Beltway Insider: Obama Mobilizes World Leaders; Russia Takes Crimea; EU Ambassador Confirmed; ObamaCare Deadline

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 23 March 2014 20:08

Written by Janet Walker

President Barack Obama continues to mobilize the world against the aggressive military action initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin that violated the territorial sovereignty of the Ukraine and resulted in annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

According to Gallup, President Obama’s job approval, over the past week dropped two percentage points to 43% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased by two percentage point to 53%. 

President Obama Mobilizes World Leaders

President Obama has embarked on a multi-nation visit, meeting with G7 leaders, European allies and Asian partners, in an effort to solidify the global effort to isolate the Russian empire and all associates for the takeover of Crimea.

Traveling to Eastern Europe the President will visit The Hauge where he will meet with Prime Minister Rutte of The Netherlands and separately with President Xi Jinping of China, and other G7 leaders.

President Obama, as the visit is primarily focused on the unfolding situation in the Ukraine, has added a scenario based summit to the schedule with the members of the G7 which will focus on the Russian advancement and troop buildup along the newly drawn Russian annexation border.

“The actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation with respect to Ukraine undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, and thereby constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” the President said.

The Ukraine people have shown great restraint as they have continued to focus efforts forward toward admission to the European Union allowing the strength of the multi-nation coalition, and its allies, to answer and determine the course of action.

The Ukraine-Russian escalation may be the first real test of strength of the European Union, as a governing organization with complete global support it will be motivating factor to move forward with diplomatic and economic sanctions and if necessary deploy the EU military.

“Diplomacy between the United States and Russia continues.  We’ve emphasized that Russia still has a different path available, one that de-escalates the situation, and one that involves Russia pursuing a diplomatic solution with the government in Kyiv, with the support of the international community,” the President said.

The isolation of Russia, along with Russian allies, could result in a return to the Cold War era and long term sanctions that will dramatically affect the way of life in modern Russia, the Russian economy and all aspects and phases of Russian participation on a global level including the possibility of United Nations sanctions.

 “Russia has incurred costs already; has caused the United States and our European allies and Japan to take action.  Because of what Russia has done already -- that will cause costs to be incurred by Russia now and in the future.  But there will be additional responses under the authorities provided by the executive orders, and we’re working on those now,” said White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney

Although President Putin has not released an official statement regarding the motivation behind the annexation nor the troop buildup, which exceeds the 20,000 originally, reported along the Ukraine-Russian border.

“The Russians have stated that they are intending military exercises. Obviously, given their past practice and the gap between what they have said and what they have done, we are watching it with skepticism,” said National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

 Although the global leaders of the G7 and many other nations have come together in support of the economic sanctions against the Russians, and given the succession elections that formally, albeit highly contested and unrecognized by the United Nations and other global governing bodies, the question becomes are the 10K square miles of Crimea worth the consequences?  

The Crimean peninsula has always housed Russian military installations. The violation of the Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty over the past month has nothing to do with a power play, reclaiming land, or in reality not even rescuing a neighbor as President Putin has insisted. 

The aggression against the Ukraine, military annexation, and succession, centers on the increased power of the European Union and the political structure, partners and allies, associated with the EU.  

The European Union, of which Ukraine is now associated, has the first and controlling decisions regarding punishment, penalty and sanctions over the annexation of Crimea, the support of the G7, while important, may not be in total the opinion of the EU.

Russia Marches Forward

Russian President Vladimir Putin, apparently oblivious to global reaction, has continued his annexation of neighboring Crimea by signing into law the complete takeover of the peninsula bridge that borders the Ukraine and Russia.

President Obama matched the Russian leader’s military movement by announcing an increase in sanctions, both economic and diplomatic, although he has yet to announce an expulsion of Russian diplomats or other personal.

As the United States and all global allies settle in for a return to the Cold War era, the Russians have continued to move swiftly across the border, signing the annexation into law and moving key military operatives into place.

The annexation “only reinforces the need for the United States to remain committed to a strong transatlantic alliance, to the security of Europe, the integration of Europe, and to the values that the United States and Europe stand for together, including both individual liberty, but also the rights of sovereign nations to make their own decisions and to have their sovereignty and territorial integrity respected,” said Ben Rhodes, White House National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications.

Russian President Putin has continued his efforts to create what appears to be a smooth transition as Crimea citizens voted overwhelmingly this week to secede from the Ukraine in favor of Russian governing.

Putin has not issued any statements or given indication of the fate of the Ukraine military personnel still on duty at the Crimean military installations.

The escalation of penalty by the United States, and other G7 countries, as well as the European Union will only serve to return the world and the United States to Regan era Cold War relations.

Otherwise it has pitted Putin, who doesn’t care, against the world who believes erroneously that the sanctions will cause him to change his position?

It is difficult to believe the United States will accomplice a reversal of Putin’s decision to annex Crimea. The idea that former head of the KGB, leader of a G8 nation, will back down from a decision that as presented to the world is completed is absurd.

The last time the United States expelled Russian diplomats was during the Robert Hanssen Spy case in 2002 when four Russian diplomats were declared “persona non grata” and given ten days to leave the country with 46 others ordered to leave soon after.

White House Announces EU Ambassador

Furthering the formation and strengthening the global presence of the European Union, the White House announced this week, the appointment of an ambassador to the European Union.

Anthony Luzatto Gardner will be honored with the title Representative of the United States to the European Union, with the rank of Ambassador, Department of State.

Having spent the majority of his career working with major financial institutions in London, Gardner will continue to leverage his vast knowledge as the EU continues to structure the EU as a solid national entity, a global United States partner.

As the global power structure shifts and allows for the European Union to have a platform alongside the UK, The United States, Russia and Asia Pacific Nations.

ObamaCare Deadline

The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, is quickly approaching the final deadline date for uninsured Americans to adhere to the recently enacted law.

For those Americans who do not have medical insurance they must access the Marketplace in the state which they reside through www.healthcare.gov.

The final deadline to apply for medical coverage, before individuals face penalty through the IRS, is March 31, 2014.       

Sources: Whitehouse.org, Wikipedia.com,

For more information on President Obama: www.whitehouse.gov  

For more information on the Affordable Care Act: https://www.healthcare.gov/