Friday, February 6, 2015

Checking the Narrative on Ukraine



The narrative regarding Ukraine is repeated, counter to all facts – or in the face of lack of facts.  I know I am not breaking news here; however I think it is worth a simple exercise of examining a single story, from The Globe and Mail:

Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea last March, the European Union, Canada and the United States have sought to maintain a united front aimed at pressuring the Kremlin to reverse course in Ukraine.

Since Crimea’s vote for secession from Ukraine last March, the United States has blackmailed the European Union into maintaining a united front aimed at pressuring the Kremlin to reverse course in Ukraine.  Canada, as the 52nd state, has tagged along.

Now, with the pro-Russian rebels again on the advance in the east…

Now, with the anti-Kiev freedom fighters again on the advance in the east…

The United States, meanwhile, is considering arming the Ukrainian army in apparent anticipation of a longer and bloodier conflict.

The United States, meanwhile, is considering arming the Ukrainian army in its desire for a longer and bloodier conflict.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande flew to Kiev on Thursday and will continue on to Moscow Friday for a meeting with Mr. Putin, hoping to get him to agree to a new peace plan…

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande flew to Kiev on Thursday and will continue on to Moscow Friday for a meeting with Mr. Putin to let him know they thought the Americans were crazy, but their hands were essentially tied.

While Ms. Merkel and Mr. Hollande are scrambling to try and make peace, U.S. President Barack Obama is said to now be considering providing the Ukrainian army with weapons such as anti-tank missiles, battlefield radars and reconnaissance drones to combat the Russian-backed insurgency.

No change – the Europeans want peace, the Americans want war.  An accurate statement buried in the narrative.

Mr. Kerry said the United States wasn’t interested in escalating the conflict. “We have no illusions that there is a military solution,” he said. But, he added, “you cannot have a one-sided peace.”

Mr. Kerry said the United States was interested in escalating the conflict. “We have no illusions that there is a military solution for Russia, although there is for us” he said. He added, “you cannot have a one-sided peace.  We can, but you can’t.”

16 comments:

  1. I agree with your read, b-m-. Thank goodness that the Ukranians are being encircled and defanged:
    http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2015/02/quick-update-on-debaltsevo.html

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    1. John; so you are happy that a group of mostly mercenaries and soldiers from Russia massacring the Ukrainian army defending their country? Why is it that many, apparently including you, cannot be objective and neutral in this conflict, and separate the US desire to meddle from the genuine Ukrainian common man's desire to live in peace, free from Russian influence/corruption/meddling, and in a country governed by the rule of law and freedom instead of corruption? Why any movement against Russian hegemony has to be viewed as a sure work of the US?

      I am from the region (Hungarian) and I can tell you that most intelligent people don't like either Russian or the current US system, and wanna live in neutral freedom from both.

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  2. BM; sorry but every time you write about Ukraine, I have to call you out for not being completely objective. See my reply to John G.

    For the record, I agree with many things you say: yes, the US shouldn't supply weapons to Ukraine - it will clearly escalate the conflict and Russia is ready to make this another Chechnya taking it as far as necessary. It's not the US' business - however, it IS the business of Europe. While much made about Russia's claim of the threat of expanding NATO to their borders, there's a very real fear of the Eurasian ideology of Putin and his cohorts on the other side. We, Central and Eastern Europeans have very fresh memories of the soviet times and Russian behavior, and couple that with the current reality of Putin's ideology and anti-freedom policies/government/practices, and is it a wonder that we don't trust them a bit?

    As I wrote before the challenge for Ukraine is that the common man can be strong enough to defeat corruption and establish a free country based on the rule of law while defending themselves from the Russian empire.

    I see one solution to satisfy both sides (at least the things they claim) and take the wind out of Putin's sail: have the Central and Eastern European countries get out of NATO and establish their own independent defensive alliance. Poland, Checks, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, the Baltic states, and perhaps Bulgaria and Ukraine create CEA (Central European Alliance) to defend against Russia and be independent of US. Then Putin cannot claim threatened by NATO and the US, and we can see his true colors: whether that was a really true reason and just a bluff to keep HIS hold on Ukraine and the region. I am afraid it's the latter with his Eurasian/Greater Russia vision and he couldn't live with a free and independent Ukraine at his border. But then at least we can call the spade a spade, and defend accordingly while the whole world see the truth...

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    1. Norbert, I try to be sensitive to the issues and concerns of the people in the region – difficult to do for someone not from there, perhaps; maybe not as difficult for me given my family background from an equally troubled part of the world.

      To your comments…

      “I have to call you out for not being completely objective. See my reply to John G.”

      OK, I will; from your reply to John G.:

      “…you are happy that a group of mostly mercenaries and soldiers from Russia massacring the Ukrainian army defending their country?”

      Nowhere in my post did I indicate joy regarding the situation.

      “Why is it that many, apparently including you, cannot be objective and neutral in this conflict, and separate the US desire to meddle from the genuine Ukrainian common man's desire to live in peace, free from Russian influence/corruption/meddling, and in a country governed by the rule of law and freedom instead of corruption?”

      Please point to something I wrote in this post that suggests something other than what you state here.

      “Why any movement against Russian hegemony has to be viewed as a sure work of the US?”

      Is the US not involved? These are not mutually exclusive possibilities.

      Now, to your comments made to me directly:

      “…however, it IS the business of Europe.”

      And what do you believe European leaders would do absent pressure from the US? Bring the situation to the edge of nuclear holocaust? Or find some way to work through the issues with their neighbor and energy provider?

      “…there's a very real fear of the Eurasian ideology of Putin and his cohorts on the other side.”

      Please point to something in this post where I suggest otherwise.

      “…the challenge for Ukraine is that the common man can be strong enough to defeat corruption and establish a free country based on the rule of law while defending themselves from the Russian empire.”

      To varying degrees, this is the challenge for every “common man” on the planet; I recognize that those in central Europe have had it about as bad as any people anywhere on earth during the last 100 years or so.

      “I see one solution to satisfy both sides (at least the things they claim) and take the wind out of Putin's sail…”

      I find no reason to disagree with the points you make in this paragraph.

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    2. I must laugh at Norbert stating that you're not being "completely objective" when his main argument seems to be based on the false premise that "a group of mostly mercenaries and soldiers from Russia massacring the Ukrainian army defending their country".

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    3. Thanks for your reply, BM. Regarding my comment to "see my reply to John" it was more to my general sentiment and not addressing you there directly. I agree that you didn't post anything that would indicate your happiness about the situation or not being objective on the grounds I've mentioned in my comment to John.

      And yes, the US being involved and a genuine anti-Russian feeling/movement are not mutually exclusive. I just object to the fact that MOST of the happenings there (esp the actual revolution) are contributed to US meddling. Based on all my in-depth readings of local sources it's the smaller part on the ground. Yes, there are lot of dealings in the background but the "common man" genuinely want to live in a free country and doesn't care for either US or Russian influence. You've read my previously posted links (thank you for that effort again) so you know that knowledgeable people on the ground don't deny US involvement but say that without genuine disgust with the corruption/oligarchs/Russian influence from regular people there could never have been a revolution.

      I guess I just feel sad that the "common man" in that region and I wish that their view was more represented; that's all... :-(

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    4. Norbert, I wish for all the ability to freely choose their "government." A world of about 2 billion sovereigns (one per household) would suit me just fine.

      They (the politicians and those behind the scenes) are all miserable and have done immeasurable damage to the common people; as I have mentioned, in few places in the world more devastating than Central and Eastern Europe.

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  3. Putin couldn't have said it better himself. Disgusting

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  4. "Since Crimea’s vote for secession from Ukraine last March,"

    Was that vote free and fair? To be sure, if people want to remove themselves from Ukraine, than let them. But given Putin's track record,I'd at least be suspicious of the results.

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    1. When you find a free and fair election anywhere on the planet, drop me a line.

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  5. In Ukraine there is the bizarre situation that a Jewish oligarch provides the finance for a neo-Nazi militia. The symbol of the Nazi militia is the Wolfsangel, which was the symbol of the SS-PanzerDivision, Das Reich, in WW II. Joe Biden's son has gone into business with this oligarch.

    http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/06/24/ukraine-jewish-billionaires-batallion-sent-to-fight-pro-russian-militias/

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  6. What is the 51st state if we are to consider Canada to be the 52nd one?

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    1. So many possibilities: the EU certainly is one, Israel another (although some would argue that Jerusalem is the capital of the US), Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Japan.

      Maybe I should have said the 58th state?

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    2. "Jerusalem is the capital of the US"-that is the truth. And Netanyahu is the president of the US. Pro-Zionist groups are now threatening to campaign against any US Congressman who decides not to attend Netanyahu's address to Congress.

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