It is embarrassing for a world power to see its warnings so
cavalierly disregarded and not just when it comes to Russia and Ukraine. During
his second term, President Obama has repeatedly found that the sternest
warnings and firmest demands from the United States have been ignored with
impunity. The United States has an interest in ensuring that the events in
Russia and Ukraine play out peacefully, but the United States does not have any
official or de-facto authority over any other country outside our own. You
haven't conducted any recent opinion polls have. Americans are overwhelming in
support of the President in promoting sanctions against Russia over the
Ukraine. Your Republican buddies in Washington will get in line with Public
opinion, or risk making an Eastern European war an election issue
I think Obama is in his own
behavior, not in the reaction to it. Obama immediately recognized the coup
leaders in Ukraine. He should not have done that, he should have insisted that
the elected President, either serve his term, or go through legal proceedings
that may exist - but Washington announced that Yanukovych abdicated when left
Kiev. That is not a real thing. You do not abdicate when you leave the capital.
Obama has not abdicated for leaving Washington DC. It is a bit of an
outrageous, non-sensual statement. Support democracy. If the guys you are
dealing with do not - wash your hands of it. I had the same criticism of George
Bush, when Saakashvili clearly violated the peace accord - Bush should have
condemned him publicly for it. Instead we calculate - how will someone respond,
what is the lessor of two evils. No, calculate what long term effects of not
clearly standing up for democracy might be – that is the calculation I did want
Obama to make it.
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