Exclusive: Russia Will Sanction U.S. Senators

[Purveyor]

Putin is set to respond to Obama's sanctions of Russian officials with his own list. Several U.S. Senators and officials will be banned from visiting Russia, including Sen. Dick Durbin.

U.S. senators, congressmen and top Obama administration officials are sure to be on Vladimir Putin’s sanctions list; a response to the Obama Administration’s announcement on Monday that 7 Russian officials and 4 Ukrainian officials would be barred from holding assets or traveling to the United States.

Putin is expected to release his retaliation list as early as Tuesday and while the final list is still being crafted, it will include top Obama administration officials and high profile U.S. senators, in an effort to roughly mirror the U.S. sanctions against Russian officials and lawmakers, according to diplomatic sources. At the top of the list in Congress is Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who recently co-authored a resolution criticizing Russia’s invasion of Crimea.

Durbin’s inclusion on Putin’s list would mirror Obama’s naming of Valentina Matvienko, the head of the upper chamber of the Russian Duma. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are not expected to be on the Russian sanctions list.

more...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/17/russia-will-sanction-u-s-officials.html

[2banon]

1. The New Cold War officially begins March 17h, 2014

It also happens to be St Patricks day, so that will make it easy to remember as we enter how many decades more of bad East-West relations..

On that point, the world managed to survive the first Cold War, several very close calls and a few proxy wars, but no actual direct nuclear attacks.

The sanctions will be a breeze to survive compared to the results of what the Neo-Cons wanted.

[ProSense]

2. I hope

"Putin is set to respond to Obama's sanctions of Russian officials with his own list. Several U.S. Senators and officials will be banned from visiting Russia, including Sen. Dick Durbin."

...these Senators don't take to Twitter to post pictures of Putin with a mustache.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024678429

Between this copycat act and the Twitter posts, one gets the sense that Russia is out of its league.

[geek tragedy]

5. with a GDP 1/8th our size, a per person GDP 1/4 ours, and

an economy based almost exclusively on energy exports, of course they're not in our league.

it's diminishing to the united states to get drawn into a situation where we're considered equal powers

[ProSense]

8. LOL!

"it's diminishing to the united states to get drawn into a situation where we're considered equal powers "

Yes, so I doubt Durbin will post a photo of Putin with a mustache.

Do you think Putin is worried that Senators are laughing their asses off at his copycat gesture?

[geek tragedy]

9. Putin is utterly unconcerned with what our government thinks of him.

This is his way of showing that contempt--to show the emptiness of the US action.

The Russian action is a joke, by design.

[ProSense]

24. Sure it is.

"This is his way of showing that contempt--to show the emptiness of the US action.

The Russian action is a joke, by design. "

...keep telling yourself that.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024680769

[geek tragedy]

26. Oh, I'm sure they take a temporary ban from Disney World with

the utmost of seriousness.

[ProSense]

27. Right, because matching the silliness of the Russian tweets is proof the sanctions are a joke. n/t

[William769]

10. Russia is even in a league?

Maybe a amateur bowling league.

[geek tragedy]

15. the International Bigotry League.

Sad sacks can't even win that--12 games behind 1st place Uganda.

[William769]

17. You got me there.

[geek tragedy]

18. .

[1000words]

3. I find this amusing

Putin is mocking the White House

[geek tragedy]

4. US to retaliate by unfriending Russia on Facebook. nt

[Cali_Democrat]

6. hahahahahaha....nt

[Purveyor]

7. That is about the extent of it, indeed. eom

[ProSense]

11. Putin is trying

to make light of a situation that will likely get worse for him.

EU statement on Crimea
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024680231

[geek tragedy]

12. Russian oligarchs are feeling mighty comfortable in disagreeing with you.

Russian Billionaire buys $7.1 Billion of energy assets in EU countries on day 'sanctions' are announced

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024679383

[ProSense]

13. Oh, such things impress you?

Kind of like the insurance companies stock going up, huh?

See, we're not worried.

[geek tragedy]

14. $7.1 Billion is not a pr stunt nt

[ProSense]

16. How do you know?

I mean, the sanctions were only announced today. How do you know what's driving that action?

[geek tragedy]

19. "capital is a coward" if there were serious doubts about asset forfeitures/seizures etc

that deal would not have gone through.

do you think a deal like that goes through without reassurances from EU officials?

[ProSense]

21. "do you think a deal like that goes through without reassurances from EU officials?"

Do you think a deal like that goes through on the spur of the moment?

All you're doing is speculating about why you don't think the sanctions will work. You really have no idea. Russia is in full bluster mode, and you say it's mocking because they don't care. I see it differently.

[geek tragedy]

23. yes, we do see things differently

Obama successfully bluffed Putin on Syria (how people think Putin got the better of him on that one I'll never understand) but I think Putin learned from his mistake and called Obama's bluff this time.

Crimea is relatively small stakes, big question is the rest of Ukraine

[hrmjustin]

20. .

[Catherina]

22. Where is the Daily Beast getting its information? That rag weaves out of whole cloth

Josh Rogin seems to get all his information straight from the neocons. He certainly carries their message for them. In an IPS article about PNAC rebranding themselves as FPI and sending another PNAC open letter to Congress

Josh Rogin, who reported on the letter even before it was published on the FPI website to describe the signatories. (One wonders whether Rogin was given the letter on the condition that the authors be described as “conservatives” rather than “neoconservatives,” which really has become something of a dirty word over the past decade due to its association with the Iraq war and their enthusiasm over other ill-advised military adventures.)

http://www.lobelog.com/neocons-who-brought-you-the-iraq-war-endorse-aipacs-iran-bill/

The love this guy over at The American Conservative


I seriously doubt the Russian Duma is going to play tit for tat. Their response will be economical IF any of the US/EU sanctions go there. These guys are killing me.

[geek tragedy]

25. Who on earth would cite a guy they love at The American Conservative?

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/author/paul-craig-roberts/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024640081

[Cali_Democrat]

28. ROFL!

[NuclearDem]

29. Holy shit!

[ProSense]

30. Londongrad Dealmakers Face Sanctions Hit After $180 Billion Boom

Londongrad Dealmakers Face Sanctions Hit After $180 Billion Boom
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024680947

[EC]

31. ?

Do any of our Senators or other officials bank in Russia? Because the Russians sanctioned bank here and now can't get to their money. How is our Senators etc. not being allowed to visit, punishment?