What’s All the Fuss about Ukraine?

Why is there such a fuss being made about a group of people attempting to reclaim occupied land that they believe was ceded to them many years ago? Why is there such criticism of people attempting to reclaim that land by shelling and attacking the indigenous population and killing innocent civilians in the process of reclaiming their ancestral homelands? Why is there such opprobrium being heaped on a people defending themselves and retaliating against attacks being made upon them? Why are a group of people being criticised for trying to set up self governing settlements in a land they consider being rightly theirs?

Why are politicians so critical of the Ukraine separatists for these actions?

If it okay for Israel, why isn’t it okay for ethnic Russians?

Why are politicians criticising Russia for providing and selling, to the separatists , military hardware, which they then use to kill and maim innocent men, women and children with, when western powers sell millions of pounds of hardware to Israel which is used to kill innocent men, women and children?

Why is Vladimir Putin criticised, by the Tory government in Britain, for crushing freedom of speech in Russia when that same government threatens charities with punitive sanctions if they dare to criticise government policy? If that isn’t an attempt to suppress freedom of speech I do not know what is.

I’ll give you the answer reader. It’s simple. It’s hypocrisy, political expediency, the craven cowardice of politicians and VOTES!

You may ask if I support the ethnic Russians actions in Ukraine. I do not support them, I condemn them. But I also condemn Israel for the crimes it is currently perpetrating in Palestine. I condemn any nation or group of people who bomb civilians, shell hospitals and Mosques, wipe out entire families, or kill small children who are playing on a beach. And yes, just in case you’re wondering, I also condemn Hamas for firing missiles at Southern Israel. Their actions are futile.

My value system is fairly objective. I have a set of morals that are not coloured by irrational prejudice, religion, expediency, or self interest. The foundations are fairness and even-handedness and based around the simple maxim ‘treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself’, otherwise you are a hypocrite. Anybody who transgresses, whether they be a supposed friend or a supposed enemy will be fairly judged and if considered guilty will be condemned and suffer a suitable punishment. I have no problem with wrongdoers being punished, but I do have a problem with a justice code that protects the strong and the wealthy and unduly punishes the poor and vulnerable. Justice should be blind but on many occasions it appears to be incredibly one-eyed. A recent high profile trial that has just come to its completion in Britain is evidence that the wealthy buy justice.

Politicians stand up in their respective parliaments, whether it be Prime Minster Cameron, or President Obama or the US Foreign Secretary, John Kerry, and condemn Putin and the separatist rebels in the Ukraine ( shame about the 251 arms export license’s currently in operation between Britain and Russia, that’s a bit awkward, as is the unpalatable and shameful fact that the Tory party have received £160,000 from the wife of a Russian oligarch for a game of tennis with the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London. The Russian Oligarch being Vladimir Putin’s former Finance Minister, Vladimir Chernukhin), yet refuse to condemn the State Of Israel for occupying land that is not theirs, turning the Gaza Strip into an open prison camp, where 1.8 million Palestinians are denied freedom of movement, as well as being forced to live in slum conditions where they are constantly harassed, persecuted and murdered by the Israeli Defence Force. Where’s the condemnation? Is a Ukrainian child’s life worth more than a Palestinian’s?

Several months ago Cameron tried to push a vote through parliament that would allow British military intervention in Syria. He couldn’t wait to get into the Middle East and kill some Arabs, yet he is strangely reticent when stronger nations, like Russia, transgress. I suppose there is no point starting a war you might lose. That’s not going to improve your voter base, is it?

Politicians call for sanctions to be imposed on Russian. Yet even these calls are mendacious and nothing more than political grandstanding, because, for sanctions to harm their intended target they must also damage the country imposing the sanctions. For sanctions to work, companies have to stop trading with the target nation which means that sales are lost, bottom lines are damaged and jobs are put in jeopardy. The same can be applied to governments who trade with other countries. Blocking visas and restricting travel, exports and imports from the target nation will mean a reduction in revenue. For sanctions to work they must be deep, meaningful and principled. But principles cost and people have to be prepared to take a stand and make sacrifices, irrespective of the personal cost, if they believe in a cause. Politicians are not prepared to make sacrifices, they believe in nothing because they are self serving cowards who will always put self interest (votes) ahead of what is right. Hence politicians pretend to champion gender equality, yet continue to trade with so-called friendly Middle Eastern countries, they preach to the converted about freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, yet crawl on their hands and knees to China, desperate for their business while outrageously threatening, in their home country, critics of their own policies. They single out particular countries because of their homophobic attitudes and policies, but turn a blind eye to the activities of other friendly countries, some of which have the severest penalties for homosexuality on the planet, where the punishment for sodomy or adultery is death. The howls of protest from our politicians are noticeable by their absence. They’re too busy conveniently turning away and shielding their eyes, as so-called ‘friendly’ nations commit atrocities but leap into action to strut, criticise and politically grandstand,  while spouting pompous platitudes, when a country such as North Korea steps out of line. 

Putin is wrong, Russia is wrong, the Ukrainian rebels are wrong, Hamas are wrong, but so are the actions of Israel. Russia and Israel believe themselves to be untouchable. Until it is demonstrated to both of them that they are not, neither of them will desist in their actions. Cross words and the threat of Chinese burns are futile. Punitive actions need to be taken against transgressors or they will continue to violate international law as well as committing further war crimes.

Hamas need to stop firing rockets at civilians and Israel needs to lift the blockade, agree a two state solution, stop killing innocent men women and children and stop treating Gaza like a giant concentration camp where the occupants are subjected to daily harassment and where Israeli Defence Forces frequently shoot at children.

Politicians need to stop spouting mealy mouthed platitudes that are meaningless and start acting, or else International law will continue to be violated, war crimes will continue to be committed and justice will be a just superfluous concept accessed only by the rich and powerful and denied to the poor and vulnerable.

Caught at it again.

On the subject of people who think they are untouchable, I see the Metropolitan Police ‘Service’ have now been caught carrying out undercover surveillance on grieving families who have had loved ones murdered. Victims such as Ricky Reel who was the victim of a racist murder, and Cherry Groce and Charles De Menezes who were both victims of the police. The main accusation being, that due to the ineffectual, corrupt or incompetent investigations carried out by the Met, and the refusals of the families to allow the Metropolitan Police to brush the murders of their family members to one side, the police were attempting to find evidence to discredit the families.

Exactly what kind of ‘democracy’ do we live in?

All in it Together N0: 234,75643,7654.

Oil trading company Vitol is allowed, by HMRC (Her Majesties Revenue and Taxes), to pay barely 9% tax on profits of £9bn.

Vitol Chief Executive Ian Taylor donates £550,000 to the Tory Party.

Exactly what kind of ‘democracy’ do we live in?

FFS!
The Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland whores himself out to the wife of a Russian Oligarch for 160 grand.

Exactly what kind of 'democracy' do we live in?

Advice.

I’m no royalist, but that Kate Middleton needs to put a bit of blubber on her bones. She looks like an eating disorder just waiting to happen.

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