Roots and consequences of Ukraine's violence

[Ben in LA]

Whenever I come to this site, my southern region always rises.

[Stavros]

I have to correct myself, as in a post I submitted yesterday I said Crimea voted for independence when of course the relevant question on the ballot paper read:

Are you in favour of the reunification of Crimea with Russia as a subject of the Russian Federation.

Interesting article in today's New York Times on the fate of South Ossetia and Abkhazia following their break with Georgia some years ago; not sure if Crimea will be in the same situation if the offshore oil and gas is taken over by Russian firms and delivers.

This is an extract, full article in the link

If History Is a Guide, Crimeans’ Celebration May Be Short-Lived



When Russia invaded Georgia, repelling a Georgian attack on South Ossetia and taking control of the separatist enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, it seemed most unlikely that the Kremlin was thinking about long-term consequences.
As in Crimea, the war was presented to Russians as a humanitarian effort to protect its citizens, and more broadly as a challenge to encirclement by the United States, which was aligned with Georgia. Television stations gave the intervention blanket coverage, and it was wildly popular in Russia, lifting the approval ratings of Dmitri A. Medvedev to the highest point of his presidency.
The aftermath of recognition, however, has presented Russia with a long series of headaches. This week, economists have warned repeatedly that Crimea, if it is absorbed, will prove a serious drag on Russia’s budget, but their arguments have been drowned out in the roar of public support for annexation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/wo...ref=world&_r=0

[broncofan]

You talking about me, you English snob ? Proud we kicked your hooligan arse in 1812. I might be an idiot , but I still have all my teeth.

I can see why you dropped out of middle school. You must have scored below 50% on true false exams. You have two plausible choices. You can choose the war where we successfully rebelled against the British and forced Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown with the Brits recognizing our sovereignty in the Treaty of Paris. Or you can choose a war that did not result in a change of boundaries and was essentially a costly stalemate. And somehow you choose the latter.

And where's your patriotism? In the U.S. we use the word "ass" as the slang word for buttocks. You're using the British/Australian variant of the term? If J. Edgar Hoover were alive, he'd start a file on you.

[robertlouis]

And where's your patriotism? In the U.S. we use the word "ass" as the slang word for buttocks. You're using the British/Australian variant of the term? If J. Edgar Hoover were alive, he'd start a file on you.

Damned upstart colonials the both of you. I've a good mind to cross over there and horsewhip you to within an inch of your unworthy lives.

[broncofan]

Damned upstart colonials the both of you. I've a good mind to cross over there and horsewhip you to within an inch of your unworthy lives.

I'm the upstart. He's an accommodating internationalist. Using British idioms and slang. I bet when he meets a Spanish speaker he rolls his r's. Far too liberal for me.

When I dump tea into the Boston Harbor it has nothing to do with Obama. I do it because I hold a grudge for a really long time. I'm thinking of making a drive up to Boston with a couple crates of earl grey. Perhaps you can recommend me a good tea?

[robertlouis]

I'm the upstart. He's an accommodating internationalist. Using British idioms and slang. I bet when he meets a Spanish speaker he rolls his r's. Far too liberal for me.

When I dump tea into the Boston Harbor it has nothing to do with Obama. I do it because I hold a grudge for a really long time. I'm thinking of making a drive up to Boston with a couple crates of earl grey. Perhaps you can recommend me a good tea?

I've spent a lot of good times around the harbour in Boston, as it happens. Great city. Legal Seafoods, anyone?

And I'm more of a darjeeling man myself, don'cha know.

[buttslinger]

The oldest story ever told'''''

POWER

If it looks like WWIII is going to break out, I'm heading down to Nikka's house. I live too close to ground zero.

[envivision]

To the comatose liberals..... I am impressed O'bam took off his training weels.

[robertlouis]

To the comatose liberals..... I am impressed O'bam took off his training weels.

And the point of this is what exactly?

What do you think the west should do? Start a war? Nuke Moscow?

[envivision]

We are the laughing stock of the world.... Thanks a lot O'ban. The US today is as relevant as Mexico. Even peanuts farmer Carter had more swag in him. And Putin gets all the GIRLS.....