That's a means of exerting government control over the right to assemble; hardly a principled stand. Week after week, the pro U.S. - EU Maidan demonstrators in Kiev committed acts of violence, occupied buildings, and were anything but peaceful. Did the future president demand that these demonstrators, the street fighters who brought him power, seek government approval and behave peacefully?
The world has rightly judged that Prime Minister Yatsenyuk and the Government of Ukraine are working in good faith. " Not a single Russian official, not one, has publicly gone on television in Ukraine and called on the separatists to support the Geneva agreement, to support the stand-down, to give up their weapons, and get out of the Ukrainian buildings. [
Kerry is defining two types of demonstrators - those the U.S. and EU countries like and those they dislike. The U.S-EU liked the Maidan protests that brought down the previous government. Were there calls to end the demonstrations, have demonstrators "stand down, give up their weapons," and leave buildings? There were general statements about a peaceful process but no threats to abandon the coup movement if it failed to behave peacefully. The standards are different when it comes to demonstrators that the U.S. and EU dislike. Somehow, Russia must get these demonstrators to follow strict orders, as though the people of the East are automatons.
Meanwhile, Russian leaders are making increasingly outrageous claims to justify their action --
[a] that the CIA invented the internet in order to control the world
We know that the CIA didn't invent the internet. It was Al Gore, right? We also know this. From the Echelon program through PRISM and other cyber spying efforts revealed by Edward Snowden, the internet has been an integral weapon in the arsenal of the U.S. power elite used to achieve, how shall we say, consistent and beneficial influence throughout the world.
[b] that the forces occupying buildings, armed to the teeth, wearing brand new matching uniforms and moving in disciplined military formation, are merely local activists seeking to exercise their legitimate rights.
Here's the fabricated evidence that forms the basis for this claim. The New York Times published photographs claiming to show Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The photographs were taken without permission from a press photographer's web site. The photographer said those pictured were not Russian troops. Other evidence emerged that caused the Times reporter who made the original claim to retract the story.
Even as we were preparing to meet in Geneva, we know that the Russian intelligence services were involved in organizing local pro-Russian militias. And during the week leading up to the Geneva meetings, separatists seized at least 29 buildings. This is one more example of how Russia is stoking the very instability that they say they want to quell.
The assumption here is that the protesters in the Southeast have no minds of their own. They simply follow Russian orders. Whereas, the Ukrainian demonstrators in Kiev, those who toppled the elected government, protested and occupied buildings of their own free will. The Assistant Secretary of State, Victoria Nuland, admitted that U.S. spent $5 billion to achieve "change" in the Ukraine, i.e., change favorable to the U.S. and EU nations. Even if the Russians had a reanimated Rasputin, that would be no match for $5 billion cash.
Obama and Kerry took the baton from Bush and Cheney in the never ending race of our (s)elected leaders to squander the resources, talent, and good will of citizens who seek nothing more than work with dignity, a decent life with some hope for the future, and the ever stronger desire to live in peace through productive relationships rather than endless war.
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