War in Ukraine

I see CNN have managed to do it again:

WTF?

Yup; they clearly forgot their instructions to blame Russia for everything.

I do hope that someone did didn't do that on purpose.....

wars: terrible thing.

Terrible indeed, Pedro, and all but a few are just a senseless waste of life. This is one of the senseless ones, IMO.

bb1, I agree with you.

Just watching Putin get an extremely warm welcome in Cairo - no danger of him getting frisked by security as Kerry was.

This may be because the Egyptians know he won't try to regime-change them and install the Muslim Brotherhood, as Obama did.

There is also zero chance of the Muslim brotherhood being invited to the Kremlin for cosy chats, as Obama did recently.

Has Obama not noticed it isn't Russia that's being isolated, it's him?

Isolated? No....he is the most important person in the world, so how could that be?

It's early days, but it looks like there is a chance that the people who are actually involved in this mess may be coming to some kind of agreement:

http://rt.com/news/231003-minsk-ukraine-peace-plan/

The creation of a demilitarized zone in southeast Ukraine and the start of a peace dialogue between Kiev and the rebels are to top the agenda of the ‘Normandy Four’ talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, on Wednesday, a source told RIA Novosti.

During the talks, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Germany and France are expected to insist on Russia taking responsibility for controlling the establishment of the demilitarized zone in southeast Ukraine, the source added.

Meanwhile, Russia believes that it’s the OSCE that should be responsible for the establishment of the demilitarized zone.

Those proposals were voiced by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande during talks with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday, the source said.

According to the source “permanent dialogue” would require representatives of Kiev and the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk to meet every two or three weeks.

READ MORE: Ukraine crisis: Putin, Poroshenko, Hollande, Merkel voice plans for Minsk meeting

The ‘Normandy Four’ leaders believe the outcome of the Minsk talks will determine the US decision on whether to supply arms to the Kiev authorities, the source said.

The rebel forces assured Moscow that they’re ready to implement a ceasefire as soon as Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko gives the same order to the Ukrainian military.

Biden will have to break it gently to his cokehead son that the cushy job is off....

Time will tell, but jaw-jaw is always better than the alternative.

http://www.infowars.com/china-may-arm-hawaiian-independence-movement/

According to a report filed by Bill Gertz at The Washington Free Beacon, China may provide Hawaiian independence movements with weapons.

Gertz cites Michael Pillsbury, a Pentagon consultant and author of the recent book 100 Year Marathon, who says the Chinese plan to send arms is a response to U.S. weapons sent to Taiwan.

“Beijing’s extraordinary sensitivity to American arms sales to Taiwan—even one bullet or a spare tire for a jeep—often provokes angry words,” said Pillsbury.

Pillsbury was told about the proposal by a number of Chinese generals and military hawks known as “ying pai.”

Seems fair. After all, the US did, quite undeniably annexe Hawaii and depose their queen. And they can't really moan if the locals decide to hand Pearl Harbour over to the Chinese Navy.

They thought they were entitled to help themselves to the Hero City of Sevastopol - or is that different?

Mind you, I somehow suspect that 'ying pai' is Chinese for Wind Up Merchant.

You are most likely right, Bonny. I think there would be many property owners there extremely upset.....and who knows, maybe Obama bought there.

It is looking, fingers crossed, like Europe, Ukraine and Russia are going to pull back from the brink:

http://rt.com/news/231327-minsk-peace-talks-updates/

16:33 GMT:
Merkel, Hollande and Poroshenko are going to meet before talks with Putin, a delegation source has told AFP.

16:32 GMT:
Poroshenko has said he is “crossing his fingers” that today’s meeting will be successful and enter the annuals of world diplomacy.

16:29 GMT:
Ukrainian President V Poroshenko expects to reach a decision to de-escalate the situation in the Donbass as a result of the “Normady 4” peace summit in Minsk, Belarus.

"The whole world is waiting for the situation in Ukraine to go down a path of de-escalation, [for a] cease-fire and withdrawal of arms, or the situation will spiral out of control,” Interfax cites him as saying.

This will no doubt be a great disappointment to the lunatics in Washington that imagine it's a good idea to start a war with Russia - I've just seen one on Fox.

Some ex-general or other seemed to think Russian forces are weak, not a patch on the US military - the only thing missing from his bizarre pronouncements was, It'll all be over by Christmas... Clearly, he hasn't heard about what happened to the USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea. Or been told that the US has just had to flee its embassy in Yemen, having been chased out by local guerillas.

Hunter Biden will be broken-hearted. However will he pay his coke dealer now?

Maybe Daddy always helps out?

When the history books are written, then the Hunter Biden business is, IMO, going to be seen as the incident which destroyed the credibility of US policy on Ukraine more than any other, Lily.

Even people who don't follow the details of these things grasped the corruption instantly.

The US causes a coup in the Ukraine? And then the Vice President's son gets a cushy job in their energy sector? WTF?

It did irreparable damage, IMO.

It will be a while before the history books will write that here, Bonny. Elsewhere, yes please.....

In the name....

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-11/checkpoint-charlie-back-ukraine-starts-building-new-berlin-wall

This is starting to happen once again… now in Ukraine. The ongoing conflict with Russia has fueled a resurgence in totalitarianism.

Two days ago, the government registered a draft to ‘improve’ the criminal code of Ukraine, essentially making it a crime to even question Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

In other words, if you don’t buy the Ukrainian government’s official (and US-funded) propaganda, you’re looking at up to three years in prison.

In addition, the Ukrainian government has been arresting people who criticize the war, and they’ve established a hotline where people can rat out anyone with anti-government views.

They’ve also forcibly impressed citizens into military service (and thrown people in jail who refuse).

And as of this morning, the government of Ukraine started… “reinforcing”… the defenses of Kiev with eight barricaded checkpoints.

Why? In order to protect citizens from terrorist attacks.Walls are never, ever erected to keep people out. They’re built to trap people inside.

Not entirely true, Hadrian's Wall was to keep, er, us out, and the Great Wall of China was to keep assorted barbarians out.

Those two aside, yes, nowadays there's only one reason for them. Also, there have been a few reports of trouble in Western Ukraine; not unreasonably, the male and female conscripts of all ages have no great desire to get killed for the greater glory of H. Biden and co.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/conscripted-soldiers-of-west-ukraine-refuse-to-fight-against-donbass-rebels/5393190

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/07/joe-biden-iowa-2016_n_6636156.html

No comment necessary?

It looks like there might just be a peace deal:

http://rt.com/news/231327-minsk-peace-talks-updates/

Wednesday, February 11
19:17 GMT:
A document that is planned to be signed after the talks is being reviewed by both the “Normandy summit” members and by the contact group, Belarus Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey said.

“To achieve a positive result, the approval of all participants is required,” he said.

19:13 GMT:
The four leaders are planning to sign a joint declaration on the implementation of the Minsk agreement, a source in the Belarusian capital has told Interfax-Ukraine.

“The signing of a joint declaration on the implementation of the Minsk agreements is planned,” the source said.

It is also expected that a tripartite contact group in Minsk will agree on implementation plan for the Minsk agreements. "It is expected that the leaders of the ‘Normandy format’ will support this plan," he added.[i]


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-11/stocks-jump-reported-minsk-summit-cease-fire-deal

Asks the question,[i] Now what will Obama do?

Probably get the boys from Langley to stage a fake 'outrage' involving fake Russian passports.

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden will visit the early caucus state of Iowa next week, stirring speculation once again about the possibility of a presidential run in 2016.

Oh FFS.

bb1 wrote:WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden will visit the early caucus state of Iowa next week, stirring speculation once again about the possibility of a presidential run in 2016.

Oh FFS.

Well said.

Probably get the boys from Langley to stage a fake 'outrage' involving fake Russian passports.


He does seem to enjoy fakes.....

BBC World News:   Ceasefire in  Eastern Ukraine agreed.    LL

More here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/12/ukraine-crisis-reports-emerge-of-agreement-in-minsk-talks

Yes, it looks like they have a framework to stop it, finally, LL. More here, with reaction from Germany and others:

http://rt.com/news/231327-minsk-peace-talks-updates/

10:02 GMT:
Minsk-2 is not exactly a breakthrough, but it should steer everyone away from the path of escalation in Donbass, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says.

I hope it holds; Donbass seem to have got what they wanted, but I can see there being some very angry people in Kiev and Washington.

IMO, the sane thing to do is to treat Ukraine like a buffer state, and give it incentives to behave in return. It's not going to get into NATO any time in the forseeable future, or the EU.

Norway should take Obama's peace prize off him and give it to Angela Merkel - she's certainly earned it, with her work to stop this madness, and I have great respect for the woman, even if I don't agree with her centralised politics.

I propose an even simpler resolution - you wanna be a Russian, move to east Ukraine, you wanna remain a Ukrainian, move to the Republic of Ukraine, then close the border between the two areas, kind of like the Koreas.   Simples, but I don't expect anyone to agree with me and I don't really wnat tlo opine or discuss it anyway.    Wonder where the next area of conflict will be?   LL