I simply do not understand how, and why, so many seemingly intelligent and college educated people continue to compare Putins actions in Crimea and the Ukraine to Hitlers annexation of parts of other European nations in Europe during the late-1930s. The current geo-political situation with Russia and Ukraine has only a marginal similarity to 1930s Europe and Nazi German annexation of ethnic-German parts of nations created after WWI. Hitlers ultimate goal was a German Third Reich that would encompass ALL of Europe, including Great Britain and Ireland. What amazes me is the almost total ignorance and understanding of Russian history and its non-Western mindset by so-called educated Americans, not to mention Europeans and the English (who have little room to turn their noses up at supposed empire expansionism). After the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, Moscow assumed for itself the title of the Third and Final Rome and became the Defender of the Slavs and Protector of Holy Orthodoxy. The encroachment of the Latin Catholic Teutonic Knights into the Baltic states (and their defeat by St. Alexander Nevsky), the invasion of large areas of western Russia (Ukraine) by Catholic Poland, and similar invasions of the Baltic lands and parts of western Russia by Protestant Sweden drove Russia to create a buffer zone between itself and Europe with its alien, Catholic and Protestant belief systems (both political, religious and cultural) that sprang from the Renaissance, and later, rationalism. Russia and its people are NOT European or western in temperament and cultural experience. Clearly, the U.S., NATO, the EU and Britain have a vested economic and political interest in Ukraine and Crimea, so they are not acting as the great saviors of Ukrainian freedom. Im not defending what its done so far (and may continue to do) in re: Crimea and Ukraine. Im only suggesting that Putins Russia is only following the historical route taken by Russia against western incursions into what it believes is its sphere of national interest. As I democratic socialist, I stand against any and all forms of nationalism. (American, Chinese,EU AND British). But I at least understand the why of Putins actions. Lastly, the U.S. gets slammed by Europe and the British when it meddles in the affairs of nations outside both British and European spheres of interest, but begs for help when its own interests are threatened by the Russian bear. Before we go out of our way to protect European and British economic interests, we have a few of our own deeply disturbing socioeconomic and political quagmires to attend to. Many of us here wish political entities across the pond would stop holding out their hands (like Oliver Twist) to Uncle Sam, asking for, more, sir, and allow us to feed our own, hungry citizens (literally, politically, and socially).
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:24:05 +0000