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This is the final week of month two for this FReepathon.
Woo hoo!! And now less than $10.7k to go!! Thank you all very much!! We can do this.
Posted on 02/23/2014 1:33:57 PM PST by UMCRevMom@aol.com
Ukraine update: you and the rest of the English-speaking world probably know that Yanukovych cooked his own goose by fleeing the city yesterday (was it the regular guy who grabbed the mic onstage and gave him till 10 AM to leave or face the armed storming of his residence that sent him running?) and got himself impeached by the Rada he used to bully into passing all his laws. You probably saw that his obscene luxury estate was hilariously opened to the public and contained everything from an extravagant car collection to a Spanish galleon boat, and you likely know that Tymoshenko was released and gave a speech on Maidan. This has been great news for a group that hasn't heard much of it in the last three months, and we've all basked in it a bit for part of the day just because of how staggeringly hard to believe it is that the protestors really achieved it the way they did, with almost no help or real leadership. But we still mourn the many dead from the last few days and no one there is fooled: this is far from over. So here's some stuff you may not know:
Tymoshenko's release was well-received but a surprising number of Maidan supporters are urging her to retire from politics. An article making the rounds suggests that her swift release may have even been encouraged by Putin or his loyalists, because her track record of supporting oligarchs (and being one) might set her up nicely to be a new puppet to replace the broken one (Yanukovych). Several articles enumerate some shady things she has done in her prior political career and warns that Turchynov (a deputy in her party, the acting speaker of parliament, and essentially the de facto president since there now isn't an acting president or prime minister) may be ready to just hand her the reins as the (maybe) temporary head of state. It's been said that we shouldn't be surprised to see Putin call with congratulations and wishes of goodwill to the new government, because that's just the kind of evil political mastermind he is. For her part, Tymoshenko plans to run for president and used the same "I'll be your guarantor" language that Yaunkoyvh used, in addition to promising that she'll make sure Ukrainian life is happy and prosperous, in a Maidan speech that may as well have been a campaign launch the way it was worded. Tyahnybok says the opposition leaders knew from the start that this was a possibility and asks everyone to give them a few days to sort things out and decide what to do about candidates, and that's fair: nobody saw things moving this swiftly or this thoroughly, so there isn't really a strategy yet. The presidential election is set for May, and the Cabinet of Ministers including Prime Minister positions are now appointed by Verkhovna Rada under the new/old laws.
Turchynov, who wields an almost frightening amount of power for the moment, has already drawn the ire of Maidan in his short tenure by stupidly telling them to go home already (the last people who urged this are nowhere to be found and know better than to return). Fortunately the people of Maidan know better than to leave now: Yanukovych is gone but his dirty rat loyal deputies remain in Verkhovna Rada and still have the same hearts and minds that they did when they passed the anti-protest laws, the political system and economy are still broken, many in east and south Ukraine are still pro-Russia, etc. So this isn't hardly over and there may be several disheartening fights ahead.
Several more wounded protestors succumbed to their injuries today, and attacks by titushki on demonstrations in eastern cities Kharkiv and Poltava injured at least four. Thinking of the sheer number of dead and dying in this revolution remains heartbreaking, and thinking of the obstacles and snares ahead is a bit frightening. Today was monumental and incredibly emotional, and the jaw-dropping successes should not be minimized... but it is not yet time to exhale. New tents are being set up on Maidan this morning.
I think that the Rada already restored the old constitution under which the presidential powers were very restricted. On the other hand Tymoshenko has already stated that she did not want her name to be considered as one of the potential PM candidates. And she urged the people not to leave the Maidan until they completely got rid off the old apparatchiks.
It’s unconfirmed at the moment, but this is potentially a big one.
Yanukovych has been arrested in Crimea.
Only question now is, will he be “Ceausescued.”?
Ah, yes.....the legendary “Twenty-one gun Romanian Retirement Salute”.
Personally, I say he needs to be haled before a court. That’s why nations have a criminal justice system.
Or as I like to call it, “Romanian Term Limits.”
LOLOL!
In the meantime, in Sevastopol a demonstration of 20,000 waving Russian flags and demanding that the territory be returned to Mother Russia. They elected a new mayor a Russian citizen Alexei Chologo, and decided they won’t send their taxes to Kiev. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Mwqzed09i9w
I think Crimea to Russia is a done deal.
Frankly it never should have gone to Ukraine in the first place....The transfer to the Ukraine was a cheap political gimmick by Khrushchev.
The same as Stalin’s gift of Lwow to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, while Alger Hiss whispered in FDR’s ear in Yalta that it’s only fair!
The same as Stalin’s gift of Lwow to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, while Alger Hiss whispered in FDR’s ear in Yalta that it’s only fair!
The same as Stalin’s gift of Lwow to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, while Alger Hiss whispered in FDR’s ear in Yalta that it’s only fair!
The same as Stalin’s gift of Lwow to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, while Alger Hiss whispered in FDR’s ear in Yalta that it’s only fair!
The same as Stalin’s gift of Lwow to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic, while Alger Hiss whispered in FDR’s ear in Yalta that it’s only fair!
You can say that again!
Could you repeat that? Maybe the sixth time I’ll understand what you are saying. ;^O
It sets a better historical example and very effective to shoot them in the street. Sorry, but some bridges need to be burned and the sooner the better.
If only Hitler was shot after the Beer Hall Putsch, he wouldn’t have been able to use the courtroom for his opening speech in his campaign to take over Germany.
Could it be that even most of the ethnic Russians in Ukraine don’t want to live under the Russian boot?
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