U.S. pledges to put Russia on defensive at U.N. Security Council

I can just see this headline if this situation would have occurred in 2016-20....

"U.S. pledges to put Russia on OFFENSIVE at U.N. Security Council:"....

Putin's Puppet wouldn't have it any other way...

the sanctions are supposed to discourage Russia from invading Ukraine ("the war")

So YES, if Germany isnt supporting the sanctions just because its inconvenient to their pipeline, they are undermining the purpose of the sanctions (stop the war)

Mr. Biden must be under immense local pressure if he needs another war to turn attention from domestic to overseas issues.

And we won’t forget how peaceful the US reacted as the Soviet Union tried to establish missile bases in their neighborhood (if you don’t know search for Cuba Crisis). But Biden expects Russia to accept NATO Missiles across its borders. Furthermore, the older among you may still remember that NATO indeed promised not to extend its military force to the east in the time before the Soviet Union collapsed. At that time the Soviets believed what they had been told, I don’t think Putin will make that mistake again.

The Soviet Union wasn't some sort of temporary aberration- Russia has been trying to conquer its neighbors throughout it's history. Georgia, Crimea, and this current threat show that Russia will never stop trying, and the rest of the world would be wise to curb these ambitions.

Putin got emboldened by Trump and Republican, who did not support coerced sanction against Putin Google Pole Dancing

So far Putin has put his forces close to the Ukrainian border but not into Ukraine. As long as he stays on his side of the fence, so to speak, it is not anyone's business to apply sanctions.

could have sworn Germany was a part of NATO. but only this part, its between Germany and Russia?

How convenient. So Germany wont be joining the war they cause either?

I say Ukraine itself is none of the US business. Let "NATO" handle it.

Let NATO handle it? Could have sworn that the US was the leading power in NATO.

Now Germany is causing a war? Give me a break!

P.S. This is not about the bloody pipeline anyway. It's about Russia not wanting Ukraine to join, or even be cosy with, NATO (much like China not wanting Taiwan to stray far from the mainland).

Vast majority of both Ukrainians and Russians are against the war.

I have no idea if the above is anything more than the opinion of an anonymous Internet poster, but I would like to think it's the case.

I do however, think that in Russia and former SSRs the vast majority of people are accustomed to having an authoritarian make all the decisions, regardless what the vast majority might want.

*...which is the problem, why not against the pipeline?*

Because it runs through German territory. They, and other western European nations, want the thing. They won't have to pay fees to Ukraine for hosting a pipeline anymore.

...wouldnt the "mother of all sanctions" not have any obvious exceptions?

Of course. But that's how politicians, of all stripes, talk. You're not scoring any big points there, my friend.

I say Ukraine itself is none of the US business.

And you would be right.

Basically Biden is trying to figure out how to start a war between Russia and Ukraine, while excluding Russia and Ukraine from the process.

could have sworn Germany was a part of NATO. but only this part, its between Germany and Russia?

How convenient. So Germany wont be joining the war they cause either?

I say Ukraine itself is none of the US business. Let "NATO" handle it.

which is the problem, why not against the pipeline?

Maybe because it's none of the US business? It's between Germany and Russia.

The vast majority of Ukrainians do not feel any warm about Putin. They have the highest level of contempt mixed with disgust.

Exactly what are you qualifications to speak for "the vast majority" of Ukrainians? Seems like wishful thinking to me. The current president was elected on a landslide when he was promising to end the civil war and repair relations with Russia. Now the fascists have put him in his place and he is continuing their policies, he is so unpopular it's almost funny in a black comedy kind of way.

Nobody except America is on their side in this conflict, and that includes the Ukrainians who don't even think that Russia will invade. None of my friends who live there are worried about Russia being the instigators.

Even American allies who tend to go along with them are standing down on this one.

I honestly think America is reeling because they expected the western coalition to all fall into lockstep with them against Russia again. They are scrambling to get nations backing their positions again. Good news, it turns out people still have some degree of reluctance to support fascists.

Vast majority of both Ukrainians and Russians are against the war.

Exactly my thought.

The fascists admit they have no defence against Russian hypersonic missiles. Time for Putin to put the liberation of Ukraine above the Swiss bank accounts of his capitalists and take out all the NATO bases east of Germany and north of Greece. Do that, and Ukrainians will liberate the Ukraine themselves.

So yes, targeted sanctions are going to happen in the event of an invasion (just not against the pipeline).

which is the problem, why not against the pipeline?

wouldnt the "mother of all sanctions" not have any obvious exceptions?

The vast majority of Ukrainians do not feel any warm about Putin. They have the highest level of contempt mixed with disgust.

Tokyoliving, maybe you ought of go back in time and tell Japanese Imperial Admiral not to attack Pearl Harbor ,with your none history learning Japanese ,that have not learn from past mistakes

So, let's look at the UNSC.

Besides the 3-2 tie amongst the gang of five, there's 10 other members. Of the 5 present that are going to be replaced this summer, 3 are essentially second and third class members of the Imperium and will vote the Imperium line no matter what, and two will caught in between, possibly voting Imperium if China stays neutral, but likely to abstain, and their replacements will follow that pattern, too.

Of the other 5, presently the same pattern is there, but two could flip in the coming months.

The UAE is presently completely and utterly obedient to the US, but if their war on Yemen goes much worse, the regime might cut its losses and that'll move it to at least the abstain category, or if China decides to start playing hardball, maybe even vote against the Imperium.

And Brazil is even a more volatile vote. Awareness of the present regime's cheating to win the last election has exploded in the Brazilian population, his antivaaxer policies have killed significant numbers of Brazilians, and the victim of the most egregious misconduct by the US backed Brazilian oligarchy is the candidate he faces. Barring the naked declaration of martial law and the abandonment of the pretence of democracy in Brazil, by the end of October, Brazil will have a government that is likely to be hostile to the Imperium due to the hostility of the Imperium towards it.

Which means that while at present, it will come down to vetoes when the US 'exerts pressure', by the time the next American Presidential election is held, Imperium backed UNSC resolutions could be routinely voted down.

@RichardPearce

Just to make it clear to the population of Japan, the US plan in the case Russia decides to shut down the transUkrainian pipeline is to divert all of the LNG shipping capabilities that it can from their present routes, including the ones to Japan, to supplying Europe.

Wow! Exciting to have a member of the US administration on JT. Which department are you with again?

@Blacklabel

"Senator Jeanne Shaheen, said Cruz's legislation would "drive a wedge" between the United States and its allies, particularly Germany."

"The United States, as well as some European countries including Ukraine and Poland, oppose the pipeline, which would deprive Kyiv of transit fees as well as increase Moscow's leverage over Europe, where gas prices have been soaring."

It seems like Western Europe prioritises cheaper gas, at the moment. Whether or not people living in other parts of the world think that's a good idea, it's up to them to decide how they get their energy.

"Senator Robert Menendez won the support of many of his fellow Democrats, including President Joe Biden, for an alternative bill he introduced on Wednesday. His legislation would impose sweeping sanctions on top Russian government and military officials and banking institutions if Moscow engages in hostilities against Ukraine." 

So yes, targeted sanctions are going to happen in the event of an invasion (just not against the pipeline).

The US/UK governments can appeal to democracy, the new neo-liberal rules-based world order, or Mighty Cthulhu all they like, but there are certain geopolitical realities they are going to accept, one way or another.

First, Russia is not going to permit NATO expansion or US missiles near its borders. Second, Taiwan is part of China.

Whether the US/UK has to accept those realities the easy way or the hard way or not is the only question. If the neocons remain in control and remain hell-bent on war, Russia and China will give it to them. But that war is very unlikely to proceed along the nice little controlled path that the neocons have in mind...

Ukraine hates Putin. It's not Russia's.

Just to make it clear to the population of Japan, the US plan in the case Russia decides to shut down the transUkrainian pipeline is to divert all of the LNG shipping capabilities that it can from their present routes, including the ones to Japan, to supplying Europe. And that means leaving you shivering in next winter's cold with all your industry shut down, even if Iran (which, it is worth noting, considers Russia a friendly nation, if not a formal ally) doesn't decide to divert its LNG shipping capabilities to supplying China (it's biggest client for LNG and the country that most of the LNG that the US intends to divert to Europe is destined for)

I'm beginning to doubt that Operation Paper Tiger was about the outcome of the next American election, and more about a last, desperate ploy to try and buy a little more time for the Imperium.

Just as the supremacy of the British Navy's power was the glue that held the Commonwealth together, and when that supremacy was eclipsed, the Commonwealth shrunk in size, cohesion, and clout, the supremacy of the American Economy's power has been the glue that holds the Imperium together, and that supremacy is being eclipsed. And both installing regime's that will turn over a country's economy to the Imperium, or outright stealing from the economy of countries where that has failed are the go to strategies of the Imperium now that gaming global financial policies and controlling the media coverage are not working anymore.

The thing is that while 'we' think that it is still as devastating a move as breaking the legs of another runner, the reality is that it is becoming more like shoving some gravel into another runner's shoes, painful, distracting, but not crippling and, when the other racer is moving faster than you even with the gravel stuck under their toes, ineffective.

And the situation with Lithuania's economic collapse under a single piece of Chinese gravel in its shoe, a ploy that, if the other guy starts using it in retaliation, would work against the Imperium a lot more effectively than it is working for it.

The Imperium is trying to work itself up to go from slipping in another piece of gravel into Russia's shoe to openly trying to fill it with gravel, but whichever way it goes, it won't accomplish the results wanted, and might provoke a retaliation that will speed the breakup and decline of the Imperium.

“Senate Democrats recently blocked legislation from Sen.Ted Cruz (R-Texas) that would have slapped sanctions on businesses related to the pipeline and let Congress force a vote on reinstating the penalties if Biden waived them.”

Nord stream 2 pipeline sanctions were “filibustered”, of all things.

2 weeks later they now claim they will sanction Russia on it?

The “mother of all sanctions”?

Are people actually buying any of this nonsense as an adult response?

Dear US..

Pledge yourself not to intervene in the affairs of the rest of the world only for your own greedy and selfish benefit..

You have no friends in the world, you only have interests..

Russian mothers should prepare for the, "Your son died in a training accident at an undisclosed location" letters.

How is Russia any different to the U.S.A. in invading Iraq and Afghanistan?

they will be buried.

If so, that would be sad, and a continuation of the loop Russians (for that matter most humans) from the lower castes have been on for centuries, it could be among the Russian or other troop's that might be killed should this standoff (or whatever you call it) turns into an actual war some slaughtered might have had ancestors who were killed in wars that were intended to benefit the tsar, king, emperor and other so-called royals.Same as it ever was. Wars benefit the ruling castes and undertakers. No wars for oil, or for the glory of some empire or a short narcissistic thug's ego. Time to re-read Tolstoy's "War and Peace".

Time for all nations to make do with the resources found within their current borders, not mythical ones.

For its part, Germany also remains skeptical of an imminent Russian invasion. At this stage, Berlin sees no indication that Russia will move into Ukraine immediately, a senior German official said. Evidence that Moscow plans to act quickly may exist, but if the United States possesses it, it hasn’t shared it with the Germans, the official added.

Not even the Germans are buying into this US/UK/corporate MSM phony invasion story, and now even the Ukrainians are joining the Germans. Imagine that, the country that the US says Russia is poised to invade says there will be no invasion.

The Russians have brought all this upon themselves by their warlike behavior, invasions of sovereign nations and threats to do more.

If Putin and his little man syndrome chooses to send those troops to invade sovereign Ukraine, they will be buried.

It Putin do not come to his senses, let bring Putin and Russia to their knees, especially the intelligence chief, who accuse the US of bestiality, we American cannot let this go unpunished Google Sergei Naryshkin Bestiality