Posted on 03/10/2014 11:11:49 AM PDT by Kaslin
Putin also has a football.
I think Russia has been very restrained and it's about time western media started reporting the whole situation and not just the bits they like. As we all know this is happening right on Russia's border not America...
BTW..few know that Ukraine must allow 'American Misseles on Ukraine soil according to the conditions of them joining with the Eu/Nato agreement.....How would we respond if Putin put his missles in Canada or Mexico?
I visited Kiev and Crimea a few years ago. The two places are a world apart. Kiev is Ukrainian; Crimea is owned by Russians, residents are mostly Russian, and the Russian military is predominant. It’s kind of like Ukraine’s Puerto Rico - a unique culture. Some of the population is re-populated ethnic Tajiks who Stalin tried to exterminate or Deport.
Crimea has always been Russia’s resort country on the Black Sea, rich Russians have property there (summer palace of the Czar in Yalta is where the Yalta accords were signed).
The Russian fleet is indeed strategic at Sevastopol. I understand why Putin did this. It was a smart move on his part, given the hostility vs Russia in Kiev.
However, it is definitely a hegemony move, to take the territory in violation of sovereign power and treaties. Identical to Putin’s land grab in Georgia.
The other Oblasts of Ukraine may not be as submissive. The area adjacent to Crimea which blocks the land rout is majority ethnic Ukrainian.
Further a “discount” was given in this agreement...only if they did pay on the debt they owed. Ukraine blew it off. So they really have nothing to grip about.
If Ukraines’s un-elected government wants to join Nato/EU contrary to the West’s previous agreement that no missiles would ever be stationed in Ukraine against Russia, well Russia certainly isn’t going to stand by and just watch. We wouldn’t either if this was happening on our border.
Putin stated clearly he would not fight a war with Ukrainian’s....that does not mean he wouldn’t fight Nato troops if they stick their noses in this....
I believe this is why the EU/Nato/US are going at breakneck speed to get all the “paperwork” completed, and nations to acknowledge this New Gov. This would then allow troops in Ukraine.
If Obama wants to start another war because he things he has the right to place missiles in Ukraine,( which the Agreement with Eu/Nato states as a condition for receiving funds and admission to Nato)...Putin will definitely give him this war I think...but hopefully better minds will prevail in this whole situation. This remains to be seen.
Ukraine impressed me as Russia with no rules. Dangerous place.
I wonder if the Russian troops securing that border take contract work in other countries. Seems we could use them in AZ, TX and CA.
Bed news: Russia took Crimea by force.
Good news: Minefields imply no more taking will occur in that region.
I actually have a few Russian friends, and they make some interesting points:
Russia, having emerged from pure communism not that long ago, has MANY factions and citizens who wish to see a return to that system. Putin is on the other side of that desire, and while we are unlikely to see free-market capitalism coming from him, we sure won’t see pure communism.
They remind me that Putin simply CANNOT behave like George Washington. He’s trying to guide the country AWAY from Communism and if he relinquishes all power, the next leaders could go communist/fascist all over again. They remind me that Putin tried the short-leash hand-picked leader last time to only marginal effect.
Russia, they assert, is a different animal than Colonial America. What worked for us cannot work as well for them, due to the dark and sinister forces that still lurk in that country — and a sizeable populace that would back the sinister agenda of communism!
I grant you, when I heard all this, it did sound like the most favorable possible spin, and it did sound like a whitewash... but, concealed within the spin, there is a valid point.
Russia has deployed 220,000 soldiers on the south-eastern borders of Ukraine and in Crimea, said Ukraine’s Defense Minister.
They have 1,800 tanks, more than 400 helicopters, 150 aircraft and 60 warships.
if you look at the linguistic and ethnic map, as well as past voting patterns, the future borders of “East Ukraine” start to suggest themselves
Ukrainian television providers will stop broadcasting five major Russian channels at 9pm Moscow time today as part of a tit-for-tat media war between the two countries.
The channels to be taken off air are Rossiya 1, Rossiya 24, ORT (Channel Worldwide Network), PTP Planeta and NTV-Mir, following an order from the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine.
The area bordering Crimea is Ethnic Ukrainian mostly speaking Russian. Putin may get the yellow/brown stripe areas but that will not give Russia land access to the Crimean Peninsula. I think Ukraine will fight for the rest of their country even though the West will give in to Putin’s version of “Anschluss”.
Yes...nobody’s playing by the rules. Obama has taught them all well...Constitutions, Law, nor Agreements mean anything when push comes to shove...they have nothing to fear and can make up their rules as they go..and are. I wouldn't want to mess with any Ukranian...they play dirty and mean...steely faced like Russians.
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