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Putin's Unexpected Victory: Europe Furious That Greece Is Now A Russian Sanctions Veto
Two days ago, Zero Hedge first, and shortly thereafter everyone else, pointed out something stunning: the biggest surprise to emerge so far out of the new anti-Troika/austerity Greek government was not so much its intention to proceed with the first test of "Odious Debt" - this was largely known in advance - but its dramatic pivot away from Germany and Europe, and toward Russia.
As we noted before, not only has Greece already blocked all ongoing privatization processes, a clear snub of Merkel and the Troika which demands the piecemeal blue light special sale of Greece to western buyers as part of the "bailout", but is also looking at plans to reinstate public sector employees and announce increased pensions for those on low incomes: further clear breaches of the Troika's austerity terms.
But the most important message that Tsipras is sending to Europe is that (after meeting the Russian ambassador first upon his election) Greece is now effectively a veto power when it comes to future Russian sanctions!
This was first hinted when the Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, who arrives in Brussels today to discuss possible additional sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, said a few days ago that the Greek government disagreed with an EU statement in which President Donald Tusk raised the prospect of “further restrictive measures” on Russia. As Bloomberg observed before, in recent months, Kotzias wrote on Twitter that sanctions against Russia weren’t in Greece’s interests. He said in a blog that a new foreign policy for Greece should be focused on stopping the ongoing transformation of the EU “into an idiosyncratic empire, under the rule of Germany.”
And Europe, shocked that one of its own has dared to question its "unanimous" policy toward Russia, a policy driven by the US foreign state department whose opinion of Europe is best captured by the hacked and intercepted "Fuck the EU" outburst by Victoria Nuland in February 2014, has been forced to backtrack. From DPA:
The European Union denied Wednesday that it ignored Greek objections when it issued a statement raising the prospects of new sanctions against Russia.
The row is the first of several clashes expected between Brussels and Greece's new prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, who was elected Sunday on promises to renegotiate the bailout granted to Greece by its European neighbours and the International Monetary Fund.
Tsipras has in the past also spoken out against sanctions on Russia, rejecting the use of "Cold War language."
The EU has imposed several rounds of sanctions on Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis, notably economic measures restricting Russian access to European credit markets and European exports. On Tuesday morning, EU leaders in a joint statement tasked their foreign ministers with considering "further restrictive measures" when they meet on Thursday.
But Tsipras complained to Greek media that his country had not been consulted on the statement. "Greece do not consent," a statement by Tsipras' office said on Tuesday evening, adding that the announcement from Brussels violated "proper procedure."
A spokesman for EU President Donald Tusk, who issued the statement on behalf of the leaders, denied that Athens had been sidelined during the preparation of the text.
"We consulted everybody, as we always do, and we didn't ignore or sidestep Greece in any way - quite to the contrary," Preben Aamann told dpa. "We tried to find a special solution that would accommodate them."
Actually what the EU "always does" is to ignore the voices and interest of everyone but the most powerful. And as for "not ignoring" Greece, apparently the EU failed. Only this time Greece, its government no longer a Eurozone lackey, will no longer let it slide: "Greek broadcaster Skai said newly appointed Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias would bring up the issue at Thursday's meeting in Brussels. Tsipras is also expected in the Belgian capital on February 12 for an EU summit that will touch upon the situation in Ukraine."
And here is how Russia just won another completely unexpected victory in Europe: "EU sanctions require unanimity to be implemented, so a Greek veto could block any further measures." And all thanks to the epic blunder by Brussels to allow a European nation to voice its opinion in a democratic fashion.
It wasn't just Zero Hedge who first suggested the Greek Russian pivot: here is RBS' Greg Gibbs who says that there are now "concerns Greek government may threaten to veto further Russian sanctions in exchange for debt relief fuels fear of conflict."
To be sure, Germany, whose theatrical opposition to money printing folded like Boehner's lawn chair last week, as it is now all too clear the preservation of German export dominance (and hence aversion to the DEM) and the sanctity of Deutsche Bank is what it is all about no matter the hyperinflationary concerns of the people, is quite furious that the grand ambitions of Europe's economic powerhouse - which as we reported moments ago has now officially entered deflation - have been crushed by tiny, depression-ridden Greece.
Here is Germany's economy minister Gabriel, who was on the tape earlier, casting fire and brimstone at Greece. From Reuters:
Greece should not burden the rest of Europe with its internal political debates, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Thursday, adding that Greece's own inequalities were to blame for problems that it tried to blame on its multilateral lenders.
Gabriel told parliament Greece should stay in the euro but the new leftist leader Alexis Tsipras must respect the terms of its bailout. Greece could not blame the "troika" of multilateral lenders for its own unfair distribution of wealth, he said.
"All democratic people must respect the democratic decision of voters and a newly-elected government's right to decide its course - but the rest of Europe's citizens should not have to expect changes in Greek politics to burden them," he said.
Of course, as long as the changes in Greek politics allowed the rest of Europe's citizens to continue to benefit at Greek expense, nobody batted an eyelid. But change the equation and all hell breaks loose.
And the final confirmation that suddenly tiny Greece may have all the leverage in Europe is that moments ago Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that European sanctions on Russia are complicated by the "new Greek government."
The good news for Greece, of course, is that it now has all the optionality: it can use its veto power as a bargaining chip to unblock US foreign policy in Ukraine (because at the end of the day, Europe is merely losing as a result of the Russian sanctions) and demand a debt haircut in exchange for siding with John Kerry on further Russian "punishment." Or he may simply hold the line and hold off for a competing, better offer from Russia and the BRICs, whose leverage may be nominal now that crude is plummeting, but if and when the last shale junk bond investor blows up and the US shale renaissance is over sending crude soaring right back to $100, then watch as the oil exporters are back with a bang, and dictating geopolitical terms.
And whatever happens, please don't remind Brussels that point 40 of Syriza's 40 Point Manifesto, aka the "nuclear option", is "Closure of all foreign bases in Greece and withdrawal from NATO."
It is so bad that Business New Europe went so far as to ask if the New Greek Government is "Russia's Trojan horse inside the EU?"
In any event, the European balance of power has just shifted and in a way that nobody anticipated:
The biggest winners: if only for now: Greece and Russia (and, while it will never be admitted, all those Europeans who desperately need the Russian import market).
The biggest losers: all the unelected Eurocrats in Brussels who at this moment are scratching their heads how to bring the bad news that there is no longer unanimity on Russian sanctions to John Kerry, and all thanks to a country nobody thought would dare to speak up.
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. . . "Brussels violated proper procedure."
No they didn't. Proper procedure is to ask Goldman Sachs what its wishes are after each blow job, and carry them out. Brussels did precisely that.
Doesn't Germany actually hate the sanctions on Russia? I thought they were going along just to help the USA - no doubt they are harmful to their economy.
This may actually be good news for Germany.
Maybe they can get the USA to step up and pay off the Greek debt (guarantee it - same thing) so that Greece will not stand in the way of the Russian sanctions.
generally speaking, nobody in the EU likes the sanctions on Russia. though we hate, again generally speaking, certain things even more. and no, I'm not willing to discuss it here against a bunch of people that think that Putin is doing everything in the best way imaginable
Perhaps, but it would appear that the E.U. loves their oligarchs as well.
Let me be clear with respect to fascism/cronyism; Fuck em!
interesting. again, because one country is completely under the spell of oligarchs, then all the other must be so
I could name you a dozen American and a dozen Russian oligarchs. name me one European. does Berlusconi count, in this?
note that Murdoch's press loves to put Europe as socialist... because oligarch-unfriendly. as Tsipras' government, btw, at least the way they talk
Ghordius, you are about a myopic as my ignorant American friends.
I do business all over the world. Wake us when the E.U. starts holding people accountable for the fraud.
Oh the irony.
I thought you said you were not going to discuss anymore....
"... against a bunch of people that think that Putin is doing everything in the best way imaginable "
yes. do you want to deny that there is a bunch of ZH commenters that attack anything that even only looks like criticism of Putin?
meanwhile, some of them are the same that insist on reading "unelected EuroCrats". imo it's pandering to tastes
Nothing wrong with criticizing politicians when they do something which deserves it, and that includes Putin.
Do you want to deny that there is a bunch of ZH commenters that attack Putin for imaginary invasions, unsubstantiated rumors, actions of other people, and events which have nothing to do with him?
Do the Rothchilds count as oligarchs?
Ghordius
I see you are still peddling your myopic nonsense.
No oligarchs in Europe?
Please, give us a laugh and claim how little political influence these people have.
A PARTIAL LIST of European Billionaires (not even listing any of UK's)
http://www.forbes.com/billionaires/list/#tab:overall
France
Bettencourt
Arnault
Pinault
Drahi
Dassault
Germany
Schwarz
Otto
Klatten
Albrecht
Quandt
Schaeffler
Kuehne
Italy
Ferrero
Del Vecchio
Pessina
Spain
Ortega
Roig
Netherlands
Carvalho-Heinekin
Goldschmeding
that's billionairs, yes. of which three of them have been claimed to have political ties. it does not fit the definition of oligarch, though
Bettencourt was claimed to be too near Sarkozy, yes. btw. the German billionairs have had tax laws written on purpose to get more money out of them
of the others, none are the real political movers or shakers of EU countries politics. which just leads to the question:
if they are oligarchs in the usual sense, why aren't they billionairs, too? note Tsipras naming Greek oligarchs... which aren't billionairs or on your list
Vlad shirtless on horseback gets the wankers going.
not that there is anything wrong with that ;)
Wait, was he shirtless as a member of Russia or the Soviet Union?
Cause that of course, matters....
But you are willing to create strawmen by putting words into others' mouths then destroy them with your insulting attitude?
Why do you always focus on abstract collectives rather than the individuals you label (in this case, the ones that you're talking to)?
You need to remember to differentiate between the people of Germany and is's ass licking leaders. Just like here in the USA. Our leaders are crime bosses and We the People are their victims.........but not for much longer.
"You need to remember to differentiate between the people of Germany and is's ass licking leaders".
What ISIS are you talking about?
then what is the difference between ISIS and ISIL i never understood it ...
I don't know about Merkel. She blows hot and cold. She blasts Putin in Sidney, then offers a large economic "room" of co-operation from Lisbon to Vladivostok in Davos.
But her ministers Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Sigmar Gabriel & Wolfgang Schaube seem to favor ending the sanctions when they come up for renewal.
why would Germany be "furious?" Now they can get the sanctions (they didn't want in the first place) lifted and blame it all on Greece. They're probably jumping for joy - in a secure location where the joy cannot be viewed by a certain government. Drat those "left wing socialists!"
Exactly.
Now if China and Russia can pick up the rest of the PIIGS.
That should make the US and EU spin.
What union?
This is entertaining.
Yes, but gradually.
Syria, Crimea, Donbass and Greece is plenty burden to bear for the moment, especially with oil down.
The PIIS can wait.
Do not be fooled. Germany have had enough of the US hegemony, but cannot say so openly. German business is suffering badly and does not want more sanctions. The US could not care less about Europe, and one can only speculate why EU leaders continue to bend over to their demands. A recent energy report stated that the EU can not meet its energy needs in future years WITHOUT RUSSIAN GAS. Therefore the current strategy of antaganising Putin a every opportunity is simply insanity. Where Greece goes, others will follow.
Germany is walking a tight rope indeed because the EU is very much in favor of the US. Europe of course still needs the US for its protection so that is why European leaders support the US while that country is behind the troubles in Ukraine. Nice to have friends like that.
Agree, you need tanks to give your economic warfare some credibility. Europe is a joke militarily. Even though the US is crumbling economically, until its military is degraded by war, it will be a player at the table. Conversely, no credible military means Europe will have to suffer taking it in the ass from the US.
"Europe of course still needs the US for its protection" ....WHY?
does Switzerland need "protection"?
remove the basic assumption of "need" and many things change
which is why the need for false flag events to juice the system!
i think the europeans especially the Germans who are the smartest and most practical of the bunch - are in the early stages of acceptance of turning out the lies - may still take years - but if Russia holds the line - the old assumptions will fall away
Protection from what?
+1000 Volkodav. What exactly is this bogeyman we're supposed to so scared of as to need shit loads of money spent on arms? Russia is no threat to the EU militarily, it's armed forces don't have that kind of force projection, they don't have the capacity to project force much beyond their borders. And furthermore, under Putin, Russia has clearly demonstrated the desire to work in co-operation with Europe to the benefit of all.
This is why the US stirred up the shit in the Ukraine. They are terrified of a friendly trading bloc from Galway to Vladivostock, including China, and perhaps India. "Who controls Eurasia, controls the heartland, who controls the heartland, controls the world island, who controls the world island, controls the world"
This I bellive is the momentum of history and the US is determined to prevent it at all costs.
US staged false flag events maybe? You pay the mafia to protect you from the mafia.
Protection from the CIA-Mossad-MI6 funded terrorists! They have been proven to be a very nasty bunch.
I for one hope "others will follow".
Many of the role players in the EU are NOT elected. They are appointed and can thus not be un-elected!
EU is a profoundly undemocratic body, if democracy had much to do with it, I think EU would never have been possible.
I can't wait for it to implode.
First they will take Athens, then they will take Brussels.
Rumour has it that the new Greek government wants to propose the current EU commissioner for immigration etc. for their new president. If he accepts it will mean the Syriza can send a new commissioner. He still would need to be approved by the EP but it will stir up things.
<-- AWESOME!
<-- Fuck the EU
So everybody is saying that Greece will just send all it's bills to Russia and they will get paid. (Like long over-due pharmaceutical bills)
Russia will send pallets of Euros to the many government departments to hand out to their employees.
Russian workers will send the "13th payment" to the Greek pensioners.
Hey, even ship the Greeks free oil.
Mnnnn Not gonna happen.
Greece will be the wooden horse in the EU. It is good for the Russians to get a turn on the Europeans.
They will do anything to make Greece stay within, maybe even pay the debts.
Sleeping agent!
I can only wish them good luck, as the EU/USA behaviour is ridiculous, immoral and indefensible.
The Americans and the Europeans must be wondering why the didn't see this one coming!
Who benefits from the current system? Not the average person in Greece or EU.
Perhaps, Greece should just default and stick it to the banksters, rather than become their permanent slaves.
More likely that the future US taypayer will bailout Greece than Russia do anything beyond a token stick a pin in the West's ass.
Greece is just relishing it's "Mouse that Roared" moment.
Fundamental problems there need to be addressed
of course they are furious! why would they want ruth and clarity injected into the false narrative of 'ptuin bad' , 'nato (USA) good'..self interrested bankster policy camoed to keep zee tscherman sheep asleep. don't rock the banking boat, don't question the EU / Drahgi meme.
as much as i'm against left ideology, decentralization is a smart move by anyone trying to free themselves from tyranny.
Looks like there may be a little truth to the Ethic of Reciprocity, what goes around comes around,
Greece is absolutely correct in this. I think the one country most closely associated to beginnings of democracy is showing those in power the world over that democracy works. :) Even if they will try and wipe Greece off the face of the earth for it.
Greeks have been best Troyan horses in the history they invented them. First Samaras blackmailed EU if not receiving blow jobs he will bring Syriza to power now Syriza wants blow job 2. EU stop talking and start sucking.
Hey, let's get back to free money for stawks! More porridge, please sir?
How to bring the news to John Kerry? Try it with a cube of sugar or a carrot.
I thought you summoned Kerry by pulling on the tasseled cord and ringing the call bell...
"You rang?"
Two big things are being overlooked-
First is the historic bond between the Orthodox religions in Greece and Russia
Second is the Russian southern route through Turkey gas pipeline drops off the gas - in Greece! It would be a nice project for Russia and Greece to work on a big pipeline and distribution center.
I hope Greece signs a long term lease on one of it's islands with Russia so they can build a naval base there. Now THAT would be good for the gander!!
NATO exit produces China lease for port - commerce and military
Nothing to build. Just move into Souda Bay if US/NATO is kicked out. Loss of a deep water port and listening post.
Well played Vlad, well played...
Do I hear Spain next? Both ends of the Med taken care of then...
LMAOOOOOOOOO FUCK THE EU AND THE NWO!
I am all for Greece to get out EURO zone and ask for financial aid to Putin. Only thing is - Greece would be tojan hourse for Russia as it would sink it completly, Putin regime already cant afford Transnistria any more: http://www.neweasterneurope.eu/articles-and-commentary/1462-transnistria...
There is nothing that Greece offers to EU, it only takes from it. Let it go on it's own and see hows things going.
So what does the Ukraine offer the USA and its friends given that Ukraine is also broke?
A job for Bidens worthless son?
Prostitutes.
and especially gay nazi's into B&D.
Sunny islands and waters and beaches for sailing and vacationing, like Florida and California?
Greece will teach Brussels about Democracy! They need a refresher course
All EU countries will apply sanctions on Russia individually, that is all. And Greece will lose it's financial aid from EU and any political and other support from EU & it's citizens. Than Greece will sink only further until reality will hit angry greeks and will dispose of this nutty party that has promised stars from the sky but in reality will fail big time.
I'm curious how deep you must sink till you hit the reality. Btw, do your lords pay you well?
"All EU countries will apply sanctions on Russia individually"
Russia can then cut gas supplies to individual EU countries in a tit-for-tat arrangement.
Not sure Russia can afford to cut any gas deliveries with the RUB dropping 3% a week
Which means that the EUR-denominated gaz contracts bring in 3% more RUB per week. LOL.
In recent months Government's revenue in Russia has been increasing faster than its expenditure.
What's stopping Putin regime now? Huh? Need EU cash? :D Why Putin has not tunred off gas for so hated at least Baltic states? Huh?
Ha ha ha.. you know dog who barks is not dangerous.
.
'Latvian' who bleats is want potato.
Hard for me to imagine. Do "all Arab countries" apply sanctions to whatever Arab country is the "bad guy of the week, if you listen to the MSM"?
I, on the other hand, will wish those folks well...Your side really, really wants to see them fail, don't you? It has nothing to do with helping the Greeks, it's all about administering punishment. But "the boy" just refuses to stand still and take his whipping...
It drives you guys batshit. And that makes me smile.
This is so exciting......Nuland and Tsipras are now both in the "fuck the EU" camp. LOL.
This extreemist party in Greece goes in hands with fascist from Russia - Dugin, he is also Putins advisor.
Yes, they don't have place in EU.
http://www.neweasterneurope.eu/articles-and-commentary/1462-transnistria...
I think you meant to say that the EU has no place in Europe.
Dugin is playing facist until the time comes when he will show is true communist colors
I'm waiting for the fascists in Latvia to come clean about the Nazi concentration camp it ran outside Riga during WWII.
Yes, Latvia is just a shithole little country, a pimple on Russia's ass. The people in this pisshole country relish memories of its past in WW2 Nazism.
I think the real extremist party in Greece were the two ruling parties PASOK and NEW DEMOCRACY which allowed the extreme medicine of the EU wipe out 25% of the economy, 50% unemployment for the young, record suicides etc.
I think you need to rethink what extreemist (sic) actually means.
I'm liking you PP. +100
exactly
lots of lies and propoganda by the media all in the name of fear mongering
ND/PASOK were fascists
oooh look ,, its obummers cum bucket back again.
Tell me do you chew before you swallow
Germany!
Save yourselves from this before it's too late for you and the rest of us!
LOL...not to worry, the 2 million Muslim welfare takers in der Deutch Republik will be no match for your Achtung Juden "Superman"!
BT
Keep your eye on the ball with your pastor and "Those 4 Blood Moons"!...
The European straitjacket, administered according to US foreign policy, is feeling the pressure now that somebody is prepared to stand up and be counted against what we all know was/is a really stupid attempt to expand NATO and US interests.
Welcome to something that the European Commission won't recognise.
It's called DEMOCRACY.
Get used to it.
moving from EU facist to Russian Facist/communist is not democracy.
Having Tsipras 'Fosterized', Hillarious or Victorious N. style, would quickly restore the ongoing troika-USSA oppression:
I hope his handlers focus on the danger and protect him.
It would be the apex of hypocrisy, if there was a coup in a NATO member state and NATO supported the coupsters.
Merkel and Sigmar Gabriel are not presenting Germany at all. They are just puppets of the Neocons.
CEO's of big German companies cannot complain officially on the sanctions as they also make business with the US. And in one case I know that the CEO was even threatened that he should stay calm and should better take care of the health of his family.
I hope that Greece is stong enough to withstand the pressure which will raise for sure
Big global political moments typically occur when a little nation is the flashpoint. I'd like a non-Communist alternative to the shitshow that is Western political/macroeconomic policy to emerge . . . I'd join it.
Key word is "non-Communist" which the Rah Rah Grease cheerleaders here don't seem to grasp. We will soon find that the cure for what ails Greece will become the new illness.
Dangerous game by Tsipras, but I am wishing good luck to him,.
If the Greeks start doing this they're out of the EU.
agreed but he is playing a bad hand very well. He figures if he gets what he really wants, debt forgiveness, he is out anyway. Why not make some new friends on the way out. I cant help but think a few other EU members agre with his position. Its not just farnce that wants to end these insane sanctions.
True, but this new "friend" will exact a price as all former Soviet satellite countries found out in the 50s. Not only is Putin seeking to reconstitute the old Soviet Union but looking for new member-states as well. He may have found one.
Which comic book did you read that in?
The one that took him 3 weeks and 3 days, length of his membership on ZH. Lip Reading Illustrations can be quite time consuming, LOL>
Seriously, between Floride, GMO's, Vaccines and Chem Trails, something is dumbing most people down.
How about, Germany should not burden the rest of Europe ...
Again, for the umpteenth time, Vlad schools the West on how it's done.
www.traderzoo.mobi
gabriel misspeaks..unfair distribution of wealth...surely he doesn't mean j p morgen, goldman, commerzbank et al who must have done due dilligence before lending to the autocrats in ancient atehns.
It would not surprise me if the next Card to be played will be the Greek Military taking over again and sacking this Government and they would have a good excuse, they got the orders from John Kerry no less. We cannot have trouble makers like that running a Country.
Would like to believe we are out of the woods with the scenario circa 1967 when the Greek military junta took over courtesy of the 'usual suspects" in Washington and I believe this time is very different given the dynamics of where the U.S. and EU economies are versus 48 years ago!
No doubts whatsoever that Russia is dealing the cards this time around 48 years later....
Very interesting times we are living in!!!
Two really good reasons why Russia is the dealer this time around!
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2015/01/25/bibi-netanyahu-aka-the-...
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Jan-28/285595-russias-...
America: We're so confused... Out of money... And now out of time!!!!
I remember that. That's when Cyprus was split wasn't it?
I remember that the tv news lead the story off with the heading
'Night of the Greek Generals'
Maybe on should remind to this guy Tsipras that greeks elected him to take care of his own country and not to get involved in ussr-west conflict.
Needless to say, greece is a broken pant and has no underware, so better dont walk the streets like that. Greece is too poor to afford any mistake and as bad EU is, allows greeks to work in rich countries. If these guys return home, shit, they will have a problem.
On the other hand, let's remind tsipras that you dont spit the hand that feeds you. Putin cand feed his own fellows, but another 20 milions hungry mouths.
So...chill dudes.
"Poor" is realtive. In many ways, Greece is now the richest country in the EU.
Repudiate the criminal bankster debt, stop imports, remove internal oligarch driven, government thug supported hurdles to domestic commerce, and let the people do the rest.
The last time I checked Greece is still part of the EU who must seek concensus in any international actin like sanctions. That makes Greece more than eligible to 'get involved in ussr-west conflict', which btw is not a ussr-west conflict - perhaps your were sleeping the last 20+ years, but the USSR is no more.
oh, really?
yes, really. Welcome to 2015
Axiom
The fate of small nations goes through the doors of large powers.
Greece is nothing. Greeks will regret this soon, very soon.
Greece is too, too, too small to decide about its own fate. World does not work like that.
What Tsipras promised is a natural impossibility and he will be overthrown soon as soon as greeks see that the beautiful life he promised was a mirage.
Here are only two options greeks have:
1) Alliance with USA and Germany whicl leads to austerity
2) Alliance with Putin which leads to outright starvation.
Not a difficult choice
Is not starvation & disease the result of the GMO garbage being forced upon the worlds populace?
Bull. Greece can survive just fine on it's own.
Simon ?
or alliance with no one and everyone and playing all sides
btw there is only 1 foreign military base in Greece and it is the joint US/Greek/NATO base in Souda Bay Crete and it WON'T close.
"or alliance with no one and everyone and playing all sides"
In which case, then, Greece should take some lessons from Belarus, which swings east or west in a balancing act, depending on how good the deals are.
Thats fine tactics until Victoria Nuland gets there and installs a Neo-Faschist government as happened in Ukraine.
It won't close, correct. But it could have new tenants in the future...
I hope they run NATO's fascist stormtroopers out.
Third option: non-alignment. Many countries are non-aligned. India, for example.
India is 1+ billion population.
Greece is 10 million.
It does not have that option
Greece can offer Russia a much better naval base than Tartus, Syria.
No one is talking about the Greek citizens, left or right, and who they want to be allied with.
Who those 10 million hold responsible for their plight.
Dude, your weltanschauung is very 20th century
Harder for Greece, yes. And India is further away from Europe, which also might make it easier for India. But Vietnam is small, and next to huge China, yet nonaligned. And the Greeks have a long history. Maybe nonalignment is not probable, but I think it may be possible. And maybe it is more my hope than my expectation. I would like to see a world of many nonaligned independent States.
My friend you forget the promised land that Samaras and the EU promised the Greeks. Nobody is saying that Tsipras can take the Greeks to a beautiful life but at least he is not prepared to sit there watching his countrymen and his country sink and die under the idiotic prescriptions of Germany.
And as for your statement that "Greece is too, too, too small to decide about its own fate. World does not work like that",
all I can say is that this tiny nation has always been small but has always been able to decide its fate and for that matter the fate of the free world. Read some history before posting poorly thought out ideas.
ekm1 is in full panic mode. Cut him some slack.
His beloved NATO is crumbling.
Chill, it's the new world odor.
Written like a fascist with delusions of grandeur.
Bankster corruption driving the Greeks right into Mother Ruskas arms.
Awesome!
Greece, Spain, Portugal etc etc... are where they are because they have trade with the Euro.
The biggest con of all....whereas Germany using the same Euro is effectively trading with a 40% devalued deutschmark...the weaker least advanced economies trading with a Euro 20-40% overvalued.
The strong economies of the Euro basically sucking the growth and profit out the weaker economies. That Greece and others would end up on the floor suffocating was always inevitable.
Quite the opposite, Greece, Spain, Portugal benefited tremendously from joining the EU/Euro, they blew it and borrowed like a US Fed official crack whore but without the benefit of income and a reserve currency. This will always lead to an economic death.
Which points out the prime reason that Germany wants to keep the Eurozone from breaking up - having Greece in there is nothing but bottome line profit for them.
To blame the German economy is to blame the German people and not the real culprit which is the German banking system. These banks are closely tied to the Federal Reserve, Goldman Sachs and the Troika. It's critical that the people of Europe not be saddled with the blame when the tyrannical EU is outside the reach of the people.
We are decades awash in banker propaganda targeting the Germans.
Who uses swastikas? The Zionists. Who celebrates the Holocaust (Holocaust Remembrance Day is April 16th on your US 2015 calendar)? The Zionists. Who buys off the Congress? The Zionists. Who runs the financial press? The Zionists. So when the German people are blamed for almost everything it’s guess who? The Zionists.
RIGHT. Move to the head of the class.
Deutsche Bank is a basket case not even earning its cost of capital
As opposed to the UK, which is America's stalking horse in Europe.
Greece is an economic boat anchor on the EU anyway, expect the economic sledge hammer (same one that hit Putin) to squash Greece into a greasy spot.
The fact they want to close all foreign bases reveals just how stupid this communist is, those bases are the only economic activity in that pitiful country.
Q: Why will there never be a coup d’état in Washington?
A: Because there’s no American embassy there.
Time will tell but why hasn't Russia been squashed yet?
Why is the EU worried so much by Greece resisting EU sanctions on Russia?
With a thousand bases all over the world, don't you think those US boys should go home and find out if Obama really has any jobs for them or whether he is keeping them overseas lest they come home and turn on him?
1) Close all the US bases and bring the troops home - hoo-rah!
2) Greece is a tiny spot compared to Mother Russia and will take 10 minutes to squash - not my wish just fact.
3) They are beating on Putin economically and have hurt Russia economically a good bit. This was a miscalculation by Putin, he war gamed his move but did not expect the economic harm. Not my wish - fact.
You Putin lovers always down arrow any fact if you do not like it. Facts are not like global warming opinion - they just are.
So who died and made you Seer of the Great Game ? Putin is clearly superior in intelligence and character to America's Magic Monkey and his Zio/Kike handlers. I doubt he overlooked the effect of the so called "Western" neocon sanctions, which have backfired and failed to bring Russia to its knees. Once the greenback is in its proper place - the new American Peso, the world will be a safer place.
Being superior doesn't automaticaly means that you win.
no, only around 95% of the time.
Don't hold your breath.
you wouldn't know a 'fact' if it stared you in the face. lol
No - we just don't like you.
Thanks - I green arrowed you
@headhunt
I'm sure all those farmers were totally expecting to have their products no longer welcome in Russia about 3 nanoseconds after the opening sanctions salvo was launched. Geez ya gotta love farmers, so understanding, so ready to help, so resilient. So...
Jack...relax
Get busy with the facts
No zodiacs or almanacs
No maniacs in polyester slacks
Just the facts
Gonna kick some gluteus max
It's a parallax...you dig?
You move around
The small gets big
It's a rig
It's action...reaction
Random interaction
So who's afraid
Of a little abstraction?
Can't get no satisfaction
From the facts?
You better run, homeboy
A fact's a fact
From Nome to Rome, boy
+ 1
I suspect the threat to close bases is a negotiating ploy. Anybody can have a base in Greece so long as they pay enough.
i'll bet you get diarrhea every time you hear the word 'communist'. what a naive creature you are. grow up, make mommy proud of you. lmao
Dogfoot - every time I hear the word 'communist' I think of all the poor fools who have had their freedoms stolen from them and the many millions murdered by the oh so generous communists.
That's a fact that even your daddy knows. Ask him; if you know who he is.
.
Ah, ah, so when you hear the word 'communist' you think of 'americans'.
One of your rare sensible comments on this board.
These days - yes
Doesn't matter where, communist all want the same thing.
That's one way to get out of the eu.
Meanwhile Obama is chewing on his chess pieces looking for the candy center.
Thought he was shitting through his cloaca all over the board.