Obama Did Nothing and Saved the World

[ClydeR]

It sounded silly, a shrug of a policy. And maybe it even was. But it also turns out to be working surprisingly well. Russian President Vladimir Putin has over-reached in Ukraine, creating problems for himself so bad that they may force him down as or more effectively than plausible American actions alone might have (although they helped). Putin is hanging himself by his own rope.

This has been so effective, and has apparently taken Putin by such surprise, that after weeks of looking like he could roll into eastern Ukraine unchallenged, he's backing down all on his own. Official Russian rhetoric, after weeks of not-so-subtle threats of invading eastern Ukraine, is backing down. Putin suddenly looks like he will support Ukraine's upcoming presidential election, rather than oppose it, although it will likely install a pro-European president. European and American negotiators say the tone in meetings has eased from slinging accusations to working toward a peaceful resolution.

More... (http://www.vox.com/2014/5/16/5717674/obamas-plan-to-let-putin-hang-himself-is-working)

What do you think about that reasoning? Grand strategy or dumb luck?

[Shaps]

It's called we tend to have a short-sighted view in the US. This is beat you, then hug you. Beat you, then hug you. Beat you, then hug you. Until you get used to the small beatings and even when a really big one occurs, you're afraid to do anything about it.

I'd call it smart politics on the Russians part. Take a bit, threaten more. Nothing happens, so now you appease everyone by "backing down a bit". Then a little bit later, just push for more. By then, a precedent has been set, and piece by piece Russia can take it all.

[waywardgs]

No one wanted a war. Everyone's got better things to do at the moment.

[Gelston]

No one wanted a war. Everyone's got better things to do at the moment.

Maybe I did! The faster WW3 happens, the faster I can begin phase 1.

[Shaps]

No one wanted a war. Everyone's got better things to do at the moment.

Yea I'm sure the Ukranians didn't want a war. Seems they got one though.

But hey, you're right, most Americans are so self-absorbed they could care less.

[Tgo01]

Hey I did nothing in regards to Ukraine too, where's my credit? :(

[waywardgs]

Yea I'm sure the Ukranians didn't want a war. Seems they got one though.

But hey, you're right, most Americans are so self-absorbed they could care less.

From this comment I suppose I'm to take it that you felt as though we should have gone in and stomped russian face over ukraine?

Isn't this whole perpetual war thing getting old?

[Tgo01]

Isn't this whole perpetual war thing getting old?

Why have a 700 billion dollar annual military budget if we're not going to be declaring war every other week?

That's like having a penis and not using it for sex.

[waywardgs]

Why have a 700 billion dollar annual military budget if we're not going to be declaring war every other week?

That's like having a penis and not using it for sex.

I don't think we should have a 700 billion dollar penis.

[Tgo01]

I don't think we should have a 700 billion dollar penis.

What, you want the US to go flaccid so China can have the largest penis?! Let me guess, your favorite color is red, eh, comrade?

[waywardgs]

What, you want the US to go flaccid so China can have the largest penis?! Let me guess, your favorite color is red, eh, comrade?

They can try, but we've all heard the rumors.

[Latrinsorm]

Hey I did nothing in regards to Ukraine too, where's my credit? :(Surprise surprise, the WHITE man wants to copy a black man's performance and claim it as his own.

[cwolff]

Maybe I did! The faster WW3 happens, the faster I can begin phase 1.

Oh shit. What's Phase 1? Should I be making plans to flee before this goes into effect?


What do you think about that reasoning? Grand strategy or dumb luck?

One of Obama's strengths is patience. He does a good job of keeping his cool and getting what he wants done. He's also been very reluctant to get into situations that will force his hand. He doesn't have to fight this war today. We can squeeze Russia while isolating them.


President Barack Obama has already drafted an executive order to impose sanctions across key sectors such as banking, energy, defence and mining, adding to punitive measures already imposed by Washington and Brussels.

"There are a lot of things we can do to create bleeding," the official said, adding that the aim was "to use a scalpel rather than a hammer". Raw Story (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/15/u-s-threatens-to-bleed-russia-if-it-disrupts-ukraine-vote/)

As I mentioned in another post, Fareed uses the phrase minimalist. It's a good strategy since we're "war-weary" and a shooting war isn't going to help us anyway.


Obama's restraint has served him well in avoiding errors. But it has also produced a strangely minimalist approach to his constructive foreign policy agenda. FZ CNN (http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2014/05/12/obamas-minimalist-approach-to-foreign-policy/)

[Shaps]

Why have a 700 billion dollar annual military budget if we're not going to be declaring war every other week?

That's like having a penis and not using it for sex.

You people just like throwing comments out and think things are so simple apparently. There is a war already going on.

The assistance that we could provide, and could have been providing with a much better foreign policy and diplomatic relations over the past few years, could have stopped this before it even started. These things take years to develop and occur.

Oddly people said very much the same things you all joke about now, when Germany decided they needed to "help" Poland. But hey, if the first invasion, occupation, and subsequent successful annexation of one nation against another in the past oh 40-50 years is no biggie, then I guess it doesn't matter.

[Tgo01]

Surprise surprise, the WHITE man wants to copy a black man's performance and claim it as his own.

Why not? It's worked well for hundreds of years now, why change a good thing? I'm a conservative, remember?

[Latrinsorm]

A quarter million people died in the German invasion of Poland. So far 6 people have died in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

[waywardgs]

Why not? It's worked well for hundreds of years now, why change a good thing? I'm a conservative, remember?

Obama's only half black; you can only take credit for half his accomplishments.