Many people have engaged with me on the subject of the crisis in Ukraine. Thank you for that. I have been following the unfolding crisis with concern, reading many reports and articles in both the mainstream and alternative media. Of course, it is quite complex, with many conflicting points of view.     The most important thing is to try to make sense of this confusion, and find a rational, peaceful solution that serves the best interests of the ordinary people. Here are a few thoughts from me. What do you think? 

I think today's controversial vote in Crimea was made inevitable by the Western-supported violent coup in Kiev. The people of the autonomous region of Crimea are entitled to express their preferred choice for their future. 

Clearly, most people in Crimea really fear the extremists now controlling the Ukraine government. They would support closer relations with Russia rather than being dominated by Kiev, and integrated into the EU and NATO.

Joining the EU would open Ukraine up to the austerity policies that are so unpopular now in Greece and elsewhere, whereas friendly relations with both the West and Russia may improve their economic independence and welfare. 

They would probably really prefer genuine neutrality and autonomy within Ukraine, even more than integration with Russia, but that choice is not available to them now, due to the urgency of the crisis resulting from the Western-supported interference and violent coup in Kiev. 

The sad thing for me is that this whole crisis was unnecessary. 

It is the result of a long history of selfish Western imperial policy, which now threatens years of instability and divisive hatreds, possibly a destructive civil war, and, in the worst-case scenario, even a nuclear war, if the hotheads in the U.S., and their supporters, continue to recklessly provoke the Russian bear.

Instead, Ukraine could have remained a neutral buffer between EU/NATO and Russia, with mutually-beneficial economic relations and friendship, the Russians keeping their vital naval base agreement, and Ukraine not joining NATO or allowing the U.S. to place nuclear missiles on its territory, etc.  

I think Russia would also have preferred the status quo to continue. But the West has now made that impossible, and Russia has no choice but to protect its strategic interests on its vital border - and it will.

Throughout this crisis, the one-sided media coverage in the West, almost exclusively blaming Russia for everything, demonizing Putin, and omitting or downplaying important details, makes me smell a rat.

We have a right to be suspicious, when the mass media sets a single, simplistic narrative on any issue of great importance, and does not fairly consider the perspectives and interests of all sides.

I certainly do not agree with Putin on everything. It is always healthy to 'mistrust' people in power, at least until trust has been earned, but it does seem to me that Putin has shown himself to be a far more level-headed, rational and skilled diplomat than Obama, Kerry or anyone else in the West. 

He showed this with vetoing escalation of the war in Syria - another foreign-sponsored destabilization, using known terrorists, and fueled by lies about chemical weapons. Putin and Lavrov used their diplomatic skills to thwart Obama's imminent bombing spree there, much to the annoyance of the neo-cons who dominate U.S. government policy-making. 

Unfortunately, Putin failed to do the same to prevent the destruction of Libya, but I think that taught him a lesson. He will not be tricked again by the West, especially over Ukraine, which has obvious strategic interest to Russia.

I believe those who oppose the legitimacy of the vote in Crimea are being hypocritical, for their own political purposes, since they have no problem supporting similar democratic votes in Scotland, Quebec, and everywhere else.
Also, they supported the violent separation of Kosovo from Serbia, so their talk of "respecting national sovereignty" is meaningless.  

There are so many examples of hypocrisy, blatant violation of international law, warmongering, and lack of respect for national sovereignty by the West and its supporters, which makes me conclude they have zero credibility to lecture anyone on Crimea, or anything else. 

U.S. government foreign policy around the world just continues its very long history of causing deaths, suffering and chaos, regardless of the political colour of the occupant of the White House. My theory is that this is all quite deliberate and cold-blooded - "the Chaos Theory". Through such engineered chaos they 'divide and conquer', and loot the world's resources for Wall Street. Or, maybe my theory is wrong, and they are just insane!

We would do well to remember that what happens in Europe is of more than passing interest to the rest of the world. So far, two world wars started there, and humanity might not survive a third!

What do you think?



For further information ~ 
there's more to the news than the mainstream media is telling you ~

  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/  
  http://antiwar.com/