Here we go AGAIN?
President Biden is signalling something very dangerous to Russian and China….
And to Europe and the rest of the world….
The Biden administration is exploring options for a potential evacuation of US citizens from Ukraine if Russia were to invade the country and create a dire security situation, half a dozen sources tell CNN.
The contingency planning is being led by the Pentagon, the sources said, and comes as the administration briefs Congress on how the US is preparing. In a “gloomy” briefing to senators by senior State Department official Victoria Nuland on Monday night, Nuland outlined the tough sanctions package being prepared by the administration in response to a potential Russian attack, but acknowledged that the US’ options to deter an invasion are fairly limited, a person familiar with the briefing said.
It is still unclear whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade, US officials stressed. But he has amassed enough forces, equipment and supplies near Ukraine’s borders that he could move to attack on very short notice.
The administration does not currently see a need for evacuations, the sources stressed —airlines are still operating from Ukraine’s international airports and land borders to Ukraine’s western neighbors are open. The discussions are part of planning in the event the security situation severely deteriorates, multiple officials involved in the planning emphasized.
The Defense Department and State Department have plans ready for worst-case scenarios in countries around the world, and plans are updated and changed in light of the situation on the ground. But an evacuation of diplomatic staff from Ukraine remains very unlikely. Even if Ukraine is not a NATO member, the White House sees the country as a key Eastern European ally, and there is a strategic benefit in the presence of US diplomats and training forces in Ukraine. That makes a drawdown of the US footprint there far less likely than, for example, the drawdown of US diplomats and troops in Afghanistan….
…
NATO allies “have met and will continue to meet to determine from the full range of political and military tools available what they wish to do,” a senior western intelligence official told CNN in a recent interview. The US is also taking steps to plan for additional US troop deployments in Europe on NATO’s eastern flank to help reassure allies of continued American support in the event of an invasion, a senior administration official said on Monday.
“I think you could anticipate that in the event of an invasion, the need to reinforce the confidence and reassurances of our NATO allies and our eastern flank allies would be real. And the United States would be prepared to provide that reassurance,” the official said.
Note…
We’ll see when , not if, the President ‘has to order’ more troops to Europe if Putin makes a military move…
European’s have to be worried that about an American President thinking about another Afghan like evacuation….
Sen. Roger Wicker (R- Miss) says the United States should not rule out a first strike with nuclear weapons if the Russians invade Ukraine.
What a asshole…….
The United States has never ruled out first strike for anything. He seemed to be stating that principle, and nothing else.
It does not mean it is going to happen… “hair on fire” reactions aside.
I suppose Democrats going back to fretting about America being too tough on Russia is at least a return to normalcy of a simpler era.
Even Obama came to agree with the general principle of what Wicker simply stated.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/science/obama-unlikely-to-vow-no-first-use-of-nuclear-weapons.html
Yes CG
Putin seems like he can’t get away from fucking with America….
As CG knows, the GOP has deliberately NOT approved ambassadorships to some of our largest allies ( including Germany, France and the EU) so that any actions against Russia by the Biden Administration will be less likely to be successful, giving the GOP a potential campaign issue that disingenuous conservatives will try to exploit.
I am not familiar with the particulars of any of this or what it might have to do directly with U.S.-Russia relations. The only Ambassadorship thing I have really heard about was Rahm Emanuel for Japan and his hearing and the fact that a few Democrats opposed his confirmation, while Republicans were supporting it.
Generally speaking though, do not the Democrats control the Senate and thus the calendar in terms of hearings, votes, etc? Were confirmation hearings held or votes held?
I don’t know the details, but I know Ted Cruz was arguably the biggest force holding up the nominations.
I have never been a fan of Cruz’s tactics. I do not know anything about these specific Ambassadorships.
There is a POTUS though who spoke to Putin yesterday via video. Let’s hope it worked.
Okay we agree.
The Ukraine is NOT a NATO. Country
Biden is not duty bound to fight Rissia for it like he would be for a NSTO counyry
Biden isn’t gonna therefore use nukes
As the whole world knows
President Biden isn’t gonna us American troops to fight anyone unless he is forced to
AGAIN
Choking economic actions WOULD hurt Russia snd Putin