Kate Hawkesby: I hope more Russians see Putin's lies for what they are

 

I hold out hope that media reports that Russia’s ugly war could be over in about 10 days prove true. 

I also hold out hope that claims peace talks are working, prove to be true. Because even if this does wrap up after a month, which in the grand scheme of wars seems a relatively short time, it has nonetheless been utterly heart breaking, painful and abhorrent to watch. And that’s part of the problem, we’ve seen it all unfold in front of us for the past 3 weeks like a horror show we just can’t switch off. 

Denis Hall: The real reason for the Ukraine war.

I've been watching News all day for days - because this situation fascinates me - and I'm not talking about the deadbeats in New Zealand's so called "news". They do not count for anything. I deal with them with the remote. Click – gone!

The most informative News Org I have to say - and it makes me squirm to say it - is Al Jazeera. and I have also been watching Fox and RT (Russia Today) and the wackos at the BBC - and some of the others that I have on my TV. I have also been interested in History all my life - and I never did get indoctrinated in any 'University' 'political science class' - and this below is what I think about all this.

Get on Google Earth first - and see where the Ukraine actually is in relation to the European Union and Russia. (And TRY to remember - that Russia and China are joined at the hip by tradition - landmass - politics - and the future.)

God forbid I would be on Russia's side in this - but in terms of stupid I find it difficult to be on NATO's side.

Ron Smith: The Munich Moment

In a blog I wrote towards the end of the first year of his presidency (November, 2009), I asked the question, “Is Barak Obama destined to be the Neville Chamberlain of the Twenty-first century?”  It is now clear that the answer to this question is, “Yes!”  And Ukraine is his Czechoslovakia.  

On present trends and despite the huffing and puffing about ‘consequences’ and ‘lines being crossed’, it looks as if the world will acquiesce in Russia’s military occupation and annexation of Crimea.  I say ‘the world’ because Russia mustered precisely no votes in the Security Council debate on this matter beyond its own veto.

Ron Smith: Tacking and Jibing with Chemical Weapons

For sports fans, events in San Francisco Bay over the last few weeks have been absolutely riveting, with every tack and jibe analysed.  For political junkies, the public sparring between Presidents Putin and Obama has been equally compelling.  The jaunt has been especially interesting of late for a sequence of completely unpredicted moves.  After a longish period of studied insults and put-downs from Putin, which were only feebly defended by Obama, we suddenly had the totally unexpected: the impossible tack!