The Briefing Room
General Category => National/Breaking News => Topic started by: mystery-ak on July 18, 2014, 03:22:38 pm
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http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/212651-obama-to-speak-on-ukraine-crisis (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/212651-obama-to-speak-on-ukraine-crisis)
July 18, 2014, 10:06 am
Obama to speak on Ukraine crisis
By Justin Sink
President Obama will address the nation Friday morning about the situation in Ukraine, a day after a Malaysia Airlines jet with 298 people onboard was downed in the country's separatist-held East.
On Thursday, the president offered only brief comments on the incident, telling a crowd in Delaware that "the world is watching" reports of the crash.
"It looks like it may be a terrible tragedy," Obama said. "Right now, we’re working to determine whether there were American citizens onboard. That is our first priority. And I’ve directed my national security team to stay in close contact with the Ukrainian government. The United States will offer any assistance we can to help determine what happened and why."
Late Thursday night, White House press secretary Josh Earnest called for an immediate cease-fire in eastern Ukraine to allow international investigators access to the crash site.
And for the first time, the administration suggested a link between the crash and pro-Russian militants operating in the area, noting the incident “occurred in the context of a crisis in Ukraine that is fueled by Russian support for the separatists.”
“It is critical that there be a full, credible, and unimpeded international investigation as quickly as possible,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement. “We urge all concerned — Russia, the pro-Russian separatists, and Ukraine — to support an immediate cease-fire in order to ensure safe and unfettered access to the crash site for international investigators and in order to facilitate the recovery of remains.”
A senior administration official said Thursday the focus of U.S. efforts at this point was preparing to support an international effort to find out what happened. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and FBI are involved in that work, the official said.
Later Friday, President Obama will meet in the Oval Office with Secretary of State John Kerry and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew — the two administration officials who have played a central role in the development of sanctions toward Russia for its role in the Ukraine crisis.
The U.S. on Wednesday moved to impose a new round of sanctions on Russian energy and defense companies over Russian assistance for the rebels, but the administration could push for greater penalties if it is determined Moscow was directly or indirectly responsible for the downing.
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Mark Knoller @markknoller 7m
Pres Obama's 1130AM statement on Ukraine situation delayed til 12noon/ET.
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The Caucus @thecaucus 9s
President Obama on Malaysia Airlines deaths, including one U.S. citizen: Their deaths are an outrage of unspeakable proportions.
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Charlie Spiering @charliespiering 47s
Obama confirms that evidence indicates that plane shot down by Russian backed separatists
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Luke Russert @LukeRussert 30s
Obama now aggressively pointing the finger at #Russia for #MH17 going down
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Michael Tackett @tackettdc 17s
Obama says Russia and separatists must adhere to immediate cease fire, and cooperate with investigation
Seth Mandel @SethAMandel 39s
Obama keeps using the phrase "Russian backed separatists." Not messing around today.
Jon Ralston @RalstonReports 36s
POTUS tiptoes up to saying: Putin did it
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West Wing Reports @WestWingReport 1m
President points out rebels claimed last month that they had advanced surface-to-air missiles; U.S investigators en route
Charlie Spiering @charliespiering 1m
Obama is not citing any new US actions - vows to stay in “close contact” of details
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Alert 5 @alert5 52s
Obama: There will be misinformation as well #mh17
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Ben Shapiro @benshapiro 1m
I like when Obama says people "must" do things, but never actually does anything to back up that "must."
CNN Politics @CNNPolitics 38s
Obama: "This outrageous event underscores It is time for peace and security to be restored in Ukraine.”
West Wing Reports @WestWingReport 40s
"Time and again, Russia has refused to take the concrete steps necessary to de-escalate the situation," POTUS says. More sanctions possible
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Do we have any real proof of anything yet? This sounds like a lot of speculative he said she said.
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Jon Ralston @RalstonReports 44s
Pivoting to Gaza, POTUS says he talked to Bibi, reiterated "Israel's right to defend itself."
"I strongly support Israel's right to defend itself" President Obama
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Jonathan Galed @JonGaled 57s
Quinn Lucas Schansman was the US victim in the #MH17 crash, per WH
WLTX - On Your Side @WLTX 1m
RT @CBSEveningNews: President Obama: #MH17 incident indicates "it is time for peace and security to be restored in Ukraine."
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I don't believe one word he says. Why should any of you?
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I don't believe one word he says. Why should any of you?
I never do either!!
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What's this about 100 of the passengers being on their way to an AIDS conference?
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Andrea Mitchell @mitchellreports 35s
Obama:says nearly 100 AIDS researchers and advocates on board #MH17 international community stands on side of justice and truth
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Chad Pergram @ChadPergram 8s
Obama: There's been a lot of misinformation generated in eastern #Ukraine. This should snap everyone's heads to attention. #MH17
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Glenn Thrush @GlennThrush 1m
Obama $ quote" "That shot was taken from territory controlled by the Russian separatists" -- "we don't have time for propaganda [or] games"
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Breaking! Obama orders hashtag attacks!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bs1rFhBIQAAAQj9.jpg)
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Glenn Thrush @GlennThrush 1m
Obama $ quote" "That shot was taken from territory controlled by the Russian separatists" -- "we don't have time for propaganda [or] games"
Which means, of course, that the propaganda games are in full-swing...
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Zeke Miller @ZekeJMiller 1m
Obama: “We don’t see a U.S. military role beyond what we’ve already been doing”
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Zeke Miller @ZekeJMiller 15s
Obama: “It is not possible for these separatists to function the way they are functioning” without Russian help
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West Wing Reports @WestWingReport 40s
"Time and again, Russia has refused to take the concrete steps necessary to de-escalate the situation," POTUS says. More sanctions possible
Hmm, seems that it was the Ukrainians that re-started military operations after the last cease-fire...
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Terry Moran @TerryMoran 1m
BREAKING: Shots fired by rebels at international team of investigators (OSCE) in Ukraine as they approach plane wreckage,
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Tepid response at best.
What he should be doing is to immediately send a couple of Aegis class destroyers into the Black Sea in order to put a missile defense umbrella over the area. Aegis is designed to detect and intercept SAMs and would send a strong message to all parties. Three aircraft shootdowns in a week......
:smokin:
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Dana Loesch @DLoesch 1m
Obama blames Russian for supporting separatists, controlling separatists, funding them, but won't link Russia directly to plane.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bs1r09cCYAA3hNJ.jpg)
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Zeke Miller @ZekeJMiller 15s
Obama: “It is not possible for these separatists to function the way they are functioning” without Russian help
Fact is, there are plenty of Buk missile-launchers controlled by the Ukrainians in the area.
It's not as tightly-controlled by separatists as people want everyone to think. The transport plane the separatists thought was shot down was re-supplying Ukrainian military units that are cut-off and isolated.
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Chad Pergram @ChadPergram 42s
Obama: I don't want to say with absolute certainty there might not be additional Americans
Andrea Mitchell @mitchellreports 15s
Obama says to best of their knowledge only one American after checking passports altho that could change
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Neil King @NKingofDC 16m
Samantha Powers at the U.N. reflected more outrage over the jet attack than Obama has now.
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el Sooper @SooperMexican 46s
What an embarrassing, humiliating joke this president is... Putin must be dying of laughter..
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Mark Knoller @markknoller 2m
Pres Obama says US confident a surface-to-air missile was used to shoot down MH17 -but too soon to say if it was deliberately targeted.
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What's this about 100 of the passengers being on their way to an AIDS conference?
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/07/17/around-100-aids-researchers-heading-to-melbourne-conference-aboard-malaysia-airlines-flight-ukraine-russia-aircraft-crash-victims-australia/
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Oh rats and dog pooh, I missed him talking today. Just rat farts, how will I make it thru the rest of the day without his leadership on this! :whistle:
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Breaking! Obama orders hashtag attacks!
:silly: :laugh:
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Both Pres. Obama and members of his administration, will be closely watching the TV news, to learn stuff about the incident.
And at the right time, will have the whole, definitive propaganda, to be used with Obama's convincing, authoritative booming voice.
And some will believe he know what he is doing, since his handlers will have scripted his performance.
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Fact is, there are plenty of Buk missile-launchers controlled by the Ukrainians in the area.
It's not as tightly-controlled by separatists as people want everyone to think. The transport plane the separatists thought was shot down was re-supplying Ukrainian military units that are cut-off and isolated.
And this is not a Hamas style artillery rocket that you can light the fuse and run. These are sophisticated guided missiles that require a fire control system to direct them to their target. The ground radar systems for these missiles are exactly why we developed HARM or High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles decades ago. Aircraft carrier based aircraft have the ability to hunt and kill these weapons actively....such missions were called "Wild Weasel" runs because they required high speed, low level runs to draw targeting radar, and once they painted you, you popped up and shot a missile at them that can remember where the target is even when they shut the radar down, and kill it every time.
The way to have prevented this was to become engaged in the area and not let things spiral so far out of control in the first place. As I said earlier, Aegis is perfectly capable of shooting down an SA-11 and had one been on duty in the Black Sea they would easily have been in place to intercept that missile shortly after it lifted off.
Prevention always requires direct action. Reaction is always far too late. Bold Leadership from a US President with big brass balls is what incidents like this have received in the past, and those days are long gone under Obama.
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Breaking! Obama orders hashtag attacks!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bs1rFhBIQAAAQj9.jpg)
Stealing this! :silly:
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The way to have prevented this was to become engaged in the area and not let things spiral so far out of control in the first place.
I'm thinking the whole incident is designed to get us engaged in the area because the separatists were winning the fight.
The U.S. needs an excuse to support the pro-western gov't that we installed and... lo and behold there it is!