Blog# 10 US Sanctions and Russia

Summary

In the mist of the Ukraine crises sanctions where slapped on, by the United States, against Russia, a few weeks have passed and the sanctions seem to be working as a deterrent. New sanctions could be imposed as early as Friday, for key allies of Putin. The current sanctions are hurting and weakening Russia’s economy. Other European allies are working to roll out new sanction in the up coming weeks. This is the US plan to help de-escalate the conflict. The United States will not provide arms to Ukraine for fear of escalating a war with Russia. President Obama said earlier this week “We don’t need a war. What we do need is a recognition that countries like Ukraine can have relationships with a whole range of their neighbors and it is not up to anybody, whether it’s Russia or the United States or anybody else, to make decisions for them.” This is said, but groups of heavily armed militants have stormed government building all over eastern Ukraine, many calling for the removal of the Ukraine interim government. Putin has some 40,000 troops along the Ukraine border and is exploiting Ukraine vulnerabilities to see what he can get away with.

Analysis

Sanctions are “working”. The Russian economy is dwindling and more sanction are on their way. But who are these sanctions really hurting? In the 2008 down turn in the US economy it was the people who suffered not the government or the wealthy. Sure there was some impact, but over all it was a burden of the people. This is what is happening in Russia, these sanction are impacting the people, not the government, not those who are in power. This isn’t the way to de-escalate a situation, if anything it will only make it worse.  Sanctions are “working” but in the wrong direction.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/16/sanctions-against-russia-for-ukraine-actions-working-and-more-may-be-on-the-way/?iid=article_sidebar