I agree. The problem is that it doesn't stop the major income for Putin and his cronies. It will be a hit more than the minimal sanctions they've been doing (which Putin already was ready for and ignored). When you have 60-65% of Putin and his group's ATM in energy exports and 35-40% of EU energy imports from Russia, it creates a conundrum that Putin has created, counted on, and now using to his advantage.
I haven't even got confirmation that they have fully decided on which "certain" banks to be blocked. But watching the futures, it isn't showing that it is going to hit that ATM. A couple % hit is nothing these days and easily compensated by our guys (short term anyway). Might give a trade or two in the U, but go much farther, not sure. Never know though and be ready for anything.
If they shut down Putin et al ATM, we will see a definite and more prominent effect immediately. Right now I don't see that. Of course Europe would be hit really hard and take the brunt of those kind of actions doing 10 times more trade with Russia than the US, but it still would have a major effect everywhere.
The top dogs that are in this world club that control 99% should be kicking Putin to the curb, or at least put the MF in time out for quite some time. I have my doubts that will happen for that will give those top dogs some pain and of course would not just trickle down to the population, but be a flood and damn break.
I don't think Putin would cut off his own ATM (maybe some short term barking, but not anything real permanent), that really would put him in position to be kicked to the curb for good. Egotistical tyrants like Putin won't stop their self indulgence and self enrichment no matter what it costs or how many lives they effect under them, but need to be stopped and definitely not given what they're after on any degree or level (or be sympathized with).
There is a wild card in all of this and that is I don't think Putin expected as much resistance to him as he gotten (he was just working on Ukraine to be given to him, and it almost was). I think he only had a Plan A and any plan b,c,d was just a subset of Plan A. There is no Plan B, any Plan B is a threat to his existence.
Kleptocrats: a ruler who uses political power to steal his or her country's resources.
Kleptocracy: government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed.
