Oh my god. it's Robby!
spontaneously luminescent
obviously, I am biased, I have seen post-Soviet Russian tyranny first hand
it still could destroy the world if left unchecked
I've been to Russia twice. The western side and then the far east. Both time being there I was amazed by the sheer number of personnel in the armed forces and the constant sight of police and armed forces everywhere. Coming from New Zealand which no longer has a combat wing of the air force I nearly wet myself when two fighter jets buzzed over Vladivostok.
Russia was humiliated after the collapse of the Soviet Union. From then on Putin is doing everything he can to restore Russia to it's former glory. He's lost nearly all this allies apart from Belorussia, some 'Stans in central Asia. Russia doesn't give a flying fig what the rest of the world thinks. As soon as it all kicked off in Ukraine I knew he would go in to protect Russian Nationals. America has shifted its focus to the Pacific but I think that was the wrong move. Russia will keep Crimea and may advance into pro-Russian areas of southern Ukriane, but will stop there. I laughed when John Kerry said "You just can't go around invading countries these days" It could be said that Russia has a more valid reason for taking back land which was once theirs.
Putin will do as he wishes. I'm watching his press conference now. His body language screams f*** you.
The EU has a lot to answer for here, as does Obama, whose "let's all be mates" approach to geopolitics proves that a weak US President is a very dangerous thing.
The Chinese must be watching with some fascination. They've condemned Putin's actions, but are sure to be eyeing those disputed islands with renewed interest.
it is, kind of, amazing how many American right wingers seem to love a corrupt ex-Commie KGB officer whose grampa was first Lenin then Stalin'sI'd like to see Putin sambo Obama...
it is, kind of, amazing how many American right wingers seem to love a corrupt ex-Commie KGB officer whose grampa was first Lenin then Stalin's
cook
it is, kind of, amazing how many American right wingers seem to love a corrupt ex-Commie KGB officer whose grampa was first Lenin then Stalin's
I think it is as simple as Putin being a strong leader whose first and abiding principle is what he sees as being best for Russia. I'm sorry to say the West doesn't have anyone remotely like that at the moment. Obama, Cameron, Hollande, Merkel, are varying shades of centre to centre left liberal, although Cameron pretends he's a Tory. In an historical "what if?" and God forbid those four were anywhere near the decision to sanction the D-Day landings we'd still be sat in the south coast harbours wondering if Hitler is really all that bad? Here in the UK there are a substantial number of people who suspect British politicians put Britain's interests last, in part due the hangover of Empire.
I talked earlier in this thread about geopolitics. I think in some ways perhaps even something that complex eventually comes down to the sorts of interactions we have in daily life. Many of us will have had an issue with someone where in the end you have to put your cards on the table and say, look, if you do this, this will happen. Some of us will have said such a thing to someone so nuts you have no choice but to carry out that threat, because they are either too stupid or too confident in their position to back down.
None of us will now know what might have happened if the US had moved a carrier fleet into the Aegean, or if NATO suddenly decided to hold military manoeuvres near the Polish border. Perhaps Putin might have held off a little. A video emerged last night of a train of Russian tanks moving towards Kharkiv. A worrying development. Putin's international strength lies in his domestic power. The Duma rubber stamp his decisions on the nod.
In the end, in world politics as in daily life, you have to ask yourself a question. "If you're not in control, who is?" The problem with the West, post Iraq and Afghanistan, is that by withdrawing from world affairs even by a slight degree you embolden those who would rather like to take your place.
I doubt Ukraine will be the last issue of this kind we have in some of the younger democracies. They don't seem to
have fully grasped the idea that you vote, and then you are stuck with that lot until you vote again. It was telling that those on the streets were largely younger people. Yanukovych may have been a prick, may even have sought to change certain rules to suit himself, but unless and until he suspends democracy technically he is still the legally constituted President. That's the way democracy works. I would suggest a similar situation on the streets of London, Paris, Berlin or Washington DC might well end in a perhaps less bloody, but broadly comparable manner. Those guys in uniform we send off to foreign lands to defend our interests are only "our boys " up to a point. There would be little doubt which side of the barricades they'll be on come the day.
My guess is that after the Crimean referendum, it will move back under Russia's wing, and hopefully that will be that. When Georgia started the South Ossetia conflict Putin went down there and gave them a slap, and stayed in SO and Abkhazia to protect those territories. He could have moved on Tbilisi and didn't. Luckily one if the things Russia isn't short of is land. With a bit of luck the same thing will happen in this instance.
BTW: It's worth torrenting a BBC four part documentary from a couple of years ago called, "Putin, Russia and the West". It's a fascinating series, and after watching it it is hard not to have a grudging admiration for Putin.
oh no, not you too Trubz!Yeah, well - I really am kinda addicted to this video.
oh no, not you too Trubz!