In Cold War rerun, Obama plans to isolate Russia

Ray

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In Cold War rerun, Obama plans to isolate Russia

Washington, April 20: Even as the crisis in Ukraine continues to defy easy resolution, President Barack Obama and his national security team are looking beyond the immediate conflict to forge a new long-term approach to Russia that applies an updated version of the Cold War strategy of containment.

Just as the US resolved in the aftermath of World War II to counter the Soviet Union and its global ambitions, Obama is focused on isolating President Vladimir V. Putin's Russia by cutting off its economic and political ties to the outside world, limiting its expansionist ambitions in its own neighbourhood and effectively making it a pariah state.

Obama has concluded that even if there is a resolution to the current standoff over Crimea and eastern Ukraine, he will never have a constructive relationship with Putin, aides said. As a result, Obama will spend his final two and a half years in office trying to minimise the disruption Putin can cause, preserve whatever marginal cooperation can be saved and otherwise ignore the master of the Kremlin in favour of other foreign policy areas where progress remains possible.

"That is the strategy we ought to be pursuing," said Ivo H. Daalder, formerly Obama's ambassador to Nato and now president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. "If you just stand there, be confident and raise the cost gradually and increasingly to Russia, that doesn't solve your Crimea problem and it probably doesn't solve your eastern Ukraine problem. But it may solve your Russia problem."

The manifestation of this thinking can be seen in Obama's pending choice for the next ambassador to Moscow. While not officially final, the White House is preparing to nominate John F. Tefft, a career diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Ukraine, Georgia and Lithuania.

When the search began months ago, administration officials were leery of sending Tefft because of concern that his experience in former Soviet republics that have flouted Moscow's influence would irritate Russia. Now, officials said, there is no reluctance to offend the Kremlin.

In effect, Obama is retrofitting for a new age the approach to Moscow that was first set out by the diplomat George F. Kennan in 1947 and that dominated American strategy through the fall of the Soviet Union. The administration's priority is to hold together an international consensus against Russia.

While Obama's long-term approach takes shape, though, a quiet debate has roiled his administration over how far to go in the short term. So far, economic advisers and White House aides urging a measured approach have won out, prevailing upon a cautious President to take one incremental step at a time.

The White House has prepared another list of Russian figures and institutions to sanction in the next few days if Moscow does not follow through on an agreement sealed in Geneva to defuse the crisis, as Obama aides anticipate. But the President will not extend the punitive measures to whole sectors of the Russian economy, as some administration officials prefer, absent a dramatic escalation.

The more hawkish faction in the state and defence departments have pressed for faster and more expansive sanctions, only to wait while memos sit in the White House without action.The prevailing view in the West Wing, though, is that while Putin seems for now to be enjoying the glow of success, he will eventually discover how much economic harm he has brought on his country.

They argued that while American and European sanctions have not yet targeted wide parts of the Russian economy, they have sent a message to international businesses, and that just the threat of broader measures has produced a chilling effect. If the Russian economy suffers over the long term, senior American officials said, then Putin's implicit compact with the Russian public promising growth for political control could be sundered.

NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE

In Cold War rerun, Obama plans to isolate Russia

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So, the US is looking at a long term strategic game to isolate and debilitate Russia.

How far will it succeed is the moot point.

All that this will do is make the China Russia axis stronger.
 

trackwhack

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So Obama manages to isolate all four BRIC countries.

Where is the not bad Obama troll face.
 

sam80

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these shitty DemocRats ! they still live in 1950 ........ This Obama is colonial mentality man . was there any need to create mess in Ukraine ??
 

pmaitra

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Would India join a US effort to isolate Russia?

Should it?
@Ray @p2prada @Razor @desicanuk @pmaitra @Kunal Biswas @Yusuf @Singh
Not at all. India should not, and going by India's track record, it will not.

Consider these:
  • India loves to have a fiercely independent foreign policy.
  • India's imports 75% of armaments from Russia.
  • Russia supports India on various international fora.
  • US efforts in WTO to stymie Indian domestic industry to favour US industry has caused a lot of friction.
  • US Congress has been trying to pass legislation that will restrict flow of India labour.
  • Also, Modi coming to power might have an effect.


India will simply sit on the fence.
 
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Peter

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Well if the US provides us with economic aid,scholarship programmes for bright students,investment on infrastructure etc then India should go for it. Well being a JU student I know of a few scholarship programmes which are funded by US universities. Actually most of these scholarships go to IITians but still it`s a noble effort. Till now I have not heard or seen a Russian scholarship for Indian students. Of course there maybe Russian scholarships but sadly none of my known friends,seniors or relatives have availed of it. Maybe the Russian institutes are so elite compared to the US ones people don`t go there.:D
 
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asianobserve

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Well if the US provides us with economic aid,scholarship programmes for bright students,investment on infrastructure etc then India should go for it. Well being a JU student I know of a few scholarship programmes which are funded by US universities. Actually most of these scholarships go to IITians but still it`s a noble effort. Till now I have not heard or seen a Russian scholarship for Indian students. Of course there maybe Russian scholarships but sadly none of my known friends,seniors or relatives have availed of it. Maybe the Russian institutes are so elite compared to the US ones people don`t go there.:D

And on the employment side, well I think the US is helping India provide employment to a lot of Indians both in the US and in India. I don't think Russia has provided close to anything what the US is providing (in terms of economic opportunities) to a lot of Indians in the entire history of Indo-Russo bilateral relations. The Middle East maybe providing more economic opportunities to more Indians I think than Russia (of course the Middle East has some of the very hard working environments in the World).
 
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Free Karma

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@t_co
Well if the US provides us with economic aid,scholarship programmes for bright students,investment on infrastructure etc then India should go for it. Well being a JU student I know of a few scholarship programmes which are funded by US universities. Actually most of these scholarships go to IITians but still it`s a noble effort. Till now I have not heard or seen a Russian scholarship for Indian students. Of course there maybe Russian scholarships but sadly none of my known friends,seniors or relatives have availed of it. Maybe the Russian institutes are so elite compared to the US ones people don`t go there.:D
The U.S does all this because it benefits them.
 
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pmaitra

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@t_co
Well if the US provides us with economic aid,scholarship programmes for bright students,investment on infrastructure etc then India should go for it. Well being a JU student I know of a few scholarship programmes which are funded by US universities. Actually most of these scholarships go to IITians but still it`s a noble effort. Till now I have not heard or seen a Russian scholarship for Indian students. Of course there maybe Russian scholarships but sadly none of my known friends,seniors or relatives have availed of it. Maybe the Russian institutes are so elite compared to the US ones people don`t go there.:D
I have family in Russia. Two of them. They went during the Soviet days as students. They went with only pocket change. When I came to the US, I not only paid my fees, but also subsidized the fees of other American kids.

And on the employment side, well I think the US is helping India provide employment to a lot of Indians both in the US and in India. I don't think Russia has provided close to anything what the US is providing (in terms of economic opportunities) to a lot of Indians in the entire history of Indo-Russo bilateral relations. The Middle East maybe providing more economic opportunities to more Indians I think than Russia (of course the Middle East has some of the very hard working environments in the World).
This is not a charity. It helps the US as much as it helps India. Why are Indians made to pay Social Security taxes yet are not entitled to such benefits?

The U.S does all this because it benefits them.
Absolutely correct.
 
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Peter

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The U.S does all this because it benefits them.
@Free Karma @pmaitra
Oh so it does not benefit the people who go to work in US.They are treated as slaves.Yup this can be true.Maybe Satya Nadella,CEO of Microsoft is being treated as a slave in US.After all getting a salary of Rs 112 cr pa is surely problematic.He has to think every now and then where he will keep that money.

Also my friends and seniors who have gone to the US for higher studies are going for the benefit of US and not for their own benefits. I am sure they have to attend all those difficult classes in those US universities while we at JU hardly have teachers in classes. This is really for the benefit of US. Yup all of this makes sense to me now.

Only one thing that I cannot understand yet is why those who go the US do not return back to India.I mean they are being treated as slaves by the evil capitalist US. They are being inhumanely exploited by the US. Yet the students of IIT and JU who go to US take an one way ticket to US and Canada. They should return back to India for their own benefits. This is really confusing my small stupid brain.Maybe you can answer me the question.:sad:
 
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asianobserve

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This is not a charity. It helps the US as much as it helps India. Why are Indians made to pay Social Security taxes yet are not entitled to such benefits?
Who said its charity? But the economic benefits to India from America far outweigh whatever India is getting from Russia. And I bet if you ask ordinary Indians on the streets on which country between US and Russia would give them better future and more a more equal opportunity at getting rich I'm sure they would say the US more than Russia.


Absolutely correct.
Wake up. Nothing is for free, even in Russia I'm sure.
 

Peter

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Who said its charity? But the economic benefits to India from America far outweigh whatever India is getting from Russia. And I bet if you ask ordinary Indians on the streets on which country between US and Russia would give them better future and more a more equal opportunity at getting rich I'm sure they would say the US more than Russia.




Wake up. Nothing is for free, even in Russia I'm sure.
Yup second that. While Indians would support Russia but in their hearts they want to go to US(well I am not one of them as I plan to take care of my parents in old age.I will be happy with a sarkari/gov job in India fyi).If you ask any university student they will tell you that they want to go to US for further studies.This is just a naked truth. As for people going to Russia I have not heard of any sane person making that statement.
 

Free Karma

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@Free Karma @pmaitra
Oh so it does not benefit the people who go to work in US.They are treated as slaves.Yup this can be true.Maybe Satya Nadella,CEO of Microsoft is being treated as a slave in US.After all getting a salary of Rs 112 cr pa is surely problematic.He has to think every now and then where he will keep that money.

Also my friends and seniors who have gone to the US for higher studies are going for the benefit of US and not for their own benefits. I am sure they have to attend all those difficult classes in those US universities while we at JU hardly have teachers in classes. This is really for the benefit of US. Yup all of this makes sense to me now.

Only one thing that I cannot understand yet is why those who go the US do not return back to India.I mean they are being treated as slaves by the evil capitalist US. They are being inhumanely exploited by the US. Yet the students of IIT and JU who go to US take an one way ticket to US and Canada. They should return back to India for their own benefits. This is really confusing my small stupid brain.Maybe you can answer me the question.:sad:
They all become U.S citizens, as I said, it benefits the U.S and not India, I'm still waiting to see how this benefits citizens living her, which really is the point of the discussion, if we are talking about how siding with the U.S will help immigration of skilled labour from here to the U.S then yes.
 
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asianobserve

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@Free Karma @pmaitra
Yup this can be true.Maybe Satya Nadella,CEO of Microsoft is being treated as a slave in US.After all getting a salary of Rs 112 cr pa is surely problematic.He has to think every now and then where he will keep that money.

OT. I told my daughter the story of Indra Nooyi when she was only 5 years old. Now she can't forget her.
 
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asianobserve

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They all become U.S citizens, as I said, it benefits the U.S and not India, I'm still waiting to see how this benefits citizens living her, which really is the point of the discussion.

Aren't those former Indians (now Americans) not sending dollars back to their relatives in India? Where's our close knit family values?
 

pmaitra

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Who said its charity?
It was implied in your post. When it benefits one side, it is charity, When it benefits both sides, it is not a charity.

But the economic benefits to India from America far outweigh whatever India is getting from Russia.
Agree.

And I bet if you ask ordinary Indians on the streets on which country between US and Russia would give them better future and more a more equal opportunity at getting rich I'm sure they would say the US more than Russia.
Agree.

Wake up. Nothing is for free, even in Russia I'm sure.
You are making my point, exactly. Nothing is free. Everything countries do, they do for their selfish interests. We have discussed British aid being called "peanut" here.
 

Free Karma

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Aren't those former Indians (now Americans) not sending dollars back to their relatives in India? Where's our close knit family values?
Living on remittance money isnt exactly a good plan for most part, you'd rather have opportunities created here, than go out.
 

asianobserve

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It was implied in your post. When it benefits one side, it is charity, When it benefits both sides, it is not a charity.


Agree.


Agree.


You are making my point, exactly. Nothing is free. Everything countries do, they do for their selfish interests. We have discussed British aid being called "peanut" here.

It really amazes me how you in the US could still be more supportive and more positive towards Russia than the US? :shocked:(No intention to offend you personally, my statement is more of general reference to a lot of Indian nationalists.)
 

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