Real deal or just posturing?

[CSM]

So Russia (Putin) is telling it's diplomats to send their relatives home to the motherland with speculation that war is imminent.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3833941/Russia-orders-officials-fly-home-relatives-living-abroad-tensions-mount-prospect-global-war.html

he may be grandstanding but ....

Meanwhile, we watch Rome burn.

[sundaydriver]

Just as likely that he wants their families within reach to keep them from fleeing and held hostage.

[CSM]

Just as likely that he wants their families within reach to keep them from fleeing and held hostage.

Possibly. I suspect that if he was worried about one or two disloyal diplomats that he would just have them recalled or (worst case) assassinated. From what I can tell from my foxhole, most of the Russian people LIKE Putin. Can't say the same about folks from former Soviet Bloc countries.

[Abbey Marie]

If this should come to pass with Obama at the helm, God help us.

[fj1200]

So Russia (Putin) is telling it's diplomats to send their relatives home to the motherland with speculation that war is imminent.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3833941/Russia-orders-officials-fly-home-relatives-living-abroad-tensions-mount-prospect-global-war.html

he may be grandstanding but ....

Meanwhile, we watch Rome burn.

My first question was going to be what would the fight be over... and then I thought about Archduke Ferdinand.

[CSM]

My first question was going to be what would the fight be over... and then I thought about Archduke Ferdinand.

Yeah, there is that. Putin has been bitching about NATO for some time now. With NATO members states all along the Russian border and no "buffer states" (i.e. Soviet style proxies), the Russians get nervous. Recent history shows that the Russians will push to the very edge and gamble that the West will not react out of fear of escalation. Take a look at how they ended up with Crimea/Ukraine, etc.