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What is the biggest reason Russia annexed Crimea?

 

 

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It's the first obvious step in the rebulding of the old USSR. Putin see's American/EU's reaction to this land grab; no worries, I can do just about anything I want to do with former members of the USSR!! Will this lead to a confrontation with the US and it's allies?? I don't see that happening: not enough will to resist this outrage in the rest of the world.

Submitted by Old Grunt (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 2:30pm

As a viet nam vet and son of a veteran this country better right itself or we will be speaking Russian or Chinese soon
g-d bless the U.S,A I cant stand the fact that American bought into all the b.s that was given us by this admin.
one mans opinion

Submitted by bklynbruce (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:02pm

My sentiments exactly!

Submitted by Dutch Culver (not verified) : Mar 30, 2014 11:59am

Putin wanted to see what Obama's reaction to this move would be and I believe he got the reaction he wanted - nothing. Obama has proved he is a " do nothing " President in the past and now we see Other Allied Countries showing their disgust. Now with Obama, Kagle and the Pentagon wanting to cut or Military Forces to a Pre World War ll level, you will see more of this type of Action. TSgt., USAF Retired.

Submitted by mrsgunnut10 (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:06pm

I think he is far from finished.

Submitted by Rosey (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:07pm

IMHO ~~ Tis such a shame to see so many people so easily hoodwinked by politicians and the media. Makes me question why I fought for 6 years during Vietnam. Yo have it all pissed away by people that vote in incompetent people to run our country into the ground.

Submitted by Del (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:08pm

The Ukrain is the bread basket of the old USSR as well as the source for shipping LPG , anhydrous ammonia, urea and other chemicals. If Putin and friends want to return to the glory days he needs the resources for the Russian economy. It is not without certain hurt that the West has put a freeze on bank transactions on the Kremlin cronies as skimming cash from the industry and sending it to European banks is how they are able to wield power and peddle influence with Russian Mafias and other sources of power within Russia.

Submitted by Up and out (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:09pm

I totally agree with your statements. I've had the same thoughts too. Russia annexed the Crimea and the people voted yes. No diferent than when a bigger city in the US annexes a boarding town or subdivision. No shots were fired, no one hurt.

Submitted by liberalconservative (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 12:59am

"no diffference".

It's more like California "voting" to "return" to Mexico.

Submitted by X Man (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 2:03pm

From a strategic perspective, it should be understood that Russia borders on the Black Sea and the naval base at Sevastopol is the home of the Russian Black Sea fleet. With Ukraine's overthrow of a Russian friendly government amid talks of severing economic ties with Russia and joining the European Union it certainly raises the specter that they might also join NATO. Russia's hold on the Sevastopol base is through a loosely structured lease agreement much like our agreement with Cuba for Guantanamo. The proximity of the base to Russia is about the same as ours to Guantanamo, also. If Ukraine decided to join NATO Russia would have reason for concern that NATO could be given the use of Sevastopol for a NATO naval presence. I'm sure that concern about that possibility is the biggest reason for the annexation of Crimea and the securing of the Sevastopol Naval Base by Russian troops after the Crimean vote to separate from Ukraine and join the Russian federation.

Submitted by rko (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:24pm

It's always been about the warm water port. That includes Russia's support with Iran.

Submitted by JML (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 5:47pm

I could make several guesses, but the bottom line is that I don't know. I don't personally talk with Vladimir Putin. So I just can't say. I do know this, it is none of our business. It's rather like a domestic argument in many, many ways, and we, the U.S. should treat it as such. Leave it alone. It'll quiet down, and they all will be happy.

Submitted by Douglas M. Waggoner (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:26pm

I disagree. They will never be happy till they have it all

Submitted by Drew A.Jensen (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 6:09am

Lot's of thoughtful comments, mine are in agreement with the warm water port theory. I think they had it all and could not keep it, what has changed to make us think they have the ability to do it again: This is certainly not for US to get caught up in. Past time to stop policing the world,
take care of the many needs at home. Do you feel me?

Submitted by Larry M (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 5:05pm

I have to agree with you. We can't fight all the problems in this world.
I like the fact that we are not going to fight another war and have America boys dying again for nothing. I just like peace.

Submitted by angie (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 10:33am

I think rko has hit the nail on the head. Russia needed this port and could not take the chance of losing it. The only thing that remains to be seen is what other areas does Putin see as a necessary means to accomplish what he has set out to do and that is to re-establish Russia as a world power as it was when it was the USSR.

Submitted by Sgt. Rock (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:32pm

RKO (see above) hit it. As a president, Putin's job is to look out for Russia (pity that Obama doesn't see his job that way)That base used to be part of Russia, and when Ukraine parted company with the USSR, nobody gave it much thought. Russia needs that warm-water base, every bit as much as we needed Panama, every bit as we need Guantanamo. Maybe even more so. Yes, he's thumbing his nose at Obama, but so would we all! It's just that Putin is enjoying doing what he clearly sees is very important for Russia. I doubt very seriously if we'll go to war with Russia, but we should remember to words of, I think it was, Seneca: "If you would have peace, be prepared for war." We, sadly, are not....

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 4:44pm

The Crimea has historically been a part of Russia since at least the late 18th century, not Ukraine. Russian leader Khrushchev should never have given the Crimea to Ukraine back in 1954. Though it might have made geo-political sense back then, the Crimea has historically been ethnically Russian, not Ukrainian.
At this point I would be far more worried about any moves of Russia to "protect Russian citizens" in the Eastern Ukraine.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 5:02pm

Reasons 2 3 4 and a variety of other polical reasons, plus he's psycho!

Submitted by Stan USMC (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 5:10pm

Choice three underscores how feckless our foreign policy decisions are viewed. Rhetoric is the order of the day around here, not competent foresight that engenders respect. Our allies see this and so does Putin. It is only logical for Putin to assert himself to achieve a greater strategic advantage in the region.

Submitted by Bill AF (ret) (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 5:49pm

Actually all of the above..

Submitted by The Dutchman. (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 6:40pm

who cares!

Submitted by MSgt. Gilbert C... (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 6:50pm

One wanted to show how strong he is the other, well you decide.

Submitted by Rad (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 6:52pm

Crimea has always been a critical outlet to the sea for Russia.

Submitted by John Matovich (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 6:57pm

Putin did it because he realized he could.

Submitted by Steve Nemmers (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 7:19pm

Why? Because of all of the reasons listed above in the above question.

Submitted by SgtRW (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 10:58pm

Why? Because of all of the reasons listed above in the above question.

Submitted by SgtRW (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 10:58pm

Why? Because of all of the reasons listed above in the above question.

Submitted by SgtRW (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 10:58pm

Why? Because of all of the reasons listed above in the above question.

Submitted by SgtRW (not verified) : Mar 27, 2014 10:59pm

Russia can never be trusted in its territorial desires. It will turn Crimea into a base to take Ukraine and redevelop its Black Sea base in Odessa on the Dnieper River. It will bolster its Ukraine military position and then move on to the eastern part of Europe and then move beyond that. Ukraine is the perfect launch point for its territorial ambitions. A perfect example of its true intent is the fact Russia and Japan are still fighting World War II. Since the Russians refuse to give back the northern islands of Japan as they have militarized them, Japan has refused to sign a peace treaty with Russia for WWII. The islands are of no real value except as a military stronghold for Russia's Asian goals. Since we are talking 1945 to the present, doesanyone seriously believe Russia will change if the people of Ukraine remain committed to developing relations with the EU and the US? I have many friends, and former family members in Ukraine. Their view of the situation is much more serious than that which is told us by the news. My duaghter's cousin in Ukraine had a friend who left Odessa to go to Kiev to participate in the demonstration in the main square. He was killed by a sniper. They suspect the killers were Russian military. As they are already surreptitiously within Ukraine, again, there is no doubt they will not stop at Crimea

Submitted by BEH 19 year old... (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 12:54am

putin is ex-kgb, hes learned well from looking at hitler and stalin hes playing the world just like these dictators did.

Submitted by lee penlack (not verified) : Jan 29, 2015 2:38pm

The Crimea was not well serve under their government , Russia needs to expand back to there old ways , plus a sea port is very useful & look at all the energy resources they get in the deal.

Submitted by Ken Heckathorn (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 11:09am

If it was a surprise to the US govt, we're dumber than dirt. Two years ago Tom Clancey wrote about the exact thing happening. It was his last book. He then "mysteriously" "died" .
More likely, it was arranged and agreed on long before it happened.

Submitted by X man (not verified) : Mar 28, 2014 1:57pm

Putin invaded Crimea for many of the reasons noted above but the whole thing was triggered by a popular uprising in Kiev that overthrew the Russian puppet leader of the Ukraine. Like the uprisings of the "Arab Spring", popular movements are often destabilizing leading to opportunities for thugs, terrorists and dictators, especially when the structures and traditions of representative government are lacking.

Submitted by Jim Sharp (not verified) : Mar 29, 2014 9:56am

All of the above. And I'm surprised that some what to blame Obama. The leadership in Ukraine was living lavishly and corrupt. Some of them in Crimea wanted out and that gave Putin an excuse to grab it along with the ports and everything else. I don't want to speak Russian/China either, but going to war does not appeal to me either. Ji Sharp said it very well.

Submitted by Charles Raliegh, NC (not verified) : Mar 29, 2014 12:51pm

It seems like 1938 all over again. That's when Germany's Adolph Hitler decided to annex his former homeland, Austria, followed by the occupation of Czechoslovakia's German-speaking region, the Sudetanland, followed by all of the Czech Republic. France and Britain were unwilling to challenge Hitler militarily because they doubted their own strengths. Only after Hitler -- together with Stalin's Russia -- attacked Poland in 1939 did France and Britain declare war on Germany, but they didn't follow up on that declaration even though the bulk of the Nazi army was on the opposite side of the country, over-running Poland, so Germany's western flank was wide open to a combined French-British attack. The winter of 1939-1940 was known as "the Phony War." Germany returned their victorious army and airforce to the homeland, and in 1940 let loose on Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, and -- to the dismay of the French planners -- did an end run around the vaunted Maginot Line fortifications and took France in a matter of weeks. The British army was only able to escape back to England from Dunkirk because Hitler had a fantasy about allying with Britain against the Communist Russians (even though Stalin was technically Hitler's ally at the time). None of this history was lost on Putin, who was the top Russian secret service officer in East Germany before that nation fell when the Soviet empire collapsed. The pattern in Putin's occupation of Crimea follows Hitler's actions in Austria, the Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia.

The American people are not ready at this point to accept sabre-rattling against Russia, because they still have a bitter taste after the pointless wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and I doubt that the British, French and other NATO countries are ready to threaten military action -- yet. A great deal of preparatory work is needed to shape public opinion as well as to develop an acceptable military goal. In WWII it was "unconditional surrender." Does anybody think that would be achievable in a war in which both sides have nuclear weapons?

Submitted by Richard Hofacker (not verified) : Mar 31, 2014 2:36pm

I must have missed something. Did not the people of Crimea vote to become part of Russia?. Since when has it become our job to decide who's votes are valid and who's are not.... (Oops I forgot the American Civil War)!

Submitted by Fred Pendleton (not verified) : Apr 3, 2014 2:44pm

The reason is. Obama is in the white house

Submitted by RB (not verified) : Apr 3, 2014 9:11pm

Items 2,3& 4 are the prime reasons.

Submitted by Dennis Ream (not verified) : Apr 17, 2014 10:19pm