SAUCE FOR THE RUSSIAN GOOSE, SAUCE FOR THE AMERICAN GANDER: Comments on USA involvement in the Crimea Ukraine Crisis

THE VIEW FROM LONDON

Barack Obama warns Russia against any military intervention in Ukraine

• US president says armed action would lead to 'costs'
• Pro-Russian forces apparently in control of key Crimea sites
• Ukrainian minister accuses Putin of 'invasion and occupation'

Guardian of London
Paul Lewis in Washington, Ian Traynor in Brussels and Luke Harding   
theguardian.com, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/28/barack-obama-vladimir-putin-ukraine-russia/print
Friday 28 February 2014 18.46 EST   

The US president, Barack Obama, told his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that "there will be costs" for any military intervention in Ukraine as Russian forces were deployed in Crimea on Friday.

With pro-Russian forces apparently in control of Crimea's key airport and parliament building, and Russian troops reportedly on the move across the peninsula, the White House warned against any further escalation in what has rapidly degenerated into the most tense regional crisis since the Russia-Georgia war six years ago.

In a stark message delivered after fresh US intelligence assessments of Russia's presence in the southern region, Obama said any Russian intervention would constitute a "clear violation" of international law.

"We are now deeply concerned by reports over Russian military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine," Obama said. "Any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilising."

He added: "Just days after the world came to Russia for the Olympic Games it would invite the condemnation of nations around the world. Indeed, the United States will stand with the international community in affirming there will be costs for any military intervention in the Ukraine."

The president took the unusual step of issuing the remarks from the White House late on Friday, after postponing a scheduled appearance at a Democratic national committee meeting in Washington DC.

His remarks came amid reports from Ukrainian officials in Kiev that hundreds of Russian troops were in Crimea. Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, accused Putin of "provocations" and urged him to pull back, while interior minister Arsen Avakov described the takeover of the airports as a "military invasion and occupation".

RIGHT ASCENSION COMMENTARY

As I listened to President Obama’s remarks about The Crimea Ukraine Crisis, and as I read the remarks on-line, it occurs to me that Our President is the biggest hypocrite on this particular subject.

The United States of America has for centuries “influenced”,  interfered with, and meddled with  small nations bordering it and surrounding it.    It has military bases all over the planet, including Guantanamo on the east shore of Cuba.   It has intervened in all sorts of small close-by countries for all kinds of dubious reasons.  Those dubious reason rarely actually helped the natives in the long view. 

The USA has recently invaded countries that were technically closer to the Russian sphere of influence than the American sphere  – Iran, Afghanistan.   The results of that adventure on the local natives has not yet been completely positive. 

If the USA can intervene in small close-at-hand nations, then Russia obviously has the right to intervene in small bordering nations.      


THE CALL TO ACTION IN EUROPE

If the European Union wants Ukraine under its positive influence instead of the negative Putin Russia influence, the European Union will have to distribute more than just its weight in words.