Balls. West Ukraine is headed for eu (or Germany 1943) and Russia takes the rest.... The Belorussia is next etc etc
Sisu, right wing groups are a problem in many eastern European countries. Greece, Hungary, Ukraine to name a few. In the Ukraine they have no real power before or after the recent uprising. The protesters had the right to peaceful protest. Weird Al Yanocovich brought about his own downfall by resorting to violence. There has been no attacks against Russian speakers in Crimea prior to Russian armed invasion. Zero deaths. Zero assaults. I respect the fact that Crimea should have rights to self determination... as should all states. Russia seems to support that here whilst denying it to Chechnya. Nonetheless. Crimea should be allowed to join Russia... but not like this. Iraq was unjustified. I fail to see how that makes Russia's invasions of now three seperate countries in under a decade (Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine) legitimate. America was wrong on Iraq. Russia is equally wrong now. Russia is simply acting in what they see is their best interest in 19th century imperialist fashion. Belarus will probably be next country annexed to new empire. Then they will expand into Turkey. They know we won't do anything to stop them.
I appreciate having Obama when it came to Iran or Syria. Baby Bush would have got us into wars there. I certainly don't want war now... be Obama is getting pushed around here. If we're comparing this to pre WWII... Obama is the Chamberlain who allowed himself to be pushed around by Hitler. Putin does what he wants while Obama says... let's have peace and gives Putin no reason to stop annexing territories. We definately don't want war... but we need to stop bending over to Russia. Stop talking take some action. The more countries fall to Russia the more likely war is. Send a carrier to the black sea. Not to start a war... but to make Russia hesitate and look over their shoulder before they take the rest of Ukraine to install Weird Al back is puppet leader.
Can't do that unfortunately. Putin has seen thru Obama and Kerry and has spotted a severe case of lilies in the livers.
Suprised at the amount of negativity aimed towards GB due to our part played in Iraq and Aghanistan. Regardless of how things ultimately turned out, decisions where made based on what information and evidence was available to us and i genuinely believe Blair and our government did what they thought was right. Whether we were mislead by the US is another matter, but i hardly think we are deserving of being lablled as some sort of war mongers, or being totally out of order for getting involved in those conflicts. As for the Ukraine this whole "oh let's just stay out of everything from now on" attitude is horrible. If you have the ability to stop something wrong from happening you should do it, to sit by and watch is not ok. If Russia take the whole of Ukraine would you still want to be not involved? How about when they decide it was so easy taking the Ukraine that they will move onto some of their other previous terretories? Maybe when they have made it as far as Germany and Czech Republic? Or wait 'til they are in France? I get that i'm exaggerating my example, but the point still stands that just doing nothing when others are suffering is not an option. That doesn't mean military action is always the best or only option though.
Also despite how much i enjoy a good bashing of the americans, to try and put them and the russians in the same category is a little harsh on the US i feel.
Gotcha! Not if Russia reinstates Weird Al as President of Ukraine. This conflict isn't over yet. Apparently, this has been going on for sometime. Russia has been putting pressure on them to rejoin and use a single currency for the last decade. The current leader keeps announcing his agreement... but doesn't do anything to act on reunification. Not sure if unification is wanted by both sides... or if this is Russian pressure. Belarus is not the kind of country we want in EU anyway. Dictator who is a mini Putin in his own right.
Long term better off. Germany may be top dog in Europe but all countries have more of an individual say then Ukraine would have if it were a satellite state of Russia again. Certainly more individual freedoms. Ukraine is better off as a European peer than a serf of Russia.
It's frying pan or into the fire mate. Either way you will be robbed by crooks or robbed by other crooks in suits, take your pick
Not recently unfortunately and it is sad to say. Russia offered a solution on Syria and Chemical weapons, all the US did was back a rebel deception with some dodgy intelligence and threaten military intervention or put it another way, war. Britain claimed to have proof of Assad's war crimes yet he is not in the Hague strangely enough. Nothing wrong with Muricans, it's those they have allowed to rip up their bill of rights and constitution, those are the few that are the target of anger I guess. Go about smashing up countries where people get free electricity and free education and healthcare and leave behind a 10s if not 100s of thousands dead, civil war high costs for previously free things and generations of misery and anger.
So democracy, a free press, and basic rights like freedom of speech are unimportant to you? Whatever your beef with the EU. Every member state is a relatively free democracy and the individual states get to elect their own leaders and they have the right to peacefully remove themselves from association . You don't get sent to jail for mocking Merkel or Cameron. Assuming based on your user name that you are Finnish, would you be happy if Russia retook Finland?
The UK/US are having a laugh condemning Russia for protecting its people and interests in the Crimea when both have done exactly the same, the Russian fist still kicks arse in that neck of the woods just like the US in the west. Hope there's a diplomatic solution but somehow I think the Russians will invade and plant a puppet government in the (former) Ukraine.
Yes, but then that country enjoys all the benefits of economic liberalism in the Anglo-American tradition of Adam Smith, Hayek and Friedman (or their leaders in conjunction with the suits of Wall St and The City of London do anyway, as they sell off the assets and mineral rights of country, while the population live in cardboard boxes and drink homemade hooch from Coca-Cola bottles). This is the New World Order, doncha know?
It was a theoretical question. You said being a EU member was no better than being a Russian puppet state. My question was would you feel that way if Russia conquered Finland. As to why? The same justification China has for being in Tibet and East Turkestan. The same reason Russia has for conquering Crimea, south Ossetia, etc. Finland was historically part of Russian empire. For a time at least... just like Crimea was after they kicked the natives out. If Ukraine is no better off with EU than as a vassel of Russia. Why not Finland too? If Russia is unopposed taking what they like. 2 years from now it could theoretically be Finland or parts of Finland next. Wasn't land exchanged with Finland after WWII. What if Russia decided to use that as a reason to invade your country? (Not much different than what happened in Ukraine). Unlikely... but Finland invasion probably in top ten locations Putin goes next... (although anything that brash would be a "Poland" moment) No civil war. No shots were fired and no violence between Crimea and rest of Ukraine. This could have been handled peacefully.
Putin has pushed us too far this time! We should threaten to ban them from the next Eurovision Song Contest! That will bring him to his senses!
