Russian Invasion of Ukraine

[Gunnar]

Gunnar has new tears for Ukraine suddenly. Biden has been using it like an ATM and offering passes for Oligarchs to wipe they ass with the country, and now these tears. Mmmmkay. I see you crying, Gunnar.

Why are you so eager and misinformed as to believe the claims of the demonstrably most corrupt and dishonest President this nation has ever had?

[canpakes]

Gunnar has new tears for Ukraine suddenly. Biden has been using it like an ATM and offering passes for Oligarchs to wipe they ass with the country, and now these tears. Mmmmkay. I see you crying, Gunnar.

On the one hand, you have your unsubstantiated claim about Biden and Ukraine.

On the other hand, we have proof (by admission of Trump’s family, no less) of Trump generating millions of dollars of profits into the Russian banking system via loans from their banks.

I’ll see your imaginary ATM, and will raise you a real one.

[K Graham]

Trump would have sidelined the U.S.

And what exactly are Biden's handlers going to do? NOTHING

Only in the minds of the deluded. In reality Biden is laying down the heaviest sanctions in history, and of course the GOP partisans are going to say they're worthless or what not, but not if you understand what they actually are.. You think having a country completely cut off from the rest of the world isn't going to prove crippling over time? Just look at Cuba after 60 years of economic blockage. They're still driving 57' Chevys.

[doubtingthomas]

Could potentially lead to WWIII.

Seems like a pretty big deal. I'm surprised no one else here is already talking about it.

I doubt it, I don't think Putin is stupid.

[K Graham]

EXPLAINER: A Look at US Steps Taken, and Not, Against Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden has hit Russia with some of the broadest and toughest financial penalties that the world’s biggest economy can muster.

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden hit Russia with some of the broadest and toughest financial penalties that the world's biggest economy can muster on Thursday, hours after President Vladimir Putin launched his military's invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. sanctions and penalties announced so far appear to spare Putin himself from sanctions. They also forgo an option long-cited as one of the toughest possible, by holding off from banning Russia from the SWIFT financial system that moves money around the world. Biden cited concerns by European allies.

But the steps the United States took Thursday are powerful ones regardless, aimed at crippling Russia's financial system, its elites and any hopes Russia has of economic growth. Here's a look at the retaliatory financial steps the U.S. announced for Russia's biggest state-owned banks and businesses, its industry, its economy and some of its most powerful people, as well as key measures that the U.S. is still holding off on.

CUTTING RUSSIAN BANKS OFF FROM THE U.S. DOLLAR

Thursday's sanctions target big Russian banks holding nearly 80% of all the country's banking assets, the Treasury Department said.

That includes Russia's two biggest: state-owned SberBank and VTB. Combined, they hold almost $750 billion in assets, the U.S. said, which is more than half of the entire total in Russia.

Thursday's sanctions on the banks wield the unique power the U.S. has through the dollar, the currency of choice in business transactions around the world.

The targeted banks normally do tens of billions of dollars in business in dollars daily. The U.S. is now cutting them off from the U.S. financial system and U.S. dollar. The aim is to make the most ordinary business matters as well as international trade far more difficult for the banks, and Russia.

Other U.S. measures target key state-owned and private businesses in Russia, aiming to make it harder for them to raise money to invest and operate.

The U.S. also went after more of Russia's elites, sanctioning bankers and other powerful associates of Putin in Russia's top financial, political and security circles.

STARVING RUSSIA'S BUSINESSES, MILITARY OF U.S. HIGH-TECH

Export controls announced by the Biden administration feature another especially strong piece of leverage the U.S. holds — America's semiconductors and other advanced high-tech gear.

Biden said new U.S. export limits will deprive Russia of more than half of its current high-tech supply. It will “strike a blow” to Russia's aims to modernize its military, its vaunted aerospace industry, its space program, shipping and other industry, he declared.

By “reducing their ability to compete economically,” the high-tech limits will be a "major hit to long-term strategic ambitions," Biden said.

U.S. export controls are expected to deprive Russian industries and the military of the high-tech U.S. components that help warplanes and passenger jets fly and make smartphones smart, along with other software and advanced electronic gear that make the modern world run.

The U.S. said the European Union, Japan, Britain and other countries were also cooperating in the move to starve Russia of high-tech components.

The U.S. response could add Russia to the most restrictive group of countries for export control purposes, joining Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria.

They limit Russia’s ability to obtain integrated circuits and products containing integrated circuits, due to the global dominance of U.S. software, technology and equipment. The impact could extend to aircraft avionics, machine tools, smartphones, game consoles, tablets and televisions.

However, U.S. export restrictions would risk motivating businesses to look for alternatives elsewhere, including China.

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STEPS THE U.S. DIDN'T TAKE — OR HASN'T YET

Biden says the sanctions against Russia were tailored not to disrupt the global oil and natural gas markets. That's at a time when time petroleum supply and high prices are making it tough for governments and consumers around the world. The Biden administration itself is under political pressure over rising oil and gas prices.

“Our sanctions package is specifically designed to allow energy payments to continue," Biden said in his White House address Thursday.

Russia is one of the world's top oil and gas exporters. Germany and other allies are heavily dependent on its shipments, despite the strong progress some are making in moving away from fossil fuels. The Biden administration has stressed the care it is taking to minimize sanctions' impact on those allies.

Biden also cited European concerns for the U.S. decision to keep holding off on proposals to ban Russia from the SWIFT financial system, which moves money bank-to-bank around the world.

Leaders of Germany, with its numerous business ties to Russia, had publicly expressed skepticism about banning SWIFT.

Biden told reporters Thursday his banking sanctions will hit Russia even harder than a SWIFT ban would. Some financial experts agree, and say the banking sanctions could also be less disruptive to global financial systems than wrenching Russia out of the SWIFT system would be.

And Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen made clear the U.S. could still levy some punishments that it's currently holding in reserve.

The individual sanctions announced by the United States also spared the prime mover in a Russian invasion that has shaken the security networks of Europe and the world — Putin himself. Individual European sanctions also appear to spare Putin.

U.S. and European officials didn't immediately explain their reasoning in that. Biden has expressed reluctance about sanctioning heads of state in the past. Concern that targeting Putin's wealth and family directly might cut off all hope of diplomatic resolution also may have played a part.

But when asked by reporters to explain that step not taken Thursday, Biden pointedly refused to answer.

__

But but but Biden's done NOTHING ajax says.

[K Graham]

Could potentially lead to WWIII.

Seems like a pretty big deal. I'm surprised no one else here is already talking about it.

I doubt it, I don't think Putin is stupid.

You don't have to be stupid, only a madman.

[doubtingthomas]

You don't have to be stupid, only a madman.

Thinking about it, can you imagine Canada or Mexico planning to form a military alliance with Russia, China, or Iran? The US would quickly invade.

[Gadianton]

Apparently, you need to follow this guy's youtube channel for an idea of what's happening on the ground.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXZs3e ... UuTqm3GgVA

all kinds of weird clips including what apparently is two captured Russian soldiers.

[ajax18]

The fact remains that your hero, Trump, openly and effusively praised Putin for his actions,

I've already told you that this is a spin missing context. Listen to the entire interview if you can find it, which I cannot currently on leftist controlled google search engines. Trump is not at all happy about Russia invading Ukraine. But the fact remains that we have a very savvy KGB dictator negotiating with a demented old fool who belongs in a nursing home and can barely even complete a sentence at this point. I'm not sure what else you expected to happen. It's sad, which is what Trump said of this entire situation.

As for me, I hate all socialist/communist regardless of their race, gender, sexual preference, or national origin.

And Gunnar it's your environmentalism that has helped make the West vulnerable to this type of situation. But you're never going to realize your mistake on this. Take comfort that John Kerry believes that Putin will still stay on track with climate change.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022 ... te-change/

[K Graham]

The fact remains that your hero, Trump, openly and effusively praised Putin for his actions,

I've already told you that this is a spin missing context.

What you tell us doesn't mean anything because you've demonstrated an inability to think beyond repeating the asinine partisan hackery you get daily from Brietbart. I've already posted the interview. I also posted his comments about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Georgia and Crimea. Trump's commentary clearly shows that he believes Russia should invaded these countries.


As far as your ignorant remarks about socialism/communism, you're just proving the point that education has failed you.