[LAF] On polarisation of the Crimea debate

[Volodya]

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Greetings,

More and more we see around us different forms of a simplistic nationalist
analysis of. On one hand there are people who claim that Ukraine is entirely
overrun by Nazi sympathisers (and that Russia should be supported), on another
we have the claims that we should support anybody who is fighting the Russian
aggression with no thought of the reasons for such fighting.

In reality the situation is much more complicated, but the complexity of it
should not be used to claim that only two extremist paths can lead to a
reasonable solution.

Below are some facts that we should keep in mind when thinking about the problem:

1. Russia did *not* intervene in Crimea because of the strong anti-fascist
sentiment within the ruling elite. Putin has no problem playing with the
fascist ideas and using propaganda tactics within "his" country when it suits
the purpose of keeping him in power.

2. West Ukraine *does* have the problem with Nazis and their sympathisers. An
openly nazist "Svoboda" party does control a significant portion of the
political spectrum there.

3. Maidan protests, while having racists present, were not a reaction to
Russian speaking people in Ukraine, but rather were powered by the economic
questions. Ukrainian leaders, who were supported by Kremlin, were engaged in a
large-scale corruption and theft. It is important to distinguish that not all
anti-Russia protests were anti-Russian. Nationalists always try to capitalise
on the anti-imperialist sentiment and turn it into their weapon, but that
should not be used as a way to silence anti-imperialists.

4. Theft and "vertical" corruption is the main pillar of current politics in
Russia. Nothing from which the rulers cannot make profit gets accomplished.
Putin uses Ukraine to shift the focus onto another country, this does not help
people in either of two countries with fighting against this theft.

5. United States has financially and through propaganda has attempted to aid
the nationalist West Ukrainian sentiment. That was *not* done because USA
opposes imperialism in principle, but rather because it wants to undermine
Putin's imperialist ambitions *and further its own*.

I am *not* going to end with saying "and therefore you must think …", rational
people should be able to make their own opinions, and it is also possible that
i have missed some very important facts. Keep fighting and keep thinking.

                 - Volodya (of Echo of Freedom)

- -- 
http://freedom.libsyn.com/     Echo of Freedom, Radical Podcast

 "None of us are free until all of us are free."    ~ Mihail Bakunin
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