Kuwait vs Ukraine

[Gaffer]

In 1991 Bush I put together a coalition of countries to drive the iraqi forces out of Kuwait. They massed troops to prevent further incursions into Saudi Arabia and eventual went to war. Russia approved the action but did not take part.

Today we have Russia invading a country and annexing part of it while threatening to take even more and no coalition is being formed. It's described as "none of our business" and "we shouldn't get involved." The common denominator of both events is oil and gas.

US and European forces should be massing in the Ukraine confronting the Russian forces. Instead the US puts sanction on a few Russian individuals and sends putin a strongly worded letter. The new symbol for Russia should be a Phoenix rising from the ashes. The soviet empire is returning uncontested.

[NightTrain]

Agreed.

This is the worldwide danger of having a weak and ineffectual American President.

Putin isn't stupid and he has pegged Obama for what he is - a completely inexperienced buffoon behind the wheel of the world's mightiest country going in random circles.

It was a safe bet that nothing real would materialize, and he was right.

Putin would not have dared make his move if Reagan or Bush 41 or Bush 43 were in the saddle. NATO would have been mobilized or a coalition formed and Putin would have backed down when the west became aware of the earliest rumblings of his Crimean adventure. Putin only respects strength, and the western world has not shown it for almost 6 years now.

That leaves him with at least a year to grab something else, probably another part of the Ukraine, and allow the dust to settle before the possibility of an effective, strong and intelligent President emerges onto the world stage. What does he have to lose at this point? The economic sanctions are already in place and he already knows there will be no military response to another land grab.

Obama showed all his cards to Putin over the missile defense deal in eastern Europe when he was caught telling Medvedev that he'd have more flexibility after the election - meaning he would have the ability to willfully disregard military adviser's protests and our Allies regarding dismantling the US Military and scrapping the missile defense program for Europe. Because, you know, Obama and Putin are clearly both enlightened and sensitive leaders, right? Putin played him like the fool he is.

What other foolish messages did Obama send to Putin that we didn't hear about? It's silly to think there weren't more, we just got lucky there was a hot microphone to catch that one.

It will be interesting to see what Putin does next. He has to be emboldened by the lack of any real response and there's no one to oppose him now or in the near future - and he knows it.

[aboutime]

I don't care what anyone says, or thinks about my need to be HONEST, at all costs.

OBAMA is unworthy, a phony, and unqualified to lead anyone, or anything, anywhere.

He is the President...in name ONLY.

I personally have NO respect for him as a Man, nor as our So-called Commander-in-chief.

I would have more confidence in watching mud, and rocks rolling down a hill.

They know what their purpose is. Unlike Obama, other than to Destroy America.

[Drummond]

This should be one of those 'line in the sand' situations. Where the West says to Russia that you do not cross that line.

Backsliding only invites more of the same. So I agree with the comments here.