Revolution in Ukraine: Western-engineered Coup d'État?

[Redrock12]

Not too bad of an analysis.
However, Friedman is neglecting the fact that the US economy is rapidly going into the tank (or already is in the tank), public support for further military adventures is probably at an extremely low ebb, and Europe does not want to break or weaken economic, or energy, ties with Russia, notwithstanding all the brouhaha about sanctions.
As well, while Russia is to a certain extent dependent on the international banking and financial system, they probably also have sufficient autonomy to manage their own economy independent of world financial markets, unlike the US.
In fact, the US should be concerned that the EU, and Asia as well, could well tell the US to take a hike, and ally politically, militarily, and economically with Russia. After all, they're next door neighbors, while the US is an ocean away. And Putin seems to have engendered more trust and admiration internationally and at home than Obama or his Euro henchmen ever could hope to.
Realistically, what does the US have to offer Europe that Russia couldn't?
Anyway, that's just my opinion, FWIW.

 

[axj]

I think the biggest reason why the EU is sticking with the USA is the (almost) free protection they have been getting. The EU has reduced its own military spending while the USA spends more on military than pretty much everyone else combined. That is one area where even Russia cannot even come close.

I also think that the hypocrisy of the "West" towards Russia is becoming much more apparent to many people in Europe. Despite the best propaganda efforts, people are not buying the "we are good, they are bad" narrative anymore.

Especially since everyone can see how nothing was done about the NSA spying on everyone. Plus, Russia is being accused of breaching international law by those who breached it many times themselves.

 

[Siberia]

Reaction of Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's Vice-PM, to Nato's sanctions: "Nato decided to freeze cooperation with Russia until June and announced it on April 1. Last time (in 2008) they froze it for 3 months. They melted by December. What can I say? This is cold war, this is why they feel so cold". See: https://twitter.com/Rogozin.

Indeed, threatening Russia with 'freezing' measures is funny.

 

[SMM]

Reaction of Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's Vice-PM, to Nato's sanctions: "Nato decided to freeze cooperation with Russia until June and announced it on April 1. Last time (in 2008) they froze it for 3 months. They melted by December. What can I say? This is cold war, this is why they feel so cold". See: https://twitter.com/Rogozin.

Indeed, threatening Russia with 'freezing' measures is funny.

_https://uk.news.yahoo.com/nato-step-ukraine-defences-end-russian-cooperation-184321004.html#JopywnS

"We urge Russia to take immediate steps to return to compliance with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities, and to engage immediately in a genuine dialogue towards a political and diplomatic solution that respects international law and Ukraine's internationally recognised borders," they said.

Earlier Rasmussen denied reports that Russia had partially withdrawn its forces from the border.
"This is not what we have seen," said Rasmussen. "And this massive military buildup can in no way contribute to a de-escalation of the situation — a de-escalation that we all want to see — so I continue to urge Russia to pull back its troops, live up to its international obligation and engage in a constructive dialogue with Ukraine."

Sounds like NATO are harping the same tune again.

 

[Mike]

I thought this was an April Fools thing yesterday when I first saw it reported, but looked today and there is more information. At the very least this is going to push Russia to develop there own system to work around this harassment.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/01/ukraine-crisis-russia-usa-idINL5N0MT4JT20140401

Russia says JPMorgan 'illegally' blocked embassy money transfer

By Thomas Grove and Megan Davies

(Reuters) - Russia accused U.S. bank JPMorgan on Tuesday of "illegally" blocking a payment from one of its embassies to an insurance agency "under the pretext of anti-Russian sanctions."

In a statement on its website, the Russian Foreign Ministry suggested the action, which it called "unacceptable, illegal and absurd," would have consequences for the U.S. embassy and consulate in Russia.

One of the highest profile confrontations yet over U.S. sanctions, the move may increase tensions between Washington and Moscow and add to U.S. companies' nervousness over doing business in Russia.

"Washington should understand any hostile action against a Russian diplomatic mission not only constitutes a flagrant violation of international law but is rife with consequences that will inevitably effect the work of the embassy and general consulate of the United States in Russia," Russia's statement said.

The bank said later in its own statement that it is subject to government regulations and that it "will continue to seek guidance from the U.S. government on implementing their recent sanctions."

The payment came from Russia's embassy in Kazakhstan to Russian insurance agency Sogaz, which is partly owned by Abros, according to the Sogaz website. Abros is a subsidiary of Bank Rossiya, according to Russian media reports, which is facing U.S. sanctions.

Bank Rossiya was blacklisted by the White House last month as part of a widening effort to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis.

Industry consultants in Moscow have said financial institutions are unclear about how to apply the new rules in some situations, such as when dealing with subsidiaries of companies which have either been sanctioned or which have shareholders that have been punished.

"There is a lot of confusion ... as to what might be the full scope of the sanctions and what we are hearing is while the sanctions are specific, a lot of U.S. companies are adopting a much more risk-averse or cautious approach," said Chris Weafer, partner at Macro Advisory.

"There is almost self-sanctioning going on."

Visa and Mastercard briefly cut off services for clients at Russia's SMP bank, whose main shareholders were affected by U.S. sanctions, before resuming them shortly thereafter.

"The general rule is that if a company is controlled ... by an individual on the list, they can't do business with that company," one financial consultant said last week, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"But it's quite a slippery slope regarding the whole holding structure," the source said.

Russia's accusation could damage relations the bank has with the country. JPMorgan generated $55.6 million in investment banking fees in Russia last year, with a 7 percent market share. Worldwide, JPMorgan recorded $6.4 billion in investment banking fees last year, according to the company's annual report.

JPMorgan is the biggest U.S. bank by assets and for its size it does relatively little lending in Russia. At year-end, its loans and trading positions at risk to Russia totalled $5.4 billion compared with the company's total assets of $2.4 trillion.

JPMorgan is one of a number of Western banks operating in Russia. Others which have a presence here include Goldman Sachs , Bank of America, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley.

 

[Gawan]

A very funny advice from a Russian minister:

A top Russian official has accused the US of "childish tantrums" in its response to the annexation of Crimea, and suggested that American politicians practise yoga and watch sitcoms to help chill out.

[...]

"What can we advise our American colleagues? They should get more fresh air, do yoga, eat healthily, maybe watch some sitcoms on television.

[...]

"This is better than getting themselves and others all worked up when they know very well that the train has already departed and that childish tantrums, tears and hysterics will not help things."

_http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/russian-minister-advice-us-crimea-yoga-sergei-ryabkov

 

[Yozilla]

Well Russian minister most certainly knows that there is no cure for US politicians so he is plain mocking on them - i mean those bigwigs even allowed themselves to SMOKE in Congress (best cigars - i guess!) and it's not improving cognitive health of theirs - so how bad could it be?

Oh, one ought to have some brains for nicotine to effect something!!

 

[Yozilla]

Here is an excellent article from Finian Cunningham on real backgrounds of recent happenings in Ukraine. It confirms some calculations of "emerging" of Euro-Asian "Union" of some kind...

The American dominance of the Atlantic axis with Western Europe is threatened by this development of closer economic ties between Europe and Russia. Germany and the Czech Republic have since the end of the Cold War developed close economic and other relations with Russia. Both are, together with Austria and Italy, pushing a trend towards even tighter relations with Moscow.

US was long ago aware of that possibility:

In the early 1980s, a European top NATO admiral said that American colleagues at the Pentagon had told him, unequivocally, that the US and UK would not hesitate in creating a new European war if the situation ever arose that Europe and Russia, then the USSR, were to develop close relations.

NATO blood suckers are skittish:

Firstly, a close relationship between Moscow and Europe would remove the rationale for America’s military role in NATO and thereby its political influence in Europe.

Heartland is breaking out of the encirclement?

The development of Russian-European partnership would leave the US politically, culturally and economically isolated within no more than 25 years. It would also mean that the US would become increasingly isolated in terms of its militarism and strategic encirclement of Russia and China. The dollar would collapse

_http://www.veteransnewsnow.com/2014/03/30/us-war-plan-for-europe-and-russia/

y

 

[axj]

NASA just announced that it boycotts Russia now as well - except getting to the ISS where they still need Russia. Isn't that whole thing a little ridiculous?

By now it is clear to most people even in the West which side wants escalation and people are not buying it.

 

[Nicholas]

It's really getting sillier by the day:
From Storm Clouds Gathering

The U.S. government's attempt to bring Moscow to heel by singling out a handful of Russian billionaires has finally born fruit: No Miley Cyrus for Helsinki.

You heard right. An upcoming Miley Cyrus concert in Helsinki, Finland may be cancelled due to the fact that Helsinki's Hartwall venue is owned by Gennady Timchenko and brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg. All three men were targeted by U.S. "sanctions".

I'm sure you're as outraged as I am.

Though the ACLU has yet to comment, this would clearly be a violation of the Finnish people's god given right to watch an unstable, attention hungry celebrity lick power tools and shake her jiggly bits on stage.

Could this be the final straw that pushes the entertainment addled masses to demand a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to the crisis over Crimea? We'll all be holding our breath on that one.

 

[l apprenti de forgeron]

I dunno if somebody already mentioned it here but, the very Darth Vader will be running for President in Ukraine. Yulka (Timošenko) should be better with a light saber then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9h4VA3bc-8

Epic!

In the next episode Yulka will discover that Darth Vader is her father!
This really is soap opera!!

Hahaha! Well, once heard that John williams had plagiarized to Prokofiev in the Imperial March. If there is some truth on that, then that song turned to the area where it was conceived.

Here is an excellent article from Finian Cunningham on real backgrounds of recent happenings in Ukraine. It confirms some calculations of "emerging" of Euro-Asian "Union" of some kind...

Very good article. And feasible. It seems that the Gov. of U.S., despite that had warnings about the consequences of the war, will not stop for long. And generate a new gruesome massacre in Europe. They are psychopaths after all.
The southern European countries like Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal is possible, today, that the majority want to have much better relations with Russia than with the United States (and remove its bases in those countries). And in France we know that there are movements for a large rebellion against the system. But the key part of a paradigm shift is Germany, I think. If the people of Germany want to give priority to a better relationship with Russia (for energy reasons and need for peace), Merkel and her financial gang will have to obey. Then that leave the backfire for Victoria Nuland and Europe say "F.ck America!". Or..."GO East!".

 

[l apprenti de forgeron]

The danger of all that is making the Psycho elite of United States is generate a very real and violent hatred against all Americans in the entire world, something like happened with the Germans after the nazism with the Zionist / American propaganda.

 

[Redrock12]

It's really getting sillier by the day:
From Storm Clouds Gathering

The U.S. government's attempt to bring Moscow to heel by singling out a handful of Russian billionaires has finally born fruit: No Miley Cyrus for Helsinki.

You heard right. An upcoming Miley Cyrus concert in Helsinki, Finland may be cancelled due to the fact that Helsinki's Hartwall venue is owned by Gennady Timchenko and brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg. All three men were targeted by U.S. "sanctions".

I'm sure you're as outraged as I am.

Though the ACLU has yet to comment, this would clearly be a violation of the Finnish people's god given right to watch an unstable, attention hungry celebrity lick power tools and shake her jiggly bits on stage.

Could this be the final straw that pushes the entertainment addled masses to demand a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to the crisis over Crimea? We'll all be holding our breath on that one.

Ooooooh, I'll bet the Russians are quaking in their boots. :P :P :P

 

[axj]

George Friedman spells out the U.S. strategy in Eurasia pretty well in his newest article:

U.S. national strategy must be founded on the control of the sea. The oceans protect the United States from everything but terrorism and nuclear missiles. The greatest challenge to U.S. control of the sea is hostile fleets. The best way to defeat hostile fleets is to prevent them from being built. The best way to do that is to maintain the balance of power in Eurasia. The ideal path for this is to ensure continued tensions within Eurasia so that resources are spent defending against land threats rather than building fleets. Given the inherent tensions in Eurasia, the United States needs to do nothing in most cases. In some cases it must send military or economic aid to one side or both. In other cases, it advises.

There will be no war between the United States and Russia over Ukraine. The United States does not have interests there that justify a war, and neither country is in a position militarily to fight a war. The Americans are not deployed for war, and the Russians are not ready to fight the United States.

But the events in Ukraine point to some realities. First, the power of countries shifts, and the Russians had substantially increased their military capabilities since the 1990s. Second, the divergent interests between the two countries, which seemed to disappear in the 1990s, re-emerged. Third, this episode will cause each side to reconsider its military strategy and capabilities, and future crises might well lead to conventional war, nuclear weapons notwithstanding. Ukraine reminds us that peer-to-peer conflict is not inconceivable, and that a strategy and defense policy built on the assumption has little basis in reality. The human condition did not transform itself because of an interregnum in which the United States could not be challenged; the last two decades are an exception to the rule of global affairs defined by war.

Though I am not sure if the human condition is really unchanged and that therefore global affairs must continue to be defined by war.

_http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/us-defense-policy-wake-ukrainian-affair

 

[angelburst29]

Violent Brawl at Kiev Parliament

_https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMavFBI8t94&feature=youtu.be



Mod note: This thread concerns the coup d'etat in Kiev, Ukraine, in January 2014, and subsequent events leading up to the launch of the new Kiev regime's 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' in April 2014.

The current thread about the resulting civil war in Ukraine, and its ongoing regional and geopolitical ramifications, is here:

Civil War in Ukraine: Western Empire vs Russia