War in Ukraine

What happened last time Britain shoved its oar in in that part of the world:

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/the_crimean_war_1853-1856.htm


British - Total of 21,097 dead; 2,755[4] killed in action,
2,019 died of wounds, 16,000-16,323 died of disease

I think that the sons, daughters and relatives of the politicians should be first in line. Oh and the politicians themselves so they can tell everyone why they like it.

They might just think it a bad idea....

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2015/02/whats-behind-ukraines-secret-weapons-deal-uae.html

What’s Behind Ukraine’s Secret Weapons Deal with UAE
Posted on February 24, 2015 by Eric Zuesse.
Eric Zuesse

U.S. President Barack Obama apparently is going ahead with his plan for NATO missiles to be placed in Ukraine aimed against Moscow, but found a way to do it that won’t violate the warnings by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin against Washington’s directly supplying those arms to Ukraine (such as is demanded of Obama by congressional Republicans, and even by a few hawkish Democrats — all passionate supporters of Hillary Clinton). Obama’s subordinate (or dependent local leader), the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, is now arranging to receive those weapons via a less direct channel; and this arrangement couldn’t happen if the U.S. White House were opposed to it. The idea might even have originated inside the White House.

On Tuesday, 24 February 2015, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, Poroshenko placed the finishing touches on the purchase of Western, mainly U.S., weapons, via the UAE, from Western firms such as, perhaps, Lockheed, GE, Krupp, Euromissile, etc., which will be paid for by Western taxpayers, via IMF ‘loans’ to Ukraine, which money comes from taxpayer contributions to the IMF, but which ‘loans’ can never be paid back to the IMF — they’ll inevitably default, because these ‘loans’ are at the very end of the long line of creditors of Ukraine, which is a bankrupt country, having been looted for decades (and especially during the past year) by its aristocrats (called “oligarchs”), who have already spirited tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars off to Western tax-haven countries, so that only Ukraine’s public (who received little if any benefit from those debts of the Ukrainian Government) will pay even the pennies-on-the-dollars that Ukraine’s bondholders will be receiving (and the recipients will be only the holders of the oldest of Ukraine’s bonds, which won’t be the IMF, EU, or U.S., Ukraine’s post-coup ‘lenders’).

More on this scumbaggery at link.

I think it took the rest of the world oh, at least two seconds, to work out that the 'UAE arms' would all have MADE IN THE USA stamped on them.

Never mind, if the Kiev forces carry on as they have so far, three quarters of the weapons will be sold to the Donbass rebels within hours of them arriving.

Russia could be the bulwark that, along with the rest of Europe and America, could restrain Islamic extremism; but, since America’s aristocracy is primarily concerned with crushing Russia, Islamic terrorism will probably only continue to grow.

Quite. Washington and Whitehall has chosen, instead, to support neo-nazis and cannibal, muslim crazies.

Pensions are now set to be halved, even in the greatly depreciated Ukrainian currency; and public schooling is to be reduced to only 9 years. All of that IMF (and U.S., and EU) money goes instead to pay to mass-murder the residents in Ukraine’s former Donbass region, the area shown on this map in which the residents voted 90% for Viktor Yanukovych, whom Obama overthrew, and where all of the residents are officially ’terrorists.’ The phrase for that used to be: “free-fire zone.” Obama wants the residents exterminated, and the IMF and EU are going along with that.

The circuitous way in which Ukraine will be buying its weapons is designed to avoid triggering a declaration of war by Vladimir Putin, or else to make non-obvious to the public why he would be justified in doing so.

Only problem with this Cunning Plan is that no sane person believes for one minute that the UAE has suddenly become a big arms producer and exporter.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-25/ukraine-enters-hyperinflation-currency-trading-halted-soon-we-will-wwalk-around-suit

So as the Ukraine government watches its country go down in flames, with the blessings of the US State Department of course, it decided to take action. According to Reuters, with the hryvnia in free fall (see above) the central bank tried to call a halt on Wednesday by banning banks from buying foreign currency on behalf of their clients for the rest of this week.

Although banks could still trade with each other, by mid-morning there were no registered trades at any rate, leaving the currency in limbo. The previous day, the central bank rate based on reported trades had fallen 11 percent against the dollar.
Exchange kiosks on the streets in Kiev were selling limited amounts of dollars for 39 hryvnias, around 20 percent worse than the rates advertised in the windows of commercial banks where dollars were not available. This compares to the official rate of 33 USDUAH posted yesterday, a rate which will continue in freefall, now that the central bank has no more gold left to sell (it's mysteriously gone), and virtually no foreign reserves.

And the punchline: "A construction worker exchanging dollars at a kiosk in a grocery shop in return for a bag filled with thousands of hryvnia, laughed and told shoppers: "Soon we will have to walk around with suitcases for cash, like in the 1990s."

How can Ukraine be bankrupt? It supposedly has $$$$$$$$$$$$ to buy weapons with which to kill other Ukrainians.

Interesting news from Kiev - though as the Source is TASS, it's probably just a bit biased. It does tie in with growing reports that Ukraine is about to fall into the abyss, though.

http://tass.ru/en/world/779570

Anti-government protest in downtown Kiev escalates

World February 25, 16:46 UTC+3
Protesters are throwing Molotov cocktails at the building of the Prosecutor-General’s Office

KIEV, February 25. /TASS/. An anti-government demonstration in downtown Kiev escalated in scuffles on Wednesday afternoon, with 1,000 people already taking part in the event.
The clashes between National Guard troops, deployed near the central metro station Arsenalnaya, and the participants of a nationalist demonstration erupted after police had arrested several protesters.
Protesters are throwing Molotov cocktails at the building of the Prosecutor-General’s Office, saying that his just a "warning signal."
Major police and National Guard forces have been deployed to the centre of the city.
The disorder has engulfed Kiev’s Borispol airport where a group of Ukrainian paramilitaries, calling themselves the Battalion Brotherhood, threaten to suspend air links with the EU countries.
Dozens of people have been gathering near the key airport.

"The purpose of the rally is to demonstrate the military may easily upset air links with the EU countries, if their commanders fail to realize that support for Ukraine’s current authorities is criminal," the Ukrainski Noviny news portal quotes one of the demonstrators as saying.
Ukraine’s first ever strike by employees of the state-run transport enterprise has been announced at the airport.

Earlier this month, the Battalion Brotherhood, the relatives of the Kievan Rus battalion and members of the Mothers’ Council held a protest outside the country’s parliament.
The demonstrators demanded the introduction of martial law and the dismissal of all key government ministers and officials related with military, security and law enforcement affairs - from defence minister to prosecutor-general.
The activists were arrested after their attempt to storm the building had failed.
The protests in Ukraine come amid the economic crisis in the country. Earlier on Wednesday, the major power plants, Uglegorskaya and Slavyanskaya, suspended operation due to the lack of coal.
Ukraine’s Deputy Energy Minister Alexander Svetelik has warned of rotating power cuts if no fuel is delivered. Mobile phone and Internet services have been disrupted in the eastern Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian financial system is also about to collapse. Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has earlier acknowledged wrongful actions in the foreign currency policy of the country’s National Bank.

Yatsenyuk warned that the situation could negatively affect Ukraine’s economy.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ukraine’s ex-president Viktor Yanukovych told the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper that Ukraine is "falling into the abyss" as Kiev spends up to $7 million on the war per day.
Yanukovych said the living conditions of the population have significantly deteriorated, while corruption levels have skyrocketed with oligarchs usurping power and the freedom of speech has ended.

Oh, and in other wonderful Ukraine news, Putin is threatening to cut off the gas supply, as Kiev STILL hasn't paid their bill, despite being loaned billions to do so.

This, unfortunately, may affect gas supplies to Europe. But hey, they've lots of money to buy weapons!

And the TASS report would seem to be confirmed by the Right Sektor call to arms:



Apparently, they regard Porky and co as 'traitors'. Maybe some American woman with a bag of cookies should pay them a visit, try to calm them down a bit?

She's more likely to take them some cake........

I wish the US and UK would just admit they've screwed up, badly, and SIT DOWN AND TALK. Try to find a solution that doesn't involve more people getting killed for damn-all except Soros and Biden bank accounts. Oh, and stop the hysteria while they are at it, Putinbots are NOT hiding under every bed.

Again, what would the US do if China caused a mess like this on a US border?

It does seem apparent that those people are devoid of empathy so they won't do that, Bonny.

Erm.......They want a War?

They seem determined to provoke one, Sabot - naturally, neither them nor theirs will be anywhere near the front line. Cameron's foreign policy - or rather, his role as Obama's poodle - has been a complete and utter disaster, FFS. If he had had his way, British troops would have invaded Syria by now - ON THE SAME SIDE AS ISIS.

There's less than 100 days to the General Election now, and I am PRAYING he gets voted out. Never mind anything else, he's dangerous to life, limb, and world peace. A Labour-SNP coalition would stop this nonsense dead. Labour learned its lesson from Iraq, and the SNP are totally against military adventures unless as part of the UN.

I also really, really wish the UK and US MSM would tell the public the truth about what is going on in Ukraine, and that we are NOT the good guys, but they're too busy whipping up hysteria and faux-patriotism with this, The Russians are coming! The sky is falling! bullshit.

It doesn't seem to be working on the UK public, thankfully, Cameron is being widely mocked for his asinine remark about, Wanting to be the strongest pole in the tent.

http://rt.com/business/235375-ukraine-hryvnia-currency-crisis/

Ukrainian supermarkets have imposed rationing of basic products after the drastic fall in the value of the hryvnia. The currency has lost 70 percent of its value causing people to stockpile food and buy electronics as a hedge.

Restrictions apply for goods such as cooking oil, flour and sugar, Ukraine’s news agency UNN reports Wednesday. Retailers may sell no more than two bottles of sunflower oil, and two packs of buckwheat per customer and, depending on the store, from 3 to 5 kilograms of flour and sugar.

Bread, rice, potatoes, meat and milk are not yet rationed, but are not so plentiful on supermarket shelves.

As the source of that one is Ukraine's own news agency, it is probably worse than they are admitting.

Nuland had better hurry up with those cookies.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-26/ukraine-halt-currency-trading-again-any-minute


The 'independent' Central Bank halted currency trading, and then the government screamed...

"I learned this morning on the Internet that the National Bank of Ukraine has, as usual on its own without any sort of consultations, made the decision to close the interbank currency market, which will absolutely not add to the stability of the national currency that the national bank is responsible for. This situation has a very complex and negative influence on the country's economy," Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said.



Oksana @Ksjusha142
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Ukraine. The national currency has turned into paper. In Ukraine is a massive grocery psychosis. Photo (Kiev)

Still no sign of anyone handing out cookies.

They appear to be busy making cake. Not chocolate but another color.

Yellowcake again?

This is an excellent piece on yellowcake-type matters:

https://consortiumnews.com/2015/02/21/failing-tonkin-gulf-test-on-ukraine/

Failing Tonkin Gulf Test on Ukraine
February 21, 2015

Exclusive: As the Ukraine crisis worsens, Official Washington fumes only about “Russian aggression” — much as a half century ago, the Tonkin Gulf talk was all about “North Vietnamese aggression.” But then and now there were other sides to the story – and questions that Congress needed to ask, writes Robert Parry.

By Robert Parry

I like this phrase:

cowardly misfeasance of duty

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-27/prominent-russian-politician-and-putin-critic-shot-death-center-moscow


Prominent Russian Politician And Putin Critic Shot To Death In Moscow: Live Feed From Murder Scene


PUTIN TAKES NEMTSOV MURDER UNDER PERSONAL CONTROL - PESKOV
BORIS NEMTSOV'S KILLING COULD BE ACT OF PROVOCATION, COMMITTED IN THE RUN-UP TO OPPOSITION MARCH SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 1 - SOURCE
CRIMINAL CASE OPENED INTO BORIS NEMTSOV'S KILLING - RUSSIAN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN MARKIN
NEMTSOV'S DEATH APPEARS TO BE CONTRACT KILLING - SOURCE
INVESTIGATORS QUESTIONING WITNESSES TO NEMTSOV'S MURDER, CAREFULLY EXAMINING CRIME SCENE - INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN MARKIN
AT LEAST SEVEN SHOTS FIRED AT BORIS NEMTSOV FROM CAR PASSING BY - RUSSIAN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN MARKIN



*Russian Market @russian_market
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Literally Boris Nemtsov has been murdered in front of Kremlin


Which means it has Langley's pawprints all over it - the FSB would have done something a little more subtle than shooting him right in front of the Kremlin. Especially as China told the US to butt out of Ukraine only a few hours ago.

Sigh....

Indeed, Lily. I must confess, I am finding the efforts of the West to play their favourite Blame Putin game rather amusing. Not least because I came across this character's name a few days ago being puffed up by the Usual Suspects in Western media as 'opposition to Putin'. There are actually a vast number of people who had good reason to detest him.

1. The partner/pimp/both of the 'Ukrainian model' who was with him when he died.

2. Some fellow-gangster he'd crossed.

3. One of Porky's lot because he failed to deliver.

4. Some Russian finally taking revenge on Nemtsov for his role in looting so much of Russia during the chaotic, corrupt Yeltsin years.

A drive-by is more Chicago than KGB, so personally, my money would be on his Langley handlers, as he was more use to them dead than alive.

Whereas, he was useful to Putin alive, as for all his shouting, he never got anywhere in politics since the clean-up, and only got about 1% of the vote.

No, if it wasn't personal due to Nemtsov's involvement with criminal scum, I'd say the breadcrumbs lead back to Washington.

Oh, and anyone that still thinks we're the good guys, and wouldn't do that, should read this - the coup the CIA and other staged in Iran in the 50s:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

On 19 August, a pro-Shah mob paid by the CIA marched on Mosaddegh's residence.[22] According to the CIA's declassified documents and records, some of the most feared mobsters in Tehran were hired by the CIA to stage pro-Shah riots on 19 August. Other CIA-paid men were brought into Tehran in buses and trucks, and took over the streets of the city.[23] Between 300[1] and 800 people were killed because of the conflict.[2] Mosaddegh was arrested, tried and convicted of treason by the Shah's military court. On 21 December 1953, he was sentenced to three years in jail, then placed under house arrest for the remainder of his life.[24][25][26] Other Mosaddegh supporters were imprisoned, and several received the death penalty.[9]

Sound familiar?

The same scum dreamed this up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods


Included in the nations the Joint Chiefs suggested as targets for covert attacks were Jamaica and Trinidad-Tobago. Since both were members of the British Commonwealth, the Joint Chiefs hoped that by secretly attacking them and then falsely blaming Cuba, the United States could incite the people of the United Kingdom into supporting a war against Castro.[13] As the U.S. Department of Defense report noted:

And this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Gladio

And they're still at it:

http://www.infowars.com/details-on-an-alleged-us-backed-coup-in-venezuela-come-to-light/

http://www.mintpressnews.com/details-on-an-alleged-us-backed-coup-in-venezuela-come-to-light/202549/

A key point of U.S. interference was a sanctions bills targeting government leaders who were allegedly involved in oppressing the opposition.

The allegedly “peaceful opposition” was responsible for blocking main roads and communities, preventing trucks from reaching the barrios with needed supplies. Chavista activists were threatened and in some cases shot by the opposition for cleaning up the streets after the violent protest. Additionally, opposition supporters have attacked journalists and employed various forms of psychological and physical violence against civilians and personnel, including 162 attacks on Cuban doctors in Venezuela.

and:

Since 1998, when Chavez became president of Venezuela, the U.S. has supported the Venezuelan oligarchy in attempts to overturn the Bolivarian Revolution, in the same way it aided the Chilean opposition in engineering social turmoil as a prelude to the coup that ended Allende’s presidency. A 2006 cable released by WikiLeaks revealed that a few of the U.S.’s intentions in 2004 were: “1) Strengthening Democratic Institutions, 2) Penetrating Chavez’ Political Base, 3) Dividing Chavismo, 4) Protecting Vital US business, and 5) Isolating Chavez internationally.”

It's a very long time since we were the good guys.

Couple of photos of the dead gangster martyr:



McCain again! Says it all - all we need now is Soros for a full house.



No comment.

Such a patriot! Much interesting digging going on here:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-27/prominent-russian-politician-and-putin-critic-shot-death-center-moscow?page=17