heard this in the radio and it's been discussed much since Russia rolled in to Crimea. I oft wondered, in Hillary's famous line, what difference does it make? Western Europe will still buy natural gas from Russia. Others will still buy their oil. We will still buy their vodka (jk) and all will continue but Putin will save a few bucks by not traveling to a summit that does???? What???
Vodka is a special case. Vladolf Putler doesn't own all the Russian distilleries (not yet).
I am 100% for sanctions [full disclosure: here you have a Pole who grew up in Russia, fiercely anti-Soviet by blood and by conviction, a proud American citizen, etc - - - you can imagine]; also, I don't drink vodka - more of a red wine kinda guy --- but!:
If it is not too much bother - please, we should spend some effort (like, 3 minutes of googling- never killed anyone) to determine (roughly) who is who. The small business owners are not the Kremlin's constituency.
I still have some connections over there in Mordor - starting with my own elderly parents ( a frantic visas acquisition dance is underway) -
not a single one of them has a single word of approval for what is happening. And "they" are a small but diverse bunch - left and right; Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish and Catholic; Russians and "nation-traitors" [Putler's words, from the recent "world-changing" speech]....
There was a "battle of letters" in Moscow the other week: prominent writers, actors, scientists had lined up on one or the other side of the chasm. "Either you are with us, or you are against us" - nobody has any illusions at this point. But I am happy to report: Most everyone I knew as a worthy contributor to the great and tragic Russian culture of the 20th century did sign the "hands off the Ukraine" letter.
All I can say is that the people who make Russia worth worrying about are still there - cornered, terrified - but still alive, still free (for now), and still trying to do their best in a horrible, horrible situation.
I am guilty as well: "
Made in China? Yuk. Don't they have anything
Made in Taiwan, of the same quality?". But now, when it hits
very close to home....Yes, absolutely, boycott their gas and oil (quantitatively stolen by the State-appointed "oligarchs" anyway), but give a chance to the few courageous souls who are still struggling - against all odds -to make Russia into a civilized country. They need our help. They are our best hope, actually.
I know, it is almost too much to ask. But it is about bloody time for us to pay some freaking attention. 2014, you know. 1914 wasn't much fun.