OBAMA and PUTIN

George Santayana said it well.....Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

History does repeat itself. If we do not understand what is happening has occurred before, it can destroy us. We must learn from our yesterdays.

The Putin and Ukraine of today are the Hitler, Austria and Czechoslovakia of yesterday. Obama must take a stand. A firm one. Otherwise, history will remember him as another Neville Chamberlain.

Obama drew the line in Syria. Then backed away. It has been drawn in Ukraine several times since the Crimean problem arose. Other than some minor ineffectual sanctions and boisterous rhetoric, nothing has happened.

Putin is a bully. Perhaps as bad as Stalin. Obama must stand up to Putin. Failure to do so could change the map of Europe and rewrite Obama history. He will not be viewed favorably. In spite of his Obamacare and Osama bin Laden successes. Unanticipated circumstance has made Ukraine the biggie in world events and the record on which Obama will be evaluated.

Additionally, and more importantly for the immediate future, the democracies of the world will no longer view the United States as the shining light on the horizon. Their protector. The one country they can depend on in time of crisis.

Talk is cheap. Obama, Biden and Kerry have been doing a lot. Primarily in the media for world consumption. It is similar to Nero fiddling while Rome burned.

There comes a time, so to speak, when you have to put your money where your mouth is. This is that time. Otherwise Ukraine can be the precursor of war. A far worse one than World War II. The war that no one wants.

Putin is a smart man. Intellectually and street wise. Probably a hell of a poker player. He is on a roll. He has consistently come out on top of late. For Russia. And sometimes even for himself personally.

An example involves the $2.2 billion Ukraine owes for gas purchased from Gazprom. One of Russia's major gas suppliers. Ukraine is broke. It cannot pay the debt. Yet Ukrainians need the gas.

When this Ukraine mess began, Putin said no more gas to Ukraine unless the Gazprom bill is paid. What was to be done? Simple. The United States provided a $1 billion guarantee to Ukraine. Putin looked upon the guarantee as sufficient good faith and said the gas would keep flowing.

The brilliance (or perhaps luck) of Putin now comes into play. Putin personally owns 4.5 per cent of Gazprom  It is estimated that the United States' $1 billion guarantee benefited Putin to the tune of $45 million.

The Economic Policy Journal in an article on April 14, 2014, wrote ".....in a way, with the guarantee, the United States just put $45 million into Putin's personal pocket."

It is Obama v. Putin or Putin v. Obama. Which ever way you want to look at it. Five rounds of a 15 round championship boxing match have been completed. Putin has won the first five rounds. It is Obama's time to come out fighting and turn things around.

Go get 'em, Mr. President!