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Along with a few Egyptian generals...Ralph Nader's open letter to Obama suggests it's American Exceptionalism that's largely responsible for recent events in Ukraine:
"'Do as I say, not as I do,' is hard to sell to Russians who are interpreting your words of protest as disingenuous.
"This is especially the case because Crimea, long under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, became part of Russia over 200 years ago.
"In 1954, Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev gave Crimea to Ukraine, which was then part of the Soviet Union, out of sympathy for what Ukraine endured under the Nazi invasion and its atrocities.
"It mattered little then because both 'socialist republics,' Ukraine and Crimea, were part of the Soviet Union.
"However, it is not entirely clear whether Khrushchev fully complied with the Soviet constitution when he transferred Crimea to Ukraine.
"Compare, by the way, the United States seizure of Guantanamo from Cuba initially after the Spanish-American War, which was then retained after Cuba became independent over a century ago."
Obama to Putin: Do as I Say Not as I Do » CounterPunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names
The rampant hypocrisy of the Greatest Purveyor of Violence in the World lecturing a minor thug like Putin on aspects of international law would be hysterical if not for the thousands of nuclear weapons both military superpowers possess.
I wouldn't categorize Putin as a minor thug. Gaddhafi, Assad, Kim Jong-un, and Ahmadinejad are minor thugs. Putin is a very serious thug, which is not to undermine the fact that Obama, along with other western leaders, is also a very serious thug.
I'm talking on a global stage. Domestically there's no question that these other thugs are terrors to their own population, but globally they were and are essentially nothing. Putin on the other hand, while maybe not as bad domestically as a Kim Jong-un, is a player globally.
True, but he is also a much more responsible and predictable player unlike Kim Jong-Un. Kim Jong-un is indeed not a global player, but the chance that he starts a major and very bloody war that involves most of the world's major powers is much greater than that Putin would do such a thing (or Assad for that matter).
Really? Kim Jong-un simply acts out every so often, trying to shoot off some missile that works about half the time. I don't see that as being a legitimate impetus to war, not that a legitimate impetus is necessary when it comes to U.S. hawks, mind you, but Putin sending troops into Crimea and Crimea joining Russia certainly strikes me as something, even though you can't really say he started the conflict, that could spark something ugly.
True, but he is also a much more responsible and predictable player unlike Kim Jong-Un. Kim Jong-un is indeed not a global player, but the chance that he starts a major and very bloody war that involves most of the world's major powers is much greater than that Putin would do such a thing (or Assad for that matter).
Really? Kim Jong-un simply acts out every so often, trying to shoot off some missile that works about half the time. I don't see that as being a legitimate impetus to war, not that a legitimate impetus is necessary when it comes to U.S. hawks, mind you, but Putin sending troops into Crimea and Crimea joining Russia certainly strikes me as something, even though you can't really say he started the conflict, that could spark something ugly.
You seem to forget that ocasionally North Korea actually engages in lethal attacks; that it kidnaps citizens of other countries; and that the missiles they fire off are fairly unpredictable and could intentionally or otherwise hit Japan. The regime in North korea is erratic and the risk that it may miscalculate at some point (as they have done in the past) is very serious. A renewed conflict on the Korean peninsula may easily cost several millions of lives.
As for Putin's actions in the crimea, he only formalized his domination of an area where he was already militarily present and dominant. The chances for a military clash with the US and or NATO over Ukraine are nil, since the US and NATO will under no circumstances fight to defend Ukraine.
Really? Kim Jong-un simply acts out every so often, trying to shoot off some missile that works about half the time. I don't see that as being a legitimate impetus to war, not that a legitimate impetus is necessary when it comes to U.S. hawks, mind you, but Putin sending troops into Crimea and Crimea joining Russia certainly strikes me as something, even though you can't really say he started the conflict, that could spark something ugly.
You seem to forget that ocasionally North Korea actually engages in lethal attacks; that it kidnaps citizens of other countries; and that the missiles they fire off are fairly unpredictable and could intentionally or otherwise hit Japan. The regime in North korea is erratic and the risk that it may miscalculate at some point (as they have done in the past) is very serious. A renewed conflict on the Korean peninsula may easily cost several millions of lives.
As for Putin's actions in the crimea, he only formalized his domination of an area where he was already militarily present and dominant. The chances for a military clash with the US and or NATO over Ukraine are nil, since the US and NATO will under no circumstances fight to defend Ukraine.
I suppose you do make a good point. It is far more likely that the U.S. would attack North Korea than it would Russia. Russia is too strong, but I think North Korea's erratic behavior would preclude the U.S. attacking them too. Far better to focus on weak countries like Iraq or Libya that are unable to do anything at all.
It could have been avoided for sure. It seems like G8 (minus Russia) counted on the fact that Russians would do anything if they were threatened to be kicked out of G8. That does not seem to be the case.
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Russia is not clinging to the G8 format, as all major world problems can be discussed at other international venues such as G20, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
“The G8 is an informal club, no one gives out membership cards and no one can expel members,” Lavrov told a media conference at the Hague. “If our Western partners believe that this format has exhausted itself, let it be. We are not clinging to it.”
He went on to say that many believe that the G8 has already fulfilled its mission as many issues are now discussed at the G20 forum.
“Generally speaking, there are also other formats for considering many questions, including the UN Security Council, the Middle East Quartet and the P5+1 on the Iranian nuclear problem,” Lavrov told journalists.
The Minister also commented on earlier reports regarding Australia considering not inviting President Vladimir Putin to the November G20 meeting, which is going to be held in Brisbane.
“The G20 was not established by Australia, which voiced the proposal not to invite Russia to the meeting. We created the format all together,” Lavrov said.
Meanwhile, G7 leaders – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US – are also holding a gathering at The Hague. According to the media, the Ukraine issue is high on the agenda.
Russia’s top diplomat is in the Netherlands, where representatives of over 50 states and chiefs of the UN, the EU, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Police Office have gathered for the Nuclear Security Summit to address the threat of nuclear terrorism.
On the sidelines of the gathering, Lavrov met with US Secretary of State John Kerry and yet again discussed the Ukraine question, which has caused quite a chill in relations between the two powers.
...
Russia not clinging to G8 if West does not want it ? Russian FM ? RT News
I don't see kicking Russia out of the G8 as being intended to do anything to Russia, but rather to make western countries look tough in their dealings with Russia.
It could have been avoided for sure. It seems like G8 (minus Russia) counted on the fact that Russians would do anything if they were threatened to be kicked out of G8. That does not seem to be the case.
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Russia is not clinging to the G8 format, as all major world problems can be discussed at other international venues such as G20, Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
The G8 is an informal club, no one gives out membership cards and no one can expel members, Lavrov told a media conference at the Hague. If our Western partners believe that this format has exhausted itself, let it be. We are not clinging to it.
He went on to say that many believe that the G8 has already fulfilled its mission as many issues are now discussed at the G20 forum.
Generally speaking, there are also other formats for considering many questions, including the UN Security Council, the Middle East Quartet and the P5+1 on the Iranian nuclear problem, Lavrov told journalists.
The Minister also commented on earlier reports regarding Australia considering not inviting President Vladimir Putin to the November G20 meeting, which is going to be held in Brisbane.
The G20 was not established by Australia, which voiced the proposal not to invite Russia to the meeting. We created the format all together, Lavrov said.
Meanwhile, G7 leaders Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US are also holding a gathering at The Hague. According to the media, the Ukraine issue is high on the agenda.
Russias top diplomat is in the Netherlands, where representatives of over 50 states and chiefs of the UN, the EU, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Police Office have gathered for the Nuclear Security Summit to address the threat of nuclear terrorism.
On the sidelines of the gathering, Lavrov met with US Secretary of State John Kerry and yet again discussed the Ukraine question, which has caused quite a chill in relations between the two powers.
...
http://rt.com/news/lavrov-g8-crimea-kerry-933/
I don't see kicking Russia out of the G8 as being intended to do anything to Russia, but rather to make western countries look tough in their dealings with Russia.
You don't understand how the world economy works then..
What happens when the United States government participates meaningfully in toppling foreign governments in the name of spreading democracy? That behavior usually results in unintended consequences and often produces disasters.
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When the Ukraine government needed cash and Russia offered it a better deal than the European Union, our imperial diplomats and lawless intelligence gurus were embarrassed. So, the U.S. fomented another revolution in the streets of Kiev. One of our diplomats, Victoria Nuland, acknowledged as much in a tapped and taped (complete with expletives) and eventually viral cellphone conversation. Then, Viktor Yanukovich, the popularly and lawfully elected Ukraine president, was toppled and fled to Moscow. The new unelected Ukraine president has received American recognition and help. Earlier this week, the U.S. offered him $1 billion in immediate cash.
Enter Vladimir Putin. He is the popularly elected president of Russia who has designs on reconstituting the old Soviet Union. Putin is also an ex-KGB agent; he is a torturer, a murderer, a tyrant and a monster. He often has lamented the demise of the former Soviet Union. Ukraine was a part of that union until the evil empire dissolved in 1991. It was the most economically productive part of that union. Today it enjoys a mostly free market and is highly entrepreneurial, though partly a welfare state. Roughly two-thirds of Ukraine identifies with Europe and one-third with Russia.
Monster Putin -- Could Ukraine standoff have been avoided by Obama? | Fox News
In other words, if the western powers, U.S. and E.U., had not meddled in the Ukraine to begin with, by undermining the existing government and essentially recognizing the rebels, then this entire fiasco could have been avoided. Of course Putin was going to react to his puppet government being thrown out and replaced by a U.S.-E.U. puppet government so close to Russian borders. It was an obvious provocation by the west.
Viktor Yanukovich was a Russian puppet, as evidenced when he fled to Russia. He was jailing opposition leaders and governing like a dictator. Which is why there was an uprising.
Is it too late for Obama to reverse his policies in Ukraine?Could Ukraine standoff have been avoided by Obama?
Only if he reversed the policies of Clinton and Bush, which at the time made sense. But Obama should have withdrawn USA influence once it became evident the struggle would be between Russian and Ukranian fascists.
"Andrey Parubiy, head of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, announced the first battalion of a National Guard 'comprised of volunteers from Maidan self-defense troops', has left Kiev for the south-east."There is a possibility of **** hitting the fan.
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The Pentagon said a Russian fighter jet made multiple close-range passes near an American navy destroyer. The warship was deployed in the Black Sea as Russian military monitored NATOs systematic build-up of naval forces in the region.
"This provocative and unprofessional Russian action is inconsistent with their national protocols and previous agreements on the professional interaction between our militaries," said Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.
"I have difficulty believing that two Russian pilots on their own would choose to take such an action."
Pentagon defined the jet as a Russian Su-24 aircraft, or Fencer, which made 12 passes at low altitude near the USS Donald Cook that, at the time, was conducting a patrol in international waters in the western Black Sea, Reuters reported.
Earlier, a military official told AP that on April, 12, a Russian aircraft flew repeatedly within 1,000 yards of the USS Donald Cook at about 500 feet above sea level for over 90 minutes.
According to the official, the destroyers crew made several attempts to radio the Russian warplane requesting the reason for the manoeuvre. They then reportedly issued warnings to remain at a safe distance, however, there was no response from the Russian pilot.
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Pentagon: Russian fighter jet repeatedly flew over US destroyer in Black Sea ? RT News
