More Bad News for Russia

[Gator]

EU to tighten sanctions on Crimea in time for leaders summit....As reported exclusively by Reuters on Dec. 10, the sanctions will also ban EU citizens from buying or financing companies in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in March, prompting the worst East-West stand-off since the Cold War.

This supports one of my three-part forecast - namely Crimea will become another Northern Cyprus. 

The two other parts:  The Donesk-Lugansk region becomes another Chechnya (replete with Detroits) and Russia becomes another North Korea albeit not nearly as poor but certainly underachieving and most important, an even larger threat to world stability. 

I made my "another North Korea" forecast in jest, yet could it happen?  Does Putin have the ability to withstand a combination of prolonged recession, inflation, reduced government services, and ban on capital flight?  Doll says Russians will "eat dirt" rather than give up.  That was true in the middle of the 20th C and centuries before, but we are well into the 21st Century.

[jone]

Yesterday, the President indicated that he would sign the new sanctions bill passed unanimously by Congress.  The bill awards $350,000,000 in military aide including, possibly lethal weapons to Ukraine.  It also, again, strengthens sanctions against the Russian military industrial providers.

There was speculation that the President would not sign the bill because it pushed the US out front and ahead of Europe in sanctions.  But yesterday the President essentially said that he had enough 'wiggle' room to twin up with whatever Europe was doing.

[Muzh]

When trying so hard to make somebody look foolish don't you think it would be wise to learn how to spell second grade words first? 


Fathertime!

Point is, did you answer the question? Nope.


Diffuse and re-direct. Classical signs of submission.

[fathertime]

Point is, did you answer the question? Nope.


Diffuse and re-direct. Classical signs of submission.

I don't see any reason to answer your questions, as you don't answer other peoples.   It goes back to you get treated the same as you treat others.   


Fathertime!

[fathertime]

You are more pessimistic than the "glass half empty" guy.  I place you in the paranoia category of Chicken Little, the folktale chicken who kept saying "The sky is falling."

At the time a near 1000 point drop in the market over the past week or so is worth a mention.  Whether you like it or not,there is an issue of potential backfire.

[Boethius]

The fundamentals of the Russian economy were weak, as it is such a commodity based economy. 


I don't buy the propaganda that the U.S. is behind the crumbling ruble.  It would not be falling so precipitously were oil prices high, and I don't believe the US is behind that. 

[Gator]

At the time a near 1000 point drop in the market over the past week or so is worth a mention. 

Yes, worth a mention yet you then leapt to the conclusion "Our economy is showing some frailness."  Please cite economic data showing our frailness in the world economy.  I will save you the time - the only frail part is the slowing growth in the rest of the world.  However, lower energy costs should be a stimulus. 

Whether you like it or not, there is an issue of potential backfire.

The only backfire is the sound of your ass coming out of your mouth. 

[fathertime]

Yes, worth a mention yet you then leapt to the conclusion "Our economy is showing some frailness."  Please cite economic data showing our frailness in the world economy.  I will save you the time - the only frail part is the slowing growth in the rest of the world.  However, lower energy costs should be a stimulus. 



The only backfire is the sound of your ass coming out of your mouth.

You are mistaken if you don't think our economy is very delicate.  An escalation involving us in Russia could easily backfire.   It seems you are once again very grumpy that somebody has the ability to express a valid OPINION, that differs with yours.  Too bad! 


Fathertime! 

[AkMike]

And yet you don't bother to cite any sources.

[fathertime]

And yet you don't bother to cite any sources.

Thank you for asking nicely, unlike the grumpy old man!   

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/will-the-u-s--catch-russia-s-cold--203719563.html




Fathertime!   

[Muzh]

I don't see any reason to answer your questions, as you don't answer other peoples.   It goes back to you get treated the same as you treat others.   


Fathertime!

Heh, sure.


That won't stop you from yelling at women and insulting them.

[AkMike]

Thank you for asking nicely, unlike the grumpy old man!   

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/will-the-u-s--catch-russia-s-cold--203719563.html
Fathertime!

There was no question nor question mark in my sentence. It was a statement not a question. Just show links when you make those kind of statements..

 I actually don't give much credence to an unknown writer posing questions not hard facts at Yahoo. Hardly a credible source.

[AkMike]

duplicate

[fathertime]

There was no question nor question mark in my sentence. It was a statement not a question. Just show links when you make those kind of statements..

 I actually don't give much credence to an unknown writer posing questions not hard facts at Yahoo. Hardly a credible source.

I don't think every comment like the one I made requires a link every time.  You don't have to give his opinion credence, although it is also possible that his opinion upsets you just a bit, hence it is 'not credible'.  He is not the only one who has commented on the possiblity of sanctions backfiring, which is something that I would not like to see...ultimately I want our economy to continue on the right track.


Fathertime!   


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[mendeleyev]

Unlike the news from Channel One,  the bulletins on Russia's Rain TV led with the rouble's record rout, calling yesterday a 'Black Tuesday' (with the dollar being worth 80,1 roubles and a euro buying as much as 100 roubles, at 3.13 p.m. in Moscow, Russia's currency hit its lowest ever levels against the dollar and euro)

Ghost, I like TV Rain. As you probably know, the government keeps trying to shut them down. Several months ago a new law was passed that banned advertising on paid cable stations, directly impacting TV Rain. Oddly enough, public channels with connections to the Kremlin were exempted from the ban.

Earlier this month they were evicted from their professional studios when their landlord ended their lease in October. They moved into rented space with Snob magazine in Moscow, but suddenly in the first week of this month they were given 24 hours to move out. So now they are broadcasting from an apartment in Moscow.

Just a few years back then-President Medvedev did a tour and gave an interview at their (original) studios. He then expressed support for independent channels and commended their cutting-edge technology and production qualities. Today however, TV Rain is on the wrong side of the Kremlin's view of the news, and thus it is difficult to tell how long TV Rain will survive.

[lordtiberius]

Medvedyev is a Putin puppet.  As far as Putin potential successors go, he is too much with the Old Regime.

[JayH]

The fundamentals of the Russian economy were weak, as it is such a commodity based economy. 


I don't buy the propaganda that the U.S. is behind the crumbling ruble.  It would not be falling so precipitously were oil prices high, and I don't believe the US is behind that.

Let me put it this way-- if Russia had not invaded  Ukrainian Crimea and had stayed out of interfering in Ukraine-- the rubble would not be where it is today.
The idea that it is the US acting alone or for some hidden agenda is nonsense-- in previous posts I made the point that the world has and integrated economy that is dependent on all parts to function. Sure the US is important-- but only a part of the equation.Russian attempts to blame every and anyone else for their economic crisis is ridiculous-- they have done it to themselves.

[Misha]

Let me put it this way-- if Russia had not invaded  Ukrainian Crimea and had stayed out of interfering in Ukraine-- the rubble would not be where it is today.

At the very least, Rosneft would have been able to borrow money on the international market to pay off the old debt it owed instead of converting roubles to dollars to pay off IIRC the $30 billion slice that came due this December...

[lordtiberius]

Are the Russian people resilient or stupid?

[mendeleyev]

I am increasingly aware of the care one must take when living in the midst of a nation that has been deluded. Most Russians interviewed like this seem convinced that they are facing another 1941, only this time the coming invader is not Germany, but America and NATO. My wife has become increasingly concerned for my safety as the anti-American mood today is very high.

Sasha (Aleksandr) Sotnik conducted a very interesting piece last week, asking on-the-street Russians about the economic crisis and more importantly, who is to blame. The central theme is of a "western aggressor" and that mirrors the 1940s-1950s phrase of "Nazi aggressor." This was not a scientific poll, but it models existing polling that indicates that most Russians still support the Putin government and are ready to sacrifice for the cause of repelling the West.




Before any of us go spouting off about how horrible and evil these people are, we must remember than for any of us, you and I included, we humans tend to make decisions and opinions based on the information we have available. And the point is just this: most of our readers outside Russia have more than one source of news. We have no restrictions on what media may report, nor is what we see and read filtered by a central government. In Russia, the news and information is largely filtered in such a controlled manner, as travelers such as Misha have reported, that it is almost mind-numbing to readers from the West.

The news coverage here is so focused on one viewpoint that it is almost like torture, having the same newscast played over and over inside a prison cell at all hours of the day and night.

Fact: you cannot form an alternative opinion if you have no, or very limited access, to alternative ideas and viewpoints.

[JayH]

Mende-I entirely agree with you comments and sentiments.
The problem on forums is that we have ignorance from people that do have access to information--and still spew the Kremlin propaganda.

They are not winning anyone to the plight of everyday Russians .

But if i am forced to choose between countries then I can say nothing nice about Russia in the current situation-- and right now it is Russians killing Ukrainians who are attempting to defend their country-- and the simple solution is for Russia to withdraw. Until that happens the lot of Russians is going to get a lot worse.If that much discomfort can be caused  in just a few months-- how will it be when the sanctions are uprated and really kick in?

The crux of this is how long it will take for those everyday Russians wake up who is really to blame for their situation-- and an even bigger question-- what can they do about it?

In the meantime-I would urge you to move-maybe to Kiev where free speech and democracy is now rated as an important way of life !I don't think any thinking journalist is safe in Moscow-too many fringe lunatics in that asylum !!

[Doll]

Let me put it this way-- if Russia had not invaded  Ukrainian Crimea and had stayed out of interfering in Ukraine-- the rubble would not be where it is today.
The idea that it is the US acting alone or for some hidden agenda is nonsense-- in previous posts I made the point that the world has and integrated economy that is dependent on all parts to function. Sure the US is important-- but only a part of the equation.Russian attempts to blame every and anyone else for their economic crisis is ridiculous-- they have done it to themselves.

You should read about the currency of other countries that sell oil

[lordtiberius]

Mendy that is not true.  The Russian people have access to the truth.  Many in the opposition have been warning her FOR DECADES about the dangers of this man.  And yet their messiah is sinless.

Here is one man standing up against this killer of his own people:

ВЕСЕЛЫЕ ТАЙНЫ ПРАВОСЛАВИЯ:

If Russia would show one tenth the courage this man shows every day, Russia would be free.

Instead . . .

[Doll]

Russia IS free

[Doll]

Mendy that is not true.  The Russian people have access to the truth.  Many in the opposition have been warning her FOR DECADES about the dangers of this man.  And yet their messiah is sinless.

Here is one man standing up against this killer of his own people:

ВЕСЕЛЫЕ ТАЙНЫ ПРАВОСЛАВИЯ:

If Russia would show one tenth the courage this man shows every day, Russia would be free.

Instead . . .

It is  a staged BS and has nothing to do with this thread
Youtube is full of cr$p like this