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| Europe |
| 12 Signs That Russia Is Ready To Fight A War Over Crimea |
| 2014-03-01 |
| Russia will never, ever give up Crimea without a fight. Anyone that thinks otherwise is just being delusional. The Russian Black Sea fleet's main base at Sevastopol is far too strategically important. In addition, ethnic Russians make up approximately 60 percent of the population of Crimea, and most of the population is rabidly pro-Russian. In fact, many prominent Crimean politicians are already calling for reunification with Russia. So if you have been thinking that Russia is just going to fold up shop and go home now that pro-European protesters have violently seized power in Kiev, you can quit holding your breath. The truth is that Russia is more than willing to fight a war over Crimea. And considering the fact that vitally important pipelines that pump natural gas from Russia to the rest of Europe go right through Ukraine, it is not likely that Russia will just willingly hand the rest of Ukraine over to the U.S. and the EU either. If the U.S. and the EU push too hard in Ukraine, a major regional war may erupt which could ultimately lead to something much larger. Russia and Ukraine have very deep historical ties. Most Americans may not think that Ukraine is very important, but the Russians consider Ukraine to be of the utmost strategic importance. As an American, how would you feel if another nation funded and organized the violent overthrow of the democratically-elected Canadian government and replaced it with a government that was virulently anti-American? By doing this to Ukraine, the United States and the EU are essentially sticking a pin in Russia's eye. Needless to say, Russia is extremely angry at this point and they are gearing up for war. The following are 12 signs that Russia is ready to fight a war over Crimea... |
| Posted by:g(r)omgoru |
| #25 As an American, how would you feel if another nation funded and organized the violent overthrow of the democratically-elected Canadian government and replaced it with a government that was virulently anti-American? Hmm, I've already watched them subvert and more or less impose a non-democratic, totalitarian government in Venezuela over the last decade and a half (or more, the process started even before 9/11). |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2014-03-01 22:14 |
| #24 One way to exit A-stan would be a mass march through an Arc-lit path through Iran. Or Pakistan. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2014-03-01 20:47 |
| #23 Just a hint, Besoeker? Loose lips, g(r)omgoru. Let it go. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-03-01 19:51 |
| #22 ..re my suggestion that Mr. Obama step aside for Mr. Bide: never mind.. |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-03-01 17:55 |
| #21 Just a hint, Besoeker? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-03-01 16:43 |
| #20 I don't have time for debating societies or discussions regarding the proper height of a mechitzah. I'm just a common lad, but I know a thing or two about logistics in that region. Please just take my word for it g(r)om. You don't need a Russian solution. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-01 16:35 |
| #19 For example? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-03-01 16:28 |
| #18 If you depend on the "good will" of a foking Russian g(r)om, you DESERVE the meat grinder. There are other ways in and out of the Stans I can assure you. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-01 16:27 |
| #17 Besoeker, your forces' in Afghanistan resupply and, eventual, evacuation depends on Russia's good will. In other words "if you were stupid enough to stick your d*ck in a meat grinder, don't annoy the guy with his finger on the button". |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-03-01 16:17 |
| #16 No g(r)om, not on that [nation building] scale. Vlad's winning does not necessarily mean everyone else has to lose. Just enuf gamesmanship to anger Vlad, make him think about his actions, and ensure he knows there is a price to pay. Other clandestine remedies could also be applied, but they are a bit too sinister for this forum. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-01 16:04 |
| #15 Besoeker, one word Afghanistan. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-03-01 15:56 |
| #14 Meanwhile, in Moscow, the Tass Agency had published a statement in the early morning alleging that “party and government leaders” in Czechoslovakia had asked the Soviet Union and other allied States “to render the fraternal Czechoslovak people urgent assistance, including assistance with armed forces.” The Tass statement continued: “This request was brought about by the threat which has arisen to the socialist system in Czechoslovakia, a threat emanating from the counter-revolutionary forces which have entered into collusion with foreign forces hostile to socialism. |
| Posted by: European Conservative 2014-03-01 14:51 |
| #13 Just to make it more interesting, perhaps some advanced satellite imagery and signals intelligence could be provided the struggling rebels in Syria. The same could be provided to other Former Soviet Union (FSU) members, just to calm jittery nerves....that sort of thing. Discreet assistance could also be provided Chechnyan groups as well. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-01 14:32 |
| #12 I'm thinking... using the grievances of the Cuban Refugees in Miami ... perhaps it time to repeat the Crimea logic upon Havana! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2014-03-01 14:01 |
| #11 Just offer Russia a 999 year lease on the ports for $1 / year. Take the issue off the table. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2014-03-01 12:52 |
| #10 If you really want to make 'them' pay for this, repeal the law prohibiting the export of oil and gas from the US and unleash the private development and exploitation of our own resources. It'll drive the price of their export cash cow to the basement. Just like hitting the ME money sources of terrorism. Take away the oil leverage and what do they have with the rest of the world? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-03-01 12:50 |
| #9 Again, I'm with Old Spook on this one. Which is why, if I were a) President b) General Secretary of the UN c) Chancellor of Germany or d) a movie star -- -- I'd be working to offer Crimea and eastern Ukraine a peaceful, amicable divorce from the rest, much the way Czechoslovakia separated. You don't want to be part of us? No problem, sign here. Crimea has been Russian for 400 years. It was glued to the Ukraine in the early 50s as realpolitik -- so as to ensure that the returning Tatars and Cossacks (that Stalin had forcibly removed before) wouldn't run things, by having the "politically reliable" Ukrainians in charge. Well, they aren't so reliable any more. Attach the Crimea and east to Russia and let the west go their own way. Let them join the EU, that will guarantee their powerlessness and impotence. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2014-03-01 12:32 |
| #8 ..with an American President |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-03-01 12:17 |
| #7 What do they mean if a war...isn't that already established. Just because nobody is shooting means nothing. Russian interest in the Crimea goes back to, what, the 1500s, and is considered so strategic they have fought to the last man twice (Crimean War, WW II) to hold that territory. Its their best place to maintain ships in the Black Sea, its a natural campaign launch point, and after being rebuilt post WW II Sevastopal also wears a hat of military history monument & rememberance. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-03-01 11:56 |
| #6 As an American, how would you feel if another nation funded and organized... the democratically-elected Canadian government and replaced it with a government that was virulently anti-American? You mean like Quebec? |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2014-03-01 11:46 |
| #5 this Stupid son of a bitch. I would replace 'stupid" with "vicious, malicious and woefully ignorant", but otherwise, yeah what OS said on all counts. Russia has always been touchy about what goes on at the borders of the motherland, and with good historical reason. To think they would back away from this due to stern finger-wagging is delusional. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2014-03-01 11:14 |
| #4 And the press continues to cover for this Stupid son of a bitch. Posted by OldSpook A particularly offensive steretype. Honest, God fearing 'stupid son's of bitches' everywhere will likely be very offended. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-01 10:16 |
| #3 What will happen, given how inept the Obama administration is, is a plebiscite will be held, and the Crimea will vote itself out of the Ukranian federation, and into the Russian federation. Same goes for the Russian majority eastern provinces. No war needed. Just like the diplomats and Democrats want. What's left of the Ukraine is a fiscal basket case that the West has to bail out, and which Putin can manipulate via trade and threats. In the end Putin gets defacto control and the west is stuck with the bill. Why did this happen? Obama was not paying attention months ago when this started looking serious, and years ago when the wheels fell off politically and economically. Proper action then would have averted this whole mess. But there was nothing in it for Obama to glorify himself, nor to beat up republicans with, so he ignored it. And the press continues to cover for this Stupid son of a bitch. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-03-01 09:48 |
| #2 BINGO! OS nails it. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-01 09:36 |
| #1 Huge error: the Ukranians rebelled themselves, no us EU involvement. Does the author genuinely believe that this administration would actually actively do something that bold? Obama? Come on. The author is clearly self-deluded and paranoid. But then again, so are many Russians, apparently. Ukraine has fractured along ethnic lines due to Putins Russian buddy and his criminal cohorts, who were becoming more and more dictatorial whilst looting the national treasury. The Russians have nobody to blame but themselves, the stupid strong-man worshiping fools. And there will be no contesting the Crimea. It's an anomaly, and should not be part of Ukraine. Khrushchev just tacked it on there as a political gift; Crimean return to Russian association is simply reversing that historical error. Damned Russians and Euros are still tribal below the surface, just like the African, Arabs, afghanis, etc. the only difference seems to be the latter wear their tribalism openly. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-03-01 09:31 |