Posted on 05/03/2014 8:29:56 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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“None of the above would happened if not for a western meddling.”
While I know what you are saying I half agree. I think it gave Putin an excuse to take back some areas he believed was theirs anyway but definatley the wooing of Ukraine towards the EU has made Putin very nervous - I am pretty sure he liked having Ukraine as a buffer between the EU and Russia. Like I have said I think the EU miscalculated on how all this would be viewed in Russia and how twitchy they are about the EU “encroaching” into areas they still hope to hold political influence over.
Mel
Wow thanks for the detailed reply - I am glad he said no to Syria as well - The thing about being seen to be a strong leader is not to be so unwise about making such statements and then backing down. I am sure Putin sees Obama as weak because of this and takes that into account when dealing with him. I am also sure that Putin has seen that the Obama administration is happy to stir things up in areas and provide weapons etc to “rebels”. So Putin must be wondering if the populist overthrow in Ukraine was USA or EU inspired rather than a spontaneous uprising - like you said no war happens by accident! I do not know the answers to these things but just trying to see the thinking from both sides!
~Wow thanks for the detailed reply - I am glad he said no to Syria as well - The thing about being seen to be a strong leader is not to be so unwise about making such statements and then backing down. I am sure Putin sees Obama as weak because of this and takes that into account when dealing with him. I am also sure that Putin has seen that the Obama administration is happy to stir things up in areas and provide weapons etc to rebels. So Putin must be wondering if the populist overthrow in Ukraine was USA or EU inspired rather than a spontaneous uprising - like you said no war happens by accident! I do not know the answers to these things but just trying to see the thinking from both sides!~
Nobody knows for sure. On the other hand I still point at Finland as an example. It is a perfect example of a former Russian subject which is an independent free nation and Russians are allowing them to live peacefully. Maybe Ukraine has to follow it’s model?
Ukraine was the crown jewel of the Soviet Union. Big industrial base huge agricultural and natural resources. Warm water ports in Odessa and Sevastopol
Putin wants Ukraine back formally annexed or informally controlled
He is going for the whole deal
Factor this in. We no longer have a single tank in Europe. During the Cold War we had 1,000. Militarily we don’t have the horsepower to deal with this
Putin wants all of Ukraine under his control and he will get it
There is no reason to put a carrier in the Baltic. We have plenty are European airbases.
Russia is not going to invade Ukraine and become an occupier. Putin is no fool, he saw what happened in Iraq.
It is far better to dismember the country by backing protracted separatist war. Also, it is obvious Kiev has limited support in the South East and coastal areas which makes Russia’s task much easier.
Ukraine will be bleed empty, it won’t exist but as impoverished landlocked rump state when this is over. Then NATO can have it.
It will take the defeat of Ukraine to get Europe to beef up its defenses once more. Maybe a Maginot line. And to solve the problem of dependence on the East.
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