The Ukraine sits right on Russia's doorstep. It is the land route to Russia's Black Sea naval base at Sevastopol by which the Russian navy can access the Mediterranean. Severing Russia's naval access to the Med is thought to be why the U.S. has been meddling in Ukrainian affairs, funding the pro-western group that topped the country's pro-Russian president, leaving the country bloodied, badly divided and at risk of separation or worse.
Quite predictably we're awfully quick to turn all sanctimonious in our admonitions to Putin in Moscow. How would we react if the shoe was on the other foot?
What if Russia saw an opportunity to meddle in Mexico's affairs to topple the pro-U.S. government and put in a friendly regime that would welcome a Russian military presence south of the Rio Grande? A few Russian air force bases, a naval facility or two, maybe an armoured training range in the Sonoran desert and possibly a few medium-range missile batteries, for self-defence only of course.
I think it's safe to say the U.S. would create some pretext to militarily intervene before the first runway was constructed. Remember Grenada? The Gringos have a short fuse at the suggestion of anyone else, especially Russia, meddling in their backyard. Yet they have it in their heads that it's okay when they do just that to the Russians.
The Russians are a heavily armed yet nervous people with a long memory of foreign aggression. If the Americans want to reinstate the Cold War their manipulations in Ukraine are an ideal way to start. Washington is already playing a clumsy yet dangerous containment game against China with the Asia Pivot. This is a real good time to drive Moscow and Beijing even deeper into each other's arms - and armouries.
welllll America, I mean they are such a common sense country, and their politicking is sooo emotionaless, that I bet they send a strongly worded petition with alot of celebrity signatures:)
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can tell, the Crimea already belongs to Russia. Eastern Ukraine, and the Western world may bleet and blay, but the maps might as well be redrawn.
ReplyDeleteThe ghosts of Kosovo continue to haunt the West. NATO and the West shredded the rulebook then and now expect to be able to piece it back together now.
ReplyDeleteWhy are we so unable to fucking learn from history.
Afghanistan didn't attack the U.S. but we tossed that place to get al Qaeda until someone yelled "squirrel" and we got distracted and moved on to toss Iraq without any legitimate cause. 200,000 maybe 300,000 innocents dead from our wars of whim but we goad Putin into responding to a threat on his doorstep and get all bitchy when he does. Our sanctimony knows no boundaries.
ReplyDeleteIt is an interesting factoid for Canadians to remember that Viktor Yanukovych was elected president with a considerable greater majority than Harper was elected. Yet the Harper regime was quick to recognize (if not encourage) his overthrow. Does this mean he would be glad to step down if a few thousand of us marched on Parliament Hill?? And, to reiterate your general point, how would Western governments react if, say, the Mexican President was overthrown by a popular socialist uprising, Well, we all know how they would react and I can guarantee that Baird wouldn't be out there stumping for the opposition. (And one should add to that hypothetical situation that the Ukrainian elections were arguably cleaner than the Mexican ones.)
ReplyDeleteIt is hypocrisy from top to bottom.
It wouldn't take much for elections to be cleaner than the Mexican ones.
ReplyDeleteInteresting point, Kirby. Hadn't crossed my mind but you're right.
ReplyDeleteSince when Law of the Jungle is to be endorsed, Mound?
ReplyDeleteA violence at the level of family, workplace, friends is abhorrent but when it comes to nations, Might is Right?
Ukraine deserves the same level of security and independence as Russia, US and everybody else.
Bullying by US, Russia and other powers is by definition always wrong. And must cease.
A..non