TODAY’S DOLLARS YESTERDAY’S BULLETS

Physics teaches us that each and every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The rule applies in international politics as well.

Russia stole Crimea. The United States and other nations sanctioned Russia. The thought was the sanctions would bring Russia to its knees. It did not happen. No one took into account Putin’s boldness.

Russia’s economic life depends on the sale of its oil and gas to other countries. Retaliation for Crimea included cutting off some of those lines. No problem for Putin. He turned in another direction. Asia. In six months, he has cut new oil deals with North Korea, South Korea,and China. He is presently negotiating a major gas deal comparable to the China one with Japan.

Another part of the United States’ retaliatory strategy was to freeze the bank accounts of Russian citizens in the United States. The big Russians.

No problem again for Putin It was announced this week that Russia was removing money it had in U.S. banks. Russia had $21.6 billion dollars sitting here. Russia thus far has pulled out 61 percent. Only $8.4 billion remains.

That is not all.

In the past several months, Putin has been negotiating mega contracts for Russian state owned oil companies with major oil companies. Exxon Mobile and BP recently signed such mega contracts with Russia’s Rosneft.

So much for major companies supporting Obama’s decisions arising out of Ukraine problems. The same oil companies that eat big time off the American people and benefit from favorable laws that Congress has passed to their benefit. To the benefit of the big oil companies and to the detriment of the American people.

Wars will continue to be waged in remote places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine with guns, bullets, tanks and other machines of war. Major countries such as the United States, Russia, England, France, and others, will fight each other with dollars. Each is fully aware of the devastation that a fighting war would bring. The major countries do not want blood and guts on their streets. Economics can be used to destroy a nation as effectively as war.

The issue/concept has been bothering me and so I burden you with my thoughts this morning.

The best of my yesterday was the Heat/Spurs game last night. Great basketball!

Enjoy your day!

8 comments on “TODAY’S DOLLARS YESTERDAY’S BULLETS

  1. “The issue/concept has been bothering me and so I burden you with my thoughts this morning.”

    Your observations are well-made. The US has come out looking weaker then ever in the Crimea incident. Such weakness only emboldens Putin and China. Not unlike the power vacuum that blew up as the British Empire wavered, that period ended with a World War. If one believes the days of global wars are history than they are living in a glass bubble in a world full of stones and sharp rocks.

  2. There were some that knew how ‘bold’ Putin is or would be. I think I’d call it shrewd though.
    I don’t understand how the present administration couldn’t foresee this when so many others did. But, thats typical of this admin.
    Why would any large company show loyalty to us today, money is what matters.

    • Agreed, the Almighty dollar not the people is what counts. The D-Day 70th celebration at Normandy with Putin and Obama was awkward to say the least. Putin looked like “Johnny Soprano” in his shades. Obama was more like the professor from Gilligan’s Island.

  3. Lou, my 27 yr old daughter wants to now go to law school after 5 yrs in NYC in journalism (tech & science). What law target do you suggest? Environmental as you did? Thanks, Diana

    • A question that cannot simply be answered. If she desires the law, she should go to school and go with the flow. Things change. Enviromental law was not even taught in the late 1950s when I was in law school. It was after acquired and self taught by me 20 years after graduation when enviromental problems became a matter for concern.

      I have been trying to reach you at Banana Bay. Your phone will not accept voice mail. The telephone receptionist will not take a message.

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