Sen. Corker: Obama Has a ‘Big Hat, No Cattle’ Policy Towards Russia and Putin

CORKER: “But, there’s been no additional response, chuck, and I would say that, look, at the end of the day I think it’s been this tepid, cautious, big hat policy that we had and you’re passed that led to the kind of thing happening, that happened recently with the plane. In other words, we’ve done nothing to push back. Russia had 40,000 troops on the border — we did nothing. We knew they were fomenting problems inside Eastern Ukraine — we did nothing. We knew they were supplying arms, this buck system, we knew that was going in — we did nothing. And again, we’ve been saying all along it’s these types of circumstances that lead to something really bad happening. And if you don’t push back early on, it can lead to much greater conflict.”
TODD: “We know why they didn’t, supposedly why there’s been this sort of some pushing at Putin, but not with a full-on assault, right. The Europeans have their economic ties and the U.S. is still holding out hope that, Putin will shut down the Iranian nuclear talks. So, how do you navigate that? At this point, do you give up on Putin altogether? Do you say, you know what, so what if he shuts down the Iranian talks? The time is now to go at him and go at him hard.”
CORKER: “Yeah, I think as I talked with our negotiators, I don’t think Russia is playing a particularly constructive role right now, in the Iranian component anyway. If you’re going to be held hostage in a situation like this, it’s very detrimental. I mean, you have to separate the items that, they will try to create linkage. But I don’t think Russia is being particularly pushy relative to us getting a good place in Iran anyway. So yes, I think you do. I think that, look, here’s what’s happening. Chuck, I was just in Poland not long ago and I won’t name the official, but what they’re so concerned about is that Western Europe and the U.S. are going to settle for what’s called a bitter peace, where you put up with Russia, acting as they are in order just to keep doing business. And I think you know, I mean, history shows that if you continue to do that, the problem festers. At some point things get out of control. And again, I think we’ve been incredibly tepid and cautious action and I want to say one more time, there is bipartisan support for this administration to act alone without Europe. Europe, I’m sorry, they can’t even act, and it doesn’t look like until august 30th based on the way they’re set up.”