Russia accepts Prez Obama’s sanctions
This new soap opera on the world’s stage is reuniting the global audiences’ favorite stars: The United States and Russia; and shows America standing up to Russia this week, winning back some of its eroded street cred.
The New York Times reports that, U.S. President Barack Obama has made good on his promise to impose sanctions on Russia in retaliation for its alleged hacking of the Democratic National Committee computers during the 2016 Presidential Election.
The United States, still claiming the mantle of benevolent protector of democracy, and Russia, back to its notorious tricks as a geopolitical instigator; while democrats are blaming Russia for helping Republican President-Elect Donald Trump win the election via the release of “digital dirt” that harmed Democratic Nominee Hillary Clinton.
Obama has punished the Russians by expelling 35 Russian diplomats (accused of being spies), imposed economic sanctions on four Russian intelligence officials, and closed two U.S. estates used by Russian diplomats.
Although the Russian Foreign Minister initially vowed that Russia would respond in kind and expel 35 American diplomats, Reuters reports that president Vladimir Putin has chosen to play nice instead, insisting that there will be no sending home of U.S. officials.
Putin, who has led the nation as either president or prime minister for 17 years as of December 31, appears to be trying to generate positive press by taking the high road.
The former KGB agent and controversial shirtless strongman-figure seems to be mimicking Barack Obama’s famous dirt-off-your-shoulder gesture, explained USA Today. By mocking the lame-duck status of the Obama administration, which cedes the White House on January 20, basically the Kremlin is trying to portray the new U.S. sanctions as no big deal.
Russia’s refusal to respond in kind to U.S. sanctions can be seen as having positive effects for the United States.
The United States stood up for itself, and punished a historic rival for meddling in our election, but without provoking a potentially devastating brawl.
This will improve America’s standing in the eyes of many of its allies, some of whom may have thought that the U.S. was getting a bit soft after refusing to respect its own “red line” in Syria.
According to Politico, President Obama insisted in August 2012, that the U.S. would respond harshly to any use of chemical weapons by Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, who was battling rebels in the ongoing Syrian Civil War. A year later, it turned out that al-Assad’s regime had indeed used such weapons, including against civilians. The Obama administration declined to respond militarily, earning it a black eye.
Standing up to Russia helps America prove its status as a world leader, both internationally and with domestic defense hawks. Many have claimed that America’s weak foreign policy stances during the early Obama years created a power vacuum that allowed Russia to seize Crimea and ISIS to evolve in the Middle East.
The imposition of sanctions on Russia for election meddling will also dissuade other mischievous states, such as North Korea, from attempting their own hacks of U.S. political parties and candidates.
If anyone thought they could try to interfere with America’s elections and receive only verbal rebukes, they now know otherwise.
