Germany Emerges

[Muzh]

Interesting perspective of things to come in Europe.

It was ironic that Germany, which the United States blocked twice as a hegemon, tried to persuade the United States that increased military action in Ukraine would not solve the problem. The Americans knew that, but they also knew that if they backed off now, the Russians would read it as an opportunity to press forward. Germany, which had helped set in motion both this crisis and the European crisis, was now asking the United States to back off. The request was understandable, but simply backing off was not possible. She needed to deliver something from Putin, such as a pledge to withdraw support to Ukrainian secessionists. But Putin needed something, too: a promise for an autonomous province. By now Merkel could live with that, but the Americans would find it undesirable. An autonomous Ukrainian province would inevitably become a base for undermining the rest of the country.

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/germany-emerges?mc_cid=eed5c7cc54&mc_eid=25cf753136

[lordtiberius]

This is not news to celebrate . . .

[Gator]

Interesting read.  Proving once again in the political world the whole is different from the sum of the parts.

I have long disagreed with austerity.  How can spending cuts combined with tax hikes make the economy grow?  The economy is feeding off of itself, as proven in Greece.  Making Merkel the rebirth of Herbert Hoover.

If Putin does not take the off-ramp on his adventurism expressway, what are the options?  More sanctions will harm Russia and the EU economy as well.  Maybe a little military war between Russia and NATO is best for the economy, provided NATO wins.

It's late folks.  Good night.

[lordtiberius]

The off ramp is WW3 Gator. 

[Doll]

Quote

It was ironic that Germany, which the United States blocked twice as a hegemon, tried to persuade the United States that increased military action in Ukraine would not solve the problem. The Americans knew that, but they also knew that if they backed off now, the Russians would read it as an opportunity to press forward. Germany, which had helped set in motion both this crisis and the European crisis, was now asking the United States to back off. The request was understandable, but simply backing off was not possible. She needed to deliver something from Putin, such as a pledge to withdraw support to Ukrainian secessionists. But Putin needed something, too: a promise for an autonomous province. By now Merkel could live with that, but the Americans would find it undesirable. An autonomous Ukrainian province would inevitably become a base for undermining the rest of the country.

What is wrong with that?

[Anotherkiwi]

What is wrong with that?

Do you mean this part?

An autonomous Ukrainian province would inevitably become a base for undermining the rest of the country.

If you do, there's plenty wrong with it.  If you mean something else, please explain which part of the original statement you agree with.

[lordtiberius]

Germany rising/  Only as an undigested corn rises to the surface in a toilet bowl:

[lordtiberius]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2015/02/12/ukraine-sold-down-the-river-again/

WaPo agrees with me.  Obama foreign policy sellout

[lordtiberius]

http://m.spiegel.de/international/world/a-1022193.html#spRedirectedFrom=www&referrrer=http://t.co/OvCmWA3FPM

Germany in Putin's camp

[AC]

http://m.spiegel.de/international/world/a-1022193.html#spRedirectedFrom=www&referrrer=http://t.co/OvCmWA3FPM

Germany in Putin's camp

Not exactly, but who cares?  Nuland is in our camp, and that's pretty damn good.

excerpt
Nuland Diplomacy

Nuland, who is seen as a possible secretary of state should the Republicans win back the White House in next year's presidential election, is an important voice in US policy concerning Ukraine and Russia. She has never sought to hide her emotional bond to Russia, even saying "I love Russia." Her grandparents immigrated to the US from Bessarabia, which belonged to the Russian empire at the time. Nuland speaks Russian fluently.

She is also very direct. She can be very keen and entertaining, but has been known to take on an undiplomatic tone -- and has not always been wrong to do so. Mykola Asarov, who was prime minister under toppled Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, recalls that Nuland basically blackmailed Yanukovych in order to prevent greater bloodshed in Kiev during the Maidan protests. "No violence against the protesters or you'll fall," Nuland told him according to Asarov. She also, he said, threatened tough economic and political sanctions against both Ukraine and the country's leaders. According to Asarov, Nuland said that, were violence used against the protesters on Maidan Square, information about the money he and his cronies had taken out of the country would be made public.

Nuland has also been open -- at least internally -- about her contempt for European weakness and is famous for having said "Fuck the EU" during the initial days of the Ukraine crisis in February of 2014. Her husband, the neo-conservative Robert Kagan, is, after all, the originator of the idea that Americans are from Mars and Europeans, unwilling as they are to realize that true security depends on military power, are from Venus."

[lordtiberius]

Nuland? 

Don't believe the hype.  This is the same Vicky Nuland who was handing out bread Om the Maidan or the Vicky Nuland who covered up Benghazi?

Getting excited over Nuland is like hoping something will happen every time Obama expresses deep concern or hoping something good will happen with McConnell & Boehner as leaders.

Ukraine would benefit from a friendly German leader.  Merkel and Steinmeier aren't it.

[lordtiberius]

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2015/03/09/german-ambassador-obama-agreed-not-to-send-arms-to-ukraine/24668037/

German Ambassador states Obama will not arm Ukraine