The Siege of Sevastopol Threatens War

[newthinking]

The Siege of Sevastopol Threatens War
by Howard Friel



Naval ships of Ukraine in Sevastopol, 2007. (wikimedia/creative commons)

A U.S. National Endowment for Democracy (NED) “Resource Summary” for Fiscal Year 2013 says this about its policy toward Europe in 2013:

[blockquote {margin:30px 10px 10px 50px;}]The objective of the Endowment in most of the countries where it is active in the Europe region is “helping new democracies to succeed.” For Eastern and Southeastern Europe, this goal is best met through these countries’ accession to the European Union and NATO (italics added).

In the same paragraph, the NED lists Ukraine as its first priority in Europe as follows: “In the Europe region, the 2013 priority countries will include Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Kosovo.”

Likewise, a U.S. State Department “Budget Summary” for Fiscal Year 2013 says this about Ukraine:

[blockquote {margin:30px 10px 10px 50px;}]U.S. assistance aims to promote the development of a democratic, prosperous, and secure Ukraine, fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community as it struggles to overcome the effects of the global financial crisis and worsening backsliding on democratic reform (italics added).

Given that the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based in Sevastopol, Crimea, which as of now is part of Ukraine, my question is: How does the Obama administration expect Russia to respond to the U.S.-led effort to “integrate” Ukraine, including the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, into the NATO military alliance? Isn't this where the provocation lies? Why not avert a military showdown with Russia, which is reportedly massing troops near Crimea, and thus avoid the risk of major war, by letting the citizens of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea decide whether to secede from Ukraine, just as the U.S. supported the will of the people in Kosovo to secede from Serbia in 2008?

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/03/14-6

[BeyondGeography]

1. Also, Ukrainians make three times less than Poles and their prices are higher

Thanks Obama.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. running around the planet "endowing democracy"

on unsuspecting nations really should not be our job.
esp. on ocuntries that have not asked to be ...endowed.

Poor Ukraine...the IMF is now threatening to help.

[sabrina 1]

3. War is good, lots of profit to be made from war. So long as they don't have to fight or their

families. Only if they start a war in Ukraine, it will be a different story from Iraq.

[Catherina]

4. Rec'd n/t