A friend sent this to me over the weekend, I thought you might find the premise interesting.
Adam
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The Ukraine buys almost all its energy (natural gas) from Russia. Revenues from natural gas sales are a primary source of income for Russia.
Because of the recent disagreement between the Ukraine and Russia, Russia is raising the price of the natural gas it sells to the Ukraine.
The Ukraine is almost broke and can't afford the increase in the natural gas price because it would be forced into bankruptcy.
Obama just announced the United States is giving the Ukraine $1 billion to assist in paying for the higher priced natural gas it buys from Russia.
So, the United States is actually giving Russia $1 billion because the money is just passing through the Ukraine.
The first question: Has Putin figured out a way to raise the price of his natural gas sales and make the U.S. pay for the increase?
Next question: Was he really in the KGB or was he a commodities trader?
If this analysis is accurate, Putin just got Obama to pay him $1 billion by holding a press conference and trucking some troops across town from the Russian Navy base in the Ukraine.
Who is the smartest guy in the room now?
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Leave a comment below and share with fellow blog readers what you think about the Ukraine, Putin or President Obama.
I do wish there were a little more critical thinking in this world. The "logic" in this post is just short of the kind of satire you can read every day on the Onion.
Of course, we can play this game too. Thus: We are aiding al-Qaeda because we are helping to support the ragtag assemblage of anti-Assad forces in Syria of which al-Qaeda is a part.
Now if you really want an epistemic horror story, check out the Salon piece on how this sort of "thinking" is being taught to children throughout wildcat Christendom by the A Beka textbook series. And boy do they breed!
I see my insult to pete was not posted but he can call the president of the U.S. insulting names and more. That is OK here but I cannot respond in kind. Scew you guys! I'm out of here. Enjoy your BS right wing crap!!!
Comment for Pete, does he know that the travel bill for last year was around US$ 1 billion
You say that the US$1 billion will go to pay for the increase in the gas price from Russia, what about the alleged US$2 billion that they already owe for gas.
It is further alleged that:
The EU and the USA should have thought all of this through before they embarked on this plan to try and get Ukraine to join the EU in the first place, from where I sit it appears to have backfired.
The easiest solution would be for the Ukraine to default on the loans to Russia. They may not be able to get any gas from the Russians. But so what? The Russians would not be able to transit any gas through the Ukraine. And most Russian gas sold to the EU is transited through the Ukraine? So who would win? Nobody. But who would be stupid enough to start the "tit for tat"?
The illogic of your post, Dagfinn, is staggering. Do you understand the EU economy, shaky at best, imports over 30% of its gas from Russia with no practical alternative?
The question of who is 'stupid enough' to start a destructive chain of events has been answered. If you can't see objectively who's responsible, you're just not looking hard enough.
Hint: Relying on American mass media for perspective is an exercise in drinking propaganda laced Kool-ade.
As long as Obama print these dollars there will be no problems.
I hate it when sites use misleading headlines for traffic. Obama can't give Ukraine anything. All aid has to be approved by the GOP House and 60 votes (including Republicans) in the senate. Maybe you should rename your Fox News headline to GOP supports giving Ukraine a billions DOLLARS while ending extended unemployment benefits to job seekers Americans and cutting earned benefits to returning veterans from WMD war in Iraq. That headline would be more honest. I have removed myself from any of your further email nonsense.
Go easy, VT, there's way too many babies thrown out with murky bathwater of misunderstood humor. Nonsense, as it were, is the guiding force of our politicized times.
Our good host most necessarily possesses the moderating essential of irony.
There is another "pass-thru" potential. Saw this the other mornign on CNBC Sqwack Box. Ukraine has multi-billion $ loans from Russia. Terms include a clause that if the Ukraine's Debt/GDp goes above a certain % then Russia can call the loans due. Any signficant "loan package" from the West to Ukraine throws them over this threshhold and Putin calls the loans. The Loan money from teh West then has to flow to Putin to pay the Russian called-in loans. The smartest man in the room is in Moscow... by far!
As for your query, "Who is the smartest guy in the room now?", from my PoV, "was there any doubt?" Everything has gone well for Russia, as the rest of the world outside of the USA's presstitutes knows what's really happening and why.
Cogent analysis, JEF.
The question remains; who will pay the second billion owed by Ukraine to Russia for gas?
I'm encouraged by at least one other presumable American consumer of presstitutional distortions so saying. It's really quite educational glimpsing the monolithic parroting exercised throughout American media of the absurd contradictions to both short term memory and long term pretense to truth.
Goebbels would be proud.
It is an insult to the American people that this Dope they call our President lives in Washington. I can only hope that all voters are aware of the Damage he has done to our Country. This creep is not an American should not live in this Country.
Goebbels would be proud of you, too, Pete.
Pete, when the LSD wears off, seek help!
Who are the best chess players in the world?