‘Nothing grassroots’ about Ukraine uprisings, U.S. official says
Washington (CNN) – Attacks on police stations and government buildings in eastern Ukraine bear “telltale signs of Moscow’s involvement,” a top U.S. administration official said on Sunday, adding it was becoming more clear Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to expand his reach into the country.
Samantha Power, the American ambassador to the United Nations, said the latest attacks, in the city of Slaviansk, were “professional” and “coordinated” - similar to Russia’s incursion into the Crimean Peninsula last month.
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“There’s nothing grassroots-seeming about it,” Power said on ABC’s “This Week,” noting the latest action “gives credence” to the notion that Putin wants control over eastern Ukraine.
U.S. officials have accused Putin of inciting unrest in the region as a pretext for sending his forces further into Ukraine. For weeks, the Obama administration has been anxiously monitoring activity on the Russia-Ukraine border, where tens of thousands of Russian troops have been massing.
The United States doesn’t want a repeat of what happened last month in Crimea, when Russian troops moved into the region after Putin alleged ethnic Russian residents of that Ukrainian territory were being persecuted.
On Saturday, the White House announced Vice President Joe Biden would visit Kiev later this month to meet with leaders and demonstrate U.S. support for the interim government there.
Sunday, Power warned additional economic sanctions could come if Russian interference in eastern Ukraine continues. She contended that sanctions already in place against Russian officials and banks had dented the country’s economy.
Just a few decades ago I heard this same type of rhetoric about a little place called Viet Nam. They called it the domino effect. It was none of our business then, and this is none of our business now. We paid a massive price in lives lost, injuries, and on and on. Do we really have to do this again?
The Tea Party is taking notes, I'm sure. Certainly nothing grassroots about them, either.
I Sure hope Putin knows what he is getting into when he starts pushing 0bama around . Putin should kn0w by now 0bama is short to anger and means what he says .
If the Russians keep this stuff up well Obama is just going to have to take decisive action and give another forceful speech and sanction another 10 people to keep them from going to Disneyland. And to think this tough action will be taken after Obama promised the Russians he would be more flexible after the election. Or maybe this is precisely the flexibility Putin wanted? Obama's joke of a reaction and actions certainly leads one to believe he could care less if Russia took over all of the Ukraine with military force.
I guess our country standing with people of free countries and their right to remain free has been thrown right out the window by our feckless leader. Tyrants all over the world are taking note of the new flexibility they all now have thanks to Obama, the first mommy pants president.
honestly cnn... not this stock photo again. is it too much work to actually post a photo of what is really happening? let's at least try to act like a news outlet please.
This is what a modern day Mob War looks like .If Al Capone and friends owned a whole country it would resemble Russia .
Is it any wonder that Vladimir Putin and Silvio Berlusconi are best friends.
Tommy G
Wow, if we had more guys like you in power we'd still be in Viet Nam.
It is amusing that Obama chided Mitt Romney about being in 80's when Romney accurately depicted Russia as our greatest geopolitical adversary. Romney (and Palin) were 100% accurate in their assessment and Obama has proven, yet again, he is clueless and inept in his vision and judgement. He's done NOTHING to help the Ukraine remain free and to help defend themselves. The USA and UK guaranteed this (as did the lying Russians) when the Ukraine voluntarily gave up their nuclear weapons.
Obama's message to the world: Don't trust the USA (and UK) to keep their word and never give up your nuclear weapons. Don't be surprised to now see many more countries go nuclear.
I feel a good old Climate change con spiracy theory speech from 0bama is in order to draw attention away from his russian debacle . I can sence it as sure as the sun sets in the west and rises in the east .
The Real Tom Paine
The Tea Party is taking notes, I'm sure. Certainly nothing grassroots about them, either.
-but OWS was???
"The original protest was initiated by Kalle Lasn and Micah White of Adbusters, a Canadian anti-consumerist publication, who conceived of a September 17 occupation in lower Manhattan. Lasn registered the OccupyWallStreet.org web address on June 9.[10] That same month, Adbusters emailed its subscribers saying “America needs its own Tahrir.”
So much for your grassroots
Just now on CNN's Zakaria, John Friedman said he would HOPE and would be happy Putin turns off the gas to Europe.
Is that what liberals advocate now, hardship for everyone in Europe.
No, what's happening in Ukraine is about as "grassroots" as what the TEA Party is doing to Republicans.
I guess our country standing with people of free countries and their right to remain free has been thrown right out the window by our feckless leader.
____________
Explain why we should care one wit about the Ukraine. It used to be part of the USSR, and many there are in fact Russian. It doesn't change one single solitary thing in America.
I find it funny those on the Right scream we have to "stand with freedom loving peoples" while their party takes away women's rights, voting rights and civil rights HERE.
Let's have freedom here FIRST. Let's take care of Americans FIRST- then we can worry about the whole wide world.
For maybe 2 years the West gives financial support and promises of more aid and political support to the rebel forces in Ukraine, resulting in a government overthrow. Fine and Dandy. Then, Russia, in its own back yard, makes similar overtures to Ukrainians who don't support the overthrow we were behind, on Russia's own border, and they are the evil ones.
Little bit of hypocrisy here.