Ukraine

The Eastern half of the country identifies with Russia. The Western half not so much. Best case scenario? The Russians only take the East.

The shitty part is that the US & UK are signatories to an accord to protect them from Russia. They either have to weasel out of the accord ("it was only supposed to be post breakup!") or start World War III. Putin = dickmode.

The Eastern half of the country identifies with Russia. The Western half not so much. Best case scenario? The Russians only take the East.

The shitty part is that the US & UK are signatories to an accord to protect them from Russia. They either have to weasel out of the accord ("it was only supposed to be post breakup!") or start World War III. Putin = dickmode.

I really think its only a matter of how much Russia takes and how bloody they're willing to make things in order to get it.

The US and the UK won't and can't do shit about it. I don't think it'll be quite as bad as Georgia but... its still gonna get ugly.

The Eastern half of the country identifies with Russia. The Western half not so much. Best case scenario? The Russians only take the East.

The shitty part is that the US & UK are signatories to an accord to protect them from Russia. They either have to weasel out of the accord ("it was only supposed to be post breakup!") or start World War III. Putin = dickmode.

I really think its only a matter of how much Russia takes and how bloody they're willing to make things in order to get it.

The US and the UK won't and can't do shit about it. I don't think it'll be quite as bad as Georgia but… its still gonna get ugly.

i wouldn't be so confident that neither nation gets involved.

i wouldn't be so confident that neither nation gets involved.

No one is going further than economic sanctions imo. Who's really trying to swing with Russia over Kiev? NATO won't even go to Syria where Russia might go in. Russia proved that its about that life in Georgia a few years ago. With the US still in no shape to take on another war and actively downsizing its military at that... I just don't see the UK taking up the charge here.

i wouldn't be so confident that neither nation gets involved.

No one is going further than economic sanctions imo. Who's really trying to swing with Russia over Kiev? NATO won't even go to Syria where Russia might go in. Russia proved that its about that life in Georgia a few years ago. With the US still in no shape to take on another war and actively downsizing its military at that… I just don't see the UK taking up the charge here.

I think a lot of countries in europe will use it as a good distraction to faltering economies.

And there's a lot of people worried about putin these days all over the globe. He's throwing his around a little too much.

And UK and USA can't just step out of those accords. There's a lot of trade deals that hinge on the back of similar around the world. Like it or not, failure to live up to them will come back and hurt them financially one way or another.

These are issues that date back centuries. The rest of Europe has always hated Russia, though, and will look to any excuse to condemn them.

These are issues that date back centuries. The rest of Europe has always hated Russia, though, and will look to any excuse to condemn them.

Condemn is one thing. Take action is another.

With the way Putin is rumbling around Russia and surrounding countries though, i think there are leaders who are genuinely questioning how log it is before Russia goes one step beyond. They seem to be continually pushing the boundary now. Testing what Europe will put up with.

And so far, Europe has responded by just shaking their head, doing nothing, and letting Russia piss about.

I havent been following. Whats going there?
Someone give me an tdlr

I havent been following. Whats going there?
Someone give me an tdlr

Ukrain is basically divded. West, russian favored, East Euro favored.

Ukraine had been making steps to joine the European Union and were about to sign a trade document heading in that direction.

Russia stepped in at the last minute and said, if you do, we're going to jack your gas prices through the roof. On the other hand, if you sign with Russia, we'll slash them.

The European deal also had another stipulation at the (at the time) sitting prime minister free the previous prime minister from jail on what has largely bee recognized as a corrupt politically motivated trial, and subsequent jail sentence.

The sitting PM, who was russian leaning himself, in november, suspended talkes with europe and signed with russia.

Protests started happening all over Ukraine. In particular Kiev.

The PM eventually relented because he'd lost control of the capital, but by then, the protesters had upped their demands to constitutional reform so that the PM doesn't have so much power, and more is put in parliaments hands.

The PM was thrown out of power. He has now run away to Russia.

Russia have moved in and are in holdings poitions around all the military assets in the crimea peninsula. A track of land that is important as it gives them access to the black sea.

Ukraines Naval admiral has defected, and handed over the Ukraine naval base in Crimea and has now pledged allegiance to Russia.

Ukraines response is, get the fuck out of the Ukraine now, or there will be war.

Putin has told them, he's taking at least Crimea.

Besides shame and ukraine becoming a member of the E.U. I don't see why putin can't let crimea be and just build another port on the black sea (russia has plenty of land there). Best thing for ukraine/U.S./E.U. to do is not engage militarily. That would play into putin's hand. Sanctions and international outcry hopefully pull him back.. Or Turkey blocking the entrance to the Black sea and getting involved in crimea muhahah!

Besides shame and ukraine becoming a member of the E.U. I don't see why putin can't let crimea be and just build another port on the black sea (russia has plenty of land there). Best thing for ukraine/U.S./E.U. to do is not engage militarily. That would play into putin's hand. Sanctions and international outcry hopefully pull him back.. Or Turkey blocking the entrance to the Black sea and getting involved in crimea muhahah!

It's an odd game of chicken. Many are saying that whilst sanctions are an option, they don't really want to go down that path as it would ruin "20 years of negotiations with Russia".

On the other hand, Russia are basically taunting everyone. And everyone is baulking.

Besides shame and ukraine becoming a member of the E.U. I don't see why putin can't let crimea be and just build another port on the black sea (russia has plenty of land there). Best thing for ukraine/U.S./E.U. to do is not engage militarily. That would play into putin's hand. Sanctions and international outcry hopefully pull him back.. Or Turkey blocking the entrance to the Black sea and getting involved in crimea muhahah!

It's an odd game of chicken. Many are saying that whilst sanctions are an option, they don't really want to go down that path as it would ruin "20 years of negotiations with Russia".

On the other hand, Russia are basically taunting everyone. And everyone is baulking.

The baulking is probably due to russia's gas card. Overall it seems like the E.U. has to walk on eggshells for russia to not provoke them military or economically. Like germany before ww2.. :shock:

I havent been following. Whats going there?
Someone give me an tdlr

Ukrain is basically divded. West, russian favored, East Euro favored.

Ukraine had been making steps to joine the European Union and were about to sign a trade document heading in that direction.

Russia stepped in at the last minute and said, if you do, we're going to jack your gas prices through the roof. On the other hand, if you sign with Russia, we'll slash them.

The European deal also had another stipulation at the (at the time) sitting prime minister free the previous prime minister from jail on what has largely bee recognized as a corrupt politically motivated trial, and subsequent jail sentence.

The sitting PM, who was russian leaning himself, in november, suspended talkes with europe and signed with russia.

Protests started happening all over Ukraine. In particular Kiev.

The PM eventually relented because he'd lost control of the capital, but by then, the protesters had upped their demands to constitutional reform so that the PM doesn't have so much power, and more is put in parliaments hands.

The PM was thrown out of power. He has now run away to Russia.

Russia have moved in and are in holdings poitions around all the military assets in the crimea peninsula. A track of land that is important as it gives them access to the black sea.

Ukraines Naval admiral has defected, and handed over the Ukraine naval base in Crimea and has now pledged allegiance to Russia.

Ukraines response is, get the fuck out of the Ukraine now, or there will be war.

Putin has told them, he's taking at least Crimea.

holy shit.
this can escalate real fast.

Besides shame and ukraine becoming a member of the E.U. I don't see why putin can't let crimea be and just build another port on the black sea (russia has plenty of land there). Best thing for ukraine/U.S./E.U. to do is not engage militarily. That would play into putin's hand. Sanctions and international outcry hopefully pull him back.. Or Turkey blocking the entrance to the Black sea and getting involved in crimea muhahah!

It's an odd game of chicken. Many are saying that whilst sanctions are an option, they don't really want to go down that path as it would ruin "20 years of negotiations with Russia".

On the other hand, Russia are basically taunting everyone. And everyone is baulking.

Because everyone has their hands full with other stuff. Other countries (that can actually do something) are in much, much worse shape than when Russia strong armed Georgia back in 08. And we didn't do anything then either. The US has been getting punked across the globe lately and I don't see this being the instance where they finally bark back.

Besides shame and ukraine becoming a member of the E.U. I don't see why putin can't let crimea be and just build another port on the black sea (russia has plenty of land there). Best thing for ukraine/U.S./E.U. to do is not engage militarily. That would play into putin's hand. Sanctions and international outcry hopefully pull him back.. Or Turkey blocking the entrance to the Black sea and getting involved in crimea muhahah!

It's an odd game of chicken. Many are saying that whilst sanctions are an option, they don't really want to go down that path as it would ruin "20 years of negotiations with Russia".

On the other hand, Russia are basically taunting everyone. And everyone is baulking.

Because everyone has their hands full with other stuff. Other countries (that can actually do something) are in much, much worse shape than when Russia strong armed Georgia back in 08. And we didn't do anything then either. The US has been getting punked across the globe lately and I don't see this being the instance where they finally bark back.

Well, most of Europe doesn't. And most of Asia are only posturing at each other.

But, i get it. I'm just saying, watch Putin keep on doing it.

US is pulling out of g8? seems like economic isolation is the only crutch the west has available to them

Russia is the worst country and empire throughout the past century. Germany, Italy, and Turkey righted their wrongs and have largely become stable places to live in. Russia hasn't changed one bit since the first World War. I loathe my own birthplace as a result of its associations, I truly do. It's bad enough that Russians have no idea how to operate a government (there is literally no middle class, just an enormous poor:rich ratio), but to go and invade Georgia and now Ukraine because they can't find stability within their own regimes just makes me sick. It's a spreading cancer, and they still think this is the 19th or 20th century where you can just go and take whatever you like for no reason at all.

The crazy thing is that I don't even know any Russians who legitimately like Putin. People who vote for him are just too scared to vote for someone else, on top of that the polls are rigged and are not anonymous and they can find out who voted for whom...and then show up at your door...you get the rest. Bottom line, the Russian government is one of the worst and most dangerous out there. They have no regard for anyone.

The global economy is going to suffer from this.

This is a pretty good article that explains a few things which run counter to the current media narratives:

http://wire.novaramedia.com/2014/03/6-things-weve-learned-from-the-crimea-situation-so-far/

Not a bad article but disagree with point #1. False equivalency through and through, especially since it's not even the same regime calling the shots.

Not a bad article but disagree with point #1. False equivalency through and through, especially since it's not even the same regime calling the shots.

And not really a similar scenario in the slightest. But w/e.

It's good because it points out the politicking on the side, and why it's sort of dangerous to keep letting russia do this (all those old USSR countries that they'll be trying to dick over) and just exactly why the west might not act. Until it all comes to a massive head when Putin finally over steps.

looks like there's war sometime tomorrow?....

Not a bad article but disagree with point #1. False equivalency through and through, especially since it's not even the same regime calling the shots.

Let's not kid ourselves. The Iraq war didn't happen just because of Dubya & Cheney and their baseless belief of the Iraqis funding Al Qaeda (though they made it as dumb and clumsy and ugly as it was). It happened because everyone in every think tank sees peak oil coming in the next 20-30 years and there was a very real need to return that petroleum to the US sphere of influence or risk severe inflation. Saddam was an obstacle to avoiding societal breakdown in the US and keeping up with China's growth.

So from that standpoint - I'm not sure that another President wouldn't have decided that it was necessary, though they may have been more diplomatic in making it happen (also see: Obama, Barak - subheading: Libyan Civil War).

Looks like the threat of some war has died down for now. Feel the west will negoitae with putin and give him crimea.

Looks like the threat of some war has died down for now. Feel the west will negoitae with putin and give him crimea.

It's not theirs to give.

It's either Ukraines or Turkeys.

is fucked. :|

more like been fucked.

I don't know if you guys read exiled but its pretty good, here their take on the Ukraine before this current crisis and it sort of explains why its a mess right now..... its been a mess for a very long time.

http://exiledonline.com/ukraine-the-gogolean-bordello/