| Tango01 | 01 Mar 2015 10:17 p.m. PST |
…Ukraine-Russia Fight. "The ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia appears to be holding, after Kiev's forces lost ground in a recent spate of fighting. Fortune could yet smile upon Ukraine, but as long as Russia is determined not to let the separatists fail, the former's efforts likely will be for naught. Only a negotiated settlement, no matter how unsatisfying, offers the possibility of a stable resolution of the ongoing conflict. Indeed, the alternative may be the collapse of the Ukrainian state and long-term confrontation between the West and Russia, at great cost to all sides. Agreeing to a compromise might be as hard for Washington as Kiev. The latter has more to lose, but U.S. policymakers have come to believe that they have been anointed to govern the entire Earth. However, while the U.S. and Europe can weaken Russia's economy and target Moscow's elite, they are not willing to risk military conflict with a nuclear-armed power, nor should they…"
Full article here
link Amicalement
Armand |
| Jcfrog | 02 Mar 2015 3:29 a.m. PST |
And the concept of freedom in Ukraine, if this has some grounds for support is somewhat shaky.
Between the fascist armed militias and the laws against freedom of speech and opposition, there is a lot to " improve" for becoming frequentable. Mind me we all have discreet ambassadors and open business home and there with Saudi who are condemning to death a youngster who dared say religion should stay out of the state. So people should listen less to the media parroting the same tunes including aimed disinformation and try find out why things happen.
And let locals find their ways out of problems. They did it for centuries.
E.u. And Us should be more modest than to think every one needs them. |
| Chokidar | 02 Mar 2015 6:35 a.m. PST |
..and THAT is coming from a Frenchman… lol |
| Zargon | 02 Mar 2015 6:47 a.m. PST |
"U.S. policymakers have come to believe that they have been anointed to govern the entire Earth."
WOW! Can I get my US citizenship? I gots me some rights to gain.
Wohoo 2nd amendment here we all come. |
 Legion 4   | 02 Mar 2015 8:26 a.m. PST |
"U.S. policymakers have come to believe that they have been anointed to govern the entire Earth."
Propaganda … period … of course it has been noted that the US is the best choice to protect the West's way of life, etc. … But I a big proponent of saying the US and it's Allies are the best choice … You go with/bet on the team that has the best chance of "winning" … for my $$$ … that is the US and it's Western Allies. I didn't say NATO as Turkey is in NATO and they appear to be more aligned with fellow islamists as of late … Which in the long run is no surprise … |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 02 Mar 2015 9:01 a.m. PST |
It's the age old debate between "interventionists" and "isolationists" (and the shades in between). Should we subscribe to Idealpolitik and draw a line in the sand as world police and defender of the free world? Or should we accept our limitations and take a more Realpolitik view in which we only intervene when American interests are at stake? There are no easy answers but lots of opinions. |
| kiltboy | 02 Mar 2015 10:40 a.m. PST |
The Budapest agreement means the US, UK and Russia should be respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine and clearly one is not. On is not being held accountable by the other two. The challenge with using military force is that someone will be losing and they will hear voices that mention the nukes. And what level does that escalate the conflict to? David |
| Tango01 | 02 Mar 2015 10:40 a.m. PST |
Where there any intervention when American interest were not stake?
See Afrika. Amicalement
Armand |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 02 Mar 2015 12:23 p.m. PST |
Were there any intervention when American interest were not stake? Vietnam, Iraq 2003, Afghanistan (2002 – 2014), Libya. |
| Jcfrog | 02 Mar 2015 2:19 p.m. PST |
A-typical Frenchman at that! |
| Tango01 | 02 Mar 2015 9:12 p.m. PST |
Ok
Those were more geopolitical reasons… Amicalement
Armand |
| Legion 4 | 03 Mar 2015 8:31 a.m. PST |
As I have said before … The were 50 shades of gray when it came to geo-politics long before any randy S&M books and a chick flick came out … |
| Lion in the Stars | 03 Mar 2015 11:01 a.m. PST |
Those books were so terribad that I couldn't make it through the first few pages… No American interests in play for Afghanistan? I suppose Bin Laden's head on a pike isn't an American Interest? |
| Legion 4 | 03 Mar 2015 4:26 p.m. PST |
Never even bothered … so much drivel … but it sells … |
| 15mm and 28mm Fanatik | 03 Mar 2015 4:48 p.m. PST |
No American interests in play for Afghanistan? I suppose Bin Laden's head on a pike isn't an American Interest?
That's why I included 2002-2014 in parentheses (post Battle of Tora Bora). The initial phase was perfectly justified. We went after OBL in the last months of 2001 after the 9/11 attacks but he slipped away through the caves of Tora Bora, by the skin of his teeth from all accounts (why do people say that when 'teeth' has no 'skin'? It's called 'enamel'). We came "close, but no cigar" and should have soon packed up and left. There's no reason for a long stay. The drawn out US occupation in Afghanistan served no purpose. Like Iraq, after 2002 all Afghanistan did was to provide insurgents with a target-rich environment in American servicemen for them to declare open season on. Killing OBL did not require us to be in Afghanistan for 14 long years which cost us thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. |
| Legion 4 | 04 Mar 2015 9:45 a.m. PST |
The error, IMO, in retrospect was supporting the Muj in their war with the USSR. We should have let them bleed each other out. And who knows, maybe OBL, AZH, Mulla Omar, etc., etc., would have been killed by the Russias or one of the many local factions in conflict ? Again, hindsight is usually 20/20 … |
