn't need enemies.
RR
Jean ValJean
" Obama invites G7 leaders for meeting on Ukraine"
More like,
"Obama throws toys out of pram, feeling marginalized, invites G8-1 to his own pity-party"
globalwatcher
0
RomeoRIIMar. 19, 2014 - 09:19AM JST
I cannot understand all of the criticism of Obama for being weak. What is he supposed to do? Declare war? Russia, in case you've forgotten, has nuclear weapons. It has a large standing army. . Russia standing army has 1.2 million men active military personal. The Russian air force has 4,498 aircraft. A typical carrier has about 87 aircraft. There is no way the US could project enough conventional military strength into the Crimea to eject the Russian army, and to try to do will lead to a nuke war.
Since war is out of the question and potentially suicidal, the only reasonable option Obama has is to try to hurt Putin with sanctions, which is what he's doing. That's not weakness, that's realty. Anyone who thinks Obama being weak has no understanding how it should be handled. Do you want a nuke war? You are crazy!!
I speculate you have never gone to any wars to fight. You just do "blah, blah" cheap talks in front of your PC. There are so many of them like you on JT I really disrespect. Get yourself ready to go to boot camp and talk to me.
lostrune2
Many Americans still have this old belief that they are almighty that could do anything anytime if they just put their effort into it (the moon-landing psyche). It could still do many, but the world has changed a lot over the decades - sometimes, America can't do much about it, no matter what it does. America is not the end-all be-all anymore, no matter who runs the White House. They should get over it.
That said, Russia has limitations too. Its economy is in fragile state (like their stock exchange dropping whopping 11% in just one day during the Crimea crisis). It's a mono-crop economy too heavily dependent on exports of oil. They can put a brave face, but their economy will hurt with serious sanctions (that's more up to Europe if willing to make sacrifices).
Bellpeppers
Obama looks weak because he shows that he doesn't know what he's doing (because he doesn't.) It's not about going to war. Obama failed to earn respect (because Putin sees through him.) If Obama knew what to do, his fans wouldn't have to ask the question "what he's supposed to do" for him.
Laguna
Another Obama hate-fest. America has few trade relations with Russia, while Europe is broadly exposed. Furthermore, Ukraine is in Europe, not America. America also is in the midst of two foreign policy crises - Iran and Syria - for which Russia's cooperation is crucial.
Certainly, the Crimean annexation was broadly a fraud - but that doesn't negate Russian interests there. Certainly, Russia should be penalized for behaving so boorishly - but if Putin takes the hint and keeps his hands off of the remainder of Ukraine (as his recent comments hint at), broader interests deserve attention. Ultimately, Europe will determine how this issue is dealt with, not Obama, and this is how it should be.
You'd think "libertarians" of all people would get this.
tamanegi
I'll never forget how Obama laughed off Mitt Romney's belief during the pre election debates that Russia would pose big problems for the west in the near future.
Jean ValJean
" You'd think "libertarians" of all people would get this."
Your comment shows just how little you understand about libertarian thinking. To summarize for you, "Peaceful relations with all, entangling alliances with none." Get it?
Laguna
Why is it that libertarians always sound like ex-husbands? Could it be that, while commitments are necessarily made in the course of the messy transactions of life, whether these commitments are to be honored is relative? Or would you prefer that no commitments be made at all - that it is, fundamentally, each for himself?
Here you reveal yourself as just another anti-Obamian. Do you suggest that he completely ignore Putin's actions, and thus discount the interests of our European friends? Do you suggest that he continue with the G8 meeting as scheduled as if nothing had happened? And why put this all in Obama's lap - do you not realize that "G7" represents six other countries besides the US, five of which are in Europe?
arrestpaul
Obama invited the other G7 members to attend an additional meeting held during the nuclear summit. I wonder how many of the G7 will actually bother show up?
globalwatcher
Jean ValJeanMar. 19, 2014 - 07:24PM JST
I summarize it even simpler for you. Libertarians want to get away from the United Nations, period. I think this thinking is very troubling in globalization.
Jean ValJean
One of the Founding Fathers said it succinctly :
"Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none." --- Thomas Jefferson
Guess he was a libertarian then.
No, I don't support Obama. He is the antithesis of the Spirit of America as she was founded.
RomeoRII
globalwatcher Mar. 19, 2014 - I cannot understand all of the criticism of Obama for being weak.
Laguna Mar. 19, 2014 - Another Obama hate-fest.
Heh, see there are still a couple of Obama clingers still at this site.
RR
globalwatcher
Interpretation of law is always changing according to changes in society. There were no such things existed called "globalization", 'UN" and "International Commerce" when Thomas Jefferson was alive.