Ya think the Russians haven't calculated we have a weak paper-tiger for president?

[Katzndogz]

People, who has told you that Russia and Putin are your enemies??? Before Obama appeared these 2 countries were able to agree on fighting international terrorism, worked together at space programs and did it quite efficiently. Obama lies about so many things, so think: Russia may not be your enemy, just may be a competitor. Besides nobody likes Obama too much in Russia either. Obama was the one who pulled out an informational war on Russia and its president along with informational war against ethnic Russians in Ukraine. Whoever has eyes will see, whoever has ears will hear.

Russia's leader is an ex KGB apparatchik who runs the country like a mafia leader, and is not any about his intention to take Russia back to the "Glory Days" of the Soviet Union being a feared superpower, who has now seen an opening to achieve some of those goals, with a weak US president in power.

Putin has an approval rating of 90%. You might think he runs Russia like a mafia leader. Russians adore him and think he's doing a good job.

 

[I.P.Freely]

Reports I've read on the web from both European and Asian sources indicate most world leaders have little or no respect for Obama and look upon the USA as a seriously diminished player on the world scene.

Don't you mean John Bolton? Compared to the black days of Dubya Obama is still regarded well here. Personally I would like to see the United States of Europe with our own independent nuclear weapons.We could then tell the US,Russia and the Chinese to fuck off when necessary.

 

[Mad_Cabbie]

Another Putin mancrush thread, nice!

Listen, this horseshit that Obama is week and perceived that way abroad is absolute balderdash. I thought that Obummer, or whatever you guys call him, indiscriminately took out his foes with drone-strikes?

Putin is getting his ass kicked by sanctions and he isn't talking so tough these days. Don't let that keep you traitors from bopping your Bologna, though!

 

[Mad_Cabbie]

People, who has told you that Russia and Putin are your enemies??? Before Obama appeared these 2 countries were able to agree on fighting international terrorism, worked together at space programs and did it quite efficiently. Obama lies about so many things, so think: Russia may not be your enemy, just may be a competitor. Besides nobody likes Obama too much in Russia either. Obama was the one who pulled out an informational war on Russia and its president along with informational war against ethnic Russians in Ukraine. Whoever has eyes will see, whoever has ears will hear.

Russia's leader is an ex KGB apparatchik who runs the country like a mafia leader, and is not any about his intention to take Russia back to the "Glory Days" of the Soviet Union being a feared superpower, who has now seen an opening to achieve some of those goals, with a weak US president in power.

Putin has an approval rating of 90%. You might think he runs Russia like a mafia leader. Russians adore him and think he's doing a good job.

Watching conservatives trying to jungle "polls" is downright embarassing.

 

[August West]

Reports I've read on the web from both European and Asian sources indicate most world leaders have little or no respect for Obama and look upon the USA as a seriously diminished player on the world scene.

I`ve read a lot of stuff on the internet too! LOL! I guess we`ll never have the respect we had for our breaking and entering job in Iraq.

 

[Stephanie]

Being weak was Obama's and his comrades in arms plans for us. We are in for a world of hurt because of this man

 

[DriftingSand]

From their moves these days it's obvious that all of our enemies including Russians have realized what kind of president they are dealing with, and are now making their moves. When did our enemies ever dare pull this kind of shit?

Russian bomber patrols to reach Gulf of Mexico

MOSCOW — Russia's long-range bombers will conduct regular patrol missions from the Arctic Ocean to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, the military said Wednesday, a show of muscle reflecting tensions with the West over Ukraine.

A statement from Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu came as NATO's chief commander accused Moscow of sending new troops and tanks into Ukraine — a claim quickly rejected by Russia.

Shoigu said the tensions with the West over Ukraine would require Russia to also beef up its forces in the Crimea, the Black Sea Peninsula that Russia annexed in March.

He said Russian long-range bombers will conduct flights along Russian borders and over the Arctic Ocean. He added that "in the current situation we have to maintain military presence in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, as well as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico."

He said that the increasing pace and duration of flights would require stronger maintenance efforts and relevant directives have been issued to industries.

Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers were making regular patrols across the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans during Cold War times, but the post-Soviet money crunch forced the military to cut back. The bomber patrol flights have resumed under President Vladimir Putin's tenure.

The patrols have become even more frequent in recent weeks with NATO reporting a spike in Russian military flights over the Black, Baltic and North seas as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

Obama is a Communist and the Russians know it. They and the Chinese can generally act with total impunity when they have a friend like Obama in the Black House.

 

[I.P.Freely]

Another Putin mancrush thread, nice!
!

lead by Mr Homo-erotica himself Roudy the bath house goy boy.

 

[Roudy]

Yeah sure, the sanctions are working, that's why Russia just invaded Ukraine.

 

[Mad_Cabbie]

Yeah sure, the sanctions are working, that's why Russia just invaded Ukraine.

New EU and US sanctions have been introduced against Russia for backing separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March the EU and US have ratcheted up sanctions several times, tightening restrictions on major Russian state banks and corporations.

They have blacklisted dozens of senior Russian officials, separatist commanders and Russian firms accused of undermining Ukrainian sovereignty.

What is the scope of new EU sanctions?

Gazprombank - Russia's third largest bank - now has much less access to Western capital
The EU sanctions announced on 12 September targeted Russia's state finances, energy and arms sectors. These are sectors managed by the powerful elite around President Vladimir Putin.

Russian state banks are now excluded from raising long-term loans in the EU, exports of dual-use equipment for military use in Russia are banned, future EU-Russia arms deals are banned and the EU will not export a wide range of oil industry technology.

Three major state oil firms are targeted: Rosneft, Transneft and Gazprom Neft, the oil unit of gas giant Gazprom.

But the gas industry, space technology and nuclear energy are excluded from sanctions.

Dozens of senior Russian officials and separatist leaders are now subject to Western asset freezes and travel bans.

The targets are those considered "materially or financially supporting actions undermining or threatening Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence".

The EU has also followed the US lead in targeting more individuals in President Putin's inner circle, as well as some major companies.

An important target is Bank Rossiya, described as the "personal bank" for senior Russian officials. Its biggest shareholders - Yuri Kovalchuk and Nikolai Shamalov - are blacklisted. They were also co-founders of the mysterious Ozero Dacha Co-operative, a housing community on the shore of Lake Komsomolsk founded in 1996, whose members accumulated massive fortunes under Mr Putin.

Arkady Rotenberg, another long-time acquaintance of Mr Putin, is also under EU and US sanctions. He used to practise judo with Mr Putin and now runs major infrastructure projects. He and his brother Boris own SMP bank and both won lucrative contracts for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

Sanctions now target some top aides of Mr Putin in Russia's powerful Security Council
Sergei Chemezov is also on the list. Director of the huge state arms corporation Rostec, in Soviet times he was a KGB officer like Mr Putin and they served together in communist East Germany.

The Kremlin deputy chief of staff Vyacheslav Volodin is also under EU and US sanctions. And some top Russian generals are blacklisted.

The EU - but not the US - has blacklisted the heads of Russia's intelligence services.

How are individuals targeted?
An asset freeze affects not only bank accounts and shares but also economic resources such as property. So those on the list are not allowed to buy or sell their assets in the EU, once the freeze is in force.

The travel ban means being prevented from entering an EU country, even if a person is in transit. They would be placed on a visa blacklist.

There are however some exemptions. Diplomatic immunity still has to be respected, so diplomats can be exempted. A targeted individual may also be exempted on humanitarian grounds, for example if he/she needs to pay for medical treatment. An EU Council document defines the scope of such sanctions.

What has the US done?

Gennady Timchenko is one of the top players in the Russian business elite
The US sanctions also affect some of Russia's richest businessmen, including President Putin's inner circle.

Among them is Gennady Timchenko, a founder of the commodity trading firm Gunvor. He owns Volga Group, an investment firm with stakes in energy, transport and infrastructure, including Novatek, Russia's second biggest gas producer.

Igor Sechin is another big name on the US list. He is a former intelligence officer and long-term ally of Mr Putin, the most prominent of the inner circle figures who influence Kremlin policy.

Mr Sechin is chairman of oil firm Rosneft, which has energy partnerships with ExxonMobil and the UK's BP.

Mr Putin himself is not on the list - why? Western leaders do not want to treat Russia as an international pariah - they still want to be able to meet Mr Putin face-to-face. If he were on the sanctions list it would become harder to put direct diplomatic pressure on him. The West still needs Russian co-operation on a huge range of issues, including Iran and North Korea.

In July the US expanded its list to include more Russian businesses - including Rosneft and Novatek - as well as Gazprombank, part of the Gazprom state conglomerate. A Russian state bank dating back to the Soviet era - Vnesheconombank - is also on the list.

More US restrictions came in September, targeting the biggest Russian bank - Sberbank - defence conglomerate Rostec, Gazprom and some other major players in the Russian economy. Their access to long-term loans has been blocked.

Like the EU, the US has banned exports of services and technology to Russian state oil firms engaged in Arctic and deep-water exploration.

The famous Kalashnikov arms firm is there too, as are the unrecognised, self-styled "people's republics" established by the separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Do any of these measures really hurt the Russian economy?

Rosneft boss Igor Sechin (right) is a close associate of President Putin
The sanctions send a strong signal to Mr Putin and his powerful allies in business and politics.

The banks and energy companies listed will find it harder to access US and EU capital markets.

And the Western travel bans may hurt Mr Putin's rich and well-connected friends, though the asset freezes may affect them less. London is a popular haunt for Russia's business elite, many of whom have bought expensive properties in Britain.

The EU does much more business with Russia than the US does.

Observers say the sanctions are potentially grim for a Russian economy that has slumped this year. After years when Russia was buoyed by oil income the economy is now facing weaker direct investment and soaring capital flight.

Capital worth $75bn (£44bn) has left Russia so far this year - a much higher rate of haemorrhage than last year.

Russia is teetering on the brink of recession. The economy grew just 1.3% last year and did not grow at all between April and June.

BBC News - How far do EU-US sanctions on Russia go

 

[DriftingSand]

Too bad our Congress hasn't put sanctions on Obama and his anti-American activities. Doubt they ever will but they have plenty of reason to.

 

[Mad_Cabbie]

Too bad our Congress hasn't put sanctions on Obama and his anti-American activities. Doubt they ever will but they have plenty of reason to.

Right....

(rubs head)

 

[orogenicman]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

HOLY FUCK ^^^

I continue to be amazed at how utterly clueless some people on this message board are with regard to understanding the dynamics of human psychology.......people who long ago just bought in to all the feminist PC bullshit and somehow learned along the way that musical chairs is a contact sport!!

Putin KNOWS Soetero is a pantywaist!!

Well, that has to be the most unintelligible post of the week. Congratulations. We all know that Putin has limited political and economic capital, and a limited amount of time in which to use it before he has to pull back on his Russian cowboy reins. At least, most of us do.

 

[orogenicman]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Actually, it's pretty obvious Putin and the rest of America's enemies and competitors are constantly sticking their fingers in America's eyes because they know Obama won't do a thing about it. It's just a question of how far they think they can push the envelope without further consequences.

What, exactly, do you believe Obama should be doing about it that he isn't already doing?

 

[orogenicman]

Putin craps bigger than BOBO. BOBOB knows it and so does the entire US military. They are disgusted at having to put up with a disgrace in the White house.
But it's a 'long game' and the punk will soon be just a popcorn fart in the wind.
Imagine what the Chinese and Russians and the Ayatollahs are saying about a negro 'community organizer' who conned his way into the Presidency.
Notice where the Chinese put BOBO for the photo shoots.
If that doesn't speak volumes some of you are stone deaf.

Wow, imagine what ordinary Americans think about a racist making such comments in an open forum.

 

[Spare_change]

Another Putin mancrush thread, nice!

Listen, this horseshit that Obama is week and perceived that way abroad is absolute balderdash. I thought that Obummer, or whatever you guys call him, indiscriminately took out his foes with drone-strikes?

Putin is getting his ass kicked by sanctions and he isn't talking so tough these days. Don't let that keep you traitors from bopping your Bologna, though!

You're right, of course ... how could we have been so foolish?

Putin isn't talking tough today .... he's just rolling troops into a sovereign country. Man, that Obama just scares the bejesus out of him, doesn't he?

 

[Spare_change]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Actually, it's pretty obvious Putin and the rest of America's enemies and competitors are constantly sticking their fingers in America's eyes because they know Obama won't do a thing about it. It's just a question of how far they think they can push the envelope without further consequences.

What, exactly, do you believe Obama should be doing about it that he isn't already doing?

Quite simple, actually ....

1) Announce publicly that the US intends to sponsor Ukraine into NATO.

2) Announce publicly that the US intends to assist NATO to install anti-missile defenses in Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania.

3) Announce publicly that the US is opening all federal lands to oil development.

4) Announce publicly that the US intends to support the Keystone development.

5) Announce publicly that the US intends to increase its natural gas exports to those European countries currently receiving oil and gas from Russia.

 

[orogenicman]

Another Putin mancrush thread, nice!

Listen, this horseshit that Obama is week and perceived that way abroad is absolute balderdash. I thought that Obummer, or whatever you guys call him, indiscriminately took out his foes with drone-strikes?

Putin is getting his ass kicked by sanctions and he isn't talking so tough these days. Don't let that keep you traitors from bopping your Bologna, though!

You're right, of course ... how could we have been so foolish?

Putin isn't talking tough today .... he's just rolling troops into a sovereign country. Man, that Obama just scares the bejesus out of him, doesn't he?

Saber rattling is not the act of a confident man.

 

[Spare_change]

Another Putin mancrush thread, nice!

Listen, this horseshit that Obama is week and perceived that way abroad is absolute balderdash. I thought that Obummer, or whatever you guys call him, indiscriminately took out his foes with drone-strikes?

Putin is getting his ass kicked by sanctions and he isn't talking so tough these days. Don't let that keep you traitors from bopping your Bologna, though!

You're right, of course ... how could we have been so foolish?

Putin isn't talking tough today .... he's just rolling troops into a sovereign country. Man, that Obama just scares the bejesus out of him, doesn't he?

Saber rattling is not the act of a confident man.

Interesting up there in the ivory tower, huh?

 

[orogenicman]

The Russians are playing the brinkmanship card because the sanctions the administration slapped on them is affecting their economy, but most importantly, it is hitting the leadership in their pocketbooks. They have don't have the economic power to do much more, much less to do what they are now doing for very long. Putin is not doing what he is doing because he thinks Obama is a pussy. It is typical Russian machismo, nothing else.

Actually, it's pretty obvious Putin and the rest of America's enemies and competitors are constantly sticking their fingers in America's eyes because they know Obama won't do a thing about it. It's just a question of how far they think they can push the envelope without further consequences.

What, exactly, do you believe Obama should be doing about it that he isn't already doing?

Quite simple, actually ....

1) Announce publicly that the US intends to sponsor Ukraine into NATO.

2) Announce publicly that the US intends to assist NATO to install anti-missile defenses in Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania.

3) Announce publicly that the US is opening all federal lands to oil development.

4) Announce publicly that the US intends to support the Keystone development.

5) Announce publicly that the US intends to increase its natural gas exports to those European countries currently receiving oil and gas from Russia.

1) To what end?

2) Tit for tat. Russia then deploys nukes in their satellite states closest to Europe and shuts off gas supplies to Europe. And what does it accomplish, aside from escalating the threats?

3) Not only is that not necessary, since the price of oil is already pommelling Russia's economy, it only gives the Republicans and their rightwing corporate bosses what they have wanted for the past ten years - carte blanche to trash our environment for their own benefit.

4) Irrelevant.

5) That I can agree to, with some minor reservation.