Ukraine - a few thoughts

There is, unless you've spend the past 2 weeks doing research on the Bachelor contestants, or watching all movies nominated in all the categories for the Academy Awards (and really, how do you appreciate sound editing?) a huge crisis in Ukraine.

Here's a summary of the past few weeks; There has been a popular uprising since late January leading to massive demonstrations in Kiev, the capital city of Ukraine, against the sitting President. He was seen as a puppet of the Russian government led by Putin. After swearing, and promising he would not step down, after hundreds died in huge demonstrations in Kiev - he stepped down. On the 23rd of Feb the Ukrainian Parliament appointed an interim President until new elections. February 28th is when Russia says "Screw that." Invades the Crimean peninsula to "protect" ethnic Russians (although they were not in danger really) It was a bullshit rationale to invade a sovereign nation.

This is a real crisis, with real people affected, with life, death, and liberty at stake for Ukrainian people. Ukraine is on the western edge of Russia. It's the most European of the former states of the Soviet Union. Its capital - Kiev - is a historically significant city in Russian history. The seat of the Russian Czars was there before being moved to Moscow. It was a pretty autonomous state under the old Russian Empire, although it did remain subordinate to the Czars. Under the Soviet Union it was strategically important during the Cold War. It was a hub of Soviet armed forces, and was densely armed with nukes. When the Soviet Union collapsed after the Cold War, Ukraine became independent. In exchange for its independence it gave up all nuclear weapons to Russia. Russia paid Ukraine the value of the uranium. A treaty was signed by Ukraine, Russia, United States, and United Kingdom recognizing Ukrainian sovereignty. So, no way is Russia right in it's invasion.

To hear the conservative punditocracy the biggest reason Putin felt he could do this was because Obama is not decisive, or tough enough. Never mind that when Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 there was a different President who, for whatever his faults, was very decisive and tough. Right there the argument is exposed as red team bullshit. This issue is way bigger than the red team/blue team political paradigm that out lazy media finds the need to put everything into.

If there were a President Romney right now, and if events played out in Ukraine as they have the past few months, the crisis would be here in current shape. If you think differently, you're either stupid, or not paying attention. If you think tough talk will change anything, you're foolish. If you think US forces should be there to support Ukraine, I suggest you crack a history book, and look up "land wars in Russia." If there's anything Putin is counting on it's Congress and the President NOT working together, and playing politics with this as they have since 2010.