I don't doubt your figures.
Anyone would think I am a supporter or the Democrats as much as I am an opponent of the GOP. Not strictly true.
I'm a supporter of 'leave everyone to do their own thing within the law' but that has taken a backseat in practically every country in the world.
And if we should die tonight
Then we should all die together
Raise a glass of wine for the last time
Calling out father, prepare as we will
Watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side
Desolation comes upon the sky..
pragmatic (02-26-2014)
I, too, favor a "live and let live" philosophy but the history of the world is that not every one agrees. Until they do, it's on our own best interests to be proactive rather than reactive.
The good news is that the world is a lot more peaceful these days than it was in past years and has been going that way for several decades.
Putin put some troops on alert but he does not claim he will try to get into that mess.
The Ukraine cops or troops as the case may be were able to kill people who resisted them.
In reading up on the Ukraine which was part of the Soviet Union for many years, the Crimea, now part of Ukraine was the most recent addition to Ukraine. So, there is not that super bond between those in the Crimea who are mostly Russians vs the part of the Ukraine where Kiev is located. Those in that area wish to join the EU. Those in the Crimea do not want to join. Makes it hard to have peace when one group persists on being with Russia and the other part wants to be part of Europe. The booted out president wanted to be part of Europe. As to the EU rather than part of any other country, is what I mean.
Fyodor Lukyanov, the editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine and head of the Council for Foreign and Defence Policies, said that for the Kremlin the key indicators would be the action by the new government regarding the Black Sea Fleet's presence in Ukraine and authorities' pledges to stay away from military blocs.
He said that if Moscow sees Kyiv reneging on these issues, it would set off alarms in the Kremlin as a possible signal of Ukraine joining NATO."Ukraine in NATO has been a red line," Lukyanov said. "If that happens, various options will come under consideration, including appeal to certain parts of Ukraine, including the Crimea."
He warned that a violent confrontation between pro-Moscow protesters and demonstrators supporting the new Ukrainian authorities could force Russia to act."If clashes occur in the Crimea, Russia will start by issuing harsh statements and put the Black Sea Fleet on high alert," Lukyanov said. "Russia couldn't ignore it. There are all kinds of risks."
Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/putin-s-...#ixzz2uTplwaZP
In quoting my post, you affirm and agree that you have not been goaded, provoked, emotionally manipulated or otherwise coerced into responding.
"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.”
Mahatma Gandhi