Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense under both presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama said that "I do not think that Crimea will slip out of Russia's, hand." He added that he thinks Putin will not stop until he has a pro-Russian government in Kiev ruling all of the rest of Ukraine.
At the same time, Gates also admonished his fellow Republicans to tone down their criticism of President Obama as weak and responsible for Putin's bold invasion of Ukraine. "Putin invaded Georgia when George W. Bush was president. . . . Nobody ever accused George W. Bush of being weak or unwilling to use
military force."
The truth is that we have little leverage over Putin's actions in Ukraine, and Obama is using them all, except for a counter military force -- which no one wants. But we can expect that this rhetoric, dismissing Obama as weak and feckless, will continue to be used as a political issue.
So thanks to at least one Republican, Robert Gates, for setting your colleagues straight on the matter -- not that it will have the least effect.
Ralph
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