Posted on 02/20/2014 6:01:37 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Serbia is so far removed from Russian realities it might as well be Madagascar commenting on it.
Btw, I’m orthodox
Russia, Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
Nobody else in the world has any influence.
All this talk of sanctions and diplomatic sanction will do nothing but drive the Ukraine closer to Russia.
Remember, very large majorities of the Ukrainian people in the east and south, the economic heart of the country...think these protestors are criminals. In fact about 1/2 the Capital City of Kiev thinks the same way. They are the ethnic Russians and their friends.
It's similar (though with great differences) to the US winning the Mexican war and then colonizing and $developing CA and TX at great cost over many generations.
Then the Mexicans rising up later to align with our "enemies".
Of course we did not undertake a genocide against the Mexicans being the greatest difference.
Still, Russia is HEAVILY invested in Ukraine, both blood and treasure. They lost at least 1/2 million soldiers defending it from the Nazis.
It's likely they're determined to keep it. It's also likely nobody can do a damn thing about it.
They aren’t looking for membership in the EU. Just more trade with the West and none of Putins crap.
Timed?
This started LAST YEAR.
Gospodi pomiluj!
Kyrie Eleison.
Lord have mercy.
The Western half is only partly Orthodox— you are forgetting the Uniate Church, in communion with Rome and brutally suppresed by their ‘Orthodox’ brethren for centuries under the Tsars.
And several tens of thousands more killing Ukrainians.
Russian intervention is likely to produce an insurgency making Chechnya look like a cakewalk.
Soviets forced many to move to Western Ukraine after the war, after the Poles who lived there for centuries were expelled.
I am observing the reality of the situation, I hope dispassionately.
The Russians will not cede Ukraine. They believe themselves righteous in this matter.
So we do have considerable leverage here: the weak link is Germany, which is thoroughly penetrated with Russian money (former Kanzler Gazprom and former Aussenminister Gazprom are good examples).
Why would we be involved in any way?
Right now, Putin is the first dictator since Hitler to get away with waging aggressive war and annexing territories internationally recognized as belonging to another state (Abkhazia and Ossetia).
If you think we should have nothing to do with anything over there fine: but then we should withdraw from NATO and our other treaty obligations, and make ourselves as economically autonomous as possible.
There is no 'cost free' solution to this problem, no matter how much many here on FR or in the Obama maladministration fantasize about one.
“The Ukraine is, by geography and cultural heritage, more a part of Europe than it is of Russia. But Russia lies to the east, like a great dog taking a bite out of the Ukraine’s hindquarters.”
Ukraine has been part of “Russia” since the time of the Czars. Before that, she was divided between the various Polish, Austrian, etc. empires. I don’t believe she has ever been independant.
You are so correct to state that Russia has a vital strategic interest in keeping Ukraine within their sphere. They will not let it fall into the hands of the EU or anyone else.
I was unaware the Russians were encroaching on NATO or otherwise on US Treaty obligations.
I know they only threatened to deploy IRBMs in Belarus if the US deployed ABMs in Poland.
Yes, they essentially annexed Ossetia but that did not infringe on US interests or Treaty obligations.
To put it bluntly, Russia has no legitimate security interests regarding any of the territories on its Western borders, because there is no threat to Russia from any of those states or any other state (including the US) from that side.
I'm tired of seeing Westerners legitimize Russian aggression as though it were normal diplomacy.
Wow!, thanks for posting, hope everybody watches this. Instinctively, given the corruption of our government, I don’t believe ANY government anywhere. They all lie to further their corrupt aims.
I do see and hear the sincerity in this young lady’s face and voice. It is very touching that these people are dying by the hundreds for that one not so little word “freedom”..........that the majority of us take for granted. Sadly, I fear we are up to bat next. No pun intended.
Are Ukrainians shooting on Ukrainians?
Oh, good.
Do you have a plan to save their asses when the tanks roll? The Bundeswehr has burned all their maps showing roads that lead to Kiev (with good reason).
Right after the closing ceremony.
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