Ukraine Crisis

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26304129

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/27/ukraine-yanukovych-whereabouts/5857331/

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

From Yanukovych's statement:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/27/ukraine-pro-russian-gunmen-seize-crimea-parliament-live-updates

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

And even then (as we saw in Georgia), NATO membership is not a guarantee of immunity.      

What does NATO have to do with Georgia?

[Mr. Morden]

If this is right, it suggests that a Russian takeover of Crimea won't be sustainable…..unless they also take over a decent chunk of the rest of eastern Ukraine:

link

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

Ummmm……   http://www.buzzfeed.com/johnstanton/house-ukraine-caucus-chair-some-group-had-to-step-in-to-medi

[Mr. Morden]

Here's what Putin wrote in a NYT op/ed back in September, urging the US not to intervene in Syria:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?_r=2&

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

OFF TOPIC: This thread has so far added at least two people onto my ignore list. Please, I like to think of myself as kind. I don't want to add more.

If only Obama's threats had been as tough as this, Putin wouldn't have invaded.

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/world/europe/russias-hand-can-be-seen-in-the-protests.html?_r=0

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

Putin: I have no intention of annexing Crimea.

Then what, exactly, is his intentions?

Supporting the Crimeans in their quest for independence from the evil Neo-Nazi Ukrainians of course.  But he won't annex Crimea any more than he will annex Abkhazia, South Ossetia, or Transnistria.

Yeah, it actually serves his purposes more for Crimea to remain "disputed" in the sense of Abkhzia, Transnistria, etc., than for it to be officially absorbed into Russia in a way that's internationally recognized.  If Ukraine includes territory whose status remains disputed like that, then it's less likely to be admitted into NATO, the EU, etc.

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/08/world/europe/ukraine.html?hpw&rref=world&_r=0

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

Not good (re: the possibility of Russia intervening in Ukraine outside of Crimea):

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/14/russia-warning-fatal-clashes-ukraine-donetsk-protect-compatriots

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Mr. Morden]

Godwin ought to become an infractable offense.

You know who else suggested new infractable offenses?  That's right….Hitler.