Last year, I visited Odessa in the Ukraine. I was surprised by the beauty of the city. It's 19th century architecture seemed to have ignored the Soviet period and harkened back to the days when the Tsars ruled from Moscow. The people seemed happy and relatively prosperous.
Of course, that was then, and this is now. Yesterday, there were more clashes in this beautiful seaside city that resulted in the local headquarters for the trade unions being set on fire by a mob. The fire killed over 30 people who were trapped inside or who jumped from windows to their deaths. And there is no reason for this to be happening now other than the desire by the Russians to once again rule this area. Remember, Ukraine has been an independent country now for over twenty years. In all that time, the ethnic Russians got along fine with the ethnic Ukrainians. There are no complaints of discrimination or government favoritism. Indeed, the main difference between the two ethnic groups has been their views on foreign policy. The ethnic Russians want closer ties with Russia while the ethnic Ukrainians have wanted more integration with the European Union. Putting this in an American context, it is as if there were an uprising by Americans of Mexican heritage because the USA was about to sign a free trade agreement with Canada. No sane person would start a civil war over that issue.
The problem, however, is that Ukraine has the kleptocratic Russian regime of Vladimir Putin on its borders. Putin wants to restore the Russian empire. He has made that clear. His first step on that road was to take two provinces from Georgia. There were sanctions from the West, but those were lifted just a few months later when president Obama announced his "reset" with Russia. Putin got the two provinces and there were no negative consequences. Then came four years during which Putin got Obama to give him everything Putin wanted while Putin gave nothing in return. A strategic weapons agreement was signed that required reductions in American weaponry but required no such reductions by the Russians. In order to entice Russia into supposed cooperation, Obama withdrew the American missile defense system from Eastern Europe even though that missile defense was aimed at Iranian and/or North Korean missiles and could never defend against a Russian missile assault. Putin wanted the missiles out, however, and Obama complied. Russia gave nothing in return. In Syria, Putin maneuvered Obama into basically accepting the continued rule by Assad, the same Assad who killed thousands with chemical weapons. In exchange, Putin had Assad make promises about chemical weapons, all of which have now been ignored or violated. Then came Crimea. Putin invaded and took Crimea through the subterfuge of assisting ethnic Russians, but the ethnic Russians already controlled Crimea and were in no danger. Again, nothing happened in response. Oh, a few men in Russia can no longer come to the USA, but there were no meaningful sanctions.
Now, Putin wants another big chunk of Ukraine. He has his troops in Ukraine pretending to be local militias. Even president Obama has stated that Putin is not fooling anyone with this ploy. But still the world does nothing, the US does nothing. People are dying today across the Ukraine and it is all for the "glory" of mother Russia. In reality, it is for the expansion of the first total police state in the world. In the past, governments have used secret police and spies to help maintain control of one country or another. The Gestapo of the Nazis is a prime example. Another is the KGB of the Soviet Union. These police/espionage organizations were feared and extremely powerful, but they answered to the government of their country. What is new in today's Russia is that the Russian Security Services today are the government of Russia. Putin's background as head of the KGB has moved him forward to total control of both the police/spy services and the government. The security services no longer answer to anyone; they are the law themselves.
It certainly seems that the opposition of the Ukrainians to the Russian invasion is doomed to failure. Ukraine does not have a large military force. It cannot stand against the Russian army. So the world watches as Ukraine struggles and sinks. No one even attempts to help. It is a disgrace. But it is actually worse than a disgrace. It is a truly foolish foreign policy move. Instead of meeting the Russians at this early stage, the world (and particularly Obama) seems ready to let Putin gobble up more and more land with more and more people. This will not make Russia weaker, only stronger. When the time comes to take a stand against Russia, it will only be that much more difficult.
Of course, that was then, and this is now. Yesterday, there were more clashes in this beautiful seaside city that resulted in the local headquarters for the trade unions being set on fire by a mob. The fire killed over 30 people who were trapped inside or who jumped from windows to their deaths. And there is no reason for this to be happening now other than the desire by the Russians to once again rule this area. Remember, Ukraine has been an independent country now for over twenty years. In all that time, the ethnic Russians got along fine with the ethnic Ukrainians. There are no complaints of discrimination or government favoritism. Indeed, the main difference between the two ethnic groups has been their views on foreign policy. The ethnic Russians want closer ties with Russia while the ethnic Ukrainians have wanted more integration with the European Union. Putting this in an American context, it is as if there were an uprising by Americans of Mexican heritage because the USA was about to sign a free trade agreement with Canada. No sane person would start a civil war over that issue.
The problem, however, is that Ukraine has the kleptocratic Russian regime of Vladimir Putin on its borders. Putin wants to restore the Russian empire. He has made that clear. His first step on that road was to take two provinces from Georgia. There were sanctions from the West, but those were lifted just a few months later when president Obama announced his "reset" with Russia. Putin got the two provinces and there were no negative consequences. Then came four years during which Putin got Obama to give him everything Putin wanted while Putin gave nothing in return. A strategic weapons agreement was signed that required reductions in American weaponry but required no such reductions by the Russians. In order to entice Russia into supposed cooperation, Obama withdrew the American missile defense system from Eastern Europe even though that missile defense was aimed at Iranian and/or North Korean missiles and could never defend against a Russian missile assault. Putin wanted the missiles out, however, and Obama complied. Russia gave nothing in return. In Syria, Putin maneuvered Obama into basically accepting the continued rule by Assad, the same Assad who killed thousands with chemical weapons. In exchange, Putin had Assad make promises about chemical weapons, all of which have now been ignored or violated. Then came Crimea. Putin invaded and took Crimea through the subterfuge of assisting ethnic Russians, but the ethnic Russians already controlled Crimea and were in no danger. Again, nothing happened in response. Oh, a few men in Russia can no longer come to the USA, but there were no meaningful sanctions.
Now, Putin wants another big chunk of Ukraine. He has his troops in Ukraine pretending to be local militias. Even president Obama has stated that Putin is not fooling anyone with this ploy. But still the world does nothing, the US does nothing. People are dying today across the Ukraine and it is all for the "glory" of mother Russia. In reality, it is for the expansion of the first total police state in the world. In the past, governments have used secret police and spies to help maintain control of one country or another. The Gestapo of the Nazis is a prime example. Another is the KGB of the Soviet Union. These police/espionage organizations were feared and extremely powerful, but they answered to the government of their country. What is new in today's Russia is that the Russian Security Services today are the government of Russia. Putin's background as head of the KGB has moved him forward to total control of both the police/spy services and the government. The security services no longer answer to anyone; they are the law themselves.
It certainly seems that the opposition of the Ukrainians to the Russian invasion is doomed to failure. Ukraine does not have a large military force. It cannot stand against the Russian army. So the world watches as Ukraine struggles and sinks. No one even attempts to help. It is a disgrace. But it is actually worse than a disgrace. It is a truly foolish foreign policy move. Instead of meeting the Russians at this early stage, the world (and particularly Obama) seems ready to let Putin gobble up more and more land with more and more people. This will not make Russia weaker, only stronger. When the time comes to take a stand against Russia, it will only be that much more difficult.
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