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Russia's Modest Proposal To Greece: "Exit Europe And We Will Lift The Food Import Ban"
It has not been a good week for Greece: first we learned that its treasury has run dry as Greece have stop paying all taxes ahead of the elections (and likely after), making further reforms virtually impossible as the government simply does not have the cash to promote economic changes; then we found out that first two then all four of the largest Greek banks have submitted Emergency Liquidity Assistance requests to the ECB to preserve liquidity in light of a deposit run that is picking up pace. And yesterday, adding insult to injury, Spiegel leaked that while seeking preapproval from Merkel for his QE program to be announced next week, Draghi told the Germans that Greek bonds won't be among the securities monetized by the ECB.
It almost makes the Greeks wonder what's the point of staying in the Eurozone and keeping the Euro if all it leads to is 50% youth unemployment, 25% total unemployment, and unprecedented pain and suffering as a result of the internal devaluation that will continue indefinitely since Greece, courtesy of the Euro, is unable to engage in an external one.
Of course, the Greek population will be able to voice its opinion next Sunday when it holds general elections, which will almost surely be won by Tsipras who has threatened on numerous occasions to renegotiate the Greek bailout, something Germany has made quite clear is not a topic for debate, and that a Grexit is assured if Greece thinks it can hold Europe hostage with threats of Eurozone collapse.
And just to make things interesting, overnight Russia told a beleaguered Greece, and specifically its hurting farmers, that it "may lift its ban on food imports from Greece in the event it quits the European Union" according to Russian Minister of Agriculture Nikolai Fyodorov who spoke in Berlin on Friday.
“If Greece has to leave the European Union, we will build our own relations with it, the food ban will not be applicable to it,” Fyodorov said as reported by Tass.
In other words, Russia has casually thrown out feelers to Greece (and any other peripheral European country) and given it the option of joining the greater Russian sphere of influence (because the USSR 2.0 and satellites is still not trademarked), should it decide that 5 years after the first Greek "bailout" things for the country caught in an endless depression are as good as they will get with a bunch of Goldman bankers in charge.
Fyodorov also said that European Union countries, which felt discomfort from the slump in proceeds from exports of foods to Russia, were asking Russia to cushion the impacts of the Russian food import ban by expanding other types of imports. “We are looking at such possibility,” he said, adding that these countries offer new formats of cooperation in those areas that are not covered by the Russian food sanctions.
One such format apparently is the "hint" that should the European Union finally implode after years of kicking the can, then Russia will be more than happy to pick up the pieces.
Insanity? Perhaps, but just 48 hours ago crazier things happened, when a central bank which until Monday telegraphed the rock solid determination of its monetary policy not to mention the Swiss Franc's floor, shocked the world when it became the first western bank to admit defeat in currency wars which have cost it a balance sheet the size of its GDP.
The ball is now in Greece's court.
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The Russians definitely read Zero Hedge. ;-D
The Russians definitely read Zero Hedge
If that's true, their next step should be to buy up Gold and Silver futures and make the COMEX deliver.
Would be interesting to see Russia step in to prevent a Greek fallout, and then when the Italians and Spanish see the Greek economy rebound --
Oh I am turning myself on with the thought.
Vlad's on fire this month. Gotta hand it to him.
Poor 'western' oligarchs had their media thunder stolen by the SNB this week. Now they can't ramp up MOAR WOAR over pipelines and Turkey. Too busy attending to domestic markets and the economy, the stuff that's supposed to be their usual focus.
More turmoil, please. Our oligarchs and media have had far too much time on their hands, and their idle hands are the devil's playground. How nice that they've finally found something in their own backyard that requires their full attention.
Lol, as if the Greeks are able to run an agriculture industry. Greece is a net food IMPORTER. Germany will gladly give Greece to the Russians, but, it´s sad, i don´t think the Russians are stupid enough to take them.
So why doesn't Germany cut Greece off and tell them to go to hell then. Could it be hydrocarbon deposits in the Aegean? Greece has many trump cards but just like any other country in the West their political leadership is sold out. Same with SYRIZA. If the Left was any threat to the NWO there would have been zero tolerance to leftist parties.
GrrrrEXIT, GEt The Fuck EU Out, Go With The Feckin Russians At Least You Have A Life To Live...
@ agent default
Greece is and has to be part of the EU simply because our Anglo-American overlords want it that way. And not because anybody in the EU really wants them. All this is part of the `Murican longing for total world domination.
Rush and Beck were doing hit job after hit job on Russia this week. The neo(zio)cons must be getting nervous.
Or thristy for war...
Remember, it was the RUSSIANS who liberated Greece from the Nazis in WW II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Greece_during_World_War_II
And so it's no surprise the Russians are doing the same thing today basically!
Greece and Russia have had good relations since:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece%E2%80%93Russia_relations
The Russians even use the Greek alphabet.. more or less..!
DA!
And the Russians would love to vacation in sunny Greece and enjoy some really good food!
I'm going out to shoot my 1952 Tula SKS in hopes for the second Greek liberation from Germany
The orthodox churches are simpatico, too.
Why shouldn’t Greece get the aid and support that Ukraine foolishly declined?
Tyler Durden is Putin himself.
....and Greece is just a short sail across the Med to the Soviet base in Syria. I bet the Russians would love to have another Mediterranean base under the belly of Europe.
Which round of the chess match is this, anyway?
It boggles my mind when these two ENTERTAINER's move so many people. Both and for that matter any main media type pander to their following.
The problem is what does Greece do after they leave the EU? The only thing keeping that country running are the handouts from the EU... so what happens when it stops? Is selling fruits to the Russians going to replace that? Years of corrupt politicians enriching thier own bank accounts, Goldman cooking of the books with a wink and a nudge from Germany to loan money that there was no way they were going to be able to pay back. The Greeks are in a black hole, there is no way they can grow to pay back their debts to the West. Stop paying and default and they get cut off completely with the "aid". The West already took their gold and sold off the country's profitable assets... game over. The thinking from Greeks I talk to is "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't".
The chickens have come home to roost... there are no good options.
Did you read the article? That was the external devaluation they were talking about. In other words, exit the EU and put everything on sale. Labor, goods and services... you know....compete.
No, I got it.
Labor, goods and services... you know....compete. ---- Sounds good, you make it sound as if Greece actually makes something other than olive oil or revenue from tourism. Did you catch my point about the gold being gone and profitable gov't assets already sold off? They will be cut off from capital markets in the West, and have no valuable collateral if they move to Eastern creditors.
Not quite that easy as "you know... compete".
edited to add: Never mind. Payne said it down thread, earlier.
Because Nord Stream and Yamal can't satisfy all of the EU's needs, Greece has a real opportunity to start earning some sweet gas transit fees. It's the perfect 'job,' even for a country with a stereotypically Mediterranean attitude towards work; just sit there and let the payments roll in.
Ok, point taken.
However, sticking it out with the EU will lead to a slow ruin. They are at the end of that road already. Striking out on their own without much in the way of hard assets doesn't mean they don't have some cards to play. They do have a strategic location that would be very appealing to the Chinese/Russians. Weren't the Greeks big into shipping not too long ago? whatever became of that? They could revive that industry for example....They don't necessarily have to produce goods. They can transport them, similar to what Turkey is doing with energy from the east. The Netherlands makes cheese and wooden clogs, but that is not what made them what they are today. They are a transit hub for Northwestern Europe. They got shit for land, but a good location and they made the best of it over the centuries.
In the immediate aftermath of bailing from the EU, they'd have to get creative and do something like the SU-24 deal with Argentina. Who knows what kind of deals they would/could make, but I am sure that they will be fine, or at least they will do much better than what they are stuck with now.
You say that if they default, then they get "cut off" like that's a bad thing.
A government that can't borrow money is one with a balanced budget. The only one, I might add.
230bn EUR debt taken over by Russia? This is just a distraction.
You're not right. There are no handouts from EU. In reality this "equality" unprotects national economies and finances. You can see the outcome - strong become lords and weak become slaves. Billions to "bailout" debt suffering Countries end up in the banks of the Creditors. Vicious circle.
Germany need kick Merkel to hell...
.
I am sure that Russia would love another Naval base in the Med just to piss off NATO and the US and If Russia dangled the carrot, cheap gas,export opportunities and tourism , it would give Greece the chance to break away from the clutches of the Banksters.
Nat Gas from Gasprom is supposed to terminate at the Border of Greece and Turkey for redistribution to Europe. Military base would be nice sure. Pipelines better ?
But what about the US Navy Base on Crete at Souda Bay?
Will the Russians set up right next door?
And what about Greece's Nato Membership, will they be kicked out of the club?
I agree. But with regards to Nato mebership you should ask why Turkey is still in.
To answer your question, joey...
What about them?
But what about the US Navy Base on Crete at Souda Bay?
Will the Russians set up right next door?
And what about Greece's Nato Membership, will they be kicked out of the club?
But what about the US Navy Base on Crete at Souda Bay?
Will the Russians set up right next door?
And what about Greece's Nato Membership, will they be kicked out of the club?
Old Right Wingers, anti-communists and assorted middle class in Greece have changed their tune.
When they saw the Russian tourists, they were surprised at their appearance. The russians did not look as they were painted by the old Oligarchy Propaganda, as Anti Christian and such like. Actually they saw them enter their churces as Orthodox faithful and NOT as tourists. That was a game changer. They do see though the other Westerners as Pure tourists and nothing else.
Souda Bay can be closed very quickly, the Cretans do not need other Greeks to come to help, they are awash with guns and they have the S300 on Crete. They are helping the other Greeks though.
It WOULD be funny if GRE and TRK - BOTH Leave NATO thanks to RUS' Business Deals.
/
You Moron, If the Greeks have enough olive oil , and they do, they can keep for ages. No need for sick Beef from Germany Holland and Belgium or sick milk.
No need for German cars. The Koreans are cheaper. Not to mention the Japanese.
White goods also Koreans. The Italians are just biting at the bit, to get the fuck out of the Euro.
If the Greeks have enough fuel, Here comes Russia they can fish (Net Exporter, look it up) all day long to feed themselves. For 4 months in the summer, you only need tomatoes and Feta cheese and olive oil.
You Moron The Greeks do not need you, YOU Need THEM.
Maybe they are, but economy isn't just about exports. It is mathematically impossible to make every country an exporter. If Greeks can grow some fruits more efficiently than everyone else, then they can exchange some of their fruit for something else. So, while they would be a net importer of food, some of the food they produce would be exchanged for goods that can not be produced locally. If they were to abandon the euro, their new currency, assuming Greek central bank does not interfere, would reach such an exchange rate so it would represent Greek's economy efficiency relative to other economies. Actually, being a southern country, Greece needs much less energy than northern countries. They do have a problem with fresh water. They could cut taxes to a minimum, cut socialist policies so as to lessen the overhead on businesses, finance the budget deficit on a loan from Russia until Greek's economy recovers. It could be a barter scheme - Russia gives Greece a loan, Greece gives Russia an island for a nice naval base (assuming Russia needs one). No one needs to take Greece, Greece can handle itself, it only needs to get out of EU's tight hands around her neck, and do trade with other countries that benefit both parties.
"Vlad's on fire this month."
Vlad: "I'm baaack!"
Vlad never left.
Putin 2016!!!
and you honestly think this will happen without a war ?
Who would fight this war ? You think NATO would make war on Greece ? .. nope won't happen.
ISIS vs. 300 Spartans.
Bring it on!
This will not happen because the Greek political system is sold out. Unless Russia decides to play dirty like the US, blatantly stirring unrest, it is not happening. Not that I would mind the KGB/FSB giving the CIA a dose of heir own medicine in their own turf.
Wouldn't that be awesome? To hire rebels to overthrow greece's jew mafia political system? What would it take for the people of america to gain control again of their country? Real simple answer....... JUST LET THEM KNOW THE FUCKING TRUTH of who has completely hijacked our country and destroyed it on purpose. Yes, Israel did 911 to help the greater israel project. They wanted war on muslims and everyone around them but they couldn't do that without the full support of america so how to get that? Stage a false flag huge event to change every american's perception in favor of jews and israel. Just like the holo to exploit. Same thing. 42 million people died in ww2 yet only the jews matter? US Liberty.... Lavon affair. Jews DOMINATED the slave trade and then erased themselves from the history books and blamed it ALL on white american's and then exploited to the max with slavery movies..... covering up all the thousands of black on white murders, crimes..... you get the picture. Well, the jew is behind 100% of that. All America needs is to be told the truth but it's kinda hard when the jew has hijacked 100% of our media and everything else that gives information, which is all false information.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/report-netanyahu-says-9-11-terror-attacks-go...
Russia doesn't have the money to support all these people. However, what they can offer is trade that might result in modest improvement for them. However, the empire and its Vampire Squid lackeys would not take this lightly. Very chaotic outcome, likely war if enough of the periphery join them.
The best thing they could do is use their Foreign reserves for that purpose.
#China is the one whom has direct access to the FED discount window...that's their Job, while #Russia and the remaining #Briiics runs interference.
Unfortunately per the fine print the COMEX can deliver in fiat.
True the COMEX can deliver in cash but a large delivery request that gets settled in cash and then advertized loudly in the world press is against the COMEX and the west's interests. It will bring attention to the default of the REQUEST.
But the world press is controled by the elite so no loud advertizing?
exchanges can not deliver at all...
change the rules
ask the Hunts
but then Russia is not the Hunts...
Did I read that right - they stopped paying taxes? Sign me up!!!
Did I read that right - they stopped paying taxes? Sign me up!!!
Worth saying twice!
Worth upvoting you twice too!
Yeah, but they don't have the resources an IRS has to make you pay.
Here, let me,fix that: "Yeah, they don't have the thugs, regulations and garnishment an IRS has to make you pay.
God, that Koskinen guy, is the perfect example and face of what the IRS is: Evil, drenched in power and arrogant as fuck. Just watching him testify in Congress pissed me off. He's got the same evil little red eyes as Zuckerberg.
How you make them deliver?
Russians dont buy paper Gold ... they only buy the real thing.
Great. The Russians read ZeroHedge.
Ordinary Russians have seen their purchasing power drop by half. So they should buy gold and silver.
I'm sure the Greeks would rather they buy olives and yogurt. Probably the working class too. Not many calories in gold and silver.
you assume too much
simply not true about purchasing power..
some imports
not essentials
You mean that US stuff costs more?
They get tropical foods from the BRIIC countries, with whom they have direct agreements, and the Chinese "Walmart/Costco/Target" cargo arrives faster and cheaper by rail than ships.
More and more people and countries are waking up and getting fed up with the Empire and its Troopers.
Drink much Kool Aid?
And the Russians would be interested in killing the petrodollar from which they benefit so handsomely because why?
Dangling the carrot... Stay in the EU and keep taking it up the arse, or join the Eurasian Customs Union and have a chance at survival... Sounds appealing...
"Stay in the EU and keep taking it up the arse ..."
Or join the Eurasian Union and take it deeper in the arse and every other body cavity.
Russians are not the savior!!
Sometimes you don't need a savior. You just need your next meal.
As if anyone actually saw Putin as a Savior. Once again in history there is no saving left to do, only crushing and destroying. Put is not a Savior, but boy, i wish he was more of a destroyer! And just like me so many others fed up with the status quo welcome all the "sensible destruction" that man is the symbol of. That's how bad we want this to end. And sooner rather than later!
schöpferische Zerstörung: Creative destruction: Schumpeter's gale
Rootin' for Putin.
orez65
No one here is claiming "Russians are the savior(s)".
However, you are correct that Greece may suffer if it attempts to quit the EU
(and/or NATO).
But the cause for suffering would not be from Russia, but instead from the US, EU, and NATO.
Expect any such move by Greece to be painted as new Russian "aggression"
designed to "annex" Greece and be countered by
some NATO/Gladio/Nuland intervention along with all kinds of sanctions.
Sadly, expect any move by Greece to obtain equitable or even reasonable terms of trade and finance to be met with the same fury that was unleashed upon Ukraine by the US-sponsored coup.
Putin is not testing the water, Putin is now the drawing the red lines and is saying to NATO/US " Come on if you think you are hard enough" . HE has made a move on Turkey and Greece won't be the last.
Russians are not the savior!!
What do you care? Like you give a shit about the Greeks. Anything is better than the depression they are in and this is as much about Russia as it is about Greece. The notion that Russia offers an alternative is mind blowing to the NWO, you know, the guys who sign YOUR paycheck.
Who cares who the savior is when you're hungry and someone offers you a meal?
The same crowd presents social anarcy as an altertanive to taxation without representation.
Relax. No one needs to save anyone. What Greeks need is mutually beneficient trade agreements, and a currency that could measure the efficiency of their economy. Competition lowers prices, efficiency raises salaries.
#Keyser "...dangling the carrot..."
"Europe" has been applying the carrot and stick theory to Greece for quite some time : "Here's a carrot - now go stick it up your arse!" So yes, the Russian alternative would be appealing.
Wheres James Fucking Taylor when you need him?
EU, 'you gotta friend' indeed! White House response: Mobilize the 'Folk Song Army' and go all Tom Lehrer up in this bitch!! Ready, Aim, Sing!
Wracking my brain, I havnt seen anything that gay since poor Jimmy Osmond had to dance around dressed like Uncle Sam singing "Im A Yankee Doodle Dandy" in the 1976 Osmond Bicentennial special!!
Why didn't Kerry bring Cat Stevens for the little sing along?
Agreed, 'Peace Train' would have been apropo...followed up by 'King of Trees' in Kerrys honor...mohammedjusef my ass!
This was the dog and pony show, not the Cat and the Horse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82Xh0j_Mf24
Cat Stevens? Pfuuh... That's Yusuf Islam to you, mister.
I thought it was "Yank my doodle it's a dandy".
YC you have a busy day Thursday? Hope you did well
It was pretty mundane actually. Any sane trader wouldn't have touched the CHF with a 50' barge pole 2 years ago.
I'm sort of sitting on the sidelines right now. I know the $usd is going to tank... Then I'll start defining some risk in the F/X markets.
Two years ago I almost went short on CHF, but at that time I was afraid this would happen. So I did well on this.
Oh, and I am going long EUR/USD when 1,10 is reached. Because ever FX trader including his dog is short.
The West is not wining the boxing match, judges score cards has Russia ahead by many points
Not sure how many rounds this bout is going to have but who has the strength to see it through to it's end.
Of course there will be other bouts but Russia is up for this tiltle belt
Corection: Zerohedge is psy-ops website of Russian GRU, its foreign military intelligence. Or did you really think only CIA does those???
whatever....
I think it's mostly americans disgusted with their .gov that expect Russia to be a threat against the american status quo, not a blog run by GRU
If that were true, they'd start "gold for BTUs" soon.
The banksters need to repay us.
They have read Golden Dawn's manifesto.
..and the leftiws coming to power were never into the West either.
Stiff the West and join the Eurasian block
Amen to that.
Fuck the EU and its oligarchs. Putin, we're coming home baby.
The cat's amongst the pigeons. This is really starting to get interesting.
Not gonna happen. The majority of Greeks want to keep the Euro and stay in the EU - which simply means that they are broken people. They are not getting off their knees anytime soon.
It's sad but I think you are right. If they can make such bold step, Greece would never have come to this stage.
Very true. Only 1/3 people have used (ever, I think) the internet in Greece. So one can imagine how out of touch 2/3 of the people are with reality after listening only to MSM for their news. The major channels on Greek tv talk about exit from the euro as if it will bring on the apocalypse.
You never can tell: Freedom is another word for nothing left to lose.
https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/yanis-varoufakis-j-luis...
This Fucking Turd (Baroufakis) is owned by SOROS.
The Greeks aren't broken people. The smart and hardworking ones used to immigrate to the US, work their asses off opening/running 24 hr diners and make a good living providing decent food.
You are right Coke.
..but in a volatile time like this , a lot of 'accidents' can happen.
why is there no "IT'S ON LIKE DONKEY KONG" picture with this story?
maybe it's Tetris?
1st Turkey.
2nd Greece.
3rd Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and then to Hungary and Austria.
Russians aren't playing chess. They are playing dominos and winning.
Not forgetting Serbia
Russia and China have big plans for Greece and Central/Eastern Europe. The Chinese are planning to build in 2017 a new bullet, high speed rail link from Piraeus, Greece via Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary Cosco, the big Chinese shipping firm has a 35 year concession on land in Piraeus.
Recently the Chinese premier made the first official visit to Belgrade, Serbia formerly Yugoslavia in over 35 years .While he was in Belgrade he opened a new Chinese constructed bridge over the Danube river which cost over $170 million dollars.
It is interesting to recall that the US air force “accidentally “ bombed the Chinese Embassy there during the Serbian war in the late 1990s.
Turkey is allowing a gas line to be built. NATO made a blunder by not allowing Turkey to become a formal NATO country, so Turkey turned a little friendly to Russia. As part of the France false flag a target appeared to be put on Turkey. The leaders of Turkey noticed and THIS has scared the hell out of them and is moving them to Russia.
But, how has Turkey been taken? How many NATO or US bases are in Turkey, how many covert training centers are in Turkey, how many covert and ISIS type troops are in Turkey? How many military installations does Russia have in Turkey? Turkey is allowing a pipeline in hopes of being more important to the EU and to make money. Turkey has not been taken, the pipeline (not Russia) could give Turkey some protection and independence.
Russia offers to end sanctions if Greece leaves the EU and so many on ZH are acting like Greece has been taken from the EU. I guess Putin could just offer the same to France and all here would claim Putin just took France (or Germany). Nothing has happened.
How many NATO bases/facilities are in Greece. Does not the US have a very imortant naval base on an island of Greece? How many military installations does Russia have in Greece?
Greece is also different than Turkey. The EU/NATO and especially the US/Massod do not care so much if the country of Greece descends into civil war and chaos and will effect this before Greece leaves the EU. The military bases will remain and be protected. Turkey needs to remain orderly due to the passage of ships. If Greece does leave the EU the powers in the EU/US/Massod will use Greece as an example and totally destroy it with internal covert actions (including a new breed of terrorism on European soil) and with all sorts of santions and moves to isolate Greece economically and financially.
Now that Russia may have abandoned it's Ukraine pipeline we will see how Putin reacts this spring when the new offensive begins against the east. If Putin cannot even take East Ukraine forget about actually taking Greece, Bulgaris, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Austria. However, Putin may get these countries to unite within the EU and become and irritant to Germany and France by demanding more from the richer countries.
Greece, this is your 2nd chance. Not many nations get a 2nd chance. Fuck the EU with non elected, know it all, charlatans fuckwits.
motherfucking seriously
Hey Panic Mode! I know you..., you're Nigel Farage! See you down the pub later.
All right Vlad, either your reading my posts on ZH, or I'm reading your mind.
I'm available for private consulting, for a modest fee, in gold.
I have a few ideas about how to resolve the Turk/Greek situation if you're interested ?
Fuck that! Vlad -- I'll give you consulting FOR FREE!
Scab.
Pandering or undercutting won't open that door. The name of the game is trust (or the six degrees of Vladimir Putin). Neutrality (and not just Swiss neutrality) has its benefits, at least until the shit is flying from the fan and I have to side with whomever least offends my morality and ethics (and I deem most likely to support, or least likely to infringe upon the rule of law). In the mean time Sergey N. knows how to reach me offline (when I'm not pissing in his territory in SE Asia) if they want an introduction to anyone here.
The secret to Swiss neutrality has always been intermarriage with its neighbors, plus the dominant
hegemon.
Many Russian and Chinese brides over there right now ?
Plenty of brides and grooms. The tricky part is always not pushing things to the point that one burns bridges with the "other" in-laws - but as long as everything is above board and relatively out in the open - even the Americans don't usually get puritanical about adultery in Europe.
And I always thought it was their arsenal buried deep within the Alps with the not so camouflaged industrial garage doors.
Back up in case of divorces.
ROFL
Now I'm really confused.
I thought that's why the citizens were armed to the teeth.
To bypass the judicial system.
does the offer stand for state of Virginia?
if so, i'll lead the secession effort
The bluegrass is with ya
Bell, if you think Virginia is bad, try Maryland:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/maryland-couple-want-free-range-kids-but-not-all-do/2015/01/14/d406c0be-9c0f-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html
The Russians are a clever and determined bunch; they taught Hitler a lesson or two...
Russians can be very clever
and not scared of much
Genius move by Russia. This olive branch ensures the Grexit is iminent. Also don't count on QE in EU happening, the depreciating Euro combined with TPP style trade pact is the structural solution that Draghi is holding out for.
Of course he will QE - that's the only page in the play book, they have no other options - just like Yellen, they're in a corner
there will be QE ... of sorts
but, alas, not the "all in" Mr Market wants
Russia is not only the biggest gas supplier in the world, it is the top pipeline constructor in the world. The project to and through Turkey can happen fairly quickly. If it needs bankrolling, China is always available for a piece of the action.
This is geopolitics at its finest art form. Putin isn't wielding a oil and gas weapon. He is using a geopolitical stratagem.
This repositions several countries away from EU to Eurasia/Russia. It pulls Turkey and Greece into a new alignment. It will estrange the southern and southeastern EU nations from Brussels. The northern EU nations and some Eastern EU nations (all vassals) have started the war in Ukraine and perpetuate the sanctions.
Putin just hit them with a subterranean vortex. And as we all know: Putin never alters course once he moves.
EU will be paying double for gas from other sources. Their economies will be crippled by higher production costs for all their internally produced goods and services. All this while they live in cold buildings and learn to wash their clothes, their dogs and themselves in cold water.
"Don't poke the bear". They should print that on their funny money euros.
strategy at its finest
and troika has no moves (up to now) that don't ultimately lead to enrichment of banksters from core countries
will this force renegotiation of debt? ... or risk "Good bye"?
got popcorn?
"You didn't make that, someone else did"...
"Russia doesn't make anything"....
Americans (productive ones) and Russians both invalidated.
"And of all things on earth the Marxist hates the Kulak the most"
Count Your Dead They Are Alive Wydham Lewis 1937
All of these steps so far by Russia are designed with the precision of a nuclear poison pill.
The floating of the idea of a Grexit is a signal that the Euro would be relieved to be rid of Greece at this point. Picture Greece as a spoiled brat and Merkel the doting but exasperated parent. The EU would love nothing more than to do a modern redux of the Grimm's fairy tale and to accidently lose Greece somewhere out in the woods, if only it could get away with it.
All Russia has to do is to keep repeating the rosiest of promises to Greece, while bad-mouthing Merkel's efforts -- which isn't so hard since the EUs recent efforts have certainly not been bringing any instant gratification to Greece. But hey! Brussels was okay with letting Greece in, even at the cost of outright financial fraud orchestrated by Goldman Sachs. If that wasn't enough to kick Greece out, then one can't even imagine any wrong that Greece could do that would get it thrown out. This established the pattern of rewarding Greece's bad behavior. Little Greece can whine, stomp its feet, throw a tantrum and eventually mama Merkel will hand over her keys, some cash and a probably even a few liters of booze.
These moves by Russia are setting the stage for the insolvency of the Euro. Either way that the Euro moves now, it will do so at a loss.
Russia's plans in Ukraine make sense when viewed under this particular lens. It's obvious that a lot of thought went into these plans.
It's their turn to buy the USTs.
"This olive branch ensures the Grexit is iminent."
Don't bet on it. Whilst the Greeks have a closer culture to the East than West, there'll be a lot of pressure and backroom deals by the EU/Berlin to buy them off and stay inside the EU Death Vortex, slowly spinning out of control.
And by them you mean the elite in Greece. They will do what is in their best interest and will sell out Greece and the people of Greece. Just as they have been doing for many years. The corruption within Greece is more transparent due to Greece being poorer than many of the other EU nations.
What works best for the elite in Greece? Their associations with Russia or selling out their people to europeans and making deals with european bankers that may destroy Greece further but secures what they have?
"And by them you mean the elite in Greece."
Quite so. Power is polarising and being concentrated in the hands of a tiny number of ruling elites, oligarchs if you will, in Greece and elsewhere. We are marching towards a totalitarian society.
It will not end well.
Aren't Russia and Greece both Orthodox Christians?
I believe their orthodoxy is different.
Loosers Unite
We baklava'd some folks...
"(because the USSR 2.0 and satellites is still not trademarked)"
Ab-so-friggin-lutely! I can't believe this was printed out of ZH!
What'd you guys do, fire somebody?
(because the USSR 2.0 and satellites is still not trademarked) – Tyler Durden
But yes, it is trademarked, by implied association. Credit should be given where credit is due – to Yatsenyuk, i.e., Arseniy Petrovych Yatsenyuk (Yats), Jewish Prime Minister of Ukraine, following the 2014 US-financed coup d’etat that removed Viktor Yanukovych from power.
“During an appearance on the German State-owned TV channel ARD on January 8, 2015, Ukrainian PM Arseny Yatsenyuk interpreted the advance of Soviet troops via the German occupied Ukraine and toward the German capital Berlin in 1945 as “the USSR’s attack on Ukraine and Germany”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German government officials wouldn’t comment on Yatsenyuk’s view of history.” – New Eastern Outlook
http://journal-neo.org/2015/01/14/yatsenyuk-s-ukrainian-his-story-and-merkel-s-sound-of-silence/
Actually, I can agree with the "already trademarked" assertion JR, but I would think that the credit for "USSR 2.0"goes to Anatoly Golitsyn.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/213346777/1978-Golitsyn-Memo-Long-Range-Objectives-of-the-Soviet-Leaders-from-The-Perestroika-Deception
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/01/did_communism_fake_its_own_dea.html
Anatoliy Golitsyn could not have anticipated the position and nationalism of a man like Putin when he wrote New Lies for Old in 1984 and The Perestroika Deception in 1997.
As for Bolshevik communism taking over the world via Russia as outlined in New Lies for Old, its core of operation and control is now located in New York City.
And as for the claim of Perestroika Deception, it appears now it was a NATO deception: we were the deceivers.
The banker empire dramatically lied about the key provision regarding NATO in the Four Power Agreement allowing unification of Germany.
Gorbachev has repeatedly and angrily pointed out that the agreement for Russia, Britain, France and the US to allow the German unification to proceed included a promise that NATO would not expand farther into the Eurasian region. Of course, this was later denied by Robert Zoellick of the World Bank; an obvious lie because if Russia did not get this guarantee, written or unwritten, the bankers got everything from the German agreement and Russia, nothing.
The scholar Stephen F. Cohen asserted in 2005 that a commitment was given that NATO would never expand further east.
No one can imagine Gorbachev agreeing to such terms allowing banker aggression into the Russian zone of influence.
Exactly which side Golitsyn was working is somewhat irrelevant in the broader context.
In order for his claims not to be outright dismissed in the West by TPTB... what must be true about the military industrial complex and the capabilities of the intelligence services with respect to their influence in USSA?
If one wants to delve into whether the chicken or the egg came first with respect to the USSR... who knows, does it really it matter, or actually change the existing course of nations?
It seems to me that "the banker empire", as you astutely call it, functions now as an extension of the former USSR v1.0.
Every major western cultural institution in existence (and hence all major western cultures) has been subverted into self-hating unsustainable shells of their former selves. This happened, in large part by the astounding effectiveness of Soviet subversive agents throughout the early and middle 20th century. Now, our subversion is self-sustaining, and inward looking as well as culturally imperialist.
The big fight now is not about which countries will prosper and dominate. It is about which gangsters will rule the world by controlling its resources, including what people are allowed to think and do with their lives. USSR 2.0
Trade and honest relations between countries and regions should not be misinterpreted as empire control. The Soviet Union, centrally controlled, was a military power and its satellite countries had no freedom of trade at all.
And now this centralized military power looks more like NATO with countries such as Poland being forced under its wing militarily and politically. To use the context of the USSR under Stalin in any reference to today’s Russia is European Central Bank propaganda.
The bottom line: The Russian Federation wants to operate with trade and negotiations within its zone of influence; the Goldman Sachs West wants political and military control over all resources up to the Russian border and in its next phase, onto Moscow.
If you take away "SS" from the USSR, what really is the objection?
The Ukraine has been cut off from Russian gas, Turkey is the new southern transit country. Russia/Turkey can play some real hard-ball by opting to transit via Bulgaria instead of Greece to Europe.
Leverage.
This development makes it more likely Germany will be forced to Ben Dover.