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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMoscow signals concern for Russians in Estonia
Russia has defended its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula by arguing it has the right to protect Russian-speakers outside its borders, so the reference to linguistic tensions in another former Soviet republic comes at a highly sensitive moment.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/19/us-russia-estonia-idUSBREA2I1J620140319
And away we go.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)DavidDvorkin
(19,504 posts)Or so I've read on DU.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)If it waddles like a duck, quacks like a duck, swims and has feathers like a duck; then it's either a duck or some other closely related waterfowl.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)it is actually closer to that.
Regardless, this is starting to get very serious. It was just serious.
Beacool
(30,253 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Hate to have to fight a war here.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)This is their country.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)But there is a bright side to this. The chicken-hawks will likely have to fight, and will not be able to deny the damage war does. They are ok, as long as they are fought over there.
I said I was getting in the dark department. (You really do not want to be around as hubby and I drive to major fires, we get really dark)
riversedge
(70,413 posts)Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)why don't they go back to Russia? They have had 23 years to pack up and move back.
Answer: The Russians living in Estonia know life there is much better than in Mother Russia.
Better economy, more freedom, better living conditions, more opportunities.
Also, I would not be at all surprised if Moscow doesn't send them fat checks periodically to stay in Estonia and bitch about how "terribly" Estonia treats them.
The language policy is that Estonians want people living in Estonia to know enough of the Estonian language to be able to vote. Is that so terrible?
When the Russians occupied Estonia from 1944 to 1991, they forced Estonians to speak Russian as the official language, forced Estonian school children to be taught only in Russian. In other words, they imposed their own language on the Estonians for almost 50 years. Why then, can't the Estonians ask that people who live in their country master a small amount of basic Estonian?
The Russians are total hypocrites. They want things their way, but they wouldn't stand for being treated the same way by others.
Note: I'm Estonian-American and have close relatives in Estonia.
William769
(55,148 posts)joeybee12
(56,177 posts)ANd it makes me vomit how many people here at DU are buying the shit about how it's the will of the Ukranian people to go back to Russia...fuck them.
sabbat hunter
(6,839 posts)defenders now?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)but... it is bad enough... somehow Russia and Montenegro in oh 1912 come to mind.
davidn3600
(6,342 posts)If Russia puts troops in Estonia, the NATO treaty demands we declare war.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)Article 5 to be specific
DavidDvorkin
(19,504 posts)MerryBlooms
(11,776 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)Maybe they're next, after the Baltics. Putin trying to rebuild CCCP?
DavidDvorkin
(19,504 posts)nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)This is the Russian Empire under the last Tzar
Xithras
(16,191 posts)And Pakistan is both a nuclear power AND the homeland to lots of religious nuts who would go all jihadi on Russia if they tried, so they may be safer than the rest.
Overall, I think a modern invasion of the Stan's would make Chechnya look like a cakewalk. I don't think Russia could afford it.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Ex Lurker
(3,816 posts)And if he goes into Estonia, this means war.
CFLDem
(2,083 posts)I just don't think the West would respond militarily to anything Putin does east of Poland.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)By treaty obligations alone, we would be at war.
JustAnotherGen
(32,000 posts)Seriously. I've stayed pretty quiet on this stuff as I do not like war - I've almost become a complete pacifist. But it's obvious that his billionaire masters in Russia want this stupidity and they are going to continue to egg him on in this until someone says "You just can't make shit up and then act on it."
He's making shit up now . . .
Beacool
(30,253 posts)What's next, Brighton Beach? Maybe those Russians are repressed too.
laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)but noooo, it was just about repressed Russians in Crimea that wanted the right to self-determination, nothing else. Putin said he would stop there!
Um, yeah, right and I have a bridge to sell you.