Posted on 03/16/2014 7:38:45 PM PDT by MarMema
Ukraine’s acting president, Oleksander Turchynov, has accused Russian-supported forces in Crimea of “working on scenarios which are fully analogous with Abkhazia.” The notion that the “model” of Abkhazia from the 2008 Russia-Georgia war fits Russia’s moves in Crimea is a theme adopted by many media pundits, as well.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Russia is a nation with a history of cruelty and beauty. People try to read it like a Western country - it isn’t one. It has more in common with Constantinople than with Rome. Our liberal understanding of the world has always registered a limited effect on Russia.
20 years and China has most of Siberia.
It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
Now that would be interesting. I hope I am alive to see this one.
Hating Zero does not require kissing Putins ass.
You likely won’t be around to see it, should that ever happen.
“Rus” is as much a racial identity, as it is national one.
“Above all, the Russian strongman is a student of Clausewitz.”
Not Clausewitz, but Machiavelli...
They might have deemed Machiavelli politically-incorrect in American schools, but it is still taught in many places.
The more malevolent side of Putin comes from a man named Aleksandr Dugin. A neo-Eurasian who detests the west and has, they say, had considerable influence on Putin.
Just stand back and look at a map of Eastern Europe.
Draw out the route that Hitler used to attack Russia.
Then start with Moscow and draw the route in reverse, using the same strategy...
I will give you a hint that the Ukraine borders with Poland.
Then sit down in a quiet place and put yourself in a Russians shoes looking though the history glass, the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies and think as they think, and as Putin thinks.
The end game should not be too hard to figure out. And based on the history of the past coupled with the declining importance of the US and it's current geopolitical ambitions and it's ignorant populace and policy, as well as it's huge and growing debt burden, you can see why he thinks it's doable and can be done conventionally, without American intervention which is the only power that could defeat him.
Certainly the Russians don’t think they could just march into Poland without sustaining a massive loss of life. Poles will fight them tooth and nail, and this isn’t 1939, they are well equipped and will be highly motivated.
You got it. And the issue is not merely Crimea, as many tend to think offering rational explanation based on history or propaganda, that’s a small bite for Russia, the bear has a bigger appetite that has never been fully satisfied in his 1,000 year history. There’ll be next places.
Yes, and jolly few folks in the US even know he exists, let alone his views and influence.
Watch for the traffic stops there, though. They regularly check for DUI. That's from direct personal experience and it wasn't like Midnight Express for me since I'm a teetotaler. Suffice it to say it's an interesting town, most I encountered spoke English and when they found out I was from Texas, everyone (without exception) asked me about the Dallas Cowboys or had something to say. This is when Tom Landry still coached the team to give you an idea of how long ago it was.
“Next thing you know,,,,,,will be explaining away Gulag.”
Exactly, then along will come the bunch that will explain to us how the Germans were actually liberating Ukraine from the Soviets. Then someone even will suggest we attack the Russians to back them down militarily. These threads do follow a pattern.
I find it difficult to understand the whole situation
Yanukovych may have been corrupt - but he wasn’t the first Ukrainian politician to be so. Also, the EU itself declared his election in 2010 to be relatively fair, open and legitimate.
So the protestors in Kiev have toppled it - but replaced with who and what? John Kerry calls them “pro democracy protestors.” Really? So who are they?
Also, a 1994 International Treaty allowed Russia access to the Crimea and permission to keep 25,000 troops there. So how can this be considered an “invasion” when they have been there 20 years already?
Finally, I think declaring Ukraine could enter NATO was ridiculous - and very provocative.
Again, Putin is not saint, but I am finding it hard to get worked up over what he is doing.
Lots of posters here still think it is 1939 though.
Kiev has no choice other than to look West.
Georgia has been trying to get into NATO for many years and we have been helping them, but they are still waiting..
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