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Ambassador Susan Rice had been unbelievably blunt in expressing US views and insulting other nations in the UNSC meetings. The new ambassador Samantha Power managed to anger Vitaly Churkin, the Russian ambassador and insulted the Russian Federation by calling them “thieves.”
In response, ambassador Churkin threatened to withhold Russian cooperation on resolving the Syria crisis and the Iranian nuclear negotiations. Both sides now in a mode of scorched earth policy on a geopolitical hot issue of the Ukraine: the faultline between NATO states and the Russian Federation.
I have lost confidence in foreign policy management by the Obama administration, and time is running out. I consider a number of issues from US policy decisions, leaving a trainwreck of victims, no hope for peace and contrary to campaign promises, no success in one-on-one meetings with adversaries. I still believe the White House is divided on foreign policy and the buck stops with President Obama.
US and Russia exchange threats at UN meeting
At the council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin was once again alone in defending his country’s actions in Crimea. He began his speech by celebrating the treaty signed a day earlier by Putin declaring Crimea part of Russia, saying it honored the will of the Crimean people and complied with international law.
“Yesterday, something truly historic happened,” Churkin declared.
US Ambassador Samantha Power warned Russia that, two days after the Obama administration and other countries imposed sanctions on Russia, the US and its allies “are prepared to take additional steps if Russian aggression or Russian provocations continue.”
She also compared Russia’s takeover of Crimea to theft. “A thief can steal property, but that does not confer the right of ownership on the thief,” she said.
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Land Grab: US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power says the US rejects 'Russia's military intervention and land grab in Crimea' (Daily Mail)The Russian ambassador shot back: “It is simply unacceptable to listen to these insults addressed to our country.”
He added, “If the delegation of the United States of America expects our cooperation in the Security Council on other issues, then Mrs. Power must understand this quite clearly.” By then, Power had left the meeting to her deputy.
Churkin did not elaborate. The United States and Russia are the key players in efforts to establish peace talks in Syria, and also are involved in talks over Iran’s nuclear program.
US public criticism of Russia on Crimea could jeopardize future cooperation in UN Council
At the Intersection of Rice and Power
(Time – Swampland) June 6, 2013 – With the appointment of Susan Rice as his national security adviser and the nomination of Samantha Power as his new ambassador to the United Nations, President Obama has chosen to elevate two of his Administration’s strongest human rights advocates with long records of advocacy for more U.S. action overseas to prevent genocide and atrocities.
Obama’s first term foreign policy team included such intervention-wary realists as Bob Gates and Leon Panetta at the Pentagon and Tom Donilon and Dennis Ross at the White House. If his first term foreign policy had a theme, it was an orderly withdrawal from U.S. commitments overseas, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan.
But now Rice and Power are filling out a second-term foreign policy team that includes John Kerry at State, Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon and Tony Blinken, who moved over from Vice President Joe Biden’s office to become deputy national security adviser earlier this year. All three men are perceived as more interventionist than their predecessors.
So President Obama has hired advisers who are interventionists and express US world dominance: Tony Blinken (former deputy to VP Joe Biden), Susan Rice, William Burns, Vicky Nuland and Samantha Power. Just unbelievable.
Obama talked to Russia’s Putin about Ukraine deal on Friday 02.21.2014 according to – US official Blinken
Continued below the fold …
US Security Adviser Rice Threatens Russia’s Putin
Feb. 23, 2014 – Under the constitution of the Ukraine, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of VI Convocation would be in line to succeed President Vanukovich. That would be Volodymyr Rybak, unless mob rule decided otherwise. Rybak ‘resigned’ for health reasons and parliament elected the successor to president Yanukovich until new elections on May 25. Similar to the overthrow of Egypt’s president Morsi, we wont call it a coup d’état. Obama praises the constructive process in Ukraine’s parliament. Did the EU deal of 2 days ago disintegrate under mob violence? Not long ago, Nuland spoke her infamous words: “*uck the EU.”
US: Russia involvement in Ukraine ‘grave mistake’
(ITV) – US President Barack Obama’s national security adviser said it would be a “grave mistake” for Russia to send military forces into Ukraine and that it is not in the interest of Russia, Europe or the US to see Ukraine split apart.
Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Susan Rice was asked about a possible scenario in which Russia would send forces into Ukraine to restore a government more friendly to Moscow.
“That would be a grave mistake,” Rice said. “It’s not in the interests of Ukraine or of Russia or of Europe or the United States to see a country split. It’s in nobody’s interest to see violence return and the situation escalate.
[Diary was In reply to Dodo @ET …]
Biden offers support to new Ukraine prime minister
WASHINGTON (AP) Feb. 27, 2014 — Vice President Joe Biden told Ukraine’s new prime minister that the U.S. welcomes the formation of the country’s new government. [what happened to the agreement from a few days ago, before the coup d’etat? Is a violent overthrow and unconstitutional proceedings in Ukranian parliament, a gift to Western powers?]
Biden’s message was an important signal of U.S. recognition for Arsenij Yatsenyuk, named to the post Thursday in a boisterous parliamentary session, as the de facto leader of the former Soviet republic. Biden called Yatsenyuk to tell him the U.S. will give full support as Ukraine seeks to restore order in the wake of a major political crisis.
The White House has said by fleeing the capital, President Viktor Yanukovych abdicated power, but he reportedly still claims authority. Biden had spoken to him regularly during the crisis until he fled.
Yatsenyuk was overwhelmingly approved by parliament. He’s widely viewed as a technocratic reformer and has said Ukraine’s future lies with the European Union.
Earlier Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry said that Russia has told the United States that it will respect the sovereignty of Ukraine and that military exercises near the Russian-Ukraine border are not a prelude to an intervention. Russia scrambled fighter jets to patrol its border and reportedly gave shelter to Ukraine’s fugitive president.
