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Russia Launches Two ICBMs, Rebuffs "Simulated Massive Nuclear Strike" As Part Of Military Drill

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Remember when Putin "de-escalated" and promised the Russian forces were being pulled back from the Ukraine border? That didn't last long. Fast forward 24 hours, when we learn that the very same Putin oversaw a military exercise involving Russia's nuclear forces.

  • AEROSPACE DEFENSE FORCES SUCCESSFULLY REBUFFED SIMULATED MASSIVE NUCLEAR MISSILE STRIKE DURING DRILLS - RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY
  • NORTHERN, PACIFIC OCEAN FLEET'S STRATEGIC SUBMARINES LAUNCH TWO BALLISTIC MISSILES AS PART OF ROUTINE TRAINING - DEFENSE MINISTRY
  • RUSSIA LAUNCHES TOPOL ICBM, HITS KAMCHATKA TARGET
  • RUSSIAN STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE FORCES IN HIGH READINESS - PUTIN
  • RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER STATES PERMANENT READINESS OF NUCLEAR TRIAD - IFX
  • RUSSIAN FORCES PRACTICE ROCKET FIRE - IFX
  • TU-95MS BOMBER HITS GROUND TARGETS DURING EXERCISE IN WMD - IFX

And from AP:

While Putin said the exercise had been planned back in November, it comes as relations between Russia and the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Ukraine.

 

Putin, speaking from the Defense Ministry's headquarters where he oversaw the exercise along with leaders of several ex-Soviet nations which are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, said that the maneuvers involved the military across the entire Russian territory, including the nation's nuclear forces.

 

Russian news wires said that the exercises simulated dealing a massive retaliatory nuclear strike in response to an enemy attack. The description of the exercise is unusually blunt, reflecting tensions with the West running high over Ukraine.

 

As part of the maneuvers, a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Plesetsk launch pad in northwestern Russia successfully hit a designated target on the Kura testing range on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, the military said.

 

Two nuclear submarines of the Northern and Pacific Fleets, the Tula and the Podolsk, also fired intercontinental ballistic missiles.

So, what distraction will those who are selling into idiot hands to push stocks higher use today?

 

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Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:01 | 4739002 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

Putin rules!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:02 | 4739007 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

No worries....we've got the Muslim Brotherhood all over this.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:04 | 4739013 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

Da, May9th Fireworks, Russian Style.  Nothing to see here, move along, ignore the big flash, play no attention to that falling stuff....

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:09 | 4739020 Haus-Targaryen
Haus-Targaryen's picture

Krugman is popping the BIGGEST TENT about this. 

Stimulus!

Meanwhile the CIA tries to figure out a way to drop Tortise-eating Cattle into Russia.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:44 | 4739098 svayambhu108
svayambhu108's picture

None of the parties test the antiballistic missiles, but I guess at this point nobody cares.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:51 | 4739111 Bindar Dundat
Bindar Dundat's picture

First they buy gold, second they buy U.S. debt, third they have a fireworks show and then........Can I borrow that club and those stones...it's time to retaliate again.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:55 | 4739118 Headbanger
Headbanger's picture

Just dug out my old sling shot and machete..

Now where'd I put that cross bow??

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:25 | 4739639 BaBaBouy
BaBaBouy's picture

I.E. Comrades, "Don't Fuck With Us And Our Finances..."

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:37 | 4739694 Never One Roach
Never One Roach's picture

Their shooting in the wrong direction.

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:55 | 4739756 666
666's picture

If this is an example of deescalation, I'd sure hate to see escalation.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:09 | 4739828 Kassandra
Kassandra's picture

Well..fuck.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:41 | 4740153 SumTing Wong
SumTing Wong's picture

Putin has the balls to play chicken. Obama and the West are just chickens. Vlad knows this. It will end well for one of these parties. Want to guess which one?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:58 | 4740211 Patriot Eke
Patriot Eke's picture

That's the plan from my perspective.  The West isn't meant to win the next global war.  We are watching the beginning of the finale.  I hope people like their popcorn hot!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:56 | 4740682 spine001
spine001's picture

In a conventional tactical war Russia is no match. But as any wako, if they go full blown out without regard for the consequences to themselves, then they can exert significant damage despite all the missile shields in place.

I wish we had Tasers to deal with them if they go full ape. It's the only way to stop somebody undergoing a psychotic attack.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 20:17 | 4741719 mjcOH1
mjcOH1's picture

"AEROSPACE DEFENSE FORCES SUCCESSFULLY REBUFFED SIMULATED MASSIVE NUCLEAR MISSILE STRIKE DURING DRILLS - RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY

  • NORTHERN, PACIFIC OCEAN FLEET'S STRATEGIC SUBMARINES LAUNCH TWO BALLISTIC MISSILES AS PART OF ROUTINE TRAINING - DEFENSE MINISTRY
  • RUSSIA LAUNCHES TOPOL ICBM, HITS KAMCHATKA TARGET
  • RUSSIAN STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE FORCES IN HIGH READINESS - PUTIN"

Sounds serious.   We should launch a couple of Minuteman IIIs at Kwajalean, throw in a Trident D-5 or two.   Maybe start flying B-52s along the maritime border off Kamchatka.   Just to be friendly.  

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 21:28 | 4741990 TwoShortPlanks
TwoShortPlanks's picture

The Rabbit Hole

Another shameless blog by TwoShortPlanks

http://twoshortplanksunplugged.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/the-rabbit-hole.html

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:01 | 4740224 Momauguin Joe
Momauguin Joe's picture

Talk around the water cooler this morning was about the Cowboys making a move to pick up Manziel. I stood there thinking perhaps it'd be a good idea, tonight, while these clowns are at the pub drinking and watching this nonsense, might be a good idea to pick up a couple or three cases of Progresso Soup for the pantry. Just in case.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:24 | 4740306 CheapBastard
CheapBastard's picture

True, but Sarah Palin can see Russia from her back window, she says.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:37 | 4740359 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

She never said "back window" you moron. You can see Russia from Alaska. That is a fact.

She also was ridiculed for predicting a split in the Ukraine in the presidential race.

Try to bash someone that is truly clueless sometime.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:31 | 4740853 BKbroiler
BKbroiler's picture

Palin is an idiot.  Even McCain figured that out, just a little too late.  There a plenty of better republicans to stick up for.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 19:17 | 4741562 Son of Loki
Son of Loki's picture

True, she's an idiot. But as far as idiots go, she's pretty Hot.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 16:45 | 4741079 greatbeard
greatbeard's picture

>> bash someone that is truly clueless sometime.

Palin is not clueless?

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 00:24 | 4742384 aardvarkk
aardvarkk's picture

Palin is not clueless.  It's easy to throw spitballs from the back row at ANY politician.  Nothing wrong with that.  It's fun and safe.  But she rose to be governor of a state, and then got tapped by a major party to run for vice president.  There are people at that level who are wrong about things and there are those who are just plain evil.  But the only one I've seen that even has a CHANCE of being stupid is Obama...and I'm coming around to thinking he may just be evil after all instead of stupid.  How did a nobody community organizer come out of nowhere in a couple of years and beat a longstanding senator who was backed by many millions in cash?  How did a guy with nearly nothing on his resume, and NOTHING useful, get to be president?  There are some answers that suggest themselves, but none of them involved the candidate being stupid.  Quite the opposite.

Stupid would be watching Tina Fey on SNL say something like "I can see it from my house" and then attributing that to Palin.  Palin said no such thing.  She didn't say a *lot* of the things that are commonly attributed to her.

As I see it, her main mistake was amping up too much on the "folksy charm".  Her style is to try really hard to identify with her electorate/audience.  She's good at it...but the US is not Alaska and her aim was off.  She hit flyover country and the backwoods dead square, but it was a clean miss in the cities.  You know, those places where most of the votes are.

It's telling that everybody on both sides of the 2008 election made so many comparisons between Palin and Obama.  I don't recall seeing anybody make those kinds of comparisons between Biden and McCain.  Nobody.  Palin was arguably the strongest candidate of the four in some ways...which is why there were Dem newsies dumpster-diving for dirt in Alaska and disrupting the state's politics (which is why Palin had to bail).  And she was only in it for VP.  Something to think about.

She, along with Romney, was also right about Ukraine/Russia.  And she was right about the death panels, unless you thought she meant something with the actual name of "Death Panels".  But read far enough in to the actual Obamacare law and you'll find structures that are nothing if not death panels.  She was and is right about a lot.  Only the inattentive, the idiots and her adversaries got taken in by her political persona.  And her adversaries weren't really taken in by it, they just do what they can to promote others interpreting it as "dumb".  Fair enough I guess, as that's kind of their job.  Ah, well.

Plus, as someone else said, she's pretty hot--or was last time I saw her.  I'd much rather look at her than any candidate of any party for president in history.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 18:14 | 4741346 mkkby
mkkby's picture

She said "we were watching them", which is the same as "back window".  It's a stupid lie, by a stupid woman.  Turns out her mayoral "duties" involved coming to work for about an hour on fridays.

Oh, and when asked what newspapers she read, she said "all of them".  And when pressed couldn't name a single one.  Probably gives good head though.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 19:14 | 4741554 Handful of Dust
Handful of Dust's picture

Palin will really shine when she starts her guest appearances on Duck Dynasty.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:40 | 4740601 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

This is what former empires do to deny terminal decline, and it is going to be very dangerous for the rest of humanity. Russia as in the Russian people are in an unrecoverable demographic power dive that stated too many decades ago to do anything about. Their tantrums may end up killing tens of millions again, if you apply just a little imagination. Or worse. They are playing with nukes.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:11 | 4739838 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

Obvious deescalation, BTFD, support your President, go jack off to pictures of Scarlet Johanson.  Keep truckin', Murca!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:39 | 4740363 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

You had me at whack it to Scarlett...

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:25 | 4740540 Overfed
Overfed's picture

Scarlett is pretty hot, though dumb as a chicken.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:06 | 4739815 Al Gorerhythm
Al Gorerhythm's picture

They're there, in their lair.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:07 | 4739819 RafterManFMJ
RafterManFMJ's picture

Does anyone know if multiple EMPs would erase or corrupt the flash drive on which I have stored my massive supply of BitCoins?  Should this go nuclear, I want to be able to buy food, ammo, water, shelter, and, ah, companionship with my vast horde of BitCoins.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:22 | 4739880 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

Ask Yellen.  She knows everything.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 20:05 | 4741701 mjcOH1
mjcOH1's picture

"Should this go nuclear, I want to be able to buy food, ammo, water, shelter, and, ah, companionship with my vast horde of BitCoins."

 

You can rest assured that in the event of an apocalypse, your virtual currency will be undamaged and will buy vast amounts of virtual food, ammo, water, shelter, and ah, companionship.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:25 | 4739896 MeMadMax
MeMadMax's picture

Yes, Yes, and do you ACTUALLY think bitcoins will be worth anything in a post nuclear world???

 

Anyways...

 

If you really want to protect your shit, dig a hole about 10 feet deep by whatever wide you want.

1. Buy a NAS or hard drive/media backup of some sort

2. Buy 5 square feet or more wire mesh(like they use on screen doors).

3. Whatever length of cable that you need to run from the bottom of said hole to your prefered computer connection point(wireless will not work).

4. Go do some quick research on a "Faraday Cage" so that you have an idea of what you are building.

5. Build faraday cage with wire mesh, throw Hard drive/NAS/whatever into it.

6. Toss the whole fuckin works into the bottom of the hole with cable leading out.

7. Bury it.

8. Wrap cable leading out of hole with remaining wire mesh.

 

All done. Backup should be protected, works with other electronics too.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:42 | 4739957 sleigher
sleigher's picture

You can do the same without digging the hole.  Actually metal trash cans work for the most part...

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:50 | 4739985 MeMadMax
MeMadMax's picture

Yea, for an EMP pulse. But a EMP pulse is only one part of the equation. 

In a total nuclear war, EMP pulse would be part of first strike followed up by the actual nukes.

So, burying it in a hole would also protect it from the ball busting shockwaves and searing heat...

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:11 | 4740055 viahj
viahj's picture

so some insect-oid could dig it up in a million years and watch my porn stash?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:21 | 4740083 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

@viahj - - - now that's funny !   LOL

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 20:07 | 4741707 mjcOH1
mjcOH1's picture

"so some insect-oid could dig it up in a million years and watch my porn stash?"

 

Sort of like the insect-oid version of the Food Channel.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:41 | 4740369 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

I wonder if an insectoid can get a chubby? Would they like whacking it to Scarlett Johansen? I am glad we hit the deep subject here at ZH.

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 02:27 | 4742568 effendi
effendi's picture

Whacking off will make you blind and give you hairy palms (at least that is what I've been told). Is that how you got to be called blind monkey?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:24 | 4740088 New Ordnance
New Ordnance's picture

It’s late in the party.

The music is still playing but the revelers are getting rowdy .

 This way to the exit.

The blast shelters are down the stairwell to the right. You might want to take a few things with you.

 

“Having your independent source of food allows you to step outside the boundaries of “the game” and stop dancing to the tune of the Hegelian Dialectic. You need enough stores and caches to survive the initial die-off and the means to grow your own food afterwards. Have a bug-out plan B with multiple caches of H20 purification equipment, food, guns and ammunition, and seed. Step outside the game itself by having the means to start over.”

http://rockymountaincorn.com/blogs/the-rocky-mountain-corn-project/12209753-the-secret-weapon

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:48 | 4740648 New Ordnance
New Ordnance's picture

The music suddenly stops.

The lights flicker and go out as the terrace doors burst open. The great chandelier crashes to the ballroom floor as the roar of pounding hoof-beats fills the air.

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/341/0/b/four_horsemen_of_the_apocalypse_by_matchack-d4ig227.jpg

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:03 | 4740733 spine001
spine001's picture

No, memadmqx is correct. But since after the emp there will be no grid working, I strongly doubt that any hashing based network would survive, thus making bitcoin and any cryptocurrency worthless. 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:08 | 4740044 teslaberry
teslaberry's picture

bitcoins wont'. because bitcoin people are idiots they don't understand this. 

 

but gold backed cryptocurrency will be premined and issued by whatever small banks may startup after ww3. 

why  ?? because big banks will be issuing massive fiat ,just as happened in bretton woods. and many many people around the world will not want to take fiat. 

the big banks will have to literally murder small bankers to stop them from providing liquidity backed on gold to a ravenous society. 

the demand for limited money will exist. and be great. in the world of tomorrow, the internet will reign even more suppreeme. it's not like you cannot rebuild internet after a nuclear devastation after 10 years. 

it will come back even stronger. and cryptocurrency techknowledgy is just the state of art marketing tool for security------not so much against 'hackers' but against the very issuing BANK itself that is trying to issue you 'notes'. 

a marshall plan for the poor ----fiat , sure. but for ANYONE with assets and resrouces, ANYONE not totally in poverty. and able to afford a computer. 

 

i think the crypto technolodgy is the future of banknotes. limited note issuance backed by a reserve asset. 

 

the bank can always lie about the reserve. of course, but they cannot lie about the serial numbers of the notes, by printing more. that's a big deal. because that is usually something the banks do for decades before they need to lie about the reserve asset. 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:28 | 4740086 Gaius Frakkin' ...
Gaius Frakkin' Baltar's picture

I think some people need to review the likely outcomes right after nuclear war. Concepts like money and banks will be but a dream for some Rothschild-wanna-be. It's highly likely the primary means of power will be force, as it has been throughout most of history.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:48 | 4740171 Telemakhos
Telemakhos's picture

Regarding point 3: you need a fiber-optic connection (no electricity flowing through the cable, just light).  You'll run into problems trying to get power into the cage, though.  Your power cable is a giant antenna running right into your Faraday Cage.  Furthermore, chances are that any kind of filter you try to put on a power cable running into the cage is not going to suffice in the event of an EMP or nuclear holocaust.

If you want to store data through World War III, you need non-magnetic cold-storage media, like optical disks or paper... and an abandoned, sealed-off salt mine in which to keep your media while the rest of the world burns.

Then, long after you and all your friends and nation and culture are dead, perhaps what survives of humanity might one day stumble upon the string of numbers that once upon a time had imaginary value for purchasing little of any use and only online, and the survivors will laugh mirthlessly.  Then they will burn your data, for fear of contaminating their culture with traces of the suicidal dementia of the Folly Before the War, and head start looking for more salt in the mine, because salt ("white gold") will at least have value in preserving food.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:08 | 4740753 spine001
spine001's picture

True, I didnt understand that memadmax wanted a cable to go inside the cage, only that the cable was a grounding for he cage itself. No conductor can go into the cage. And I also agree that the media will be worthless post nuclear war. Specially bitcoin that requires gigahashes per secon to maintain the bitchain.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:07 | 4740042 Gaius Frakkin' ...
Gaius Frakkin' Baltar's picture

You expect to buy things after a nuclear holocaust?

You. Must. Be. Joking.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:50 | 4740175 Proofreder
Proofreder's picture

And ....... it's GONE!

zapped, erased, corrupted, missing, presumed dead.

Sorry about that.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:46 | 4740638 Overfed
Overfed's picture

You better buy all of that shit now, 'cause bitcoins ain't buyin' a damn thing if this goes nuke. You'll be damn lucky if gold and silver cany buy anything.

Here's the currency breakdown after a serious SHTF event; nuclear war, comet strike, or whatever, in no particular order:

Pussy

Food

Drinkable water

Ammo

Clothing materials

Food preservation supplies, like salt

Shelter building materials

Raw materials and skills to produce the above.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:55 | 4740689 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

An EMP attack (explosion in space of an EMP enhanced nuke) against the USA would not necessarily be followed by nuclear carnage and fallout near where you live. However within weeks you would likely be fighting for your life amongst very desperate people trying, like you, to be among the 10% to survive the end of electricity and electronic communications. No water supply, no sanitation, no refridgersrion, no supply chain, no working harvesting machines. Fires burning out suburbs and apt buildings unimpeded. Quite a few nuke plants melted down and spewing. Cannibalism. Naturally, congress isnt doing anything at all to protect the grid against this and the Muslim brotherhood fellating Obama-jarret administration is just about helping third world crazies get nukes and delivery systems to low earth orbit. This is a third world psycho's fantasy, and it could occur today. Survival tip: Water. A lot of your competition will succumb to disease from this vector.

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 00:01 | 4742348 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

EMP needs a long wire (such as a power line) to induce any changes in voltage/current into your PC, so just just keep that bitcoin thumbdrive in yer pocket and yer good to go!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:28 | 4739411 gcjohns1971
gcjohns1971's picture

Please.

Turning Europe against Putin is easy.   Just encourage Putin to overreach.

Turning them against Putin in a way that doesn't make the USG look like incompetent allies is harder.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:34 | 4739680 Vampyroteuthis ...
Vampyroteuthis infernalis's picture

gcj, Putin doesn't really care what the EU thinks. What is Europe going to do? Send transvestite hookers to haunt Moscow?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:37 | 4739690 EatYourCornTake...
EatYourCornTakeyourPill's picture

Who cares what Putin thinks?

The EU is aggressively seeking alternative gas providers, this may not hurt Putin personally but it hurts the common citizenry in Russia who already live under an extremely oppressive regime.

China is the clear winner as they will get Russian gas at a discount.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:15 | 4739856 Spitzer
Spitzer's picture

So Europe is going to start fracing tomorrow ? Yeah right. They will be doing environmental studies on it for 10 years.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:15 | 4739858 Vampyroteuthis ...
Vampyroteuthis infernalis's picture

Putin realizes in the short term, NO alternative for natural gas exists. It will take years for the EU to find and implement a new source of gas. Turning off the gas would result in Europe shutting down due to lack of electricity in the summer and freezing in the winter. Europe knows this simple fact and will never allow this to happen. Once again, Putin wins.

Natural resources give organizations tremendous power.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:45 | 4739968 sleigher
sleigher's picture

Maybe they can ask Switzerland for help.

 

http://energy21.freeservers.com/swiss.html

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:58 | 4740709 TBT or not TBT
TBT or not TBT's picture

France gets most of its electricity from nuke plants, but gets its demographic viability, if you can call it that, from Muslim immigration.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:04 | 4740035 Jack Burton
Jack Burton's picture

EU is not in a position to fule itself anytime soon. This a propaganda dream spread by FOX news and it's clones. In the next decade, the EU could work to gain other providers, but it is a long slow costly process. And Russia has just built NorthStream to pump cheap gas to Germany, and SouthStream is quickly going to be built, pumping gas into Southern Europe. Southern European countries are anxious for SouthStream to be built, as this cuts the madhouse Kiev nazis out of the gas delievery loop.

Wrods are cheap. I suggest you relook at you statement and try and find concrete evidence that your right. I doubt you can point to real substantial gas sources to fuel Europe. Especially Eastern Europe, thos nations are dependent on Russia almost fully. Russia has never failed to fill a contract for gas, and their prices are set by the world markets, not Putin. A reliable provider and market prices, with minimal delivery costs. Europe ain't going anywhere, nor are their gas contracts.

America can begin spending tens of billions on liquid Natural Gas delivery, have you even coutned the number of tanker trip that would have to take place each year to replace Russian gas? The price will also be much higher than Russian gas, as the market price will be the same, but delivery costs will double the end price. Plus, US consumers will see massive gas price increases that will murder the US economy and this will take over a decade to get of the ground!

You statement is an illusion. Research it further, wichful thinking is free, natural gas is not. Besides, China, India and others will buy every meter of gas Russia can pull from the ground. It's a world market, shift providers is meaningless, totally meaningless.

FOX is a mind fuck, they will fuck over the thought process leving onlu propaganda as it's product.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:59 | 4740183 Continue With This
Continue With This's picture

I'm sorry but you are a bit wrong.

Romania, where I come from, imports only 30% from Russia. The rest comes from internal production

Ukraine, you probably didn't knew this, is the 4th country in Europe in terms of proven natural gas reserves.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_natural_gas_proven_res...

 

This list represents the proven conventional natgas reserves.

If you add to that the shale natgas exploitation that is about to start in Eastern Europe, in Poland, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine that have huge amount of shale gas, I think Eastern Europe will be safe for the foreseeable future.

 

1. Russia 

2. Norway 

3. Netherlands 

4. Ukraine 

5. Romania http://www.neweasterneurope.eu/articles-and-commentary/1169-prospects-fo...

6. UK 

7. Germany 

8. Poland  

9. Italy 

10. Denmark 

 

Some of you people want Russia to turn against EU so bad, it's very transparent.

EU only imports about 30% of natgas from Russia as a whole.

The idea that if Russia shuts off the gas, the EU would freeze is just stupid. Sure the first 2-3 years, people in Western Europe mostly would suffer a bit, since they are accustomed with a certain level of comfort.

But the EU has been diversifying its gas providers away from Russia.

 

Russia is in a partnership with the EU. What we are seeing now is EU slowly distancing themselves from the Anglo-Americano axis and siding with Russia and China. Sure the Americanos try to do their best to start a conflict and make Russia appear as an invader, to further justify the presence of Americano troops on the continent, and make everyone regroup around Anglo-Americano led NATO.

It will not work.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:34 | 4740346 CheapBastard
CheapBastard's picture

Most of EU is pretty cold even when they have an energy supply. They're so 'frugal' they shut down their radiators for most of the winter. I cant blame them. Energy [and most other things] is much more expensive in the EU then in the USA. Try visting Germany or Austria in the winter. The [warm]sun rises late and sets very early.

Think of it; Rome is considered in "Southern Europe" yet it is the same latitude as NYC which most Americans consider 'in the North' ... which means most of Europe is pretty darn cool/cold most of the time. They will have to drag out their Visogothic animal furs and skins to keep warm if Russsia cuts the gas.

Time will tell ... as it always does.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:29 | 4740373 Continue With This
Continue With This's picture

You are correct about the frugal thing. More so in Eastern Europe.

Europeans know hardship very well.

 

It's the Americans that have forgot this, mostly because of their cheap energy policy.

I think Europe will do very well in the peak/expensive/hard-to-extract/ oil era.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:05 | 4740745 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

Oh wow. I didn't know that Russian gas was only 30% if imports!!!! /s

Knock yourself out trying to get along with a 30% supply disruption.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:27 | 4740824 Continue With This
Continue With This's picture

No you stupid blind monkey.

 

30% of all the gas Romania consumes comes from outside sources.

70% of all the gas Romania consumes comes from internal sources.

 

 

Stop being a blind monkey!

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 02:44 | 4742588 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

Relying information on Wikipedia is a risky matter!

 

STATEMENT OF DISASSOCIATION WITH WIKIPEDIA:

 

To all ABOL users

Recently it has come to the attention of the Librarian that Wikipedia, a resource that has been cited repeatedly by the Librarian, is not only of questionable reliability, particularly with respect to its biographical reports of current figures, but also that it appears to be completely untrue to its stated mission of compiling knowledge in a true "open-source" environment.  In fact, recent, reliable reportage indicates that the Wikipedia system is entirely controlled by a cadre of young men with axes to grind and a misogynistic game plan for shaping the Internet public's view of current events.  Accordingly, the Library will no longer cite Wikipedia as a resource, and cautions all users with respect to any statements attributed to Wikipedia found in the Library, that such material should be viewed with suspicion, although not necessarily incorrect or unreliable.  Library users are invited to email the librarian with any specific information regarding Wikipedia references found in the Library.

--5/24/13

http://www.naderlibrary.com/
Fri, 05/09/2014 - 02:48 | 4742591 effendi
effendi's picture

So what if Ukraine is 4th in Europe in reserves. The difference is so great that ALL of Europe (excluding Russia) has combined reserves of about a tenth of Russia.

If they increase local production then those reserves will run out very quickly. If they import from other countries then the transportation costs (LNG tankers) will be an economic burden.

The only long term sustainable option would be a massive investment in something like flat bed thorium technology. If they pull that off then Europe can have energy independence. The US and China, India, Brazil, Japan etc should also think about such technology to get away from the dependence on oil, gas and uranium and the need to pander to suppliers like Russia or the Arabs..

But short term (10 years plus) Europe needs Russian gas (and oil).

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:35 | 4740126 Gaius Frakkin' ...
Gaius Frakkin' Baltar's picture

Turning Europe against Russia is easy. Nothing some BS and deception can't solve. Making Europe less dependent on Russia is much, much harder. That requires smarts and discipline. You see, the West is a superpower in BS and deception, but a paper tiger in smarts and discipline.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:07 | 4740251 Continue With This
Continue With This's picture

That's why Gerhard Schroeder, Germany's ex-prime minister, is Gazprom's vice president? Because turning Russia from the EU is easy.

 

Your stupidity and lack of information is laughable.

 

And also this:

http://blogs.wsj.com/dispatch/2014/04/29/ex-german-chancellor-schroeder-...

Putin went to Schroeder's birthday, which the German celebrated in Sankt Petersburg.


This idea, that Russia and EU are enemies is just Anglo-Americano wishful thinking.

You anglo-americano Wicca financial wizards better get accustomed to that.

And if Scotland breaks free from England, goodbye UK and goodbye nastgas from the North Sea.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:30 | 4740559 hobopants
hobopants's picture

I can appreciate your optimism, but I have feeling the EU doesn't have the political or cultural cohesion to hold itself together during such a crisis, it's a group of countries that share a currency and barely manage that at times.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:39 | 4740141 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

Your "Europe" is Top-Down Oligarchy - the European public is tired of NATO, NSA, USA, and simply wants to live in peace and trade with Russia and live normally as before 1914. It has taken 100 years for Germany to re-build the industrial position it had in Tsarist Russia - it is not throwing it overboard for jewish emigres in Foggy Bottom with a puppet president or for the son of a Polish aristocrat who persuaded Saudi Arabia to fund Al-Qaeda and pushed Afghanistan back into the Stone Age once Soviets departed

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:47 | 4739730 Overfed
Overfed's picture

The Russians are just dispelling any doubts as to whether or not their shit still works. Apparently, it does.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:27 | 4739068 skm
skm's picture

gramma can i get some more weed..4 yellin out loud

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:55 | 4739759 tony wilson
tony wilson's picture

who are the muslim brother hood?

 

just some thick scum only existing because of the mi6,cia and the mossad

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:51 | 4739743 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

That smacks of personality worship.

 

I don't think Putin started all this, the US neo cons did.

But, I'm not particularly thrilled that I have innocent loved ones in Seattle - within the backyard of a Trident ballistic missile sub base. And, I wouldn't be surprised if that base would have been targeted in this Russian simulation.

It ain't a video game.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:24 | 4739885 maskone909
maskone909's picture

oops

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:25 | 4739892 Dewey Cheatum Howe
Dewey Cheatum Howe's picture

You ultimately reap what you sow if you give consent. Keep paying your taxes and keep voting thinking that will change things. Nothing changes until the people change. This country and people who call themselves americans have lost their way big time....

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:58 | 4740017 RichardP
RichardP's picture

... people who call themselves americans have lost their way big time....

The little americans have never had a way to loose.  That is why they have always needed, and have always venerated, leaders (Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Curtis LeMay, etc).  They have always needed leaders to show them they way.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:09 | 4740046 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

DeweyCheatum - yes, I agree. We've lost our way & its likely that people are gonna suffer terribly from that.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:59 | 4740216 centerline
centerline's picture

Just splitting hairs here but even if the people don't change, change is coming in a nasty way.  Either way it is going to be nasty at this point.  What is at stake is the "who" that makes the decisions.  Right now, what we have are sociopaths at the top.  That is the "who" that on our current course will be making the decisions.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:52 | 4740004 Herodotus
Herodotus's picture

The Russkies know all about them folks in Bangor.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:09 | 4740755 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

I guaran-fucking-T that it is on the priority targeting list. SWPAC is on that base. So you have the missiles, warheads and launch vehicles stored in te same place.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:51 | 4739994 J_jade
J_jade's picture

Time to put away your toys Putin and go back inside to your mommy to eat dinner.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:33 | 4740115 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Impeach Obama, Arrest Eric Holder, Loyd Blankfein, Jamie Dimon and Janet Yellen.

World ain't going to continue with criminals running the show.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:34 | 4740347 Brutlstrudl
Brutlstrudl's picture

Dasvidanya

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 17:40 | 4741004 free_lunch
free_lunch's picture

Ever heard of a thing called Hegelian Dialectic? I think you should watch this short introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYhmATD8hLk

Assuming you watched the short introduction video, I have a question: What do East and West share* ?

The matrix we are living in is a messy chaos, it is nearly impossible to determine what is real and what is staged..
Therefore one should be careful to idolize particular players, you could end up supporting some unwanted hidden agenda.

That's why George Carlin decided to become just an observer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls8RXqyZDsk

*Hint: Heads of state from around the world, including Putin, as well as international bankers and IMF representatives have all publicly called for the IMF to take charge of the global economic system through its Special Drawing Rights currency program.

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 03:22 | 4742613 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

@ free_lunch

 

In earlier thread, BCers already commented long and short on this kind of hypothesis:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-07/guest-post-false-eastwest-parad...

 

and following is an interesting post by jg:

 

"I don't buy this, that Russia is a secret ally -- wink, wink -- of the U.S., and is biding the wishes of the NWO.

Russia and China are broadening and deepening their economic and military ties.  China has been buying gold, big-time.  The U.S. quite probably has been selling gold, big-time.

Why would China, on the ascendancy economically and militarily, broaden and deepen ties with a purported secret ally of the U.S.?  Why would it knowingly let a Trojan Horse into its fold?

Russia may have connections here and there to the NWO; so does China.

But, the U.S. has been humiliated in Syria, Libya, and Ukraine.  Its attempts to start a war with Iran, then WW3, have failed miserably.

If Putin ever had any desire to lead the world in concert with the U.S., he has moved on.  Russia is in a very comfortable and safe position, compared to the U.S.

My sense is that Putin has wisely tied his and Russia's fortunes to China.  My sense is that China will have very little to do with the NWO, despite all the trips by Kissinger, Kerry, et al.

Why would China want to share power with such a murderous outfit as the NWO, when China itself will be in the world's driver's seat, economically?  Why share power, control, and influence, when there is no need to?

Putin is no saint, but he has displayed real restraint and a great sense of foresightedness in dealing with developments in Crimea and the Ukraine, in stark contrast with the U.S.  Hilarious, that the head of the CIA had to travel to the Ukraine, to get things moving again.  Mr. Brennan will have much penance to perform in this life or next."

 

And please carry on to this one at philosophyofmetrics :

 

"Carney was a tool but had the largest steel marbles on the block. The “steely” was the most sought after and traded of all the marbles, and Carney was a grand collector.  Myths were born from his ability to bully smaller kids into trading their one or two heavy spheres for ten or twenty smaller and bland marbles.  At one point I was certain that he had all the steelies in a 1 mile radius.

The afternoon laughter was usually broken by his emergence from the alley and into the field where we kids met every Saturday for the traditional game of marbles.  With his girth and weight he would trample the smaller of the lot and settle at the highest edge of the ring.

Everyone hated playing with Carney because you would never win, even if you did.  It was a lose-lose proposition which many refused to participate in.

Eventually a small grouping of kids joined together and began to avoid Carney altogether.  They would randomly change the location each Saturday and start earlier in the afternoon.  With each passing weekend Carney became more upset and angry over missing the games, not because he couldn’t expand his collection of steelies but because he was left out of the game altogether.

A method of separating Carney from his steely collection was soon devised.  For each weekend which he wished to play, he had to trade back one large steely for smaller and less valuable marbles.  Though not pleased about this at all, his choices were simple now that a group had taken up defense against him.  One, he could continue to bully and unfairly trade with the other kids in order to expand his already large steelie collection.  Or two, he could trade fairly and still be allowed to play the game with the others.

With the kids no longer divided, Carney’s choice was clear.  The feeling of isolation and being left out was more impactful than the feelings of unwarranted reward.  For what was the real value of his steely collection if nobody else wanted to play a game that involved them.

Never once in our childhood understanding of events did we question the fact that the real value of the marbles was provided by the parents who would give us the assorted bags and send us on our way.  So focused on beating each other and transferring marbles amongst ourselves that we never thought to consider where the marbles were actually coming from.

As we continue on into adulthood there isn’t much that changed.  Marbles are replaced with money and we have no idea where it came from.  We just seeked to acquire more of it and trade with it."

[...]

Read it here:  http://bitly.com/ust2rmb

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:02 | 4739006 King Dong
King Dong's picture

Bullish

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:03 | 4739009 One And Only
One And Only's picture

Well that escalated quickly.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:06 | 4739018 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

With respect, was there ever de escalation? Putin knows that the western banksters are gunning for Russia, and it will never end.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:51 | 4739099 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

with the same respect, yes

Putin was approached by the OSCE, which (kindly) requested first Russia's intervention for the release of prisoners in Ukraine, then goodwill moves towards de-escalation, which he did follow up by asserting that the troops on the border are in a "barracks" mode and by his request to postpone the planned separatist referenda

In short, Vladimir Putin is having a different dialogue with Europe than with the US (and in part the UK)

of course, this might sound all irrelevant to many, yet it is relevant for us continental europeans and our understanding of diplomacy and sovereign relationships with a trading partner and nuclear power which is geographically very near us

and this has little to do with what the algos understand or not

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:20 | 4739186 Haus-Targaryen
Haus-Targaryen's picture

I just want to make sure I understand you correctly,

When you say "Europeans" are you talking about people who happen to live on the continent of Europe, or something else?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:24 | 4739399 gcjohns1971
gcjohns1971's picture

QUI BONO?

Brussells is hedging a lot of long-term geopolitical bets using these events as leverage.

It seems clear Brussells is in the process of creating political justifications to turn away from the US post-WWII structure.  And I cannot blame them.

But the idea that they would rather be angels in an Eastern Heaven rather than grab the One Ring for themselves is NOT AT ALL CLEAR.

Many analysts cannot seem to imagine a world where Europe could do without an external "Big Brother".  And they look only so far as to determine whether they will seek it with the Eastern Axis or with the Western.

Such analysis does not fit with the shape the European Project is taking, nor with most of history.

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:27 | 4739408 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

Brussels is where NATO has its bloated headquarters and is trying to stage a coup against the unelected European Commission and take the population of Europe hostage in the New American Century Imperial Corpocracy

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:35 | 4739682 Poor Grogman
Poor Grogman's picture

Are you seriously suggesting that Putin deals with .....Brussels.??

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:12 | 4740769 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

I spit beer out my nose. Thank you and fuck you at the same time.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:26 | 4739405 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

The real dialogue is with Germany and perhaps France......the UK is irrelevant as it is simply Airstrip One for the US. The Mackinder Plan involves control of the Eurasian land mass and Putin reckons France and Germany want the land bridge to China more than they want the son of a Polish diplomat to dictate policy via the US NATO machine - the Brzezinski Plan is simply Poland playing havoc with geopolitics as it did interwar after Pilsudski died and trying to leverage a war against Russia just as Israel gets its US puppet to knock over Iraq or Syria

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:47 | 4739107 blindfaith
blindfaith's picture

This was not for the USA to see,this was for China to see.  Best Buddies they are as long as Putin is the master.  Between China and Russia French kissing and pulling Iran into their warm bed, the world, and the Pacific nations especially, can start obeying or else.  These three horseman will pull the USA into a deeper financial/political/military mess trying to catch the ghost that these three ememies mastermind.  They set fires, we rush to put them out, but as Larry Summers put it....we only listen to insiders, so the USA will only continue to do the same as it always has....make a mess bigger.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:57 | 4739126 Headbanger
Headbanger's picture

And we can be sure our fucktarded la la land liar "president" will fuck it way up by not letting any crisis go to waste to save what's left of his ass hat political career!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:09 | 4739149 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

Five bucks sez Lois Lerner flips on him.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:17 | 4739175 Calmyourself
Calmyourself's picture

Repugs can make her uncomfortable, Demonrats will kill her ass, her family too..  I'll take that bet for $50.00

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:16 | 4739176 Headbanger
Headbanger's picture

Five rounds of nice 270 says Lois sleeps with da fishes soon.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:33 | 4739227 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

270, is that some sort of 'nail' measurement I'm not aware of?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:15 | 4740070 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

Who ever heard of a hitman using a .270 ?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:13 | 4740774 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

The one that wants to pin the assination on the "tea party".

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:31 | 4739426 W270
W270's picture

I want that action!  This is all preplaned and she will do nothing of the sort.  Barry has his bitch all ready for a life of leisure. 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:08 | 4739824 Carl Popper
Carl Popper's picture

Watch her get a presidential "pre pardon" a la nixon for any crimes that may have been committed even though there are no charges.

 

Obama's pardon list at the end of his term will be even more of a laugh fest than Clinton's list.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:04 | 4740034 Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef's picture

Same Eric Holder making Obama's list, too.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:12 | 4739354 gcjohns1971
gcjohns1971's picture

They are temporary allies of convenience, united by their disgust at how the Western Banksters have lost all control of themselves and their thefts, nothing more.

Like the Stalin-Roosevelt­-Churchill alliance of WWII, it will evaporate as soon as the Dollar loses reserve status.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:20 | 4739390 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill = 1 Georgian + 2 Americans

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:49 | 4739737 Herd Redirectio...
Herd Redirection Committee's picture

WTF, Churchill American?  Better crack open those textbooks again...

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:55 | 4739757 DiogenesTheCynic
DiogenesTheCynic's picture

Technically, half-American...

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:56 | 4739760 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

50% American,from his mother.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:15 | 4740780 BlindMonkey
BlindMonkey's picture

Is that upper or lower half?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:18 | 4739867 Crash Overide
Crash Overide's picture

Meanwhile the leader of the free world...

https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/462782328797159425/photo/1

 

Are you fucking kidding me?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:25 | 4739894 Global Hunter
Global Hunter's picture

Obomber looks like a Kenyan Peacock on that african throne thingy he's sitting on.  What a douche bag.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:29 | 4739910 Ozy_mandias
Ozy_mandias's picture

Bread and circuses...

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 15:11 | 4740765 Adahy
Adahy's picture

Where is this 'free world' of which you speak?

 

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:19 | 4739871 luckylongshot
luckylongshot's picture

The banksters are taking some big hits in their plans to attack Russia. Prior to the Russian ICBM exercises we had an episode where Russian Migs buzzed a US waarship in the Black sea. According to Jim Willie what shocked the Pentagon about this is that when the Migs turned on their radar jamming ´devices they disappeared off the warships tracking screens and this was completely unexpected. It means that Nato have almost no chance of winning a conventional fight against Russia. That left nuclear as the only option and what Russia showed today probably makes that doubtful too.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:05 | 4740465 ObamaDepression
ObamaDepression's picture

Jim Willie is an idiot who thinks we used a STuxnet like virus to cause the Chernobyl disaster.

 

Never mind that the ARPANET was just a US net back in the 80's and not global.

 

He's also a 9/11 truther.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:57 | 4740692 Overfed
Overfed's picture

I don't know shit about stuxnet or ARPANET, but I do know that never in the history of steel-framed buildings has one ever collapsed from fire. And then three of 'em do it in the same place on the same day?

Anyone who believes the official government explanation is an idiot.

Don't forget that the 11th floor of the north tower was completely gutted by fire in 1975. Even with the weight of 100 floors above, it didn't collapse.

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 09:07 | 4742956 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

Swing States & Event Schedule

By: Jim Willie CB, GoldenJackass.com

 

"It will be full of intrigue to see if Putin can keep the battles on the financial front, while freezing the military front in a standoff, even if a messy standoff. The military battles can happen, as long as they are isolated. There will be many confrontations like on the Black Sea in the last couple weeks. The Russia Air Force offered a demonstration to the USNavy of their advance radar jamming equipment. The USNaval battlefield was left blind and without targeting systems."

http://news.goldseek.com/GoldenJackass/1399492800.php

Search and read "A Russian Su-24 bomber buzzed the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea in early April"

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:11 | 4739031 Tortfeasor
Tortfeasor's picture

What good is a doomsday device if you don't tell anyone about it?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:21 | 4739055 mvsjcl
mvsjcl's picture

The banksters have the most potent doomsday device ever invented: Debt as money.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:09 | 4739151 optimator
optimator's picture

Its a neutron device.  Wipes out paper but leaves the McMansions intact.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:04 | 4739301 Raging Debate
Raging Debate's picture

Mvsjcl -

"The most powerful force in the universe is compounded interest"
- Albert Einstein

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:46 | 4739722 Badabing
Badabing's picture

"The most powerful force in the universe is compounded interest"
- Albert Einstein

And can be stopped with a ten penny to the head!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:03 | 4739010 ciscokid
ciscokid's picture

Don´t mess with Putin!!!!!

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:57 | 4739284 fockewulf190
fockewulf190's picture

Putin is busting out the big fireworks, and he´s making some noise. On the one hand he´s saying he´s pulling troops back from the boarder, on the other he´s launching SLBMs. Putin is dealing with something  that for him, must be totally frustrating, and that is, for lack of a better name, a pussy.   Obama is the anti-Putin.  No military experience.  Black/white racial heritage.  Extreme left-wing.  Smoked dope, played around at elite colleges, bisexual rumors.  Putin could not have more of an opposite backround.

Seriously, I don´t know  how much time Putin has until he will just blow a fuse, say fuck it and go all-in.  He can easily crush the Ukrainian army and take over the country.  That is a given.  If he takes it though, just like the Krim Peninsula, he is going to own it...and as we all know, both the Krim and the Ukraine, are financial black holes.  The Russian people will probably back him up damn near 100% if he made the move.  The question is, can he still sell enough gas and oil, and keep the Russian economy, and the Russian population, above water long enough until the pipelines to China and eastern Asia are finished.  Because it looks like Obama is just going to play pussy diplomacy: use his telephone, maybe send another NATO country or two another company of infantry here, another F-16 there, tack on more economic sanctions against russian diplomats grandmothers and kids...and play for time.

It´s probably going to be one fucked up summer.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:12 | 4740059 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Obama being a pussy means Putin has to deal directly with Germany over Ukraine, and there are some bad visuals right there. He'll keep pretending that the US is relevant until he has to go all-in.

Might take Ukraine in the end. Hard to do without talking to Germany directly.

I don't have a good sense for how this resolves. Very tangled.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:22 | 4740295 Citxmech
Citxmech's picture

Am I the only one here who doesn't think Putin is in complete control of this situation?  We managed to essentially bankrupt the USSR once (primarily through a proxy war in Afghanistan) a ways back - my guess is that we're using the same strategy again - force Russia to mobilize it's military - and keep it mobilized - which costs money they don't have.  We have basically started a regional proxy war on his doorstep that's going to be a giant pain in his ass into the future if we add just enough fuel to keep it smoldering.  

I mean, for Christ's sake, who thinks that Obama is actually dictating policy here?

Yes, Putin can play the "Who runs Bartertown?" card w/Europe- but that is a double-edged sword.  Russia can't afford not to sell that gas.  

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:59 | 4740714 Overfed
Overfed's picture

From what I've seen, Putin has studied those mistakes and learned well from them.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 18:39 | 4741449 mkkby
mkkby's picture

Putin has no reason to get impatient and do something dumb.  He knows all he has to do is wait.  The E Ukraine people will vote to leave and join Russia. 

What can the CIA do about that?  Well, they are trying to create chaos and civil war, so a vote won't happen and the country will stay together by default.  So much for democracy.  What people freely choose has no validity to the power mad monkeys in DC.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:09 | 4739344 gcjohns1971
gcjohns1971's picture

Could you all take your masturbation while chanting "Putin, Putin, Putin" to the bathroom where it belongs?

I can't understand why people get so excited by politicians.  Its disgusting.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 13:56 | 4740426 Hephaestus
Hephaestus's picture

"I can't understand why people get so excited by politicians"

Im not excited about Putin at all. He is however competent. Its like finding a wormhole in your kitchen. We know it can happen but it never does.

Fri, 05/09/2014 - 09:58 | 4743065 matrix2012
matrix2012's picture

@ gcjohns1971

 

just as simple as this, it's obviously not Putin (Russia) who goes around the world to bully other nations, overthrow their leaders to place the puppets there, loot their resources by threats or forces, and so on...

still wonder why ZHers favor overwhelmingly the Putin's determined opposition to the Obummer the mulatto puppet in staging the banskter's overreach?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:04 | 4739011 beavertails
beavertails's picture

Yep.  Putin is taking a page out of Reagan's playbook.  No dummy.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:55 | 4739120 greatbeard
greatbeard's picture

>> taking a page out of Reagan's playbook

Fucking the middle class and the working man while waving the flag?  For I Ruskies sake, I hope it works better for them.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:14 | 4739845 Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs's picture

Why are people junking this?

Reagans crew included Bush Sr, Ed Meese, Cap Weinberger, George Schultz, Dick Cheny, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, etc....all Neocon warmongering fascists. Not to mention the massive deficits, bloated military budgets, fraud, corruption and assorted illegal and immoral wars.

Putin is not Reagan, but is certainly not an angel either. Cunning and ruthless is a better description.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:05 | 4740037 NOTaREALmerican
NOTaREALmerican's picture

Don't forget, there's no "Conservative" and "Liberal", there's only Kick-ass Daddy and Smoothering Mommy:  Old Testament (daddy) vs New Testament (mommy),  Red Team (daddy) vs Blue Team (mommy),  Ronny or Putin (daddy) vs Carter or Obama (mommy).     The people with Daddy brains like a specific configuration of bullshit and the people with Mommy brains like another.

All of politics, religion, and family life is about mommy and daddy.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 12:13 | 4740065 cougar_w
cougar_w's picture

Interesting theory. I'll have to keep all that in mind.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:06 | 4739016 CuttingEdge
CuttingEdge's picture

If you're gonna give the US a fuck you it might as well be a big one.

Obummer and co are seriously out of their depth.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:33 | 4739080 rbg81
rbg81's picture

Obama probably still thinks that getting the US down to zero nukes is a good idea.  In his pea brain, the rest of the world would just follow our example and disarm.  Or, maybe, he secretly wants the US to get nuked.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 07:43 | 4739097 overmedicatedun...
overmedicatedundersexed's picture

rbg, does his hate of white america override his focus on people of color? both would suffer from a nuke in a major city, know which  is the whitest city in N America? if you live there perhaps a vacation is in order. white america you are being bled out and most cannot feel the needle.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 08:57 | 4739292 sleigher
sleigher's picture

His focus on people of color?  What is behind that focus do you reckon?  Helping them?

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 10:26 | 4739651 thedrickster
thedrickster's picture

Portland? Odd.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 14:10 | 4740481 ObamaDepression
ObamaDepression's picture

I grew up in Portland. We used to joke the only culture was mold.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 11:02 | 4739792 Maxter
Maxter's picture

The reason the U-S is pushing hard to get rid of the nukes is simply because they have better nuke of another kind in their closet.
There is strong rumors that the unexpected 2006 breakthrough in temperature (3 billion degrees) obtained with the american "Z-machine" opened the door to aneutronic nuclear fusion. Or in short: nukes without the radioactive fallout.

Thu, 05/08/2014 - 09:07 | 4739331 gcjohns1971
gcjohns1971's picture

Obummer and crew are delusional ideologues with INCREASINGLY little grounding in reality.

THEY would be out of their depth in a kiddie-pool.

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