Republicans may have helped Russia annex Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Monday that Republicans may have helped Russia annex Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, delivering a surprisingly sharp attack just before lawmakers advanced a bill authorizing sweeping U.S. sanctions on Russia and $1 billion in loan guarantees to Ukraine.
The 78-17 procedural vote in favor of the legislation spared President Barack Obama an embarrassing setback while he lobbies U.S. partners on a weeklong trip overseas to punish Moscow for its annexation of the Crimean peninsula. But Reid's tone suggested a compromise with the Republican-controlled House may prove difficult, prolonging Congress' inaction in the two weeks since Russian President Vladimir Putin's military intervention.
"Since a few Republicans blocked these important sanctions last work period, Russian lawmakers voted to annex Crimea and Russian forces have taken over Ukrainian military bases," Reid said. "It's impossible to know whether events would have unfolded differently if the United States had responded to Russian aggression with a strong, unified voice."
http://www.klfy.com/story/25059465/reid-says-gop-may-have-helped-russia-annex-crimea
= new reply since forum marked as read
