Is US Posturing Again Over Ukraine Unrest?

b2ap3_thumbnail_UkraineApril2014.jpgIs Kerry Posturing Over Ukraine Unrest?

 

Today US Secretary of State John Kerry claimed that Russian secret agents and special forces have caused the unrest in several Ukraine areas. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/08/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSBREA370RU20140408 Kerry provided no evidence in support of his claims.

 

In Luhansk, Ukraine, separatists took temporary control of a government building and raided its armory of rifles and ammunition. Western politicians allege that those separatists also took 60 hostages and secreted bombs throughout the building. Several separatists have denied those Western claims. No proof of the politicians’ claims has been provided any reporters. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-ukraine-crisis-20140408,0,4945134.story

 

Russian politicians have voiced concerns over Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing fear over potential civil war. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/04/08/Russia-Civil-war-in-Ukraine-possible/4831396962909/

 

 

To HFS, the obvious issue concerns what Russia might do next. The US and other western politicians appear to be drumming up their domestic support for possible intervention, although to HFS that alternative should be the very last on any list of options. The Russian politicians appear to be waiting anxiously to see how the Russian speakers in Ukraine fare, fearing violence and civil war, but willing if necessary to consider additional action if necessary. None of it sounds good to HFS analysts. What do you think?

Kerry 2nd Blunder Will Hurt Ukrainians

b2ap3_thumbnail_KerryBlunder.jpgb2ap3_thumbnail_KerryBlunder.jpg

Kerry Blunder Will Cost Ukrainians

 

Saturday US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the US would close any available space for diplomacy” if Russia annexes Crimea. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/john-kerry-made-troubling-threat-151446123.html and

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/08/us-ukraine-crisis-usa-idUSBREA270OZ20140308

 

This is not the first diplomatic blunder for John Kerry. Recall when in September 2013 the US jeopardized Syria when Kerry spouted off about avoiding US force if Assad would surrender chemical weapons. http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/09/10/syri-s10.html

 

Today, Russia continues its annexation process over Crimea after changing its laws to support annexation of places with Russian speaking people, despite international opposition. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/09/ukraine-crisis-idUSL6N0M606520140309

 

Analysts at http://HamiltonFinanceServices.com view Secretary Kerry’s remarks as extremely unhelpful, since short of military confrontation, diplomacy offers the only means to unwind the Ukraine crisis. This ‘no more diplomacy’ posture poses the most likely scenario for war, yet obviously the US has no real capacity for acting alone, so HFS analysts wonder whether the UN or other US allies were consulted before the Kerry remarks.

 

 

What do you think?