Being close to McCain can be deadly.
Posted on 12/15/2013 3:01:27 PM PST by mac_truck
Senator John McCain on Sunday told thousands of Ukrainian protesters camped on Kiev's main square that Ukraine's destiny lay in Europe and that it would make Europe better.
"Ukraine will make Europe better and Europe will make Ukraine better," he said to crowds protesting against President Viktor Yanukovich's U-turn in trade policy away from Europe towards Russia.
"We are here to support your just cause, the sovereign right of Ukraine to determine its own destiny freely and independently. And the destiny you seek lies in Europe," said McCain, a leading Republican voice on US foreign policy.
McCain is in Ukraine with a Connecticut Democrat, Senator Chris Murphy.
Speaking to CNN on Sunday, McCain said: “What we're trying to do is try to bring about a peaceful transition here, that would stop the violence and give the Ukrainian people what they unfortunately have not had, with different revolutions that have taken place – a real society. This is a grassroots revolution here – it's been peaceful except when the government tried to crack down on them, and the government hasn't tried that since.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
I haven’t seen TEA demanding barricading downtown DC, threatening to overthrow the government. I see them trying to win local elections and influence policy.
Fact: Russia is meddling in Ukraine's affairs. You are "upset" that the EU is doing so. My question to you is, why do you fear one and not the other?
Why can’t McLame just STFU and go back to doing what does best - betraying America 24/7?
1 Ted Cruz - TX
2 Jeff Sessions - AL
3 Chuck Grassley - IA
4 Jim Inhofe - OK
5 Tom Coburn - OK
6 Tim Scott - SC
7 Mike Lee - UT
8
9
10
... Anyone? Anyone?... Bueller?... Bueller?... Bueller?
Indeed.
The next presidential election is in 15 months and I suspect this 'spontaneous protest' is a result of the fact that the opposition is splintered and doesn't have a leader to coalesce around
Ok, I’ll grant you that. Not yet.
Cue spooky, ominous music. [Russian]
Can’t Putin put this sob out of his misery and spare us listening to his rants??
Many of the "Ukrainians" voting in these elections are ethnic Russians specifically transplanted there in order to elect Russia's Running Dogs.
McCain is an effing jackass, but even a broken clock is right twice a day.
McCain has overstayed his welcome in the Republican party by about six years, but still has the liberal media, the liberal GOP-e, and wealthy corporate sponsors in his corner.
It may in fact take an act of God to get him out of the US Senate.
Why is McCain even in the Ukraine?
I agree. I will say that handled with a lot more finesse, I think we could have brought Russia on board with the West. The U.S.S.R. fell and we ignored it. That was the wrong thing to do IMO. We didn’t have to let Russian leaders dictate Western policy, but we could have tossed them enough bones to let them have dignity.
When that school was attacked, we could have gone out of our way to express how much we identified with the Russian people in their time of sorrow. We let that moment pass without capitalizing on it the way we should have.
Old historic reasons aside, Russia does have a lot more in common with Eastern Europe than it does with China.
We could play up some of their domestic victories in WWII. There’s a lot we could do without giving Russia anything tangible, and the West could bump up trade too.
It’s a shame we haven’t capitalized on this more IMO.
Being close to McCain can be deadly.
Whatever side John McCain is on, the other side is better.
And if we are going back to the era of Stalin, then its just as valid to remember that the people of the EU did the same thing to Ukraine.
The answer of course, is to live in the now. Putin is not Stalin, and the EU is not Nazi. Both are far softer and modernized versions of their dark pasts. It wouldn’t hurt you to travel there.
The eastern and southern part of the country speaks Russian, and is culturally Russian and votes for Russo friendly candidates. The eastern half votes just as strongly for the candidates who love the EU. The Russo friendly voters have a slight edge normally. Don’t forget, Russian culture began in Kiev. Its a part of who they see themselves as. Laugh it off, but it’s real.
The answer there is that Ukraine should get a unique free trade status. Free trade with both, Russia and the EU. Make it to where the only way to trade between Russia and the EU tariff free would be to go through Ukraine.
After the abuse of Europe and Russia, Ukraine deserves better than being dominated by Russia OR the EU.
And such an agreement should forbid any expansion of the Russian navy base in Crimea, or any expansion of NATO into Ukraine. That is part of this calculus too. Russia doesn’t want NATO positioned 200 miles from Moscow, and the NATO EU crowd doesn’t have sense enough not to expand into those positions.
Please elaborate.
You're quite presumptuous. I have been there. And I have friends and relatives there.
Your post ignores the fact that millions of the Russians who are there DON'T belong there to begin with, and millions more Ukrainians who should be there are dead because of the Russians who are.
Russia doesn’t want NATO positioned 200 miles from Moscow, and the NATO EU crowd doesn’t have sense enough not to expand into those positions.
Tough crap what Russia wants or doesn't want. If a sovereign Ukraine decides to be part of NATO, why would Russia have anything to say about it?
Your arrogance has betrayed your true sympathies. You don't see Ukraine as a sovereign country that should be able to determine its own choices. You want Ukraine to be a satellite of Russia, while you argue for "special status" as some kind of Finlandized neutral, really under the neo-Soviet thumb.
Well put. Though, I don't believe these protests are real.
I remember ranting and raving when Thatcher allowed Hong Kong to be turned over to "communist slavery". HA! Boy, was I wrong. They're still the freest people on Earth, while the Brits are a police state.
Once again, if McCain is for it, I am not.
Just a red flag to live by.
Sorry the folks in Arizona don’t get it.
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