President Barack Obama talks on the phone in the Oval Office with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the situation in Ukraine, March 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
****
This line from WH stands out: Going forward, Russia’s continued violation of int'l law will lead to greater political & economic isolation.
Just noticing that you were first through the gate – what can I say, I’m not known for great observation skills! Went away to feed my face and come back in through the main gate and there you were! Well done! Now I get the added meaning to your comment.
O, good, ’cause I kinda really liked Utal, and actually have to think twice to remember to use the new name. (Kinda like when a good friend gets married and you’re trying, in fun, to be formal and use her married name, but you always have to stop to think what it is.)
And here it is…. quite possibly my all- time favorite, not counting the one at the top of this page, and the one of the Beast, and the one looking at his beautiful wife, and the one….. Oh! And the one….
So funny. I R/Td this “rainy day” tweet. One of my followers R/Td my R/T, if you’ll pardon the expression. Then – four minutes later – she Favorited it! Took her four minutes of lookin’ to decide, I guess. #IDoNotBlameHer
NW, you are the best. This is the best place to learn what is really going on. Thank you all. We are still snowed in here. Haven’t left the house since Thurs. night. Don’t plan to till Monday at least. But a new storm is coming then.
Canada says recalling ambassador from Russia for consultations
“Canada is recalling its ambassador to Russia for consultations about the crisis in Ukraine and is freezing preparations to take part in the Group of Eight summit in Sochi, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Saturday.”
Russia has an economy which makes Saudi Arabia seem diversified. It cannot survive economic isolation. The Russian affluence is a Potemkin village (as it always has been in Russia, from the time of the Czars).
During the Cold War, the Soviets had their own captive bloc, so the contradictions in their economy could be papered over. But now, in a global market? Yes, Europe gets gas from Russia, but Russia gets money from Europe. Without that currency, Russia will fall apart.
If Putin wants to hold onto power, he would be wise to withdraw from Ukraine and stop trying to become Tsar Vladimir I.
I find it surprising that the Americans who think Putin is the world’s greatest leader don’t know how fragile the Russian economy is, or how little Putin has done to improve it even though he’s occupied positions of power for years and years. As you stated, Russia is on shaky ground economically. Putin knows this, but something tells me that the bully within him won’t permit him to make the correct decision and withdraw Russian troops from the Ukraine.
Exactly, LL. My hope is that his fellow #Plutocrats yank his chain really hard – they’ve got LOTS to lose. But, the dude is a megalomaniac & may be so disabled by it that he’ll try to call President Obama’s bluff. If he does, ……….
IMHO, the worst mistake Putin could make would be to underestimate President Barack Hussein Obama. Others have, and they haven’t liked the results. Putin can call Boehner and McConnell and get a full briefing on how this president subtly encourages his opponents to slit their own throats and they don’t know they’re doing it.
Putin has stepped in a huge pile of feces by deciding to undertake a military intervention into the Ukraine. When I heard that there were Russians in the Crimea the other day taking over government facilities, I suspected it had something to do with him. His fingerprints were all over it. He’s being hit on all sides by other nations’ leaders. He never stopped to think that flexing his muscles against the Ukrainian government means nothing when it comes to flexing them against junkyard dogs like the U.S., Germany, the U.K, and Canada. I had been reading about Putin and his plans for the Ukraine, and there was every indication that if Yanukovich left, Putin would invade the Ukraine, and he did. What he really wants to do is regain control of the 14 former Soviet republics.
Well, the right-wingers got the military intervention they’ve been wanting. I’m wondering what they think of Putin, the bully, now. The man they admire most in the world threw caution to the wind, violated international law, and invaded a sovereign nation–someone/thing no sane individual should be proud of.
I could use a rundown on the strategic considerations surrounding the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. I would be interested to read any thoughts that Spandan may have too, but his plate is pretty full at the moment.
Snowden is probably sounding a lot like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” right about now, repeating the following words to himself over and over again, “There’s no place like home.”
Yes, we gave up any moral authority on invasions with the reprehensible invasion of the sovereign Iraq. Obviously and fortunately we have other justification and motivations to denounce Russia.
We went along with it 100% ++ – so I am not suggesting the US did it alone. – our entire Navy, however, seems to spend its time trying to send refugees away from our shores (despite the government refusing to discuss such things) – so we are little help to anyone from a military point of view.
I repeat often that Tony Blair also had much to do with it – the UK could have stopped the Iraq debacle with one word.
Thank you Chipsticks, Nerdy Wonka, LL, Bobfr and everyone for keeping us up to date. When I got in tonight; tried to watch CNN to see what was happening and needless to say, BAD CHOICE for any kind of news. I do thank God for President Obama, especially in times like this.
As much as we all can, please enjoy your Saturday evening. Leberal Librarian, I think you and your wife should go out and enjoy the movies, if anything happens, we will know tomorrow when this screen is blank. Other than that, we should stay abreast of the “real news”, pray, send positive thoughts and prayers to our President and his administration, and hopefully stay calm. I trust President Barack H. Obama.
And Light those candles. Light around all the world leaders in a time of approaching darkness, and Light around all the people’s who struggle for the simple freedom we all need and deserve.
The Russian military took up residence in Crimea more than 200 years ago, when Catherine the Great built a naval base at Sevastopol. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia and Ukraine tussled repeatedly over dividing up the Black Sea Fleet based there. Today, Russia rents its Sevastopol base from Ukraine, where it has a presence better suited to bullying small neighbors than fighting a real war, according to Mark Galeotti, author of “Russian Security and Paramilitary Forces Since 1991.”
Galeotti, a professor at New York University who blogs about security issues, answered a series of questions about Russia’s military.
You know the truth will always come to the light no matter how we fake it and how many people are fooled for a while. The great irony of Putin spending over 50 billion on the public relations campaign that was the Winter Olympics and less than a week after its end is showing his true colors as a Cold-War, KGB warrior who is determined to hold on to those who were once down-trodden members of the old USSR. The 20th century is calling, Vlad. Too bad for you that this is the 21st, where people all over the world are standing up for themselves and fighting to be free. This foray into the Ukraine will not end well for him personally or for his country. All of that effort in Sochi for nothing.
The argument that Putin is purely protecting the “ethnic Russians” in the Crimea – is rather like agreeing that Mexico would be right to bring its army into the southernmost US states – no argument whatsoever.
Bobfr has quoted a couple of tweets on the reality of Putin’s argument . It seems the Ethnic Russians have become Russian speaking people.
Looking at the “English speaking people” that argument would have the world back where it was in the 1700s with the great British Empire. So Mexico and England could both now be looking at taking back the United States.
I was about to post a link – and then I saw your tweet Bob – GG thinks he will be an independent voice (of impeccable truth) – and he pretends it is quite logical to know nothing about the man who is providing the cash. His claim to fame comes from a man who is living in Putin Land – who has provided US security data to said country – and who is paying, & will pay more and more, the price of listening to GG.
I was trying to find a quote – but EVERYTHING said is worth quoting – so as you say – a MUST READ item.
And the families will love to see him there – will not complain about access – will not keep taking photos – and will not ask stupid questions. The amazing benefit that only a loving family can provide.
Actually, he disrespects the President’s vision, policy and action but stays focused on what he thinks is the disrespect of a pair of jeans in the Oval Office. Too stupid for words.
Like most pundits he got himself completely wound up in the trivia – trying to prove that a stupid comment was a valid and important part of the discussion
He lost any authority/respect in the Ukraine/Russia discussion when he spent over 2 hours thinking it was important to validate a stupid tweet.
When the President hears a negative during a speech/discussion – he addresses the interruption once – with a smile – and goes right back to what was the real issue.
Tom Nichols had a learning moment this evening – and he blew it big time.
Exactly. Just like his buddy, John Schindler, he gets stuck on proving he’s right about some ridiculous argument instead of stopping to realize how hideous and trivial his point is.
I’ve just been checking that out GGail, an absolute delight.
If he has 1 close friend who will explain the stupid of what he has just done on twitter – he can still learn something from today – otherwise he remains a pundit – without a clue.
He completely lost any credibility when he tried to prove a stupid tweet was so important to world events.
From my time as a college teacher, student evaluations are close to useless in determining anything valid about the knowledge, depth, research ability and teaching skills of their teachers. There are multiple forces in action that impact a student’s evaluation – the professor’s ability is low on the scale.
He says PBO is blundering another foreign policy crisis and then he goes on to tweet that there is nothing the U.S. can do. He’s the mother of all trolls.
And an embarrassing attention seeker Meta. His finest moment today was when he said “Reagan always wore a jacket in the Oval too”. Good gawd, this is the best he can do?
It’s both horrifying and tragic that these are the people that are training the next generation to “think.” He doesn’t understand that POTUS will never accommodate his old world view of the Presidency. His ego is beyond hideous.
It’s scary how extremists paint with broad strokes…”stop all brown people in hopes of finding illegals” “stop and frisk all black people in hopes of finding a crook”…
OH. MY. LORD!!! My President is so fine oh so fine. I know that is not appropriate but PBO is wearing those jeans and shirt and watch. He looks so young and like he dyes his hair gray to look older. Seriously, every world leader must be wondering why God gave our PBO so many blessings.
The Obama Diary 
ok
Congrats GGail on #1 🙂
thx hf!
Excellent new thread! As Bob always says: #TrustBarack.
So Tom, is this photo big enough for you?
LOL – I was about to tell NW that she’s giving War Room Tom a major sad by putting this pic up front and center.
We think alike 😀
Well, it was exactly the right size for me. It is just a bonus that our brilliant mature and thoughtful President is also so cool and handsome.
vc, that’s what I said to susanne – we can multi-task 😀
Ambassador Power’s statement post UNSC meeting …
http://webtv.un.org/watch/samantha-power-usa-on-ukraine-security-council-media-stakeout-1-march-2014/3277799362001/
Nerdy. Nerdy, you are supposed to wait for me!
She told me vc
😳 What a blow to my ego!
Hold your horses ole girl, she’s gonna pick you for the next one….shhhhh… don’t tell the others
😯 ‘ole girl’? That better be Spanish for pretty or something like that!
How’d you know? 😆
Sometimes I’m smart. 😆 😆
Just noticing that you were first through the gate – what can I say, I’m not known for great observation skills! Went away to feed my face and come back in through the main gate and there you were! Well done! Now I get the added meaning to your comment.
vc, you’re REALLY smart after you eat! ♥
😛
Thanks Nerdy!!! Appreciate the update! Btw, what happened to our UT? Is she forevermore Nerdy Wonka?
She is whatever you want to call her. 😉
O, good, ’cause I kinda really liked Utal, and actually have to think twice to remember to use the new name. (Kinda like when a good friend gets married and you’re trying, in fun, to be formal and use her married name, but you always have to stop to think what it is.)
Me too vc! I’ll try to get adjust but it might take a bit!
Thank yooooooooooooooou Nerdy!
Anytime, Chiparoo.
ooooh I bet War Room Tom is just passed out from this pic bursting with EPIC swaggah…
now there’s your optics.
My beef barley soup is gonna sour on my stomach now – YUK!
I’m soo sorry; my deepest apologies GGail. I will make it up to you some day!
hf, I suggest you get to begging certain bt’s for a more favorable photo…
You mean the one in rain?
My stomach is beginning to feel better…go on
Well here’s just one of many such -it’s not THE one, but it’s a start 🙂 I will plead with the Chipster to post the real thing!
You are fully forgiven hf! ♥
Humbly bows in appreciation. Thanks GGail 🙂
Guuurlllll
And here it is…. quite possibly my all- time favorite, not counting the one at the top of this page, and the one of the Beast, and the one looking at his beautiful wife, and the one….. Oh! And the one….
You too MP?
Oh, sure! I have several thousand favorites, on Mac, iPad and iPhone. Happily hopeless = MP! 😆
So funny. I R/Td this “rainy day” tweet. One of my followers R/Td my R/T, if you’ll pardon the expression. Then – four minutes later – she Favorited it! Took her four minutes of lookin’ to decide, I guess. #IDoNotBlameHer
I’ve been known to stare AND drool for minutes at a time over one of his pictures. #IDoNotBlameHer
Ha!
NW, you are the best. This is the best place to learn what is really going on. Thank you all. We are still snowed in here. Haven’t left the house since Thurs. night. Don’t plan to till Monday at least. But a new storm is coming then.
Thanks, MTMarilyn and stay safe and warm.
This winter is just dragging on and on…Be safe and warm mtmarilyn.
First rule of geometry, Never Assume Anything. Enjoy the time together, and the flick.
Canada says recalling ambassador from Russia for consultations
“Canada is recalling its ambassador to Russia for consultations about the crisis in Ukraine and is freezing preparations to take part in the Group of Eight summit in Sochi, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Saturday.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/02/ukraine-crisis-canada-idUSL1N0LY0LN20140302
Operation Isolation, underway …
#TrustBarack …. or GET PAVED ….
This is the thing.
Russia has an economy which makes Saudi Arabia seem diversified. It cannot survive economic isolation. The Russian affluence is a Potemkin village (as it always has been in Russia, from the time of the Czars).
During the Cold War, the Soviets had their own captive bloc, so the contradictions in their economy could be papered over. But now, in a global market? Yes, Europe gets gas from Russia, but Russia gets money from Europe. Without that currency, Russia will fall apart.
If Putin wants to hold onto power, he would be wise to withdraw from Ukraine and stop trying to become Tsar Vladimir I.
I find it surprising that the Americans who think Putin is the world’s greatest leader don’t know how fragile the Russian economy is, or how little Putin has done to improve it even though he’s occupied positions of power for years and years. As you stated, Russia is on shaky ground economically. Putin knows this, but something tells me that the bully within him won’t permit him to make the correct decision and withdraw Russian troops from the Ukraine.
Exactly, LL. My hope is that his fellow #Plutocrats yank his chain really hard – they’ve got LOTS to lose. But, the dude is a megalomaniac & may be so disabled by it that he’ll try to call President Obama’s bluff. If he does, ……….
IMHO, the worst mistake Putin could make would be to underestimate President Barack Hussein Obama. Others have, and they haven’t liked the results. Putin can call Boehner and McConnell and get a full briefing on how this president subtly encourages his opponents to slit their own throats and they don’t know they’re doing it.
Please proceed, Governor
Please proceed Pootie Poot.
yeah
Thank you Canada for the swift show of support on President Obama’s position
This.
Putin has stepped in a huge pile of feces by deciding to undertake a military intervention into the Ukraine. When I heard that there were Russians in the Crimea the other day taking over government facilities, I suspected it had something to do with him. His fingerprints were all over it. He’s being hit on all sides by other nations’ leaders. He never stopped to think that flexing his muscles against the Ukrainian government means nothing when it comes to flexing them against junkyard dogs like the U.S., Germany, the U.K, and Canada. I had been reading about Putin and his plans for the Ukraine, and there was every indication that if Yanukovich left, Putin would invade the Ukraine, and he did. What he really wants to do is regain control of the 14 former Soviet republics.
Well, the right-wingers got the military intervention they’ve been wanting. I’m wondering what they think of Putin, the bully, now. The man they admire most in the world threw caution to the wind, violated international law, and invaded a sovereign nation–someone/thing no sane individual should be proud of.
I could use a rundown on the strategic considerations surrounding the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. I would be interested to read any thoughts that Spandan may have too, but his plate is pretty full at the moment.
Bringing this over. Good place to start to squeeze the vise.
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2014/03/01/3349231/5-ways-respond-russia-invading-ukraine-going-war/
and how many think snowden’s info isn’t feeding into putin’s coup?
Snowden is probably sounding a lot like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” right about now, repeating the following words to himself over and over again, “There’s no place like home.”
LOL! HHAHAHAHAhahahaha! The Optics of Marlborough Obama!
Oh, sheesh. This gonna drive W nuts! Not to mention the ODS wanker chorus!
Klitschko calls for ‘mobilisation’ amid Russian vote
http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-03-01/klitschoko-calls-for-mobilisation-following-russian-vote/
Ukrainian government ‘calls for mobilisation of troops’
http://www.itv.com/news/update/2014-03-02/ukrainian-government-calls-for-mobilisation-of-troops/
I am wondering on that one also Forus50
Yes, we gave up any moral authority on invasions with the reprehensible invasion of the sovereign Iraq. Obviously and fortunately we have other justification and motivations to denounce Russia.
We went along with it 100% ++ – so I am not suggesting the US did it alone. – our entire Navy, however, seems to spend its time trying to send refugees away from our shores (despite the government refusing to discuss such things) – so we are little help to anyone from a military point of view.
I repeat often that Tony Blair also had much to do with it – the UK could have stopped the Iraq debacle with one word.
Good evening TOD Family!
Thank you Chipsticks, Nerdy Wonka, LL, Bobfr and everyone for keeping us up to date. When I got in tonight; tried to watch CNN to see what was happening and needless to say, BAD CHOICE for any kind of news. I do thank God for President Obama, especially in times like this.
As much as we all can, please enjoy your Saturday evening. Leberal Librarian, I think you and your wife should go out and enjoy the movies, if anything happens, we will know tomorrow when this screen is blank. Other than that, we should stay abreast of the “real news”, pray, send positive thoughts and prayers to our President and his administration, and hopefully stay calm. I trust President Barack H. Obama.
God Bless TOD family,
And Light those candles. Light around all the world leaders in a time of approaching darkness, and Light around all the people’s who struggle for the simple freedom we all need and deserve.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Eric Boehlert @EricBoehlert 1h
————————————————–
i’m so old i remember when RW media swooned over Putin. (i.e. 6 mos ago…); http://bit.ly/1empXRz
—————————————————-
Thank you, LH! Just posting a version that folk here can easily RT 🙂
True …
…. and that did not end well.
Hey Chips, I will take the casual dress and stance any day. 🙂
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russia-decides-to-send-troops-into-crimea-what-does-the-black-sea-fleet-look-like/2014/03/01/38cf005c-a160-11e3-b8d8-94577ff66b28_story.html?wpmk=MK0000205
The Russian military took up residence in Crimea more than 200 years ago, when Catherine the Great built a naval base at Sevastopol. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia and Ukraine tussled repeatedly over dividing up the Black Sea Fleet based there. Today, Russia rents its Sevastopol base from Ukraine, where it has a presence better suited to bullying small neighbors than fighting a real war, according to Mark Galeotti, author of “Russian Security and Paramilitary Forces Since 1991.”
Galeotti, a professor at New York University who blogs about security issues, answered a series of questions about Russia’s military.
You know the truth will always come to the light no matter how we fake it and how many people are fooled for a while. The great irony of Putin spending over 50 billion on the public relations campaign that was the Winter Olympics and less than a week after its end is showing his true colors as a Cold-War, KGB warrior who is determined to hold on to those who were once down-trodden members of the old USSR. The 20th century is calling, Vlad. Too bad for you that this is the 21st, where people all over the world are standing up for themselves and fighting to be free. This foray into the Ukraine will not end well for him personally or for his country. All of that effort in Sochi for nothing.
Thanks for the reminder MP!
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
Thanks to 99ts above!
The argument that Putin is purely protecting the “ethnic Russians” in the Crimea – is rather like agreeing that Mexico would be right to bring its army into the southernmost US states – no argument whatsoever.
Exactly.
Exactly, 99ts! From where I live in San Diego, CA, It’s a mere 15-minutes drive to Mexico.
Bobfr has quoted a couple of tweets on the reality of Putin’s argument . It seems the Ethnic Russians have become Russian speaking people.
Looking at the “English speaking people” that argument would have the world back where it was in the 1700s with the great British Empire. So Mexico and England could both now be looking at taking back the United States.
This is an ABSOLUTE MUST READ item …
I was about to post a link – and then I saw your tweet Bob – GG thinks he will be an independent voice (of impeccable truth) – and he pretends it is quite logical to know nothing about the man who is providing the cash. His claim to fame comes from a man who is living in Putin Land – who has provided US security data to said country – and who is paying, & will pay more and more, the price of listening to GG.
I was trying to find a quote – but EVERYTHING said is worth quoting – so as you say – a MUST READ item.
Simply Amazing…with the weight of the world on his shoulders he still has room for is daughter’s recital….
Beautiful.
And the families will love to see him there – will not complain about access – will not keep taking photos – and will not ask stupid questions. The amazing benefit that only a loving family can provide.
One reason why I love my President, despite what is going on in the world, he never is to busy to let his family know that they matter too.
War Room Tom is still carrying on…now he’s on to bragging about his great evaluations from students and teachers in his 25-yr history of teaching…
Oh right. He’s a big guy professor at the Naval War College. BOW.
Hope he has some students who can explain to him why normal folks wear jeans on the weekends
Actually, he disrespects the President’s vision, policy and action but stays focused on what he thinks is the disrespect of a pair of jeans in the Oval Office. Too stupid for words.
Like most pundits he got himself completely wound up in the trivia – trying to prove that a stupid comment was a valid and important part of the discussion
He lost any authority/respect in the Ukraine/Russia discussion when he spent over 2 hours thinking it was important to validate a stupid tweet.
When the President hears a negative during a speech/discussion – he addresses the interruption once – with a smile – and goes right back to what was the real issue.
Tom Nichols had a learning moment this evening – and he blew it big time.
Exactly. Just like his buddy, John Schindler, he gets stuck on proving he’s right about some ridiculous argument instead of stopping to realize how hideous and trivial his point is.
And in blowing it 99ts, he gave Chipsticks the green light to make his life hell on twitter – hahahahaha!
I’ve just been checking that out GGail, an absolute delight.
If he has 1 close friend who will explain the stupid of what he has just done on twitter – he can still learn something from today – otherwise he remains a pundit – without a clue.
Forgetaboutit! His friends are probably howling with laughter at him LOL!
🙂 Also the students – they need to teach him about social media.
This is a prime example of why I stay away from twitter – I know I would get hooked into an argument that never should happen.
He completely lost any credibility when he tried to prove a stupid tweet was so important to world events.
From my time as a college teacher, student evaluations are close to useless in determining anything valid about the knowledge, depth, research ability and teaching skills of their teachers. There are multiple forces in action that impact a student’s evaluation – the professor’s ability is low on the scale.
https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/status/439946082026405888
🙂 🙂 Well, with President Obama at the helm God can relax a bit, don’t you think? LOL!
Chips is trolling War Room Tom on Twitter – I just have to laugh! ROTFLMAO 🙂 🙂
Trolling?! I am having an intellectual debate 😆
your work tonight on twitter is thing of beauty. hilarious!
He says PBO is blundering another foreign policy crisis and then he goes on to tweet that there is nothing the U.S. can do. He’s the mother of all trolls.
And an embarrassing attention seeker Meta. His finest moment today was when he said “Reagan always wore a jacket in the Oval too”. Good gawd, this is the best he can do?
It’s both horrifying and tragic that these are the people that are training the next generation to “think.” He doesn’t understand that POTUS will never accommodate his old world view of the Presidency. His ego is beyond hideous.
And winning too. War Room Jerk is just flailing at this point.
No way will President Obama or any other leader accept Putin’s premise …
Increasingly, it’s obvious that Putin is unconstrained by reality. Got to get him away from Russia’s nukes, asap.
It’s scary how extremists paint with broad strokes…”stop all brown people in hopes of finding illegals” “stop and frisk all black people in hopes of finding a crook”…
Dana Milbank @Milbank 6h
This is the point in an international crisis when we all wait silently to see what Obama does so we can criticize whatever it is.
OH. MY. LORD!!! My President is so fine oh so fine. I know that is not appropriate but PBO is wearing those jeans and shirt and watch. He looks so young and like he dyes his hair gray to look older. Seriously, every world leader must be wondering why God gave our PBO so many blessings.
BWD @theonlyadult 1m
So, the most outrageous thing that happened today wasn’t Putin invading Ukraine, but Obama wearing a jeans. #BlackPresidentSideEffects
Retweeted by BWD
The Daily Edge @TheDailyEdge 1h
Funny to hear Republicans clamoring for war 48 hours after they said we couldn’t afford benefits for current veterans http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/veterans-benefits-senate-republicans-104060.html …
New post.
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/03/01/laughter-helps/
Change of topic for a minute, because he has funny tweets: