Re: Ukraine
 

If the NI government at the time had requested assistance from the Irish Army then you'd be on the money.

In addition, Yanukovych isn't the President of Ukraine. He was removed by the Ukrainian Parliament (and his own Party).

Re: Ukraine
 

Not lawfully.

Re: Ukraine
 

I go back to my previous post, his shrewdness has boxed him into a corner and made him do something nuts. He's not a popular guy at home with the progressive elements, so he has to appeal to the nationalists. And he has to do that because he's afraid the exact same thing could happen to him, i.e. he gets thrown out by an angry mob.

But he's nuts because he has now created a situation which gives them the excuse to do it, economy in a tailspin, etc.

Over-reached.

Re: Ukraine
 

I think it's very similar, when Germany annexed that area it included most of their defences against a German invasion, which made taking over the rest of the country easy. Ditto here, the Ukrainians have got a lot of their regular military in Crimea. Why do you think they haven't switched sides? Because they're been brought in by the Ukrainian Govt. who put people there who they knew would be loyal.

I remember seeing a documentary years ago about the Ukrainian Navy and one of the officers they interviewed said as much, no-one locally trusts them so they have to be very careful who they put there.

Re: Ukraine
 

Fair comment. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Re: Ukraine
 

Well, I never thought I would be right every time, or forever. History will be the judge.

Re: Ukraine
 

If it was similar to the annexation of Sudetenland and the invasion of Czechoslovakia I think all those loyal troops who are currently waiting to see if they'll be sent home in 10 days after the referendum while their families pass them food through the fence would all be dead and the tanks would of rolled into Kiev weeks ago to help put down the revolution.

Re: Ukraine
 

...or similar to the annexation of Austria in 1938... First soldiers marched in, an later they had a referendum, which was basically fabricated. Over 95% were in favor.

The thing is, Russia violated the borders of another nation, and that is totally unacceptable by today's standards in any way, shape or form and should not be tolerated by the international community.

Russia should face her consequences for that behavior.

Regarding the Ukraine, one possible option is looking at Finland regarding diplomacy and foreign policy.

Re: Ukraine
 

and Iraq ?

Re: Ukraine
 

That's right, it isn't similar to Austria either, it was a liebenstraum land grab like the rest of Europe was. The referendum over the future of Crimea was scheduled well before, just stepped up to March 16 and if voters cast ballots according to ethnicity should pass in favour of becoming part of Russia at that time.
Closing all the ports and blockading ships is Russia's response to what could be called a coup, the legality of that and if the charge of piracy applies has yet to be determined. When elections are held in Ukraine those responses will be judged.
The lease on Crimea allows Russia to garrison up to 40,000 troops there, so they can bring in another 25,000 if they want before they violate that agreement.
Re: consequences - I'm sure it's been brought to Mr. Putin's attention that he has been roundly criticized on this forum, and even if it doesn't change his course of action it's sure to weigh heavily on his mind.:p

Re: Ukraine
 

Well the Germans gave the Czechs months to leave the Sudetenland. Invasion didn't happen until five months after they got their hands on the Sudetenland.

Re: Ukraine
 

The Germans had a plan for world domination, a fanatical leader, and a world that didn't want to get involved so they just took what they could until war was declared then started the blitzkreig. If there is a civil war in Ukraine and any faction starts blowing up Russian pipelines or burning ethnic Russians out of their homes Putin will invade; that's what he says anyway. There are a lot of Russians there because a lot moved there during the time of the Soviet Union and also because parts of Ukraine were actually in Russia long before communism. My mother's village in southern Ukraine was in Russia when the family moved there generations before and when they fled in 1929. Though they were ethnic Prussians they learned to read and write Russian in school.
I haven't seen any recent reports of fighting other than occupation of a government building in Donetsk where a few Ukrainian soldiers were seen among the protesters. Other than that everyone including troops on the ground on all sides seem to be waiting for a diplomatic solution.

Re: Ukraine
 

Sounds similar to me, the main difference is that Putin has no plan for world domination but is using the old Soviet desire for it as leverage to stop another angry mob from going after him, imo.

Which is why he's doing it from a position of weakness and it'll fail without going to war. Unlike Hitler who did it from a position of strength and it caused a massive war.

Re: Ukraine
 

Germany was destitute from war reparitions payments and had runaway inflation, youknowwho wouldn't of been elected if the people had a decent standard of living. Isn't the lifestyle of the average worker better in all countries of the former Soviet Union since the end of the USSR? That's the impression I get from the press, (and some relatives). I doubt Putin wants to invade anyone, it costs too much and frankly who needs the agrivation. What I read says about half the money coming into Russia is payment for that oil passing through the Ukraine so the status quo must be the obvious preference.
Here's a blast from the past - Grandpa's passport photo taken in Moscow in 1929 so he could leave. They had to go from just north-east of Crimea to Moscow to get permission to go, then to Riga, Latvia to get on a ship to Southampton, then the Empress of Australia to Canada, arriving with little but train tickets to the west and speaking no English at the start of the great depression.

Re: Ukraine
 

A loving dream? I think you meant lebensraum. :)