Let me give you a bit of background as I understand it.
Yulia Tymoshenko was formerly heading up the Ukraine. She's not a big Vlad fan and finally gets jailed in 2011 on shady as shit charges of abuse of power during her time as leader. Is she probably corrupt somewhat? Yeah. Corrupt as the rest of that region? Not even. Anyhow, a Putin-approved stooge magically gets her job. No one likes the fucker. He's a tool, he's a douche, he sucks at being prez, and he's clearly in someone's back pocket. Contrary to what Kramer thinks, the Ukraine is not weak. Takes them 2-3 years to get things into gear, though. I assume that's half the length of the average Eastern European hangover (the other half of the time being a long vodka binge).
The Ukraine Parliament impeaches him recently amid anti-gov't protests (got to love the Olympics), they free Yulia. Ukraine is now in a state of revolution and wants to get the fuck away from everything to do with Russia (like all the shitty trade treaties) and run to the EU or just the rest of Europe, which would almost certainly happen if Yulia runs for reelection.
"Just days after the world came to Russia for the Olympic Games, that would invite the condemnation of nations around the world," he said. "The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine."
Yeah. We might stop trading with you ... well, maybe we'll just trade a bit less. That'll fucking teach you. There will be costs, goddamnit.
Edited By Malcolm on 1393698341
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
I heard we are violating a couple recent treaties by NOT helping the Ukraine. Something about they gave up their nukes for NATO protection. Now they aint getting NATO protection and have no nukes to keep Russia out.
Obama is such a good leader.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
GORDON wrote:I heard we are violating a couple recent treaties by NOT helping the Ukraine. Something about they gave up their nukes for NATO protection. Now they aint getting NATO protection and have no nukes to keep Russia out.
Obama is such a good leader.
I was about to add, "Shit, at least when Saddam went for Kuwait, it was partially about the cash."
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
“You said Russia. Not Al Qaida. You said Russia,” Obama said regarding biggest threats. “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because…the cold war’s been over for 20 years.”
Think the Sunday shows will play that clip from the debate to demonstrate how fundamentally wrong Obama was?
"... and then I was forced to walk the Trail of Tears." - Elizabeth Warren
“You said Russia. Not Al Qaida. You said Russia,” Obama said regarding biggest threats. “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because…the cold war’s been over for 20 years.”
Think the Sunday shows will play that clip from the debate to demonstrate how fundamentally wrong Obama was?
Yeah, Palin was right, but I don't expect that to be aired outside of Fox News.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
TheCatt wrote:Go Canada! Way to follow our lead! Wait...
I'm relatively sure the French will take a stronger stance on this than the US does.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
"Our position is very different. Our position is completely legitimate. If we use force … we have received a request from a legitimate president. Also we have hisorical [sic] and cultural ties with those people. And this is a humanitarian mission. It's not our goal to conquer somebody."
That's the back-handed verbal equivalent of a dick slap across the face.
"Dudes, the prez I put in is totally legit. And we got history with these people. Sure, a lot of it's us keeping them under the heel of a jackboot, but that still counts as history."
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Someone who pissed off Vlad. They have the radioactive equivalent of a fingerprint that says, "Made in Russia."
Ninety seven percent of the world's legal polonium-210 (210Po) production occurs in Russia in RBMK reactors. About 85 grams (450,000 Ci) are produced by Russia annually. According to Sergei Kiriyenko, the head of Russia's state atomic energy agency, RosAtom, all of it goes to U.S. companies through a single authorized supplier.
... This of course does not exclude the possibility that the polonium that killed Litvinenko was imported by a licensed commercial distributor, but no one—including the Russian government—has proposed that this is likely, particularly in regard to the radiation detected on the British Airways passenger jets travelling between Moscow and London.
But there's no way they could trace it to the exact reactor.
It is assumed by Litvinenko's wife and his close confidant that British investigators were able to identify the place and time of production of polonium used to poison Litvinenko, but their findings remain unpublished.
Edited By Malcolm on 1394085200
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
That sense of calm has now dissipated in Kiev and there is a steely determination in its place. Young men and women volunteer for the armed forces; diplomatic efforts are increasing to avoid a war that would be all the more brutal because it will be between nations whose shared history and familial ties run deep. Most in Ukraine are opposed to a war but the Ukrainian people will fight to preserve their country, and we will help.
Written by a native kiwi who's only in Kiev because his wife's grandparents live there. He sounds ready to pick up an assault rifle if need be.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Crimea votes to rejoin Russia. Russia says the vote is legit. The US and EU beg to differ.
Russia on Saturday vetoed a draft UN resolution criticising the vote - the only Security Council member to vote against it.
Moscow's main ally China abstained, ensuring Russia's isolation.
The US and EU had warned they would impose further tough sanctions on Russian officials if the referendum went ahead.
In short: US and EU point and angrily shake their fingers.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
“There is just no way these figures are right,” said Mustafa Abliazov, a member of the Simferopol council for Crimean Tatars, pointing to a Monday newspaper headline. “It was clear they decided way ahead of time that everything would be falsified. For Tatars, this is a big threat,” he said. “We are an unarmed and law-abiding people, but how can we tolerate something like this?”
I think that last sentence may be exaggerating because nice, unarmed people tend to end up dead in that part of the world.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
