Rubio: Obama must enforce tougher sanctions on Russia
(CNN) - Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, slammed President Obama for not taking strong enough action against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea, arguing that the president is setting a precedent that regional powers can hold vulnerable countries hostage to achieve their economic goals.
“We must never allow any nation or terror group to hold any region of the world hostage to their demands,” Rubio said in a weekly GOP address. “We should never have to ask a regional power for permission in order to conduct commerce with any nation. And we should always stand on the side of the vulnerable and the oppressed.”
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Rubio also criticized President Obama for his overall foreign policy in dealing with Putin, saying that it lacks strategy and instead is based on politics.
“President Obama talks tough about Vladimir Putin. But his actions have not gone far enough to change Putin’s calculation that the benefits of his aggression outweigh the costs,” Rubio said. “Instead of shaping world events, he has often simply reacted to them. “
Rubio touted his support for the Ukraine support bill introduced by Senate GOP leaders last week to increase Russian sanctions and provide military aid to the Ukraine. The bill calls for Obama to speed up deployments of missile defense in Eastern Europe, provide military aid to Ukraine and impose tougher economic sanctions on Putin and his inner circle.
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So what is providing military aide to Ukraine supposed to accomplish?
No amount of military aide will stop Russia, short of full involvement by the USA and the rest of NATO, and we have legal basis to do so. Nor do the American people want us to go to war over Ukraine.
Morally, why is it OK for us to support the overthrow of the Ukraine government and then support the rebel government, but when Russia, their next-door neighbor, gets involved, supporting mostly those who want Russia's support, we criticize Russia? Sounds like a double standard.
--this dude just wants to make a comment so as to be in the news. Does he even know there an union called EU, which needs to put and implement those sanctions, USA is far off from Russia, and it supplies OIL to entire Europe. Does he want EU get oil from Middle-east while there is ram pent animosity among Muslims. Does he know, USA invaded Iraq for Oil, war ended with no fruition but for heavy toll on USA Economy. Just pass JOBS-BILL before you even get kicked out of office. Pathetic guys.
Yes russia has most of the entire regions oil and gas supplies and can inflict as much harm to the oil dependent nations as we can with our sanctions thats why america should take the opportunity to be the supplier with our technology and be the best producer EVER ! When our friends hurt at abroad so do we so get ready to pay at the pump and on everday goods . Thank your dems by voting them 0ut . They say they care so much thats a lie to . It dont take a smart somebody to figure this out . Its a must in this day in age till cars run on water till then we should sell oil and make jobs . wow
The Repos are always recommending a testosterone laced response to anything that stirs the tiny-brained in East Overshoe.
President Obama takes a measured, cool approiach with no arm waving hysterical speeches.
Rubio frightens people as much as Ted Cruz. This guy will never be prepared for an executive position and I truly hope whoever is the GOP nominee in 2016 does not select Rubio for political reasons as his running mate. Attempting to win Hispanic/Florida voters is not worth the risk of having Marco Rubio one step away from the presidency. Excuse me, I need a drink of water.
When the heat rises the guy dunk for bottled water but he is good at acing brave behind his desk
Gee, I must of meant to say " we have NO legal basis to do so".
And. BTW, Europe has plenty of natural gas but they don't want to allow fracking. Let the USA and others take the risk. Maybe after we have worked out all the problems and proven it to be relatively safe, they will take the plunge.
And as to us supplying Europe with natural gas, it will surely cause an increase in our prices at home. Just what Big Biz wants. So if we increase exports and face much higher prices at home, you can thank the Repubs by voting them out.
Chris-E
What are you blathering about?
Lets see, hummmm. Should the United States really get into a pi**in g contest with Russia? Hummmm. Probably not a good idea Rube, we haven't done tooooooooo well at this kind of thing since WWII.
Great even the neo conservatives think we should support neo nazis. Real shock since the Koch brothers are related to Karl-Otto and Ilse Koch.
All this from the Cuban boat lift GOP CLOWN!!!!
Dems have stop anything to do with oil for years . I know its dirty and all . Repubs have tried for years to be ready for this time in history only to be mocked an smirked at . And we know oil production is up here at home . BUT . enjoy your high cost for everthing on top of what you already got now . Thank a dem for good planing and thinking ever nation loves the U.S. . and trying to find good in evil !
This is a war against corruption and mafia run nationalism .
Europe needs to step up now before they are become placated once again by fascism of the new order .
Love the cover of the Economist , Putin driving a tank with out a shirt on .
@Gurgyl: "–this dude just wants to make a comment so as to be in the news. "
Yep, as do Christie, Rant, Teddy, The Quitta, etc., etc. If their party had a track record of success, I'd say, sure, let's hear 'em.
But they don't – so they should all just put a sock in it.
@Anonymous: "When the heat rises the guy dunk for bottled water but he is good at acing brave behind his desk"
All the repubs are good at acting brave – heck, even McGrumpy, who survived more than 5 years as a POW, tucked his tail and sucked up to Karl Rove (and swallowed hard for the Quitta) for a shot at the gop nomination.
And what would the Junior Senator do in President Obama's shoes? Yeah, wet his pants!
How'd this nutcase get to be (considered), and elected official? He's in love with the sound of his own voice. No one else listens except him.
The U.S. have no reason to do anything unless Europe takes the lead. Tired of spending my taxes on conflict that have no bearing on us. I rather have my taxes go to the needy here in this country.
Lets go to war!! Germany does not want more sanctions due to their gas needs. Go GOP for all Americans!!!! Hypocrits!!!!
We have a saying here in Texas for people like Rubio. All hat and no cattle. Talks the talk but can't back it up. He is no longer relevant to the party. Another "Rising Star" of the GOP that has fizzled out.
Has this "chicken hawk" Rubio ever fought anybody when someone could get seriously hurt? I don`t think so. His bravado and posturing is harmless right up until the time Russia rolls on Ukraine and THEN it becomes a deadly fight under the Rubio/Republican doctrine. Rubio seems to think a anti-missille sytem in Poland would stop Putin from POLITICAL meddling in Crimea. That is niaeve. So if Putin started a land assault on Ukraine, exactly what is Obama supposed to do with an anti-missille system?
Russia wont "invade because that would be the straw that breaks the camel`s back. America would gegin to formalize allied relationships with new countries in the region. But as long as Russia petro policy is a weapon, Putin will make mischief. Solar powered electrolysis of water to extract hydrogen and capturing it in a synthesized carrier is the clean, renewable, evironmentally safe & sustainable way to neutralize Russia. No oil leverage = no revenue into Moscow = no military that can project significant influence outside its borders.
I do agree with Rubio on his statement about always taking the side of the oppressed and under tyranny. The day we stop doing so is the day democracy and freedom dies. Okay perhaps that was an exaggeration but it does symbolize a fundamental shift in world alignment the second we start allowing countries to use terrorism and hostage tactics to get what they want. There is a difference between a business deal and hostage deal. Both may appear the same on the surface but one is typically accepted as legal and the norm by the international community. Whereas the other requires quite of bit of law breaking and illegal activity.
Gurgyl....Put a real sentence together for a change and then try to put a real thought together into that sentence...Holy English Batman!
What a dope. Can't wait to see Sheldon Adelson,Rupert Mourdoch,Rove,Grover Norquist and the GOP stuff Jeb Bush down the tea party's throats EXACTLY like they stuffed Romney down. Marco will be long gone by then.