Posted on 09/08/2014 7:56:56 PM PDT by wetphoenix
Assuming the ceasefire declared in Ukraine as of sundown Friday holds—and the early signs are favorable—we celebrate the end of a conflict that has claimed a startling 2,600 lives since it broke out in April. But not so fast. It’s also time to recognize the Obama administration’s strategy in Ukraine as among the worst of its numerous foreign-policy errors.
The agreement just forged between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Petro Poroshenko, the Ukrainian president, is acknowledged all around as the design Putin suddenly proposed when he got off a plane in Mongolia late last week. In all likelihood, this was the outcome of protracted talks Putin has held in secret with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Related: How Obama’s White House Lost Ukraine in a Few Stupid Steps
In effect, the demonized Russian has done again what he did twice in the Middle East last year. He saved Obama’s bacon when he got Syria to dispose of its chemical weapons, allowing our policy-challenged leader to step back from his “red line” threat to bomb Bashar al-Assad. Then he back-channeled with the Rouhani government in Iran, urging Tehran to put its nuclear program in play as pressure to aggress was mounting in Israel and among conservatives in Congress.
And so, to Ukraine. All hail the cessation of hostilities. Let’s hope that the months of bungling at the White House and State Department result in lessons learned. Let’s think in terms of a series of misreadings.
First of all, the Obama administration misread Europe very badly. It’s unpopular to say so, but the European Union had brokered a pretty good deal between the elected president Viktor Yanukovich and the demonstrators in Kiev last February. The deal focused on constitutional reform to diminish presidential power, and early elections so that voters could get him out
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
You don’t take the Poles and Balts as the authoritative voices of experience and urge NATO further in their direction. You take them as deeply, maybe eternally marked by the Soviet experience and consequently prone to poor judgment. Exhibit A: The Poles argue that Putin’s intent is to re-establish the Soviet empire, an idea any Russianist can tell you is a paranoically inaccurate interpretation of Moscow’s strategic aspiration.Probably best to read this column with the Red Army Chorus playing in the background.
Yeah I’m sick of all the pro Russian anti NATO bs. Russia had no need to start a war over its economic interests in Ukraine, or to risk WWIII over this nonsense.
I still say Poroshenko is doing his own thing with Russia and the Anti-Kiev fighters regardless of what the US or Eu want.... Winters coming...and he’s got public opinion going against him now, along with those who want to see him outed....He has to act or he’ll loose it all.
Ukrainian President Poroshenko ‘secretly met’ with the assistant Vladimir Putin, ‘Vladislav Surkov’, the curator of Ukrainian direction in the Kremlin.
http://vesti.lv/news/poroshenko-taino-vstretilsya-s-surkovym
and here again.....
“Poroshenko met secretly with Surkov”
http://portal.briefly.tk/poroshenko-tajno-vstretilsya-s-surkovym/
Once more evidence Kiev does not have control of the milita’s they’ve been using. Which many believe have been creating the problems of cease-fire etc. in the EAst.
“Amnesty International calls on the Ukrainian authorities to take control of the activities of the battalion “Aydar”.
Monday at a press briefing Secretary General Salil Shetty, the company released a report “violations and war crimes on the part of the volunteer battalion” Aydar “Luhansk” region in the north.
IMHO, Poroshenko is quite a pragmatic politician, probably the best choice Ukraine could ever make during their elections, but he is still under pressure from really bad actors he simply cannot ignore considering Ukrainian politics.
Amnesty’s Report.... Sept.8,2018
Members of the Aidar territorial defence battalion, operating in the north
Luhansk region, have been involved in widespread abuses, including
abductions, unlawful detention, ill-treatment, theft, extortion, and
possible executions.
The Aidar battalion is one of over thirty so-called volunteer battalions to
have emerged in the wake of the conflict, which have been loosely
integrated into Ukrainian security structures as they seek to retake
separatist held areas.
In the course of a two-week research mission to the region, an Amnesty
International researcher interviewed dozens of victims and witnesses of
the abuses, as well as local officials, army commanders and police
officers in the area and representatives of the Aidar battalion.
Why do they keep trying to drag Obama into this? Obama hasn’t really even lifted a finger to help Ukraine.
Russia invaded a sovereign neighbor and Obama and Merkel refused to even send some weapons. You would think the Putinista’s would be praising Obama and Merkel. lol
Too bad Russia never intended to honor any ceasefire
Because they have no other card to play. Witness how some of them want to portray those exposed to Russian expansionism as “Obama-supporters.” If we are truly blessed, someone presently will be by to post a photo of John McCain (as if that means something).
Yes, but recently it's looked like he's making decisions rather than having them dictated to him. It's a fine line to walk...
I agree he's likely a good choice...lesser of all the other evils...only because he's also been part of the corruption in Ukraine's Government for several years prior to his election. ....However that gives him an advantage...he knows their game above and beyond the US and EU, who have little understanding of how Ukraine works and who has to be jockeyed around.
I'll also say that even Putin can work with Poroshenko and Poroshenko knew this as well going into the election. He also knew when the dust settled he'd have to work with Russia.
I think he's been telling EU and US reps. (Wales Summit)) that their way isn't working and he's stepping up to the plate himself, and that they can either support him or take a hike. He's going to do what he thinks will work for HIS country.
(side note).....'Coal deals' in the East are in play currently.
~I agree he’s likely a good choice...lesser of all the other evils...only because he’s also been part of the corruption in Ukraine’s Government for several years prior to his election~
You won’t find a saint in a brothel.
....” ceasefire”....
Five year war in Bosnia & Croatia was endless line of ceasefires....but it did eventually end. So too will this.
....”Obama and Merkel refused to even send some weapons”....
You need to go to the Government website and you will see that Obama has already issued military weapons help.
LOL...true...so you sure won’t find them in Ukraine!
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