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NASA has released a statement indicating that they are "suspending the majority" of "ongoing engagements with the Russian Federation". Cooperation will continue "to maintain safe and continuous operation of the International Space Station." They have taken this action citing violations Ukraine's sovereignty by Russia.
NASA apparently is focusing on regaining human spaceflight capabilities and ending dependence on Russia. The statement goes on to say: "The choice here is between fully funding the plan to bring space launches back to America or continuing to send millions of dollars to the Russians." According to time.com the "information initially came to light from a leaked memo".
This comes after a recent statement by Charles Bolden a NASA administrator indicating that relations with Russia were fine. There are currently Two Americans, Three Russians, and the Japanese Commander aboard the ISS Expedition 39.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by omoc on Thursday April 03 2014, @04:47PM
So the US can invade Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, (almost Syria), use drones/missles in Yemen, north-Africa and Pakistan and that's all totally legitimate.
Crimea has a democratic referendum to become independent and then is asked by Russia to join the country which it accepted.
Now Washington lectures us about violating sovernty and issues sanctions that even reach the scientific field.
This is an interesting world view indeed.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by goody on Thursday April 03 2014, @05:40PM
Bad analogy. The US never annexed any of those countries and Crimea, as far as I know, hasn't threatened Russia or its allies. But point well taken about the Democratic referendum. However, I doubt it would be well taken if the state of Maine voted to become Canadian and Canada invaded Maine.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 04 2014, @03:35AM
Talk about ignoring the elephant in the room.
You think Crimea would be safe from Ukraine if they did not immediately join Russia after declaring independence? After the current Ukraine leaders just staged a coup to take control of Ukraine?
OTOH, do you think all the people in those countries invaded by the US wouldn't be happy to join the US as the 51st state? So they became equals to other US citizens? Imagine the backlash all Iraqis, Lybians, etc can vote in the US Presidential election! It is the people in the US that don't want it!
You think living in a puppet state of the US is better than living in the 51st state?
(Score: 2) by tibman on Thursday April 03 2014, @06:53PM
Secession is something the US has dealt with in the past and makes Crimea leaving the Ukraine look like jay-walking. So any American commenting on the secession (if you prefer that phrasing over invasion) will be very biased.
Anyways. Did the US do any of that with soldier's wearing uniforms stripped of name, rank, and country of origin? Did Russia also invade any of those countries as well? I completely agree with you about DC being full of hypocrites though. They want to avoid the issue of constantly violating Pakistan's sovereignty but then give a lecture to Russia? Silly and stupid, lol. It seems like there are so many ulterior motives that everything starts becoming fuzzy : /
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 2, Informative) by SurvivorZ on Thursday April 03 2014, @08:21PM
There are many Texans who would *love* to be liberated by the Germans or Russians.
My country, the Republic of Texas, has been subjugated by the Washington Empire for the last 150 years, since 1864. We were conquered, a large percentage of our population butchered, our native inhabitants forced off their lands 10 years later and forced to relocate to Oklahoma (Trail of Tears) and almost exterminated.
Today, we pay about four times what we receive, in the form of onerous Imperial income taxes and the such, while being the engine of over 50% of all new jobs in the entire United States since 2008.
We have a growing secession movement, but people are so incredibly scared that the U.S. military will invade us once again. Our secession movement's leaders continually disappear and/or are killed off. It's nuts. Talk of secession just brings up fears of military in the streets, like what happened to our next door neighbor during Hurricane Katrina.
(Score: 1) by Bob The Cowboy on Friday April 04 2014, @02:51AM
Holy lack of citations, Batman!