Sanction against Russia for West-choreographed conflict in Ukraine

[samaricanin]

I remember that Russia imposed sanctions against EU pork products back in 2013, making up some story about some rare disease: African swine flu or something similar.

You want to eat infected meat, go ahead your decision

 

You Russians are so brainwashed. You are trained to be ultra-sceptical of the "evil West", yet you swallow your own country's lies like naive babies.

LOL 

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

1984

[Balthazar]

You Russians are so brainwashed. You are trained to be ultra-sceptical of the "evil West", yet you swallow your own country's lies like naive babies.

Well, I'd say that it's better to be a brainwashed person rather than a regular dumbass like you, an automatic entity without any traces of intelligence. I regret to inform you that your Turing test isn't going well... It's just like having a talk with AWK macro.

[Nemo1024]

EU cannot cope with "South Stream" going South, literally, so now they threaten Turkey that it will not be allowed... to join EU. Funny, that, according to some experts, EU is on the verge of desintegration should the Greece crisis go any further. The new gas pipeline through Greece may actually save EU, so EU by the current threat is continuing to shoot itself in the foot.

http://ria.ru/world/20141214/1038200824.html

USA's list of countries in need of a colour revolution, countries that look out for their own interests is growing: Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, Brazil...

Oh, and it's already happening in Turkey, what a coincidence:
http://www.vz.ru/news/2014/12/15/720372.html

Meanwhile, in France, Russian Navy Infantry (equivalent to Navy Seals in US) have been stationed on the completed Mistral "Vladivostok" to prevent sabotage. Possibly after some of the Russian equipment got stolen from he ship earlier.

[Rassah]

Kaboom!

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/dec/16/russia-has-lost-economic-war-with-west-rouble-currency
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/16/russia-ruble-collapse_n_6333546.html

Russian GDP might shrink by a terrifying 4.5 percent next year, the central bank said Monday, especially if the price of crude oil hangs around $60 a barrel.

What was that you guys were saying about Germany's GDP being very small?

[Rassah]

USA's list of countries in need of a colour revolution, countries that look out for their own interests is growing: Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, Brazil...

Reading this as if it was coming from Russian "Pravda," as in "reading between the lines," does this mean that Russia is planning to invade Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, and Brazil?

[samaricanin]

USA's list of countries in need of a colour revolution, countries that look out for their own interests is growing: Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, Brazil...

Reading this as if it was coming from Russian "Pravda," as in "reading between the lines," does this mean that Russia is planning to invade Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, and Brazil?

It's Serbia and is already invaded by US nato

Ignorance is strength

[Nemo1024]

USA's list of countries in need of a colour revolution, countries that look out for their own interests is growing: Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, Brazil...

Reading this as if it was coming from Russian "Pravda," as in "reading between the lines," does this mean that Russia is planning to invade Hungary, Finland, Tchekkia, Sebia, Austria, Turkey, China, India, and Brazil?

It's Serbia and is already invaded by US nato

Ignorance is strength

Don't mind him. Rassah is another one, who is hopelessly stuck in the 1950's in USSR. For him the time does not move forward. I feel sorry for him...


Obama signed the law that gives him right to impose new sanctions against Russia. The offensive continues. Interestingly, one of the scenarios is that USA may impose sanctions on Russia (a state) if Gazprom (a private company) does not deliver enough gas at good enough price to NATO members.
It's as if Russia imposed sanctions on USA for Ford not delivering discounted cars to Kazakhstan. 

[Balthazar]

Don't mind him. Rassah is another one, who is hopelessly stuck in the 1950's in USSR. For him the time does not move forward. I feel sorry for him...

No need to feel sorry for such people. They have a function too, and this function is extremely important. Removal of some unneeded genes from humanity's gene pool is necessary for our development. They should be proud of the fact they have achieved sufficient trust for implementation of this role in the real life. 

[Nemo1024]

France will not be delivering Mistrals,as announced by F.Hollande today (Russian sailors left France yesterday). And it looks like France is wanting to make a run with the money, citing Minsk agreement as a reason to not pay Russia back the invested money and the €10 billion of penalties. To remind: Minsk agreement is between the terroristic forces of Kiev and the resistance of Novorossia. Russia was a broker and is not a party in the agreement.

http://lenta.ru/news/2014/12/19/hollande/
http://ria.ru/world/20141219/1039209188.html

Mistrals are now a glorified heap of scrap metal - no equipment even to navigate in the open seas. And all specs are Russian, so they are not suitable for NATO:

http://www.vz.ru/news/2014/12/16/720617.html


By the way, sanctions... what sanctions?

US Company to Buy Rocket Engines from Russia worth $1bn
http://russia-insider.com/en/2014/12/17/1957

[Rassah]

Don't mind him. Rassah is another one, who is hopelessly stuck in the 1950's in USSR. For him the time does not move forward. I feel sorry for him...

The fuck are you talking about? I wasn't even alive in 1950's, and I only lived in USSR in the 80's. Do you mean that I'm stuck in thinking that Russia is acting like 1950's USSR, when it's really not?

terroristic forces of Kiev

 

By the way, sanctions... what sanctions?

US Company to Buy Rocket Engines from Russia worth $1bn
http://russia-insider.com/en/2014/12/17/1957

That deal may still be denied by US Congress, the engines they do buy will be severely underpriced due to ruble collapse, and $1bn is nothing compared to the $40bn Russia is losing from sanctions this year.

[Nemo1024]

Paul Craig Roberts – Russia To Unleash Ultimate Black Swan Against The West
http://kingworldnews.com/paul-craig-roberts-russia-unleash-ultimate-black-swan-west/

Today Dr. Paul Craig Roberts warned King World News that the Russians are going to unleash what he called the "ultimate black swan" against the West.  Dr. Roberts also discussed how a terrifying series of events would then bring the Western financial system to it knees as the banking system completely collapses.

Dr. Roberts:  “I was listening to the news today and there were all these self-righteous people just happy as all get out that they had finally stomped Russia into the ground and ‘Russia is now finished,’ and Russia was broken and ‘would soon be an American vassal state where it belongs.'  And I was listening to this rot and got to thinking, ‘How can people be so utterly stupid?’  But they are, and they are just as stupid in Washington.

And in the meantime, as part of this process, Eric, we may see Russia unleash black swans that bring down the Western house of cards….

[HeroCat]

USA sanctions against Cuba have 50 years history  now, who will know what will be with sanctions against Russia

[pitham1]

USA sanctions against Cuba have 50 years history  now, who will know what will be with sanctions against Russia

Cuba is a small country. The USA was not bothered by such a small market being excluded. Russia is way different.

[youngmike]

Alexandr Gelyevich Dugin (Russian: Aлeкcáндp Гéльeвич Дýгин, Moscow, 7th January 1962) is a Russian philosopher and political scientist known for his fascist views.[3][4][5][6][7] He has two PhDs (Sociology and Philosophy) from NGMA University in Rostov Oblast and is known for his Fourth Political Theory and the Theory of the Multipolar World. He has close ties with the Kremlin and the Russian military,[8] serving as an advisor to State Duma speaker (and key member of the ruling United Russia party) Sergei Naryshkin.[9]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Dugin

The Foundations of Geopolitics: The Geopolitical Future of Russia is a geopolitical book by Alexander Dugin. The book has had a large influence within the Russian military, police, and statist foreign policy elites[1] and is used as a textbook in the General Staff Academy of Russian military.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics

The book declares that "the battle for the world rule of [ethnic] Russians" has not ended and Russia remains "the staging area of a new anti-bourgeois, anti-American revolution." The Eurasian Empire will be constructed "on the fundamental principle of the common enemy: the rejection of Atlanticism, strategic control of the USA, and the refusal to allow liberal values to dominate us."[1]

Military operations play relatively little role. The textbook believes in a sophisticated program of subversion, destabilization, and disinformation spearheaded by the Russian special services. The operations should be assisted by a tough, hard-headed utilization of Russia's gas, oil, and natural resources to bully and pressure other countries.[1]

The book states that "the maximum task [of the future] is the 'Finlandization' of all of Europe".

[Nemo1024]

Alexandr Gelyevich Dugin (Russian: Aлeкcáндp Гéльeвич Дýгин, Moscow, 7th January 1962) is a Russian philosopher and political scientist known for his fascist views.[3][4][5][6][7] He has two PhDs (Sociology and Philosophy) from NGMA University in Rostov Oblast and is known for his Fourth Political Theory and the Theory of the Multipolar World. He has close ties with the Kremlin and the Russian military,[8] serving as an advisor to State Duma speaker (and key member of the ruling United Russia party) Sergei Naryshkin.[9]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksandr_Dugin

The Foundations of Geopolitics: The Geopolitical Future of Russia is a geopolitical book by Alexander Dugin. The book has had a large influence within the Russian military, police, and statist foreign policy elites[1] and is used as a textbook in the General Staff Academy of Russian military.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics

[1] as said by someone John B. Dunlop, whoever he is. I couldn't find any other references to show his supposed influence.

And his political view that "Russian political elite is heterogeneous and riddled with spy networks of Western countries that are sabotaging the positive initiatives of top management. Dugin believes his main opponents are pro-Western liberals and radical nationalists, who promote xenophobia, accusing both in playing into the hands of Russia's competitors." Which I don't see as not to be too far from truth.

In some views Dugin does go too far...

You make it sound as if he is the only and the most influential advisor. There are a wide spectrum of advisors in the Russian government, including the neo-liberals. It's a matter of getting all the opinions before reaching a decision, rather than only the ones that you'd like to hear...

And a note about nationalism. It is discussed in Russia. Nationalism is good, when it unites a nation without affecting others. French have a strong national pride, so do the British, so do the Russians. It is when nationalism turns militant and targets other nationalities (as is the case in Ukraine), when it becomes dangerous and detrimental for the country itself.

[Rassah]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11305146/The-week-the-dam-broke-in-Russia-and-ended-Putins-dreams.html

This was the week when the country’s long-festering crisis turned virulent. A last-ditch attempt to defend the exchange rate by raising interest rates to 17pc failed within hours, yet the shock is surely enough to set off a chain of corporate failures and push banks over the edge.

Traders in the City watched open-mouthed as the dam broke on Black Tuesday. The event exposed the awful reality that the Kremlin does not have the infinite foreign reserves that many had supposed. “What is happening is a nightmare that we could not even have imagined a year ago,” says the central bank’s deputy chief, Sergei Shvetsov.

The currency has since stabilised at 60 to the dollar. But it has lost half its value in a year. Russia’s $2.1 trillion (£1.3 trillion) economy has shrunk to $1.1 trillion, half the GDP of California.
The external debt of Russian banks and companies has by mathematical effect ballooned to 70pc of total output. “A Russian downgrade to junk is only a matter or time,” says Tim Ash, from Standard Bank.

“The crisis is suddenly filtering into people’s daily lives,” says Bill Browder from Hermitage. “55pc of consumer goods in Russia are imported and these are doubling in price. People are buying anything they can that keeps its value.”  (reminds me of the Soviet rubble collapse)

Vedomisti reports that there is a de facto run on banks as depositors pull what they can from ATM machines, fearing the guillotine at any moment. Soviet queues are appearing again.

Those scrambling to buy cars may have missed their chance. Jaguar Land Rover has halted sales to Russia. So has General Motors, citing “rouble volatility”. The big three dealerships - Transtekhservice, Major Auto, and Avilon - have frozen sales.

As the buying frenzy subsides, the eerie stillness of depression may instead take hold. The central bank says the economy could contract by 4.7pc next year if oil prices settle at $60 a barrel, but that was before the rate shock. BNP Paribas says each 100-basis point rise cuts 0.8pc off GDP a year later. Rates have risen 750 points in a week.

“It’s going to be worse than the default crisis in 1998. This time you have a situation where the West is against them,” says Browder. “Russian companies are shut out of the global capital markets. The country can’t turn to the IMF because Washington will block it. There is no lender of last resort.”

Guess no investing in rubbles or buying cars and property. Russia better come out with those black swans they have been threatening soon! Of course...

The White House says Putin can reverse the process at any time by implementing the Minsk ceasefire deal agreed three months ago. “The aim is to sharpen the choice that he faces,” it says.

... but we all know Putin won't do that:

“The issue is not Crimea. We are protecting our sovereignty and our right to exist,” he says.

which is funny, because that's PRECISELY what is being done to Russia. Russia is allowed to exist all sovereign, on it's own, without anyone pressuring it in any way. But also without anyone collaborating in any way. And it looks like Russia, alone on its own, is falling.

And this is just sad:

Russia ranks 136 for road quality, 126 for the ability of firms to absorb technology, 124 for availability of the latest technology, 120 for the burden of government regulation, and 105 for product sophistication, in the World Economic Forum’s index of competitiveness.

The curtain (iron?) is being pulled back, to reveal that the great and prosperous Russia isn't really all it has been claiming to be.

[cryptocoiner]

Sanctions is good. It will make russian people think.

[samaricanin]

Volatile Russia could be bad news for everyone

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/11305686/Volatile-Russia-could-be-bad-news-for-everyone.html

[youngmike]

Sanctions is good. It will make russian people think.

No it will make Putin expand his aggression to maintain power 

[Nemo1024]

Sanctions is good. It will make russian people think.

No it will make Putin expand his aggression to maintain power  

So, according to you, this is the desired outcome for the USA that started those sanctions after they turned Ukraine into a basket case? Truly wise politicians are sitting in Washington...  

Volatile Russia could be bad news for everyone

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/11305686/Volatile-Russia-could-be-bad-news-for-everyone.html

That's what Paul Craig Roberts and other clear-thinking economists in US and EU had been saying all along. Pity that EU' politicians are, as a Russian saying goes, "sawing over the branch that they are sitting on".

The conclusion of that article is the best (in bold):

Most Western politicians condemn Putin because he pursues his nation’s interests and doesn’t do what our governments want. While events in Ukraine and Crimea are often presented as black and white, the reality is actually grey – with significant wrongdoing on both sides. Most well-informed people know this, wherever they’re from, even if, in the current climate, they don’t have the guts to say it.

We Westerners can cheer on Russia’s economic problems. We can hope for a full-on currency collapse and rub our hands with glee. If that happens, though, Russia’s next leader could make Putin seem like a softie. We could also provoke a repeat of the systemic global meltdown of 2008 – in which the big Western economies would suffer more than most.