March 11 Update On Ukraine
The Crimean parliament has voted for Crimea to to become a state within the Russian Federation.
There was an attempt by "activists" from the "Automaidan" protests, which had earlier blocked streets in Kiev, to enter Crimea. The were taken into custody and later released and send back.
Violent fascist radicals from the Right Sector are arriving in Ukranian areas with Russian affiliated populations likely to enforce their point of view. The sympathetic to them NYT account:
With the city in play, street fighters from Independence Square in Kiev have arrived by bus in Odessa. Their eyes deep from the violence they had just seen, attired in body armor, they draw apprehensive stares, but their presence has also allowed supporters of the interim government to feel safe enough to stage several large rallies.
One wonders how they make their supporters to "feel safe" ...
A few days ago the coup government in Kiev had called for a mobilization of the military reserve. That failed. Obviously no one showed up. The coup government has now called to form a "National Guard" of volunteers. With all security and defense related top-jobs now in the hand of the fascists one can easily imagine who will be allowed to join. All Right Sector members have already gone through some (para-)military training as it is a condition for membership. They will revive memories about the 14th SS-Volunteer Division "Galician" which often used in anti-partisan action, i.e. to suppress local dissent:
The acting defence minister said Ukraine had not been prepared for military confrontation with Russia. Having mobilized its forces, he said the country had only 6,000 combat-ready infantry out of a nominal infantry force of 41,000 -compared to over 200,000 Russian troops on its eastern borders.
...
The National Guard, based on existing Interior Ministry forces, would "defend citizens from criminals and from internal or external aggression".A partial mobilization would begin of volunteers drawn from those with previous military experience, he said.
The U.S. puppets in Kiev called for military intervention by the "west":
Parliament passed a resolution calling on the United States and Britain, co-signatories with Russia of that treaty to "fulfill their obligations ... and take all possible diplomatic, political, economic and military measures urgently to end the aggression and preserve the independence, sovereignty and existing borders of Ukraine".
I do not yet believe that anyone is the "west" is willing to follow up on such an invitation.
Posted by b on March 11, 2014 at 18:24 UTC | Permalink
next page »"I do not yet believe that anyone is the "west" is willing to follow up on such an invitation.'
I hope that you are right.
On the other hand is there any doubt that the "west" is pouring money, trained agents and weapons into the Ukraine? Taking every possible step short of mobilising its Armed Forces not only to shore up the fascist cabal in Kiev but to enable it to extend and consolidate its rule?
It isn't taking up the invitation because it doesn't need to. It is doing fine and there are no signs, outside of Crimea, that its grip, to be consolidated by death squads and open terror, is not tightening daily over the country.
This is "fait" almost "accomplis." Not quite without lifting a finger but certainly with minimal effort and extraordinary ease.
Posted by: bevin | Mar 11 2014 18:45 utc | 2
By far the likeiest thing is that the west Ukrainian militias will launch irregular attacks inside Crimea, and then both sides will escalate from that point on.
Posted by: Rowan Berkeley | Mar 11 2014 18:53 utc | 3
Just an idea.... Is there no way for Russia to train and arm paramilitary and local self-defense units in at least eastern Ukraine?
Posted by: Pirouz_2 | Mar 11 2014 18:55 utc | 4
One nice thing about Crimea - it has a big moat. Not true of the Donbas, where i fear for the people greatly.
The US media's pussyfooting around these fascists is in the tradition of naming Hitler "Man of the Year" in 1936, and othere such informational atrocities.
Expect the usual "how could we have been so wrong" and assorted soul searchings when the mass graves are opened in a few years.
Posted by: guest77 | Mar 11 2014 19:12 utc | 5
Thats hilarious, the violent nazicoupmakers calling for help,
However I dont doubt west will use force, thats how crazy they are.
Posted by: Anonymous | Mar 11 2014 19:13 utc | 6
"Just an idea.... Is there no way for Russia to train and arm paramilitary and local self-defense units in at least eastern Ukraine?"
Not without being "exposed" by the international media. They will be "Shocked!!! Shocked!!!" at the mere idea of such a thing.
The rules of this game are the US can do what it wants, and the media will cover it up, ignore it, call those who call it "conspiracy theorists" (we just saw this over the Ashton-Estonian guy conversation) and deny the most obvious evidence. But anything done against the interests of the 1% which owns the media will be denounced..
And half of the "left", with Pussy Riot ringing in their ears, will demonstrate against Russian "aggression" and bathe in the crocodile tears the media (which detests them) pump out.
Posted by: bevin | Mar 11 2014 19:29 utc | 7
@ bevin (#7)
LOL...you made me laugh. That's very true.
Still I think Russians can learn a thing or two from Iranians on this issue. Iranians -to their credit- very brazenly train paramilitary units in the regional countries which are the victim of US aggression, and they don't give a hoot to how the Western media portray them.
Posted by: Pirouz_2 | Mar 11 2014 19:36 utc | 8
"I do not yet believe that anyone is the "west" is willing to follow up on such an invitation."
Unless that was the plan all along; in which case we can kiss our asses goodbye.
I shudder to think: $5 billion is an awful lot to spend on regime change. The Empire is only willing to fork out $100 million or so on Venezuela.
@7
I'm putting together a new punk-band called "Cock Fracas" that's going to do some shows next week in Kiev. Wanna play bass?
P.S. you might need a helmet.
Posted by: JSorrentine | Mar 11 2014 19:41 utc | 10
7
Hola chicos, the Russians should definitely give their people ALL the weapons and assistance they need. If they do it out in the open I think that the Nazi's will think twice before causing trouble. They can even do it like what the west does in Syria, "only for defensive" purposes.
I don't know why Russia doesn't have a dedicated force of token peacekeepers?
Posted by: Fernando | Mar 11 2014 20:12 utc | 11
A possible and very frightening scenario would be if some kind of civil war arises in the eastern provinces. I'd guess that, no matter who "shoots first" or say, no matter how civilised and reasonable the russian side would react to fascist terrorism, it would still split the population and make ukrainians that in the past had no special ukrainian identity feel like they have to choose one of two sides.
From that point on, a development like in lebanon/syria/iraq isn't far fetched any more. Supporters from virtually every muslim country AND white trash right wingers trying to make some $ would flock in to wreak havoc on ukraine. And all in regions that are alomst 50/50 russian/ukrainian (I guess an almost equal strength makes things worse, because for all the evil logic, a small minority would be more likely to leave for another region where they're out of the cross hairs).
I can't see how russia could contain terrorism once the west decides to start.
Posted by: peter radiator | Mar 11 2014 20:45 utc | 12
If the Right Sector is sending their armed militias to cities in eastern and southern Ukraine the first line of defense will have to be the local police. Those municipalities were elected by Russian speaking majorities so I suppose the police reflect those majorities. It is hard to imagine that they would tolerate those forces setting up encampments in public squares like the Kiev police did. I must admit that I do not have much understanding about the political loyalties of those parts of the Ukraine. How strong is their loyalty to the idea of the Ukrainian nation? Will they be willing to risk their lives resisting an invasion of western Ukrainian? Is there a breaking point where those populations decide that union with the west is no longer worth it?
At this point direct intervention by Russia to combat this intervention would have a very high price internationally and might also force many of the citizens who are culturally Russian, but are sitting on the fence, to turn to the Kiev regime. These are definitely perilous times for the Russians. This new move by the neofascist militias is one step closer to civil war.
Posted by: ToivoS | Mar 11 2014 20:45 utc | 13
It looks another radical group of fascists are on their way to Ukraine and are set to arrive the 14th.
Posted by: JSorrentine | Mar 11 2014 21:05 utc | 14
Someone is clearly pushing for civil war. And there sure are promises made.
It is plain dangerous.
Posted by: somebody | Mar 11 2014 21:34 utc | 15
Russia's best strategy to defend against terror is to let the other side know they will not be untouched. Find the biggest financial backers, politicians and militia leaders and...see to it that accidents befall them. And as for spill over, make sure some of it spills over to Poland and they will start crying uncle soon enough.
There is no need for Russia to follow the Syria strategy.
Posted by: Lysander | Mar 11 2014 22:01 utc | 16
Lysander, it occurs to me that Russia does have a powerful card to play in the Ukraine. Most of the GDP in that country is produced in the eastern and southern provinces and the wealth produced there is mostly with Russian trade. The oligarchs that control that industry depend on Russia. Threats of violence against them is not needed, just threats to their cash flow should do.
Posted by: ToivoS | Mar 11 2014 22:09 utc | 17
Posted by: JSorrentine | Mar 11, 2014 5:05:19 PM | 14
LOL, thanks I wondering what was taking I'm no war hero john long in the tooth McCain to get there to see his new good buddies like he did with the murdering thugs in Syria. He should feel right at home.
Posted by: jo6pac | Mar 11 2014 22:18 utc | 18
Retweeted RIA Novosti (@ria_novosti):
Crimea Bans Nationalist, Neo-Nazi Groups http://t.co/l2e7qtpwBv
excellent! lets see if chicken Kiev will do they same thng and will the US and EU press respond to the banning? this banning makes any appearance of Pravi sektor Svoboda types subject to arrest
Posted by: brian | Mar 11 2014 22:52 utc | 19
Speaking of the Crimean referendum and all the attacks on it by friends of the fascist junta, Oleg Odintsovsky dared to ask a simple and yet interesting question: What about the way in which the United States itself came into existence? Was it through a referendum, which included the whole of Great Britain? Was it an internationally recognized referendum? Here is how he put it in his open letter to Obama: "I am sure you remember the first words of the U.S. Declaration of Independence: 'When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation..'" The "reasoning" and "principles" raised by the friends of the fascist takeover in Ukraine undermine, if taken seriously, the legitimacy of the United States itself. http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/11-03-2014/127087-letter_obama-0/#.Ux9SfoFF9b4.facebook
Posted by: brian | Mar 11 2014 22:57 utc | 20
Lizzie Phelan @LizziePhelan 3h
Crimean parliament guarantees broader rights to Tatar minority http://rt.com/news/crimea-tatar-rights-guarantee-122/ …
Posted by: brian | Mar 11 2014 23:08 utc | 21
An American man, apparently a hired sniper, angry and drunk, was recorded live on a Russian online chat platform. He is brandishing on the camera his weapons, a sniper professional, military-grade rifle with a telescope plus another old military rifle. At about 3:00 he starts talking, making it clear that he is, indeed, American. He also shows his good knowledge of both Russian and Ukrainian. He continues cursing Putin, being especially fond of the F-You sign. He also keeps repeating the slogan of the Right Sector: "Slava Ukrainie." He is also showing various items as if to prove that he is still, indeed, somewhere in Ukraine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipst-lRkoi4&feature=youtu.be
Posted by: brian | Mar 11 2014 23:14 utc | 22
This entire (Obama + Cameron) Ukraine fiasco has always looked a bit premature to me. There are several signs of indecent haste induced, to a large extent, by Russia's rapid response. I haven't heard any mention of Russia's equivalent of US/UK 'dirty tricks' department. If Russia's Secret Service (or whatever they call it) can round up a few dozen USUK agents provocateur and put them and their confessions on TV, it'll be family-sized helpings of Bumble Pie all round in London and the White House. The West still believes too many of its own lies about Russia - and too such of its own baloney about Western heroics and ethical standards.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Mar 11 2014 23:33 utc | 23
“In accordance with the amendments introduced to the 1961 law (Foreign Assistance Act) a few years ago the provision of foreign assistance is prohibited to ‘the government of any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree’”, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Thus, by all criteria the provision of funds to the illegitimate [Kiev] regime, which seized power by force, is unlawful and goes beyond the boundaries of the US legal system.”
http://rt.com/news/us-aid-ukraine-illegal-202/
Posted by: brian | Mar 11 2014 23:34 utc | 24
If the US willfully neglected treaty obligations to South Vietnam in 1975, then I don't see how anyone can claim the Budapest Memorandum is in any way more compelling.
Posted by: Jon Lester | Mar 12 2014 0:52 utc | 25
@22 Sometimes it appears the mercenary talent pool is a bit shallow on this side of the world, and I have no doubt some of these "tough guys" are in the business exactly because they have other weaknesses. This guy in the video is more than a little over that fine line between bravery and stupidity.
Posted by: Jon Lester | Mar 12 2014 1:03 utc | 26
Pepe Escobar's latest, and it's chock-full of interesting/terrifying stuff: http://rt.com/op-edge/crimea-terrorism-saudi-tatars-050/ You know, watching this stuff unfold, knowing there's not a damned thing you can do about any of it, has to be like watching an earthquake or tsunami from (what you think might be) a safe distance, or knowing you're going to get hit w/Fukushima waste and just wondering when and how much.
Posted by: Nora | Mar 12 2014 1:32 utc | 27
@ 27,
I'm of the opinion the Saudis value their own skins far too much for that sort of thing. As I said before, Syria was stuck playing defense for the past 3 years. Russia would not be. There are too many valuable things in KSA that the Russians can blow up. There are too many fat Saudi princes wandering about boozing and brotheling in Europe who can be knifed in the dark and left to bleed. It wont be long before they figure out that terrorism against powerful states is just not a percentage move.
Toivo 17, Yes that is a good point. I don't think the Russians worry so much about a destabilized Ukraine. The economic refugees will be heading west, after all, and it is the US/EU that have to worry about keeping their neo-Nazi chia pets in power to preside over the wreckage. Once they fail, Russia may generously help reconstruct it...but only on her terms. Neo-Nazis need not apply.
Posted by: Lysander | Mar 12 2014 1:44 utc | 28
russian state intelligence has been on top of it from the beginning but i take bevin's point that russia is more fragile in this situation than she looks but she has a mighty courage & an ethical centre which very few westerners possess that comes from living a life of instincts & not of impulses
she values herself in a way western nations don't when they are crawling around the corridors of washington or wall street prepared to sell their own mothers
she has tasted blood too often to be scared by it
but to go back to bevin's point , the empire was mad quite mad in mesopotamie but they have gone increasingly more mad so i do not underestimate the barbarity the empire is capable of
Posted by: rememnererringgiap | Mar 12 2014 1:58 utc | 29
The theory of keeping the Russian parts of Ukraine as part of the federation is a very good one as it was advanced by B. Russian intelligence is assuredly well aware of the upcoming moves by these nazis. However I still believe the Russian should have peacekeepers
Posted by: Fernando | Mar 12 2014 3:20 utc | 30
The BBC is very informative in its news stories. It turns out that the vast majority of Russians are "unthinking"
According to one poll, about 70% of the population approves of Putin's policy towards Ukraine. [...]at the moment there is little evidence of an anti-war movement spreading outside the thin layer of the Russian intelligentsia. [...]
In Moscow, hundreds of protesters [against Russian intervention in the Ukraine] were detained by police, many of them also later fined, though city authorities have now given permission for a bigger March of Peace, planned for Saturday.
So there is indeed another, thinking Russia, even if her inhabitants are not all that numerous.
So far Russia has managed the Crimea situation with no casaulties on any side under great international pressure and provocation. You can bet that the Kiev fascists who were successful in provoking bloodshed there are going to try very hard with the help of their American benefactors and the CIA to incite violence in Russian-sympathetic regions of Ukraine and then all fingers of blame will point towards Russia. The goal has always been to diminish Russia, to demonize and isolate it.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 12 2014 3:57 utc | 32
Very interesting summary of Putin-Lavrov meeting on Kremlin website. Kerry is headed to Moscow with a new proposal, which Lavrov says "raises many questions for us." Doesn't sound encouraging.
http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/6814
Posted by: LLza | Mar 12 2014 4:44 utc | 33
Good german video about "peaceful protesters" in Ukraine, some unique footage:
Posted by: Harry | Mar 12 2014 4:56 utc | 34
@22 Obama remembers the words of the declaration of independence? This, surely, is that Russian humor hoarse whisperer enjoys so much.
@31 just disgusting. Absolutely so.
@JS Take the act to the 9/11 memorial museum. Surely you won't go to jail, this is a "democracy" right?
Posted by: guest77 | Mar 12 2014 5:27 utc | 35
Russia yesterday started an exercise with 3.500 air assault troups using 26 airplanes.
Which just happens to be all that would be needed to crush the whole nazi/terrorists incl. "new government" in kiev. I guess they'd go for 80/20 to 85/15 killing/arresting with those arrested being debriefed in a very efficient mode.
At the same time miles and miles long Russian convois heading toward ukraine have been seen. Their composition, from I could see, was about 50/50 apcs and trucks transporting material, supposedly to support an equip local eastern/southern ukraine militias and, if needed, to defend those regions.
zusa has sent an awacs and about a dozen jets (F-15 and F-16 which actually fly, not F22 or F-35) into neighbouring countries.
In other words: the situation hasn't changed structurally, no matter all the diverse farts from the wezt. Russia was and is in a position to do whatever she fucking pleases, which is *not* to attack ukraine but rather to support eastern/southern regions and to give them the breathing space they need to peacefully make up their mind and take their decisions.
Nota bene: The Russian air assault troups exercise is not only practically motivated but sure enough also meant as a clear signal: "No matter what zusa/zeu might come up with or threaten, Russia *will* defend its national interests and is absolutely ready for any necessary escalation level incl. full scale war".
So, Mr. kerry/kohn and Mr. Yes-we-can(not) obama, nuland youself!
Posted by: Mr. Pragma | Mar 12 2014 6:57 utc | 36
sanctions with this in the offing? hahah make me outloud/ its a big send up
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/11/russian-nuclear-firm-build-power-station-uk
Posted by: makemelaugh | Mar 12 2014 8:01 utc | 37
#Crimea now has an official news agency w website lhttp://www.c-inform.info/ .....note WWW link is OK
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 8:13 utc | 38
Yanukovich IS coming back and the Supreme Court of Ukraine to declare the overthrow illegal and the new elections moved to December as originally planned?!?!?! If true, huge, huge development -- still trying to digest this article (this is from a pro junta source):
http://espreso.tv/new/2014/03/11/medvedchuk_rozrobyv_dlya_kremlya_plan_povernennya_yanukovycha
Posted by: CC | Mar 12 2014 8:19 utc | 39
Mystery Mercenaries in Donets'k
Author analyzed event and concludes it's a unit Спецназ (Alpha) СБУ - SWAT (Alpha) SBU. History of the Spetsnaz units in Ukraine after collapse of the USSR – here.
There is a US Security Guard located in Kyiv, Ukraine. Training exercises here and TopGuard website here.
OSCE (which has no power in ukraine) which has been refused entry to crimea till the referendum is having a fit: OSCE @OSCE 15h
OSCE Chair @SwissOSCE2014: Crimea referendum in current form is illegal, calls for alternative ways to address issue http://www.osce.org/cio/116313 ....they seem to overlook the illegality of the COUP and the fascist street gangs roaming ukraine....and anyway, Crimea is no longer part of Ukraine
===============
OSCE says the crimea referendum is illegal...its not but who are OSCE have they an agenda?
Following an unprecedented period of activity in the 1990s and early 2000s (decade), the OSCE has in the past few years faced accusations from the CIS states (primarily Russia) of being a tool for the Western states to advance their own interests. For instance, the events in Ukraine in 2004 (the "Orange Revolution") led to allegations by Russia of OSCE involvement on behalf of the pro-Western Viktor Yushchenko. At the 2007 Munich Conference on Security Policy, Vladimir Putin made this position very clear:
"They [unnamed Western States] are trying to transform the OSCE into a vulgar instrument designed to promote the foreign policy interests of one or a group of countries. And this task is also being accomplished by the OSCE's bureaucratic apparatus, which is absolutely not connected with the state founders in any way. Decision-making procedures and the involvement of so-called non-governmental organizations are tailored for this task. These organizations are formally independent but they are purposefully financed and therefore under control".[29][30][31][32]
Also, following the Belorussian Presidential election of 2001, the OSCE denounced the election, claiming it to be neither 'free nor fair'; however, the OSCE had actually refused to observe the vote, and still made the aforementioned claim, despite Gérard Stoudmann of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE acknowledging that there was "no evidence of manipulation or fraud of the results".
Russia and its allies are advancing the concept of a comprehensive OSCE reform, which would make the Secretariat, institutions and field presences more centralized and accountable to collective consensus-based bodies and focus the work of the Organization on topical security issues (human trafficking, terrorism, non-proliferation, arms control, etc.), at the expense of the "Human Dimension", or human rights issues. The move to reduce the autonomy of the theoretically independent OSCE institutions, such as ODIHR, would effectively grant a Russian veto over any OSCE activity. Western participating States are opposing this process, which they see as an attempt to prevent the OSCE from carrying out its democratization agenda in post-Soviet countries.
Following the 2008 U.S. presidential election, OSCE's ODIHR was accused of having double standards by Russia's lawmaker Slutsky. The point was made that while numerous violations of the voting process were registered, its criticism came only from within the United States (media, human rights organizations, McCain's election staff), while the OSCE known for its bashing criticism of elections on the post-Soviet space remained silent.[33][34]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_for_Security_and_Co-operation_in_Europe
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 8:38 utc | 41
@41: OSCE
Must have been posted a few days ago:
"Nevertheless, when the fighting started, it appeared NATO and the European Union might help Macedonia resist the terrorist threat. In March, Lord Robertson, the Secretary-General of NATO, condemned the KLA terror campaign and described them as "murderous thugs." He supported the Macedonian government's refusal to negotiate with the terrorists. Obviously, Lord Robertson was not aware the United States had other ideas about which side to support in Macedonia.
The message was made clear in May, when U.S. diplomat Robert Fenwick, ostensibly the head of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, in Macedonia, met secretly in Prizren, Kosovo, with the leaders of the Albanian political parties and KLA representatives. Macedonian officials were not invited. It was clear the United States was backing the Albanian terrorist cause. This was confirmed a month later, when a force of 400 KLA fighters was surrounded in the town of Aracinovo near the capital, Skopje. As Macedonian security forces moved in, they were halted on NATO orders."
http://globalresearch.ca/articles/BIS111A.html
Posted by: g_h | Mar 12 2014 8:51 utc | 42
Kiev will not use army to stop Crimea seceding, says Ukraine president
Ukraine's acting president has said the country will not use its army to stop Crimea from seceding, in the latest indication that a Russian annexation of the peninsula may be imminent.The interim leader said intervening on the south-eastern Black Sea peninsula, where Kremlin-backed forces have seized control, would leave Ukraine exposed on its eastern border, where he said Russia has massed "significant tank units".
"We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border and Ukraine would not be protected," Oleksandr Turchynov told AFP.
"They're provoking us to have a pretext to intervene on the Ukrainian mainland … [but] we cannot follow the scenario written by the Kremlin.
"Crimea is due to hold a referendum on joining Russia this Sunday – organised by the peninsula's self-appointed leaders.Turchynov described the secession referendum as a sham whose outcome would be decided "in the offices of the Kremlin".
The European Union is poised to impose travel bans and to freeze the assets of Russian officials and military officers involved in the occupation of Crimea by next Monday if Moscow declines to accept the formation of a "contact group" to establish a dialogue with Ukraine.
But Russian leaders are currently refusing to communicate with Ukraine and refuse to accept Turchynov's legitimacy.
"Unfortunately, for now Russia is rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict," he said.
So if they are not going to use the army, then i guess theyll probably go the terrorism route, so beloved of ZATO
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 8:56 utc | 43
Follow up to Oui @#40 :
In early RT publication, the propaganda line of Blackwater was issued. In updates, the mercenaries were dubbed being from Greystone Ltd."It was reported that the tough guys are employees of Greystone Limited, a
subsidiary of Vehicle Services Company LLC belonging to Blackwater/XE/Academi."Who is Greystone?
US mercenaries deployed in Southern Ukraine
Although NATO has officially stated it would not intervene in Crimea, according to Russian political scientist Alexander Dugin, Greystone Limited, a subsidiary of Academi (formerly Blackwater), has kicked off its deployment in Ukraine.
Mercenaries arrive in groups - dressed in civilian clothes and carrying bulky packs - at Kiev airport, from where they are apparently sent to Odessa, in the southern part of the country.
The Guardian doing what it does best: act as figleaf for empire:
;On Wednesday, a Russian court issued an arrest warrant for Ukrainian far-right leader Dmytro Yarosh in absentia on Wednesday on charges of inciting terrorism – a symbolic move in support of Moscow's argument that "extremists" stole power in neighbouring Ukraine.'
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/12/kiev-army-crimea-ukraine-acting-president?CMP=twt_fd
argument? all the evidence is extremists(no need for rabbit ears) did steal power... Guardian is under orders to deny they did...perception management
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 10:05 utc | 45
dodgy commentary raises a point unintentionally. There are 2 choices in the vote:
The March 16 referendum gives Crimean voters two options.
1. Are you in favor of Crimea becoming a subject of the Russian Federation?
2. Are you in favor of restoring Crimea’s 1992 constitution and remaining part of Ukraine?
http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/yes-crimeans-do-have-choice%E2%80%94-good-one-10026?page=show
the writer says crimeans may opt for 2 and negotiate with Kiev..., the idea is that the illegal regime of Kiev can be trusted.
but what if it cant..what if the vote goes Kievs way
'But will the Kiev government recognize the vote as legitimate and bargain with a more autonomous Crimea? Ukrainian authorities have already declared the referendum to be unconstitutional. But keeping Crimea in Ukraine might seem more preferable to the authorities in Kiev than Russian annexation—leading them to accept negotiations with a more autonomous Crimea. Furthermore, although restoring the 1992 Constitution means far more autonomy for the Crimea now, Kiev likely will be able to gradually regain control over Crimea as the situation grows less volatile. Finally, the United States and the European Union would likely encourage the authorities in Kiev to negotiate with the Crimean authorities to deescalate the crisis.'
would Kiev eventually treat Crimea as it has Kharkov or Donetsk...sending in the thugs to 'negotiate'? kidnapping leaders and repressing the crimeans with brutal neonazi thuggery? would it and EUS try to seduce crimeans into a trap?
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 11:52 utc | 46
I like the fact that Russians are always prepared:
US missile destroyer Truxton in Black Sea triggers Russian anti-ship missile deployment
The Bastion anti-ship missile system was deployed last night (8-9 March) to Sevastopol from the Russian town of Anapa, Krasnodar, about 250 miles to the East. Follow bystanders recorded the movement of Bastion anti-ship launcher complex on the streets Crimea.The K-300P Bastion-P employs P-800 Yakhont (SS-N-26) anti-ship cruise missile hypersonic anti-ship missiles carried on mobile transporter-erector-launchers (TEL) is a Russian. The missiles are used as mobile coastal defence systems, having an effective range of 300 km.
Posted by: ProPeace | Mar 12 2014 12:15 utc | 47
Frankly, this isn't the time to create trouble.
From what I know the majority of Crimea Tatars actually is *against* Kiev. The Tatar problem seems to consist of a small minority that has been used (and payed) by ukraine and turkey.
Furthermore, the Crimea government is doing *major* steps toward the Tatars and is offering them adequate representation (read: way more rights and delegates than they ever had).
Quite probably there are still some anti-Crimea Tatars; those, however, are a small problem that can - and should! - be solved by physical means hand in hand to leave and live with their friends in kiev. It would be interesting to see how much love the current terrorist and nazi de facto rulers in kiev have for the Tatars ...
(Yes, I have reached the point where I'm simply excessively pissed off by all those noisy troublemaker minorities that don't care batshit about majority rights and only care about their "rights". Sometimes bullets are more appropriate than discussions. As for pussy riot and their lgbt friends, their carcasses could be nicely arranged and shown in some sort of last "art" exhibition pussy riot style.)
Posted by: Mr. Pragma | Mar 12 2014 12:17 utc | 48
ProPeace (47)
Yes, nice, but a purely political move (signal). For one you bet that that truxton thingy wouldn't dare to come close to Sevastopol. And you bet again that Sevastopol is properly secured and that the Russian ships there have more than enough missile power anyway.
It is nevertheless very good and pleasant to see that Russia has a very clear and decisive position and doesn't move 1 millimeter, no matter what noises zusa/zeu/zato make.
Ceterum censeo israel americanamque vehementer delenda esse!
Posted by: Mr. Pragma | Mar 12 2014 12:29 utc | 49
Quite revealing: The Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation has disappeared
This article by Freeman shows that, despite the presence in the new Ukraine government of the Svoboda nationalists, its president, Arseniy Yatsenyuk (who has three ethnically Jewish grandparents) is firmly affiliated with neocons, Western economic interests, and prominent figures associated with hostility toward Russia...Did you know that Mr. Yatsenyuk owns an organization called “Open Ukraine Foundation”? If you do, you might be surprised to learn that all traces of this foundation have been eradicated from the internet. The website of the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation (openukraine.org) and its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Open-Ukraine-Foundation) have simply disappeared. The Wikipedia entry still exists, but the links lead nowhere...
Posted by: ProPeace | Mar 12 2014 12:43 utc | 50
Russian Market @russian_market 5h
Meanwhile at Simferopol airport, all flights with the exception of Moscow are cancelled pic.twitter.com/AecKIKMQXx
what are the other flights? istanbul; and ....Kiev!
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 12:47 utc | 51
No idea if this site is reliable, but saying a 'new' Ukraine leader ordered all the Gold Reserves to be taken out of Ukraine. http://iskra-news.info/news/segodnja_nochju_iz_borispolja_v_ssha_strartoval_samoljot_s_zolotym_zapasom_ukrainy/2014-03-07-9122
Posted by: TikTok | Mar 12 2014 12:47 utc | 52
Myth 1: President Viktor Yanukovych is illegitimate. The issue of the legitimacy of Yanukovych is considered by a British political scientist and researcher of fascism Roger Griffin in simple terms: "from the moment when he ordered security forces to open fire against demonstrators, he ceased to be the legitimate president. Then he escaped from the country and created the so-called power vacuum," the expert told Pravda.Ru.
First, the United States shot at protestors several times, but no president became illegitimate because of it. During an FBI operation in 1993 by order of President George Bush a religious community "Mount Carmel" in Waco, Texas was shot and burned. 79 people, including three children, were killed. Second, Yanukovych gave the opposite order - not to open fire, which is why he is now in hiding. Third, the president did not escape, but as he claims, went on a business trip to Kharkov, and probably has a supporting document that can be presented to the court.
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Myth 2: the opposition takeover was not a coup. "Yanukovych's lavish lifestyle (reminiscent of Ceausescu), corruption of his regime, the inability to solve problems in a democratic way and find compromises took away his legitimacy and provoked the seizure of power by the opposition," said Griffin. But Yanukovych was elected by the Ukrainian people and the election results were recognized by the international community. There was no impeachment procedure described in the Constitution of the country, including the Constitution of 2004. Therefore, his removal from power was illegitimate.
Myth 3: Russian citizens in Ukraine are not threatened. The U.S. ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said that there was no evidence that ethnic Russians were in danger. In contrast, the new Ukrainian government has given priority to reconciliation in the country and the participation of all political forces in its life. She said that President Turchinov, the Interim President, has clearly stated his opposition to any restrictions on the use of the Russian language. However, President is not the legislature, and the Rada has not cancelled the law on de-Russification of Ukraine.
Now let's talk about threats. Blogger Arsen Avakov (also known as the acting Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine) the next day after the establishment of "the order Kiev has never seen before" admitted the following. In the capital and its suburbs, it turns out, there are groups of people in masks, helmets, armed with batons, firearms and traumatic weapons. They identify themselves as representatives of the "Right Sector," "left wing ", "Freedom" party, "Self-Defense of the Maidan." They act on their own, stopping and checking everyone who looks suspicious to them, and make decisions on the basis of revolutionary expediency. As a result, there were cases of arsons, looting, robbery, Pravda.Ru correspondent in Kiev reported. Revolutionary expediency of Sashko Biloi who received a Ukrainian award for killing Russian soldiers in Chechnya is very obvious.
Myth 4: Ukrainians should integrate Russians. "The integration of Russian-speaking Ukrainians in the nation is a major issue that must also be addressed through a democratic dialogue and through democratic structures (as it was with the French-speaking Italians)," said Griffin, demonstrating a complete ignorance of history and detachment from reality. In fact, the Ukrainian nation is a concept brought to life by the Soviet national policy. "Historically it is correct to speak about the Great Russians in relation to the current Russia and Ruthenia, and Little Russians in relation to those who are now called the Ukrainians. Even after Rus has split into sovereign principalities, the cultural, political, mental, religious, and community mentality has remained. It was strong for several centuries, until the 15th century. Since late 15th - early 16th century the branches began to gradually diverge - the West-Russian and East- Russian, but in the framework of an all-Russian culture, all-Russian view. "It was formed in both parts of the divided Russia - Moscow Russia and Western Russia absorbed by Lithuania, and then - Poland, Rzeczpospolita. All-Russian consciousness was cultivated based on literature. If we talk about the western lands, it was polemical church literature, and if we talk about Moscow Russia, it was political tracts. This all-Russian consciousness allowed holding Pereyaslavska Rada," told Pravda.Ru Andrei Marchukov, Ph.D. (Institute of Russian History, Russian Academy of Sciences). The division between Russian and Ukrainians was created under Lenin and was consolidated by Belovezhsky agreements, the expert added.
Myth 5: Russia is the aggressor, it has already occupied Crimea. Here is an excerpt from the statement of the U.S. Embassy: "Russian troops moved out of their bases to seize political objectives and infrastructure in Crimea." Let's write if off to a misunderstanding. For example, Euronews correspondent asks a soldier in unmarked uniform: "Who are you?" The answer: "I am Russian." "Ah, you are from Russia!" concludes the Western correspondent. He has no idea that this is how Crimeans refer to themselves. According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, "publication of photos and videos with military equipment with Russian military plates is a provocation." Commenting on the video, in which the military say they are Russians, Shoigu said: "This is complete nonsense." Russian troops are present in Crimea as a military contingent located not only in Sevastopol, but also in other places of deployment, according to the agreements between Ukraine and Russia.
Myth 6: There is a democratic government in Kiev, and there are no fascists in power. The Rada is operational and is issuing laws. "The Rada is the most representative institution in Ukraine, and recent legislation has passed with large majorities, including from representatives of eastern Ukraine," says the U.S. Embassy website. However, those in power are units from Maidan, and their roofless actions are described above. As for the Rada, the deputies of the Party of Regions voted as they were told in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine because of threats to their lives or the lives of their loved ones. This is the opinion of the chairman of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration Mykhailo Dobkin expressed during the congress of deputies of all levels of the south- eastern regions of Ukraine and Crimea. "They burn houses, cars, take family members hostages. They hold deputies' children hostage and threaten to cut them into pieces if the deputies protest," told Pravda.Ru MP from the Party of Regions Vadym Kolesnichenko. Furthermore, even the BBC reported "fascist patrols" in the streets of Kiev, publishing video clips from there.
Myth 7: International law does not provide for the use of force in response to the regional authorities. "It's odd that when the West goes against these (international) rules, then that's fine and good, but when Russia does it, it is an illegal aggression. This, in my opinion, is double standards. If the local authorities call on the Russian authorities and say that for us, the situation is very complicated, that the extremists are trying to organize a local orange revolution, in my opinion, this is an emergency. In this situation I think that Russia has the right to bring its troops and should do it," told Pravda.Ru. a Norwegian political scientist.
http://english.pravda.ru/world/ussr/11-03-2014/127083-russia_west-0/
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 12:54 utc | 53
@50 / Open Ukraine Foundation
Archive.org">http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners">Archive.org still has a copy of this "foundation"'s website ;-)
Posted by: peter radiator | Mar 12 2014 12:56 utc | 54
https://web.archive.org/web/20140309083624/http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners">http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners">https://web.archive.org/web/20140309083624/http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners
Oh sorry, the form of the archive link doesn't parse well... I promise I'll use the preview button from now on... well... I'll try...
Posted by: peter radiator | Mar 12 2014 12:58 utc | 55
https://web.archive.org/web/20140309083624/http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners">http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners">https://web.archive.org/web/20140309083624/http://openukraine.org/en/about/partners
wtf, sorry folks, I messed up, it looks good in the preview :-(
Posted by: peter radiator | Mar 12 2014 13:01 utc | 56
What is behind the warmongering of the German media?
That's a question I've been asking myself. The historic precedents are not good. I only see Der Spiegel international, but they've been ridiculous.
Any insight from people more familiar with Germany?
Posted by: john francis lee | Mar 12 2014 13:11 utc | 57
Click to see Archive.Org copy of Open Ukraine list of NATO and CIA partners
The presence of 2 "http" strings in the original URL from archive.org means it will never parse using WordPress's algorithm for converting text into links
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 13:22 utc | 58
What is behind the warmongering of the German media?
That's a question I've been asking myself. The historic precedents are not good. I only see Der Spiegel international, but they've been ridiculous.
Any insight from people more familiar with Germany?
Posted by: john francis lee | Mar 12, 2014 9:11:58 AM | 57
Short answer: The UZA military occupation of Germany
Axel Springer Verlag, Germany's biggest Media publisher, actually contains a clause in all it's journalists contracts that says that they must at all times be positive toward Israel and Jewish Causes in general
So maybe Axel Springer sees the Neo-Nazi coup in Ukraine as a "Jewish Cause"?
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 13:26 utc | 59
On a side note: Russians won 47 medals so far in the Paralympics and the U.S. doesn't even figure on the top 10 list! During the regular Olympics Americans can't stop bragging even though they landed in 4th place winning more bronze than gold and silver.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 12 2014 13:36 utc | 60
It's also worth noting that the Slavic ethnic group in Ukraine is suspicious of the EU’s intentions about their agricultural land. They regard the European Union as a mask for the Aryan ethnic group (say German banks), trying to control Ukraine’s grain exports. Their grain exports are second in the world, only to the US’s.
Farm production is an important hedge for the banks because climate models foresee reductions in crop yields in Western Europe.
This conflict is not just about oil and gas, it's also about rich farm land. It's the same thing that World War II was about. Why don't we get honest and just acknowledge this? Because of its political incorrectness?
Posted by: Cynthia | Mar 12 2014 13:36 utc | 61
btw in contrast to statements made earlier the Open Ukraine Partner page is still fully accessible on the web
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 13:43 utc | 62
They regard the European Union as a mask for the Aryan ethnic group (say German banks), trying to control Ukraine’s grain exports.
Are you sure that Slavs in Ukraine think the name of the "ethnic group" in question is "Aryan"?
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 13:46 utc | 63
57 john francis lee
Its not only germany, its the whole western media thats going crazy. Pure propaganda.
Posted by: Anonymous | Mar 12 2014 13:54 utc | 64
brb@63,
OK, I got my classification of ethnic groups all mixed up, but overall my comment still stands as largely being right.
Posted by: Cynthia | Mar 12 2014 14:02 utc | 65
Look at the pathetic g7 whining about crimea while supporting the coup.
Posted by: Anonymous | Mar 12 2014 14:15 utc | 66
G7 won't recognize the Crimean referendum. I'm sure that'll stop things.
In related news, Parry does a nice expose on how "moral equivalency" was created as an official propaganda meme under Regan: (Apologies if already posted)
According to documents recently released by the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, the Reagan administration established a “Moral Equivalence Working Group” in 1984 reporting to Walter Raymond Jr., who had been a top psychological warfare specialist at the CIA before being moved to Reagan’s National Security Council where he oversaw a wide-ranging program of domestic and foreign propaganda.Though the working group’s core complaint was something of a straw man, since it would be hard to find anyone who equated the U.S. and USSR, the Reagan administration made clear that anyone who continued to apply common moral standards to the two governments would be accused of “moral equivalence.”
I especially like the part - as it's also completely OT - about the psychological warfare specialists of the CIA. Now which organization did the CIA recruit from after WWII? I just can't seem to recall. Oh well.
Posted by: JSorrentine | Mar 12 2014 14:16 utc | 67
unusual from zionist columnist Goldberg:but yes the names are revealing ad ignored by the US and EU friends of the Maidan
Retweeted by The Westphalian Post
Jeffrey Goldberg @JeffreyGoldberg 17h
Right-wing Ukrainian parties have names like racist bands: "White Hammer, Patriots of Ukraine and the Trident of Stepan Bandera."
Posted by: brian | Mar 12 2014 14:20 utc | 68
Adding:
If you're a rational person in the US, you've undoubtedly seen how this "moral equivalency" has morphed into supporting ANY argument - foreign or domestic - of the elite war criminals who run this country.
Can't criticize the GWOT b/c that's supporting Al Qaeda of course.
Can't criticize capitalist scum cuz that's supporting socialism of course.
And on and on on and on and on.
It's not only that the US is MORALLY SUPERIOR to any country on the face of the planet - obviously, a given - it's also that - for DOMESTIC propaganda consumption - the US elite are MORALLY SUPERIOR to any of their fellow citizens.
Posted by: JSorrentine | Mar 12 2014 14:22 utc | 70
Brian@69,
B is indeed German, but he's NOT the least bit Aryan. Only someone who gets the two mixed up would refute that. ;~)
Posted by: Cynthia | Mar 12 2014 14:44 utc | 71
In related news, Parry does a nice expose on how "moral equivalency" was created as an official propaganda meme under Regan:
Posted by: JSorrentine | Mar 12, 2014 10:16:29 AM | 67
Something else Regan did was create the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in 1983
In 1984 he did something very very uncharacteristic for such an extreme right-wing US President
Found at http://tuesdaynightbuzz.blogspot.com
Reaganites - NED
This is for the Reagan lovers.Reagan appoints Carl Gersham to head the NED in 1984. He been in the position ever since.
Carl Gershman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
"From 1970–1974, Carl Gershman was a national leader of the Young People's Socialist League (YPSL), the youth section of the Socialist Party of America; he served as Vice Chairman, Co-Chairman, and then Chairman of YPSL.[1][5] [7]"
Xymphora picks this up and goes on to say:
You'll note immediately how odd it was for Reagan to appoint a loud and proud commie to an American government position. Conservatives naively complained at the time that the State Department was full of leftists (now, of course, they say it is full of 'anti-Semites' and 'Arabists').Reagan's bizarre appointee, Carl Gersham, has quietly led the National Endowment for Democracy ever since. What's really going on? From Gersham's Wikipedia entry:
"In 1972 he and Irving Howe edited a collection, Israel, the Arabs and the Middle East. Gershman served on the Editorial Board of Dissent, which was edited by Howe."
From Right Web:
"Gershman became head of SD-USA shortly after the Socialist Party-USA split into two factions in the early 1970s: a left wing led by Michael Harrington, and a right wing led by Gershman, Tom Kahn, and Rachelle Horowitz. The right faction morphed into SD-USA, which in the early 1970s rallied around Sen. Henry "Scoop" Jackson, the hawkish Democrat from Washington State whose staff was made up of several future key neoconservative figures, including Richard Perle, Frank Gaffney, and Elliott Abrams.Like many of these neoconservatives, Gershman was tapped to serve in the Reagan administration. In 1984, Gershman took over the helm of the NED, a congressionally funded organization created by Ronald Reagan in 1982 to support groups that promote democracy in the Soviet Union and other communist countries (see GroupWatch Profile: SD-USA; and "Loose Cannon," Cato Institute, 1993)."
The Official Story is that the neocons were 'mugged by reality' and moved from extreme left to extreme right. The reality is that violent racist group supremacists have no use for the concepts of right and left other than to create confusion. They all have one goal, which is to leech off American power and wealth to create a Zionist Empire across the Middle East.
We now have another example in Ukraine of a country wrecked, along with American prestige and possibly the dollar's status as world reserve currency, all because Putin wouldn't play along with Zionist plans for the Middle East in Syria and Iran.
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 14:47 utc | 72
In Counterpunch http://www.counterpunch.org/
".... MIKE WHITNEY
“We are witnessing a huge geopolitical game in which the aim is the destruction of Russia as a geopolitical opponent of the US or of the global financial oligarchy…..The realization of this project is in line with the concept of global domination that is being carried out by the US.”
- Vladimir Yakunin, former Russian senior diplomat
“History shows that wherever the U.S. meddles; chaos and misery are soon to follow.”
- Kalithea, comments line, Moon of Alabama..."
Posted by: bevin | Mar 12 2014 14:48 utc | 73
How about fixing the long URL wrapping issue. it is not difficult, can send the CSS required to do this.
it is impossible to read on a tablet, your website is banned at work,so i have to use the tablet lol!
Grusse
Hans
Posted by: hans | Mar 12 2014 14:54 utc | 74
It would not be an issue if the people commenting actually bothered to follow instructions conveniently placed right beside the little box used for commenting
eg: ( symbols "<" & ">" removed for legibility)
A HREF="http://www.aclu.org/" Link to ACLU /A → Link to ACLU
Posted by: brb | Mar 12 2014 15:04 utc | 75
Saw a report in AW about Ukrainian Jew asking Israel why they aren't involved in Ukraine.C,mon,as all our instigators are avowed Zionists,this is laughable.Isn't that nut Lieberman from Ukraine?I think the Zionists are just itching to regain lost property there,or more reparations.Historical enmity goes deep into the Zionist soul.
America and the west are using subterfuge where Hitler used force in acquiring the Caucasus's(and beyond)energy.Naked greed made large.And the people of America get a sh*t sandwich.
Posted by: dahoit | Mar 12 2014 15:11 utc | 76
In any case, it is not true that openukraine.org has been taken down.
http://openukraine.org/en/
Posted by: Rowan Berkeley | Mar 12 2014 15:15 utc | 77
Robert Parry described Ukraine as "a country essentially controlled by a collection of billionaire oligarchs who jockey for power and shift their allegiances among corrupt politicians." Hmmm, this quote could be used to describe America's political system as well.
Posted by: Cynthia | Mar 12 2014 15:22 utc | 78
TikToc @ 52: Worried about the credibility of this site? Hang out, and decide for yourself. You may be pleased. Certainly more informed than anything you'll ever read in the Main stream "news".
Posted by: ben | Mar 12 2014 15:34 utc | 79
ben I think he (TikToc@52) is worried about the credibility of the site to which he linked.
Posted by: bevin | Mar 12 2014 15:42 utc | 80
JSorrentine # 70: Only certain elites, bc that very same word is also used to criticize anyone a) not from the boondocks, possessing more than an eighth-grade education and/or daring to disagree with received Rethug wisdom on anything.
Posted by: Nora | Mar 12 2014 15:49 utc | 81
Bevin@73,
These acts of "meddling" all cost money, lots of money. Meddle here, meddle there, meddle, meddle, everywhere. The only question is when, when will the US no longer be able to afford to meddle again, anywhere. As China grows, the US implodes. All good statistics continue to decrease, while we can only claim number one in prison populations and military industrial complex. Remember those pictures of abandoned Soviet ships rusting in abandoned military ports after the collapse of the Soviet Union? The cost of our meddling will accelerate that likely scenario for America – we´ll be selling our ships and planes as scrap to China. Meddling is an accelerator.
Posted by: Cynthia | Mar 12 2014 15:49 utc | 82
bevin - thanks for the link on one of the other threads.. here is a repost of it for anyone interested.
http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/2014/03/09/ukraines-shadow-on-central-asian-steppes/
Posted by: james | Mar 12 2014 16:05 utc | 85
@73
OMG! I'm speechless!
Thank you for bringing that to my attention.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 12 2014 16:17 utc | 86
I have no theories about this, but the timing is interesting:
"On Sunday, retired pastor Ulf Ekman, founder of Word of Life, a megachurch in Uppsala, Sweden, announced he was converting to Roman Catholicism."
(If there is not some sort of confusion between two different Kiev churches named Word of Life, then this is the founder of the church to which Turchynov belongs.)
Posted by: Rudy | Mar 12 2014 16:27 utc | 87
As discussed here:
http://www.bollyn.com/#article_14573
Posted by: Rudy | Mar 12 2014 16:28 utc | 88
@86
Fame At Last!! I was pretty amazed myself, but it is another indication of how reliable people find b's posts.
@85 Your welcome. I sometimes think nobody follows these links, though often I discover they have already been posted.
Here's another:http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-01-120314.html
Posted by: bevin | Mar 12 2014 16:48 utc | 89
From Mike Whitney's article:
"The dollar is the foundation upon which rests the three pillars of imperial strength; political, economic and military. Remove that foundation and the entire edifice comes crashing to earth. Having abused that power, by killing and maiming millions of people across the planet; the world needs to transition to another, more benign way of consummating its business transactions, preferably a currency that is not backed by the blood and misery of innocent victims. Paul Volcker summed up the feelings of many dollar-critics in 2010 when he had this to say:
“The growing sense around much of the world is that we have lost both relative economic strength and more important, we have lost a coherent successful governing model to be emulated by the rest of the world. Instead, we’re faced with broken financial markets, underperformance of our economy and a fractious political climate.”
America is irreparably broken and Washington is a moral swamp. The world needs regime change; new leaders, new direction and a different system."
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/03/12/big-oils-sore-losers-lead-the-drive-to-war/
Oh yeah! A change is gonna come and it won't be underwritten by U.S. tyranny.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 12 2014 17:01 utc | 90
Mr. Pragma, @ 48. yes. Really the Tatars are in no danger imho, though some may feel very bad right now, media, foreign hype, uncertainty, etc.
In the 2012 Ukr. elections, Crimea, Donesk, Lushank regions
voted for Svoboda at 1% (i.e. mistakes, ppl who ticked the wrong box or whatnot or some weird outliers)
So by definition, Tatars did not.
For contrast:
Lviv, Ivano-Frankisvic, Ternopil: 38, 31, 33% ...
Kiev town, 17% !! (kiev region without the town, 10)
Foreign vote : 23% (the no 1 party for them! as choice was rather large)
which confirms my lame ‘saying’ that the foreign vote is always a huge predictor of who the eventual winners, movers and shakers etc. will be.
Not that it will work out well this time, but you see what I mean.
Posted by: Noirette | Mar 12 2014 17:24 utc | 92
Reading the WaPo opinion piece by Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez, it is apparent the Nouveau Cold War is here. The Menendez bill ramps up funding for "democracy & civil society" promotion (a.k.a., covert warfare) as well as "enhanced security cooperation for Ukraine." Despite the tough talk from Merkel, I can" rel="nofollow">
Posted by: Mike Maloney | Mar 12 2014 17:29 utc | 93
guest 77: "Just an idea.... Is there no way for Russia to train and arm paramilitary and local self-defense units in at least eastern Ukraine?"
bevin: “Not without being "exposed" by the international media.”
Dispatch no. 6 from VICE, video, on “Russian Roulette” shows stalwart Serbians who have set up a check point and are directing traffic in Crimea.
You tube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBeGwXgoqI
for other dispatches see Vice. Some are worthwhile as they show pictures, views, etc. one does not easily see.
Posted by: Noirette | Mar 12 2014 17:32 utc | 94
@93
"...it is apparent the Nouveau Cold War is here. The Menendez bill ramps up funding for "democracy & civil society" promotion (a.k.a., covert warfare)..."
And there are three major covert warfare fronts raging at this time: Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 12 2014 17:56 utc | 95
To complete the thought @93: I can't believe that Europe is going to go to for the Nouveau Cold War. Battling the neocons in Washington on the Russian sanctions legislation in Congress are those well-known peace freaks the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. So the pressure that German big business is putting on Merkel must be immense.
Posted by: Mike Maloney | Mar 12 2014 17:57 utc | 96
It seems pretty obvious to me that ZATO as Mr P calls them, are going to try to repeat in Crimea what they did in western Ukraine, with their rentamobs running Gene-Sharp-meets-urban-ninja routines. Then ZATO can say they feel morally compelled to send in an occupation force of "peacekeepers", without the small formality of a unanimous UNSC vote authorising it.
Posted by: Rowan Berkeley | Mar 12 2014 17:58 utc | 97
I haven't seen mentioned what I consider America's greatest hypocrisy in this crisis. That is: what did the US do when ITS naval base in Bahrain was threatened in 2011? The oppressed and majority Shia citizens of Bahrain thought it was their turn for an Arab Spring. Their peaceful demonstrations were crushed, martial law declared, and Saudi military entered in force. All this was green lighted by the US. If Shias allied to Iran had taken over, then the US Fifth Fleet would have been kicked out. Is this analogous to the current Crimea situation? I think it is.
Posted by: Cynthia | Mar 12 2014 17:59 utc | 98
brb 75 In Firefox there is an extension called "Easy Copy" that makes it easy to do. You just use Ctrl+Shift+Y shortcut to copy the link in that format.
Posted by: ProPeace | Mar 12 2014 17:59 utc | 99
@98
I'm so glad you pointed that out. U.S. double-standard can't be stressed enough.
Posted by: kalithea | Mar 12 2014 18:11 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
Sorta pre-empts the Western ultimatum to Russia. Guess it's time to settle in for Cold (hopefully) War lite (hopefully)
Posted by: China Hand | Mar 11 2014 18:39 utc | 1