Just a normal low key weekend for the Savior, Moosh and the girls. The Ukraine is on the verge of exploding and causing World War III and Obama will be putting at a posh resort on your dime. The guy gives speech after speech about the poor and downtrodden and then pulls this shit. He rails against the rich and then golfs and dines with them. He pontificates about the rich paying their fair share and then holds $10,000 a plate fundraisers with them. This country has gotten the leader we deserve – a hypocritical asshole kowtowing to the rich. Hat tip Boston Bob
Five helicopters, 57 Secret Service agents? Obama’s trip to a posh golf club not many know about
President Barack Obama’s plate is full of difficult situations, foreign and domestic. From the crisis in Ukraine and Crimea to the instability brewing in Venezuela and North Korea still lobbing missiles into the sea. And then there is the President’s ongoing battle against income inequality in America. If there was only a place that where he could go to relax. A place that believes, “the busier life gets, the more we seek true tranquility, a place where the world’s clamor can be shut out and forgotten for a while.”
Luckily, the president has found such a place. President Obama (and we assume his family) is reportedly about to take another vacation. This time, the first family is expected to visit the Ocean Reef Club, a private, gated community that requires the sponsorship of a member in order to play golf on one of its three courses. Ocean Reef is a place Marc Caputo from the Miami Herald’s Blog also called, “about as far away from middle class as you can get in Key Largo.”
Image source: oceanreef.com
On Monday, disgruntled Ocean Reef members tipped TheBlaze to the this weekend’s high-profile trip. Their concerns were typical of most small towns that feel the overwhelming power of a presidential visit. However, in this instance, they were upset that the Obamas, their friends and a reported 57 Secret Service agents would paralyze traffic on the small island and exclude them from the golf courses during a “Spring Break weekend when many families count on relaxing together.”
Image source: oceanreef.com
The White House did not confirm the rumor, nor did they deny it. The response to our inquiry was simply, “No information has been released regarding Florida, but we are happy to add you to the distribution list if/when an advisory comes out.” Calls to the office of the president of the Ocean Reef Club were met with a curt “no comment.” And then, within an hour of our inquiry, the following was sent to all members of the private club: 
Dear Member,The Ocean Reef Club is expecting a distinguished visitor this weekend, March 7th – 9th that will require an advanced level of security. As with all VIP visits, there may be some minor disruptions including special flight plan rules, closures at the airport and short closures of some roadways. Most of these security measures will be temporary, and should not impact the normal operations of the Club. We appreciate your patience, and apologize for any inconvenience in advance. Ocean Reef has a long tradition in hosting many high level individuals, and all of those visits have added to our rich and unique history and to our reputation as the safest most secure private club in the world. Please help us continue this tradition by ensuring the privacy of this guest at all times.
TheBlaze contacted several businesses on the island and learned that the rumor mill in the community of around 10,000 people was already abuzz with the word that the Obamas were coming to visit. From the UPS store to the local deep sea fishing outlet, it was fairly well known that a “very important person — probably the president” was coming to town. On Tuesday, the Chicago Sun Times reported that the Obamas are headed to Ocean Reef for a weekend of “gab and golf.” Michael Sneed’s political gossip column claimed that the family was renting “five houses on the uber-politically conservative compound.” Sneed also stated that the guests would be arriving in five helicopters. TheBlaze cannot confirm that five helicopters will be used to bring the Obamas and their guests to Ocean Reef, but a helicopter arrival is likely as Air Force One is too large for the local airport and will probably have to land at Homestead Air Force Base (about 30 miles from Key Largo). Calls to the Ocean Reef Public Information Officer have not yet been returned.
It must be good to be king.
This is just more confirmation this guy is nothing more than a puppet. He doesn’t need to be in the White House directing agencies, making plans, or contingency plans for that matter.
He just needs to stand up there, look into the camera, focus on the teleprompter and demand rspect.
Obama is so fearless and tough that he can relax and play golf on the threshold of WW3. Take that, Vlad!
Card – one gets the distinct feeling that “those who actually do the work” prefer “The Prez” to be elsewhere, and not in a position to stuff things up.
Maybe one of the differences between having a “Community Organiser” vs. a KGB Colonel as President – one knows how to get things done most effectively, the other is very good at talking, and “Community Organising”, but possibly not quite so up to it when getting the “actual work done”.
Wonder how much Russia would charge to “loan” their President to the USA ??
Oh boy! Piss bucket.
bah. don’t worry Biden will be filling in…
wait.
If I were a national reporter, I’d question whether 3 vacations in one year was a little “tone deaf” when the majority of Americans can barely put food on the table, let alone take one vacation.
But I’m not, so…
Really, couldn’t he get the same experience at mini-golf – three rounds there is plenty. Seriously, wouldn’t you love to caddy for one round and keep the real score and compare it to his? I would. I bet somewhere in there the new math fades hard and ‘we’ forget to carry the three.
Please stop bitching about Obammer!!! He is tired after helping ukranian nazis. He needs vacation before he can make NCAA bracket for this year!
Obama on vacation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sztf4hcGrB4
Don’t worry. HNIC is on top of it.
“What the president will be doing this weekend in Florida is essentially what the president would be doing back at the White House. It’s just that the weather will be a little warmer,”
http://washingtonexaminer.com/white-house-obama-can-monitor-ukraine-from-warmer-florida/article/2545274?custom_click=rss
Russian Troops Storm Ukraine Air Force Base In Crimea, Reuters Confirms
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/07/2014 14:10 -0500
Update 2: ARMED ATTACKERS LEAVE UKRAINE MILITARY BASE IN SEVASTOPOL: TV5
* * *
Update, and this time from Reuters:
•ARMED MEN ENTER UKRAINIAN MILITARY POST IN CRIMEA AND TAKE CONTROL, NO SHOTS FIRED – REUTERS REPORTER ON THE SCENE
•UKRAINIANS AND FORCES THOUGHT TO BE RUSSIANS HOLD NEGOTIATIONS AFTER MILITARY POST TAKEN, NO ARMS SEIZED – REUTERS REPORTER
“This country has gotten the leader we deserve – a hypocritical asshole cow-towing to the rich.”
—-Admin, in his introductory remarks
Kowtowing, not cow-towing.
“Kowtow, which is borrowed from “kau tau” in Cantonese, or koutou in Mandarin Chinese, is the act of deep respect shown by prostration, that is, kneeling and bowing so low as to have one’s head touching the ground.”
—-Wiki
Respectfully yours,
SSS
Admin’s Official Burr Under the Saddle
SSS
After a long night out drinking, there is nothing I like better than arriving to TBP for a grammar lesson from our chief spook and putter.
I kowtow before you.
An interview you won’t see on CuNNt or Fux … from Jon Hellevig, a Finnish lawyer
==================================================================
Q: The referendum in Crimea is scheduled for March 16th . Do you think that the separation of Crimea from Ukraine is possible and does it comply with the international norms of law?
A: Yes, I am sure that Crimea will now legally through democratic referendum join Russia and it certainly complies with international law. Here we have to understand that in this situation there has been violent coup which has been sponsored by the USA and European Union and the countries of European Union. With this coup they have de facto the constitution of Ukraine that is not enforced anymore. So, we cannot take into consideration any Ukrainian laws in this question. Also we have to take into consideration another factor. Another factor is that there are extremist forces, even neo-Nazis in power now and they are threatening the people of Crimea and people of Eastern Ukraine. Actually they are threatening all Ukrainian people. And in this situation it is of course abides with all the international laws that Crimean parliament and government is protecting their people.
Q: The intention of Crimea to change its political status and to join Russia has caused a wave of indignation in Europe as Russia is considered to provoke the actions of Crimean people. Do you think that if any other European region decides to separate, their reaction would be the same?
A: Their reaction is totally hypocritical because they have initiated this all thing. What happened in Kiev was a coup d’etat or putsch organized by the western powers. And of course they are very unhappy that now everything is not going by the plan. They are very unhappy that Crimeans have no decided to protect themselves and they are very unhappy that Russia and Russia’s president Putin is protecting the human liberties in Crimea.
Q: How can you comment on the accusations of the US State Department that the Russian authorities are planning to annex Crimea to the Russian Federation and the 10 points that it outlines in regards to Putin and him being ally of something?
A: The US is accusing Putin of annexing Crimea and Russia is not about to annex anybody. Russia is about to agree to the request of the Crimean people to join Russia and I think that in this situation when the western powers have created that chaos in Ukraine, it is a very right and human thing of Russia to do. What comes to the 10 point list, I think it is such a baseless list that it doesn’t make sense to discuss it at all, if you don’t have more detailed question there.
Q: How do you see the developments in terms of forecasting?
A: My personal concern is with people of south-eastern Ukraine, predominantly Russian-speaking areas because they are now defenseless. They are being assaulted physically by the neo-Nazis in power in Kiev but also all their civil liberties have been destroyed. I think that it is a very dangerous situation and it is not excluded that there will be a civil war in mainland of Ukraine. And if that happens, then I think Russia has a duty to step in to protect the people. Let’s hope it won’t come to that stage.
SSS – Admin would notmake such a silly mistake.
I am sure he is referring to the practice of deliverying live cattle in trailers to the residences of affluent individuals,so as to gain their favor.
Good interview, Stuck. No, that side will never be shown on MSM, I amsure.
However, some cows do, in fact, tow. (This will really confuse Admin)
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I am keeping on the lookout for any treaty breaches. We injuns are well aware that no treaty we have ever agreed to has ever been honored. Maybe Austrians are more honorable than other palefaces.
🙂
LLPOH
I was about to tell you two to get a room. 🙂
I notice this anti Obama screed does not bother to ask the question WHAT IS VLAD DOING THIS WEEKEND? This is total BS, the man is the president, he is NEVER for one second of his life out of touch with events, what was BushCo doing when the towers went down? Something about a goat. Venezuela? Are you serious? What SHOULD he be doing about that? That country has been a mess for decades. North Korean missiles? Bang, there goes any credibility you might have pretended to as a serious journalist!
If you don’t like the guy and want to simply rant about your hate for him fine, but at least be honest about why.
Did it ever occur to you that maybe the best thing Obama could possibly do when the world is turning to shit is show them that we are cool, aloof, serious enough about our intensions that we do not need to sit glued to events 24/7? State your case, make your threats, design a response and then go golf, dare the other side to defy you.
Maybe you preferred the BushCo method of foreign affairs and diplomacy, lies and trillions in freedom fighting dead Americans.
In both Korea and Ukraine there is painfully little we can do, NK is a Chinese province for all practical purposes, and Ukraine sadly will be subsumed back into the new Russian empire. There is nothing that will stop the mad Tsar Vladimir on that score. Ukraine is by default mostly a EU issue, all we could ever do is support the EU in it’s decisions on that matter. I am profoundly saddened that the people there protested so long and so hard thinking they were free, only to find out in seeming victory that they were not all along. Ukraine was allowed to think itself free as long as their puppet leader was a special butt buddy of Vlad. Once he was gone the truth came out.
If I were the leadership in Ukraine now I would throw open the doors of the armories and police stations and give every able person a gun and ammo. Nobody is going to risk war with Putin and his nuke arsenal, and the EU will not even risk being cut off of Russian energy sources. But if the Ukraine is to be again swallowed into Tsar Vlad’s new Russian empire having a well armed public will at least make that messy and expensive for the Russians.
All of that said, WTF is Obama supposed to do? The world is actual about as much at peace as at any time in my 56 years on this planet. Saying otherwise is an outright lie!
Take note any butt hurt princesses out there, this is how bros handle a disagreement. If your waiting for a hand job, you’ll be waiting a long time.
On a separate note, bb’s my boy, I is proud of him at the moment.
“This is total BS, the man is the president, he is NEVER for one second of his life out of touch with events ….” ————Markus
You’d suck his dick given the opportunity, wouldn’t you?
Speaking of being “out of touch” ……. what about the $17 trillion debt, the shredding of Constitutional rights, the actual 15% plus unemployment, … just for starters?
Oh wait. Your response would be “All of that said, WTF is Obama supposed to do?”. hahaha
Just when I think I’ll never vote Republican again, along comes a fucktard like you to maybe change my mind. Thanks for the laughs, asshole.
“I was about to tell you two to get a room” ———— Punk in Drublic
I don’t know about getting a room.
But I do know I’ll sleep a LOT better than last night.
Hey, Markus… rationalize much?
“If you don’t like the guy and want to simply rant about your hate for him fine, but at least be honest about why.”
I assume you think the “honest” reason why is because he’s half white. You’d be wrong… if you’ve read any of the other material on this site, you’d know we hold multiple Presidents responsible for the mess we’re in. The entire system is crooked beyond control; it matters not who’s in charge.
That said, there is ample evidence of a “do as I say, not as I do” mindset in the current administration — on more important issues than vacations, but rather transparency and honesty. To believe otherwise is proof of your own delusion.
Hmmm. Hitler was Austrian. Hitler broke treaties. Uh-oh. I maybe should have demanded UN protection. Maybe Obama will send a carrier round my way.
Stuck – me, too. Kicked the dog, threw the cat (well, I always throw the cat), and muttered myself to sleep.
Also good to see you heeded my words – the treaty is twixt us and does not apply to dickheads like Marcunt.
BTW – youse rabble-rousing assholes are just pissed because you went out and bought 20 pounds of popcorn and do not get a chance to use it today. Better luck next time.
“If you don’t like the guy (Obama) and want to simply rant about your hate for him fine, but at least be honest about why.”
—-Markus
I don’t hate Obama, but I think he’s a terrible president. Clearly a candidate for the worst ever.
His list of failures started with his $850 billion “stimulus” giveaway in 2009, accelerated with Obamacare in 2010, and continues unabated with runaway spending and an exploding national debt to this day. To the tune of $240 billion on interest paid to our primary creditors such as China and Japan, each and every year. That $240 billion in interest is HALF of what we spend on national defense. It will soon match the entire defense budget.
You imply harsh criticism of Obama with “hate.” Typical liberal response. The next card you will play is racism.
Putin is eating Obama’s lunch. No wait, he’s the schoolyard bully who’s slapping Obama around and stealing his lunch money. Why? Because he can. Look at a fucking map, Markus, and see why Putin makes this fucking White House occupant look like a global rookie who just showed up for tryouts.
Libya? Putin is silent. Egypt? Putin is silent. Syria? Whoops, just down the road. “We Russians have strategic interests,” says Vlad. Everyone knows how that is unfolding. Ukraine? “Hey, assholes in the West, that’s our backyard. Get ready to rumble.”
This is no longer a bipolar superpower world, Markus. Putin is playing his cards perfectly thus far. Obama is true to form. The idiot he has always been.
Man, SSS. I love seeing you work someone over like that. All respectful and shit. Little does he know what you’re holding behind your back.
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Here is the thing butt wipe tea party gay closet cases, I am a 100% disabled vet, on your tax dime for the rest of my life thanks to the DoD (and where is that raise you all promised me years ago when nothing was too good for your veterans?), and you think war is all about honoring your vets by buying at $1.29 a pop, “SUPPORT OUR VETERANS” magnetic stickers for your dually (6 mpg) and your fat assed wife’s minivan (holding up traffic because the bitch is too busy scarfing yet another Whopper to go when the light turns green) made in China, sold by the Walton’s who combined have more wealth than Africa.
I became a disabled vet for you. Do you know how sad that makes me? If I had know what assholes you all are I would have defected.
So you could keep your right to criticize Barack Obama even though you never once gave him a moment of respect, and you did that because you are indeed racist cunts. I did not vote for him in 2008, because I did not like what the democratic party did to Hillary so I punished it by voting for that nursing home refugee McCain. Obama won by a landslide anyway and you all have not stopped threading insurrection since, all talk no and no balls.
But, I swore an oath to the USA and the constitution when I joined the military, that I will honor and uphold the constitution of the USA and defend this nation against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC, for as long as I live. Mr. Obama is the legally elected president of the USA and if you don’t like that maybe you should make like a Pilgrim and get on a boat. Go fuck up other lands.
You people are what the founders meant when they included enemies DOMESTIC. Why do you think that term was so prominently placed by our founding fathers? Because they knew way back then that there would be times when this system of government would produce a large population of dissenters who simply would refuse to move forward with congresses laws and supreme court rulings and presidential decrees. People that would have to be dealt with, probably killed. Like the south, ye ha let’s do it again, but this time I am Union and you are rebel, the outcome is not going to change, many of you will die, your families will be impoverished, centuries of work will be taken or destroyed. I don’t want to see that but if you push for it I will cheer when it happens. Nasty red state christian fascist GOP douche bags, I will cheer, it is about time we got rid of you. I want you to live because I have hope for you to become adults, but if war is what you demand then death is what you get, because for you war = death. Your side might not be the only side that hates, so be aware that you are not again outnumbered.
Domestic enemies. The time has come to wipe you off of the face of the earth. And it is your choice to be a domestic enemy, so no guilt here on the part of the left. You could live and let live, honor the constitution, take losing a fair fight like a man, but you will not – so be at peace and see you in the next realm. If you think I am kidding ask yourself this, why is it so hard to buy ammo now? Because the right wing nuts are not the only ones buying it. By the way, I just can’t wait till you are all gone. And that is going to happen as sure as the sun will rise. You will make it happen.
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To the cockroaches who post and comment on this site… and you too Stephanie.
Whine and piss and moan, that’s all I seem to read that you write about your President and mine.
You’re all blind to reality , ungrateful for what you’re given, and too quick to criticize.
Consider…
None of you are on the NSA State/Obama hit list. Be grateful for that.
None of you are on the IRS persecution list. Be grateful for that.
Almost certainly, none of you have had an FBI agent knocking on your door to question you about your political comments. Be grateful for that.
None of you have had your life, job, or future, or that of your kids. threatened for your government slanders. Be grateful for that.
None of you are being prosecuted by the Feds for some anti-government action. Be grateful for that.
And on it goes.
Be grateful. The government has allowed you to live, go about your lives, and blabber seditious comments without you suffering any consequence.
But just remember… your rights are only those that the government chooses to give you. Don’t abuse them. Remember, too, that the government, like Santa Claus, is making lists and checking them twice.
In the future it might be better to kiss the ring and the hand that now allows you freedom of expression.
Marcus
We’re not all nasty red state christian fascist GOP douche bags. Some of us are nasty blue state agnostic anarchistic non-voting douche bags. Some of us are just nasty.
A leader must be prepared to do precisely what he expects of his minions. In this regard, Obama is a superb leader. His minions are parasitic assholes who are encouraged to enjoy luxuries and spending they have not earned, who are rewarded for stupidity and incompetence, and who inconvenience and burden the rest of us with their outrageous sense of entitlement. Obama is leading by example. Forward!
T4C, I love your sense of humor! Keep it up. You make me laugh more than you know!
I_S
T4C says:
Here Markus:
“Download the image > put it on a thumb drive > take it to Kinko’s > print the biggest mother fuckin’ poster available > hang it on the wall facing your bed > then christen it by grabbing your……”
sox, toes, ass, nose? don’t be coy, this is tbp.
Markus is Billy’s anti-matter doppelganger
We are all slaves under the control of strong powers
They decide everything, they have infinite power
They are more powerful than the Lord himself because they can change the things now, every day
There is no way out
They stamp money
They debase our money
They buy and sell at the stock exchange, without any sort of limit
They can decide the price of gold: they can send the price of gold down to zero if they want, or send it up to the sky, no problem
Now, we only have to ask ourselves one main question: what can we do?????
What we can do is changing the rules
We must fight in order to make new rules for the financial markets
We must create a world in which human beings’ interests are untouchable
A world where strong power are not so strong anymore
We can do it
Yes, we can Mr Obama, and you don’t seem to be able to embrace such interests
T4C says:
“Fine! I’m going to get really crude, they’re called:..”
And yet men discuss women’s body parts like they were on a Chinese restaurant menu.
Actually, the only time I thought your post was crude was when we were forced to see pictures of nekkid men, yeacchh!
Back to OP: Reason 7,943 to live in Interior Alaska-The probability of a BHO vacation impacting your daily routine is extremely low. The likelihood between September and May-essentially zero. Eat yer hearts out, FL. Golf on!
Obama needs to stay on the Golf course for the next three years. He’s at his best when he takes no action.
“but this time I am Union and you are rebel, the outcome is not going to change, many of you will die”
———- Markus, el Killer of TBP folk
I saw that last night just before going to bed and I thought “ooh ahh I can’t wait to see the beatdown tomorrow morning.” Sigh!! Where the fuck are the dogs of TBP???
I mean — he wants us DEAD!! Is it that this ass clown is so fucked up it’s not worth the effort? I’ll bet that’s what it is.
Anyway, yo, Markus!! You didn’t mention your disability. Lemme guess. You lost your fucking mind?
Anyway, yo, Markus!! Thank you for your service. Now, “Blow me!”
Markus is a government troll. His purpose is to distract. It isn’t worth our time to respond to such drivel. His whole story is a lie. He is too much of a pussy to be a military veteran. He’s a cross dressing trannie who thinks Rachel Maddow is hot.
!! Breaking News !! Need Nato, OON, EU to respond ASAP!!!!
America’s invation of the world!
Japan – more than 50,000 personnel (not including dependents), the United States 7th Fleet and the 3rd MEU
Germany – more than 30,000 personnel, including infantry, 15 military bases, 4 bases and one Army aviation support center
United Kingdom – about 11,000 professionals
Italy – The home base of U.S. naval ships in the Mediterranean: four military bases, three Navy (Naples, La Maddalena, Gaeta) and one Air Force base (Vicenza) – totaling approximately 23,000 people
Turkey – Air Force bases in Adana and Izmir
Bulgaria
Israel
Kosovo
Kuwait
South Korea
Afghanistan
Australia
Bahrain
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brazil
Cuba
Djibouti
Greece
Guam (US Territory)
Spain
United Arab Emirates
Greenland
Kyrgyzstan
Netherlands
Oman
Pakistan
Portugal
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Help!!!!!
Markus
Don’t know why you felt moved to bring up your disabled veteran status. There are plenty of veterans who visit this site, including me. If you think you’re due some sort of deference because you’re a veteran, even a disabled one, you’re in the wrong place. Ain’t gonna happen here.
Your might think your oath to defend and protect the Constitution is admirable. And it would be if you knew what you are talking about, but you don’t, especially when you said, “large population of dissenters who simply would refuse to move forward with congresses laws and supreme court rulings and presidential decrees.”
Presidential DECREES? Really? Where does the Constitution use that term? It doesn’t. More importantly, where is the term used vis a vis the president? No where. Obama is the chief executive officer of the federal government. He’s not a fucking king who issues decrees, dickweed.
Are you thinking about executive orders, clueless? Obama is certainly issuing plenty of those, for sure, and he’s gonna get called on it. His order to delay by one year the employer mandate in Obamacare is clearly unconstitutional. The LAW that Congress passed and he signed explicitly states that the employer mandate to provide health insurance for employees will begin January 1, 2014, but Obama unilaterally decided it will begin next year. No consultation with ANYONE, he just acted illegally and issued an executive order to CHANGE THE FUCKING LAW.
The challenge to that executive order is already being heard in a federal Circuit Court of Appeals and will almost certainly end up at the Supreme Court, which will VOID that illegal order. Is that the president you respect so much? Is THAT how you want your beloved Constitution to be treated?
One more point about dissenters like us. Why don’t you reread the First Amendment to the Constitution, and not just the part about freedom of speech. Focus on the words about the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances.
You have a lot of homework to do, Markus. Get cracking.
That’s “kowtow.”
IraK on genuflecting to our government, says:
“To the cockroaches who post and comment on this site… and you too Stephanie.”
Just when I was feeling the warm fuzzies because LLPOH included me in the list of commenters whose opinion he respects, this is more like it.
Besides, anybody promising to respect you in the morning is probably going to mess with you right now.
Warning Shots Fired At OSCE Mission In Crimea; Russia Warns Of Treaty Force Majeure Over “Unfriendly NATO Threats”
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/08/2014 09:21 -0500
Perhaps it is time to finally admit that anyone who thought Putin’s Tuesday press conference, which the market so jubilantly assumed was a case of “blinking” and de-escalating tensions with the west, was wrong. If there is still any confusion, following yesterday’s news that Gazprom officially threatened Ukraine with cutting off its gas supplies, as well as the storming of a Ukraine base by Russian troops – luckily with no shots fired so far – then today’s developments should any remaining doubts. Moments ago AP reported that as the latest, third in a row, group of OSCE inspectors tried to enter Ukraine, they were not only barred from doing so, but warnings shots were fired to emphasize the point by pro-Russian forces.
From AP:
An Associated Press reporter says pro-Russian forces refused to let a foreign military mission enter Crimea on Saturday.
After the officers had stopped, the armed men fired warning bursts of automatic weapons fire into the air to make other unidentified vehicles halt. No injuries were reported.
The multinational group of military officers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe was attempting to enter the embattled peninsula from the north. The armed men told them they had no authorization to enter Crimea.
The OSCE mission will likely return to the Ukrainian city of Kherson where it had spent the night, the AP reporter said.
Russia and Ukraine are locked in a tense standoff over Crimea.
the OSCE tweeted:
Bloomberg adds:
OSCE tried to enter Crimea for third day, warning shots were fired as it attempted to do so today, Tatyana Baeva, OSCE spokeswoman, said by phone from Vienna.
Nobody injured in incident, OSCE mission is now back in Kherson, southern Ukraine.
OSCE 29 member states that provided people for Crimea mission may meet today or tomorrow in Vienna to discuss further action: Baeva
Then there was this overnight escalation as reported by Ukraine’s TV5 station (of questionably credibility), via Bloomberg:
Pro-Russian armed men today captured building in Simferopol, capital city of Crimea, TV5 private news channel reports, citing Vladislav Selezniov, spokesman for Ukraine’s defense minister in Crimea.
Russian soldiers seized Ukraine’s state border guard division in Shcholkino near Kerch Strait, Ukraine’s border service says in statement on its website
Russian soldiers stormed Shcholkino unit last night, seized weapons storage, beat Ukrainian border guards, took away their mobile phones and forced them and their families to leave
Currently, 11 border guard units are being blocked: Ukraine border service says in separate statement
Ukraine denied entrance to 513 “extremists” from Russia during last 24 hrs, state border guard service says in another separate statement on its website
Remember, all it takes is for one stray bullet to hit a human target, on either side of the conflict, for the market to grasp just how wrong its assessment of de-escalation has been.
Elsewhere, while inspectors were trying to make their way into Ukraine – unsuccessfully – Russia announced it was considering a further freeze of U.S. military inspections under arms control treaties in retaliation to Washington’s decision to halt military cooperation with Russia, news reports said Saturday.
Interfax blasted earlier:
•UNJUSTIFIED U.S., NATO THREATS SEEN AS UNFRIENDLY GESTURE, ALLOW TO DECLARE FORCE-MAJEURE – RUSSIAN DEFENSE SOURCE
•RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY CONSIDERING SUSPENSION OF RECEIVING INSPECTION GROUPS UNDER START TREATY, VIENNA DOCUMENT 2011 – SOURCE
AP has more:
Russian news agencies carried a statement by an unidentified Defense Ministry official saying that Moscow sees the U.S. move as a reason to suspend U.S. inspections in Russia in line with the 2010 New START treaty on cutting U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals and the 2011 Vienna agreement that envisages mutual inspections of Russian and NATO military facilities as part of confidence-building measures.
A Defense Ministry spokesman wouldn’t comment on the reports, which are a usual way in Russia to carry unofficial government signals.
The U.S. and the European Union have introduced sanctions over Russia in response to its move to send troops that have taken control of Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
So if the START treaty is suspended how long until its anti-proliferation clauses are scrapped completely once more, and the Cold War arms race returns once again.
Also while escalations such as these threaten to transform the new Cold War into a Hot one, the clock is ticking, and in favor of Russia, because the longer Ukraine remains without western aid, the quicker its foreign reserves will run out, and the faster the country will become a vassal state of Gazpromia. Add the ticking countdown to the March 16 Crimean referendum, which the west and Ukraine have both declared illegitimate yet have no power to stop, and suddenly one can see how Putin once again outsmarted everything the west had to throw at it. WSJ explains:
Gazprom’s demand raises the prospect that some of the aid Western powers have guaranteed could end up flowing into Moscow’s coffers to pay Ukraine’s gas bill. Virtually all of the country’s natural-gas imports come from Russia. Late last year it was granted a discount that Moscow has threatened to rescind since the fall of Mr. Yanukovych.
“This now becomes an EU/U.S. problem: Who is going to lend Ukraine the money to pay the gas bill? If so, what will be the conditions?” said Jonathan Stern, an analyst at the Oxford Energy Institute.
A spokesman for Gazprom said that the threatened cutoff wouldn’t affect supplies to Europe, which gets about a third of its gas from Russia, much of it via pipelines that run through Ukraine.
In 2009, after the Russian energy giant switched off the supply to Ukraine, Ukrainian authorities began using the supply transiting their territory that Gazprom said was destined for customers in Europe. Gazprom then cut off the flow altogether, causing shortages and price increases for end customers.
“The EU, U.S. and IMF have just about three weeks to resolve this,” Mr. Stern said.
At which point it’s game, set match Putin once more.
Finally, what certainly helped Putin is that, as expected, China took the side of Russia, not of the “free world”, in what is now a very distinct and clear axis of power the New Normal dipolar world.
IraK sounds like a wife beater, I can hear him indoctrinating her already: you’ll never find another guy like me who loves you and gives you things, most guys out there just give you the beating you richly deserve but they don’t treat you like a queen afterwards.
It is also scary that anyone has to indoctrinate his wife. Does anybody here do that? I mean, I don’t know what I mean, that just doesn’t sound American.
Sorry El Ilegal, you’re way off base and 100 % wrong.
This persona is unmarried but attached to the establishment State, MSM, banks, Defense, the Chosen People., and Israel. I like supporting well-organized winners.
If you don’t like it, take a tip from the top… quit bitching and get to doing something about your complaints.
Well, while Obama is on vacation, here is something for him to kill time:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/there-are-no-neo-nazis-in-the-ukraine-and-the-obama-administration-does-not-support-fascists/5370269
Obama: I don’t have time for this Ukrainian shit. It’s cutting into my round of golf. Ketchup has it under control. Now don’t call me again until Vlad is giving a speech in Kiev.
IraK , on winners and whiners, says:
“Sorry El Ilegal, you’re way off base and 100 % wrong.”
I must be on to something if the IraK had to disclose so much personal info about his persona. It isn’t just about how you define yourself to the world, it is also about how others see you.