UKRAINE CRISIS: US MEDDLING NOT PUTIN TO BLAME

The view from up here in the snow-covered Green Mountains of Vermont is much at odds with what we read and hear from the media in rest of the nation. The news outlets are all rushing to make a Hitler out of  Mr.Putin.  Well don't agree, but we don't go around much up here with our jeeps and SUVs draped in the Stars and Stripes either.  Not that we wouldn't protect what is ours and what’s best for the nation. Maybe it's the clear cold air...and the isolation that permits a person more time to think things over.

In the "Greens" we are not so happy with Mr.Obama’s recent Ukraine foreign policy. How we see it is this. First of all we didn't like his meddling in the internal affairs of that nation. He and his out-of control-CIA and the left-over neocons in the State Department from the failed Bush Administration went a step to far in their efforts to destabilize the Yanukovych middle-of-the-road government and replace it with a hand picked, pro- US, pro-western one. That might seem like a worthy cause to some.  But given the geography, history and population of that nation, it was a dumb policy and one that was bound for obvious failure. The Obamaans should have known that.

Given the population of Ukraine, much of its russophone population is in the south and east, and many natives are sympathetic to Russia and fearful of losing their jobs in the event  that nation was to hitch up with the EU. In addition, the prospect of another NATO-run entity bristling with armaments right on Russia’s doorstep made Putin squirm. With these and other facts the prospects of a successful US led coup..was not very likely and would likely just stir up dissension and cause a lot of bloodshed. In fact more than 77 people died on both sides in Kiev, partly as a result of US meddling.  It looks to me like the original plan--for it was a US plan--was a step too far. Clearly it was overreaching. This by the uncertain Obama administration and the unsophisticated fringe elements in the State Department who view meddling in the affairs of another nation, regardless of the damage done, as simply part of their mandate. The vulgar “F--k the EU” comment by Ms.Nuland of State revealed just how over the top, deeply committed and involved the USA was in generating this coup.

Mr. Putin's response to US meddling on his doorstep and attempts at closing off his vital access to a warm water harbor, were readily predictable.  Wiser more sophisticated leadership in Washington should have foreseen the dangers of their foolhardy “shoot from the hip” policy. The result was the Crimea takeover by Mr. Putin that left Mr. Obama and his gang of neophytes flatfooted---again. It is Mr. Putin who seems to be the much better chess player. Obama has again exposed his weaknesses to the world. Mr. Putin is probably secretly blowing kisses to our man in the White House, since he would not have been able to move into the Crimea as he has without Mr.Obama’s unwitting help.

In this dangerous game between the US and Russia the EU is (wisely) a less-than-avid player who has much to loose economically. Russia supplies it with much of its oil and gas and in turn purchases much of its manufactured goods. One would think that the EU would or should have learned its lesson after being sucked in by the US into the economic and military morass of Iraq and Afghanistan.  My advice to the those in Brussels is this...start thinking on your own and stop letting Washington lead you by the nose.  The neophytes inside of the Beltway do not know what they are doing. There has to be wiser more sophisticated and adult leadership somewhere in Europe. Also, its time to drop the UK! Cameron and his ilk are just a stalking horse for US interests. Wise up EU. Just say “NO” to the next dumb plan the US presents to you.  More leadership from Brussels might just make the world a safer better place for us all.