The Russian dictator humanitarian, Vladimir Putin, is sending some much needed food and water to those poor oppressed rebels in Eastern Ukraine. After already having shown his penchant for helping individuals who suffer under the tyranny of democratic freedom in the semi-autonomous Peninsula of Crimea, Putin has decided to lend aid to a “rag-tag” group of Pro-Russian separatists… Because if the 20th Century has taught us anything, it is that nothing says “freedom” like a hammer and sickle.
In justifying his “humanitarian aid”, the Bond Villain Putin explained that his humanitarian mission was endorsed by the Red Cross… Surely he meant to say the “red crest”, because the actual humanitarian organization, known as the International Red Cross, seemed woefully ignorant of the Russian effort to extend aid to rebellious factions of the Ukrainian civil war. Maybe we can chalk this little mix-up to broken English, or a simple case of Putin adopting Obama-style “lead from behind” diplomacy.
In any event, several trucks with (reportedly) food and water is headed to an area of Ukraine, where anti-Western rebels are currently entrenched against a secular and democratic military presence. And, knowing the former KGB Soviet Russian leadership, I’m sure it’s all “on the level.” (If the sarcasm is too strong for you at this point, you may want to take a breath before continuing.)
While Iraq burns, and Hamas terrorizes Israel, it’s easy to forget that Ukraine is on the brink of falling back into the shackles of Russian control. And while a handful of purportedly harmless aid might seem insignificant, it could potentially spell a world of trouble for Eastern Europe.
With Russia making moves to openly support the pro-Russian factions of Ukraine’s rebel forces (not to mention the 40,000 troops Vlad has set up on Ukraine’s eastern border), it is becoming increasingly clear that there are a limited number of ways for this fiasco to come to an end:
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For starters, Kyiv could agree to some sort of a “split state” solution… After all, it worked real well for Germany last century. Some sort of an agreement to allow Eastern Ukraine autonomy could also be proposed… Because a divided house always stands, right? Or, our lovely Russian antagonizers could continue to feed the violence until they deem it necessary to intervene, for “humanitarian” reasons.
Good thing Team Obama did that nifty “reset” button before our Vacationer in Chief decided to go golfing. Imagine what kind of mess the world would be in without some solid American leadership.
The truth is, Russia needs worldwide capitulation far more than we need Russian decency. The west’s anemic response to Putin’s persistent meddling in Ukrainian politics (a handful of sanctions against some Russian cronies) is almost enough to make Neville Chamberlin feel ashamed. I’m not advocating war – but, c’mon… We announce a few new sanctions, then ask Russia to sell some AK-47’s to our friends (the Kurds) in the Middle East. That’s hardly what I would call “tough diplomacy”. Even Putin seemed to laugh the sanctions off by announcing that he would ban the importation of American poultry products.
I bet folks in Moscow are devastated. (Wait… They do have chickens in Russia, don’t they?)
Russia’s $2 trillion economy is almost laughable compared to America’s $17 trillion economy. Putin’s only real bargaining chip is the oil and gas exports he ships to Europe; and those are almost as important to the Russians as they are to the spineless nations of Socialist Europe. But, hey, maybe the UN can craft a nasty-worded letter… If Russia (a permanent member of the UN Security Council) will allow it.
America, Western Europe, and the “international community” have been largely impotent in applying diplomatic pressure on the former Soviet leader of Russia. Putin, meanwhile, has done what he feels necessary to expand the Russian Federation in the 21st Century.
Too bad for Ukraine, the Western World doesn’t think quite the same way.
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