Pukraine and Russia

Will Putin eventually say, "Gee, I should've had a G8?" I don't think so. It seems like Russia is pushing the envelope in the Crimea and has broken into a missile defense base in Sevastopol using a military vehicle (a fairly low-tech move) but Interfax Ukraine reported that no shots were fired and nobody was hurt. With the Russians seizing the military base on the peninsula, the stakes have been raised and it`s our call. It is highly doubtful that Putin cares whether or not he's included in the G8 if Obama goes ahead with that as a sanction.

Vladislav Seleznyov told Reuters that about twenty "attackers" threw stun granades--there are about 100 Ukrainian troops stationed in Sevastopol--but their grenade-tossing was on par with the Washington Nationals so nobody got hurt. While this was taking place, the Ukrainian soldiers barricaded themselves inside their barracks while their commanding officer began negotiations, Interfax reported.

There were reports that Russia began large-scale air defense drills earlier today, and the scene is very tense over what will transpire in Crimea. The United States decided to show our own air strength by sending over a couple of old F-15s in order not to intimidate the Russians with our F-22s and F-35s--we don't want them to think that we can actually kick their borscht-filled butts with our superior air power, that would simply make them feel bad about themselves and possibly cause them low self-esteem.

Putin has about 3,500 troops and 1,000 pieces of hardware about 300 miles east of Ukraine, an exercise by Russia's Western Military District.. The exercise will feature live fire and the use of their air defense systems.  "It is for the first time that all air defense units from the district, including coastal defenses of the Northern Fleet, have gathered in one place," Col. Oleg Kochetkov the district spokesman said. "It is the largest ever exercise held by air defense units of the Western Military District."

At this time, there are about 20,000 Russian troops in the Crimea, and that's a crime. But be assured, there will be no U.S. military commitments in Ukraine as it's not in our "national interest" to go to war over the territory.

Putin stated that he has no interest in annexing Crimea, but that seems to hold as much weight as "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor," yadda yadda. There will be a referendum that will give Crimean people a vote as to whether they stay with Ukraine, or go the Russian route. My guess is the vote will turn out to be the latter and Vladimir will do the counting.

But whatever the outcome, you can bet the pink slip on your Chevy Volt that Obama will choose "diplomacy" rather than a show of strength--if he wanted to show strength, he would have sent our real air power.

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