This Means War: US To Target Putin's Personal $40 Billion Stash

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Regarding Cocaine Use:

Obama's Cocaine Confessional Won't 'Blow' His Chances

Obama suggests in his books that he used marijuana and "blow" to ease the pain of his ongoing struggle to define his racial identity, and that association makes it all but unthinkable that even the most ruthless political operative would attempt to make an issue of long-ago substance abuse.

Source

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Regarding Homosexuality (this is a rumor)

Claim: Obama hid 'gay life' to become president

A prominent member of Chicago’s homosexual community claims Barack Obama’s participation in the “gay” bar and bathhouse scene was so well known that many who were aware of his lifestyle were shocked when he ran for president and finally won the White House.

Source

a reply to: Krazysh0t

A little more on this...

Obama Was A Cocaine-Using Gay Hustler, Says Woman Who Claims To Have Been Hawaiian Classmate

"He always portrayed himself as a foreign student," Pope said. "Girls were never anything that he ever was interested in ... He would get with these older white gay men, and this is how we just pretty much had the impression that that's how he was procuring his coc aine."

She then notes, "In other words, he was having sex with these older white guys and that's how he was getting this coc aine to be able to freebase."

Source

a reply to: freakjive

Right, so what does any of that have to with a person's ability to lead a country? Especially an unfounded rumor by a former classmate. Heck, knowing the proliferation of coc aine in the 80's and 90's, I'd say that it is probably a GREAT drug to take and lead while high with. It keeps you awake on long nights, keeps you focused, makes you aggressive (great leadership attribute), loosens your lips so it is easier to speak on things, and those are a few of the things of the top of my head that would be beneficial to a leader.

Though you still need to prove that he is still using. As for the homosexual thing, that is just ridiculous. I could care less about some rumor and not to mention, being gay doesn't immediately make you a terrible leader. The comparison made between Obama and Putin listed a bunch of irrelevant points (and maybe one good one with the constitution burning one) about Obama and then listed relevant points about Putin. It's obvious that Obama is a weak leader, so why couldn't the poster list actual relevant things that outline his terrible leadership abilities, like being wishy-washy about Syria, administration full of lies, cannot keep a lid on whistle blowers, shuts down valid arguments with the race card, history in Chicago politics (Chicago is one of the most notoriously corrupt cities in the country), feel good politics?

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: freakjive

Right, so what does any of that have to with a person's ability to lead a country? Especially an unfounded rumor by a former classmate. Heck, knowing the proliferation of coc aine in the 80's and 90's, I'd say that it is probably a GREAT drug to take and lead while high with. It keeps you awake on long nights, keeps you focused, makes you aggressive (great leadership attribute), loosens your lips so it is easier to speak on things, and those are a few of the things of the top of my head that would be beneficial to a leader.

Though you still need to prove that he is still using. As for the homosexual thing, that is just ridiculous. I could care less about some rumor and not to mention, being gay doesn't immediately make you a terrible leader. The comparison made between Obama and Putin listed a bunch of irrelevant points (and maybe one good one with the constitution burning one) about Obama and then listed relevant points about Putin. It's obvious that Obama is a weak leader, so why couldn't the poster list actual relevant things that outline his terrible leadership abilities, like being wishy-washy about Syria, administration full of lies, cannot keep a lid on whistle blowers, shuts down valid arguments with the race card, history in Chicago politics (Chicago is one of the most notoriously corrupt cities in the country), feel good politics?

I don't need to prove anything regarding his use. That wasn't what this OP was about and I didn't bring it up. I just provided you with links of answers to questions that you asked.

In-fact, I'd prefer to discontinue that discussion, as it's off topic and it also borders on breaking T&C.

a reply to: freakjive

Classic, you make ungrounded and baseless accusations against one leader in an attempt to smear him (as if being Gay is a problem - unless you're a Russian and fear for your "masculinity") and then, when challenged on it, you back away citing "off topic" and T&C's.

FYI, it isn't against the T&C's - it is only against them for discussing personal drug use. Unless you are Obama... Are you?

a reply to: stumason

I'm aware of the very low opinion many here view Russia with for their ability to defense or capability to go offensive. I'll simply say I couldn't possibly disagree more. The Russian economy as measured by GDP has doubled since Putin took office in 2000 and it's doubled again in the last 6 years. The growth is enormous in relative comparison to most other nations in the world right now, and done with a level of debt still within their means, or quite near it, to pay with hard currency and metal reserves.

That's a small thing for folks who aren't nerdy about geopolitics and international affairs for how it all comes together and what actually makes a nation equal to or stronger than another, beyond obvious math on paper. It's a HUGE thing in terms of real power to impact each other and inflict pain without suffering equal measures upon themselves. We aren't in that position..by ANY means. They are. There is little we can do to REALLY hurt them...while both the United Kingdom and United States are in bad positions for vulnerability.


Something floors me about how our side is handling this..and I think it's why Putin almost seems amused. The United States and England both have used debt as an absolute tool of control and, simply put, oppression for other nations over the course of decades (in our case) and a few centuries at least, in England's case. Now we're collectively IN DEBT ourselves and so deep, math can't even see ways to get out .....and we assume the international community will do for us what we NEVER did for other nations, no matter their level of need or desperation in asking. Forgive or tolerate the debt without using it against us. In war? We're going to pay hard on that alone. Russia will fight on all fronts...just like we always have.

ATS is much the worse for the Troll Invasion that has happened between
January and now...

I'm absolutely totally sick of it.

originally posted by: stumason
a reply to: freakjive

Classic, you make ungrounded and baseless accusations against one leader in an attempt to smear him (as if being Gay is a problem - unless you're a Russian and fear for your "masculinity") and then, when challenged on it, you back away citing "off topic" and T&C's.

FYI, it isn't against the T&C's - it is only against them for discussing personal drug use. Unless you are Obama... Are you?

Wrong, Stu. Reread the exchange in the thread. Someone else brought it up and Krazy was apparently unaware of the issues brought up. He asked for sources.

I supplied sources of both accusations. The coc aine usage is not a rumor. It was directly admitted by Obama. The other claim (which I stated was rumor) was quoted with the sources of it's origin.

I don't care whether a leader has previous drug use or is gay or not. That has nothing to do with Obama's ineptitude as a leader. Again, that's not what this OP was about.

The OP is about the regime potentially chasing Putin's personal wealth as an action of a sanction.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

Economic "miracles" aside - and there wasn't one, they just a crap ton of oil and gas - the economy of Russia is barely larger than Italy. Recently, they have seen a 4% growth slashed to 0.3% as a direct result of this crisis, if it continues, we will see economic contraction in Russia. If it goes on even longer and the EU sources alternative gas supplies - which they will - then Russia's boom years are over.

As for debt, I don't think it is anywhere near as big an issue as some make out. Most of the US creditors are friendly, allied nations - while 50% of US creditors for long term debt are US citizens and organisations - many of whom are reliant on US defence (Japan, UK, Europe). China has lent nigh on a trillion - that is China's problem, not the US's. It is just as much a threat to not pay your debt when it is that high as it is to try and use it as leverage.

EDIT: If it goes to War, then all bets, debts and everything else is off. It is exactly for this reason China won't push the US, or challenge it outright. They are quite happy playing both sides and making a buck, but they won't push the US into a corner over anything because, at the end of the day, the US could simply wipe the slate itself, leaving China massively out of pocket.

originally posted by: freedomSlave
Really he has 40 billion in personal wealth I really question that .

The lazy #s who own Walmart sit back, jerk off and have way more

a reply to: freakjive

Fair enough, but either way, it is disingenuous of you to further those "rumours" and then back away when it all starts to get a bit hairy. Surely it would have been better to simply not further them at all?

a reply to: stumason

Oh, I'm well aware of how people underestimate the economics. It's no accident and it's very carefully done by those in both London and Washington. I've heard Obama personally talk down the importance of 17 trillion in debt...and I want to throw up at the demonstration of obscene ignorance running our nation. The guy before him? Absolutely NO better on this point. This train wreck is about 14 years in the making, at this point.

There is a damn good book on this by a man who did it for a living. "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" is the title and it details just how our two nations, through the IMF and World Bank (among others) managed to very effectively throttle most of the developing world at various points. It was generally done through loans with impossible terms under conditions impossible to turn down..or personally beneficial to the leaders at a high enough degree to ignore the fact we bought the heart and soul of their nation in the process. This was, for many years and several Presidents at least, standard operating procedure.

We were effective, prolific and brutal with it. Countries who suffered the wrong end of it, *HATE* us for it. Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia are a few examples where we aren't the most loved folks who could walk into a room for a social call, in large part over this very issue across 20-30 years of thumping them with it.

......and now...with debt which makes world history to mind boggling levels, using any adjusted currency model you'd like to color the outcome, we think anyone will be the least bit generous and show compassion?

I'm sorry and truly heart sick to see how badly our side misses just how deeply we've sold our very souls to people we spent MANY years doing things to...to cause them to really dislike us. Those who now hold serious and tangible economic power over the Western deadbeats, come calling for mercy. I'm not counting on any.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

I don't expect those countries to be compassionate, but then they are not in a position to do anything else either. As I said, the majority of the US long-term bonds are held either by US citizens or very friendly, allied nations.

I fail to see how the bulk of the world, no matter what has been done to them or what they'd like to do to us, could actually do anything, because the bulk of the debt is beyond their control. Japan, the UK, Europe or China don't wish to see the US crumble, quite the opposite in fact and they are the ones holding the purse strings.

The UK itself has a much improving balance sheet and, if things continue even under the most conservative estimates, will be running a surplus from 2018 and the debt will start to come down. By the end of the year, we're going to be the fastest growing economy in the developed world, even more so than the US.

Debt aside - Russia's economy is fragile as hell, as demonstrated just in the past months. China has some serious debt issues of it's own, as well as a well concealed property bubble that has to burst at some point, not to mention the chronic social problems they must grapple with.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

Yes a good post and I see that like me you follow the money and the money is not saying the same thing as the war pundits are saying.

Please be advise that the USA does not owe $17tr and that it just has a share in the debt, technical detail I know but i thought I had better warn you before someone here jumps on it.

"Pumped at the pump every day"
Could not agree more and hope you can find the room the add "ripped off in taxes to finance the military"

a reply to: stumason

Not to mention the 55 infantry divisions, 11 armored divisions and Lord know how many fighter and bomber squadrons tied up in the west due to Hitler declaring war on the U.S....

a reply to: stumason

Most people are unaware of that Chinese economic "bubble".

Very impressive posts.

$40billion?? Now you see why Obama wants to be a dictator. It pays better.

a reply to: stumason

We don't even agree on the most basic fundamentals of the discussion. I respect your opinion, but disagree we will,, on almost everything here by the sound of it.

The attitude of looking down on those we go against has cost both your nation and mine VERY dearly and in times recent enough to play directly into present events. The Hubris which runs British and American foreign policy is something I've come to be ashamed of my nation for. It's embarrassing and it's without good basis to support it....which makes it akin to one of the greater bluff's history will see to record, IMO.

Unfortunately, Putin likes chess and not poker. This bluff isn't even slowing anyone down or causing them to pause and consider it. Those actions over words speak more than any teleprompter could.

a reply to: VirusGuard

Please be advise that the USA does not owe $17tr and that it just has a share in the debt, technical detail I know but i thought I had better warn you before someone here jumps on it.

Just a question here, since our economic position bears greatly on our ability to threaten Russia?

What do you mean the US only has a share in it's own debt? We do agree on some other points, but you've lost me here.

* I'd feel awkward in replies after this if I didn't note the Budget is one of my personal passions and a topic I've lost literal weeks worth of time in over the past few years, learning to a line item level. You have my full attention tho.

They're saying that he has 40 billions stashed in Swiss for a few years but they still didn't provide any evidence for this. I can't believe that this still works on normal people. If he had or if they had any evidence about this, it would be out in the open years ago. Just taking into account opposition in Russia that criticises him for every step he makes and that this opposition has literally billions of dollars, they could have bought that info and destroy Putin

And those sanctions will bite Europe. It will be years before EU can switch off Russian gas pipes. And Russia is still a trade partner with nearly 150 million people. Europe is on the brink of another crisis and it cannot afford to risk another crisis because it will split EU in EU1, EU2 and maybe EU3.

And as I stated many times before: "We're in the middle of the Informational War" ... you can't trust Western media, you can't trust Russian media. All it's done, is spread hate around the world ... for all you know, there's nothing going on in Ukraine, and Putin and Obama are sipping whiskey in the White House and watch this reality show. I know that there's a crisis, but it was just an example that shows that media is most powerful weapon of our time, because anyone can program people thoughts and opinion about crisis they know nothing about. Just don't participate in this Information war and they will lose their power.