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Following a discussion about Russia, I'm watching the news about the current situation in Ukraine. I wonder if this is another contribution of Russia today.What would be best for Ukraine: to stay in the Russian sphere or the EU sphere of influence?(no mention to the US diplomatic "F" word here)
Another charge of Balaklava ?In the heart of Europe, a revolution is occurring. Is the old continent waking up or is it just some convulsions?
The telling thing is what will the Western Democracies DO as Russia becomes ever more involved in the internal affairs of a neighbor state? Russian actions in the Crimea yesterday would have been a causus Belli just 50 years ago.
Ukraine was Russia's in the past. This is just typical post-colonialism behavior. Russia wants her Empire back and (some of) Ukraine wants independence. Let them fight it out. Ukraine, although being a “friendly” nation to us has nothing we need. Any natural resources they have already goes to Russia anyway. I don't really see the big issue here, either to us or to Europe if Ukraine goes back into the Russian realm. The US has no reason to and should not get involved in this in any way.
The telling thing is what will the Western Democracies DO as Russia becomes ever more involved in the internal affairs of a neighbor state? Russian actions in the Crimea yesterday would have been a causus Belli just 50 years ago.
I agree about what will Western Democracies do? Nobody in the streets to support the people of Ukraine, noone seems to be ready to leave a comfortable-soft nest to demonstrate any empathy with what is happening there.If the crisis is about to increase with more Russian troops in Crimea, the EU reaction will probably be few shocked or disgruntled speeches, nothing more...
This piece in the Telegraph has it half right. The West does not just look weak, they are weak because there is not a single Western Leader willing to put their foot down. The question is where will the next Munich Agreement be signed and will Poland again be the European country under threat that convinces the rest of the world that a country is not to be trusted?
Moscow – As unidentified soldiers increasingly control Crimea , the international community has asked Vladimir Putin to act according to international laws. The latter replied in the affirmative by committing to not humiliate the international community but only in a very relative and proportionate way. To which extent the international community will be ridiculed in the Crimea crisis? For Moscow, this should be very relative and limited in time. "We will do everything so that this humiliation is effective but still fast " said for his part, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev who wanted to give goodwill gesture to the Duma , eager to reassure about the humiliation to come for the international community . "Russia wants to show others that the country has grown and knows now how to humiliate the international community quite worthy " declared on the other hand President Vladimir Putin.Europe , the United States and NATO are concerned about the situation in Crimea and expect to be humiliated any time regretting a lack of communication by the Russian authorities in the way they will be humiliated. " We need details of this humiliation. Numbers, specific points on which we can discuss " worried the Secretary General of the Atlantic force . Already humiliated during the war in Georgia , Europe blamed Russia. "We had agreed on a certain level of humiliation , but Putin had not kept its promises . It is feared that in addition to humiliation, he starts to really make fun of the international community, and it's not very nice " analyses an expert .Russian promises to humiliate in a relative way only seems nothing to reassure European countries and international experts. According to them, this attitude is already in itself a form of hidden humiliation, which then would add to the humiliation to come. "If this is true, it is still quite humiliating" mumbles a European diplomat.This is the next step
Moscow - As unidentified soldiers increasingly control Crimea , the international community has asked Vladimir Putin to act according to international laws. The latter replied in the affirmative by committing to not humiliate the international community but only in a very relative and proportionate way. To which extent the international community will be ridiculed in the Crimea crisis? For Moscow, this should be very relative and limited in time. "We will do everything so that this humiliation is effective but still fast " said for his part, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev who wanted to give goodwill gesture to the Duma , eager to reassure about the humiliation to come for the international community . "Russia wants to show others that the country has grown and knows now how to humiliate the international community quite worthy " declared on the other hand President Vladimir Putin.Europe , the United States and NATO are concerned about the situation in Crimea and expect to be humiliated any time regretting a lack of communication by the Russian authorities in the way they will be humiliated. " We need details of this humiliation. Numbers, specific points on which we can discuss " worried the Secretary General of the Atlantic force . Already humiliated during the war in Georgia , Europe blamed Russia. "We had agreed on a certain level of humiliation , but Putin had not kept its promises . It is feared that in addition to humiliation, he starts to really make fun of the international community, and it's not very nice " analyses an expert .Russian promises to humiliate in a relative way only seems nothing to reassure European countries and international experts. According to them, this attitude is already in itself a form of hidden humiliation, which then would add to the humiliation to come. "If this is true, it is still quite humiliating" mumbles a European diplomat.This is the next step
So true, and yet so SAD at the same time.
So, does anybody think the Western democracies are looking any more resolute now than they were in 1938? We probably won't see war this year, but I think we are building up to one.
After today's referendum in Crimea, let's see if retaliations will be applied as promised. Retaliations often mean a strike back.
After today's referendum in Crimea, let's see if retaliations will be applied as promised. Retaliations often mean a strike back.
Don't hold your breath. The Western Democracies are paper tigers at best. Very few Europeans see their strategic interests at stake in Russian expansion at the cost of the Ukraine. Then again very few democracies thought their freedom was at stake at the cost of the border regions of Czechoslovakia either.
Election officials say 95.5% of voters have backed joining Russia in the referendum but Russia reports on alleged vote rigging!Shall they evoke a massive electoral fraud to explain the 5% no? Let's be optimistic: the free world already took sanctions: the US ordered the freezing of assets and travel bans on 11 individuals, while the EU imposed such sanctions on 21 people. The EU's potential sanctions list is thought to include more than 100 people!!!I'm optimistic, I smell Victory (or is it just gas?) :'(
Modern warfare?I find this article interesting when stating that The entire operation was very cleverly planned and carried out. But there is absolutely no doubt what it was - a remarkable, quick and mostly bloodless coup d'etat.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26644082No wonder why the "West" has been voiceless, useless since
I predict that war starts when Putin tries to absorb the Baltic States and not before.
The situation is getting worse and worse. No need to wait for the Baltic states ...http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27259614
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