Ukraine Cites 15,000 Russian Troops and Rebels Amid Putin's 'Take Kiev' Remark

[pampango]

77. Here's my response to your 4 points.

1. The neocon push for a regime change in Ukraine under the auspices of the CIA is successful with cookies and right wing militia etc.

Cookies? Right wing militia? Let's just say that the Ukrainian military has dealt with much, much better armed and much more numerous militia in eastern Ukraine. I suspect they would have been able to handle security had Yanukovych decided to stay put and let them do their job.

On February 20 the chairman of the Supreme Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov traveled to Moscow where he announced that the Autonomous Republic of Crimea will secede from Ukraine if there would change of power.

On February 21 President Yanukovich signed an agreement to remain as president until elections were held in December. He has full control of the military and security forces. A few hours later he decides to take his money and run - to Russia. There's the "change in power" that Putin and Konstantinov were looking for 24 hours earlier. Within a month Russia has annexed Crimea.

2. Russia, not wanting to lose the bases in crimea, annexes it as a logical reaction - whether you like it or not.

In 2010 the Kharkiv Pact was "a treaty between Ukraine and Russia whereby the Russian lease on naval facilities in Crimea would be extended beyond 2017 by 25 years (to 2042) with an additional 5 year renewal option (to 2047) in exchange for a multiyear discounted contract to provide Ukraine with Russian natural gas."

There was no threat to Russia's bases in Crimea. That is a pretext.

Now Russia has a better deal. They have the bases forever and they don't have to provide Ukraine with the discounted natural gas that was their part of the agreement.

If Japan decides the it no longer wants to renew the lease on the US base in Okinawa, the US has no right to invade Okinawa to prevent the loss of an important naval base.

3. Russia, in order to destabilize the CIA installed government in Ukraine creates unrest.

"We certainly agree that Russia in order to destabilize ... creates unrest."

If it is a "CIA installed government" in Kiev, Russia had better arrest Yanukovich for cooperating with a CIA plot. If he had not left and gone to Russia - asylum in exchange for Crimea? - he would still be in office and the country would be preparing for elections in December. Of course, Crimea would still be part of Ukraine so I can see the downside for Russia if Yanukovych had not decided that life would be better in Russia.

4. There is a propaganda war trying to discredit Russia at every step.

There are propaganda wars discrediting the government in Kiev, the separatists in the East, the Russian government, the US government, European governments and everyone else.

I don't excuse excuse the actions of any government or group simply because someone else is spouting propaganda about them.

The NGO's report may be accurate. It may not. Any government does not have the right to classify an NGO as a 'foreign agent' just because it releases information that the government would like to keep hidden. If the information they release is inaccurate, counter it with the facts. Don't try to silence them.