Will Ukraine Continue to Exist as a Sovereign State? Essay by Richard DeLong (my Former Son in Law)
Last edited Wed Mar 19, 2014, 07:25 PM - Edit history (1)
Richard is my former Son in Law and has lived in the Ukraine for most of the last 12 years. He is the reason my Daughter still lives in Kyiv to this day.
His understanding of the people and culture of Ukraine is very high. He is a very intelligent and kind hearted man and I respect him deeply.
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For many years I've said a terrible thing to my Ukrainian friends in private conversations:
"I don't even know if Ukraine will exist in twenty years."
The country has only been independent for a little over two decades and suffers from deep — though hardly insurmountable — political, cultural, and linguistic divisions. It has historically not remained independent for lengthy periods of time, and regional wars tend to rewrite its boundaries. Even though a whole generation has grown up accustomed to the idea of an independent Ukraine, a sense of fragility has always lingered in the air.
It appears that Ukraine's moment of truth has arrived. The country currently known as Ukraine is now at a historical crossroads. The range of possible near-term scenarios is more or less clear, but there is absolutely no certainty as to which path the country will take.
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An interesting read that will help anyone who wishes to understand the situation in Ukraine.
He was also interviewed in a new documentary "My Revolution" which I posted a link to in the video section here at the DU.
MH
http://tryukraine.blogspot.com/2014/03/will-ukraine-continue-to-exist-as.html
here is the link to my posting in the video section...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017181757
= new reply since forum marked as read
As I stated ... I know Richard well and although he is the first to admit he doesn't know everything ...he certainly understands the people and the culture.
of course the Taliban were Reagan's "Freedom Fighters" and the Kmer Rouge were assisted into power by the U.S. also.
At some point the consciousness of man has to be great enough to rule with honesty and integrity. I realize that we are a long way from that being the case but Ukrainians should be allowed to determine their own destiny.
If they put in power corrupt leaders the people will hopefully eventually see that and demand changes and that is what we are seeing today.
Thanks for you input and perspective.
As I stated Rick is a good man and has traveled the world. He is an avid hiker and once hiked the entire Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada averaging about 25 or so miles a day for over 3 months. 
He and my Daughter hiked from Southern Colorado to Northern Colorado over a 3 week period.
I have never met a man quite like him...very determined and focused.
With the input of the others also interviewed you get a decent feel to what the mindset has been for the vast majority of Ukrainians.
Check out the video also...it's very well done....
former son-in-law who lives in the Ukraine.
My Daughter actually met him in Ukraine while in college. She had volunteered to help at an orphanage one summer near Kyiv and needed a translator. He happened to be the person she hired.
He came from a Mormon family and had went on a mission for the church and never really came back to the U.S. He loved the country and the people and even though he distanced himself from the LDS faith he stayed in Ukraine and then started hiking trails around the world always returning to Ukraine.
the world.
He is quite the philosopher! As I said he is very intelligent yet admits he doesn't know it all.
Sounds like a very interesting chap!
I have a hard time believing that places that voted 70%, 80%, and 90% (see below) for a leader that this Maidan movement drove from office can be talked into sticking around.
I have seen these numbers in the past and it is apparent with these percentages that indeed that could happen. Putin justified taking Crimea because of the "Russian" speaking people... I am sure he feels the same way with eastern Ukraine.
