Cindy McCain: Russia to blame for worst food crisis since WW2

[Tanuki]

Usually not a fan, but good for her. She is obviously taking this seriously and using her position and high profile to take a stand.👏


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/25/russia-to-blame-for-worst-food-crisis-since-ww2-says-us-envoy-cindy-mccain

..."Cindy McCain, the US ambassador to the UN agencies for food and agriculture, called the crisis “huge … the worst food crisis, the worst humanitarian crisis since World War 2” and warned that some countries in Africa were on the brink of famine. She laid the blame for soaring prices squarely on Russia, and president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

McCain also warned that US funding for UN agencies working to ease the food crisis was likely to be “tight” this year, and she urged speculators in the financial markets not to take advantage of the turmoil to drive up prices further.

Food prices have declined from their peaks last year, sparking hopes that the crisis – during which there has been rampant food inflation across both the developed and developing world, and shortages of key staples in some countries, following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine almost a year ago – could be abating.

McCain said: “The fact that food prices are going down does not mean this crisis is anywhere near being over … We are looking at some difficult times. This would be spring planting season [in Ukraine]. There’s no way they can plant because of the invasion and because of the destruction that’s been done, to the land and to machinery.”

She added that grain exports in the region were also stuck owing to Russia’s actions. “We have not been able to get a lot of the grain out. Normally we could bring out somewhere near 20m tonnes, and we are nowhere near that number. There’s over 100 ships waiting to get in [to Black Sea ports]. So this crisis is anything but over, and with regards to food and food security, it’s only exacerbated even more.”...(more)

[Irish_Dem]

1. Putin is starving the world on purpose. He weaponizes food and heat.

He is using it to make the world let him do what he wants.

And he hopes to create a refugee crisis as people flee to the west.
He then uses that as wedge issue in Europe and the US.

[EYESORE 9001]

2. Like any other mad dog, he must be taken out. Are you up to the task, oligarchs?

Oligarchs selected Putin because they wanted a clone of Pinochet to tamp down dissent and deal with their enemies in uniquely Russian ways. He’s done all that and more, contributing to Russia’s status as pariah on the world stage. He can’t be good for business, for a variety of reasons. I suspect he would have already been deposed if it were within their power. Humanity’s hope could rest upon a Russian military coup, but that’s not likely until the unthinkable is imminent or already underway.

[Raine]

3. Good for her. 👍 Seems Pootie should've

started his dirt nap by now, way overdue for that.