Senate Ukraine Weak?

http://news.yahoo.com/cia-fbi-agents-advising-ukraine-government-report-101508429.html

So our intelligence agents are advising the maybe/maybe not legitimate government in Ukraine.

This puts into question: were we there "advising" the Maiden uprisings? We've certainly tried to ferment unrest in countries just pretty recently.

 

Oh I hope not. We don't need anymore conspiracy theories for ASR to spout.

 

Why is this being reported as secret news? CIA Director John Brennan publicly announced his flight to Kiev to consult with the new government some weeks ago. His arrival was televised, as I recall.

More broadly, I don't understand the point of the accusation. I'd be surprised if the US did not have some representation there, and if some others weren't involved. Protest movements often consult widely with a range of foreign interests. That doesn't make them illegitimate. The question is whether the movement represents an authentic sentiment of the citizenry or is a sort of "astroturf" of paid protestors.

There has been very little question that the Maiden protestors weren't legitimately disgusted in Yanukovych for turning down the EU treaty. This was the clear provocation that started the protests and is the explanation protestors consistently offered for their actions. Afterwards, protestors continued in largely non-violent fashion for almost a year before coming to a head. By contrast, the protests in Eastern Ukraine and Crimea have featured admitted members of the Russian military and intelligence services taking a leading role in protests that turned violent within the space of two weeks, and whose only real complaint is a proposal that was immediately vetoed. There's not really equivalency here.

 

Men don't use hair gel anymore?

 

not really. pomade, yes, gel not so much. metrosexual was like the early 2000s. we're in an era of beards and scruff now, tho ive read some disturbing reports that that era may be about to peak and then decline

 

Hipsters ruined it for everyone.

 

Maybe gel is not as prevalent anymore, but I see most dudes definitely be using some products in their hair, even if not gel. I've never used anything regularly though. My dad started balding early, and I don't wanna push my luck.

 

I like how one Eurovision contestant gets Austria labelled "Eurovision Drag Queens".

Speaking of which, where the heck is Ms Eurovision, Obi Anne?

 

My roommate did last year along with hairspray. He was really really weird.

 

Everyone's still using it here in Norway. Strange.

I remember I got talked into using hair wax once in junior high. That stuff's the worst. Anyone willing to put up with that **** in their hair is too vain for his own good.

 

It happened a couple of days ago, but it looks like 2 Ukrainian Mi-24Hind helicopters were shot down by portable anti-aircraft missiles, and a transport helicopter was damaged. 2 crew members were killed and one captured. Based on reports, it looks like the helicopters were shot down by either SA-16 Gimlet or SA-18 Grouse portable missiles. Both systems are in use by the Ukrainian and Russian forces, but have also been heavily exported by Russia to as far away as Cuba and Mexico.

The "Hind" is the huge gunship that was made famous in Red Dawn and the Rambo movies:

 

Not to mention Metal Gear Solid.

- Snake! If you have a stereo television, you can use the speakers to determine where the helicopter is!
- Got it, Colonel!

 

http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/politics/54826.html

The Fatherland Party led parliament has banned the Communist party from parliament. Democracy in action. The Fatherland party is trying to consolidate power in Ukraine through undemocratic means. Soon people will have only two options in the elections: Fatherland or Svoboda. Party of Regions better watch out.

This is unsurprising, since last month Svoboda MPs physically attacked a Communist speaker while he was speaking.

 

To be fair, Ukrainian resentment of communists in particular is understandable, just as it would be understandable to shut out Tsarists... if any still existed (I'm sure Jello will dig them up if they do). Even though the USSR is gone, the association with Russian domination and oppression is there.

 

or it could just be that anytime ultranationalists get power anywhere the first thing they do is start killing communists?

 

Sure, that's most likely a big part of it. People just seem to forget how much ethnicities such as Ukrainians suffered under St. Petersburg/Moscow's boot heel. They haven't forgotten.

 

fair enough

 

Then they can go and ban the Russian communist party. This is nothing more than Fatherland trying to consolodate power (which i warned about pages earlier in the thread).

 

Not at all. Your and Wocky's points are well-made, and I don't believe Bush and Putin are equivalent.

However, I still think it's fair to criticize popular media depictions of American leaders vis a vis foreign leaders. American politician with a history of military/intelligence service? Lionized for glorious patriotic duty. Foreign politician [from a country we don't like at the moment] with a history of military/intelligence service? Suspicious fellow with a shady past. Their analysis isn't necessarily wrong, but it has the faint whiff of propaganda.

 

What former US President has been lionized for his work in the intelligence services? Bush is praised for his service in World War 2.

 

None, as far as I know? I was lumping military and intelligence together for the sake of simplicity, as they are related, and I wanted to capture foreign leaders with a background in either category, since other militaries and intelligence services aren't exactly equivalent to those of the US.