Update: Bibi Netanyahu maybe meddling in US politics with a speech on the Hill, US delegation arrives in Europe to urge a military escalation in the Ukraine and shipment of lethal weapons, if at all possible, paid for by NATO countries because the Ukraine is dead broke after one year with a new regime of US friendly oligarchs.
In recent years, the US and the UK attempt to impose their values of a free economy with less regulations and protection of labor rights. It’s time for Europe to raise their voice in protest. We don’t have shared values with the democracies of the US and as we discussing this, neither with Israel.
In March 2003, there were millions in street protests of US Neocon policy to bomb and invade Iraq in contravention to International Law. With Obama as president, he who promised change, the Europeans have been sussed into complacency as US Neocon policy wrecked havoc on Libys, Syria and now Ukraine. I had always understood, Russia from the Ural mountains to the Atlantic Ocean is part of the European continent. Why has the Europe Union expanded at a dangerous pace towards and beyond the former borders of the Soviet Union? The Baltic States, Ukraine, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania do not share the same values of the founding members of the original EEC. Europe is in an identity crisis and equivalent to a narcissist structure, Brussels is in denial. Aggravating the woes of the economic union, there was never a creation of a European military armed forces. The argument has been won by the NATO ‘defense’ organization under leadership and command of the United States of America. This is unacceptable 70 years after the liberation of Europe from fascism to replace European values by a crude mix of agression and violence against another sovereign state.
Greece has made a start to declare it will nbot abide by the austerity measures as the nation is in a strangle hold by its debt, IMF loans and unacceptable high unemployment. Greece financial minister has within days found an ally in France and will make use of its key geographical location in SE Europe, to move for a change in foreign policy as well.
The last few days, a battle for minds can be seen on international news channels like CNN and BBC as ultra-AngloAmerican speakers come forward to support US economic and defense policy for Europe’s eastern frontier. Exclamation of Europe needs to add pressure on Putin and Russia to accept Ukraine’s integrity of its borders. NATO has announce it will increase its Quick Reaction Force from 13,000 to 30,000 and will be placed in six bases in Poland and the Baltic states. Threatening Russia with slogans as “Putin will be confronted with further isolation and knowing NATO has tightened its grip at the borders.” Just as Napolean and Hitler in other historic military campaigns, the illusion to force the Russian people on its knees will lead to a great war and mass suffering of civilians.
As former senator and presidential candidate John Kerry, with Vicky Nuland at his side, visited Kiev to meet president Poroshenko and negotiate a further increase in delivery of ‘defensive’ weapons. The Ukrainian army has faced a number of defeats every time Kiev announced its decision to indrease its might in the Eastern Ukrainian governates. The Ukrainian army are expanded with volunteer forces paid for by Kiev oligarchs. As the atrocities continue, since the overthrow of the regime one year ago through the Maidan protests, the civil war has cost 5,300 lives and a multitude of wounded. The new regime in Kiev has been clearly divided in a group willing to negotiate a ceasefire and find a diplomatic solution. Another group comprised of the intelligence SBU and the military have clear US support and want to solve the problem in the East by military means.
In the meantime, Ukraine has spent all its EU and IMF funds and are facing insolvency. Through a decision of Ukraine’s central bank, its currency has devalued by 34% this week with high inflation and interest rates just below 20%, causing further financial loss for the middle class and small businesses.
Is Ukraine a Proxy Western-Russia War? U.S. Weighs Arming Kiev as Violence Soars
(Democracy Now) – The United Nations has raised the death toll from fighting in eastern Ukraine to more than 5,300 people since last April following the ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych one year ago this month. Another 1.5 million people have been displaced. As fighting intensifies, the Obama administration is now considering directly arming Ukrainian forces against Russian-backed rebels. Washington already supplies nonlethal military equipment to Ukraine, but top officials are reportedly leaning toward sending arms, from rifles to anti-tank weapons. The role of the U.S. and European allies in Ukraine has prompted former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to accuse the West of dragging Russia into a new Cold War. We are joined by Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies and politics at New York University and Princeton University.
I am very happy to see you here in Brussels Mr Vice President.
As you remember, our last meeting took place in Warsaw. It was almost one year ago. You were assuring us, the Europeans, about the United States’ full support for Ukraine and for the whole of Europe in a critical moment, as on the very same day, Putin officially declared the annexation of Crimea.
Unfortunately today, as we are standing here, together again, the situation is even more dramatic than 11 months ago. And this is why, please allow me to start with my comments on Russia and Ukraine.
The situation in Ukraine is getting worse every day.
As close friends and partners, the European Union and the United States need to continue standing shoulder to shoulder, coordinate our efforts and uphold the pressure on Russia for as long as necessary.
We cannot accept any form of aggression, especially the aggression of one state against another.
We cannot compromise on Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The European Union remains fully committed to continuing our support for the Ukrainians, helping them reform their country and become a modern, prosperous and democratic society.
Another challenge facing both our continents and the world is extremism and terrorism. The horrendous attacks in Paris and the threat of more terrorist attacks will not intimidate us. [naughty, naughty! US shouldn’t have bombed and invaded another sovereign nation Iraq, violating all rules of International Law and the Geneva Conventions – Oui]
Our determination to defend our values has only grown stronger. We need to intensify our counter-terrorism dialogue, and continue to work closely together in addressing global threats, such as the one posed by ISIL.
Finally, I want to repeat the decision of the European Council in December to call for both Europe and America to make all efforts to conclude the negotiations on a comprehensive and mutually beneficial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership by the end of this year. [secrecy is imperative due to position of the US in the negotiations, no transparency until deal is done – Oui]
This is ambitious, I know, but the TTIP carries with it great potential in both economic and political terms.
Let me conclude. In all these areas, we have to resist any effort aimed at dividing the Western world. We need to tie our two continents even closer together. As the close friends and partners that we are.
Thank you.
○ Biden in Europe to ‘reassure our allies’ over Russia’s moves in Ukraine | March 18, 2014 |
○ Visits Lithuania Over Crisis and Meets with Polish Prime Minister Tusk
○ The Biden Agenda: Reckoning with Ukraine and Iraq, and keeping an eye on 2016 | The New Yorker |
○ Joe Biden Condemns Russia’s Actions In Ukraine As ‘Unacceptable’ | Nov. 21, 2014 |
Hollande, Merkel go to Moscow to discuss Ukraine without consulting US
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande did not consult Washington before deciding to visit Moscow to hold talks on the Ukrainian crisis, a source in the French government told AP. The two leaders, who are part of the so-called ‘Normandy Four‘ group along with Moscow and Kiev, decided on a trip on Wednesday night, an unnamed French government official said.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “the leaders of the three states will discuss what specifically the countries can do to contribute to speedy end of the civil war in the southeast of Ukraine, which has escalated in recent days and resulted in many casualties.”
After the Thursday meeting with the German and French leaders, Ukrainian President Poroshenko said that the talks indicated that a ceasefire was possible in eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a senior French official told local weekly Le Nouvel Observateur that the decision to meet tet-a-tet with President Vladimir Putin was taken on Tuesday after the Russian leader called on both sides in the Ukrainian conflict to stop military actions and hostilities.
The French weekly also said that this “historic initiative” on the part of the two European leaders was preceded by “secret” talks between Paris, Berlin and Moscow.
As Hollande and Merkel are set to discuss a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Ukraine to answer Kiev’s plea for weapons. Kerry told reporters that US President Barack Obama will make his decision on the possibility of sending lethal aid to Ukraine next week.
Ahead of his visit to the royalty of the Kingdom of Jordan, Crown Prince Charles, son of Elizabeth of England, explained the radicalization of youth. At a certain age, the youth seek adventure and forego the moral values of the country where they were born and owe so much. Gawd, in which century is this guy living? At least his brother enjoys the entertainment in Florida presented by buddy and friend Epstein. Gawd, can the RAF do some bombing raids on their palace in London center? No one will miss these idiots, descendents of King George III.
What, I can’t hear you? We share the values of the UK in America and they are our strong partners in the War on Terror, no not a clash of civilizations … Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Ukraine … Atlantic Alliance?
○ ISIS’s ‘Shock and Awe’ More Powerful Through Social Media
The European Central Bank seems neoliberal enough that the US and UK need not worry about neoliberal economics in Europe.
It’s time to get clear on why NATO’s mission is, if it has one at all. The US domination of NATO at least has the value of keeping the individual nations from going after each other as was the history prior to 1945.
I don’t think international politics has matured enough to have a mutual security pact without a presumed enemy. That same failing goes for the SCO as well.
The times call for an interlocking system of mutual security pacts to restrain government meddling and allow massive reductions in military expenditures. But old (and I mean pre-20th century) habits die hard.
And the projection of domestic politics into another country is always a bugger. What you see in Ukraine is the Republican national security establishment wanting to present President Obama with the Hobson’s choice of looking weak or going to war. Too bad he’s leaning toward war on this one; someone should think through the long term consequences of yet another war.
re: Ukraine. has’t Obama made an alliance with Merkel about using diplomacy not weapons? [i.e. his end run around the Hobson’s choice, which I assume he recognizes as an effort to trap him]
Merkel urges diplomacy, does not want the US to pour weapons into the Ukraine and duplicate the Syrian mistake by US and NATO partners. On Ukraine, the US has taken the lead for a number of years to push NATO upto the frontier with Russia. I have written plenty about the Atlantic Council and NATO leaders pushing for a policy to make Russia a pariah state. JFK didn’t accept Soviet missiles in Cuba, Putin won’t accept Ukraine becoming a NATO member. Obama takes the aggressive line pushed by the NSC and VP Biden, Merkel is pushing back for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. In recent days I’ve heard more voices of reason in European think-tanks supporting the Merkel strategy. Because of historic reasons, Hollande won’t let a re-united Germany negotiate with Russia as was done in between the two world wars. Ukraine is an artificial nation as we have seen it dissolve into warring regions. Both sides employ mercenaries who are not under command of Kiev, nor Moscow. To end the bloodshed, diplomacy is needed, or you’ll get an endless war on Europe’s doorstep. It’s about time some leaders step away from this foolish policy and risk another proxy war.