I listened live to Putin’s speech yesterday with great interest. Here is my own analysis, for what it is worth.
Putin was strongest in his accusations of western hypocrisy. His ironic welcoming of the West having suddenly discovered the concept of international law was very well done. His analysis of the might is right approach the West had previously adopted, and their contempt of the UN over Iraq and Afghanistan, was spot on. Putin also was absolutely right in describing the Kosovo situation as “highly analogous” to the situation in Crimea. That is indeed true, and attempts by the West – including the Guardian – to argue the cases are different are pathetic exercises in special pleading.
The problem is that Putin blithely ignored the enormous logical inconsistency in his argument. He stated that the Crimean and Kosovo cases were highly analogous, but then used that to justify Russia’s action in Crimea, despite the fact that Russia has always maintained the NATO Kosovo intervention was illegal(and still refuses to recognize Kosovo). In fact of course Russia was right over Kosovo, and thus is wrong over Crimea.
I was very interested that Putin made distinct reference to the appalling crimes against the Tartars in the 1930’s, but also to the terrible suffering of Ukrainians in that period. His references were not detailed but their meaning was clear. I was surprised because under Putin’s rule there has been a great deal of rehabilitation of Stalin. Archives that were opened under glasnost have frozen over again, and history in Russian schools now portrays Stalin’s foreign policy achievement much more than his crimes (and it is now again possible to complete your Russian school education with no knowledge the Stalin-Hitler pact ever happened). So this was both surprising and positive. Designed to be positive was his assurance that Crimea will be trilingual. We will see what happens; Putin’s Russia is in fact not tolerant of its ethnic populations in majority Russian areas, and in fact contains a great many more far right thugs than Ukraine – probably about the same percentage of the population.
The 97% referendum figure is simply unbelievable to any reasonable person and is straight out of the Soviet playbook – it was strange to see Putin going in and out of modern media friendly mode and his audience, with their Soviet en brosse haircuts and synchronized clapping – obviously liked the Soviet bits best.
The attempt to downplay Russia’s diplomatic isolation was also a bit strange. He thanked China, though China had very pointedly failed to support Russian in the Security Council. When you are forced to thank people for abstaining, you are not in a strong position diplomatically. He also thanked India, which is peculiar, because the Indian PM yesterday put out a press release saying Putin had called him, but the had urged Putin to engage diplomatically with the interim government in Kiev, which certainly would not be welcome to Putin. I concluded that Putin was merely trying to tell his domestic audience Russia has support, even when it does not.
But what I find really strange is that the parts of the speech I found most interesting have not drawn any media comment I can see. Putin plainly said that in his discussions with Kuchma on the boundaries of Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union, they hadn’t wanted to open any dispute with what they expected to be a friendly neighbor, and that therefore the boundaries of Ukraine had never been finally demarcated. He said twice the boundaries had not been demarcated. That seemed to indicate a very general threat to Eastern Ukraine. He also spoke of the common heritage of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine in a way that indicated that he did not accept that Ukraine might choose a political future away from Russia.
Secondly, he said that on the day the Soviet Union broke up, Russians in many places had “woken up to find themselves in a foreign country.” Again from the context in which he said it, this referred not just to Crimea, and not just even to the rest of Ukraine, but to Russian nationals all over the Former Soviet Union. I would be worrying a lot about this part of the speech if I was Kazakh, to give just one example. Putin seemed to be outlining a clear agenda to bring Russian speaking areas of CIS countries back in to Mother Russia – indeed, I see no other possible interpretation of his actions in Georgia and Ukraine.
I think that we should start listening much more carefully to what he says. I also think that the weakness of the EU’s response to events gives Putin a very dangerous encouragement to pursue further aggrandizement. I posted a few days ago:
The EU I expect to do nothing. Sanctions will target a few individuals who are not too close to Putin and don’t keep too many of their interests in the West. I don’t think Alisher Usmanov and Roman Abramovic need lose too much sleep, that Harrods need worry or that we will see any flats seized at One Hyde Park. (It is among my dearest wishes one day to see One Hyde Park given out for council housing.) Neither do I expect to see the United States do anything effective; its levers are limited.
The truth is of course that the global political elite are in the pockets of the global financial elite, and while ordinary Russians are still desperately poor, the money the oligarchs rip out of Russia’s backward commodity exporting economy is parceled around the world financial system in ways that make it impossible for the western political classes to do anything. Whose funds would the hedge fund managers look after? Whose yacht could Mandelson and Osborne holiday on?
Personally I should like to see a complete financial freeze on the entire Russian oligarchy. The knock on effects would only hurt a few bankers, and city types and those who depend on them (cocaine dealers, lap dancers, Porsche dealers, illegal domestic servants). Sadly we shan’t see anything happen. They won’t let Eton go bust.
Tarpit at 3.43 a.m.
Welcome. Thank you for your enlightened comments, especially about adherence to the International Bill of Human Rights. Not everybody can recite them, much less live by them, but here is a summary. I should be interested if any of the Uncle Samophiles can see any to which the US adheres. Or even the UK. I occasionally get told my opinions are shameful. This is where the real shame lies.
A summary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
1. Everyone is free and we should all be treated in the same way.
2. Everyone is equal despite differences in skin colour, sex, religion, language for example.
3. Everyone has the right to life and to live in freedom and safety.
4. No one has the right to treat you as a slave nor should you make anyone your slave.
5. No one has the right to hurt you or to torture you.
6. Everyone has the right to be treated equally by the law.
7. The law is the same for everyone, it should be applied in the same way to all.
8. Everyone has the right to ask for legal help when their rights are not respected.
9. No one has the right to imprison you unjustly or expel you from your own country.
10. Everyone has the right to a fair and public trial.
11. Everyone should be considered innocent until guilt is proved.
12. Every one has the right to ask for help if someone tries to harm you, but no-one can enter your home, open your letters or bother you or your family without a good reason.
13. Everyone has the right to travel as they wish.
14. Everyone has the right to go to another country and ask for protection if they are being persecuted or are in danger of being persecuted.
15. Everyone has the right to belong to a country. No one has the right to prevent you from belonging to another country if you wish to.
16. Everyone has the right to marry and have a family.
17. Everyone has the right to own property and possessions.
18. Everyone has the right to practise and observe all aspects of their own religion and change their religion if they want to.
19. Everyone has the right to say what they think and to give and receive information.
20. Everyone has the right to take part in meetings and to join associations in a peaceful way.
21. Everyone has the right to help choose and take part in the government of their country.
22. Everyone has the right to social security and to opportunities to develop their skills.
23. Everyone has the right to work for a fair wage in a safe environment and to join a trade union.
24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure.
25. Everyone has the right to an adequate standard of living and medical help if they are ill.
26. Everyone has the right to go to school.
27. Everyone has the right to share in their community’s cultural life.
28. Everyone must respect the ‘social order’ that is necessary for all these rights to be available.
29. Everyone must respect the rights of others, the community and public property.
30. No one has the right to take away any of the rights in this declaration.
Charles Frith
The moderators modulate. A little bit of yesterday’s post can be fried up as bubble and squeak, but no crazy Zio-bangers and mash on the front page, setting off the optical smoke alarms with vizible zio-speak.
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!
19 Mar, 2014 – 3:30 pm
“Those population displacements are historical fact, Herby, which even you and your Eminent friends can’t wish away. So irony doesn’t come into it.”
You obviously haven’t understood Habbabkuk.
A clue: Israel
Thanks John. Good reminder. I have a poster of that list on the wall here.
It’s all very fascinating stuff.When I was growing up a carpenter close to where I lived referred to the hammer as an American screw driver.Many years later I began to see his point.
The Americans do not care how they make their story/policy fit the picture.If the hole is square ,they simply thump harder till the peg goes through.They do not think for one second that they might want to remove it sometime.And I think that it is obvious with the Russian and US methods in Ukraine.
Also obvious is that money is the driving factor behind the Western push in Ukraine.They want the resources and want to protect their newly won “riches” with their hitman NATO. Russia steals their glory and now greed is dictating the retreat.We’d better hang onto what we’ve got.
Question is ,what have they got ? And do the Ukrainians left in Ukraine support it ?
Thank you John.Many years since I read our rights. Does the UN still believe in its own charter I wonder ?
Richard; “Furthermore, the “occupation” of Crimea by Russia wasn’t preceded by the hideous bombing campaigns that N.A.T.O. is so fond of and Russia’s action was re-active, not pro-active. It was a response to a decade and a half of murderous and illegal interventions around the world by Washington and its puppets and the recent violent coup in Kiev. Was there anyone who didn’t expect it?”
On the contrary, many would have us believe it was a shocking unexpected, unprovoked display of aggressive hypocrisy, including a certain ex-Ambassador with real life experience of gritty Realpolitik !
Kurtan; “Does the UN still believe in its own charter I wonder ?”
They try to, but cannot help being used as plaything/tool of US imperialism;
““They act as they please: here and there, they use force against sovereign states, building coalitions based on the principle ‘If you are not with us, you are against us.’ To make this aggression look legitimate, they force the necessary resolutions from international organizations, and if for some reason this does not work, they simply ignore the UN Security Council and the UN overall.”
rt.com/news/putin-address-ten-quotes-778/
“Thanks John. Good reminder. I have a poster of that list on the wall here.”
I got a little booklet Mary from Amnesty International. When I campaign on behalf of people like Talha Ahsan and Babar Ahmed I think of articles 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 15. This is what has happened to my beloved country and its so-called friends.
My link above may be to a site the excrescences find unacceptable. Apologies. The article is from Business Insider;
http://www.businessinsider.com/crimea-annexation-would-include-offshore-gas-reserves-2014-3
“According to ExxonMobil and Ukrainian government announcements, between June and August of 2012, bids for Skifska were collected and assessed. LUKoil of Russia competed against a consortium of ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, OMV Pet rom of Romania, and the Ukrainian state-owned entity, Nadra Ukrainy. The Russian bid was rejected, and ExxonMobil (with a 40% operating stake) was the winner.
The ExxonMobil reports have said no more than “we are working with our co-venturers and the Ukrainian government to finalize the Production Sharing Agreement. But almost two years later, no agreement has been signed. A source close to the company says the promised payment for Skifska, a signing bonus of $325 million, won’t be paid until there is a production sharing agreement. The reason that hasn’t been signed is that Exxon and the Ukrainian government have so far been unable to agree on production, investment, tax and royalty terms. The negotiations have continued over the past twelve months, but no money has been spent drilling at sea. The only data available to Exxon so far were provided by Stavitsky and Rudko during the bidding process.
Officially, according to an Exxon spokesman, “we remain interested in the block.”
Unofficially, Exxon has halted its negotiations with the Ukrainians “due to the political situation, but is pressing ahead with several Russian projects, including in Russian waters close to the Crimean Peninsula.” This was told to New York analysts last week, and reported in Dallas on March 5. According to the report, ExxonMobil senior vice president Andy Swiger conceded the company has bigger fish to fry in the Russian Arctic than off the Crimean shore. According to Swiger, the Crimean block “has active oil seeps and that drilling would begin in 2015.” According to ExxonMobil chairman and chief executive, Rex Tillerson: “In terms of our view of country risk, geopolitical risk, other than things like sanctions, we don’t see any new challenges out of the current situation [in Russia].”
Plenty there for the conspiracy theorist, I’d say.
Mr Murray
It was actually Lenin who first said that who are not with us is against us. Bush that this too, but certainly author rights belong to Lenin.
John Goss @ 9:58 AM
The UK doesn’t adhere to even half of the rights in that declaration. And this is done with the collusion of both left and right political parties and that of our head of state.
Exactly Gaston.
Uzbek 11.26 a.m.
Jesus.
http://biblehub.com/mark/9-40.htm
You want your mistress-lapdancer’s assets to be frozen? You’re a hypocritical pervert!
John Goss and other MAD lefties
Any comments to this from putin’s recent speech to the parliament on 18 March.
You lefties who (supposedly) oppose tyranny how do you treat this direct threat that putin has made to the Russians who oppose his chauvinistic ideas? For your information legend of Fifth Column and national traitors have existed in Russia since inception of Russian Empire right through Soviet times to (as it is apparent) present days.
“Obviously, we will encounter external opposition, but this is a decision that we need to make for ourselves. Are we ready to consistently defend our national interests, or will we forever give in, retreat to who knows where? Some Western politicians are already threatening us with not just sanctions but also the prospect of increasingly serious problems on the domestic front. I would like to know what it is they have in mind exactly: action by a fifth column, this disparate bunch of national traitors , or are they hoping to put us in a worsening social and economic situation so as to provoke public discontent? We consider such statements irresponsible and clearly aggressive in tone, and we will respond to them accordingly.
John Goss
I take it you believe word to word of everything has written in Bible? I for instance question a LOT of quotations and description of miracles written in this and any other holly books.
I quoted Lenin as there is documental evidence of him saying this? certainly not in Bible.
John Goss@9:58am , I wonder what Frederick Lindemann
who was Churchill’s best friend and Chief scientific adviser
would have to say about the Human rights list.
This is what Lindemann advocated in a lecture in the 1930`s
“Surgery, mind control, and drug and hormone manipulations
would one day allow humans to be fine-tuned for specific tasks.
At the lower end of the race and class spectrum, he suggested,
one could remove the ability to suffer or to feel ambition.
This subclass would do all the unpleasant work and not once think
of revolution or of voting rights. To perpetuate empires,
he theorized, one need only remove the ability of slaves to see
themselves as slaves.”
Uzbek:
Don’t know if I qualify as a ‘MAD leftie’, but it occurs to me that what Putin, like any other politician, says, depends on who he is talking to. For instance, he probably doesn’t have Exxon in mind in this speech. With whom he is doing good business, and who will probably be putting as much of a brake on US sanctions as it can. Just to reiterate the choicest bit of something I’ve tried to draw attention to twice before, without apology –
“Unofficially, Exxon has halted its negotiations with the Ukrainians “due to the political situation, but is pressing ahead with several Russian projects, including in Russian waters close to the Crimean Peninsula.” This was told to New York analysts last week, and reported in Dallas on March 5. According to the report, ExxonMobil senior vice president Andy Swiger conceded the company has bigger fish to fry in the Russian Arctic than off the Crimean shore. According to Swiger, the Crimean block “has active oil seeps and that drilling would begin in 2015.” According to ExxonMobil chairman and chief executive, Rex Tillerson: “In terms of our view of country risk, geopolitical risk, other than things like sanctions, we don’t see any new challenges out of the current situation [in Russia].””
Exxon’s more than happy to go with a Russian Crimea, and knowing Exxon’s huge lobbying power, the US is stuck between freedom n’ democracy and congressional votes. No?
It looks like Putin is testing the west on declaration of purges in Russia.
I bid MAD lefties will praise putin’s wisdom and his tough stance to the west. Who cares about Russians or others sacrificed for the name of anti-western hysteria.
Clearly MAD western leftie’s approach.
Who cares about Russians or others sacrificed for
the name of anti-western hysteriadrilling rights? (fixed)No-one with any power to change things. Repeatedly proven in the Middle East.
Dave Lawton, 20 Mar, 2014 – 11:46 am
I wonder indeed. Your Lindemann quote comes very close to what Aaron Russo was told by Nathan Rothschild. I really believe that the increase in new high-security prisons in the US is part of that plan. Don’t want to say more just now.
Ba’al Zevul (Occam’s Disposable Razor)
You last post certainly does NOT qualify you as Mad lefties. That is what I like. Clear arguments, not brainwashed propaganda.
I agree US/EU have a lot of financial interests in Russia. Trade with Russia makes a LOT of people in the west Rich. Not only investment bankers, but tourist industries, restaurants, fashion industries, energy companies, various industries etc.
Your reference to Exxon reminds me support Henry Ford had for Hitler believing that it was good for business. Shall I remind that it took 50 million lives (least American) to correct this misjudgement.
Ba’al Zevul (Occam’s Disposable Razor)
MAD lefties here certainly least concerned (I hope so) with drilling rights. Or are they?
For them anti-western hysteria is paramount. It gives them oxygen and meaning in their lives. Even when it comes at the expense of freedom or lives. Golodomor, Gulag, Great Leap forward have been unnoticed by MAD lefties for decades. But praises for very leaders who delivered these genocidal mechanisms was high amongst MAD western lefties.
Uzbek in the UK, I am really surprised by your rudeness. Over the last fortnight you have called me a Mad leftie, a bible-basher because I point out your mistake (you should have thanked me), and made claims that I support the Andijan massacre. You clearly did not read my article:
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2013/10/21/uzbekistans-dictatorship-is-no-laughing-matter/
Now if you keep hounding me because I do not share your vision about western democracies I will ignore you, as I ignore those who believe in torture, and the sock-puppets. Have you signed up to MI5 or something?
Still Putin bashing?
CRAIG
“Personally I should like to see a complete financial freeze on the entire Russian oligarchy. The knock on effects would only hurt a few bankers, and city types and those who depend on them (cocaine dealers, lap dancers, Porsche dealers, illegal domestic servants). Sadly we shan’t see anything happen. They won’t let Eton go bust.”
Personally I would of liked to see the banks fall in 2008 when they went bankrupt in the market place!
I am sure a lot of venture capitalist money came from these very Russian oligrchs as well!
so who are we actually bailing out out right now,all thanks to your local centralised authority in this case the western representative democracy,care of Osbourne and Mandelson etc?
Craig the REAL problem is not whether tweedle dum is less evil than tweedle dee
The problem is the political system in the East and the West!
We complain about an endless list of corrupt rulers ,usually delusionally believing thier corrupt rulers are worse than ours!
When in fact we should be challenging the system that produces an endless list of corrupt rulers!
You ARE delusional if you think repeating the system will produce a different result!!
The repeatedly used system is centralised authorities
They usually hide under the guise of representative democracy(elected dictatorship) and state capitalism.
State capitalism has various different meanings, but is usually described as a society wherein the productive forces are controlled and directed by the state in a capitalist manner, even if such a state calls itself socialist. Corporatized state agencies and states that own controlling shares of publicly-listed firms, and thus acting as a capitalist itself, are two examples of state capitalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_capitalism
This is not a new political idea
Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.
Benito Mussolini, fascist dictator of Italy (1922-1943)
Welcome to 21st century Fascism 2.0 lite version.So its no suprise that the Western representative democraies are backing Neo-Nazis!
We solve this issue ,we solve the roots of most of the worlds global problems.
Direct Democracy would be a very good start.
Unfortunately NO polition will champion this cause ,as it would mean less power and possible jail sentences for most politions!
Imagine if the USA had pumped 5 billion dollars into the Ukraine promoting Direct Democracy instead of Neo-Nazis ,state capitalsim and elected dictatorship!
…but Craig maybe this is your chance to shine!
http://direct-democracy.co.uk/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_democracy
OR
do you disagree with Direct Democracy(True Deomcracy) and prefer representative democracy(Elected Dictatorship)?
But then YOU have to take responsibility for its actions,even when its not your choice of leader!!
It means accepting leaders like Putin and Cameron and Obama and Bush and Blair etc etc etc
so YOUR lambasting of Putin is a bit hypocritical and nonsensical, unless you are trying to say there is something racial or cultural in Russia that makes them vote for monsters ,while British voters vote for gentlemen!?!?!?
I do not accept any of them as my leader!
I would like a Direct Democracy Independent Scotland
As I do not think representative democracy is worth the wealth theft ,police state ,paedophilia and war crimes!
Uzbek in the UK
20 Mar, 2014 – 12:09 am
“For the sake of humanity, can we please stop quoting RT as a source for at least as long as dust over Crimea sets? Is not it obvious that this is one of the major channels of official Russian propaganda to the western audience?”
Do you think we don’t know that RT is Russian state media?
There is nothing wrong with quoting any news outlet if what is quoted can be checked out. If posters give a link to RT it is better than not giving a link at all, which is your modus operandi.
Notice how anti-Israeli comments slowly making their way to this thread.
One left wondering what Israel has to do with Russian Anschluss of Crimea. But why would MAD western lefties care?
doug scorgie
How do you actually test the information you get from RT? Do you go to Crimea or to Kiev or Moscow and literally speak to the people? Did you ask putin if the 15.000 armed men are or not in fact on Russian Ministry of Defence payroll? Did you ask Yatcenuk if he has any sympathies to right wing Ukrainian nationalists?
Or did you just verify RT propaganda against another source of pro-putin propaganda?
Following your logic, next time US troops gathered somewhere outside of their military base location for any purpose, I have your blessing to quote CNN. Do I?
John Goss
You sound (read) like MAD leftie on this blog, particularly on the threads regarding recent events with Russian Occupation of Ukraine. I just said it as it is. People like you cared less for millions of dead in Soviet Union and China than about portraying false workers paradise who which they have been introduced during their short and selective visit to both Russia and China. I see something of that people in your comments. In your blind denial of evil of putinism and his promotion of Russian Chauvinism.
With regards to Bible, you did not point to my mistake. I was aware of Jesus quotation but quoting Bible as source? Come on. Are you serious? Quotation of Lenin in contrary have documented evidence and has been said many times by the author publicly. I am sure if you google Lenin’s public speeches you will come across few.
I am not claiming that you supporting Andijan massacre, I am claiming that by denial of freedom to people of Ukraine and right to remove corrupt and oppressive president (something we have been having for the last 25 years in Uzbekistan) you by PROXY support Karimov in his brutal suppression of Andijan massacre. Your claims of legitimacy of Yanukovich could easily be mirrored to support legitimacy of Karimov.
And for conclusion, I DO NOT believe in Torture. How could you say this to me? I have been claiming many times in the past on this very blog why I am in the UK. You have your STUPIDITY enough to brand me torture supporter? What an insult. And I am not MI5,6,7 (or any other number) agent.
O/T but Jimmy Mubenga had no human rights.
http://news.sky.com/story/1229068/g4s-staff-to-be-charged-over-deportation-death
Charge Teresa May with manslaughter too. She had been in charge since May of that year. Damian Green was her Minister for Immigration at the time. Charge him too.
G4S should have been charged with corporate manslaughter.
PS I see May has just launched a new cutter. I bet she enjoyed the experience.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-launches-new-border-force-cutter-to-protect-uk-coastline
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!
19 Mar, 2014 – 4:27 pm
“…and don’t try to reply seriously to someone who’s not serious and is just fooling around.”
More irony!