Has Barack Obama finessed vladimir putin and gotten the upper hand in the Ukraine terrorist attack/disaster?
Terry Atlas and Jonathan Allen of Bloomberg.com seem to think so. Here is an excerpt of their analysis:
U.S.officials, some speaking on the condition of anonymity to discussadministration strategy, said the shooting down of the civilianjetliner – blamed by the U.S. on pro-Russian separatists armed byRussia – should ignite anti-Putin sentiment and push reluctant EUcountries to catch up to the more stringent sanctions the U.S. hadimposed last week. Dutch and other European citizens were among the298 passengers and crew that perished.
Thisgives Obama confidence that the U.S. and EU can prevail over Putin inthe short-run — overcoming European reluctance to expand sanctions– just as the Obama administration believes it will prevail in thelong-run over a Russia that has a battered economy and a leader whois overplaying a weak hand, the officials said.
Is it possible that, after years of putin blowing him away, Barack Obama finally may be able to slow down the Russian bear, stop it, or even make it move back a couple of steps?
Frankly, I\’m skeptical – even though, with the world virtually unanimous in blaming Russia for taking down Malaysia flight M17 and hundreds of European nationals on that flight there is a temptation to believe he can do it. Let\’s keep in mind that the Obama track record so far is, to say the least, not impressive.
But, skepticism aside, let\’s hope that Mr. Atlas and Mr. Allen are on to something here: partly because it would be a very good, very much needed result, and partly because if Mr. Obama can\’t move putin under these circumstances, what basis would we have to think he could ever move putin under any circumstances?
On this one, nothing but the best of luck to you Mr. President.
