Peter Hitchens on Flight MH17 Tragedy

Peter Hitchens has got this spot on.  The EU and NATO stir up trouble in the Ukraine (and other places as well e.g. Georgia) then walk away when things get difficult. The causal link is more EU than Putin.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2698652/PETER-HITCHENS-Mourn-victims-dont-turn-one-tragedy-global-catastrophe.html

"Those who began the current war in Ukraine – the direct cause of the frightful murder of so many innocents on Flight MH17 on Thursday – really have no excuse.

There is no doubt about who they were. In any war, the aggressor is the one who makes the first move into neutral or disputed territory.

And that aggressor was the European Union."

Crimea votes to re-join Russia

The hastily held referendum in Crimea on re-joining Russia has resulted in a vote in favour of the Crimea re-joining the Russian Federation.  As a consequence, Crimea's parliament has today formally declared independence from Ukraine and asked to join the Russian Federation.

All I've heard from the UK, US governments and the EU is sour grapes about the result - I have not heard a single credible argument that what has happened is illegal or undemocratic.  William Hague this morning was again talking in "generic" terms of  Russia's actions being unacceptable and discussing (with EU counterparts) of targeted sanctions against specific individuals in the Russian and Crimean leadership.

The timing was questionable, it was done against the backdrop of a large Russian military presence - but the referendum was not conducted at gun-point.  As John Simpson, foreign correspondent of the BBC, remarked on the radio this morning - the result (97% in favour) may be on a par with Kim Jong-Un's election result, but this was no North Korean style vote.  He also remarked on the obvious joy of Crimean population at the result and that this apparently represented the majority will of the people.  The result greeted with scenes of jubilation, street parties and rock concerts.

The referendum had long been planned for this year but was brought forward - no doubt to capitalise on the uncertainty of events in the rest of the Ukraine and the weakness of the authorities in Kiev, as well as uncertainty as to the ability of the Ukrainian state to control all its territorial integrity.

Putin playing Mr Benn, again

Mr Putin, in explaining the presence of troops in Russian military uniforms in Crimea, told journalists: “You can go to a store and buy any kind of uniform.”  Hmmm perhaps a shop where, as if by magic, the shopkeeper appears, wearing a Fez?  That explains everything! (See Http://blog.therussiahouse.net/2013/09/putin-is-tosser.html?m=1 which describes the book by Fiona Hill and Clifford Gaddy: "Mr Putin: Operative in the Kremlin".  This books tries to identify the real Mr Putin from his various personalities, and compares his staged managed action man escapades to the adventures of 70s cartoon character Mr Benn.)

True identity of the unmarked troops in Crimea revealed

Ukraine - send in the clowns

John Kerry - verbose and incoherent tit at the best of times, off to Kiev to save the day;  President Barack Obama states that "no country has a right to send in troops to another country unprovoked." - kettle, pot;  a Downing Street aide unintentionally reveals the approach of the UK Government to the Russian action in Ukraine by leaving his notes visible to the long lenses of press photographers - apparently we're not going to do anything but talk tough in "generic" terms.  With this shower, is it any wonder that Putin thinks he can act with impunity.

Morten Morland cartoon for 03.03.14 for The Times