США vs Россия - 2019

Analysis: Biden wages first showdown of new Cold War-style duel with Russia

Punishing sanctions were never going to stop Russian missiles, tanks and bombs. But the Biden administration hopes they offer an early edge in the first showdown of a new and dangerous 21st century coda to the Cold War. //  edition.cnn.com

 

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A third factor will also dictate this first chapter of the new US-Russia showdown — the capacity of the Ukrainian people to resist invasion, a possible occupation and what could turn out to be puppet pro-Moscow leaders. A related question of whether the United States should send arms to support a rebellion against Moscow is about to become a hot political issue in Washington.

History may record this as the moment when the United States girded for a second great, years-long confrontation against Russia — this time one rooted in a battle between democracy and autocracy, rather than between communism and capitalism.

 

By ostracizing Russia, Biden will change the world. And there will be costs for the United States. Other nations will once again be forced to choose between Moscow and Washington. Putin, spurned in polite diplomatic society, will have an incentive to cause maximum possible disruption to US foreign policy. Russia has been a vital player in attempts to quell the Iran and North Korean nuclear showdowns but may now perceive an advantage in blocking Washington on issues vital to US national security. And Putin's isolation may push him further toward China, America's rising superpower rival, which has a strong interest in seeing the US bogged down in Europe.

 

The extent of Ukrainian resistance is critical to US policy going forward since it would weigh on the question of whether Washington would fund an insurgency in the country, which would mirror the 1980s effort that helped oust Soviet troops from Afghanistan. There's strong support in Congress but it would also potentially require the cooperation of European states to serve as transit routes, and they may be wary of antagonizing Putin further. Phil Mudd, a former CIA counterterrorism official who is now a CNN analyst, said US intelligence agencies would be trying to establish the effectiveness of the Ukrainian defense and whether there were opportunities to to help.
"We focused on one piece, 'What are the Russians doing?' Now some of the attention has got to shift to the other piece — can we help the Ukrainians?" Mudd told Tapper.

The idea that the United States would end up effectively fighting a proxy war in Europe against Russia after 30 years of peace would have been unbelievable even a few months ago, despite tense relations with Moscow.

But it may become a new reality in a new Cold War-style duel with Russia.

 

Here's what Biden has said about sending US troops to Ukraine

President Joe Biden has warned Americans they will have to pay a price for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Gas prices are likely to rise. But Biden has also been very clear on another point: US troops will not be sent to Ukraine to take part in the conflict. //  edition.cnn.com

 

President Joe Biden has warned Americans they will have to pay a price for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Gas prices are likely to rise.
The post-World War II world order that has maintained relative peace in Europe is threatened.

But Biden has also been very clear on another point: US troops will not be sent to Ukraine to take part in the conflict.

As he announced new sanctions on Russia on Thursday, Biden said, "Our forces are not and will not be engaged in the conflict." He added, "Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine but to defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east."
When he announced the first tranche of sanctions against Russia for beginning its invasion on Tuesday, Biden similarly took great care to make clear the US was not being aggressive toward Russia.

"Let me be clear: These are totally defensive moves on our part. We have no intention of fighting Russia," Biden said.

Earlier in February, Biden told NBC News he would not consider any scenario that included sending US troops to evacuate Americans in Ukraine.

"There's not. That's a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another," he said.

 

While Biden's clarification that US troops would not become offensively involved can help avoid a conflict between the US and Russia, critics pointed out it also made clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin that his forces would face fewer obstacles in their invasion.
"Biden diluted our most important source of leverage in this crisis," Ian Brzezinski, former Pentagon official under President George W. Bush told the New York Times earlier this month.

 

Opposition to major US involvement

Americans are wary of US intervention in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to polls taken in the runup to Russia's invasion.
In an AP-NORC poll, conducted last Friday through this Monday, just 26% of Americans believed the US should play a major role in the situation between Russia and Ukraine. About half, 52%, said it should play a minor role and another 20% that it should play no role at all.
One-third of Democrats (32%) and 22% of Republicans wanted the US to play a major role. Independents were most likely to say the US should play no role; 32% felt that way, compared with 22% among Republicans and 14% among Democrats.

In light of the polling, Biden and American officials would have to be very careful to engage the public before changing the administration's position on the commitment of US troops.

 

Госдеп: США считают, что интересы национальной безопасности требуют продолжения контактов с Россией, несмотря на разногласия по Украине

 

Американский сенатор Турбервиль назвал Россию коммунистической страной и заявил, что причиной вторжения России является нехватка у нас продовольствия

 

На заседании совбеза представитель ВНА толкнул минуту молчания и попросил помолиться. Отпевание покойника на высшем уровне.