EUBanana Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Bit of a different side of the coin discussed here... http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/29/ukraine-fascists-oligarchs-eu-nato-expansion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GloomMonger Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Absolutely spot on. What do you think would happen in the UK if a large group of people raided an army base, stole military grade weapons and marched on the Houses of Parliament (or sat in Parliament Square shooting policemen and setting fire to buildings)? Answer - They would all be shot if they refused to put down their weapons. This is domestic terrorism. The mob needs to be controlled; and quickly. I would be interested if your opinion changes after reading this: My link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 (edited) Oh, bloke on Newsnight was saying that Angela Merkel was coordinating the anti government protest because El Presidento wouldn`t sign up with her lot. The UK has no dog in this fight but our treaties and alliances could drag us into any conflict just as they did so disastrously in the 20th century. Moreover, with so many f*ckwit grandstanding politicians in Britain keen to divert attention from their non stop screw ups of the domestic economy it could all get very sticky very fast. The problem with the EU is that it puts the UK borders on the unholy mess that is eastern Europe (anyone who doubts this fact should just glance at a series of maps of this area over the last century for a reality check ). Another reason to vote for UKIP if one was needed. It also highlights another the potential problems of immigration to the UK since the people who have rushed to settle here often show an inexplicable enthusiasm for dragging this country into the domestic problems of their former homelands. Britain is an Atlantic state and a maritime nation. The Foreign Office needs to have the words AVOID LAND WARS AND OTHER CONFLICTS ON THE EURASIAN LANDMASS stamped in letters a yard high on the heading of all its documents. Edited February 21, 2014 by stormymonday_2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 The problem with the EU is that it puts the UK borders on the unholy mess that is eastern Europe (anyone who doubts this fact should just glance at a series of maps of this area over the last century for a reality check. I've seen some figures that show by international standards most of central/eastern Europe ranks higher than the UK (and US) on press freedom and economic equality. Strange, but if true you're probably championing a country you don't admire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I've seen some figures that show by international standards most of central/eastern Europe ranks higher than the UK (and US) on press freedom and economic equality. Strange, but if true you're probably championing a country you don't admire. In 1914 Serbia and the Kaisar's Germany were more democratic in terms of the percentage of the population granted the vote than Britain. That did not stop World War 1 starting. The truth is none of the East European states have borders that have lasted more than couple of decades in the last 100 years. The whole area is fraught with unresolved issues just waiting to kick off more conflict. Anyway Britain has a bit of a flawed record in it campaigning for freedom and democracy as Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya show so we probably are not best suited to fixing other peoples problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 President (still the President) and PM gone to Karkhiv, old Soviet capital of Ukraine. Talk now of whole Eastern areas leaving to join Russia - separate government with Yanukovich in charge. Crimea has asked for assistance from Russia military (reportedly). Top officals from Moscow are in Karkhiv meeting President and local Parliament. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I've seen some figures that show by international standards most of central/eastern Europe ranks higher than the UK (and US) on press freedom and economic equality. The easiest way to have 'economic equality' is for everyone to be piss poor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 The easiest way to have 'economic equality' is for everyone to be piss poor. Or shit rich. Either extreme is an illusion - simply not part of the human condition. But poverty accounting for ... accommodation costs, price of food, transport, education? All in, it's pretty tough for Londoners under the age of 40. They should all move to Hum in Croatia, smallest town in the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-02-21/russia-prepared-fight-war-over-ukraine-senior-government-official-admits "If Ukraine breaks apart, it will trigger a war," warns a senior Russian government official. The FT reports Russia is prepared to fight a war over the Ukrainian territory of Crimea (where the largest ethnic Russian population lives and they have a military base). Conjuring images of the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia, the official told the FT, "they will lose Crimea first [because] we will go in and protect [it], just as we did in Georgia." The Kremlin regards the Georgian conflict as the biggest stand-off between Russia and the west since the end of the Cold War and it has fed determination in Moscow to push back against what it believes to be western attempts to contain Russia. The Russians stating they won't lose it's navel bases, which frankly is all they are bothered about. Perhaps the Urkaine splitting up is in their interests so they can make the Crimea part of Russia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) Russian turning off the gas could be amusing. Ukraine owes them a HUGE amount of money in Gas bills - and now they are 'free' there's little reason not to pay it. Edited February 23, 2014 by Errol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okaycuckoo Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Russian turning off the gas could be amusing. Ukraine owes them a HUGE amount of money in Gas bills - and now they are 'free' there's little reason not to pay it. First up, that's creepy and hateful. Then you cheer on the Kremlin losing its pipelines and its funding for Vladimir's oligarchs? Energy exporters with declining output are frontline victims because their populations are heavily subsidised. Look at Egypt. What will you say when the protesters turn up in Red Square next year- slaughter them? You may be a misguided democrat, but I bet you wear black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saving For a Space Ship Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 In the repeated short videos on RT.com, I notice they only show the police getting beaten or fire bombed, not the protestors getting shot at, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord D'arcy Pew Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) Russian turning off the gas could be amusing. Ukraine owes them a HUGE amount of money in Gas bills - and now they are 'free' there's little reason not to pay it. Ukraine will need to come up with $40 Billion to pay for gas, now that the Russian Black Sea Fleet as lost Sevastopol. Will the Russians move out of Sevastopol? http://www.diploweb....a-fleet-in.html Edited February 23, 2014 by Lord D'arcy Pew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord D'arcy Pew Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) I expect a new Crimean war to break out very soon. Putin isn't going to give this lot up. http://flot.sevastop.../ship/today.htm http://flot.sevastopol.info/eng/ship/today_all.htm Edited February 23, 2014 by Lord D'arcy Pew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkins Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Russian turning off the gas could be amusing. Amusing for who? Russia badly needs that gas money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Amusing for who? Russia badly needs that gas money. China and Russia are on the verge of a massive gas deal - http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303945704579390173038353200?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303945704579390173038353200.html This would be a game changer (in many different ways). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkins Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 China and Russia are on the verge of a massive gas deal - http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303945704579390173038353200?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303945704579390173038353200.html This would be a game changer (in many different ways). Just like the London property market, the Chinese are always about to swoop in and save everybody who needs a buyer... Russia and China have been on the verge of this "massive gas deal" for decades. In the meantime China has built pipelines to many other gas suppliers. China is not desperate for Russian gas. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38b246ba-6bb9-11e3-85b1-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2u3nr7SlB If you were the Chinese and you had spent decades watching Russia threaten to cut off various customers, how keen would you be to make your energy infrastructure reliant on Russian gas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stay Beautiful Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 The US wants Ukraine and have their men already earmarked for the job though Merkel is proving to be a thorn in the US side with her man Klitchko. Since the fall of the Soviet Republic the US aim has been to incorporate the former Soviet republics under western influence and ultimatley under the NATO flag with nukes stationed within these regions. Russia is non to pleased with this idea. Much more to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollover Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 One immediate concern is to ensure Ukraine holds together and the mostly Russian-speaking industrial east and Black Sea coast does not break away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollover Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 (edited) The Nord Stream twin pipeline system through the Baltic Sea runs from Vyborg Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany and avoiding Ukraine. Edited February 23, 2014 by rollover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecrashingisles Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 The Nord Stream twin pipeline system through the Baltic Sea runs from Vyborg Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany and avoiding Ukraine. No bungs to Gerhard Schroeder were involved in the making of this pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 One immediate concern is to ensure Ukraine holds together and the mostly Russian-speaking industrial east and Black Sea coast does not break away. I expect Crimea to announce a break away and explicitly ask for Russian assistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stay Beautiful Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 I expect Crimea to announce a break away and explicitly ask for Russian assistance. The last 300 or so years would say so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollover Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 (edited) Compare that map to the voting pattern in the 2010 election http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_presidential_election,_2010 Not exactly a recipe for future peace and harmony. Edited February 24, 2014 by stormymonday_2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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