Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Queequeg]

"Sweden, Poland, Turkey concerned about Russian military operations in Ukraine. #Tweetsfrom1710"

[Grey Fox]

I think if our response in Syria had been stronger we wouldn't be in this mess.  Putin is just pushing and pushing to see exactly how much he and his allies can get away with.

As this isn't Putin's Danzig the question becomes what it actually is: Rhineland (nah), Austria, Sudetenland, Bohemia, Memel...?

Classic Sudetenland.  There is an appeal to take the territory on the basis of your country's ethnicity living there, and needing your protection.  On the other side, there is a similar level of total incompetence at the top on the side of Western leaders, coupled with lack of desire to fight someone else's war.

What are we going to do? The Western world doesn't have any money anymore, the bankers took it all.

[Syt]

Media here say this is about Crimea - given how weak the Western response has been, and the bad shape that the Ukrainian government is in now (hardly any cash, still trying to consolidate) I wouldn't be surprised if Putin went for all of Eastern Ukraine.

And the West will stand there with their dicks in their hands (in Merkel's case an oversized clitoris).

I think it was a huge blow to EU credibility when the compromise was signed and the EU basically walked away without enforcing it when it went to shit.

[OttoVonBismarck]

The EU will never be more than a big trading bloc, it's cool for what it is but any idea of a united EU as a geopolitical actor is a myth and I think most of the world knows that now.

[Syt]

There'll be a UNSC emergency session, but I don't see what that's supposed to accomplish besides trying to score some PR points.

[DGuller]

What are we going to do? The Western world doesn't have any money anymore, the bankers took it all.

We found the money during the Great Depression.  Eventually...

[Queequeg]

The parallel with the Sudetenland is almost creepy, actually.

IDK. The German Army at that point was pretty well armed, even if taking over Czech supplies helped. It was also part of a general plan to take over Europe. I don't think Putin has thought that far ahead. He's just pissed that Ukraine was tired of being his catamite.

[Syt]

The EU will never be more than a big trading bloc, it's cool for what it is but any idea of a united EU as a geopolitical actor is a myth and I think most of the world knows that now.

I'll bet 100$ against an old hat that public opinion in Germany will be, "See, shouldn't have stuck our noses in other countries' affairs! Now look at the mess!"

[Syt]

The parallel with the Sudetenland is almost creepy, actually.

IDK. The German Army at that point was pretty well armed, even if taking over Czech supplies helped. It was also part of a general plan to take over Europe. I don't think Putin has thought that far ahead. He's just pissed that Ukraine was tired of being his catamite.

I agree - and he can't let it slide, or all the other small neighbors might get fancy ideas.

[DGuller]

The parallel with the Sudetenland is almost creepy, actually.

IDK. The German Army at that point was pretty well armed, even if taking over Czech supplies helped. It was also part of a general plan to take over Europe. I don't think Putin has thought that far ahead. He's just pissed that Ukraine was tired of being his catamite.

No plan?  Putin has been pretty open about viewing the disintegration of Soviet Union as a catastrophe to be rectified.  Seriously, must we repeat every single mistake we made 80 years ago?

[OttoVonBismarck]

+1 for use of the word catamite.

Anyway, I've heard a decent argument made that part of it is Putin  believes "fractured" countries like Georgia (soon to be Ukraine) can't join NATO because NATO members would be afraid of signing on with a country that might actually be involved in a conflict. I'd really like to see Obama push for a bilateral agreement with Ukraine or expedited full NATO membership to show Putin that isn't the case. FFS, we had half of fractured Germany in NATO with a lot more fearsome opponent on the other side than 2014 Russia. Not sure why our dickless leaders are scared to stand shoulder to shoulder with a country that wants protection from Soviet-style aggression.

[The Brain]

The parallel with the Sudetenland is almost creepy, actually.

IDK. The German Army at that point was pretty well armed, even if taking over Czech supplies helped. It was also part of a general plan to take over Europe. I don't think Putin has thought that far ahead. He's just pissed that Ukraine was tired of being his catamite.

No plan?  Putin has been pretty open about viewing the disintegration of Soviet Union as a catastrophe to be rectified.  Seriously, must we repeat every single mistake we made 80 years ago?

No one in the West gives a fuck about the old parts of the Soviet Union.

[Queequeg]

I don't think he has the resources to annex Ukraine. He's going to try to break off chunks of it to keep the other vassal states in line.

[Syt]

I was always guessing that at some point Ukraine would be split between Russian East and the Western part. I just hoped it would be without military means.

[OttoVonBismarck]

But hey no worries, the UNSC is going to have informal consultations in a few hours and maybe sometime in the next month Obama and his Western allies will come up with a plan. I think the West is under the impression foreign affairs move at the speed of a horse drawn buggy.