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'Active Discussions' in Administration on Arming Ukraine, Officials Say
You think the proxy wars between Saudi Arabia and Iran going on in the Middle East are something, just wait till Putin and Obama/McCain start pulling the strings.
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/active-discussions-administration-arming-ukraine-officials-say-n298431
"Active and comprehensive discussions" are underway in the Obama administration over whether the United States should provide heavy weapons to Ukrainian forces under increasing attack by pro-Russian separatists, senior defense officials told NBC News on Monday.
The most lethal weapons could include anti-armor missiles, armored Humvees, radar and drones to attack Russian rocket launchers and artillery that have been battering Ukrainian forces, the officials said.
They stressed Monday that no decision had been made. The New York Times reported Sunday that administration and military officials are edging toward providing "defensive" arms to Ukrainian forces.
Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said that the administration is "constantly assessing" its options but declined to discuss the details of administration policy debates.
Fighting in eastern Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks, and peace talks collapsed over the weekend. A rebel leader told Russian media on Monday that the rebels want to boost their fighting force to 100,000. The current number is about 9,000, according to the Ukrainian president.
The Pentagon is reviewing the question "cautiously," one official said. There is concern that providing heavy weapons to Ukraine would only escalate the fighting and increase instability. For that reason, "As of now no one here is pounding the table to provide heavy weapons," the official said."
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/active-discussions-administration-arming-ukraine-officials-say-n298431
"Active and comprehensive discussions" are underway in the Obama administration over whether the United States should provide heavy weapons to Ukrainian forces under increasing attack by pro-Russian separatists, senior defense officials told NBC News on Monday.
The most lethal weapons could include anti-armor missiles, armored Humvees, radar and drones to attack Russian rocket launchers and artillery that have been battering Ukrainian forces, the officials said.
They stressed Monday that no decision had been made. The New York Times reported Sunday that administration and military officials are edging toward providing "defensive" arms to Ukrainian forces.
Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said that the administration is "constantly assessing" its options but declined to discuss the details of administration policy debates.
Fighting in eastern Ukraine has intensified in recent weeks, and peace talks collapsed over the weekend. A rebel leader told Russian media on Monday that the rebels want to boost their fighting force to 100,000. The current number is about 9,000, according to the Ukrainian president.
The Pentagon is reviewing the question "cautiously," one official said. There is concern that providing heavy weapons to Ukraine would only escalate the fighting and increase instability. For that reason, "As of now no one here is pounding the table to provide heavy weapons," the official said."
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/john-kerry-visits-kiev-pledges-16-4m-aid-amid-calls-n300646
"Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in snowbound Kiev Thursday amid calls for Washington to begin arming Ukraine in its fight against pro-Russian separatists in the east.
Kerry announced $16.4 million in aid to help Ukrainians affected by the escalating violence in the east as the rebels advance. More than 5,000 people have already died in the conflict.
"The funding will be used to support the Ukrainian government's response to the crisis caused by Russia's aggressive actions," the State Department said in a statement.
NATO says Russia has sent weapons, funds and troops on the ground to assist the rebel advance. Moscow denies involvement in fighting for territory the Kremlin now calls "New Russia".
Washington has given its clearest signal yet that it is considering providing weapons to Ukraine. President Barack Obama's pick for defense secretary, Ashton Carter, told a Senate committee he would "very much incline" toward supplying "lethal arms" to Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko called unambiguously for NATO arms in an interview with a German newspaper.
"The escalation of the conflict that's happening today, the increasing number of civilian casualties... should move the alliance to provide Ukraine with more support," Poroshenko told Die Welt. "(That) includes, among other things, delivering modern weapons for protection and for resisting the aggressor."
But some NATO members, including Italy, are opposed."
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/05/383988646/nato-considers-new-strategy-to-contain-russia-ukraine-conflict
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_in_the_European_energy_sector
This could get even more complicated than ISIS selling oil to Assad at the same time it's fighting him. Russia desperately needs the money and some of our 'allies' are 100% dependent on Russia for some fossil fuels.
"Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in snowbound Kiev Thursday amid calls for Washington to begin arming Ukraine in its fight against pro-Russian separatists in the east.
Kerry announced $16.4 million in aid to help Ukrainians affected by the escalating violence in the east as the rebels advance. More than 5,000 people have already died in the conflict.
"The funding will be used to support the Ukrainian government's response to the crisis caused by Russia's aggressive actions," the State Department said in a statement.
NATO says Russia has sent weapons, funds and troops on the ground to assist the rebel advance. Moscow denies involvement in fighting for territory the Kremlin now calls "New Russia".
Washington has given its clearest signal yet that it is considering providing weapons to Ukraine. President Barack Obama's pick for defense secretary, Ashton Carter, told a Senate committee he would "very much incline" toward supplying "lethal arms" to Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko called unambiguously for NATO arms in an interview with a German newspaper.
"The escalation of the conflict that's happening today, the increasing number of civilian casualties... should move the alliance to provide Ukraine with more support," Poroshenko told Die Welt. "(That) includes, among other things, delivering modern weapons for protection and for resisting the aggressor."
But some NATO members, including Italy, are opposed."
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/05/383988646/nato-considers-new-strategy-to-contain-russia-ukraine-conflict
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia_in_the_European_energy_sector
This could get even more complicated than ISIS selling oil to Assad at the same time it's fighting him. Russia desperately needs the money and some of our 'allies' are 100% dependent on Russia for some fossil fuels.
That's coz you prolly don't own a piece of Boeing or Halliburton/Brown/Ruud or some other war-related industry.
I'm not sure I see a sunny side to this one.
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