US Congress Can Respond to Putin With More Sanctions

[jbleck]

Congress Can Respond to Putin With More Sanctions Obama complains about Putin but does nothing. Here’s another way to squeeze him back home.

ENLARGE

Pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine, Sept. 29. PHOTO: EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY

By

PAULA J. DOBRIANSKY And

DAVID B. RIVKIN JR.

Oct. 4, 2015 6:11 p.m. ET

From Ukraine to Syria, the Obama administration has consistently misread Russian President Vladimir Putin’s objectives and the implications of cooperating with him. This has led to costly failures, but the administration is unlikely to change its approach. Congress need not sit idle too. By enacting new sanctions on Russia, U.S. lawmakers can send a strong signal to Moscow that its continued aggression against Ukraine and growing complicity in a genocidal war in Syria will come at a heavy price.

After Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014, the Obama administration and many U.S. allies imposed sanctions on Russian businesses and individuals. But those measures clearly haven’t been effective in discouraging Mr. Putin’s quest to exert Russian power and influence.

​In Ukraine, despite the supposed cease-fire effected by the Minsk Accords negotiated by Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia, Moscow-supported aggression continues in the contested east. Russian troops remain in the region, as an extensive Sept. 14 report from the Atlantic Council documents, and Reuters has reported that new Russian military bases are being built.

In Syria, Mr. Putin, under the guise of fighting Islamic State, supports the Bashar Assadregime, which has used barrel bombs and chemical weapons in slaughtering tens of thousands of civilians, mostly Sunni Muslims—making Russia complicit in, and legally accountable for, these actions. The Obama administration over the past week has hinted that it might cooperate with Russia’s anti-ISIS campaign.

The danger of association with an aggressor like Mr. Putin, who is also working with Iraq and Iran, can be seen in Russian airstrikes over the past few days directed not at ISIS but at other opponents of the Assad regime. The Obama administration’s initial seeming openness to working with Mr. Putin in Syria has already compromised the White House’s ability to hold Moscow accountable on any front, including for its aggression in Ukraine.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the president has formidable authority for conducting foreign policy, but there are several steps—practical and symbolic—that Congress can take that would demonstrate a resolve toward Russia that hasn’t been forthcoming from the Obama administration.

On the symbolic side, Congress can legislate a finding, based on ample evidence, that the Russian military has committed war crimes in Ukraine, and is aiding and abetting the Assad regime’s genocide and Iran’s terrorism-sponsoring activities. Using the congressional bully pulpit can help drive the public debate, especially during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

Congress can also enact new sanctions that will have an immediate and profound effect—starting with the Russian oil-refining industry.

Despite Mr. Putin’s far-reaching strategic aspirations, Russia is punching well above its weight. The Russian economy continues to shrink, buffeted by falling oil prices and Western sanctions, and 2014 capital flight has exceeded $150 billion. Hundreds of Russian casualties in Ukraine are causing discontent, with Russian media reporting how Russian contract soldiers—in the part-volunteer, part-draftee military—are refusing to deploy to Ukraine or Syria. According to the Moscow-based independent polling organization Levada, fewer than 14% of Russians support military intervention in Syria.

Russia’s greatest vulnerability may be its refineries. While Russia is one of the world’s top energy producers, its refining facilities are antiquated, with low product quality, no spare capacity, and infrastructure in desperate need of significant investment. The refining infrastructure is so weak that Russia ran out of gasoline in 2011, precipitating shortages and substantial popular discontent. Russian media reported that the head of the majority-government-owned Rosneft oil company, Igor Sechin, sent Mr. Putin a letter on July 15 warning of a major shortfall in refined products by 2016-17 unless the refining sector gets emergency financial assistance.

Most of Russia’s approximately 50 major refineries date to the Soviet period. According to a 2014 report prepared for Russia’s parliament, the refiners also require a steady supply of Western, particularly American, equipment. Current U.S. sanctions apply only to new Russian oil and gas production projects. But an embargo—even if only a unilateral one by the U.S.—on exports of refinery pumps, compressors, control equipment and catalytic agents would cause widespread shortages of refined products, putting tremendous pressure on Russia’s civilian economy and Moscow’s ability to carry out military operations. The Putin regime would suffer major political damage.

President Obama might veto such refinery sanctions legislation because of its potentially drastic effect, but as Russia’s behavior becomes ever more outrageous, he might not be able to summon Democratic support as readily as he did for the Iranian nuclear deal. In any case, Congress would do well to make U.S. policy toward Russia a matter for serious discussion during an election year—and to remind Mr. Putin that with the Obama administration’s days dwindling, a significant course correction in U.S. foreign policy could be on the horizon.

Ms. Dobriansky is a former undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs in theGeorge W. Bush administration. Mr. Rivkin is a constitutional lawyer who served in the Justice Department under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

---

Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/congress-can-respond-to-putin-with-more-sanctions-1443996688

[jbleck]

what planet are they from? :huh:

[Sylence]

"genocidal war"? LOL guess who just blew up a hospital in Afghanistan and killed 300 doctors, nurses and patients. Yes blind and unreliable commanders of the U.S, assuming that what they say about this was a mistake is true.

This article is completely opinion based and far from the truth, like many others. Russia does not target those against Syria regime, they are killing ISIS members and the U.S just can't see it that they once again failed in their mission.

"Iran’s terrorism-sponsoring activities" man... they invented the most brutal terrorist group, ISIS, and nobody called them terrorism-sponsoring activities but Iran helping those suffering cruel actions and invasion is called terrorism-sponsoring activities? Bla bla bla :wub:

[sternog]

Saudi Arabia sponsors ISIS, while Turkey keeps its border open to let supplies for ISIS to get through, meanwhile eliminating kurds instead of ISIS. I wonder what the USA have been doing with their airstrikes in Syria for a year already, because territory under ISIS control only expanded after that. Btw, Iraq authorities also look forward to Russia`s help, because the USA didn`t provide any real help to them in fighting ISIS.

[hawk007]

When air-strike is led by the USA & allies, it is right, but if by others, its wrong!!! Double standard?

BTW, who gave USA the license to establish "USA Style Democracy" all over the world? What actullay was the issue with Syria a few years back? Was not Basar Al-Assad an elected president? And Syria is a self sovereign country indeed. USA had (has) no right to interfere with any sovereign countries' internal affairs.

[sternog]

Only people of Syria have the right to decide who should rule them. Or else Syria might turn into another failed state like Libya. The USA don`t even know whom they actually support in Syria.

[marinegirl]

[sternog]

https://twitter.com/charlesfrith/status/651011812482134016

[marinegirl]

Try this guy......http://whatreallyhappened.com/

[212eta]

Frankly, Putin does Not give a dime for the US Congress... ;)

[marinegirl]

Obama plays checkers, Putin plays chess.

[212eta]

Obama plays his... :locked: