PUTIN : The most powerfull criminal in the World.. and his upside-down speach about Krim; -by assuming the high turnout means the referendum result reflects the will of the entire Crimean population, Mr Putin gives himself grounds to argue that most Crimean Tatars too want to join Russia - turning reality on its head. A veiled reminder for other former Soviet republics with Russian-speaking minorities to send a message that, as in Ukraine, Mr Putin views Russian compatriots there as part of a single Russian nation - and therefore conceivably might make moves to ensure their protection too, if he felt they needed it. The most controversial cases are the rebellious Russian speaking enclave of Trans-Dniester in Moldova (which this week also asked to join Russia) and the still unresolved issue of Russian speakers in the Baltics who for more than 20 years have remained technically stateless because they refuse to take language lessons to be eligible for local passports. But Mr Putin does not mention them explicitly. This is something Mr Putin says frequently - the importance of maintaining good relations with Ukraine, and with the Ukrainian people. But that is not the same of having good relations with the current Ukrainian government which he claims is illegitimate..! The lunatic continues : Inflammatory words- the basis of Mr Putins argument that the new Ukrainian authorities are illegitimate and Russia has to be prepared to act to protect compatriots. Claims that dangerous neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites are behind the new Kiev government, frequently repeated in the Russian media, justify the Kremlins argument that any Russian intervention would be based on humanitarian considerations. No mention of the pro-Moscow armed group who on the night of February 26 took over the parliament building in Crimea to enable pro-Moscow Crimean MPs to hold a hurried session to sack the previous Crimean prime minister. Once theyd replaced him, the new leader then approached Moscow to ask for help - and for permission to join Russia. Ahead of the referendum Russian troops and vehicles were seen deploying all over the Crimean peninsular, surrounding Ukrainian military sites and establishing checkpoints - which the Kiev authorities say definitely violated agreements that Russian forces should not move away from their bases without mutual agreement. Note how important it is for Mr Putin to be able to cite legal justification for Crimea rejoining Moscow. He wants to be able to rebut Western claims that this is a land grab and illegal annexation, to make the case at home and abroad that by redrawing the map and adding Crimea to Russia, his actions are entirely legitimate. Particularly ironic that Mr Putin thanks Ukrainian troops for refraining from bloodshed in Crimea - they were under orders from Kiev at all costs to avoid clashes in order not to give Moscow a pretext for a full scale Russian military intervention. Mr Putins belief that Ukraine is only the latest in a long running simmering confrontation between Russia and the West which is now out in the open - and which he sees is the result of the West refusing to treat Russia as an equal partner and repeatedly acting with double standards. His resentment against the West has been building for a long time. When Mr Putin says the West crossed a line with Ukraine, it suggests - probably on both sides - that this is much more serious and could be opening up a permanent rift in international relations. Mr Putin may call on the West to stop its Cold War hysterics, but this speech is woven through with Mr Putins own Cold War nostalgia and suspicions - from his belief that the West wants to contain Russia and never dismantled its secret Cold War technology transfer bans to Russia, and his lament earlier in the speech that the Soviet republics failed to keep a common statehood and stay together as a single space with one currency, one economy and shared armed forces... to his conviction that hostile foreign forces were behind the recent turmoil in Ukraine, intent on turning it away from Moscow. Mr Putin says he still wants to co-operate with the West, but accuses it of lies and betrayal; he says he does not want to divide Ukraine, but leaves open the option of intervening if he deems conditions there worsen. Lets not forget that a week ago at his press conference he said he was not considering the option of Crimea rejoining Russia. In this fast-moving crisis, there are no guarantees that what is said today will hold tomorrow. We will do everything we can to build civilised and good-neighbourly relations as one is supposed to in the modern world - Potentially chilling words for those inside Russia who oppose Mr Putin. Already some opposition blog sites have been taken down and some media platforms critical of the Kremlin put under more loyal management. Now Mr Putin is warning his domestic critics that if they dare act as national traitors theyll be accused of being a fifth column - working for hostile foreign interests. And, for good measure, any worsening of the Russian economy will be blamed on Western sanctions. He is laying the ground for putting Russia on an emergency footing, where everything is justified in the name of national security. There is no doubt that the re-uniting of Crimea with Russia is popular with many Russians. If Mr Putin was looking for a way to explain to his electorate why they still need him as president, this crisis works beautifully. It appeals to patriotism, it invokes an enemy without which requires a strong leader to hold the nation firm against foreign pressure. That all works well in the short term. The longer term is more unpredictable. We have a Liar and a deciever in the classroom.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 12:18:10 +0000