The White House is already beginning to dither on the tough sanctions Biden promised if Putin brought any troops over the border into Ukraine.
From PBS Newshour Foreign Affairs producer:
NEW: In a conference call with reporters on responding to Putin, and what comes next, a senior admin official suggested that Russian troops in Donetsk/Luhansk *alone* may *not* warrant the "swift and severe" sanctions the admin has been previewing.
— Ali Rogin (@AliRogin) February 21, 2022
SAO: "Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step. Russia has had forces in the Donbas for the past 8 years." But the SAO did say there will be additional sanctions imposed tomorrow.
— Ali Rogin (@AliRogin) February 21, 2022
To my ear, this is a new ambiguity that, up until now, the administration has not employed.
— Ali Rogin (@AliRogin) February 21, 2022
CNN Political Analyst Josh Rogin reminds us of what the White House said last month after Biden flubbed and said a smaller incursion might not draw as tough of sanctions:
.@PressSec last month: "If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that's a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our allies.”
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) February 21, 2022
That’s a pretty unambiguous statement. It will be hard for them not to stick to that statement. Of course, they can probably get away with it with this garbage media.