President Obama today imposed tightening sanctions on Russians who are involved directly with impeding Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Will they work? Not likely. Are they welcome? Certainly.
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/russia-sanctions-ukraine-obama-executive-order-104728.html?hp=t1
Obama invoked his executive authority to punish those who are involved in the Russian arms industry or those who provide “material support” to forces involved in the occupation of Crimea, a region in Ukraine that over the weekend voted overwhelmingly to integrate into Russia.
The sanctions do set a new standard for punishing Russia in the post-Cold War era. They are “by far the most extensive sanctions imposed against Russia since the end of the Cold War,” an official said, according to Politico.com.
Is this all the world can do in response to what has become a virtual Russian invasion of a sovereign nation? Probably yes, short of a military strike against Russia. No one in their right mind is calling for a “military option” in response to this crisis — although former Vice President Dick Cheney keeps suggesting that those options do exist “without putting boots on the ground.” What hogwash.
All that’s really left for the world is to isolate Russia, which President Obama insists is going to inflict pain on the one-time Evil Empire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t likely to reverse course just because of these sanctions. He’s already invested too much of his own reputation in this incursion to back out now.
The hope on this side of the dispute, though, should be that the United States follow through with what it already has announced and then ratchets it up even more if Russia intensifies its interference in the affairs of what used to be an independent nation.
Sanctions cost the US little, since we do not trade much with Russia. The cost will be carried by the EU, if they can be made to participate. If we want to make it up to them somehow, it will likely be by giving them discounts on oil or natgas and financial support– which will put upward price pressure on US energy consumers, but is a nice gift to US energy producers.
China will be very pleased no matter what, since sanctions put up barriers BETWEEN the various western trading parties (EU, Russia, US), making all of them more reliant on their relationship with China.
Finally, the whole affair has made us look like huge hypocrites to most of the world population, although this is unlikely to ever have any kind of effect, but of course, once you take a position, no matter whether it was a good idea, there is simply no possible way of backing out.
We have to do something. Our options are limited. We cannot bully Russia the way we can, say, Cuba. Hypocrisy reigns all over the planet. Whatever we can do short of a shooting war ought to be worth the effort. Thanks for your comment.