[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Bewolf

Ppl going to blame the Ukraine have to keep something in mind. First of all, the Urkaine, even if it wanted to, can't pay what the russians are demanding. The country is in such a poor state, made even worse by the financial crisis, that it has huge problems coming up with any money at all. The heavy industries in the country, it's only source of income, has declined steadily over the last couple years. The state is near bankruptcy.

That is not the Russians to blame for, but their own corrupt politics and inner divisionsThe Ukraine still is object to world markewt prices for all things it buys and sells. And the financial crisis - effects everybody, not just the Ukraine. It also effects Russia, so why should they waste their ressources headlessly? They have nopthing to waste. And is somebody selling steel to Germany cheaper than before, just because German car makers face a loss in sales of one quarter? Hardly. If the Ukraine lacks income to pay for the ressources it needs, it needs to ask for help at the ICF or the WB, and needs to accept to submit to the obligations and rules that come with that step. I do not like both institutions, but for the time being, this is the correct procedure. You do not simply demand for yourself not needing to pay anymore, and steal what you need from others.

Russia on the other hands demands more money from the Ukraine then it asks from even Europe.

Not really. The Ukraine since years pays less than half of the regular market prices for their gas from Russia, the european nations had to pay much more. That in the times of conflict and negotiations (or lack of these), and after the loss of trust by the Russians in their Ukrainean partners they now step up there demands to compensate the risks, is understandable, and it also is to teach them a lesson about their ongoing provocations (I just remind of the Ukrainean high profile offense during the Georgian war, to lecture Russian Black Sea Fleet about asking Ukraine for permission for future military operations). If you live close to russia, are economically weak and dependant, and have many russians living in your country - you simply do not bully around at every opportunity like the Ukraine does. It is stupid to trigger unneeded conflicts, just in an attempt to blöackmail the West to give you membership. It is the same kind of irresponsible and almost criminal behaviour we have seen by Saakashvili. Act like an irresponsible moron, create facts and hope the West swallows it when you declare yourself the victim nevertheless.

Russia pushes the Ukraine into a position where it hardly has a choice but to go onto the offensive, which makes Russia look like the good boy. Russia managed to pull this off in Georgia already, where it constantly provoked this country over years until it got agressive. It's a perfect policy for Russia as it strenghens it's position against NATO and succesfully prevents further western influence in these regions on the back of common ppl in these regions.

that is quite the usual and heavily onesided, distroted way to see the Georgian conflict. Georgia'S brutal opression both regarding minorities and democratic movements, it'S try to blackmail the West by creating sfacts on the ground to givbe it membership in NATO, it'S intentional targetti8ng of civilians and members of minorities, it'S autocratic antidemocratic government making ridicule of wetsern understanding of "democracy" - all this you comfortably ignore. - As I see it: Georgia at least is as guilty as Russia. For Russia, the new provinces that became indepedant have turned into stings in it'S flank, showing to be run by Mafia-style corrupt clans just soaking up Russian money, so regarding that Russia has hardly gained anything. But it has successfully turned away the threat of more american influence spreading in the Kaucasus. As sphere of influence you complain about in the next paragraph when it is for the russians, but that you comfortably ignore whgen it is an infoluence connected to America and NATO. Double standards, this is called.

Unluckily Europe has gone soft and rather allies with Russia to secure it's energy then standing up to principles and launching a major support program for the Ukraine, thus giving the message that imperialistic politics of old are still ok and that russia has some kind of birth given right to have a sphere of influence just because it once had and powergames ontop of common ppl in other countries are nice and dandy.

I personally can only hope the EU learns something and as Neil already said, gets it's alternative energy programs on line to prevent future clashes with Russia and gain back some space for diplomatic movement.

I agree on the energy thing, it should have been started already after the oil crisis in the 70s.

However, my trust in EU competence to manage such things is fading faster than ever, and regarding it's diplomatic influence, nobody takes that more serious than the european chief diplomats and officials themselves. In the middle East, they are castrated and are laughed about, nobody takes them serious. Russia - to say the very least - talks to them on same eye level, or from higher position. Bush ignored Europe, and Obama will give europe not more than more polite behaviour and compliments that are cheap and can be given for free, while not adjusting fundamental principles of American policies (and that inlcudes: american interests first - well he is not the European but the American president, so I even cannot attack him on that), and demanding more european contributions to american-directed causes. the EU is really strong only in two things: eroding democracy in europe and replaing it with tyranny by establishing a relatvely small inn size but very strong bureaucratic mechanism that is bypassing national parliaments and democratic legitimation by the eurpean people and is independant from voting results in nations, and in negotiating egoist agricultural and economic deals and treaties with those that are weaker than the EU and often have to accept extremely disadvantageous conditions: the third world. And in the Far East, china is beyond the EU anyway, and the Pacific region is the playfield of China, Japan and America.

A megalomaniac mouse that roars and moralises its own people, while being turned away by other global players it has no influence over. It all reminds me of the ridiculous social and state models you can find in the novels by Philip K. Dick. much of the absurdities he described, I used to luagh about in the past. Today, I see much of that stuff being turned into absurd realities. Great.

Let's try to see it positive and turn it into a compliment for a visionary writer.

P.S. just for the record, I am no exiled Russian, nor do I have Russian ancestors. I do not transfigure neither the Soviet Union, nor Putinistan. I just refuse to subscribe to the western onesided blindness of opportunistic egocentrism, and I believe it is stupid to demand the other should behave stupid and violate his own vital interests - just for the sake of the wellbeing of yours.