Things are getting to the point where I think the situation is rapidly evolving on the ground---things are very fluid and dangerous right now. Dozens have died, and parts of Kiev are in flames now. http://www.theguardian.com/world/bl...-crisis-new-clashes-strain-truce-live-updates I can only hope for peace---what are your thoughts?
Hopefully the Ukraines can work this out without becoming a proxy struggle between the US and Russia. Of course given the proximity next door as well as Russian speakers and ethnics in Ukraine Russia has much more legit interest than the US. It would be sort of like the Russians backing one faction in Mexico against the US.
How curious, glynch. I thought you'd be the kind of person who wouldn't like the idea of spheres of influences.
As I've been reading it, it appears that The Ukraine was never a 'country' in the 1000 years before the break-up of the Soviet Union and now West Ukraine is ethnically different and Europe leaning and Eastern Ukraine is more ethnically Russian and Russian leaning. Catalonia, Georgia, Basque, Bosnia, South Sudan..... someday there will be 1000 independent nations the size of Harris County. (simplicity evolves to complexity) The good news is that they can only fight tiny wars. (loss of potential)
I'm surprised by the lack of outrage by the US and the scant media coverage of this long ordeal is pathetic.
It can easily turn into a world war. As soon as Russia sends troops in there to meddle with Ukraine's business then France/Europe/Germany and the US will need to make a decision. I have personal experience here and these Ukrainian politicians are basically Russians. They all steal money from the people, suppress them, the courts are corrupt, everything is done with bribes and Russia takes all of the natural resources it needs from Ukraine especially food as long as they keep giving these crooked politicians their money. It's a poor poor country filled with Amazing people. Many of them have nothing to lose so they are all willing to die to get these crooks out of there and get away from Russia.
There is zero chance that the Obama administration would send troops to confront a military action by Putin in Ukraine.
Thailand, Pakistan, Georgia, Venezuela, Catalonia, Syria, Sudan, Libya, The South China Sea, Egypt, Palestine, Waziristan, Kurds in Iraq The State Department is probably running pretty thin
If Putin puts troops into an independent country and and abuses the people there? How could Obama not? How could France/Germany not? And if France/Germany does so first, how could Obama not back them up? You have to remember, Ukraine is not part of Russia at all what so ever. It is an independent country. What if Russia put troops in Argentina? Or some other non related country? It's the same thing. This Ukraine thing, IMO is much bigger than Thailand, Pakistan, Georgia, Venezuela, Catalonia, Syria, Sudan, Libya, The South China Sea, Egypt, Palestine, Waziristan, Kurds in Iraq.... Mainly because of Russia's influence.
That's not really the case. A more accurate statement would be, "The Russians living in Ukraine want to be part of Russia". There are so many Russians in there especially in govt and corporate type jobs they have major reasons for wanting to stay under Russian protection. Also the older/soviet generation wants to be part of Russia because they just don't know any better. This sums up what the true Ukrainian people want, many in both the East and West. This particular girl is from Kiev, which is in the East: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Hvds2AIiWLA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Ukraine is looking kind of screwed. That they had more street violence hours after a declaration of a truce says to me these 'opposition leaders' lost their authority to speak for the opposition. Their radical elements have essentially screwed the pooch on this one. There will be no settlement now and I rather expect an effective crackdown by Ukrainian and Russian troops and an even harder swing for Ukraine into Russia's sphere of influence. All the US and Europe can do is condemn Russia's actions in the UN. To counter Russia militarily would be brinksmanship. Even putting trade sanctions on Russia would be dangerous. I don't expect we're ready to pay the costs just for Ukraine.
yeah, not half (I had read 1/2 this week) http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...this-one-map-helps-explain-ukraines-protests/
If you believe that the US or Western Europe will put troops in Ukraine to counter Russian troops I have some Texans championship jerseys to sell you. The US and Western Europe will raise a diplomatic stink but there is no way they will militarily confront a nuclear armed country that while not the superpower it once was still has a lot of power.
Ideologically I agree with the protesters and hope the Ukraine can take a western direction but after reading reports of that Neo Nazis and far right nationalists I am not comfortable supporting the protesters.
