"Barack Obama announced a series of sanctions against officials in Russia who he claims have played a role in the continued unrest in the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine. The move came one day after a majority voters in the region supported a referendum to unite with Russia.
On Monday, Obama said the U.S. would not recognize the referendum. He went on to blame a number of officials within the Russian government for the development.
“We are imposing sanctions on specific individuals for undermining the sovereignty, territorial integrity and government of Ukraine,” he asserted. “We are making it clear that there are consequences for their actions.”
The White House – along with numerous media outlets – is touting the sanctions as a direct response to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Putin is not named directly in Obama’s reaction, a White House statement indicates the U.S. will “seek to hold accountable individuals who use their resources or influence to support or act on behalf of senior Russian government officials.”
One senior White House advisor, however, questioned Obama’s selection, suggesting the seven Russian officials facing sanctions are not Putin allies at all.
While the move was sold as a clear message to Russian officials responsible for the current Ukraine crisis, the end result seems to bear little resemblance to that goal. Instead, Obama seems to have targeted individuals Putin himself would have approved.
As a result, the U.S. action has had little noticeable effect on Russia’s economy as of this writing. In fact, the Russian market rose today on the news of these weak sanctions."
ExposeObama.com
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