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White House Readies Unilateral Sanctions On Russia As US Utilities Scramble For Russian Coal
"It's not clear to us that breaking commercial ties with the Russia partners, consumers gets anyone to where they want to be," warns one political think tank as AP reports, The White House is considering imposing unilateral sanctions on Russia over its threatening moves in Ukraine - a move reflecting frustration at Europe's reluctance to bit off its nose to spite its face. Until now, the U.S. has insisted on hitting Russia with penalties in concert with Europe in order to maximize the impact, but, as Putin warned, those same economic ties have made Europe fearful that tougher penalties against Russia could boomerang and hurt their own economies. Obam has faced criticism over a lack of action, as Bob Corker blasted "sometimes I'm embarrassed for you, as you constantly talk about sanctions and yet, candidly, we never see them put in place," but the European 'concerns' are just as valid in America as Utilities in the U.S. are scrambling for coal, on pace to increase imports 26% this year.
The United States is considering imposing unilateral sanctions on Russia over its threatening moves in Ukraine, a shift in strategy that reflects the Obama administration's frustration with Europe's reluctance to take tougher action against Moscow, according to U.S. and European officials.
Until now, the U.S. has insisted on hitting Russia with penalties in concert with Europe in order to maximize the impact and present a united Western front. The European Union has a far stronger economic relationship with Russia, making the 28-nation bloc's participation key to ensuring sanctions packages have enough teeth to deter Russia.
But those same economic ties have made Europe fearful that tougher penalties against Russia could boomerang and hurt their own economies. After weeks of inaction, the officials say the U.S. is now prepared to move forward alone if EU officials fail to enact strong sanctions during a meeting Wednesday in Brussels.
...
The White House's willingness to punish Russia without European backing comes as the Obama administration faces criticism that its repeated warnings about tougher sanctions are little more than empty threats.
"Sometimes I'm embarrassed for you, as you constantly talk about sanctions and yet, candidly, we never see them put in place," Sen. Bob Corker, a Republican, said during a Senate hearing on Ukraine with administration officials last week.
...
Heather Conley, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the West's failure to follow through on its threat of sector sanctions has raised a "credibility question" for the Obama administration.
If Obama moves forward with unilateral sanctions, he'll face opposition from the private sector. U.S. businesses have been pressing the administration to hold off on sanctions that could put them at a disadvantage in the global economy.
"It's not clear to us that breaking commercial ties with the Russia partners, consumers gets anyone to where they want to be," said Gary Litman, vice president for international strategic initiatives at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
* * *
And indeed, as Bloomberg reports, US power plants are 'desperately' turning to Russia for their coal...
Utilities in the U.S. are scrambling for coal, on pace to increase imports 26 percent this year, as railroad bottlenecks slow deliveries and electricity demand climbs with an improving economy. Russia, the world’s third-largest exporter of the fuel, will boost shipments 3.9 percent to 106 million metric tons this year, IHS Energy forecasts, part of President Vladimir Putin’s plan to expand Russia’s role in the global coal market.
“Everyone’s aware that a number of plants have low stockpiles, so you hear Russian coal and they say, ‘Oh wow, people must really be desperate,’” James Stevenson, Houston-based director of North American coal at IHS, said in a July 8 telephone interview.
The Russian fuel appeals to power producers because it emits less sulfur than other coals, making it easier to comply with environmental rules, and has a high heat content, meaning it can produce more power per measure of fuel, Stevenson said.
“If you are on the Atlantic Coast, you have a chance to buy imported coal,” Stevenson said. “If you’re a utility you have to act now and throughout the second half of the year in case there’s a colder winter than last year.”
* * *
Boomerang indeed... Be careful what you wish for President Obama. As Putin warned before...
Putin was asked why the US can do whatever it wants and no one punishes them, while attempts are being made to punish Russia.
“The US is certainly one of the world’s leaders. At some point it
seemed that it was the only leader and a uni-polar system was in place.
Today it appears that is not the case. Everything in the world is
interdependent and once you try to punish someone, in the end you will
cut off your nose to spite your face,” he said.
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This is another "watch what we do, not what we say moment".
The US power structure is supporting Russia. Businesses are buying from Russia and Russia has not cut off gas to Europe, even though the US and NATO created the Ukraine coup. Obama, Putin (and Merkel) are best buds that come from the same school.
So, if the Ukraine coup and the Russian huffiness are all staged events, the question is "why?"
It seem to me that they are ALL COOPERATING ON THE NEXT STEP ... a global war? The destruction of the dollar? Make no mistake, at the top levels it is all planned and coordinated.
Hm . . . maybe Merkel is now a "second-best bud" because she isn't enthusiastic about sanctions. She's still a little ticked that we keep spying on her, too.
Will someone please start impeachment proceedings against Obama? We don't have to put up with this stupidity.
Heh heh.....we can't do that....he's black.
I guess we'll just have to watch it all implode.
Ah sayh-its raciss to state he can't be impeached!!!
I'm seeing quite a few "let it all burn down and wipe out the low info voters" comments. My own problem is that I don't have enough assets to get me by for more than a few months, and for the record I haven't voted for any Democrat in decades.
Now look, there are a lot of examples of nations led by Negros that are shining contributors to improving the human condition. Let me list all of them for you . . . To conclude, there are a lot of examples of nations led by Negros that are shining contributors to improving the human condition.
Obama and his war mongering staff are looking for another war to create distractions and boost votes for November.
What do you expect from someone raise in the Chicago political environment?
Chicago politics for the rest of the country.
Obama has a box of Coal & Switches from Santa this year.......
This will be OK. I have a fireplace in my house – and you should too.
As soon as I notice the next foreclosure go up in my ‘hood, I’m raiding the place for firewood. I’ll snag every other 2x4, crown molding for kindling.
ow deliveries and electricity demand climbs with an improving economy.
do they mean russia or the US?
We are worried about the Russian political moves in the Ukraine, but we are MOAR worried that losing Russian energy will de-stabilize our economies.
The communist who ruined the US Coal Industry again does whatever he can to destroy America. Get rid of this MF Bonier, thats you job, he is a terroist!
was it not the standard oils rockerfella coal patents and the rothschild that kept the german tanks running on liquid coal technologies during the ww2.
eustace mullins and anthony c sutton are a few who talk about this fact.
coal is pretty handy but way to much of the stuff all over the world closing mines makes it rarer and more expensive init.
Can't they just do that Mission Accomplished thing and move on?
There are still a few more nails(imported) to be nailed into the coffin lid(imported). Don't worry, they'll get around to it.
"Sir, this order does not make sense."
"Look, Bath House. Once again. First, you outlaw US coal. Later, the US will import Russian coal. Then we will create an economic issue over Ukraine. Putin will cut off coal shipments to the US, and electrical power will become expensive and in short supply. Goy, err, got it?"
"Uhh, err, Okay. It's another way I can fuck over America! Yes, Sir! Right away!"
"That's my Soebarkah. Carry on."
my much hated coal stocks up 1% today
edit: 3%
Is Mechel one of them? They are teetering on the brink, because China is not buying as much as they used to. Maybe Mechel can ship some to USA.
How To Build A Bicycle Generator
I envisioned a fat, sweaty diabetic pedaling their ass off to power an E-Z bake oven.
Good one.
rolmao.
At least the nice Jews are covered. "Senate panel doubles money for Israel's Iron Dome"
Bozhe Moi.
Obama will get around to sanctions after he's done backing his ass up into Reggie over and over.
We need to go long KY, COL.
http://rt.com/news/173092-russia-sigint-facility-cuba/
If they run out of space I'm sure Obama will just give them part of Florida.
The cat's no JFK.
I am sure he will also throw in a missile base and ground the U-2 flights.
Brilliant, you move into Uktaine, I'll move into Cuba. I am sure there will be no US objection.
So the US elite annexed Ukraine, treats Ukrainians like some worthless biomass and wants to punish Russia for its own stupidity?!...American mercenaries are burying Ukrainian solders (often beheading them before hand so that they cannot be identified) in some secrete burial locations, then claim that those solders simply defected to Russia and therefore Russian responsibility. That way they don't have to send letters and corpses to the Ukrainian mothers notifying them that their sons were slaughtered because some wall street maniacs want to keep their petrodollar hegemony. This evil shit has to stop!
WV, KY, WY and PA thank you for the sebbatical Comrade Obamao. Foward!
Just to buttress the "feel good" image of our one-dimensional uni-polar actions I think these images and reports say it best.
What's being inflicted on Palestine is what's for "dinner" in Ukraine. Safe to say that the "deer tick" owns the "deer" to no ones surprise!
Would not want to be U.S. military in Western Europe right about now with our without starting the next war. Even if you are fluent in the host country I wouldn't be dining and partying off the base either now or in the near future!
http://investmentwatchblog.com/child-rescued-from-rubble-following-ukraines-genocidal-airstrikes-on-residential-buildings/ http://www.ingeniouspress.com/2014/07/15/the-united-states-is-there-to-help-in-ukraine/ http://www.haaretz.com/mobile/.premium-1.605139?v=9927ADC884043985E6A3339EFE8FFEC4"Lavrov - Moscow is philosophical about threats of new sanctions"
FORTALEZA, July 16. Moscow is taking threats of new sanctions philosophically and is only sorry about U.S. President Barack Obama’s position on that matter, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told journalists on Tuesday.
“It is a pity that the president of the great power approaches international affairs from such positions,” Lavrov noted, commenting on President Obama’s statement on possible new unilateral sanctions against Russia if this idea wins no support in the European Union.
“Maybe, everything should be taken philosophically but we offer reason and pragmatism as an alternative to unilateral actions,” Lavrov stressed.
Putin is not a big fan of the Jews. He expelled everyone he could find in the Russian government.
So sadly it appears we are on the verge of starting yet another armed conflict at the behest of Israel.
I don't know who owns Congress more, the Too Big to Fail Bankers or AIPAC (American Israeli Policy Action Committee).
The best part of the Israeli deal is that not only does the U.S. fight their wars, but we also give them several billion dollars per year in "foreign aid".
"Putin is not a big fan of the jews."
By now, probably not a very big fan of black people either.
Head of Russian Central Bank is Elvira Nabiullina....of Tatar Heritage
long time trusted of Putin circle
"....... electricity demand climbs with an improving economy." rotflmoa....
Propaganda at it's best... excuse me but how about the cold winter we just expirenced....
Interesting to look at the historical data from EIA regarding end of year coal stock piles.... look at 2004 to 2007, nothing remarkable here,,,,,,,
http://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.cfm?t=epmt_3_01
What bullshit....
What "threatening moves?" It is not like Russia is actually doing anything except watch. Or, is it that Russia is still sitting in Crimea and blocking NATO from putting missiles and ships in Sebastopol? In which case, the sanctions and fear propaganda will never end because NATO / USA will not be able to pry Russia out of there.
We don't care a fig about Eastern Ukraine. We're still ticked off about Sebastopol.
Better hurry....Kyiv Ukr forces trapped against Russian border.
http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/
I think he is about to push the de-dollarization process forward a few years.
For how long is Obama going to allow the neo-cons to control foreign policy?
for as long as they (neocons) allow him to stay as a present.
bullish WLT
How many new NATOs near Russian borders? Who's threatening whom?
Isn't the eastern half of the states basically one large lump of coal? I would imagine that there are some folks in west Virginia willing to dig some coal.