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Ukraine vs. Russia -- here's what's really going on
FOX News ^ | Feb 28, 2014 | By Peter Brooks Heritage Foundation

Posted on 03/01/2014 1:01:41 PM PST by Jim Robinson

When Moscow tells us that their massive military maneuvers in Western Russia have nothing to do with what’s happening in Kiev it’s like the old Marx Brothers’ routine: Who are you going to believe, me (Moscow) or your own eyes?

Puh-leez.

In fact, while not a major military incursion by Moscow, the ongoing power plays in Crimea manifested in the presence of yet-unidentified, armed Russia-loyalists at two airports could be an ominous harbinger of things to come.

First, Moscow is signaling strength to Kiev, reminding their western neighbor that Mother Russia is a force to be reckoned with. You Ukrainians may be able to change your government—against Russian wishes—but you can’t change your geography.

“Location, location, location” doesn’t just apply to real estate, it matters in geopolitics, too.

Russia is also flexing its muscles at the Europeans and the United States. Moscow is cautioning the “West” that the “East” won’t brook any foolish attempts to bring Ukraine into a European or American sphere of influence.

Remember that the ongoing crisis was precipitated last November when Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovich scuttled a trade pact with the European Union in exchange for a competing economic package from Russia, leading to months of street protests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also wants to make it crystal clear that Russia considers any thought of trying to bring Ukraine into NATO a complete non-starter. Indeed, it’s a move Moscow might even go to war over.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: obama; putin; russia; ukraine; viktoryanukovich; yuliatymoshenko
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To: Jim Robinson

What’s really going on is putin wants to put the old soviet union back together.


81 posted on 03/02/2014 12:02:51 AM PST by Cubs Fan (Obama-worst president in American History)
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To: Cubs Fan

It sure looks that way


82 posted on 03/02/2014 12:03:12 AM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans!)
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To: Cubs Fan

More like the Russian Empire.


83 posted on 03/02/2014 12:05:44 AM PST by dfwgator
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To: goldstategop

>>>Russia is simply to going to avoid Western Ukraine because it would not be welcome there and the costs of occupying it are simply too high to be worth the risk. The West can have it if it wants.

Not to mention the West of Ukraine is ox and a cart and Kiev only survives redistributing wealth created by docile hardworking easterners to politically active western freeloaders.


84 posted on 03/02/2014 2:10:29 AM PST by cunning_fish
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To: sunrise_sunset

Yes it does. There is a major tank repair/rebuild facility just to the east of Kiev


85 posted on 03/02/2014 3:10:34 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: Hot Tabasco
The primary question I have is who was behind the riots in the streets and why were they so organized?

That's my question too. One half of me asks: Where did they get all those riot police shields? I don't think one can order hundreds of those off the internet. And the other half says: Why didn't they just arm them with weapons instead?

86 posted on 03/02/2014 6:07:08 AM PST by ponygirl (Be Breitbart.)
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To: kingattax

“..bottom line -— obozo is a bottom twink and putin knows it...”

But let’s do a little comparison since they’re both tyrannical dictators:

obamie: community organizer (chicago thug & trouble maker)
Putin: Former KGB agent

obamie: hates the country he’s king over - destroying it.
Putin: Proud Russian that loves his country.

obamie: a fake milk-toast gay liberal pansy man.
Putin: a strong man’s man.

obamie: loves muslims and their slime, hates Christians.
Putin: hates muslims and their slime, supports his church.

I wonder if Putin will support the secession and independence of the sovereign state of Texas when the time comes?


87 posted on 03/02/2014 2:10:58 PM PST by lgjhn23 (It's easy to be liberal when you're dumber than a box of rocks.)
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Less than $2.7k to go!!

88 posted on 03/02/2014 2:59:51 PM PST by RedMDer (May we always be happy and may our enemies always know it. - Sarah Palin, 10-18-2010)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Remember, there’s much more flexibility in O’s second term.


89 posted on 03/02/2014 5:21:19 PM PST by HollyB
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To: Jim Robinson
“A bit of a problem” is an understatement.

What I've not seen most people factor in, is the true position of the EU.
Our purported best friends and allies.

The EU is an elitist, socialist, NGO constructed to battle economically against the USA, while maintaining NATO military defense relations, primarily paid for and manned by the USA.

I'm just a cynical old Cold War veteran, who has loosely followed the political and financial antics of the insane EU construct for several decades.

Most people don't acknowledge that the actual citizens of the EU aligned countries have never affirmatively voted themselves in or out of it.
It just grew like a virulent cancer out of corrupt political financial deals to the point that the current elected leaders of the UK and other nation state members now absolutely refuse to bring the whole thing to any popular vote, before their own reelections are cemented.

I find it odd to think that the majority population of the Ukraine would want to voluntarily join into what a sizable population of current member nations of the EU want to exit.

I wonder if Germany would be so open to conciliatory talks with Russia, if 100% of the proposed USA DOD cuts came from closing USA NATO Army bases there.And if people in the western Ukraine would be so very eager to join the EU, if they knew the history, and probable outcome of that decision

Oh well...just my own private musings on current events.

90 posted on 03/02/2014 6:19:55 PM PST by sarasmom (Extortion 17. A large number of Navy SEALs died on that mission. Ask why.)
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To: savage woman
I've said it here before and I'll say it again. Putin is the penultimate product of the system he served , the KGB and the former USSR. He'd have stepped over his own mother if he had been ordered to and he'd do it now to achieve his ends. He despises Obama, first because Obama is black and Russians on the whole are not fond of blacks, Asians or any people of color and second because he see's Obama as being feckless and weak. The difference between the two are beyond night and day. But even by victory can victors be undone and the Russian bear has in the past gotten it's greedy snout whacked . In the winter of 1939/40 and in Manchuria in 1936. If Putin stops at the Crimea that might be well enough. If he tries to go further it could be a blood bath.
91 posted on 03/02/2014 8:02:08 PM PST by jmacusa ("Chasing God out of the classroom didn't usher in The Age of Reason''.)
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To: jmacusa

Yep, the Poles have been itchin’ for a fight since 1945, and they won’t let the Russians anywhere near Western Ukraine without a fight.

Fortunately, I do not believe Putin would be so stupid. He has a case for Crimea, and perhaps even the Donetsk Region, he will get a pass on that....But if he threatens Kiev, or Lviv, then it’s a whole new ballgame.


92 posted on 03/02/2014 8:04:52 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: dfwgator

Putin would laugh his ass off. Sanctions? Have western Europe will freeze their asses off when they stop buying Russian natgas due to sanctions?

Putin’s got them (and us) by the short hairs on this one. Geopolitically we’re weak in Ukraine and the rest of the Russian neighborhood. Recent incompetence by our glorious leadership on just about everything certainly doesn’t make Russians really worried.


93 posted on 03/02/2014 8:08:16 PM PST by farlander (Fiat Justitia, Ruat Caelum. Sic Semper Tyrannis!)
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To: AnAmericanAbroad

Precisely.


94 posted on 03/02/2014 8:08:55 PM PST by Cementjungle
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To: dfwgator

Yeah man. Good God, if this goes full out you’re looking at any major city in Ukraine or Western Russia looking like Stalingrad in ‘42 in about two days. One thing the Russkies do is pile on the artillery.


95 posted on 03/02/2014 8:15:37 PM PST by jmacusa ("Chasing God out of the classroom didn't usher in The Age of Reason''.)
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To: Jim Robinson

“I see a bad moon a’rising, looks like troubles on the way...” Gonna be big market shifts, right before the war gets everyone small involved. Heck of a deal.


96 posted on 03/02/2014 10:07:11 PM PST by RedHeeler
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To: dfwgator
Now if they can’t make that deal, we’ve got problems.

So we've got problems.

97 posted on 03/03/2014 8:02:44 AM PST by Pan_Yan (Who told you that you were naked? Genesis 3:11)
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To: cripplecreek

Very true. The election of leftist governments has given the Russians an open door to Latin America.

Cuba and VZ are its main landing points, but it’s also getting into Ecuador and Bolivia (relatively new to the leftist fold) and I read that Brazil is also fair game.

Our inaction there, even when these leftist governments have seriously damaged US and European interests, has made it clear to Russia that there’s nothing to fear from us. And, of course, Russia’s friend Iran is already there, particularly in VZ.


98 posted on 03/03/2014 12:42:54 PM PST by livius
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