And a bit of inadvertent truth from John Kerry!I will get to that at the end of the post , first, the failed state status of Ukraine.I define a failed state as: one that fails it's citizens. Which makes most of our home countries failed states. Ukraine's failed state status is showing itself in a manner that is more often associated with third world nations.Think of Somalia.Admittedly I love the spin control vortex whirling today in Washington Post. Wow! It’s a beautiful thing, this perception management. It gives me something to take apart every single day :)WP:
“Steelworkers employed by eastern Ukraine’s top tycoon helped police keep order in some disputed cities as an uneasy calm prevailed Friday over the beleaguered country preparing for planned May 25 nationwide elections”“The unarmed patrols in the cities of Mariupol and Makeyevka by employees of companies controlled by Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov were intended to restore order “
That’s very positive isn’t it? Steelworkers employed by Ukraine’s top tycoon assisting police. Very community like, right? Wrong! Let’s look at it more realistically. Let’s look at the facts of the matter?Fact: Ukraine’s top warlord/oligarch has created and is paying a militia to intimidate the anti-coup/independence movement.Because I am big on definitions and etymology
Warlord -a person with power (oligarch) who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority.Warlordism frequently appears in failed states, states in which central government and nationwide authorities have collapsed or exist merely formally without actual control over the state territory.
Militia - generally is an army or other fighting force that is composed of non-professional fighters, as opposed to a professional force of regular, full-time military personnel.
Despite the Washington Post spin job, as stated, the fact is- Ukraine's top, richest warlord/oligarch has created and is paying a militia to terrorize the anti-coup/independence movement.Recall: Donetsk held a referendum? The people turned out in huge numbers. And voted overwhelmingly to be independent of the coup government in Kiev. Donetsk then proclaimed itself an independent republic.Oh no, yet, another problem for the junta in Kiev! The coup government has demonstrated their clearly tyrannical ways in abundance. Or should I say their abundantly tyrannical ways very clearly? Same/same!They can’t maintain the illusion necessary to convince the domestic audience, never mind the international/western audience that they are the ‘good guys’ The western backed coup government realizing they are losing territory, failing their puppet masters, banksters, and other assorted elite scumbags, quite likely losing support amongst their internal supporters ahead of an election they so desperately need to “win”, to prove themselves legitimate, had to change face. But not alter the agenda.So no more Svoboda/Right Sector/soccer hooligans or any other already known brands.It is now “steelworkers” It’s still going to be the same tactic of terrorizing their own brethren, former or not, the terrorizers just have a new label. Are the 'steelworkers' really steelworkers? Maybe they are?Maybe they aren’t? But, does it make any difference what label these militias go by?Calling them ‘steelworkers’ does not indicate non affiliation with Svoboda, Right Sector, soccer hooligans or foreign mercenaries? For the simple reason that steelworkers, even if legitimately so, can also be members of Svoboda or Right sector. Steel workers can be soccer hooligans. Steel workers can even be foreign mercenaries. Or steel workers can be anyone looking for extra money- and likely a whole lot of it.So dump the steelworker brand and stick with the facts.As for the claim made in WP of these militias being unarmed?- A claim that is not believable and should not be believed given the agenda. A claim only a fool would believe. Quoting further from the WP article:
“The head of a militia group backing Kiev’s interim government claimed late Thursday that a unit of pro-Ukrainian volunteers has retaken control of Velyka Novosilka, the center of a regional district about 30 miles southwest of the city of Donetsk.”
The head of a militia group no doubt backed by the warlord Akhmetov
The Donbas battalion took back control of the local police department and seized weapons after a confrontation late Thursday
So much for the baloney about them being unarmed!UPDATE! Aargh, just as I was promising everyone I was signing off what comes across my computer screen- Unarmed militias- my foot!May 16, 2014 - An armed man of the Donbass Battalion, a non-affiliated militia group that has stated its intent to fight in support of Ukrainian unity, is on guard at a base near Donetsk, eastern Ukraine. The group says it has reclaimed Velyka Novosilka from pro-Russian separatists with the self-styled Donetsk Peoples Republic,Fact- Rinat Akhmetov, warlord/oligarch created, bought and paid for, armed militias to terrorize the anti-coup independence movementBefore ending this post. Let’s look at one more paragraph from the WP article (linked at the top)Quoting none other then John Kerry- cutting to the chase on the reality or delusion concerning Moscow’s involvement or non involvement in eastern Ukraine
Asked whether the West would be watching for direct Russian interference or hold Moscow accountable for the actions of the pro-Russian separatists, Kerry said a judgment would be made based on “attitude and behavior.”“I’m not going to start laying out the whole series of definitions except to say to you that it is clear what proxies mean,” he said.
Sure, I know what proxy means but claiming something is a proxy doesn't make it so. Clearly, Kerry has zero proof of direct Russian interference. If he did have proof he would shout it to the mountains, but he hasn't. He doesn't. Because he can't prove anything. So he is instead relying on “attitude and behaviour”Following up with-