Is Russia winning the colder war?

[Изумруд]

The Russian economy has already contracted by 0.5% in relative terms this last month, the whole economic system is in a state of panic with the expectation that oil prices will continue to drop. Even if the price of oil stays at $60, conservative estimates peg the shrinking of the Russian economy at 4.5%.


If that is "winning" I would cringe to see what losing would entail...

It would seem there is now less wealth to be shared around; although, the closest are still reaping the benefits and will no doubt continue to do so.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-10/putin-s-friends-reap-billions-in-deals-as-economy-teeters.html

[Photo Guy]

Did de Crimean parliament consist of Russian gunmen?

No, but the parliament and the entire peninsula was saturated with Russian military, and from incoming Russian convoys.

[AC]

What Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks of the annexation of Crimea.
(I read it means he thinks that eventually Crimea will be back with Ukraine)

[Doll]

What Arnold Schwarzenegger thinks of the annexation of Crimea.
(I read it means he thinks that eventually Crimea will be back with Ukraine)

it is VERY important what Arnold thinks of Crimea)))))))))

[AC]

it is VERY important what Arnold thinks of Crimea)))))))))

Actually it might be.  He is the former governor of one of the largest states in the USA (The GDP of California by itself is probably larger than the GDP of all of Russia).  He has a lot of very good political connections, both in the US and in Europe.  He is also well respected in the entertainment business.  Not so bad.  He can move public opinion as good as anyone.  Better than your opinion, that's for sure.   

[mendeleyev]

Did DE Crimean parliament consist of Russian gunmen?

Actually it did, Shadow.

It was those armed "polite soldiers" that Mr. Putin has since admitted were his (although he lied about it at the time), who forced their way inside, expelled the mainly ethnic Russian existing parliament ministers, and APPOINTED (as opposed to elected) a new government by the next morning.

It was that new APPOINTED government, a coup by any mentally rational standard, that called for the referendum. A referendum on a ballot that restricted voters to only two choices, either of which meant secession from Ukraine.

Option 1: Join Russia as a constituent subject of the Russian Federation.

Option 2: Return to the 1992 Constitution which had declared Crimea to be an independent state.

There was NO option for keeping Crimea as it was, an already autonomous republic within Ukraine.

Only but the most ignorant among the human race could call the changes in Kyiv a "coup" while at the same time denying that a coup had transpired in Crimea.

Sorry to be so blunt.

While at it, you might want to check the number of ethnic Tatars represented in the Crimean old pre-coup parliament, versus the percentage in the new Moscow directed parliament. If you have the open-mindedness to receive new information, the results might prove to be quite revealing.

Further, while the Ukrainians held new elections in May for a new President and October for a new parliament, the APPOINTED BY COUP parliament remained in power until this past September when for the FIRST TIME since being annexed, Crimeans were allowed to vote in a parliament of their own choosing (14 September 2014).

[jone]

Mendy,

You're really p$$$$ng me off.  You say exactly the same thing I said and everyone believes you and no one believes me.  Is that a credibility problem?  I'm sure.

Maybe it is just that you say it so succinctly.  Nice job!

[AC]

Mendy,

You're really p$$$$ng me off.  You say exactly the same thing I said and everyone believes you and no one believes me.  Is that a credibility problem?  I'm sure.

Maybe it is just that you say it so succinctly.  Nice job!

Either way I'm sure Shadow will completely ignore the facts and post his alternate-universe version of them.

[Doll]

Actually it might be.  He is the former governor of one of the largest states in the USA (The GDP of California by itself is probably larger than the GDP of all of Russia).  He has a lot of very good political connections, both in the US and in Europe.  He is also well respected in the entertainment business.  Not so bad.  He can move public opinion as good as anyone.  Better than your opinion, that's for sure.   

нahaha former governor can mean something for you but not for Russia

[Doll]

Mendy,

You're really p$$$$ng me off.  You say exactly the same thing I said and everyone believes you and no one believes me.  Is that a credibility problem?  I'm sure.

Maybe it is just that you say it so succinctly.  Nice job!

mendy just tells you what you want to hear

[Doll]

Менднлеев, вот вы тут в наперстки играете, тогда гляньте на это

[sleepycat]

mendy just tells you what you want to hear

And you write what the regime's Propaganda Ministry wants us to believe... 

[Misha]

mendy just tells you what you want to hear

No, the account he provided was a factual account grounded in reality, not the fabrications of Putin, Kiselev & Co.

[Shadow]

Actually it did, Shadow.

It was those armed "polite soldiers" that Mr. Putin has since admitted were his (although he lied about it at the time), who forced their way inside, expelled the mainly ethnic Russian existing parliament ministers, and APPOINTED (as opposed to elected) a new government by the next morning.

It was that new APPOINTED government, a coup by any mentally rational standard, that called for the referendum. A referendum on a ballot that restricted voters to only two choices, either of which meant secession from Ukraine.

Option 1: Join Russia as a constituent subject of the Russian Federation.

Option 2: Return to the 1992 Constitution which had declared Crimea to be an independent state.

There was NO option for keeping Crimea as it was, an already autonomous republic within Ukraine.

Only but the most ignorant among the human race could call the changes in Kyiv a "coup" while at the same time denying that a coup had transpired in Crimea.

Sorry to be so blunt.

While at it, you might want to check the number of ethnic Tatars represented in the Crimean old pre-coup parliament, versus the percentage in the new Moscow directed parliament. If you have the open-mindedness to receive new information, the results might prove to be quite revealing.

Further, while the Ukrainians held new elections in May for a new President and October for a new parliament, the APPOINTED BY COUP parliament remained in power until this past September when for the FIRST TIME since being annexed, Crimeans were allowed to vote in a parliament of their own choosing (14 September 2014).

You are the one who gets it wRONg.

At the time of the referenum Crimea was an independent state. The new government, that may or may not have been appointed by a similar procedure as in Kiev, declared Crimea independent according to their rights.

As such option 2 was indeed to return to Ukraine, though under a more autonmous regime as crimea had before their independence.
Stating there was no option to remain in Ukraine is correct, as at the time Crimea was not part of Ukraine. One can not remain in a country one is nt part of.

[mendeleyev]

No Shadow, either you are lying or very ignorant of the facts.

Crimea was an autonomous republic within Ukraine, a Ukrainian republic with special administrative status.

That is fact.

[mendeleyev]

You are also wrong about option 2. The 1992 constitution had declared Crimea to be an independent state.

By the way, the option to return to the 1992 constitution disproves your feeble attempt to explain away the first point.

[AC]

No Shadow, either you are lying or very ignorant of the facts.

Crimea was an autonomous republic within Ukraine, a Ukrainian republic with special administrative status.

That is fact.

Not when you live in an alternate Universe and RT tells you what reality is.   

[Shadow]

You are also wrong about option 2. The 1992 constitution had declared Crimea to be an independent state.

By the way, the option to return to the 1992 constitution disproves your feeble attempt to explain away the first point.

Then please look up and quote the 1992 law.

[Shadow]

Not when you live in an alternate Universe and RT tells you what reality is.   

Once again, I NEVER watch RT.

[AC]

Once again, I NEVER watch RT.

Oh really?  Do you take your marching orders directly from the Russian propaganda mission?

[Doll]

And you write what the regime's Propaganda Ministry wants us to believe... 

I just stand for my country

[mendeleyev]

Then please look up and quote the 1992 law.

I don't need to look it up: I have a copy of the ballot, and am familiar with the original constitution of 1992.

You seem to be the one who needs to "look it up."

Common sense my friend: if Crimea has already been an independent country as you try to claim, do you really think Putin & Co. would have been stupid enough to pay rent to Kyiv for the use of bases all those years?

[mendeleyev]

I just stand for my country

I do too, Doll, sometimes. However, as an intelligent human being I am not capable of being a blind sheeple. There are times when my country does not deserve my unreserved loyalty. When it doesn't -- I don't.

[Изумруд]

I don't need to look it up: I have a copy of the ballot, and am familiar with the original constitution of 1992.

You seem to be the one who needs to "look it up."

Common sense my friend: if Crimea has already been an independent country as you try to claim, do you really think Putin & Co. would have been stupid enough to pay rent to Kyiv for the use of bases all those years?

That's a great point Mendy.

[Hammer2722]

Oh really?  Do you take your marching orders directly from the Russian propaganda mission?

No, I think Shadow gets his info from his better half......He's been trained that way.