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Change course in Crimea or face costs, West warns Russia

By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Nick Paton Walsh, CNN
March 13, 2014
Cossacks stand guard at Crimea's regional parliament building in Simferopol, Ukraine, on Wednesday, March 12. Pro-Russian forces have taken control of Ukraine's autonomous Crimean region, prompting criticism from the West and Ukrainian interim government. Security measures are tightening around Crimea's capital as the pro-Russian regional government prepares to hold a referendum to break away from Ukraine. The standoff has revived concerns of a return to Cold War relations.
Cossacks stand guard at Crimea’s regional parliament building in Simferopol, Ukraine, on Wednesday, March 12. Pro-Russian forces have taken control of Ukraine’s autonomous Crimean region, prompting criticism from the West and Ukrainian interim government. Security measures are tightening around Crimea’s capital as the pro-Russian regional government prepares to hold a referendum to break away from Ukraine. The standoff has revived concerns of a return to Cold War relations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man With Stolen Passport on Malaysia Jet Had No Terror Links

Full ArticleVoa News 

11 Mar 2014

 

Malaysian police say one of the two passengers who used stolen passports to board a missing passenger jet does not appear to have links to terrorism. National Police Chief Khalid Abu Bakar said Tuesday the 19-year-old Iranian national was likely trying to migrate to Germany, where his mother was waiting. The other man&aposs identity is still under… 
Pictures of the two men, a 19-year old Iranian, identified by Malaysian police as Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, left, and the man on the right, his identity still not released, who boarded the now missing Malaysia Airlines jet MH370 with stolen passports, is held up by a Malaysian policewoman during a press conference, Tuesday, March 11, 2014 in Sepang, Malaysia. One of the two men traveling on a missing Malaysian Airlines jetliner was an Iranian asylum seeker, officials said Tuesday, as baffled authorities expanded their search for the Boeing 777 on the opposite side of the country from where it disappeared nearly four days ago with 239 people on board.

Mysterious Iranian “Mr. Ali” Purchased Tickets For “Stolen Passport” Passengers; Paid Cash

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 03/10/2014 While the mystery builds over the still officially unexplained disappearance of Malaysian flight MH370, or just who the two passengers with “stolen” passports may have been although we expect a revelation on this issue shortly, the FT has added yet another twist to what is sure to be a conspiracy thriller for weeks to come: the paper reports that the Thai travel agent who booked the tickets for the men in question said that she had been asked to arrange the travel by an Iranian contact. Adding to the confusion is the revelation that originally the mysterious Iranian, known only as Mr. Ali, tried to reserve seats for the two men on separate flights not to China, but to Europe, one on a Qatar Airways flight, and the other on Etihad. And the punchline: a “friend” of Mr. Ali’s paid for the tickets in cash.

Obama’s All Eisenhower On Russia

Like Ike before him, Obama’s non-moves against Russia are the right moves.

A regime in thrall to Moscow is forced out by a popular uprising; the Kremlin promises not to intervene, and even announces a troop withdrawal. Within days, Russian forces stealthily begin to move in, then pour across the border. A whole swath of territory is reincorporated into what Ronald Reagan called “the evil empire.”The place was Hungary; the year was 1956; the American president was Dwight Eisenhower, who expressed “shock and dismay” at the Soviet invasion, but refused an armed American response. It was simply too dangerous, too unthinkable, in the atomic age—unless the most vital of U.S. interests were at stake. Even then, Ike once angrily explained to his hawkish advisor Lewis Strauss: “There’s just no point in talking about ‘winning’ a nuclear war.”

Anchor For Russian Propaganda Channel Dramatically Quits In Protest Live On The Air

rt anchor resigns

 

Earlier today, Russia Today anchor and correspondent Liz Wahl gave an impassioned speech critical of her employer Russia Today, before announcing she would be resigning following the newscast.

 While she gave part of the reasoning for her resignation — that she was tired of being “part of a network that whitewashes the actions” of Russian President Vladimir Putin — there’s much more to the story.

 

 

 

 

DIGGING IN

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Russian President Rebuffs Obama As Ukraine Crisis Escalates.. Putin: ‘Russia Cannot Ignore Calls For Help’.. Europe And U.S. Announce Sanctions.. Moscow Warns It Will Retaliate.. Russia’s Neighbors Boost Defenses.. Kiev: 30,000 Russian Troops In Crimea.. 

 

 

 

DEFIANT

Putin Rebuffs Obama’s Warning On Crimea… Leaders Far Apart After Hourlong Phone Call… Moscow Moves Toward Crimean Secession..Warns Retaliation Over Sanctions… Ukraine Says Russia Has 30,000 Troops on The Ground… Neighbor Countries 

 

 

 

 

PUTTING IT TO A VOTE

Spencer Platt via Getty Images

Crimea To Hold Referendum On Joining Russia Next Week.. Acting Ukrainian Prez: Crimeans Working ‘Under The Barrel Of A Gun’.. Calls Authorities ‘Illegitimate’.. Crimean Deputy PM: We’re Already Part Of Russia.. White House Imposes Visa Bans On Some Russians, Ukrainians.. Kerry And Lavrov Meet In Rome.. Lavrov: U.S. Sanctions Are Not Constructive..

 

 

 

 

THERE TO STAY

VIKTOR DRACHEV via Getty Images

Russia Unlikely To Pull Back Its Military… Promises Retaliation Over Sanctions… EU To Give Ukraine $15 Billion In Aid… Obama: ‘Strong Belief’ Russia Is Violating International Law… Hillary Clinton: Like ‘What Hitler Did Back In The ’30s’… NYT: ‘Obama Is On The Right Track’…Obama Renews G8 Boycott Threat… Putin Has ‘Lost His Mind’

 

 

 

 

 

Ukraine crisis: US and Russia to hold key talks

05 Mar 2014

 

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are due to hold crucial talks to try to ease tensions over the Ukraine crisis. The USaccuses Moscow of deploying troops in Ukraine’s Crimea region, describing it as an “act of aggression” – a claim denied by the Kremlin. Despite the sharp differences, both… 
Pro Russian soldiers guard Ukraine's infantry base in Perevalne, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 4, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ukraine’s identity rift

04 Mar 2014

 

As the Ukrainian crisis swiftly drifts from a domestic popular uprising to a large scale geopolitical conflict, one has to study the history of the country and its relations with its neighbours to fully comprehend each actor’s perspective. The Russian de facto takeover of Crimea and the strong reaction from the West throughNATO reminds observers… 


Ukrainian recruits line up as they receive military instructions from a commander in a recruitment self defense quarter at Kiev's Independence Square, Ukraine, Tuesday, March 4, 2014.

 

 

Ukraine: Russia Condemned By G7 Over Crimea

03 Mar 2014

 

March 2014, 3:18 UkraineRussia Condemned By G7 Over Crimea Tweet The G7 nations have condemned Russia’s intrusion into Ukraine and suspended preparations for the planned G8 summit in Sochi this June. As a tense stand-off continues between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the borders of Crimea, the group of countries urged Moscow to hold talks… 
Unidentified armed men patrol around a Ukraine's infantry base in Perevalne, Ukraine, Sunday, March 2, 2014. Hundreds of armed men in trucks and armored vehicles surrounded the Ukrainian military base Sunday in Crimea, blocking its soldiers from leaving.

 

 

 

MOBILIZING FOR WAR
Ukraine Calls Up Reserves… Putin Growls, Threatens Invasion…
Ukraine Military Base Surrounded, Soldiers Blocked From Leaving

Getty

Ukraine Leader: ‘We Are On The Brink Of Disaster’… Obama Pulls Out Of G8…What Putin’s Really Up To… Ukraine Forces Ill Equipped To Respond… ‘Could Turn Bloody, Very Quickly’… NATO: Russian Action Threatens Peace

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will ‘zero option’ in Afghanistan cause chaos?

01 Mar 2014

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — If President Barack Obama were to decide to leave no military advisory force in Afghanistan next year, would Afghan security unravel to the pointof enabling a civil war, a Taliban takeover and a return of al-Qaida in such numbers as to pose a 9/11-type threat? That is the question at the core of the debate overObama‘s next move… 
File - U.S. Army Pvt. Zakery Jenkins, front, with Charlie Troop, 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, provides security in Mush Kahel village, Ghazni province, Afghanistan, July 23, 2012.

 

 

 

 

China Strikes Back At US “Human Rights Violations”: Slams PRISM Spying, Droning, Gun Violence, Homelessness And Unemployment

Submitted  02/28/2014

Today, China decided to strike back at the US with its own report on US “human rights.” In a nutshell, China launches a full frontal attack on the hypocrisy of the US, saying that “posing as “the world judge of human rights,” the U.S. government “made arbitrary attacks and irresponsible remarks” on the human rights situation in almost 200 countries and regions again in its just-released reports, the report says. “However, the U.S. carefully concealed and avoided mentioning its own human rights problems,” it adds. The report calls the U.S. tapping program, code-named PRISM, which exercises long-term and vast surveillance both at home and abroad, “a blatant violation of international law” and it “seriously infringes on human rights.”

 

 

‘I WASN’T OUSTED’

AP

Ukraine’s Fugitive Leader Vows To Fight On.. President Denies Responsibility For Protesters’ Deaths, Calls Planned Elections Illegitimate.. Armed Men Seize Crimea Airports.. Russian Helicopters Breach Ukrainian Airspace.. Prosecutor Orders Arrest Of Former Officials.. Swiss Launch Money Laundering Probe

 

 

 

AIRPORT STANDOFF

AP

Interior Minister: ‘I Consider What Has Happened To Be An Armed Invasion’… Ukraine Says Russia Takes Positions Outside Coast Guard Base… Surrounds Border Guard Post.. Yanukovych Speaks…Says He Won’t Run In May Elections… Why Crimea Is A Powderkeg

DOWN WITH DRONES
European Politicians Slam U.S. Strikes In Landslide Vote

 

 

 

 

 

British spy agency collected images of Yahoo webcam chats – Guardian

BY JULIA FIORETTI

LONDON Thu Feb 27, 2014

The Yahoo logo is shown at the company's headquarters in Sunnyvale, California April 16, 2013. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

 

 

GUNMEN TAKE UKRAINE GOV’T BUILDINGS, RAISE RUSSIAN FLAG

Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

REPORT: Russia Grants Fugitive Ukrainian President Protection… Parliament Approves New Prime Minister

 

Syria says 175 fighters killed near Damascus

27 Feb 2014

 

Syrian army troops have killed 175 opposition fighters, many of them linked to al-Qaeda-linked groups, in an ambush described as one of the deadliest attacks by government forces near Damascus, according to state media. An opposition group alleged that Wednesday dawn’s ambush was carried out by the LebaneseHezbollah group, which has been… 
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian government forces stand next to the bodies of rebels south of Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ukrainian Parliament Wants Trial Of Yanukovich In International Court

wn.com

KIEVUkraine — The Ukrainian parliament appealed Tuesday to the International Criminal Court in the Hague to try oustedPresident Viktor Yanukovich and other officials on charges of crimes against humanity. The parliament passed a measure seeking an international trial of the officials for actions “which led to especially dire consequences and mass murder of Ukrainian citizens in the course of the peaceful protest actions in the period from Nov. 21, 2013, to Feb. 22, 2014,” the UNIAN news agency reported. The political crisis in Ukraine, the worst since the country gained independence in 1991, turned especially…more »

 

 

Gorbachev, Ukraine, and Slaying Dragons

25 Feb 2014

 

Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling “Just like reformers before me, I thought that we had a system that could be improved. Instead, I learned that we had a system that needed to be replaced.” -Mikhail Gorbachev Ukrainian ballots have blood on them. Three months of deadly protests and pitched battles have wounded and killed hundreds of… 
Anti-Yanukovych protesters march in Kiev's Independence Square, the epicenter of the country's current unrest, Ukraine, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2014.