Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Don't be right; Be smart !





I must confess I don't feel comfortable with USA's initiative of imposing sanctions on Russia. For one thing, it could escalate to something very bad for the world.

After all, Russia is not just another country; she's a superpower. It's  insulting to act as if Russia's some kind of naughty child who has to be punished.   Moreover, there was no obvious reason for sanctions,  as there was practically no invasion of Crimea, and no bloodshed. 

All the mistakes, all the wrong moves, including human casualties, were done by Ukrainean nationalists.
The latter have almost asked for trouble. They started to talk  about covering Ukraine's territory with Nato bases. Yes, Nato on the russian doorstep!.  And of course, there were  demonstrations  which brought about the overthrow of president Victor Yanukovich.

All this took place, while Russia was subsidising the gas she was selling to Ukraine and transferring a lot of cash to help its failing economy.

The strategic Crimean peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea,  with its historically significant  cities of Sevastopol and Yalta, was not originally part of Ukraine; it was given to her as a symbolic present in 1954. 
Its inhabitants are mostly russians. There was no need for Putin's soldiers to invade the peninsula,  as its residents  widely opened the borders and the doors to them.

Anyway, it's a regional conflict involving Russia and Ukraine over control of the Crimean Peninsula;  that is, it was - regional , until the americans decided they want some kind of "russian spring" after the so-called arab spring.

Maybe the americans and their western  followers thought they were right with imposing  sanctions.  I hardly think they were smart.

26 comments:

  1. Hey - they're Russkies ya know. Merka is different these day too.

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  2. Exactly!!!
    Here in Germany people get mad at me, whenever I mention that Russia has a right to be miffed at Ukraine.

    And Europe/EU has its hand in this.
    We West-Europeans were totally for the Ukraine to get into a conflict with Russia.

    And Sanctions? -Most of the time those imposing them will have disadvantages out of it.

    The USA (mostly the Government though), poor & troubled as it has become, is the modern Roman Empire... trying to force its views & lifestyle on others.
    But just like the Romans there will be an end to this one day... nothing is forever.

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  3. Hi Duta. I whole-heartedly agree with your comments. Both Britain and America should keep their long noses out of it. I am pretty sure that the CIA and FBI have been busy in the Ukraine throughout and it's all wrong!

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  4. One Fly,

    "Russkies", I believe, is a derogatory term for Russians used during the Cold War days.

    Yes, The Cold War is "back in town",
    and it doesn't look like it's a russian thing.,

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  5. It is just that. To dislike Russia makes more profits for the 1%. Capitalism will NOT be denied.

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  6. PinkPanthress,

    I can't understand the american administration. Don't they hve better things to do instead of spending time and money on distant, futile issues? What about handling their country's huge deficit?

    The West- Europeans are meddling in the conflict as they wish Ukraine to join the EU. They're looking for an additional east-european slave to do the dirty works for them.

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  7. I pay little attention these days as it gets depressing after years of the same.

    I do think it is reasonable to say the military is calling many of the shots here. The 1%/corporations/ military they're all brothers. Nobody gets that.

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  8. PhilipH,

    I'm glad I'm not the only one out there who have similar thoughts , and that people are able to judge by themselves how their government's steps might lead to disaster.

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  9. One Fly,

    Could be, you have a point here. In any case, the sanctions, and the mere interference in a local, regional conflict (almost a 'family' conflict) are , in my humble opinion, a sign of irresponsible foreign policy on the part of USA and the western countries.

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  10. I agree with everyone here. I am in no way proud of my country. Actually it's more like embarrassed.

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  11. One Fly,

    I'm impressed by your sincerity!
    We're all sometime or another embarrassed by the politicians that lead our country and are in fact influenced by various factors of interest (corporations, military , etc..)

    However, the world today is very volatile; it could easily explode, and we do have to pay attention to what's going on around us, if we wish to survive.

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  12. Sadly the US is so often not smart.
    All the money that has been wasted on wars and invading other countries has me as a loss for words and all those that died, so horrible.
    Good post, Duta.

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  13. Margie,

    Thanks.
    Politicians everywhere use their people's tax money with such recklessness!

    Ukraine is now on the very verge of civil war. Those who've started the trouble are expecting at least finanial support from USA and EU members. Will this support be given? Days will tell.

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  14. I always thought the Ukraine was part of Russia. America should
    spend it's money and time correcting it's own problems. Quit sending $$$
    out of the country and spend it on the ROADS here, we have $$ problems at home. Charity starts in the home and after that the neighbors.
    We have Book keepers at the treasury that can't count to 10. Try two shoe boxes. one OUT and one IN. If you still can't tell what's wrong
    go to an asylum.

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  15. La Petite Gallery,

    I totally agree with you, Yvonne. 'Charity begins at home' is a very true principle. Politicians should stop wasting people's money.

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  16. It's pretty scary what countries do to one another. I don't begin to understand it all.

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  17. Jennifer A. Jilks,

    Yes, it is. More precisely, politicians in those countries, and this could have serious global consequences.

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  18. I consider myself a Patriot. I love my Country and have always been proud of her. Having said that, I am so frustrated with the idiocy that is now running this great nation. How on earth can a President declare (twice) that he has learned of a serious action on the part of the country he is Commander and Chief of 'from the 6 o'clock news'!?!?! I fear for my children/grandchildren who may never know how wonderful this Country once was. We have no business meddling in the Russian issue at hand.

    Many Americans would like to see the foreign aid stopped and the $$ we no longer have, KEPT HERE. Our country is on a spiraling decline and unless the corrupt politicians are voted out of office soon we will be beyond saving.

    As for Russian, I would imagine President Putin is laughing over his morning coffee.

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  19. C Hummel Kornell,

    As usual,your comment ,Conni, is sharp and right to the point.

    Unfortunately for us, even revolutions do not always change things; they often replace one form of opression/ corruption/ you name it, with another format without altering the bad substance.
    And that's very frustrating!

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  20. The Kitty Justice would be for we the people to vote all of the full time government out and start over. I truly believe that a person should never be Commander and Chief if they have not served. They are like little kids playing dress up and our troops are the ones who suffer. We really need to fix our problems and they are REALLY BIG ONES before we throw stones at others. Peace

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  21. Lady Di Tn,

    Indeed. Problems at home should be given top priority. It's elementary, and yet it doesn't get done. And this is , I believe,very frustrating for the american people.

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  22. Well I can't add much more than the excellent comment C Hummel Kornell left. Not all Americans agree with jumping into issuing sanctions and spending money on wars outside of our country when the money and time and energy could be better spent trying to fix problems here at home.

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  23. Alicia,

    Yes, C.Kornell is a versatile person: writer, poet, painter.. and her comments are always enlightening.

    I suppose you're right about your fellow americans. Most of them would like their politicians to focus on solving internal problems.

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  24. Just dropped in to read the comments, Some really good ones Duta.
    We need more posts like this, get the anger out before I go to Church, tee hee....
    yvonne

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  25. Lש Petite Gallery,


    Thanks for revisiting, Yvonne.
    I also like to come back to a post to read the comments. Sometimes, the comments are more interesting than the post.

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  26. This is an interesting post. Most Americans do want to stay out of any conflicts....and fix our own problems. Politicians??

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