The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has voted 14-3 to push forward a bill seeking to impose what officials say are the “most significant” US sanctions against Russia since the breakup of the Soviet Union.
The sanctions are mostly non-specific, authorizing President Obama to unilateral impose whatever financial sanctions he sees fit on Russian officials that he determines are “to blame” for Crimean secession from the Ukraine.
Some hawks on the committee had pushed for sanctions targeting Russian banks and oil companies as well, but these were not included in the final bill, which will go on to the Senate floor.
In addition to the sanctions, the bill includes $1 billion in “loan guarantees” for the interim Ukrainian government, a move which concerned some senators who say they aren’t clear where that money is going to come from.
Wow and wow again, not only significant but the most of significantly significant…., wow, where do they get these significant from and why is not been working on Iran?
Did AIPAC/Bibi just need a target they could handle? This is a nice cover for Bibi "Vows No Mercy; Pounds Gaza Strip." "latest escalation along Gaza is the largest since November of 2012, when Israel was on the verge of another invasion. Israeli hawks have vowed to continue their strikes on Gaza this time."
When mama US and Papa Russia are having a spat the little brats start making troubles: Israel, Libya.
While Congress and the President are considering options for dealing with Russian expansionism, the “peace” movement has fallen asleep at the wheel.
There have been, to my knowledge, no protests against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine organised by the peace movement, in the streets of Washington, or any other US city.
Other than in Ukraine, the only peace protest I’m aware of occurred in Moscow – in which all the participants were arrested.
The alignment of some so-called “progressives” in the West with Putin’s fascist dictatorship in Russia, which he has now imposed on Crimeans, is incomprehensible.
Andrew Havryliv
Sydney, Australia
You mean the "fascists dictatorship" the Russian people voted for?
Also, you may want to check your 'facts" because last time I checked, it's the Crimean's who overwhelmingly want to be a part of the Russian federation.
Why don't you get lost troll?
Andrew, you pathetic little jackass please read your history before spouting out garbage. Russia has NOT invaded Ukraine you twit. Crimea was always Russian and was only ceded to Ukraine as a "gift during a drunken binge by the then USSR president Nikita Khrushev who himself was Ukrainian. In the 1997 agreement signed by Russia and Ukraine concerning Crimea, Russia has the right under that treaty of having up to 25,000 Russian troops stationed in Crimea. Also included in the treaty was the Russian's right to also have tanks, artillery, fighter jets and other military equipment to go along with their lease of the naval port till 2042.
RUSSIA HAS NOT INVADED CRIMEA. The troops there now have been there for over a decade and have the right to be there under that treaty.
Study your history.
Amanda,
Crimea has never been a “part of Russia.”
It had been a Russian colony for hundreds of years, just as Ukraine had been a Russian colony for hundreds of years.
In 1954, to help relieve pressure on Moscow’s economy, Crimea was “gifted” to Ukraine. The purpose of doing so was for Ukraine to take responsibility for providing water and other essential services to Crimea.
Russians did not consider that by changing Crimea’s status from a Russian colony to a Ukrainian colony, they had “given up” Crimea. Because they controlled Ukraine, they ipso facto controlled Crimea.
In other words, they didn’t think in 1954 that they had lost their colonial power over Crimea.
However, after the pro-Russian Yanukovych fled in February this year, it become clear to Putin and other Russian imperialists, that Ukraine had begun turning West, and that Russia had “lost” Ukraine, and with it, of course, Crimea.
As “compensation” to Russia, and Putin’s prestige, Crimea has now been forcibly taken back by Russia.
In the late 1980s, Crimean Tartars, who were deported by Stalin in 1944, began returning to Crimea.
They consider Stalin’s deportations, and the consequent deaths that occurred, to be a genocide.
Their overall view, espoused by many of their leaders, is that they are better off being ruled by Kyiv.
As with other minorities in Crimea, the Tatars are justifiably in fear of militant pro-Russian elements, and the Russian forces that now occupy Crimea.
A brief history of Crimea can be found here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/dont-…
Andrew Havryliv
Sydney, Australia
Amanda,
Just like Ukraine, Crimea had been, for hundreds of years, a colony of Russia.
It has never been a part of Russia.
In 1954, to help relieve pressure on Moscow’s economy, Crimea was “gifted” to Ukraine.
The purpose of doing so was for Ukraine to take responsibility for providing water and other essential services to Crimea.
Russians did not consider that by changing Crimea’s status from a Russian colony to a Ukrainian colony, they had “given up” Crimea. Because they controlled Ukraine, they ipso facto controlled Crimea.
In other words, they didn’t think in 1954 that they had lost their colonial power over Crimea.
However, after the pro-Russian Yanukovych fled in February this year, it become clear to Putin and other Russian imperialists, that Ukraine had begun turning West, and that Russia had “lost” Ukraine, and with it, of course, Crimea.
As “compensation” to Russia, and Putin’s prestige, Crimea has now been forcibly taken back by Russia.
In the late 1980s, Crimean Tartars, who were deported by Stalin in 1944, began returning to Crimea.
They consider Stalin’s deportations, and the consequent deaths that occurred, to be a genocide.
Their overall view, espoused by many of their leaders, is that they are better off being ruled by Kyiv.
As with other minorities in Crimea, the Tatars are justifiably in fear of militant pro-Russian elements, and the Russian forces that now occupy Crimea.
A brief history of Crimea can be found here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/dont-…
Andrew Havryliv
Sydney, Australia
Also: two military airports!
"…no protests against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine organised by the peace movement, in the streets of Washington, or any other US city."
Hmmm, could it be that the majority of American people – not Congress or the WH or the neocon "Think Tanks" – understand that this is not any business of the American people? This is between the Russians and the Ukrainian people. And other than the violence perpetrated by the protestors on Maidan, there has been no violence on the part of the Russians, as reported so far.
And I don't think you understand what the so-called "peace" movement is about. Advocating for a war with Russia is antithetical to its purpose for existence. Perhaps they have a different definition of "peace" in NSW…or just delusion on your part.
@AndrewHavryliv
Firstly, however you try to spin it, a putsch is a putsch, no amount of 'recognition' by the US or the EU can make it otherwise. If the Russians had spent $5 billion on funding dissidents in (say) Mexico and then organised a coup in which they installed rabid America-haters, I know for a fact that the US would not accept the 'legitimacy' of the new self-proclaimed government.
Secondly, the 'Russia has invaded the Crimea' story is as phoney as the Kuwaiti incubator baby story, the marvelous story of Jessica Lynch and the Iraqi WMD stories were phoney. (an exhaustive list of US government/media fabrications would be well nigh impossible to compile)
With your views it is most unlikely that you are a genuine follower of this site, It follows therefore that you are most probably here as a cyberwarrior/troll. Don't get me wrong, you are welcome here. I would much prefer you to waste your time here, rather than post on some other site where people might be more impressionable.
Andrew the moron, where is the peace movement when you need it outside the White House condemning Obama for murdering Pakistani wedding caravans like the coward he is with drones; where is the peace movement to push Obama’s charging with murder and treason for collaborating with Al-Qaeda in Syria?
I imagine the US is gonna be kind of lonely in their 'sanctions'. No way Germany or the EU is going to go along with cutting off their gas supplies in winter/early spring. It's not like they have any other choice, either.
I wouldn't be so sure of that…Cameron has already gone on record promising that they (He) will back all sanctions regardless whether it hurts the British people or not.
The USG spent $5 billion to destabilize Ukraine, but can't find one billion to stabilize it? The Federal Reserve is creating $85 billion a month from thin air, and Congress just eliminated the debt ceiling so they can add to the 17 trillion dollar debt, but they can't figure out where to find or hide a paltry billion in that ocean of funny money and red ink?
Crimea's own Parliament voted to have a referendum on secession, so it may be difficult to identify the Russians responsible. Perhaps they'll just pull names out of a hat, or elsewhere…
Obama and his neocon advisers are desperate to start a war somewhere, anywhere, to deflect attention from US domestic needs that continue going unmet while US hawks and the MICC prepare to wage wars planet wide.
One of the more interesting aspects of this fabricated crisis is China. I seem to remember that there was a brief communique by the Chinese government early on in which that government supported the Russian position. Since then: essentially silence. No threats. No saber rattling.