Tillerson confirms. No lift of Russia sanctions until Russia returns Crimea to Ukraine

a reply to: YouSir

In Canada there is no free speech. When I was in high school a kid said something about black people and got in trouble. In the US there is free speech because of the first amendment.

a reply to: YouSir
The rich have always been and always will be above the law. Human civilization 101. That still is of little consequence to the freedoms you have as a citizen of the USA.

I still believe this is the most free land on Earth. As long as I believe that, and practice it, it is true. Now if anyone locks themselves inside all day worrying about government overreach, then they are the only ones who have taken their own freedom.

Russia is doing just fine. They have proven themselves in Syria, and opened new front in Libya earlier this month.

a reply to: YouSir

Which is ironic. Progressives claim to be open minded and diversity loving, but only select groups. Other groups are not protected and actually verbally condemned.

There used to be a word for it... Discrimination.

a reply to: carewemust

The sanctions are stopping Exxon Mobile(the company Tillerson left to become secretary of state) from giving Russia 500 billion dollars in exchange for drilling the Russian artic. Check my profile for the thread i made partially involving this very subject.

a reply to: allsee4eye

Russia stands to gain 500 billion dollars from Exxon Mobile once those sanctions are lifted. Tillerson just so happens to be the former ceo of Exxon and has personally known putin for the past 20 years. Coincidence? Check my profile for the thread I made about all this.

a reply to: Xcalibur254

The 2016 sanctions yes, but they are most likely speaking about the 2014 sanctions. As they are causing massive damage to the Russian economy and more importantly they are stopping a 500 billion deal between Russia and exxon Mobil.

a reply to: conscientiousobserver

No they do not cause damage to Russia economy. As to the 500 billion Exxon deal in Russia, I was not able to find anything about it. Maybe it's fake news. Considering Boeing is allowed to sell in Russia, I don't see why Exxon is not allowed to drill in Russia.

boeing.mediaroom.com...

a reply to: allsee4eye

Oh sure. Keep telling yourself that.

a reply to: allsee4eye

Their currency and GDP have dropped 50% since the 2014 sanctions over Crimea. one of many articles

A simple search of Exxon Russia deal brings up numerous articles about Tillerson's very real 20 year relationship with Putin through Exxon Mobil and the 500 billion dollar multi decade long oil deal.

Also did you ever stop to think that the fake news rhetoric is just a very weak and easy scape goat for any negative information against the current administration.

If we are to deny ignorance one must be able to see both sides of the coin. Instead of sticking to the narrow minded mentality that big money never lies.

These idiots are gonna get us into a war.

War is good for the economy.

The plan is coming to fruition.

a reply to: conscientiousobserver

well, according to that article, this:

Russia’s GDP has also fallen over the past couple years. Tata specifically mentioned 2014-16. Russia’s GDP was $2.053 trillion (in U.S. dollars) in 2014, according to the World Bank, dropping to $1.331 trillion in 2015 — a drop of about 35 percent.

Adjusted for inflation, however, the drop was more like 3.7 percent because of the struggling ruble.

What the article does not mention is that their drop in GDP had more to do with the historical low oi prices, which killed the GDP of most oil producing countries all over the world. Even the Saudis have had to take measures by killing off subsidies just to balance the book, and we put no sanctions on them.

Either way, the Russians trade in hard assets with many of their biggest trading partners, so a devalued currency had little effect on them. It certainly had no effect on their ability to project force in Syria or open a new front in Libya.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Actually the article did mention that it was more likely due to dropping oil prices and less from sanctions. Oh well, either way they do not seem too hurt

a reply to: conscientiousobserver

Money isn't everything. Millions of Russians were sacrificed in WW2 to crush Nazis, and it wasn't because of money. Sometimes, human will is stronger than money. Man makes money. Money does not make man.

a reply to: conscientiousobserver

Actually we measure Russian GDP in dollars. So if the currency fell 50% in dollar terms then the same level of GDP would also result in a 50% drop in GDP in dollars. Oil is also priced in dollars, even for the Russians, but their economy is run on Rubles . So when they sold oil at market prices in dollars they actually then converted them into even more rubles. Now if you are an American who had invested in rubles you may have taken a big loss. On the Russian side not so much. Because of the weaker currency they were able to do much better than most with the big drop on oil prices.

Just saying....

a reply to: allsee4eye

It was Ukrainian territory. Nothing you posted has any bearing on that.

a reply to: sligtlyskeptical

The big drop in oil prices is because the sanctions banned the US from doing business with ROSNEFT. Thus causing a massive surplus and the subsequent drop in prices.

For a country that has to import many of its goods having a weak currency is not good at any point and they are still losing billions because of the sanctions. Which was the intent.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Territory is earned. Territory is not given. You cannot keep territory without power.

Russia has more than 100 Su-34 and building 88 Su-30SM by 2018. That's why Russia can keep Crimea and Ukraine cannot.

a reply to: therealfreeworld

No quite, chum.

Doesn't explain why putin spent millions getting his orange puppet stooge in America if sanctions weren't costing him and his robber baron tycoons billions. The sanctions are costing them huge sums of money, and these people are driven primarily by greed and self preservation, so you can rest assured the sanctions are some of the most odious things putin has had to deal with recently.

I'm sure he feels safer with all his oligarch friends losing their fortunes, insomuch as the ever growing pool of people who would benefit from his 'removal' grows.

I'm glad America will carry on the hurt on that scumbag.

a reply to: Wayfarer

Russia is building 88 Su-30SM jets by 2018 and already built more than 100 Su-34. American sanctions did nothing to stop Russia's military buildup.

As for Trump being a Russia's stooge, I'm glad WW3 is averted.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
a reply to: OccamsRazor04

Territory is earned. Territory is not given. You cannot keep territory without power.

Russia has more than 100 Su-34 and building 88 Su-30SM by 2018. That's why Russia can keep Crimea and Ukraine cannot.

The US has more power, what should America take since that is the world you want to live in. Russia can not keep anything the US wanted to take by force.

In short, you have no defense.