Merged Ukraine erupts in riots and general strike.

[carlitos]

What's a Nuland?

 

[jimbob]

This blog by General Phil Breedlove gives his reasons for thinking that Russian troops are in Eastern Ukraine.

The pro-Russian "activists” in eastern Ukraine exhibit tell-tale military training and equipment and work together in a way that is consistent with troops who are part of a long-standing unit, not spontaneously stood up from a local militia.
The weapon handling discipline and professional behavior of these forces is consistent with a trained military force. Rifle muzzles are pointed down, fingers not on triggers, but rather laid across trigger mechanisms.
Coordinated use of tear gas and stun grenades against targeted buildings indicates a level of training that exceeds a recently formed militia.
Video of these forces at checkpoints shows they are attentive, on their feet, focused on their security tasks, and under control of an apparent leader. This contrasts with typical militia or mob checkpoints, where it’s common to see people sitting, smoking, and so forth.
The way these forces target government buildings, hit them in coordinated strikes and quickly secure the surrounding area with roadblocks and barricades is similar to what we’ve seen in Crimea. Again, indicative of a professional military force, acting under direction and leadership, not a spontaneous militia.
Finally, the weapons and equipment they carry are primarily Russian army issue. This is not the kind of equipment that civilians would be likely to be able to get their hands on in large numbers.

There is more but those are some of his key points.

Against that we have Putin saying that they aren't, which is what he said about the troops in the Crimea less than two months ago.

 

[uke2se]

We're lucky to have such an upstanding "anti-imperialist" as Childlike Empress here to inform us that being against Putin's Russia trampling all over its neighbors is whining, and that we're all "Yankistanis" if we don't agree with her.

It's the height of rational discourse.

 

[IDB87]

This blog by General Phil Breedlove gives his reasons for thinking that Russian troops are in Eastern Ukraine.

General Phil Breedlove (more like Breedwar) is a U.S. general. His opinions are twisted by Yankistani imperialism - opinion discarded.

 

[Border Reiver]

If you want to present this as some kind of analogy, I have to inform you that it is beyond laughable.

Why?

where does the analogy fail? Where does it NOT parallel the situation in the Ukraine?

And, other than the fact that the Russians have a rather large nuclear arsenal, are the Russians allowed to violate the LOAC?

 

[carlitos]

I think that US-Cuba would be a better analogy than Mexico, given our lease of Guantánamo.

 

[A'isha]

What's a Nuland?

Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland.

Apparently CE thinks that her dread influence as a dark puppetmaster is what forced Putin to send Russian army troops without visible insignia into Ukraine and then lie about it. Curse those Imperialist Yankistanis!

 

[Border Reiver]

I think that US-Cuba would be a better analogy than Mexico, given our lease of Guantánamo.

Might be better, but Cuba's much more stable than Mexico.

 

[carlitos]

Might be better, but Cuba's much more stable than Mexico.

So was the Ukraine, until a couple of months ago.

ETA - Thanks, A'isha. Now that I see it, I remember who she is. I don't know why the pro-imperialist commenters have to be witty at the expense of clarity; it doesn't help their case.

 

[Dcdrac]

What I still do not get is someone who is supposedly left wing supporting some one as right wing as Putin

 

[NoahFence]

None of that matters to Childlike Empress. You aren't allowed to have an opinion on this, or to cite international law, even though you are right, because you are a "Yankistani", even though you are Canadian.

That's how it works in "anti-imperialist" dictator loving circles.

 

[Matthew Cline]

What I still do not get is someone who is supposedly left wing supporting some one as right wing as Putin

Maybe s/he is a contrarian troll?

 

[Darth Rotor]

Pepe Escobar is amused about Kerry's whining as well:

RT gets right what Fox News gets right: hire hotties as news anchors. That gal is gorgeous.

What I still do not get is someone who is supposedly left wing supporting some one as right wing as Putin

When the entering assumption is "evil Murkans" then anyone is a worthy champion against.

Or, what Matthew said.

 

[uke2se]

The Swedish major held hostage by the Russians in the Eastern Ukraine has been released "on medical grounds". Seven other OSCE monitors are still held, as well as five Ukrainian officers who were taken with the international group.

Taking hostages like this constitutes a terrorist action, and I hope they all burn for it.

 

[IDB87]

The Swedish major held hostage by the Russians in the Eastern Ukraine has been released "on medical grounds". Seven other OSCE monitors are still held, as well as five Ukrainian officers who were taken with the international group.

Taking hostages like this constitutes a terrorist action, and I hope they all burn for it.

I read that the self declared mayor of the town in which the observers were taken considered them soldiers, and since the separatists are in a state of war with Kiev, taking (and exchanging) prisoners is legit.

Russia of course blamed Kiev for the observers being taken, however much that makes sense.

 

[uke2se]

I read that the self declared mayor of the town in which the observers were taken considered them soldiers, and since the separatists are in a state of war with Kiev, taking (and exchanging) prisoners is legit.

It doesn't really matter what the deluded "mayor" thinks. He's not a soldier in a war. He's a terrorist engaged in illegal activities.

Russia of course blamed Kiev for the observers being taken, however much that makes sense.

Well, of course Russia would say that. After all, they are used to blaming pretty much everyone but themselves. A nation built on a sense of perpetual victim hood. Pathetic.

 

[Border Reiver]

The Swedish major held hostage by the Russians in the Eastern Ukraine has been released "on medical grounds". Seven other OSCE monitors are still held, as well as five Ukrainian officers who were taken with the international group.



Taking hostages like this constitutes a terrorist action, and I hope they all burn for it.

Read the "Russia News" articles on this. The Russian news is making a huge deal about how their military IDs all said "officer". They are supposed to. The Geneva Conventions spell out that officers and other ranks can get slightly different treatment as PWs (namely that officers cannot be forced to work in non-war related industries, while the non-commissioned types can), so countries put that on ID so there is no question as to their status.

Second, they keep referring to them as military experts - looking at the news clips, I'm thinking that these guys are not intel gathering types, commandos, or even high level planners, but rather middle aged staff officers who got a little more than they thought they might on this trip.

Third, apparently we need to be concerned that they have military badges and ammo. I hope so, that means they aren't spies - soldiers wear uniforms, badges and weapons openly. I'm going to guess that Russian news doesn't want to tell us that their weapons were a couple of pistols and spare mags for the Ukrainian officers escorting them (OSCE are unarmed, but Reuters hasn't confirmed anything, so I'll wait out here).

And finally, they are all huffy that the Ukrainians sent them with a couple of staff officers - presumably to make us believe that NATO is colluding with the Ukrainians to invade the Donesk People's Republic.

Oddly, I don't think that Russia would like it if the situation was reversed, ie NATO moving troops into areas of Russia that say they want to effect changes in the structure of Russia by taking over government buildings and taking hostages.

 

[jimbob]

Read the "Russia News" articles on this. The Russian news is making a huge deal about how their military IDs all said "officer". They are supposed to. The Geneva Conventions spell out that officers and other ranks can get slightly different treatment as PWs (namely that officers cannot be forced to work in non-war related industries, while the non-commissioned types can), so countries put that on ID so there is no question as to their status.

Second, they keep referring to them as military experts - looking at the news clips, I'm thinking that these guys are not intel gathering types, commandos, or even high level planners, but rather middle aged staff officers who got a little more than they thought they might on this trip.

Third, apparently we need to be concerned that they have military badges and ammo. I hope so, that means they aren't spies - soldiers wear uniforms, badges and weapons openly. I'm going to guess that Russian news doesn't want to tell us that their weapons were a couple of pistols and spare mags for the Ukrainian officers escorting them (OSCE are unarmed, but Reuters hasn't confirmed anything, so I'll wait out here).

And finally, they are all huffy that the Ukrainians sent them with a couple of staff officers - presumably to make us believe that NATO is colluding with the Ukrainians to invade the Donesk People's Republic.

Oddly, I don't think that Russia would like it if the situation was reversed, ie NATO moving troops into areas of Russia that say they want to effect changes in the structure of Russia by taking over government buildings and taking hostages.

Highlighted for the irony, given Putin's admission about the Little Green Men in the Crimea. And the similar reports is reported from Eastern Ukraine.

 

[McHrozni]

Well, of course Russia would say that. After all, they are used to blaming pretty much everyone but themselves. A nation built on a sense of perpetual victim hood. Pathetic.

I concur, pathetic. It is even sadder that there is precedences in recent history they could learn from - Palestine. After forty years of watching that slow-moving self-inflicted catastrophe unfold, one would be expected to know it wasn't a good idea.

This doesn't bode all that well for the future of eastern Europe. Putin is the greatest threat to peace and stability in Europe since Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.

McHrozni

 

[Childlike Empress]

Just for the record, these people aren't OSCE observers under the current mission. They are there under a treaty (Vienna 2011) among OSCE members states, and they are indeed soldiers. The leader Alex Schneider has been interviewed shortly before taken hostage. Their mission was to inspect the state of the Ukrainian military. The question is why the hell they were "inspecting" road blocks in Sloviansk days later, and the German government isn't forthcoming with an explanation so far.

btw, through the barbwire he confirms the general picture that the putschist regime has only control over the army to a certain degree and their relatively moderate approach given the harsh words of "anti-terror offensives" is not a choice they are able to make.