Failure Looms As McCain Visits Kiev This Weekend

Posted by Oui | Dec 15, 2013 | 11 |

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The guy has struck out more than three times, how many innings does he get for G_d’s sake? Georgia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Egypt … all ended up in turmoil with no positive result for McCain’s interference. Even during this visit, the EU has called off futher negotiations because differences cannot be reconciled. Its a matter of subsidies, loans to help offset the huge debt of a nation already broke and downgraded to a level of Greece and Cyprus.

Here Comes Freedom! John McCain Visits Ukraine

(Atlantic Wire) – The senator will spend the weekend in the country, meeting with government officials and opposition leaders. “If Ukraine’s government thinks that brute force and the politics of fear can see it through the current crisis,” McCain wrote earlier this week, “it is woefully mistaken.” It is likely that he will have even more strong words for the government in person. This is good news, because John McCain has a lot of “experience” visiting countries in the midst of a crisis.

In August, for instance, John McCain and Lindsey Graham flew to Cairo to solve the Egypt crisis, because, in McCain’s words, they “have credibility with everybody there.”

In May, John McCain secretly crossed the border into Syria in order to meet with armed opposition groups fighting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Without him knowing, meets rebel kidnapper of Shia muslims.

In April of 2011, McCain visited the Benghazi stronghold of the Libyan rebels, shortly after the U.S. joined NATO military action against the regime of former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi. Qaddafi, who died in October of that year, was not a stranger to McCain.

“Late evening with Col. Qadhafi at his ‘ranch’ in Libya – interesting meeting with an interesting man.”
Tweet by John McCain on Aug. 15, 2009

And we know of his visit to a “secure” Bagdad which was simply a photo-op. During one of the colored revolutions, McCain was deeply involved: “McCain’s Ties with Lobbyist Scheunemann in Georgia.”

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Oui

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Oui on December 15, 2013 at 7:23 am
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McCain personifies the urge of the U.S. to intervene and expand its global reach under the pretense of spreading “democracy.” Nothing has changed in policy goals under Bush and Obama, the difference is the availability of money to fund the adventures overseas.

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yastreblyansky on December 15, 2013 at 9:27 am

What failure? McCain has totally achieved his aims.
- Oui on December 15, 2013 at 9:59 am
  
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  Georgia (and Moldova) on EU’s Mind
  
  (WSJ Brussels) – Much of the attention surrounding the Nov. 28-29 summit in Vilnius has focused on Ukraine, which is in a high-stakes standoff with the EU over the fate of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, whom European leaders want freed.
  
  But the other five members of the EU’s Eastern Partnership are also engaged in talks with European leaders. Belarus and Azerbaijan are not expected to ink any new deals in Vilnius, and Armenia recently shocked EU officials by announcing it would align with Russia.
  
  That leaves Moldova and Georgia, with are both set to initial deals, to back any claims of success in Vilnius. The U.S. is closely watching these nations’ progress.
  
  US State Dep’t – A Pivotal Moment for the Eastern Partnership: Outlook for Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, and Azerbaijan
Oui on December 15, 2013 at 9:40 am
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These movements are not protests in a democratic society once they claim to “overthrow” the government by peaceful means, a contradictio in terminis. When crosses a protest the line of anarchy? After economic and social upheaval, a far-right movement will fill the gap with a decade or more of fascism. Just like Hitler, Franco or Mussolini, and “democratically” elected.

‘Spiral of Rebellion’ Sweeps Italy

(Common Dreams) – Marking the sixth day of relentless blockades, occupations and mass demonstrations that many warn may set off “a spiral of rebellion” across Europe, protesters–marching under the banner of the ‘Pitchfork’ movement–gathered Saturday in Rome, Turin and Venice, Italy.

“Activists wearing Italian flag masks and white nooses around their necks rallied outside the European Commission’s office in Rome and took down a European flag outside before being chased off by police,” AFP reports.

According to the report, police violence against protesters persisted across Italy. In Venice, police fired tear gas at protesters outside the city’s train station and in the northern Italy city of Turin–the epicenter of the latest wave of anti-austerity revolt–students paint bombs were met with force.

“There are millions of us and we are growing by the hour,” said Danilo Calvani, a farmer who has emerged as one of the protest leaders. “This government has to go.”

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“These protests show Italy’s massive crisis of political representation,” said Duncan McDonnell, a political scientist at the European University Institute in Florence. “These people don’t feel that anyone’s actually listening to them … It really shows how there are big sections of Italian society that don’t feel represented by anyone – political parties, trade unions, interest groups or business.”

What began in January 2012 when a group of Sicilian farmers and trucking companies staged a nine-day blockade to protest austerity-driven increases to fuel and fertilizer prices, the Forconi or Pitchforks movement has swelled into a national mobilization of small businessmen, low-paid workers, students and the unemployed taking a stand against the leading regime.

Voice of Russia: Protesters clash with police at anti-austerity demonstrations in Rome, Turin and Venice
NY Times: Lessons of European rebellions – 1862

If we learn rightly all the lessons the rebellion is calculated to teach, one of its indirect benefits will be to tone down that licentious habit of mind which has generally led Americans to throw their sympathies on the revolutionary or anarchical side of political movements in other, and especially in European countries. A notable proof that we have not yet learned this lesson as well as we should is afforded by the line of comment of the American Press on the late enterprise of GARIBALDI, which has just come to a disastrous end. The majority, probably, of journals in this country hailed this uprising as highly proper and meritorious, applauded GARIBALDI in his various acts in opposition to the Government, and finally, when conflict was actually precipitated, threw their sympathies on the side of the Red-Shirted revolter.

… applauded the end without taking any heed of the means by which this end was sought. This means was nothing less than downright rebellion, with the purpose of “destroying the Italy which he had himself created,” as GARIBALDI audaciously avowed. The enterprise bore no resemblance whatever to the glorious Movement of ’59, which all the world rejoiced in, while the late mad device was one which every lover of rational freedom deplored and the Italian people themselves condemned.
Oui on December 15, 2013 at 9:43 am
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Provocations, EU’s financial interests behind Ukraine protests – Lavrov

Russia ‘has no doubt’ that ‘provocateurs with a long-prepared script’ lurk behind the mass protests in Ukraine. This position was voiced by Russian RM Sergey Lavrov in a TV interview, in which he criticized the EU’s greed and interventionism.

The scale of the ongoing protest is “incomprehensible” the Russian minister said on Saturday on the Rossiya 24 TV channel. Such a reaction would be understandable, for example, if Ukraine’s government had declared war on a peaceful foreign nation against the wishes of the people. But merely delaying signing the EU trade deal does not give good cause for it, Lavrov believes.

“There is no doubt that provocateurs are behind it,” he said.

Lavrov defended the Ukrainian government’s right to take decisions on its national policy and criticized Western officials who have sided with the protesters demanding the government’s resignation.
Oui on December 15, 2013 at 9:45 am
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Kiev Tug-of-War: Merkel Still Open to Ukraine Cooperation

(Spiegel Online) – Lithuanian President Dalia Grysbauskaite accused the Kremlin of blackmail. “The actions of Russia towards countries like Ukraine, Moldova or Georgia show that this country still employs uncivilized methods,” Grysbaukaite told the German newspaper Die Zeit. It is inconceivable “that a country in the 21st century would still blackmail other countries in this way.”

‘We Underestimated the Drama’

European Parliament President Martin Schulz admitted EU officials made mistakes in their negotiations with Ukraine. “I think we underestimated the drama of the domestic political situation in Ukraine,” he told German public radio station Deutschlandfunk. Ukraine, he said, “has been in a deep economic and financial crisis” since the introduction of democracy. “They desperately need money and they desperately need a reliable gas supply,” he added.

Schulz said he understood why Ukraine moved towards Russia. “It is not especially popular in Europe to help states which are in a crisis … and if you look at Moscow’s proposals, they would offer Ukraine short-term assistance that we, as Europeans, cannot and do not want to afford.”
Indianadem on December 15, 2013 at 11:42 am

Failure Looms As ~~McCain~~ Mr. Magoo Visits Kiev…

There – fixed.
Marie2 on December 15, 2013 at 12:50 pm

When do insurgents in countries around the world recognize that a visit and support from McCain is a prelude to their defeat? That his choice of a running mate for POTUS wasn’t an anomaly but completely consistent with his lifelong judgment.
Oui on December 16, 2013 at 6:41 pm
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McCain speaking to the ultra-nationalists of Ukraine

(RT) – For those who may not know, McCain is the long-time chairman of the US government funded International Republican Institute, which spent millions supporting the Orange Revolution 1.0 in 2004. Now McCain (and his IRI) is back for 2.0.

Along with IRI’s parent organization, the government-funded National Endowment for Democracy, and USAID, you can find the material and organizational support for the current uprising in Ukraine. Glance at the websites of opposition-oriented “NGOs” like the Institute of Mass Information, Internews, Uniter, and many others and you will see the ubiquitous logos indicating US government funding of the Ukrainian opposition. You can also see the US government funded – and CIA-affiliated – Freedom House among the most prominent opposition supporters in Ukraine.

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Senator John McCain speaks to leaders of Ukrainian opposition Arseniy Yatsenyuk (L) from Batkivshchyna Party, and Andriy Tyagnybok (C) from Svoboda party

Senator McCain always seems to find himself in awkward meetings when he travels – remember the kidnappers he met in Syria who he claimed were good moderates? So it is unsurprising that upon landing in Kiev he rushed to meet Oleh Tyahnybog, a representative of one of the leading opposition political parties, Svoboda. An extreme nationalist party, Svoboda members are fond of wearing t-shirts with slogans such as “Beat the zhids!” using a derogatory term for Jews. Did they give McCain a t-shirt?

Ukrainian Far Right Nationalists of Svoboda Party barred from U.S. for Anti-Semitic hatred
Oui on December 17, 2013 at 3:27 pm
Russia offers Ukraine $15 bn bailout and cut in gas price

MOSCOW (France24) – Russian President Vladimir Putin opened his wallet in the battle with the European Union over Ukraine’s future, saying Moscow will buy $15 billion worth of Ukrainian bonds and sharply cut the price of natural gas for its struggling neighbour.

The announcements came after Putin held talks in Moscow on Tuesday with Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovich, who is facing massive protests at home for his decision to shelve a pact with the EU in favour of closer ties with Moscow.

The proposed bailout package angered Yanukovich’s opponents. Vitaly Klitschko, a Ukrainian opposition leader, said that Yanukovich had betrayed Ukraine’s national interests and independence.

“He has given up Ukraine’s national interests, given up independence and prospects for a better life for every Ukrainian,” he told crowds in Kiev’s Independence Square.

Putin’s move came as Ukraine said it desperately needs to raise at least $10 billion in the coming months to avoid bankruptcy. The Fitch ratings agency has given Ukraine’s bonds a B-minus rating, which puts them in “junk bond'” territory.

Putin jab at IMF

Putin emphasized that Russia’s decision to buy the Ukrainian securities wasn’t contingent on Kiev freezing social payments to its citizens — a clear jab at the International Monetary Fund, which has pushed Ukraine to reduce spending as a condition for providing a bailout loan.

Putin said the Russian state-controlled gas monopoly, Gazprom, will cut the price that Ukraine must pay for Russian gas deliveries by about one-third from the current $400 per 1,000 to $268.5 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Ukraine scores $15 bln from Russia, 33% gas discount
Oui on December 22, 2013 at 3:39 pm
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German foreign minister tackles Ukraine quandary

(Deutsche Welle) – Westerwelle shook hands with people there, including Klitschko. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized actions as meddling in Ukrainian domestic affairs.

According to German magazine “Der Spiegel,” Klitschko is also being supported by the chancellor’s office. The Merkel administration apparently wants to build up Klitschko’s candidacy against Yanukovych. In addition to this, the conservative populist party EVP and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, tied to Germany’s Christian Democrats, have trained Ukrainian opposition parliamentarians and their staff.

Stefan Liebich of Germany’s Left party said it was “quite clear that Klitschko and his party are being supported.” He thinks it’s not a problem if German political foundations get involved in political debates. But he thinks this should not have consequences on Germany’s foreign policy negotiations.

“The first 100 Days after Change of Power in Ukraine: Authoritarian Tendencies and Rapprochement with Russia”

Failure Looms As McCain Visits Kiev This Weekend

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