Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Are These Four Countries Putin's Next Target?

Russian President Vladimir Putin uses a pair of binoculars to observe troops in action during a training exercise named Kavkaz 2012 in Krasnodar region September 17, 2012. Credit: Reuters/Alexsey Druginyn/RIA Novosti/Pool

Putin's Next 4 Targets -- Ben Shapiro, Breitbart

In the aftermath of Vladimir Putin’s Russian annexation of Crimea – and in the wake of the Obama administration’s tepid response, amounting to a slap on the wrist directed at a specific few individuals who seem less than perturbed by the blowback – the question now on the table is just how far Russia’s territorial ambitions extend.

It seems clear that no one either in Europe or in the White House has the will to take effective measures against the Russians in situations in which Russia can manufacture consent for annexation. Despite Vice President Joe Biden’s assurances to Poland and Lithuania that more sanctions are on their way, and despite a multiplicity of promises made to the interim Ukrainian government about standing up to Russian bullying, Putin seems less than deterred. And the United States has thus far rejected Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) suggestion that we begin arming the Ukrainian military, even though reports broke today of Russian troops firing at Ukrainian troops.

Read more ....

My Comment: Not going to happen .... unless these countries implode and become a national security threat to Russia itself.

2 comments:

James said...

Why should he do anything more than he has already done in respect to these and many other countries? He now can influence them easily without overt military power. I'm beginning to believe that China is his big medium/long term focus. The when, how, and why, of that conjecture is what I've mentally wrestling with for awhile.

Don Bacon said...

Russia's move on Crimea was directly caused by the US-promoted coup in Kiev, overthrowing a democratically-elected government. Otherwise Crimea wouldn't have happened.