PUTIN MUST BE SHAKING IN HIS BOOTS

Obama can only huff and puff about Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine

Russian troops are deploying inside Crimea, which is part of Ukraine. In response to those troop movements, President Obama warned the Russian Federation that “the United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.”

The President of the United States threatened there would be costs. Putin must be shaking in his boots. Obama frightened him so much that Putin ran to Russia's parliament for help, requesting and receiving the authorization to use military force in Ukraine.

Putin can bet that we will not retaliate with our military. Putin knows that as the result of our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, the American public will not stand for us getting involved in another military conflict.

Obama’s warning rings hollow. While Russia no longer has the military might of the former Soviet Union, it still has a formidable modern fighting force on the ground, in the air and at sea. Obama must be kidding when he says “we will stand with the international community.” What is the international community going to do if Russia occupies all of Crimea? They’re going to condemn Russian military intervention, but condemn is all they’re going to do because they’re not about to challenge Russia militarily. Russia is not Libya.

What about applying sanctions? That’s not going to work because Russia is not Iran. Government officials said Friday that Obama might cancel plans to attend the Group of Eight (G-8) economic summit in Sochi which is scheduled to be held in June. The officials also said that Obama could halt discussions on deepening trade ties with Russia. Yeah right, that’ll show Putin.

What about that 1994 treaty signed by President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister John Major which promised that the U.S. and Britain would protect Ukraine’s borders. That’s a laugher. Anyone who believes the U.S. and Britain are going to get into a war with Russia to protect Ukraine’s borders must still believe in the tooth fairy.

Obama’s bluster is coming right on the heels of an announcement about plans for deep cuts in our military. All he can do is huff and puff. Yeah, Obama’s got Putin shaking in his boots.