ONE-LINER 0003 - Palestinian Predicament

I have written about the Palestinian - Israeli conflict on numerous occasions.  I feel deeply for the Palestinian nation, who deserves the place to live on their own, in peace and prosperity - like everybody else.  This is an undeniable right of every human on this planet.

Created in 1948 Israel is such a place for the Jews, who until then had no place which they could call their own, dispersed in the world between other nations, and often suffering the persecution based only on their ethnic and religious identities. 

At this moment I do not want to engage in lengthy explanations of the Palestinian rights to the same land they share with Israelis.  It’s a subject on it’s own, and as such has been and will be addressed, some other time. 

At this moment I will not talk about the illegal, Israeli settlements in the West Bank, nor the ‘Blockade’ of Gaza (considered by many in the World as illegal as well).

At this point I do not want to talk about the heavy handed response the Israeli Army applies to any aggressive action of the Palestinians, no matter how trivial, or serious and dangerous, it might be.

We talked about the ‘Cast Lead’ campaign of 2007/2008, and relating to it the Goldstone Report and the almost general World’s condemnation of that action, nor I will talk at this point about the current, about to happen, ground invasion on Gaza Strip…

At this point I want to look at the Palestinian provocations…

In the last 3 days more than 440 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into the Israel.  More than 440 crude and not very powerful, but able to kill, maim, and cause the property damage rockets.

In the recent time the Hamas, who is responsible for these launches, acquired a bit more sophisticated technology, allowing them to send the rockets deeper in the territory of the Israel.  Of course, the Israelis, being subjected to such a threat for decades, know how to minimize the casualties, and hide in time into the readily available shelters.  They have on occasion about 15 seconds from sounding of the air alarm to the explosion.  So far, no one was killed or injured by the rockets.  But, as I understand, it’s not easy to live their lives, constantly waiting for the air-raid alarm, no matter what one is engaged at the moment, or how mobile one is (there are handicaps,a and sick people who’s mobility is sufficiently impaired to create the increased danger).

The Israelis react with the air strikes.  So called ‘surgical’ air strikes, reducing to a pile of gravel houses of the suspected Hamas supporters, or officials…  Many innocent people gets killed in the process.

This scenario has been known for decades.  Palestinians provoke, creating terror in the Israeli villages and cities, the Army responds with the Iron Fist, killing the people, damaging the infrastructure… It’s nothing new.

When The Palestinians went ahead and created the ‘reconciliation governments’ which included Hamas and Fatah representatives, not counting a small opposition (mostly from the USA and the Israel) the World applauded.  I was among those who had hopes for the future.

Yes, we know - Hamas is considered a terrorist organization…  Yes, we know - they still haven’t accepted the existence of the Israel and vouch it’s destruction…

But we all expected that the Unity Government was a step in a direction of changing it.  PLO, once was a fighting force and recognized as terrorists, and then they evolved and their leader Yasser Arafat was awarded the Nobel Peace prize…

So, anything can happen, and this is what we all expected and waiting for.  Especially that the history has proven in a very acute way, that acting aggressively against the Israel leads to nothing, but loss of life, destruction of the infrastructure, and ‘derailing’ of the peace talks.

And yet the Hamas attacks happened again.  Three Israeli teens kidnapped and killed, and 440 rockets barraging over the Israel can produce only one outcome - the Army retaliation. 

In turn the initial disapproval of Hamas by the Palestinian population - after suffering the death of the families and friends caused by the air-strikes - gets replaced by the anger and wish to retaliate agains the Israelis…  The vicious circle closes again. 

This is what I never could comprehend: how anybody can consciously do things which immediately cause harm to him and his surroundings?  How can anybody, being of a sound mind, do such a ‘suicidal’ actions, harming the whole population.  What Hamas is doing at such times is what is in the States called a ‘SUICIDE BY POLICE’.  They put a suicide vest on the whole Palestinian population in Gaza.  And people, who are subjected to the hardship of living in Gaza, just do not see it, blinded by the hatred, and the sorrow.  The vicious circle closes again.

If the barrage of the rocket stops, the Israelis wouldn’t have any right, nor moral justification, of the air-rides on Gaza, or any other destructive action.  They would have to start negotiating, and something might get done in the process.  But, the provocations have to stop first.  At this point I become convinced that the Hamas doesn’t have in their minds, nor on their agenda, the welfare of the Palestinian nation, but quite the opposite.  Just the martyrdom of their own people - but for what?  It doesn’t lead anywhere. 

Stop shooting rockets into the Israel, and start real negotiation.  Provoking the trigger happy military might of Israel is not a solution and it never will.  And for now the UN may discuss the situation and the un-proportional use of force as long they want.  Stop the rockets and the kidnappings - things will change.

ONE-LINER 0002 - President's approval rate

The media keep shouting how low is the acceptance level of the President Obama.  New polls bring constantly decreasing numbers.  CNN, until recently were trying to convey the message that the approval rating is the worst since the WWII (although in fact the Bush Junior had this ‘privilege’).

I talked to many Democrats, who complain, how disappointing is what President Obama does, and how disappointing is that President Obama hasn’t delivered so many things, promised during the election campaign…  The list of broken promises is long, starting from Guantanamo…

Republicans triumph quoting the polls numbers – manipulating the nation.

At this point I would like to look into this disappointing acceptance levels.  During the last decades the access to the information in our society has increased a lot.  The media thriving on sensations, feeds us the manipulated and one-faceted pulp, having little to do wit the ‘objective truth’ (if is exists at all).

I am a Liberal, and as many on my side of the isle have been critical of many aspects of the President Obama’s politics.  However, I am aware, and I never forget the achievements of his presidency, without which many millions of the US Citizens would have much gloomier outlook on theirs lives.

We - people on the Democratic side of the isle, have to remind ourselves and others, of these achievements, in order not to loose the general picture of the current Presidency.

Let’s start form the fact that the millions of people have their ‘preexisting conditions’ covered by the Health Insurance - the fact which used to put many under the poverty level if they suffered form some lasting medical conditions.
Let’s not forget about the push toward the ‘equal pay for equal work’ reducing the gender pay gap.
Let’s not forget about the push toward equal treatment of all people regardless of the sexual orientation, and letting all the people marry the people they love regardless of the gender (same sex marriages).  
Let’s not forget about not letting shutting down the research on stem cells - but encouraging it.
Let’s not forget about the daily struggle for the budget, for the welfare of the underprivileged, for the new jobs and the unemployment benefits…

The Democrats have to remember all good things the current President pushed and forced to implement despite the strong opposition in the Republican Congress…

When you take under consideration all the facts, and the principle we all stand in general we all approve the work done by the President Obama.  We can criticize his decisions, but in the general polls we should never ‘disapprove’ his actions, fueling the Republicans’ agenda.  
The way the questions of the polls are constructed never give any options to explain why one partially disapprove  with the Government policy.  It’s either YES, or NO.  
And in my opinion - maybe he doesn’t pass our scrutiny with the flying colors - we strongly AGREE with the direction we are going, especially considering the alternative proposed by the Tea Party backers.

I approve what The President Obama does (in general) - and 'disapprove' what he fails to do...

And lastly… it’s really baffling to me how anybody who earns less than 250 $K/year can actually consider backing the demands of the Tea Party (or Republican Party in general).  I never thought that such a huge percentage of the US population might have the ‘Helsinki Syndrome’…

So, Democrats - look at the big picture, not at the particular shortcomings, and - if you agree with the general direction (think about the alternatives), and if you agree with what has been achieved - say YES in the current President’s approval polls.  
Otherwise you may have much more to complain about in a shot future, when the Republicans take over the Senate, as a result of the Nation being mislead by a the manipulated polls.  Do not dismiss the polls influence on the minds of the people, on the minds of the voters.
Do not send a wrong message.

ONE-LINER 0001 - Primaries

Recently, we have seen something extraordinary, in Mississippi.  In the Republican Primaries, the Democratic crowd voted preventing an extreme ‘Tea Party’ candidate replace the moderate Republican Senator Thad Cochran.  Mississippi is one of the States, when the voters are allowed to vote across the party line in the Primaries.  
Republicans are furious, rising question “how any Republican could go that low, to bring the Black vote to the Republican Primaries?”
What?  Such a question in 2014?  Even in Mississippi (which has a history of racial discrimination creeping in the today’s reality) it is low.
But at this point, I am rising another question - why not allow cross-party voting in all States?  It looks like a great tool in the fight for a more balanced, and just America.  Extremes should be weeded out, from both sides of the isle.  ALLOW THE GENERAL VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES !!!

Introducing 'One-Liner'!

ALMOST INCOHERENT RANT has been on line for a while.  Recently, it’s not as active as it was in the beginning.  It’s not because there are no events, and issues to cover - it is because, in a busy professional life (like mine) there is often not enough time to write a thorough, well referenced article.  As a result, many issues, which still boil my blood, are not addressed in the blog.

It is going to change!  Today I am introducing a new feature, additional feature of the blog, called ‘ONE-LINER’.  
‘One-Liner’, as the name suggests will be a short article, addressing the pressing issues, but in a very concise form.  However, it’s not going to be limited to one line, it will be longer, but still in a short, easily digestible form.  
Almost Incoherent Rant, finally is going to bring to life the RANTS, in a form of ‘One-Liner’. 

Susan Rice - the Republicans’ secret weapon…

Let me start from locating myself on the political spectrum: I am a Liberal.  I have been steadily backing up all the President Obama initiatives - those delivered, and those promised (and never delivered).
I voted for him twice, and still my support for him is strong and un-wavered.  I have a lot of criticism of his way of communicating (or barely communicating) his ideas to the people of America.  It rises sometimes a question: why not treat Americans like adults, and explain to them exactly what is the essence of vital to all Americans, government decisions.  
Alas, sometimes the message is lost… what is mercilessly exploited by the Republicans, who always go, as far as they can, to discredit the Democratic Presidents policy.  We are living in the world, where there is no margin for errors.  Every misspoken, or ill-communicated idea immediately backfires and becomes the stone, with which the ‘political stoning’ of Obama’s Government is performed.  I never could understand the laxity of the Government officials, just carelessly fueling the ‘Republican fire’…  

When on December 1, 2008 Susan Rice was appointed as the US Ambassador to the UN, I welcomed her appointment. 
Well educated (Stanford University; New College, Oxford).  Since 1988 she was involved in the political fabric of our country working for many prominent politicians like Michael Dukakis, McKinsley.  She was a part of Clinton’s administration in many capacities, involved in the international affairs as NCS Africa Specialist (although not without controversies) (*1).

I jokingly remember that her name brought memories of the 66th US Secretary of State - Condoleezza Rice - a Bush Jr. puppet, who became synonymous with the lies, the Bush’s Government wanted to propagate.  But of course, this notion wasn’t serious, and was immediately discarded - no one is, or can be expected to have the same character traits as another un-related person, just for having the same last name…

For a few years she escaped my attention, she was under my radar.  Nothing was bringing her to the spot light.  Things were done.  American position in the UN secured and explained…

And then came the September 11, 2012… 
“On the evening of September 11, 2012, Islamic militants attacked the American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, in Libya, killing U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and Sean Smith, U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer. (…)
Several hours later, in the early morning of the next day, a second assault targeted a nearby CIA annex in a different compound about one mile away, killing two CIA contractors, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen Doherty.” (*2).
A few days before that event the Islamic World ‘boiled’ with fury against the offensive to the Islam, and the Prophet Mohammed, short movie which suddenly surfaced on YouTube and ‘the Hell got loose…’(*3)
There were angry demonstrations, sometimes riots, all over the world.  Although to all non-Muslims this movie might have looked like a ‘bad taste’ but harmless jest, for the Muslims it was highly offensive.  
When the attack on Benghazi American Consulate happened, the first thought on everybody’s mind was that those two events are related.  
But at the same time even a 10 year old child knew that the attack carried by the heavily armed militants in 6 pick up trucks, is a terrorist action - however instigated or inspired - not a spontaneous protest.  
Susan Rice officially stated then, that the attack was a result of riots and a response to the inflammatory video, and not the terrorist action.

When I heard her initial statement (right after the event), I couldn’t believe my ears.  
One doesn’t have to be a military specialist to know that the well armed, and well organized group of attackers, who unfolded the bullet barrage on the unprotected (or insufficiently protected) US compound, using the heavy caliber machine guns, wasn’t an angry mob.  
Susan Rice backed off from this statement a few days later in the series of the interviews, after the furious attacks of the Republicans and a bewilderment of Democrats (*4, *5).  Yet, she was still defending her words, just adding “initially” to the statement.  
She agreed that ‘later’ the extremists joined the riot, and performed the attack.  Even though there were no riots in Benghazi at that time (*6).

I dismiss the Republican conclusion, that Susan Rice’s statement was a beginning effort of covering up the wrong-doing of the Obama Administration.  It simply doesn’t make sense - especially, that the Administration was and is fully aware of the Republicans’ attitude and efforts…

In December 2012 Susan Rice in the result of that controversy withdrew herself from the consideration for the job of Secretary of State to replace Hilary Clinton.
__________

Some could have forgotten about this affair during the last 2 years.  If they did, Benghazi controversy has been brought to our attention on numerous occasions recently in the context of the possible presidential campaign of Hilary Clinton and other policy references.

__________

A few days ago, American soldier Bowe Bergdahl, who spent the last 5 years as Prisoner of War, held by the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, was released by the Taliban as a result of the negotiated for a few years (brokered by the Cathar) swap of prisoners.  
In exchange for the Sergeant Bergdahl (a private at the time of the capture) the Taliban received 5 high ranking Taliban officials held at the Guantanamo prison for 13 years.  

“America doesn’t leave the men in the uniform behind” - it has been the US Armed Forces motto since the Revolutionary War.  No one questions that.  And it doesn’t matter if that man in uniform is a hero, or has some stains on his military career.  
Maybe some people do not remember the media coverage of the Sergeant Bergdohl’s disappearance in 2009.  It wasn’t a very loudly advertised event, but the media already were rising the question if the Private Bergdahl was a traitor, or a deserter… Some media outlets (although I can’t find the references on the Internet at this point - so it’s just my memory) speculated that he might have joined the Taliban and should have been treated as an ‘enemy combatant’…  
His comrades, from his own unit, at the time of his ‘walk off’, are today quite vocal accusing him of ‘less than proper’, and ‘less than honorable’ conduct.
Of course, “the accused is presumed innocent, until proven guilty”, so it’s completely immaterial.  
However, any official statement in this case, should be very carefully worded. 

In such a climate, the current National Security Advisor Susan Rice stated in the interview for ABC’s This Week on June 1, 2014, on the lawn of the White House, defending the negotiations with Taliban to free him: “He served the United States with honor and distinction…”.
I can imagine several ways of making the right statement emphasizing his volunteering to the Armed Forces in the Time of the War, which is a honorable act by itself, but making a blanket statement like the one above is very imprecise, and at least ‘problematic’…

We didn’t have to wait long for the Republicans’ response… (*7) The media exploded.
The on-going campaign against the Obama Administration unleashed by the 'Bergdahl’s swap' is all about the issue of ‘no negotiations with terrorists’ rule, and about the released Taliban returning to the active fight against America in the near future… 
It’s another topic, and it will occupy a lot of pundits and commentators for many months to go.  
The war in Afghanistan is winding down, and someone has to provide the 'normal' life to Afghanis.  Taliban is not going anywhere.  It will be the major force in Afghanistan - the decisive force.  It will be there, when we are not...

Getting back to Susan Rice: I do not know if she has a Tourette Syndrome, and can’t control herself making the ‘controversial’ public statements - or she just deliberately wants to harm the Obama Administration, which she does in fact...  I am not here to judge...

Her harmful statements are not limited to the two referred to above.  Maybe she should get a ‘desk job’ somewhere in the Administration - without the possibility of the damaging public appearances.

So, is she the Republicans’ secret weapon?



___________________
*1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Rice
*2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Benghazi_attack
*3 - http://www.rferl.org/content/b-movie-behind-benghazi-bloodshed-antiislamic/24706092.html
*4 - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239478/Susan-Rice-APOLOGIZES-calling-Benghazi-attack-terrorism.html
*5 - http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/rice-libya-attacks-spontaneous/
*6 - http://www.factcheck.org/2012/10/benghazi-timeline/
*7 - http://time.com/2822696/susan-rice-bowe-bergdahl/

D-Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day...

70 years ago, today, the Allied Forces made a risky landing on the beaches of Normandy, opening the last chapter of the World War II.  Unbelievable effort, tremendous sacrifice… Of those who landed there, about 6 thousand were wounded and about 3 thousands didn’t see the green meadows and bushes of the French country side.  
They stayed in the sands of the beaches codenamed: Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword, forever.
We all remember them, and their sacrifice, on such occasions like D-Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day…

I was born in Europe, so, no one of my family members fought in the heroic action, we commemorate today.

But a day like today and the other Remembrance Days, mentioned above, make me remember my Mother - Genowefa Liwacz, who was 20 when the War broke, and right after the Russian Army (collaborating with Nazis in the invasion of Poland) invaded the Polish part of the Ukraine, joined the Underground, and fought Nazis, hoping, that her sacrifice, and the sacrifice of her 'brothers in arms' wouldn’t go in vain.  She joined the Underground sponsored by the West (at that time there was no other), the Underground which answered to the Polish Government in Exile, which was formed in London.

She had dreamed of the free and independent Poland.  
And yet, in 1944, on newly freed from Nazis Eastern Polish territories, she was arrested and thrown into the Russian jail for fighting under the ‘wrong’ banner, even though she fought the common enemy.  She spent there nearly 4 years and until the death of Stalin in 1953, she had to report daily to the police after she was conditionally released.
Her only sin was that she didn't salut to Moscow...

She dreamed of the free and independent Poland.  She lived to see it coming from ashes in 1989.
She lived to see me, her son, visit her when I became an American Citizen.  
She died in 1994 in the troubled, but Free Country.

On such a day, like today, I remember her - a young soldier, who didn’t think twice before she answered the country’s calling - a soldier, who’s innocence was abruptly cut short, by the WAR.
On such a day, I remember all those, who fought against the oppression, of any sorts.

Ukraine... Do you hear the War Drums…?

The Geneva conference on the Ukraine’s crisis ended a few week ago.  To everybody’s surprise, both Lavarov (Russia) and Carry(USA) pronounced the closing statements, which mirrored each other in their entirety.  
One might have said:  ‘good - at last Russia comes to its senses, and maybe the catastrophe is going to be prevented…’
Although it sounded like a true possibility, the following days proved the opposite.  Russians never openly accept responsibility for their conniving actions.  They always try to ride a high horse and preach around about the moral values and international law… violating all of it at the same time themselves.  So, why this time should be different?  It isn’t.
Let’s remember that they didn’t have any moral dilemma sending tanks to Budapest (Hungary) in 1956 and to Prague (Czechoslovakia) in 1968, when the people started to voice their disapproval of the system…  They got ‘smarter’ in time and in 1980 they didn’t invade Poland, but forced Polish government to impose over the revolting nation a year long ’Martial Law’.  And then…  Afghanistan, Chechnya…

Let’s not forget, that, when the Communist North Vietnam army attacked and eventually overcome the South Vietnam, it was the USSR, who helped them in arms and personnel.  America felt compelled to respond, and did so, getting involved in the most unpopular war of the XX-h Century.

When in 1992 the Soviet Union fell apart - giving finally the opportunity for the independent and sovereign future to the former ‘satellite’ countries, like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and others, some of the former Soviet Republics broke away, becoming independent countries as well.
It’s never easy to try to develop the ‘new’ form of the democratic (not only democratically elected) government.  Decades of the ‘communist’ rules with their corruption and almost unlimited power of the ‘red bourgeoisie’ are very difficult to shake off.  In all of these countries, most of the society didn’t want to have anything to do with the Russia, but even that was impossible to achieve.  All of these countries needed Russia as a trade partner, a buyer of their product (which in most cases, wouldn’t be too attractive to the West, but good enough for Russia) and as a supplier of the oil and gas, which was in the abundance in Russia.
As it transpires after more than two decades, the complacency of most of the European countries in creating any alternative energy sources, or attempting to find other supply markets for their gas needs, resulted in the Russian monopoly.  It became dramatically obvious in 2010, when the supply of the gas to Europe was interrupted because of the trade dispute with the Ukraine…  Ukrainians are dependent on Russian gas, and as of 2 weeks ago they have to pay 40% more the before, for the supply.  

Let’s bring to the discussion some historical facts, concerning Ukraine, facts, of which most of the Americans are oblivious.  Nothing is easy, when you think of the history of that region.  Nothing is easily explainable.  And, most of the completely opposing political positions have some justification, so well exploited by the Russians.  

Ukrainians always had a strong separatist tendencies.  Who can blame them?  Different from the neighbors, speaking similar, but different language they were longing for independence for a long time.  For centuries the Ukraine was divided between the neighboring countries (Poland, Russia).

The Ukrainian nationalism, and a separatist movement was growing steadily for centuries.  It was born as early as in the 17-th Century Ruthenian uprising against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (*1, *2).  When in 1795 Poland disappeared from the map of Europe, split between the neighboring superpowers - Austro-Hungarian Empire, Russia and Prussia (now Germany), Ukraine followed the same fate.

During the October revolution in Russia in 1917 the Kiev Uprising in November of 1917 resulted in defeat of the Imperial Russian Forces in the Ukrainian capital.  Soon after the country split in 2 rival parts - one in Kiev run by Central Rada, and another - hostile to Kiev, established by the Bolsheviks in Kharkiv (in the Eastern Ukraine).  On January 22, 1918 Kiev broke ties with Russia.
  
The WWI was in its last stages.  
Facing the danger of being overcome by Russia, the Kiev government turned for help to Germans and Austro-Hungarians, whose armies freed the Western Ukraine from the Communists.
With the end of the WWI, when Germany and Austro-Hungary lost their strong grip over the Poland, Ukraine and other countries of the region, in 1919 Poland finally received its sovereignty. 

Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire - Galicia, which held until that moment Poland and Western Ukraine and was inhabited by both Poles and Ukrainians, fell apart.  
Non-Communist Ukrainians tried again to withstand the Bolsheviks offensive, and finally joined their former adversary - Poland in April 1920.  At this point Poland was involved in often successful, war activities against the Communist Russia.  In the result - the most Western part of the Ukraine, sacrificing its sovereignty, joined Poland.  It’s biggest city Lviv became one of the greatest cultural centers of the newly established, free Poland.    
The Ukrainian part with it’s capital in Kiev fell under the communists pressure and became a Soviet Republic. 

In 1918 the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine - an anarchist partisan army was created, and fought against the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War.  It died in 1920 with the execution of the leaders and commanders of the movement by the Red Army (*3).

In 1939 the WWII broke, and while Hitler’s army attacked from the West, Russians invaded from the East, taking Polish part of the Ukraine.  The action was well coordinated with Germans, a part of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939 (4*).
Everything changed when in June 1941, Germany invaded Russia.  

In October 1942 the Ukrainian Nationalists created The Ukrainian Insurgent Army (in Ukrainian - UPA) with Stephen Bandera at the ‘helm’, paramilitary and later partisan army that engaged in a series of guerrilla conflicts during WWII against Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, the Polish civilian population of German-occupied western Ukraine, and both Underground and Communist Poland.  When summarized in a short sentence the picture looks very confusing.  Although associated with Nazi Germany for a while (when Germans promised the creation of the Independent Ukraine of the German held territories - until the Germans’ ‘change of heart’), the main aggression of the UPA was directed toward Soviet and Polish (supported by Soviets) Armies, as well as the Polish Underground (both - sponsored by Russians as well as sponsored by the West).  Some of UPA members served in the Galicia branch of the SS - the most cruel, elite forces of the Nazi German Army.
The most controversial agenda, was conducting of the ‘ethnic cleansing’ on the territories, where the substantial part of the population was Polish.
Depending on what sources are consulted the number of Polish victims to the UPA ‘ethnic cleansing’ was as high as 50,000.  
The Ukrainian Insurgent Army conducted the partisan activities even after the end of the WWII: until 1947 on Polish territories and until 1949 on the Soviet territories.  The UPA was formally disbanded in early September, 1949. However, some of its units continued operations until 1956.

The memory of the UPA brings nightmares to the Polish population of the South East parts of the Poland until today.  But it’s a nightmare of the long gone past.
At the same time the UPA’s importance in the fight for the Ukrainian independence and sovereignty is undeniable.  Until today for some people UPA as a military arm of the Ukrainian Nationalists and its soldiers are heroes.  Some people conveniently forget of the Nazi ‘episode’ in its history.  But the UPA is not the current Ukrainian society.  Societies evolve.  Ideologies change.  
Nazi Germany was a most destructive force in the World during the WWI and WWII, and yet at the end of the XX-th Century and at the beginning of the XXI-st Century, Germany are one of the most creative and balanced forces in the same Europe.

But this is the reason, why the Russians so strongly attack all the pro-Western Ukrainian activists.
We hear over and over the term ‘neo-nazism’ in reference to all Ukrainian activists who do not want to succumb to the conniving actions of the Russia, who sends their soldiers, and incites to the unrest in the Eastern Ukraine.
Since they (Russians) never evolved, always having the imperialistic appetites and acting upon them, enslaving countries and the peoples in the process - they suspect all others to live their lives the same way.  

The Ukrainians tried different alliances in the history.  Some of them worked, some other not, and let’s say were highly misguided.  
They can’t be alone in the political World.  If they want to be a sovereign country and resist the Russian aggression and the notion to absorb the 25 years old Free Ukraine, they have to get somebody’s support.  In 1919 the Ukraine joined Poland in the opposition to the USSR threat.   
In 2014, this is where the US is coming to play, along with the United Europe, of which the New Ukraine wanted to become a part.  

At the very end of April 2014, the Russian rhetoric against the Government in Kiev is getting stronger.  The Russian special forces, in the well pressed, new and unmarked uniforms, with the brand new Russian Army issued weapons keep infiltrate the Eastern part of the Ukraine, supporting the short sighted secession proponents, and inciting to more violence against the Kiev Government and its functionaries.
After the annexation of the Crimea, the same argument and the same tactics are in place taking over the district after district in the Eastern Ukraine.  

Russians claim that all they do is to protect the Russian speaking population of the Eastern Ukraine, although no one ever claimed that the discrimination has ever occurred.  Instead, the number of killed, maimed or missing pro-European activists or politicians in the Eastern Ukraine grows.  The violence is perpetrated by the separatists - those who want to join Russia, not the other camp.
Kiev is promising the changes to the constitution giving more power to the Eastern parts, and accepting the Russian as a second language - and yet the Russian do not change the rhetoric.

When Russians invaded Poland and after the WWII appropriated the Polish Part of Lithuania, and Polish Part of Ukraine with at least 25% of population being Polish - the persecution of the Poles in these territories raised to the levels known only from the Nazi occupation of Poland.  
Based on the 2014 Russian rhetoric, Poland should have invaded these territories back and take the Poles living there under the Polish umbrella…

Let’s look at a very interesting scenario:
The Eastern Ukraine is not Crimea.  The majority of the population is the Ukrainians.  They are right now mistreated by the ‘bullies’ and Russian-inspired militants.  If Putin takes over this part of the country, knowing Russians so far, one can bet, that the Ukrainians will be persecuted by the Russia and pro-Russia individuals, who will be even more empowered, than now.  
So, it would be the RESPONSIBILITY, not only the right, of Ukrainians to invade back, this part of (then) Russia, in order to protect the Ukrainian-speakers.  

This is the behavior of the political ‘bully’. 

And what is the US position on such an obvious act of aggression against a sovereign country? 
So far we pile up the sanctions, which are ‘the slap on the hand’ for Putin and his cronies.  Even when they start hurting the Russian economy, it wouldn’t change the Putin’s position.  He is working on ‘his position in history’, as a uniter of the Russian people. 

So far he hasn’t even blinked and he knows that the West is not so eager to ‘do’ anything to stop him.  He enjoys a complete impunity.  The on-going American military exercises in Estonia Lithuania and Poland are, maybe an annoying ‘mosquito’ under his nose, but nothing serious.  
The Ukraine, unlike the actual members of NATO is not covered by the ‘Article 5’ of the NATO Statute.  So, are we going to stand on the sidelines (literally), and do nothing while he (Putin) appropriates the huge part of Ukraine?

I would never thought that I would be inclined to advocate the military option.  And yet, this is what I am considering and supporting.  Someone has to put stop to the Putin’s bullying.  If he is not stopped now, no other country, close to his borders is safe.  
He wants to rebuild the empire.  So, who is next?  Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Poland…  
The time to put stop to Putin’s aggression is not after he finishes the annexation of the Eastern Ukraine, and prepares for the farther aggressions.  The time to stop him is now.


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*1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruthenians
*2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_nationalism
*3 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Revolutionary_Insurrectionary_Army_of_Ukraine
*4 - https://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Molotov–Ribbentrop_Pact.html