Pressure On Obama Rises As Tensions Mount In Ukraine

The game of chicken seems to have begun.  President Putin has objectives in Ukraine that are important to him and to most Russians.  President Obama had a 90 minute discussion with Putin that went nowhere.  Angela Merkel spoke with Putin and the German Chancellor claimed that she failed to understand his position in a discussion with Obama.  Stock markets in Europe fell almost 3% and the blame game has started in the US. Predictably, Republicans are accusing the president of weakness which has encouraged Putin's behavior.  Western leaders offered to provide security for Russians in Crimea if Putin would withdraw his forces from the area.  That offer has not been accepted.