You know, RedFury, I have been holding the middle ground in this debate from the beginning, imho, and I have to agree you’ve done a lot of inappropriate cheerleading in place of debate. I say this as someone who doesn’t give a flying fuck about the USA’s honour at stake.
That is plural. What are the other countries that Russia is invading? The EU commissioned an investigation that found that Russia was justified to respond to protect the lives of their troops and Russian civilians that were under heavy artillery attack by the Georgian military.
Surely you don’t count the Georgian attack on Russian Federation Forces as one of your Russian invasions.
So what are you talking about besides invasion lighter than light in Crimea?
Answers can be found here.
Sorry, it was night time here in Europe. Late on the 26th of February, armed troops started restricting access to Sevastopol. Very early on the 27th, similar troops had seized control of the airport in Crimea and the government headquarters.
It was only later that same day that the regional parliament called for a referendum.. That’s why I have trouble seeing this as an internal struggle that later gets support from Russia. As far as I know, Russia was in Crimea beforehand, and I personally believe that their troops were the ones to really push to get the referendum done as quickly as possible.
The ‘lightness’ of the invasion is irrelevant. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have been breached. Once that is done, it doesn’t matter if the invaders come in killing people or massaging their backs - they are illegal invaders.
There were no answers there. I take that to mean you have no answer. Putin has annexed Crimea by heavy demand to be wherever she belongs. The only invasion if you must call it by Russialn forces since 1991. That is nothing compared to an invasion in 2003 that you write in 2003 that it was justified. This one in 2014 killed 1. How many died in that invasion you said was justified?
I’m just not seeing reports anout Licensed Russian trucks until later:
Armed men seize government building, parliament in Ukraine’s Crimea
Alessandra Prentice, Reuters. Thursday, February 27, 2014, 12:59 AM
Fluid days indeed.Crinea had a popular uprising and separated from Ukraine with Russian assistance.
Crimea is probably going to be part of Russia, at least according to Russia. Few other nations will recognize it so it will be an illegal situation.
This will be remembered; I think Putin and his successors will come to regret doing this.
Russia may be able to pressure some smaller countries into recognising Crimea as part of the Federation (think China and Taiwan). But the long-term costs of supporting a poor region that is detached from the Russian mainland will be large. And as we’ve mentioned before, a Crimea-less Ukraine is more pro-European than pro-Russian.
By the way, it seems that the EU has signed an association agreement with Ukraine. I think that’s a huge mistake given that Ukraine’s leaders have not been elected, and we are 2 months away from a national vote. The EU has over-extended itself in an attempt to stand up to Russia.
The question raised in this thread has been answered. The West will respond with moral condemnation and minor sanctions. Nothing to see here, move on. It’s big power politics as usual. All the major players on the world’s stage, Russia, the USA, China, the European powers, will ignore trifles such as international law when they feel their interests threatened or are secure in the conviction of their own moral superiority.
I’m sure you are right in general that this will now evaporate fron being news as did the so-called invasion of Grorgia. The same western players should have learned something since 2008 but they didnt.
They need to learn something right now but they probably won’t. The correct course for grownup nations to do would be to pressure Ukraine to become Federalized as the Russians suggest and as Obama says there is no need for Ukrainians to be forced to choose between the West and Russia.
Economic and political recovery has its best shot in a Federalized Ukraine and Crimea returned to her rightful place.
I have this crazy belief that countries like Ukraine should decide their own fate and how much they wish to federalize and that countries like the US and Russia should stay the fuck out.
In Ukraine or in Russia?
I wasn’t citing the blogger’s opinion (I have no idea who he is or what his qualifications are), but rather the neat, useful chart of various scholarly definitions of “coup”, which aren’t met by the events in Ukraine.
Putin’s thoughts on the matter weren’t the issue, it was your use of “coup” and “Western-backed”.
Yep, it’s kind of inaccurate. It was US backed, via USAid to be exact.
I see this morning the EU and US are extending their backing of Ukraine. Not so keen on seeing the democratic leader restored to power then.
[QUOTE=BrokenBriton]
I see this morning the EU and US are extending their backing of Ukraine. Not so keen on seeing the democratic leader restored to power then.
[/QUOTE]
Wonder why they wouldn’t be so keen on putting that guy back into power. 
Since you are claiming to be exact, I’m sure you have a cite for this, right? This should be good.
A brief google found direct quotes from an interview with “former Ohio congressman and Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich”, but I guess you could find that yourself if at all interested.
tbh, Idon’t need convincing so I’ll leave it with your keen intellect.
The current government is only temporary, as there will be a (hopefully free and properly organised) new election in two months’ time. I’m sure Yuschenko will be allowed to stand for re-election and become the democratically-elected leader again. 
That election will be key. If Ukraine is able to have fair and free elections observed by outside forces, we’ll be able to move forward. The EU should really wait until then instead of signing agreements with the current temporary government.
So, that would be a ‘no’ then…you don’t have a cite, but instead suggest I google it myself? Ok, noted. Thanks for playing.
Remind me, what was wrong with the Parliamentary election in 2012 given "on election day (28 October) there were 3,500 accredited foreign observers.[102] The observers from the European Academy for Elections Observation (most of whom where European Parliament members), stated it was “a good election, not perfect but clearly acceptable”?
Just the wrong result for the US?
I’m not here to convince you. Educate yourself or wrap yourself a little tighter in the flag: your choice.