My new piece for RT.com OpEdge.
On the one side we have a government that has carried out renationalization, which has confronted the greedy foreign-owned energy companies, and presided over a rise in real wages and a fall in unemployment.
Also, this government imposed a bank tax and implemented other measures to help ordinary people – including a government-decreed cut in energy bills.
On the other side, there is an opposition alliance that supports further privatization, wants more policies to benefit global "investors," which is unashamedly pro-banker and pro-globalist and whose main alliance partner when last in government imposed swingeing cuts in public spending, destroyed state-owned companies including national airline Malev, and left millions of ordinary people worse off.
Now, you'd probably think that the government is question was "socialist’ or "leftist" and the opposition "conservative." But in fact, it is the other way round.
You can read the whole of the piece here.
15 comments:
Lugansk...ready for anything:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L63dsYDy5ks#t=01
google trans of russia transcript in video
They are armed and do not intend to make concessions to Ukrainian authorities.
In Luhansk building SBU disagree with the policies of the new authorities of the third day take up defensive positions . As the correspondent of LifeNews from the event , including members of the self-defense groups have as residents of Luhansk region , and visitors from other areas.
Under the control of the protesters was a room with a weapon, which are Kalashnikovs , machine guns and even grenade launchers . Activists held talks with representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs , but so far it has not brought results.
- We were offered fully surrender their weapons. Only under this condition pardon us , - said the representative of Staff southeastern army Valery swamp. - We will not agree to these terms . Our terms and conditions - is the abolition of the presidential elections and the appointment of the day of the referendum.
Staff representative confirmed that the building has no defenders among Russians.
- Building hold ordinary Ukrainian citizens , veterans of Afghanistan , reserve officers , there are simple people - miners , Kazakhs, - he said. - Every day we are waiting for the invasion , the situation escalates.
According to the correspondent LifeNews, Lugansk disconnected power supply . The building of the SBU is no light for three days.
April 6 , protesters took over the building in Lugansk Ukraine's Security Service . Their demands are associated with the recognition of the illegitimacy of the current administration . They also demanded the release of the leader of " Lugansk Guard " Alexander Kharitonov , who is considered a national governor of the region.
Opponents of the new government came into confrontation with the police guarding the building. As a result, suffered as law enforcement and protesters . But the latter was able to break into the building of the Security Service .
The building protesters issued an ultimatum to the authorities , whose term has expired.
- We, the Joint Staff of the Army of the southeast , we promise that if before 6 April will not be fulfilled our requirements , we will move to an open confrontation , - said one of the activists on the videotape made samooboronovtsami . - We call the building regional SBU Lugansk region , which is completely under our control. We invite all residents of south and south- east of Ukraine to support the requirements that apply to all . It's time to speak up for their rights and values. In recent days , our army increased manifold , but without everyone's support , we can not change anything. Arise, South East !
Learn about the news first ! Subscribe to https://twitter.com/lifenews_ru
CNN on #Donetsk: "The protesters who let us into the building are eager to show they are here entirely peacefully." http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/08/world/europe/ukraine-donetsk-protesters-walsh/ …
Retweeted Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn):
Right Sector headed to Eastern Ukraine to put separatists into line? http://t.co/o2Iia2L3nQ
=================
EU and the Camel
Why EUtopia EUropa is Nowhere for EUkraine:
It's the old tale about the camel and the tent. On a cold night in the desert, a bedouin's camel nudged his nose inside the tent to keep it warm. It felt so good, he stuck his head in too, then his neck. Finally he rolled his whole body into the tent. Now where did the tent go? he wondered.
The EU started out as a country club of rich countries, metropoles of erstwhile colonial world powers. It was a lovely little club, with high subsidies for farming to keep cherished touristic landscapes as picturesque as ever. Then they started letting the camels in, large and small... probably to do NATO's work for the Americans. In any case, the club tent has cold comforts left to offer any new campers, camels or steppe-children.
In short, the EU was a rentiers club for retired empires. Not the place for younger, poorer, upwardly mobile nations trying to make their mark in the world. Theoretically a group of equal nations, but the old guard had to ensure their prerogatives over the arrivistes. One solution was hidden forms of internal protectionism, such as debt, restructuring, privatization, locking up markets and putting local industries out of business. Lacking a dynamic economic philosophy, the EU had no way to make a tent big enough to shelter everyone. Even the bedouins are shivering now.
The EU is now home to over half a billion people. It is a tall order to provide a high living standard to such a large population. Europe must import raw materials and energy, yet its high wages make it difficult to compete in manufacturing. Thus the core countries outsource work to the newer, poorer members. Countries like Poland supply components for German industry, while shutting down or selling off their own industry. It's a new form of colonialism within Europe. When recession hits, the sharecropping "colonies" are hit hardest, and are left without levers to try and build up their own economy.
http://progressivepress.com/blog-entry/dirty-war-ukraine
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Владимир Груздев
@GruzdevVladimir
Субъекты России окажут помощь подшефным территориям Крыма. Тульской области доверено взаимодействие с Керчью. pic.twitter.com/mFr3BW934T
Translated from Russian by Bing Translator
Subjects of Russia will provide assistance to the sponsored areas of Crimea. Tula oblast has been entrusted with Kerch. pic.twitter.com/mFr3BW934T
any cause that needs to lie to sustain itself is a lost cause....
RT на русском @RT_russian 2h
Новость о пустых полках в крымских магазинах проиллюстрировали фотографией из Нью-Йорка http://russian.rt.com/article/27046 pic.twitter.com/08C2z73XXD
News about empty shelves in stores Crimean illustrated with photographs from New York http://russian.rt.com/article/27046 pic.twitter.com/08C2z73XXD
any cause that needs to lie to sustain itself is a lost cause....
RT на русском @RT_russian 2h
Новость о пустых полках в крымских магазинах проиллюстрировали фотографией из Нью-Йорка http://russian.rt.com/article/27046 pic.twitter.com/08C2z73XXD
News about empty shelves in stores Crimean illustrated with photographs from New York http://russian.rt.com/article/27046 pic.twitter.com/08C2z73XXD
Hungry for change?!
Breaking news: From Georgia's military circles comes an announcement that four of the snipers that were active at Maidan are from Georgia, that their identities are now known, and that they are part of Sakashvilli's, Georgia's former president's special forces that were trained in part precisely for such missions. Investigation is on going, and official charges are being prepared.........................so there are special forces in Ukraine: and serving the Junta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STMD234ErU0
I have never read such a bullshit in my whole life
in Ukraine: Alfa team who defied Paruby "Our units have been sent for the release of hostages& fight terrorism, we don't see any evidence of either"
Crimea&East @IndependentKrym 45m
the institutional army seems to have defied him but Paruby still has:Right Sector, National Guard, Maidan defense, Mercs etc. still a threat
Crimea&East @IndependentKrym 1h
KIevJunta agenda till yesterday was repression & now just cos their army is defying them they r at the table being"sweet" lol. do not trust!
Crimea&East @IndependentKrym 1h
@IndependentKrym btw now it is obvious why KievJunta invented the hostages lie: to have an excuse to deploy alfa units in Lugansk &use force
Crimea&East @IndependentKrym 1h
Alfa team who defied Paruby "Our units have been sent for the release of hostages& fight terrorism, we don't see any evidence of either"
Retweeted by Crimea&East
KeXXit @KeXXit 2h
The Alfa special unit refused to storm the Donetsk and Lugansk
People welcome #BERKUT, who changed sides and took the side of the people. 100 Berkut troops marched out of the Interior Ministy building in #Kharkov in protest after the #Kyiv junta fired their commander.
More on the story here: http://ria.ru/world/20140411/1003524115.html
More videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqzMhsUWGSR-ZdmwqpDDkBw
a decent piece on Donetsk by VICE, interviewing some people at the scene: strong pro-russian sentiment
'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wetleAB1XmY
Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina 51m
Building the #Donetsk fortress (barricades) seems to be a communal effort: young & old, men & women.
#Донецк #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/7XqlTIlein
a decent piece on Donetsk by VICE, interviewing some people at the scene: strong pro-russian sentiment
'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wetleAB1XmY
Nina Byzantina @NinaByzantina 51m
Building the #Donetsk fortress (barricades) seems to be a communal effort: young & old, men & women.
#Донецк #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/7XqlTIlein
Thanks, as ever Brian for those.
'metatron' : thanks for yr detailed analysis.
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