Crimean Tensions
"The world should stop seeing Putin as the invincible dragon with silver teeth. Because we will succeed in making him believe that Russia is what it once was."In fact, Vladimir Putin does appear to believe he is beyond reproach in whatever he determines he must next do, in honour of the past, believing Russia remains what it once was. He has yet to convince himself whether he should absorb Crimea into Russia's borders, or to permit it to remain an independent state. He will most certainly give credit to Sunday's vote which is certain to favour annexation by Russia.
Monica Nistorescu, Romania
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| Michael Holmes/CNN |
It is estimated that between a modest 60% to a more representative 80% of Crimea's two million people will celebrate the outcome, bringing them back into the Russian Federation's fold with no doubt left that they do not belong with Ukraine, but with Mother Russia -- or as the case may be, Father Putin. Most Russians believe that Russia owns Crimea in fact if not in law, but for a brief moment of Kruschovian betrayal.
President Putin betrays no sense of unease, merely bemused irritation, at the condemnation raining down upon him from the international community. The telephone conversations between himself and U.S. President Barack Obama, doubtless leave him in a state of mild consternation tinged with glee that the man considered the most powerful on the planet constantly appeals for his reconsideration of a move beyond Obama's reach.
Barack Obama and Angela Merkel, two certainly influential world leaders have warned Moscow of dire economic consequences to follow the unthinkable; that Mr. Putin will proceed, unconvinced that he should not. Foreigners dabbling hysterically and with no due cause, in Russia's business. The sanctions they warn will be imposed if Crimea secedes are water off his well-oiled back.
It is, after all, up to Russian-speaking Crimeans to determine how they will respond to a clear enough query: "Do you want to say with Ukraine? ... Or do you want to go with Russia?". Simple enough, clear enough, obvious enough. Threatening to isolate Russia, all those erstwhile friendly world leaders? Russia can take it, Russia has long accustomed itself to those isolating tendencies by those considering themselves morally superior.
It is Russia's responsibility to protect Crimea's Russian majority. If the Ukrainian military feel themselves hemmed in, threatened, intimidated, well, that's a frame of mind common to the paranoid, seeing threats to their well-being everywhere, shouting for help from the outside world, clamouring for notice, insisting on interference in a family affair between close neighbours.
Of course there are serious considerations to be given to mundane but core matters like Crimea's food, fuel and electricity supplies. All of that can be managed. Convoys of trucks from Russia have been busy helpfully bringing in huge generators. Conscientious managers think of these things; it is not just a matter of sending in troops, but of providing necessities for dependent people....
Labels: Crimea, G7, Germany, Intervention, Russia, Secession, Ukraine, United States
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, March 15, 2014
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