VLAD THE DEFIANT – AT 10:52 A.M. ET:  Vladimir Putin is stiffing us on the airliner shoot-down tragedy.  Why not?  He knows that, in the end, Obama will probably back down, and so will many of the European countries, under pressure from local business interests.  From London's Daily Mail: 

Vladimir Putin has issued a defiant warning that the MH17 crash must not be used for 'selfish political ends' and urged separatists to allow international experts access to the crash site.

Wearing a dark suit and looking tired and drawn during a rare television address, the Russian president insisted 'all people' in Ukraine had a responsibility to the families of the 298 passengers and crew who died last week.

No, the people who fired the missile have the responsibility.

But he added: 'No-one has the right to use this tragedy for any kind of vested interest in the political sense. Such incidents should unite people rather than separate them.'

His comments came just hours after David Cameron issued a stark warning to Putin that his billionaire ‘cronies’ will have their assets frozen in London unless Russia co-operates with the investigation.

During his television address this morning, Putin said it is necessary for 'all people' involved in the current conflict in Ukraine take responsibility for their actions.

He said there was a duty to: 'improve their responsibility to their own people, and to the people of the countries whose representatives have been victims of this crash'.

Putin added, 'We need to do everything to ensure the security and safety of the observers and the experts working at the crash site.'

The comments came as Chancellor George Osborne said the UK was prepared to take an 'economic hit' in order to put pressure on Moscow over its involvement in the Ukraine crisis.

COMMENT:  Putin is still not taking any responsibility for the Russian weapon that apparently shot down the airliner.  I think he's hoping this incident will fade away, and I fear he may be right.

July 21, 2014