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US Unveils Latest Russian Sanctions, Putin Immediately Responds That Russia Drafting Retaliation
Moments ago, as was widely preannounced, the US Treasury unveiled its latest round of Russian sanctions. While the bigger picture was well-known, here are some of the highlights:
- U.S. SANCTIONS FOCUS ON FINANCIAL, ENERGY, DEFENSE SECTORS
- U.S. TREASURY ADDS SBERBANK TO SANCTIONS LIST,
- U.S. TREASURY SANCTIONS AFFECTS GAZPROM, GAZPROM NEFT, LUKOIL, ROSNEFT, AND SURGUTNEFTGAZ
- U.S. TIGHTENS DEBT FINANCING RESTRICTIONS TO 30 DAYS
As Bloomberg reports, action deepens existing sanctions on Russian financial institutions, expands sanctions on Russia’s energy sector, targets additional energy- and defense-related firms, U.S. Treasury says in statement. "Today’s actions demonstrate our determination to increase the costs on Russia as long as it continues to violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty," Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen says in statement
Treasury Dept says it “maintains significant scope to expand these sanctions.”
Sberbank added to sanctions list; Treasury also tightens “debt financing restrictions by reducing from 90 days to 30 days the maturity period” for sanctioned banks
Also imposes sanctions that “prohibit the exportation of goods, services (not including financial services), or technology in support of exploration or production for Russian deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale projects that have the potential to produce oil”
Step affects 5 cos.: Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Lukoil, Surgutneftegas, and Rosneft, Treasury says
And instantly: PUTIN: GOVT DRAFTING PROPOSALS TO RETALIATE AGAINST SANCTIONS
- PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA TO RETALIATE ONLY IF IT SERVES ITS INTERESTS
- PUTIN SEES MORE POSITIVES THAN NEGATIVES IN LATEST SANCTIONS
- PUTIN SAYS UKRAINE `HELD HOSTAGE' BY OUTSIDE INTERESTS
- PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA WON'T IMPOSE TRAVEL BANS IN RETALIATION
And Rosneft is pissed, via Bloomberg:
- Rosneft is improper target for sanctions as co. doesn’t influence political process, spokesman Mikhail Leontyev says by phone.
- Leontyev declines to comment on effect of sanctions, saying lawyers are studying issue
- New sanctions are even more groundless, unjust than previous measures
- Sanctions seem to target EU, U.S. partners; affect shareholders
- “If the sanctions are meant as a scare tactic, then the object of the scaring is an unlucky choice, because we have no influence over the process”
So back to square one, as Russia and China get progressively closer.
* * *
Full statement from the US Treasury:
*WASHINGTON – *Due to continued Russian efforts to destabilize eastern Ukraine, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew today determined that persons operating within Russia’s defense and related materiel sector may now be subject to targeted sanctions under Executive Order 13662. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury today extended targeted financial sanctions to Russia’s largest bank, deepened existing sanctions on Russian financial institutions, expanded sanctions in Russia’s energy sector, and increased the number of sanctioned Russian entities in the energy and defense sectors.
Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew has made a determination that persons operating within Russia’s defense and related materiel sector may now be subject to targeted sanctions under Executive Order 13662. Following Secretary Lew’s determination, Treasury has imposed sanctions that prohibit transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States involving new debt of greater than 30 days maturity issued by Rostec, a major Russian conglomerate that operates in the defense and related materiel sector.
Treasury has added Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank of Russia, to the existing prohibitions on U.S. persons providing equity or certain long-term debt financing. In addition, we have tightened the debt financing restrictions by reducing from 90 days to 30 days the maturity period for new debt issued by the six Russian banks subject to this restriction. These banks are Bank of Moscow, Gazprombank OAO, Russian Agricultural Bank, Sberbank, VEB, and VTB Bank.
Treasury has designated and blocked the assets of five Russian state-owned defense technology firms – OAO ‘Dolgoprudny Research Production Enterprise,’ Mytishchinski Mashinostroitelny Zavod OAO, Kalinin Machine Plant JSC, Almaz-Antey GSKB, and JSC NIIP – for operating in the arms or related materiel sector in Russia.
Treasury has also imposed sanctions that prohibit the exportation of goods, services (not including financial services), or technology in support of exploration or production for Russian deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale projects that have the potential to produce oil, to five Russian energy companies – Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Lukoil, Surgutneftegas, and Rosneft – involved in these types of projects. This measure complements restrictions administered by the Commerce Department and is similar to new EU measures published today. U.S. persons have until September 26, 2014 to wind down applicable transactions with these entities pursuant to a general license that Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued today.
Treasury has also imposed sanctions that prohibit transactions in, provision of financing for, or other dealings in new debt of greater than 90 days maturity issued by two additional Russian energy companies – Gazprom Neft and Transneft.
“Today’s actions demonstrate our determination to increase the costs on Russia as long as it continues to violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. “The United States, in close cooperation with the European Union, will impose ever-increasing sanctions that further Russia’s isolation from the global financial system unless Russia abandons its current path and genuinely works toward a negotiated diplomatic resolution to the crisis.”
Despite the severity of these actions, Treasury maintains significant scope to expand these sanctions, and impose additional sanctions, against individuals and entities under the authorities of Executive Orders (E.O.) 13660, 13661 and 13662 should the Russian Government not take steps to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine.
* *
"Imposition of Sanctions on Several Russian State-Owned Firms Pursuant to E.O. 13661 and E.O. 13662 for Operation in the Defense or Related Materiel Sector in
Russia"
Treasury today has also imposed new sanctions and strengthened existing sanctions targeting firms operating in Russia’s defense sector.""
* *
*Determination about Russia’s Defense and Related Material Sector and Imposition of Sanctions against Rostec.
*Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew today made a determination under E.O. 13662 that persons operating within Russia’s defense and related materiel sector may now be subject to targeted sanctions. Following Secretary Lew’s determination, Treasury issued a new directive that imposes sanctions on Rostec, a major Russian conglomerate that operates in the defense and related materiel sector. Directive 3 pursuant to E.O. 13662 prohibits transactions in, provision of financing for, and other dealings in new debt of greater than 30 days maturity issued by Rostec, and its 50 percent or more owned subsidiaries, effectively cutting it off from U.S. debt financing.
*Rostec* is a Russia-based state-owned holding company for Russia’s defense industry. Rostec produces, develops, manufactures, and exports civil, military, and dual-purpose high-technology goods, and is involved in the manufacturing of weapons and military equipment. Rostec-held subsidiaries manufacture and export military products valued in the billions. Treasury designated Rostec’s Director General, Sergei Viktorovich Chemezov, on April 28, 2014, pursuant to E.O. 13661.
*Designation of Additional Defense Technology Companies under E.O. 13661.
*Treasury has also designated and blocked the assets of five Russian defense firms under E.O. 13661 for operating in the arms and related materiel sector in the Russian Federation. The firms designated today under E.O. 13661 include OAO ‘Dolgoprudny Research Production Enterprise,’ Mytishchinski Mashinostroitelny Zavod OAO, Kalinin Machine Plant JSC, Almaz-Antey GSKB, and JSC NIIP. The designated firms are responsible for the production of a range of materiel, from small arms to mortar shells to tanks. As a result of today’s actions under E.O. 13661, any assets of these entities that are within U.S. jurisdiction must be frozen. Additionally, transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States involving these entities are generally prohibited. ""
*OAO ‘Dolgoprudny Research Production Enterprise’* is a Russia-based company, which is primarily engaged in the production of weapons and ammunition, including the Buk missile system, known in the West as “Gadfly” or SA-11 or SA-17.
*Mytishchinski Mashinostroitelny Zavod, OAO* is a Moscow-based company that has produced weaponry and equipment focusing primarily on anti-aircraft missile systems and chassis for tracked military vehicles.
*Kalinin Machine Plant JSC* is a Russia-based, state-run company involved in the production of special purpose products such as weapons, ammunition, and combat anti-air missile system facilities for the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Kalinin Machine Plant JSC produces artillery guns for infantry and anti-air defense and specializes in the production of launchers and anti-air missiles.
*Almaz-Antey GSKB* is a Moscow-based subsidiary of the Almaz-Antey Concern, which was designated under E.O. 13661 on July 16, 2014. Almaz-Antey GSKB designs and manufactures air defense systems for the Russian Ministry of Defense.
*JSC NIIP* is a Zhukovski-based Russian defense industrial firm owned by the Almaz-Antey Concern. JSC NIIP develops anti-aircraft defense systems, including on-board radar systems for MiG and Sukhoi fighters, and anti-aircraft missile systems for land forces, including the KUB and BUK systems.
"Expansion of Prohibition of Certain Types of Activities with Several Russian State-Owned Financial Institutions Pursuant to E.O. 13662"
Treasury today has imposed new sanctions and strengthened existing sanctions in Russia’s financial sector.
*Imposition of Sanctions against Sberbank of Russia and Lowering of Allowable Maturity for New Debt Issuance for Sanctioned Financial Institutions.
*Treasury has also modified Directive 1 pursuant to E.O. 13662 to lower the allowable maturity for new debt from 90 to 30 days, and has added Sberbank to the list of entities subject to the restrictions in Directive 1. Directive 1 pursuant to E.O. 13662 now prohibits transactions in, provision of financing for, or other dealings in new debt of greater than 30 days maturity and new equity of the banks listed under this Directive, by U.S. persons or within the United States. As a practical matter, this step will further remove access to U.S. dollar financing for these financial institutions, and impose additional significant costs on the Russian Government for its continued provocations.
*Sberbank of Russia *is Russia’s largest financial institution. Sberbank accounts for approximately one-quarter of Russian banking assets and one-third of its banking capital.
" "
"Prohibition of Certain Types of Activities with Several Russian State-Owned Energy Companies Pursuant to E.O. 13662"
Treasury today has imposed new sanctions and strengthened existing sanctions targeting firms operating in Russia’s energy sector.
" "
*Prohibition on Goods, Services, and Technology for Certain Energy Sector Activities. *New Directive 4 issued pursuant to E.O. 13662 prohibits the provision, exportation, or reexportation of goods, services (except for financial services), or technology by U.S. persons or from the United States in support of exploration or production for deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale projects that have the potential to produce oil in the Russian Federation, or in maritime area claimed by the Russian Federation and extending from its territory, and that involve five listed Russian energy companies: Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Lukoil, Surgutneftegas, and Rosneft. Treasury initially imposed sanctions against Rosneft, Russia’s largest petroleum company and third-largest gas producer, pursuant to E.O. 13662 on July 17, 2014. Today’s step, which complements Commerce Department restrictions and is similar to new EU measures published today, will impede Russia’s ability to develop so-called frontier or unconventional oil resources, areas in which Russian firms are heavily dependent on U.S. and western technology. While these sanctions do not target
or interfere with the current supply of energy from Russia or prevent Russian companies from selling oil and gas to any country, they make it difficult for Russia to develop long-term, technically challenging future projects.
*OAO Gazprom* is a Russia-based, government-owned global energy company engaged in gas exploration, production, transportation, storage, processing, and sales. It is one of the largest joint stock companies in Russia.
*Gazprom Neft *is an integrated Russian oil company engaged in the exploration, development, production, transportation, and sale of crude oil and gas, and is also involved in oil refining, marketing of petroleum products, oil field services, and construction and development of exploration wells. Gazprom Neft is majority owned by Gazprom.
*Lukoil OAO* is a Russia-based integrated oil and gas company. Lukoil is engaged in the business of oil exploration, production, refining, marketing, and distribution. The company is an owner of refineries, gas processing, petrochemical plants, and gas station networks located in Russia and abroad.
*Surgutneftegas *is a Russian oil company involved in oil and gas production and exploration, gas processing, power generation, output and marketing of petroleum products, petrochemicals and gas products.
* *
*Imposition of Sanctions against Gazprom Neft and Transneft. *Treasury has added two Russian energy companies, Gazprom Neft and Transneft, to the prohibitions under Directive 2 pursuant to E.O. 13662. Transactions in, provision of financing for, and other dealings in new debt of greater than 90 days maturity for these two companies, and their 50 percent or more owned subsidiaries, by U.S. persons or within the United States are prohibited. This sanction will impair their ability to raise financing in U.S. dollars, which is critical for their exploration and development of new oil fields.
*AK Transneft OAO* is Russia’s government-owned pipeline company. The company provides services for oil and oil products transportation via trunk pipelines systems within the Russian Federation and abroad.
* * *
And the FAQ for today's sanctions as released by the Treasury:
407. May a U.S. person consent to a replacement of its participation by a non-U.S. person in a long-term loan facility that was extended to a person subject to Directives 1, 2, or 3 prior to the sanctions effective date?
A U.S. person is not prohibited by Directives 1, 2, or 3 from engaging in transactions necessary to exit or replace its participation in a long-term loan facility that was extended to an SSI entity prior to the sanctions effective date. This would not constitute dealing in new debt. U.S. persons involved in such facilities should ensure that all newly negotiated drawdowns or disbursements from the facility utilize repayment terms that are not prohibited by the applicable sanctions effective date. See FAQ 394? for additional information on what constitutes a permitted drawdown or disbursement from an existing long-term loan obligation. [9-12-2014]
408. Is a U.S. person permitted under Directives 1, 2, or 3 to extend credit for greater than 30 days (for persons subject to Directives 1 or 3) or 90 days (for persons subject to Directive 2) to a non-sanctioned party for the purpose of purchasing goods or services from a person subject to Directives 1, 2, or 3?
Directives 1, 2, and 3 do not prohibit U.S. persons from extending credit for longer than 30 days (for persons subject to Directives 1 or 3) or 90 days (for persons subject to Directive 2) to non-sanctioned parties for the purpose of purchasing goods or services from an SSI entity, so long as the SSI entity is not the indirect borrower. [9-12-2014]
409. If a person determined to be subject to Directives 1, 2, or 3 makes successive draws under a short-term facility created after the sanctions effective date (e.g., it borrows $100 million with a 15-day maturity, then at the end of the 15 days, the debt “rolls over”), does the facility become prohibited if the SSI borrower makes successive short-term borrowings that cumulatively add up to more than 30 days (for persons subject to Directives 1 or 3) or 90 days (for persons subject to Directive 2)?
Two conditions must be met for short-term facilities created after the sanctions effective date to be permissible. As long as (1) each individual disbursement has a maturity of 30 or 90 days or less (depending on the applicable Directive) and the disbursement is paid back in full before the next disbursement and (2) the lender is not contractually required to roll over the balance for a cumulative period of longer than 30 or 90 days (depending on the applicable Directive) at the borrower’s request (i.e., it has the option to refuse the request for a new short-term loan and terminate the facility), the loan is not prohibited, even though the same borrower may obtain a series of short-term loans from the same lender over a cumulative period exceeding 30 or 90 days (depending on the applicable Directive). U.S. persons may not deal in a drawdown or disbursement initiated after the sanctions effective date with a repayment term of longer than the applicable authorized tenor if the terms of the drawdown or disbursement are negotiated or re-negotiated on or after the sanctions effective date. Such a newly negotiated drawdown or disbursement would constitute a prohibited extension of credit. [9-12-2014]
410. Are U.S. persons prohibited from entering into new contracts after the sanctions effective date with persons subject to Directives 1, 2, or 3 that provide payment terms to the SSI entities of greater than 30 days (for persons subject to Directives 1 or 3) or 90 days (for persons subject to Directive 2)? For instance, if a U.S. person agrees to sell shares or assets to an SSI entity in a corporate transaction that becomes effective on or after the sanctions effective date, is the U.S. person prohibited from agreeing to deferred purchase payments, even if no interest is involved, that may be paid more than the permissible number of days later by the SSI entity?
Directives 1 and 3 prohibit new extensions of credit to SSI entities of greater than 30 days maturity and Directive 2 prohibits new extensions of credit to SSI entities of greater than 90 days maturity, and these prohibitions include deferred purchase agreements extending payment terms of longer than 30 days or 90 days (depending on the applicable Directive) to an SSI entity. Such agreements would constitute a prohibited extension of credit to an SSI entity if the terms were longer than the permissible number of days and the agreement was entered into on or after the sanctions effective date. OFAC does not consider the inclusion of an interest rate to be a necessary condition for establishing whether a transaction represents new debt. [9-12-2014]
411. What does the prohibition contained in Directive 3 under Executive Order 13662 mean? What is the scope of prohibited services?
OFAC issued Directive 3, introducing new prohibitions on all transactions in, provision of financing for, and other dealings in new debt of longer than 30 days maturity of persons determined to be subject to the Directive, their property, or their interests in property. Transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States involving derivative products whose value is linked to an underlying asset that constitutes new debt with maturity of longer than 30 days issued by a person subject to Directive 3 are authorized by General License 1A pursuant to Executive Order 13662.
412. What does the prohibition contained in Directive 4 mean? What is the scope of prohibited services?
OFAC issued Directive 4, introducing new prohibitions on the provision of goods, services (except for financial services), and technology for certain activities involving certain persons operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation. Directive 4 prohibits the direct or indirect provision, exportation, or reexportation of goods, services (except for financial services), or technology in support of exploration or production for deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale projects that have the potential to produce oil in the Russian Federation, or in maritime area claimed by the Russian Federation and extending from its territory, and involve any person determined to be subject to Directive 4 or that person’s property or interests in property. The prohibition on the exportation of services includes, for example, drilling services, geophysical services, geological services, logistical services, management services, modeling capabilities, and mapping technologies. The prohibition does not apply to the provision of financial services, e.g., clearing transactions or providing insurance related to such activities.
On September 12, 2014, OFAC issued General License 2, authorizing for 14 days all services and activities prohibited by Directive 4 that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the wind down of operations, contracts, or other agreements involving persons determined to be subject to Directive 4. In order to qualify under this General License, a transaction must (1) occur prior to 12:01 am E.D.T. September 26, 2014, and (2) relate to operations, contracts, or agreements that were in effect prior to September 12, 2014. General License 2 does not authorize any new provision, exportation, or re-exportation of goods, services, or technology except as needed to cease operations, contracts, or other agreements involving affected projects.
Please see this page for the Department of Commerce’s related license requirement on exports of certain goods for deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale projects that have the potential to produce oil or gas.
413. For the purposes of Directive 4, how does OFAC define "deepwater" projects that have the potential to produce oil?
A project is considered to be a deepwater project if the project involves underwater activities at depths of more than 500 feet.
414. Does Directive 4 apply to projects that have the potential to produce gas?
If a deepwater, Arctic offshore, or shale project in the Russian Federation, or in maritime area claimed by the Russian Federation and extending from its territory, and involving a person named under Directive 4 has the potential to produce oil, then the prohibition applies, irrespective of whether the project also has the potential to produce gas. If the project has the potential to produce gas only, then the prohibition does not apply.
415. For persons determined to be subject to multiple Directives, how do the prohibitions and exemptions listed under one Directive affect prohibitions and exemptions under the other Directives?
Each Directive operates independently of the others. If a transaction involves a person subject to two Directives, for example, a U.S. person engaging in that transaction must comply with the requirements of both Directives. Exemptions in one Directive apply only to the prohibitions contained in that Directive and do not carry over to another Directive. For example, if a person is subject to both Directive 2 and Directive 4, the exemption for the provision of financial services by U.S. persons or in the United States under Directive 4 does not supersede the prohibition in Directive 2 on dealing in debt of longer than 90 days maturity of such a person. For these reasons, when OFAC references a prohibition involving an "SSI entity" in these FAQs or in other guidance, it is referring to an entity subject to the Directive(s) at issue in a particular FAQ or piece of guidance.
416. What does the "sanctions effective date" mean in the context of sectoral sanctions pursuant to E.O. 13662?
For purposes of the sectoral sanctions, "sanctions effective date" means the date a person is determined to be subject to the prohibition(s) of the relevant Directive. When a person has been previously determined to be subject to a Directive and the prohibition in the Directive is subsequently amended, (1) the sanctions effective date for the prohibitions of the original Directive remains the date on which the person was identified as subject to the prohibitions of that Directive, and (2) the sanctions effective date for the amended Directive is the date of the amendment (or other date specified in the amended Directive).
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How Wars Start 101
Like two kids shoving each other until one throws a punch.
Must keep Russia out of Syria while the game is being played.
The US will lose this one, because we have become a nation of unskilled, unemployed, state dependant foodstampers. Depending on Obama is the LAST thing I'd choose.
"we have become a nation of unskilled, unemployed, state dependant foodstampers. " I think you're too optimistic ...;-)
Oh holy shit. Someone actually voted for this administration? Really. Oh, nevermind, I forgot that "we have become a nation of unskilled, unemployed, state dependent foodstampers. " And then there is public school. But I repeat myself.
"Today’s actions demonstrate our determination to increase the costs on Russia as long as it continues to violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,"
Didn't the administration just say yesterday that the US was going to bomb Syria? Isn't that violating Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty? Drone strikes in Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan?? Kosovo?!?!?
Listening to these people, I feel like I'm in the movie Scanners... and my head is about to explode.
That's Ameriken Exceptionalism.
Do as I say,,,, not as I do.
Sounds like a perfectly good reason to load Assad up with some brand new S-300s.
I also like the idea of Russia being invited by Assad to help with the ISIS security issue and bring in truck loads of SU-34s to handle business.
I know, this administration simply lies in every direction because as long as the media repeats their message the totally brain dead American public will believe everything they're told. The 99% chose to be mindless zombies and deserve everything that's coming to them. Perhaps a little poverty and social/economic collapse will wake these walking house plants up.
Yeah but our drones only kill the bad guys.
You take a mortal man
And put him in control
Watch him become a god
Watch peoples heads a 'roll
A 'roll, a 'roll
Just like the pied piper
Led rats through the streets
We dance like Marionettes
Swaying to the symphony of destruction
-Megadeth, Symphony of Destruction
And whose faulth is THAT, exacty? You think people WANNA be on foodstamps? Very telling how you put the blame on the victims.
They should really just coordinate these sanction releases. In fact, could be a nice step in the direction of working together. Who knows what could happen? Hell, maybe stop a fucking world war from starting!
So the Crab People are to blame.
That's lobster Stooge, lobster. I see Obozo has a appropriate lobster body at least.....it's looks to be female.
Damn shame too. Hard to diddle the good parts with a lobster claw.
William,
That is funny!
DavidC
What, no dronez in the sky? :>D
With everyone on the playground forming a circle around them egging them on.
War starts from sanctions. In the old days sanctions was done by blockading the sea lanes for the prospective bad guy; thus, destroying their economy. That's how WWII started when the US blockaded Japan in the South Pacific from getting their oil and rubber in response to Japan's invation of Manchuria. Now US is trying to destroy Russian economy by preventing Russia from using US dollar which happen to be the global reserve. This is due to the percieve invasion of Ukraine by the Russians. So we'll wait until Russia decides to destroy the US with nukes when they start to starve which is the US wants to do but of course the Russians still have alternative which is the BRICS so we'll see.
why do we think the world gives a shit
as our currency becomes the same
The West is doing Russia a favor by forcing it out of its corrupt banking system.
Do the sanctions include Russian rockets for NASA?
Agreed twice. Obalo is an asperger narcisist who looks as if he wants to get us into a war with russia, phkn prick. War is not the answer. Putin will go all in and russia can sustain high death rates, endure severe austerity measures and food rations. They have a history of it.
LOL, a cold winter for the Europeans.
Russia can tag-team with China. The US depends on China.
I think China depends on US just as much if not more. Who, if not the west, is going to buy all of their china shit?
Maybe, at some point, China will decide to do something else.
World orders never last forever.
It will at the point it has finished it technology drain of the USA. At that point dollars will have no value to China and the song and dance ends.
It doesn't even have to be at that point. It just has to be when they've reached the point of diminishing returns on that technology drain.
The world is a big place, as pointed out in an article yesterday there are 6.5 billion people that don't live in the West. The West is the party held by the short curlies, it has offshored so much industry that it would be hard-pressed to manufacture a tube of toothpaste.
Well at least there will be no shortage of toothbrushes! Oral B is proud to put the made in the good ole US of A stamp on all their ads! So indeed the glass in only half empty. /s?
Believe it or not; the other 194 nations on this planet can pick up the slack for 1.
More of a general reply to above comments. But the other nations are poorer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita
The math wont work. Not for a very long time anyway. China would not be able drive costs down far enough to support the same level of profits at these figures.
I think you have a valid point. However, it's rooted in the current paradigm. I'll say it again; it won't last forever. When the existing world changes, it won't look like it does now, with different actors merely playing the current roles.
Q. How much of the West's "wealth" is fiat?
A. Most
What does a stage magician do when the illusion fails and someone shouts, "Hey - that's a FAKE!" Why, he pulls out a large gun and points it at the audience, of course!
This time the audience has equally large guns and wants a refund.
It's a MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD World
Dup
How much debt do you back out of those GDP figures? Unless you argue that you can actually print to infinity, there is a shelf life on that rosy-ass GDP anyway. The implosion of the dollar is coming because the dollar has as much chance of a soft landing as Icarus did. Same (metaphorical) reason too.
I suspect China might realize plucking jobs and money out of the U.S. is coming to an end. But the Walmart lobby is on China's side so it will take a while.
Those that are beating the war drum seem to have no concept of long term effects and unintended consequences. For all of Nixon's deceit he had the wisdom to divide China from Russia.
Speaking of plucking money out of the U.S. I also suspect that Aliblaba is rushing ahead with the full support and backing of the party bosses. Why not pick up an extra $21 billion before the door closes.
"I suspect China might realize plucking jobs and money out of the U.S. is coming to an end."
Indeed.
This might come as a surprise, but the US is not the world. I know this may sound shocking and heretical, but there it is.
Of course, China depends on the US. The only
thing keeping china stable is shitty jobs and QE.
Chinese so far are too busy chasing the dream to
get pissed at their own government.
Putin one the phone with China:
Hey China would like like to to us a small favor & dump 100 Million of Criminal UNITED STATES, CORP. INC. Treasuries just for now?
David S. Cohen i wonder how he got that job?
Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence: David S. Cohen... Under Secretary of the Treasury (secretive and nefarious with no oversite!)
http://www.muckety.com/David-S-Cohen/166927.muckety
http://www.muckety.com/Wilmer-Cutler-Pickering-Hale-and-Dorr/5003021.muckety
http://www.muckety.com/Cameron-F-Kerry/101392.muckety
http://www.muckety.com/John-F-Kerry/803.muckety
Please note: Growing up in a jewish household, the mother is the queen of the roost, and the husband can, or not be of the jewish heritage, but the children are always raised in the jewish temple. most jews changed their names for reasons???, but, Churchill's mother was jewish to the bone as was FDR's who threatened him... if he divorced his lesbo wife she would disinherit him. it was FDR'd wife elenor that got the NY vote for his political carreer. the rest is history. john f. kerry and his brother Cameron are jewish. just sayin...
http://peepleofthebook.blogspot.com/2010/03/jewish-trivia.html
This is simply bank lobby is its last gasps of hallucinating that Putin would back down from expropriating them.
It's over
Hey I got a idea! lets take this stick and beat on that hornets nest.
I'm from the guoberment and I'm here to help you.
Soylent Green is People!
Nothing more frustrating than a pissing match where the only ones getting wet are the bystanders.
With all the daily time spent with his gay buddies, how does Obozo have time to use it for a pissing match?
Obozo does not have pissing matches, only golden showers.
I don't think Vlad wants any rough housing until the Scots take care of their referendum.
If Scots will out Europe - no sanctions for them.
If Scots will out, it's game, set, match; game over. The Euro Union will be toast.
Fucking Obama can't even think 1 ply ahead in tic-tac-toe. Putin is about 6 plys ahead and is playing chess.
'Calling Victoria Nuland, calling Victoria Nuland....'
DavidC
This is so embarassing to watch...
so embarassing that it makes me think that the U.S. has an ace hidden somewhere, but the only ACEs I hear about are being talked about by those in the nutjob category.
At least I'm not suffering from a lack of compelling drama after cancelling my cable.
USSA and allies truely backing themselves into a corner...true psychopaths gone wild.
BTW Lukoil & Surgutneftegas are PRIVATE companies with no govt involvement
C'mon man! There are US-based JVs over there! Just friggin stop it! Putting more Americans out of work, dadgummit!
When goods aren't allowed to cross borders, soldiers will. - Bastiat
Wait a second, reality check - what's the real justification for this? All this time has gone by and i STILL can't believe and understand why the u.s. is being so hard-assed about this little ukraine/russia spat. It's all nonsense, and when things dont make sense, that usually = hidden agenda
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/12/us-ukraine-crisis-russians-special-repor-idUSKBN0H70S920140912
It's simple. Russia is considered a threat to be isolated, destablized and plundered, while Russia is responding by targeting the dollar.
Redrawing the Map of the Russian Federation: Partitioning Russia After World War III? | Global Research
aka. The Grand Chessboard in application
ps: it's fascinating, i just spent some time to translate this article into my native to reach more local readers :-)
The snakes in this Administration keep trying to provoke the Rooshunz into a retaliation that will boomerang on Roosha itself.
But Vladdy-Poot is keeping his cool and refuses to be so provoked. He confines Russian actions to what will benefit Russia and hurt its rivals.
Kudos to Putin for his warfighting moxi.
My devious mind thinks Putin, through Assad, could have been indirectly nudging the ISIL savages into Iraq. What better play to get Obozo and McStain in front of cameras than a beheading. You can kill/ burn alive 100 Arabs from the air but a beheading in front of a camera will do it every time.
You've unfortunately been propagandized. Turn off your TV for a month, grab some good whiskey and a book and come back and see us when you're better!
(Leans is really close now whispering) ISIS is a creation of the CIA and an instrument for Washington to do things that sovereign borders usually get in the way of...
I S I S / I S I L / I S
It is important to point out that the Islamic State (IS) is NOT some shadowy force that emerged from the CAVES of Afghanistan to form an effective military force that is funded by Twitter donations and murky secretive finance deals. IS is entirely the creation of NATO and the West and it remains in control of the organization.
http://www.activistpost.com/2014/08/nato-using-foley-and-isis-as-pretext...
As Tony Cartalucci writes in his article “Implausible Deniability: West’s ISIS Terror Hordes In Iraq,”
Beginning in 2011 - and actually even as early as 2007 - the United States has been arming, funding, and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and a myriad of armed terrorist organizations to overthrow the government of Syria, fight Hezbollah in Lebanon, and undermine the power and influence of Iran, which of course includes any other government or group in the MENA region friendly toward Tehran.
Billions in cash have been funneled into the hands of terrorist groups including Al Nusra, Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), and what is now being called "Islamic State in Iraq and Syria" or ISIS. One can see clearly by any map of ISIS held territory that it butts up directly against Turkey's borders with defined corridors ISIS uses to invade southward - this is because it is precisely from NATO territory this terrorist scourge originated.
ISIS was harbored on NATO territory, armed and funded by US CIA agents with cash and weapons brought in from the Saudis, Qataris, and NATO members themselves. The "non-lethal aid" the US and British sent including the vehicles we now see ISIS driving around in.
ISIS began its invasion into Iraqi territory from NATO-member Turkey, through Syria and riding in Toyota Hilux trucks - identical to those provided to "moderates" by the US State Department as part of multi-million dollar "non-lethal" aid packages. ISIS did not take these trucks from "moderates," the moderates never existed to begin with. From the beginning, it was the West's plan to raise a mercenary army of sectarian extremists operating under the banner of Al Qaeda.
ISIS corridors begin in NATO-member Turkey and end in Baghdad.
http://www.landdestroyer.blogspot.com/2014/08/implausible-deniability-we...
John McCain, Conductor of the "Arab Spring" and the Caliph by Thierry Meyssan
http://www.voltairenet.org/article185085.html
NSA Document Reveals the “ISIS Formed by US, UK, Israel Intelligence Apparatus”
http://themillenniumreport.com/2014/09/nsa-document-reveals-the-isis-for...
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2014/08/04/french-report-isil-leader-mossad/
http://themillenniumreport.com/2014/09/did-the-cia-order-the-execution-o...
I wish our leaders could do somethings useful, like decorating streetlamps.
You give their level of talent way to much credit.
Russia may throw Exxon, Shell, Total and other oil companies out of Russia for this idiocy.
They are there for expertise, which the russians are short of...
Seems possible. Are these not "joint" ventures? Embed russian people to learn as much as possible including the design of the equipment, then let the US force those companies to quit doing business with Russia (or Russia should just kick them out as a retaliation caused by the US).
The lobyist for those companies must be making waves in DC. As someone else pointed out, DC will likely promise them that Russia will be taken down and those companies will be allowed to go back and take ALL the oil and gas without any joint venture.
Yes, but the Russians can hire expertise, and make it lucrative.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-09-12/china-daily-western-sanctions-w...
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-09-12/china-daily-western-sanctions-w...
"West's Antics Pushing Russia closer to China"
* ANTICS --> ha ha ha :-)
not sure which antics it is... there are cookies, gay chief, zog, zato, grand chessboard, shooting one's own foot, seeking the freezing winter fantasies, petrogold, petroruble, polack jokes,....
ROLF>ALOL
It's not in Russia's interest that they contribute to the crashing of Europe's economy. Over the short term, oil is an inelastic commodity on both the supply and demand side. So small reductions in demand (shifting the demand curve downward) have the potential of lowering oil prices significantly.
tick, tock, tick, tock, the whole world is running away from the pet-dollar. Soon the bully will be in the school yard all alone.
intric8: Wait a second, reality check - what's the real justification for this? All this time has gone by and i STILL can't believe and understand why the u.s. is being so hard-assed about this little ukraine/russia spat. It's all nonsense, and when things dont make sense, that = hidden agenda.
It has more to do with NATO saving face and having a reason for being....than any US policy. You've mistakenly believe that USA / Pentagon / NATO speaks with one voice.
In a couple of weeks China starts a new futures market with other sh!t happening towards the end of the year. The u.s has broken agreements madde with China years ago.
There are only so many ways of eliminating debt. Paying it,,,, nope, Default,,,, nope, inflating it away,,,, possibly and (drum roll) war,,,, most probable which has usually been the choice for more aggressive nations.
Can we just get on with the revolution here in America? Each day just gets more embarrassing than the last for us "sovereign citizen terrorists" who don't support the propaganda and the war machinations.
You need to take away from government or destroy tv stations first. Second - internet and telephone.
I'm afraid there is too much apathy to ever get to that point.
I'd say be on the side of China rather than against them. At UCLA orientation yesterday there were mostly asians enrolling. Pretty sure this US Russia thing is a trick played on rich folk to strip them of their money and power of influence.
Nukes bitchez!
AIPAC figures they have these sanctions and the effects thereof, always measured one step ahead of Putin. It is somewhat surprising in a way because their wit and intellect has been either matched or eclipsed at every turn during this 'tit-for-tat' cycle. What's that you say - Obama and his cabinet are the ones calling the shots here? Cue the laugh cards...
Armed Resistance: Can we just get on with the revolution here in America? Each day just gets more embarrassing than the last for us "sovereign citizen terrorists" who don't support the propaganda and the war machinations.
Nope. No need too, really. I'd hate to see my country trashed. General work strikes work better. Sit the fuck home for two weeks and you'll have a EVOlution.
Your country will get trashed anyway. One way you will take it back, another way you should start learning chinese or mexican language
More like one way you take it back if you can survive the general pandemonium, and the other way, the EBT crowd goes apeshit and you have general pandemonium anyway.
No one fucking works anymore. So, who's going to stay home? They're already there. Only jobs are gov. and military, if they stayed home who would notice, or care?
Come on Putin...quit being so passive. What are you going to retaliate with this time...ban Obama from Soviet golf courses? Turn the fucking gas off a demand future payments in gold.
Soviet golf courses.... hmmmmm
Just put little snowshoes on the ballz... :>D
Might as well add this one at the very top of the "sanctions" that "really aren't sanctions"!
Won't be at all surprised before the close of this or next month that the DoS issues a statement that alternative news agendas like RT that aren't blessed by Washington's friend(s) will be labeled as dangerous propaganda that needs to be eliminated in the interests of "National Security"?...
Don't laugh cause that's how desperate these assholes are!
Well at least it's Friday the 12th and not the 13th!!!
UK RT.com has already been warned by the UK Regulator "Ofcom" that its coverage of certain news stories is biased (read: too truthful), whilst completely ignoring that the BBC and Sky News are spewing out lies and propaganda 24 x 7.
I expect that if things get worse, RT.com will be taken off the air in Western countries.
Russians eat and drink every night, they live well enough and go where they want to go, not much different then westerners. The main difference is that Putin enjoys watching the westerners turn on their government while he enjoys huge support at home. That is what will make the difference, nothing else matters and he knows it. With each turn of the thumb screws he grows stronger and the Russian citizens grow more resolved. The west is caught in its own Chinese finger trap. We have Georgetown JV smarmy cunt idealist running the program and the cracks are forming, all Putin has to do is watch us bleed out.
+100
Well said bb
The only thing that will make those observation(s) worthwhile is when NATO self-destructs and asks their uninvited house guest of 70 years to take it's "toys" out of their neighborhood for good!
Until then. Anything can happen when that uninvited guest has "rabies" and is desperate!
When you know you've tested "positive" and are in the tertiary stages with "lock jaw"...
http://www.pakalertpress.com/2014/09/12/redrawing-the-map-of-the-russian...
I had this dream once that fifteen women were rubbing their boobs all over me (sometimes dreams don't come true!)
you are correct. this is why narrative is so imporatnt. russians are FAR POORER THAN AMERICANS, AND I'M TALKING THE LOWER CLASSES.
THEY HAVE IT MUCH MUCH WORSE, SAME AS CHINESE. however-------they don't blame putin for the problems of the collapse of the ussr.
meanwhile americans are fat lazy shits with tons of welfare and fake jobs (i'm a lawyer iwth a fake 'private sector' job essentially funded by wall street and government cooperation) ----------
and yet we blame our 'declining' fortunes on the u.s. regime that brought us here.
we are wealthy but in decline relative to the russians who are poor but on the up and up.
this indeed makes a huge difference because it means that when push comes to shove , the u.s. is constantly fighting a revolution at home while maintaining its influence abroad. the russians don't need to worry about this. the chinese well, they do, but they are good at it.
europe, meanwhile , is going going full fucktard and will implode soon.
Well said Berry. Especially the european part. I keep scratching my head over their actions regarding Russia. Full-retard-batshit-crazy is the only explanation I can come up with.
Bob,
Keep in mind that the oldest coerce-money on the monetary system started with England and France. The Rothschild's financed both Napoleonand Wellington. So both countries are indebted to them not just through the banking system but also with bonds and a whole bunch of threats.
Any EU country that disobey could be labeled as a supporter of terrorism and bombed. These people don't care and have no respect for human lives.
So Europe knows who's the master. What they're doing make absolutely no sense. But they have to obey or perish. Simple.
Bob,
Keep in mind that the oldest coerce-money on the monetary system started with England and France. The Rothschild's financed both Napoleonand Wellington. So both countries are indebted to them not just through the banking system but also with bonds and a whole bunch of threats.
Any EU country that disobey could be labeled as a supporter of terrorism and bombed. These people don't care and have no respect for human lives.
So Europe knows who's the master. What they're doing make absolutely no sense. But they have to obey or perish.
Simple.
Bob,
Keep in mind that the oldest coerce-money on the monetary system started with England and France. The Rothschild's financed both Napoleonand Wellington. So both countries are indebted to them not just through the banking system but also with bonds and a whole bunch of threats.
Any EU country that disobey could be labeled as a supporter of terrorism and bombed. These people don't care and have no respect for human lives.
So Europe knows who's the master. What they're doing make absolutely no sense. But they have to obey or perish.
Simple.
want to hear something funny? a few months ago i was looking for work (i am a data analyst by trade) and alot of the jobs that required data analyst skills that I found were more or less socialized jobs created by regulations.
I do machine learning in 'private sector' so im not involved in that socialist BS..but many jobs, especially in Corp America are socialized.
So, when Russia was run by Bolsheviks and killing tens of millions of Christians (and starving Ukrainians to death) they were our ally.
Now that Christians run the country and are killing no one (especially Ukrainians) they are our enemy.
Is Russia the problem – or is it Christian Russia is the problem?
No SW
Russian Jews, especially the ones that migrated in droves more than three decades ago to Israel only to return in an attempt to destroy it's sovereignty are the problem and for that matter -always have been!
satan will thrive if syria is droned and bombed.
the isis mossad cia capture of that northern syrian airbase was vital for the coming talmudic mission creep.
syrian integrated air defence now very weak in the north a nice start.
a rabbinical bridgehead for the slow syrian iraqi oil gas pipeline futures run from tel aviv.
we should soon see if putin is with humanity or with the vatican,torah bora masonics
"tony wilson shut up you self hating jewish hassidic bastard. i know you live in williiamsburg and drive a minivan with sidecurls on all your 5 kids. "...
t
Your one of these guys?...
I knew I liked ya!!!
I think the U.S. ruling class will eventually surrender the People to the reds.
Without a shot.
tony wilson shut up you self hating jewish hassidic bastard. i know you live in williiamsburg and drive a minivan with sidecurls on all your 5 kids.
your fur hat is of cheap quality too. you fucking talmudic hasid self hating jew bastard. maybe you need to cross the bridge and become a conservative jew or something, it would make you chill out. if that's not enough you can join me at quaker church in manhattan.
also i know the israel kid you are fucking in the ass. just becuase he's transexual doesn't mean your rabbi doens't prhibit gay sex. bitch. go crawl up in your dukehole.
Can you repeat that?
The primary US objective for sanctions is to prompt russian oligarchs to overthrow Putin.
Many of the Russian oligarchs (like all oligarchs) are globalists and only interested in their personal money and power.
The US is banking on internal Russian chaos thus avoiding it from having to start WWIII.
Not likely.
After 50 years of watching the US in action, the world is beginning to realize what lying psychopathic killers the US really consists of.
Those killers were in England before that. France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands...they will simply move to their next host. This power cloud moves where it has best chances of success.
"Those killers were in England before that. ..."
EZRA POUND had warned humanity in general and American people in particular many decades ago.
He said as follows:
"The Nomadic Parasites will shift out of London and into Manhattan. And this will be presented under a camouflage of national slogans. It will be represented as an American victory. It will not be an American victory.
Until you know who has lent what to whom, you know nothing whatever of politics, you know nothing whatever of history, you know nothing of international wrangles."
"The monopoly of money, or the restriction of its circulation, is merely a variation of this simple form of monopoly. That is all. The stupid fall into the trap. Wars are provoked in succession, deliberately, by the great usurers, in order to create debts, to create scarcity, so that they can extort the interest on these debts, so that they can raise the price of money (i.e., the price of the various monetary units controlled by, or in the possession of, the same autocrats), altering the prices of the various monetary units when it suits them, raising and lowering the prices of the various foodstuffs when it suits them, completely indifferent to the human victim, to the accumulated treasures of civilization, to the cultural heritage."
~ Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
But what if the oligarchs and Russian people do not cooperate with US hegemons? What if there is no internal Russian chaos? Right now, the Russian people are on a war footing and getting around US sanctions is a patriotic act. It seems the more sanctions we place on Russia, the higher Putin's popularity rating.
What if the Russian and Chinese oligarchs conclude they are better off without the USA? What if the USA has finally made their fatal, end of empire, miscalculation that triggers the end?
Trading being done in Rublez/Yuan sez we're already on that road. When Saudia Arabia joins in, and adds Au/Ag to that list, how long will the petrodolla hold out? I'll be generous and say 30 daze!
ussa stuck in afpak forever, and vlad`the'hammer will scrub the, emperors 'CSAR' combat search and rescue permission granted... no-moar! uzbekistan and tajikistan for the northern alliance (NA), are now awol... pOOf, and its on!
btw, the saudi's and china influence pakistan, while pakistan has a great deal of something special (like a getaway, mucho monies, ammo and weapons, from SASinoUsa?) over the afghanistan's taliban (mujahideen), which are about to have a civil war once again with the pashtun's from northern afghanistan.
this will spill over into iran. most likely, india could get sucked in the mess being great friends with russia.
so what's the ussa to do? leave afghanistan for good-- too its own devices, so to say and allow russia and china the opportunity to build up their transit-infrastructure pipelinistan, while the ussa gets bogged down once again in iraq for the umpteen tyme.
will isis[l]make a deal with qatar if shiekh bandar gets ussa approval and call off the dogs? or will erdogan's turkey get torn to shreds, or better said mr. erdogan gets shredded! either way erdogan is in a bad spot. turkey, being NATO's 2nd largest military and the USSA's goto top-spy`guy in the ME, feigning his non-secretarian altitude? while the Gulen Movement replacement panel in 'foggy bottom 'tyme`stamp'd-postmordem?', prepares a morsi/ maliki in the name of chaotic`Screed[umb]?!?
all in all this is not good for the long winter and something is gonna have to give. whether the ussa starts shit in the caucasus, xinjiang, lebanon, or syria-- there's a bad-moon rising...
If this were China, who have a history of shooting their mouths off first, then I would not conclude the following. But it's not, it's Russia.
Russia has concluded that the age of the USA Empire is coming to an end, and that it is time to force the issue and that Russia can withstand a little discomfort during the realignment. It's better to do this on your terms, and Russia is calling the terms. USA wants to cut Russia off? NP. China has tens of trillions of Euros or equivalent. 25% of the world's manufacturing base, lots of cheap labour, and lots of technology stolen from everyone else. And a huge market that's growing for everything energy included.
The USA is creating an alliance that stretches from the Baltic Sea to Pacific Ocean, 1.6 billion people, 20% of the world's economy, most of the Eurasian land mass, and all the rest.
Russia has access to all the cash, loans and markets it needs in China.
This sentence in future history books is going to be a real laugher.
"The Americans actually still believed they could control world affairs. The next 8 years proved them tragically wrong."
Do Russia banks loan money?
I wonder if they have a printing press there?
WTF? Two US-Senators start new jobs at Russian Gazprombank in Moscow.
http://soprweb.senate.gov/index.cfm?event=getFilingDetails&filingID=6837...
breaux and lott lobbyist for ruusian gasprombank
WFT2
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/09/02/15450/russian-bank-hires-two-former-us-senators
thanks for link, amazing, had to check it out-- dividing and conquering?
tx*> louisiana>mississippi
Directive 1,2,3,4, Imposition of Sanctions against
Iran, whoops Russia
If you have oil
all this is meaningless
Europe needs oil
USD is to weak
nobody trusts usa
smell a boomerang coming Big Time
Sanctions countersanctions its all fun till some one pokes their eye out.
War is the natural extention of economics.
Delay of war is only to the advantage of your enemy.
So lets pull a new nuke out of the lab and smoke some ships in the Black Sea
Face it money games don't win wars