Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday that the United States would soon lift Cold War-era trade sanctions on Russia, in an example of how hostile Washington has been more than two decades later, although it was unclear whether the move has support in Congress.
Following Russia’s inclusion into the World Trade Organization, Clinton said the US should now normalize trade relations with Russia so that American businesses can benefit from trade with one of the world’s leading economies.
The sanctions have origins in a 1974 law known as Jackson-Vanik and are waived each year, but the fact that they’re still around shows how confrontational Washington still is long after the end of the Cold War. Legislation, once on the books, almost never goes away, especially when it can be used as leverage over other states.
Mitt Romney, and many Republicans in Congress, are pushing back against normalized trade relations with Russia – unless Congress passes legislation that punishes Russian officials accused of human rights abuses, as if that were Congress’s responsibility.
The urge to discipline misbehaving Russian officials in order to further America’s geopolitical hegemony is ill-served by discordant rhetoric and economic warfare.
As Clinton said, “We are grateful for this and other opportunities to work more closely with Russia on areas of common concern that will deliver benefits to the people of both our nations.” Instead, the US has chosen bellicosity, nearly two decades after the end of the Cold War.
But keep them on China. That's COMMUNIST China.
You is smart, Hillary, hyuk hyuk.
Like her husband, this is yet another crying crocodile tears spilled all over a salty sea.
In the other hand is an indication that US might start working with Russia in regard to Syria wanting to "bribe" Putin to see if it works or not. Otherwise what is it that US can offer and what that lifting of sanctions might be and so important to Russia which Russia would need that so badly. Technology, they got it, Oil they got it, Jeans, they got it, food they got it beside all that they are hosting the other half of the world economy cooperating with China, India, Iran and many other EU and other countries as well. So what is it that Hillary Clinton is "cooking" this time. Her last meeting with Saudis, Turks, Qatari and others created the Syrian war, is she preparing for third world war wanting to bribe Russia for that…? US and EU governments are at fault when they thought that Syrian war would be as easy as Libyan war, when they thought that sanctioning all those country will benefits them in few days giving them a very big return.., it did provided a return all right, Austerity in Europe is called, poverty in US is the other name for it.
This is so very ironic. With one hand this woman extends an olive branch with something she knows Congress will be unlikely to repeal, while with the other she continues to sow discord (e.g., through demonization of Russia for having invoked the UN Charter, and asserted its rights as a Security Council member, as well as through the U.S.'s clandestine operations on Russia's borders and within the country itself). This is just one more example of "Stupid Power" and disingenuous (some might say moronic) diplomacy.
Her trip is not only supposed to communicate our new policy to Russia and China, but also to burnish her image for a presidential run in 2016. Unless the policy changes, and her diplomatic skills improve, it will do neither, notwithstanding her husband's repeated unconditional endorsement of her, and Obama's expected endorsement in the next election cycle.
Sounds like Killary wants to arm the oligarchs against Putin.