We are now into the second week of August, and nobody can be unaware that the EU, in concert with the USA, has imposed sanctions on Russia.
We’ve been told that these sanctions would hurt Putin and make him relent, give in, and do what the EU wants him to do. Above all, those sanctions would only have a minimal effect on the EU economies. Anyway, since Putin did nothing, more and more sanctions were surely needed.
Then we heard that Russia stopped the import of apples from Poland … how we laughed: apples!
Then we heard that other food exported to Russia from EU countries, mostly the Baltic States, would also be stopped. Cheese, fish, that sort of thing. And no more Coca-Cola, Big Macs, nor US chicken …
The papers were full of how the poor Russians would now surely starve, and how terrible it is that Putin’s sanctions were aimed at his own people.
While the EU contemplated and imposed more sanctions, it was at best under-reported here that Russia has meanwhile been handing in a complaint to the WTO about the EU sanctions. After all, what could the WTO do? So that was not really worthy of a report or an opinion piece.
Then, after the first sanctions were imposed by Russia on EU countries, we heard from the USA how a former advisor to Reagan was outraged that Russia would do such a thing: that was purely political malice by Putin, and interference with economic competition. It could not be allowed!
A few days later, we suddenly read that Brussels is also going to the WTO, now complaining about these Russian sanctions: they are political and unreasonable. After all, the EU sanctions were absolutely not political, not meant to do anything bad except express displeasure with Putin not doing what Frau Merkel demanded. And they were only aimed at the Russian oligarchs. Who could complain about that!
So, according to the EU, there are now good sanctions which can be imposed on a country, but that country must not impose sanctions on the EU. And these are the people who are spending our money …
There’s more: now we hear that Poland is already asking for €500 million from Brussels as compensation for the loss of their apple trade with Russia. Greece is also demanding compensation, and the Baltic States are bound to follow.
This is of course on top of what we, as EU taxpayers, have already paid to the Ukraine and will have to pay in future. And never mind about the possibility of rising energy prices: we have our wind turbines, and what is happening to the economies on the Continent is of no concern to us, is it?
While the various journalists in the German quality papers are crying crocodile tears about the poor Russians, doomed to eat grass this coming winter, it has escaped their notice that there are a few more countries outside the EU who are happy to oblige and import their food items to Russia. One is quite close to home – it is called ‘Turkey’.
Meanwhile, Aeroflot is ordering 16 Boeing 777 – from the USA.
You couldn’t make it up!
Precisely what evidence has the EU or the USA got against Russia in the downing of MH17? All the evidence points to Kiev. There is no doubt the rebels in Ukraine are getting assitance from Russia, but who was it that shot down the passenger jet?
Are we led to believe a jet that usually flies 200miles further South was nor directed there?
No commercial passenger plane flies anywhere unless it has been told to, by air traffic control. The plane captain would probably have something to say about flying into a war zone, so where is the flight transcript from the black box or even the air traffic control voice and data information from Kiev? Why did the plane reduce height from 35,000 feet to 33,000 feet, leaving just 1000 feet clearance from a militarized zone? The BUK missiles have an altitude range of 78,000 feet so this won’t make much difference, but the answer to this might answer some of the other questions posed. The Ukrainian authorities claim no military jets from their airforce were nearby, yet the Russian date and time stamped radar images supplied for all to see for the world media, on the Monday 21 July after the crash, show a military jet trailing flight MH17.
Where are the USA satelite images showing any Russian involvement at all?
I’m no supporter of Russia, but this whole thing sticks of a flase flag.
What it looks like to me is a reason to impose some controls on Russia on the international stage, so the EU is left unhindered to bring the Ukraine into the EU empire. I think many have it wrong about a United States of Europe, I’m going to have to start using the term European Empire (EE).
What do you think?
The hypocrisy is all too evident: France builds warships for Russia and the US drills for oil in the Russian Arctic with the Russians. Any sanction on Russia will be counter productive because the Russian ability to stoically endure any hardship will negate Western sanctions. More importantly, the Russians will turn their backs on the West and forge greater ties with their Eastern neighbours.
Bunch of poseurs the lot of them – the EU puppet masters I mean ! Other than in out and out out war situations, trade is seldom hindered significantly, for long, as it hurts both sides too much. This is all silly posturing, to look tough, and all that nonsense. The EU, and particularly Germany, needs Russian energy far too much to do anything significant, but they will pretend to, and make a lot of noise, for a while.
Strikes me they are all acting in a child-like fashion, although that’s an insult to children, me thinks! Perhaps the EU will lose out in the end. 🙁 Let’s get out of the EU asap, please. Petulant bunch of tw**s.