Gorbachev: US dragging Russia into new Cold War, which might grow into armed conflict

[Karmadillo]

What happens to a dream deferred? James K. Galbraith explains the dream here: Did the US military plan a nuclear first strike for 1963?

http://rt.com/news/227423-us-russia-cold-war/

Gorbachev: US dragging Russia into new Cold War, which might grow into armed conflict
Published time: January 29, 2015

Mikhail Gorbachev has accused the US of dragging Russia into a new Cold War. The former Soviet president fears the chill in relations could eventually spur an armed conflict.

“Plainly speaking, the US has already dragged us into a new Cold War, trying to openly implement its idea of triumphalism,” Gorbachev said in an interview with Interfax.

The former USSR leader, whose name is associated with the end of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, is worried about the possible consequences.

“What’s next? Unfortunately, I cannot be sure that the Cold War will not bring about a ‘hot’ one. I’m afraid they might take the risk,” he said.

READ MORE: ‘America needs a Perestroika’ – Gorbachev to RT

Gorbachev’s criticism of Washington comes as the West is pondering new sanctions against Russia, blaming it for the ongoing military conflict in eastern Ukraine, and alleging Moscow is sending troops to the restive areas. Russia has denied the allegations.

more...

[DetlefK]

1. Russia also denied and then admitted to invading Crimea with unmarked troops.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/04/17/russia-putin-crimea-idUKL6N0N921H20140417

When the Ukraine-crisis is over (either way), Russia will say: "Well, of course it was our troops in Ukraine and of course we lied about them! We had to, because it was essential to our national security! You surely understand that!"

[newthinking]

3. Spin vs what actually happened

The order of events is important.

After the overthrow in Kiev there was a constitutional crisis. At the same time there were mass demonstrations in the streets the Crimean Parliment called an emergency session. Local militia were the first on the scene and secured the roads. It was not until the Crimean Parliment requested assistance from Russia that their army secured the area.

Russia played a semantics game partially because of the distortions and their Putin's comments are taken out of context.

This documentary video clearly shows the order of events (that is, if you are truly open and not stubborn in the current narrative)

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[DetlefK]

5. RT: Russian troops sent to Crimea to keep ukrainian military away during referendum.

http://rt.com/news/crimea-defense-russian-soldiers-108/


For the video:
- First violent demonstrations.
- Then masked militias show up. (5:10 mark)
- Then the crimean parliament puts together volunteer self-defense forces to keep the "thugs" from taking over. (5:10 mark)
- The Crimeans refuse to accept the ukrainian interim government because Neonazis, lack of legitimation and because the Crimeans see themselves as Russians. (8:00 mark)
- The revolutionaries fighting police-forces of the old pro-Russian ukrainian government are bad because they wear masks. The pro-Russian Crimeans not fighting the police-forces of the old pro-Russian ukrainian government are good because they don't wear masks. (9:30 mark)
- A Maidan-rebel threatening an official of the old pro-Russian ukrainian government after months of guerilla-warfare in Kiev. (11:00 mark) (Would YOU threaten the guy whose goons were after you for months?)
- "The ukrainian government has been deceiving us for 20 years now." (14:30 mark)
- "That's what the Banderans have been waiting for. All the Russians will be purged from Crimea." (15:15 mark)

To me that sounds like a country ripped apart along ethnic lines. The Crimeans were fed up with Ukraine anyway. The violence in Kiev was the point where they said "This is Ukraine's business, not ours."



The video DOES NOT say anything about what happened to the masked paramilitaries or who they were or when and how Russia sent in its army.

[Fred Sanders]

2. Putin is beholden to the powerful Russian Orthodox Church, so once again it is religion fucking things up.

What more do you need to know about Russia and who ever is it's leader? 100 million folks in that one fundamentalist Church in Russia.

Coming to America?

Just goes by different names in America, evangelical, some Catholics, evangelical Catholics, says a Presidential candidate, Baptists, Dominionists, everyone in Utah, same religious nutjob attacks on secularism, as in Russia.

[pampango]

4. I imagine if Russia un-annexes Ukrainian territory, no one will be dragging anyone anywhere.

I'm not sure that liberals want to endorse a new principle that big countries with a strong military can annex parts of neighboring smaller countries with a weaker military.

[uhnope]

6. poor Gorby. I feel sorry for him. He doesn't want to end up like Litvinenko

so he has to say this shit.