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The US sides push to arm Ukraine with weapons to hold off the pro-Russian rebels has caused cracks to appear in the Euro-US relationship. Support for the Russian sanctions has been waning with France calling for an end to them recently and Italy, Hungary and Greece and others all voicing concerns or wanting to ease them. The frantic France-Germany push for a peaceful diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict from the Europeans is clearly an effort to prevent the US side from arming the Ukraine. If the US were to cause the conflict to escalate by arming Ukraine with advanced weapons then it would be the Europeans that would find themselves in a war zone not the Americans. Europe is clearly not willing to fight WW3 over the Ukraine for America.
It is the Americans that have been the driving force pushing for the Russian sanctions but it is the European economy and Europeans that suffer. Trade between Russia and America is not significant so the Americans do not lose anything, but trade between Russia and Europe is significant so it is the European economy that suffers while the US side lose nothing. This push to arm Ukraine with advanced weapons puts Europeans at risk of war but there is little risk for the Americans. The Americans want to attack Russia but for all the pain and risk to fall on the Europeans. It is little wonder that the Europeans have had finally had enough and that this push to arm Ukraine has led to a split.
Merkel has said that she does not believe that better weapons for Ukraine will encourage the pro-Russians to back down saying “The question is, would it be all that different if the weapons of the Ukrainian army were somewhat different,” Merkel said. “I have my doubts.” "This can not be won militarily. That is the bitter truth. The international community must think of something else."
The US push to arm Ukraine is bi-partisan but as usual usual war hawks Lindsay Graham and John McCain are the most vocal in calling for the arming of Ukraine. Graham responded to the Europeans push for a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict by saying Merkel “can’t see how arming people who are willing to fight and die for their freedom makes things better. I do,” “You (Merkel) can go to Moscow until you are blue in the face. Stand up to what is a lie and clearly a danger.” Graham said that Merkel was turning her back on a struggling democracy and that he hopes that Ms Merkel "remembers all the sacrificed made by so many over so long a period of time to achieve what we have in Germany today." Clearly the wests strategy in Ukraine is breaking down and resulting in western conflict.
American Vice President Joe Biden supports arming the Ukrainians. Joe says that "America and Europe are being tested" and that "We need to remain resolute and united in our support of Ukraine." Clearly the Europeans and Americans are not united at all on Ukraine. Clearly the Europeans and Americans are failing this test. Clearly the Europeans are not willing to suffer the costs of war with Russia for America while America risks nothing.
With this clash between America and Europe is it time to ask ourselves if Ukraine is really worth it to the west? Ukraine is a dysfunctional basketcase and few western citizens want to spend money on defending it or propping up their government. The west cannot afford to save Ukraine. And we also need to consider Crimea. The American/west side made a big song and dance about Crimea but one year on Crimeans are happier to be part of Russia.
Ukrainian political scientist Taras Berezovets, a Crimea native, recently started an initiative he called Free Crimea, aided by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives and aimed at building Ukrainian soft power on the peninsula. He started by commissioning a poll of Crimean residents from the Ukrainian branch of Germany's biggest market research organization, GfK. The poll results were something of a cold shower to Berezovets.
Eighty-two percent of those polled said they fully supported Crimea's inclusion in Russia, and another 11 percent expressed partial support. Only 4 percent spoke out against it.
-Bloomberg
The Americans were wrong about Crimea.
The Americans were wrong about backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
The Americans armed rebels in Libya and look how that turned out. The rebels armed rebels in Syria and look how that turned out. A lot of these weapons would now be in the hands of IS. Why should we think that America sending arms to Ukraine will help anything? Why should we trust Americas judgement when they have proven to be wrong on things like this time and time again?
It is the Americans that have been the driving force pushing for the Russian sanctions but it is the European economy and Europeans that suffer. Trade between Russia and America is not significant so the Americans do not lose anything, but trade between Russia and Europe is significant so it is the European economy that suffers while the US side lose nothing. This push to arm Ukraine with advanced weapons puts Europeans at risk of war but there is little risk for the Americans. The Americans want to attack Russia but for all the pain and risk to fall on the Europeans. It is little wonder that the Europeans have had finally had enough and that this push to arm Ukraine has led to a split.
Merkel has said that she does not believe that better weapons for Ukraine will encourage the pro-Russians to back down saying “The question is, would it be all that different if the weapons of the Ukrainian army were somewhat different,” Merkel said. “I have my doubts.” "This can not be won militarily. That is the bitter truth. The international community must think of something else."
The US push to arm Ukraine is bi-partisan but as usual usual war hawks Lindsay Graham and John McCain are the most vocal in calling for the arming of Ukraine. Graham responded to the Europeans push for a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict by saying Merkel “can’t see how arming people who are willing to fight and die for their freedom makes things better. I do,” “You (Merkel) can go to Moscow until you are blue in the face. Stand up to what is a lie and clearly a danger.” Graham said that Merkel was turning her back on a struggling democracy and that he hopes that Ms Merkel "remembers all the sacrificed made by so many over so long a period of time to achieve what we have in Germany today." Clearly the wests strategy in Ukraine is breaking down and resulting in western conflict.
American Vice President Joe Biden supports arming the Ukrainians. Joe says that "America and Europe are being tested" and that "We need to remain resolute and united in our support of Ukraine." Clearly the Europeans and Americans are not united at all on Ukraine. Clearly the Europeans and Americans are failing this test. Clearly the Europeans are not willing to suffer the costs of war with Russia for America while America risks nothing.
With this clash between America and Europe is it time to ask ourselves if Ukraine is really worth it to the west? Ukraine is a dysfunctional basketcase and few western citizens want to spend money on defending it or propping up their government. The west cannot afford to save Ukraine. And we also need to consider Crimea. The American/west side made a big song and dance about Crimea but one year on Crimeans are happier to be part of Russia.
Ukrainian political scientist Taras Berezovets, a Crimea native, recently started an initiative he called Free Crimea, aided by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives and aimed at building Ukrainian soft power on the peninsula. He started by commissioning a poll of Crimean residents from the Ukrainian branch of Germany's biggest market research organization, GfK. The poll results were something of a cold shower to Berezovets.
Eighty-two percent of those polled said they fully supported Crimea's inclusion in Russia, and another 11 percent expressed partial support. Only 4 percent spoke out against it.
-Bloomberg
The Americans were wrong about Crimea.
The Americans were wrong about backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
The Americans armed rebels in Libya and look how that turned out. The rebels armed rebels in Syria and look how that turned out. A lot of these weapons would now be in the hands of IS. Why should we think that America sending arms to Ukraine will help anything? Why should we trust Americas judgement when they have proven to be wrong on things like this time and time again?