Sudetenland and Crimea

[graywolf]

I am wondering if anyone else sees history rewriting itself in the recent events occuring in the Crimea.  Putin claims he is only protecting Russians living in the Crimea from the Ukraine government.  In addition, Russia secures its strategic access to the Black Sea and beyond.  Adolph Hitler threatened war with Czechoslovakia unless the ethnic Germans living there could join the Third Reich.  As we all know, Neville Chamberlain bargained away the Sudetenland for "Peace in Our Time". 

[Ulmus]

I think everyone's feeling a little of this.   

[graywolf]

Interestingly, Bill O'Reilly opened tonight's broadcast with this analogy.

[alfsauve]

Don't totally agree with the analogy.   It think Crimea is strongly pro-Russian and would voluntarily split with Ukraine and join Russia given the opportunity.  I'm not advocating Putin's actions, but I don't quite see the Crimeans as being coerced.

Also, Russia has Black Sea access in the Southern state.  Sochi being at the far end of that coast.  Though it is a little further away and with limited overland transportation options, that hardly seems like a reason for invading.  Far less costly to develop overland transport, if they haven't, than what's happening.   I just don't think that's the reason for the current invasion.

I think Putin, and to some extent the Russian people, want to re-establish the Russian empire and prestige.   With such a weak and sissified US President a power vacuum has been created and nature abhors a vacuum.

[kmitch200]

Glorious Leader will intervene with a finger wag and almost stern rhetoric. Putin will wilt under Glorious Leader's gaze.
If Putin doesn't back off after that, the finger will be wagged more sternly. 

[Sponsor]

[oldkat69]

   Why does history repeat its self?  Because we didn't get it right the first time!

[tombogan03884]

  Why does history repeat its self?  Because we didn't get it right the first time!

That sums things up fairly well.

[graywolf]

I think Putin, and to some extent the Russian people, want to re-establish the Russian empire and prestige.   With such a weak and sissified US President a power vacuum has been created and nature abhors a vacuum. (from a previous post)

I believe it was Der Furhrer who wanted to restore The Fatherland to the glory of Fredrick the Great, Barbarossa and Otto Von Bismarck and the German Volk bought into that.  I also believe that the President of the United States of America suffers from the same naivete that Chamberlain did.

[Rastus]

<snip>  I also believe that the President of the United States of America suffers from the same naivete that Chamberlain did.

Along with delusion of grandeur thinking he's one splendid dude when he's really just a vindictive con-artist hanging on puppet strings.

[Pathfinder]

Russia's interests in the Ukraine include the number of Russian ex-mil types who retired there, as well as a number of very large pipelines that run across Ukraine to ports (for shipping) and into Europe - Russia is the largest supplier of natural gas to Europe.

Still, he waltzed across a sovereign border and all bho ever did was unfriend him from facebook. But then, that is part of bho's mission - diminish this country internally and externally to the greatest degree possible so it can never again be a world leader.