• Obama pushes sanctions against the Russian economy as Putin prepares for an economic downturn.
    59 replies, posted
[QUOTE](Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama announced sanctions on Thursday against prominent Russians including close allies of President Vladimir Putin, as Moscow raced to complete its annexation of Crimea and built up its forces in the region. Moscow responded by announcing its own sanctions against senior U.S. politicians in retaliation against visa bans and asset freezes imposed by Washington on its citizens, with the foreign ministry saying U.S. action would "hit the United States like a boomerang". With Obama also clearing the way for possible sanctions on vital sectors of the Russian economy, Putin told Russian company bosses to bring their assets home to help the nation survive the sanctions and an economic downturn. Obama said the action would also target a Russian bank, named by a senior administration official as Bank Rossiya, which is partly owned by Yuri Kovalchuk, a St. Petersburg banker whose association with Putin dates back to the early 1990s. Speaking at the White House, Obama said Russia's threats to southern and eastern areas of Ukraine - which like Crimea have large Russian-speaking populations - posed a serious risk of escalation of the crisis in the region.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/20/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSBREA2J1E420140320[/url]
Tit for tat economic war.
Sanctions flying everywhere.
Russia on Monday: [URL="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/03/russian-deputy-pm-laughs-at-obamas-sanctions/"]Sanctions, Obama? BAHAHAHA, is funny joke.[/URL] Obama on Thursday: These sanctions are real and they target Putin's elite buddies. We're not fucking around this time, guys. Russia on Thursday: [URL="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/20/russia-economy-putin-idUSL6N0MH2IW20140320"]Fuckshitfuckshitfuck![/URL] Uhhmmm, [URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/03/20/reacting-to-sanctions-russians-ban-reid-boehner-and-7-other-lawmakers/"]we ban John Boehner and Harry Reid from entering Russia![/URL] Boehner's spokesman: He's fucking proud to be on this list. (from the story) What a weak response to sanctions that really are going to hurt. Putin's being forced to demand loyalty from his rich business kings while they're seeing their money get squeezed and evaporate from the consequences of Putin's aggression with the Crimea.
[QUOTE=Electrocuter;44301539]Sanctions flying everywhere.[/QUOTE] I'd rather that then missiles. also it's cheaper.
never seen the word "sanction" so much in my life
Fuck off, Putin.
Don't we import a lot of oil from them? God damn it I don't want gas prices rising AGAIN. I'm already paying $3.45 a goddamn gallon.
[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;44301541] What a weak response to sanctions that really are going to hurt. Putin's being forced to demand loyalty from his rich business kings while they're seeing their money get squeezed and evaporate from the consequences of Putin's aggression with the Crimea.[/QUOTE] Putin just handed the "counter-sanctions" stuff to parliament. And they're all idiots, they think banning US senators from entering Russia and, - real deal, - arresting their imaginary accounts in Russian banks is something more than a matter to laugh at. I realise there's not much to do against US from where they're standing (where they're lying, rather), but holy fuck, do you really have to make the entire country a laughing stock? Or I guess it was some kind of comic relief after what Putin has just pulled and might continue to pull.
[QUOTE=PelPix123;44302747]So the leader of a country full of starving people is an asshole, and because he is, we're going to make all his unwilling subjects starve EVEN MORE?[/QUOTE] last time I checked Russia wasn't North Korea.
[QUOTE=Telepethi;44302711]Don't we import a lot of oil from them? God damn it I don't want gas prices rising AGAIN. I'm already paying $3.45 a goddamn gallon.[/QUOTE] Not necessarily, we don't import a lot from Russia, but gas prices might rise a bit as we do import a good amount of oil from them.
Heard on CNN that Obama is doing a second set of Sanctions. Yeah Putin gonna get money raped.
[QUOTE=gudman;44302713]Putin just handed the "counter-sanctions" stuff to parliament. And they're all idiots, they think banning US senators from entering Russia and, - real deal, - arresting their imaginary accounts in Russian banks is something more than a matter to laugh at. I realise there's not much to do against US from where they're standing (where they're lying, rather), but holy fuck, do you really have to make the entire country a laughing stock? Or I guess it was some kind of comic relief after what Putin has just pulled and might continue to pull.[/QUOTE] Hope you're doing OK throughout all this. You're a swell person.
[QUOTE=PelPix123;44302747]So the leader of a country full of starving people is an asshole, and because he is, we're going to make all his unwilling subjects starve EVEN MORE?[/QUOTE] life in russia isn't THAT bad
[QUOTE=Ezhik;44302912]life in russia isn't THAT bad[/QUOTE] You're being starved of your freedoms.
[QUOTE=Ezhik;44302912]life in russia isn't THAT bad[/QUOTE] Yeah, I mean I can imagine there are some issues from an old Union collapsing back in the 90s, but I mean Moscow looks like a decent city to live in. It's not like ALL russians wear sweatpants, drink vodka, and record dash cam vids. I mean this is the country that has St.Basil's, and Red Square. It's not like Red Square is littered with Mcdonalds wrappers and cups.
[QUOTE=Ezhik;44302912]life in russia isn't THAT bad[/QUOTE] I certainly hope not! But I would like to ask some Russians on FP (this thread seems as good a place as any), how is the invasion of crimea and the sanctions affecting you? Are sanctions hurting the average citizens of Russia badly or is it mostly just the wealthy?
[QUOTE=PelPix123;44302747]So the leader of a country full of starving people is an asshole, and because he is, we're going to make all his unwilling subjects starve EVEN MORE?[/QUOTE] We're not starving though. We have rather high level of poverty, but even poor people aren't having it nearly as bad as "starving". The thing is, the economy severely tanking has been predicted quite some time ago. Russia's going to be hit by second wave of crisis, and now Putin can blame everything on the Western powers imposing trade sanctions and stuff. What's kind of really scary to me, - which has to tell something, I'm not easily scared, - is that government is talking about limiting and outright banning western equipment for medical facilities which is fucked up: due to large influx of rather cheap trade offers with the Europe and US in the 90s and early 00s, our own medical industry has been left severely underfunded and completely incapable of rapid modernisation.
[QUOTE=gudman;44302984]We're not starving though. We have rather high level of poverty, but even poor people aren't having it nearly as bad as "starving". The thing is, the economy severely tanking has been predicted quite some time ago. Russia's going to be hit by second wave of crisis, and now Putin can blame everything on the Western powers imposing trade sanctions and stuff. What's kind of really scary to me, - which has to tell something, I'm not easily scared, - is that government is talking about limiting and outright banning western equipment for medical facilities which is fucked up: due to large influx of rather cheap trade offers with the Europe and US in the 90s and early 00s, our own medical industry has been left severely underfunded and completely incapable of rapid modernisation.[/QUOTE] I'm sure the Russian Government wouldn't be THAT scornful of the west as to ban ANYTHING related to the west, especially medical equipment. That would be like destroying anything that reminded you of your ex.
[QUOTE=Elspin;44302979]I certainly hope not! But I would like to ask some Russians on FP (this thread seems as good a place as any), how is the invasion of crimea and the sanctions affecting you? Are sanctions hurting the average citizens of Russia badly or is it mostly just the wealthy?[/QUOTE] I live in Moscow, and so far it really didn't impact me. There are things I am concerned about though - since I am hopping to go to an American college and all.
[QUOTE=Elspin;44302979]I certainly hope not! But I would like to ask some Russians on FP (this thread seems as good a place as any), how is the invasion of crimea and the sanctions affecting you? Are sanctions hurting the average citizens of Russia badly or is it mostly just the wealthy?[/QUOTE] It's all yet to be determined: hitting the wealthy can actually hurt us all. Oligarchs might try and mitigate some of the damage done by sanctions by raising the prices on the production at home. Gas prices are going up extremely fast as of late, gets bigger by the day where I live, but at the moment it can be attributed to the artifical holding of the prices in check for a while.
[QUOTE=Ezhik;44302912]life in russia isn't THAT bad[/QUOTE] No it is. I'm starving! Well, in terms of girls attention. [QUOTE=Elspin;44302979]I certainly hope not! But I would like to ask some Russians on FP (this thread seems as good a place as any), how is the invasion of crimea and the sanctions affecting you? Are sanctions hurting the average citizens of Russia badly or is it mostly just the wealthy?[/QUOTE] Honsetly I didn't notice a single little change. No real sanctions have been imposed yet though. Wow, I really wish i had a time mashine, so i could travel a couple of years into the future to look how all this will turn. Well, and to make some money in Biff Tannen's style.
[QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;44303010]I'm sure the Russian Government wouldn't be THAT scornful of the west as to ban ANYTHING related to the west, especially medical equipment. That would be like destroying anything that reminded you of your ex.[/QUOTE] Of your dead ex. It would be that bad. They're seriously talking about it though. The chief of Ministry of Industry and Trade proposed exactly that to government. Ministers are likely to turn this down, but it sends rather unnerving signal in my opinion. That kind of "probing the grounds" isn't something to take likely at all.
Are they going to ban DOTA?
[QUOTE=Psychokitten;44303236]Are they going to ban DOTA?[/QUOTE] I really hope so. This could benefit for both non-russian dota players and our education. [QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;44303269]Dude. If I were Russian, I'd be more concerned about other things than not being able to play a game. Like prices for shit I might need like food and gas.[/QUOTE] I don't think we will starve or run out of gas even in the worst possible scenario. We have a pretty big stabilization fund to handle this kind of problems. But buying a new plasma could become a problem.
[QUOTE=Psychokitten;44303236]Are they going to ban DOTA?[/QUOTE] Dude. If I were Russian, I'd be more concerned about other things than not being able to play a game. Like prices for shit I might need like food and gas.
[QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;44303269]Dude. If I were Russian, I'd be more concerned about other things than not being able to play a game. Like prices for shit I might need like food and gas.[/QUOTE] dota is a big fucking deal in russia
[QUOTE=Stroma;44303312]dota is a big fucking deal in russia[/QUOTE] So you'd rather play Dota than be able to buy certain needs for you and your family?
[QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;44303320]So you'd rather play Dota than be able to buy certain needs for you and your family?[/QUOTE] if you've ever played dota you'd know the answer is yes
[QUOTE=antianan;44303265] I don't think we will starve or run out of gas even in the worst possible scenario. We have a pretty big stabilization fund to handle this kind of problems. But buying a new plasma could become a problem.[/QUOTE] I hope they won't open the stab-fund to see a gaping hole in it like that last time we had to rely on it. You can only throw money at economic disasters for so long.
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