Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Malthus]

Rats. I can't see the pic. 

[CountDeMoney]

What's the deal on the hair on the Brady Bunch?  Are those hats or Slavfros?

I'm trying to figure out what a Qing Dynasty-era imperial eunuch needs to be the one to decide between the decedent EU and Russia. 

[DGuller]

It is interesting that the Russians quickly go to WW2 for their propaganda "boogey-man". Does that actually resonate in some part of their target audience?

For me it just makes me go "Huh? Nazis? Really?"

Russia is a sort of modern country in the internet age. This won't work so well.

What you're missing is the fact that having access to sources that aren't part of the propaganda machine does not vaccinate you against propaganda.  Many Russians do have access to CNN, which is why they're convinced that CNN is brainwashing all the Americans about the true reasons behind the Ukraine crisis.

[Razgovory]

It is interesting that the Russians quickly go to WW2 for their propaganda "boogey-man". Does that actually resonate in some part of their target audience?

For me it just makes me go "Huh? Nazis? Really?"

Russia is a sort of modern country in the internet age. This won't work so well.

Fuck, you get people in this country who believe that kind of thing.  Look up "Pink Swastika".

[Malthus]

You see the "facists" thing beong repeated here. I'm amazed, but there are evidently some actual people in the West who sympathize with Russia and believe its propaganda. 

[DGuller]

You see the "facists" thing beong repeated here. I'm amazed, but there are evidently some actual people in the West who sympathize with Russia and believe its propaganda. 

Democracies breed useful idiots, that's part of the price we have to pay for it. 

[crazy canuck]

You see the "facists" thing beong repeated here. I'm amazed, but there are evidently some actual people in the West who sympathize with Russia and believe its propaganda. 

Yeah, but he hasnt posted yet today.

[KRonn]

Putin must long for a plausible pretext for his acts.

I'm afraid that he's given up on that.  He must realize that the jig is up, that no pretext is going to make it look like anything other than Russian aggression to anyone who's not a brainwashed Russian fascist zombie, and he's fine with that.

This is my gut feeling as well, but Putin already has some pretext in protecting Russian citizens, same pretext used to annex territory in Georgia. Crimea is likely gone, just need to wait and see how much further Russia pushes things. Next stops could be the Balkans as I've been reading of problems there involving Russian citizens, though how true who knows. But Putin only needs the storyline, true or not, to act.

[Sahib]

They are repeating crazy propaganda that not even their own people believe.

From what I've read on Paradox forum they actually do

[Jacob]

It is interesting that the Russians quickly go to WW2 for their propaganda "boogey-man". Does that actually resonate in some part of their target audience?

For me it just makes me go "Huh? Nazis? Really?"

Yeah, I think it does. The Great Patriotic War occupies something like the same space as the Constitution in the US in terms of national consciousness and mythology. Important to the county for sure and also a good go-to whenever you want to rally patriots without giving it too much thought.

[CountDeMoney]

For the Russians, the Great Patriotic War is like the American Civil War if it had ended last Tuesday.

[Jacob]

What's the deal on the hair on the Brady Bunch?  Are those hats or Slavfros?

I think they're wreaths/ garlands - part of traditional costume on occasion.

[Jacob]

What's the deal on the hair on the Brady Bunch?  Are those hats or Slavfros?

I think they're wreaths/ garlands - part of traditional costume on occasion.

This kind of thing:

[Syt]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-26426969

Ukraine: UK rules out Russia trade curbs?



The government will not curb trade with Russia or close London's financial centre to Russians as part of any possible package of sanctions against Moscow, according to an official document.

The document, which was photographed as a senior official carried it into a meeting in Downing Street, says that "the UK should not support for now trade sanctions or close London's financial centre to Russians", while it confirms that ministers ARE considering - along with other EU countries - visa restrictions and travel bans on key Russian figures.

It also says that ministers should "discourage any discussion (eg at Nato) of contingency military preparations" and support "contingency EU work on providing Ukraine with alternative gas" and oil supplies "if Russia cuts them off".

Until now ministers have made no specific threats of action against Russia and Downing Street have stressed the need to keep open the possibility of de-escalating the crisis.

The prime minister said this afternoon that Russia would face "diplomatic, political, economic and other pressures" to send a "clear message" about its actions in the Ukraine.

'Significant costs'
The reason for this form of words is clear. Public statements should for now be kept "generic", the document says, whereas specific threats should be "contingent and used for private messaging".

This is in stark contrast to the specific hardline threats made by US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday.

One senior government source told me: "We prefer to speak softly and carry a big stick."

They stressed that European countries were pursuing a deliberate policy of showing to Russia that de-escalation was still possible whilst being clear that "significant costs" would follow if Moscow does not seek a peaceful conclusion to its dispute with Ukraine.

I understand that the prime minister hopes to speak to Germany's Chancellor Merkel tonight. The German attitude is regarded as crucial since they are traditionally in favour of a less confrontational approach to Russia and are heavily dependent on Russian gas and oil.

Downing Street is refusing to comment on a secret document though I understand that other scenarios were considered at a meeting of the National Security Council today

[Syt]

No way Putin will invade.  He'll just continue doing sneaky KGB stuff to Ukraine.

*cough*