Obama and Kerry Fact-Check Putin and Russia

[ProSense]

Obama and Kerry Fact-Check Putin and Russia

In contemporaneous statements, the president and the secretary of State pushed back on Putin’s claims about what his country is doing in Ukraine.

By Marina Koren, Brian Resnick and Matt Berman

John Kerry says it's "time to set the record straight" in Eastern Europe.

The secretary of State's remarks at a press conference in Kiev on Tuesday came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to the press on his country's recent incursion into Crimea, a sovereign region of Ukraine. The two politicians' remarks, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel might put it, were truly from different worlds.

"Not a single piece of credible evidence supports any one of these claims," said Kerry of Putin's justifications for entering Crimea. "None."

The secretary said the U.S. is not seeking confrontation. "There is a better way for Russia to pursue its legitimate interests in Ukraine." Kerry spoke harshly and clearly when he said, "There are countless outlets that an organized, structured, decent world has struggled to put together to resolve these differences so we don't see a nation unilaterally invade another nation."

One of the end goals of diplomacy, Kerry said, is "to allow Russia to be properly listened to." He acknowledged that the country has "legitimate interests in Ukraine."

In a brief statement Tuesday, President Obama echoed Kerry's statement. Obama said that the U.S. stands "on the side of history," and supports the principle that Ukrainians, "an independent people," should be able to "make their own decisions about their lives." Russia is currently residing on a losing side of history, Obama suggested. "Mr. Putin can throw a lot of words out there. But the facts on the ground indicate that, right now, he's not abiding by that principle."

- more -

http://www.nationaljournal.com/defense/obama-and-kerry-fact-check-putin-and-russia-20140304

At the above link, there is a clip titled, "Kerry: There Is Nothing Strong About What Russia Is Doing"

Putin Gives Largely Incoherent Press Conference - Srsly
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024605329

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[ProSense]

2. Another. n/t

[karynnj]

3. I watched part of Kerry's speech on MSNBC and then Obama's

Parts of Kerry's showed his background as a prosecutor and one of the best Senators on any committee he was on - he very systematically addressed several Russian points and then demolished them. Still - as good as that was - the best was a completely unscripted moment. Andrea Mittchell told him that Russia claimed they were not in Crimea. His look and tone of voice when he repeated - he says they are not in Crimea? - needed nothing further.

[oberliner]

4. An interesting article given the current situation