Will Mobocracy Triumph in Ukraine?
Despite our endless blather about democracy, we Americans seem to be able to put our devotion to democratic principles on the shelf, when they get in the way of our New World Order.
In 2012, in the presidential election in Egypt, Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood won in a landslide. President Obama hailed the outcome.
One year later, the Egyptian army ousted and arrested Morsi and gunned down a thousand members of his brotherhood. The coup was countenanced by John Kerry who explained that the Egyptian army was “restoring democracy.”
Comes now the turn of Ukraine.
In 2010, Viktor Yanukovych, in what neutral observers called a free and fair election, was chosen president. His term ends in 2015.
Yet since November, protesters have occupied Maidan Square in Kiev, battling police, and howling for Yanukovych’s resignation. The United States appears now to be collaborating with Europe in bringing about the neutering or overthrow of that democratically elected government.
Military coups, a la Cairo, and mob uprisings, at la Kiev – are these now legitimate weapons in the arsenal of democracy.
What did Yanukovych do to deserve ouster by the street? He chose Russia over Europe.
In the competition between Vladimir Putin and the European Union over whose economic association to join, Yanukovych was betrothed to the EU. But after an offer of $15 billion from Putin, and a cut in fuel prices to his country, Yanukovych jilted the EU and ran off with Russia.
Yanukovych felt he could not turn down Putin’s offer.
Western Ukraine, which favors the EU, was enraged. So out came the protesters to bring down the president. And into Kiev flew John McCain to declare our solidarity with the demonstrators.
Kerry has now joined McCain in meddling in this matter that is none of America’s business, declaring in Munich that, “Nowhere is the fight for a democratic European future more important than today in Ukraine.”
We “stand with the people of Ukraine,” said Kerry.
But which people? The Ukrainians who elected Yanukovych and still support him or the crowds in Maidan Square that want him out and will not vacate their fortified encampments until he goes?
Kerry is putting us on the side of mobs that want to bring down the president, force elections, and take power. Yet, Americans would never sit still should similar elements, with similar objectives, occupy our capital.
Reportedly, we are now colluding with the Europeans to cobble together an aid package, should Yanukovych surrender, cut the knot with Russia, and sign on with the EU.
But if Putin’s offer of $15 billion was a bribe, what else is this?
While he rules a divided nation, Yanukovych has hardly been a tyrant. As the crowds grew violent, he dismissed his government, offered the prime ministry to a leader of the opposition, repealed the laws lately passed to crack down on demonstrations, and took sick for four days.
But the street crowds, sensing he is breaking and smelling victory, are pressing ahead. There have now been several deaths among the protesters and police.
Putin is incensed, but inhibited by the need to keep a friendly face for the Sochi Olympics. Yet he makes a valid point.
How would Europeans have reacted if, in the bailout crisis, he, Putin, had flown to Athens and goaded rioters demanding that Greece default and pull out of the eurozone?
How would the EU react if Putin were to hail the United Kingdom Independence Party, which wants out of the EU, or the Scottish National Party, which wants to secede from Great Britain?
Ukraine was briefly independent at the end of World War I, and has been again since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Still the religious, ethnic, cultural and historic ties between Russia and Ukraine are centuries deep.
Eight million Ukrainians are ethnic Russians. In east Ukraine and the Crimea, the majority speak Russian and cherish these ties. Western Ukraine looks to Europe. Indeed, parts belonged to the Habsburg Empire.
Pushed too far and pressed too hard, Ukraine could disintegrate.
Security police who have questioned jailed rioters seem to believe we Americans are behind what is going on. And given the National Endowment for Democracy’s clandestine role in the color-coded revolutions of a decade ago in Central and Eastern Europe, that suspicion is not unwarranted.
Nor is Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov entirely wrong when he says, “a choice is being imposed” on Ukraine, and European politicians are fomenting protests and riots “by people who seize and hold government buildings, attack the police and use racist and anti-Semitic and Nazi slogans.”
If, as a result of street mobs paralyzing a capital, a democratically elected Ukrainian government falls, we could not only have an enraged and revanchist Russia on our hands, but a second Cold War.
And we will have set a precedent that could come to haunt Europe, as the rising and proliferating parties of the populist right, that wish to bring down the European Union, learn by our example.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CREATORS.COM
Read more by Patrick J. Buchanan
- Staying Out of Other People’s Wars – February 6th, 2014
- Is Kerry in Denial? – January 27th, 2014
- What Did Our Wars Win? – January 20th, 2014
- A Blank Check for War on Iran – January 13th, 2014
- Why Neo-Isolationism Is Soaring – December 19th, 2013
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Mike Ehling
February 4th, 2014 at 1:09 am
As for Russian-Ukrainian cultural ties, remember that the greatest Russian writer of the 20th century, Mikhail Bulgakov, was born in Kiev — and his civil-war novel ,"The White Guard" (which I personally think is superior to the better known "Doctor Zhivago"), is set not in Russia but in Ukraine.
greedrulesindc
February 4th, 2014 at 6:05 am
Pat Buchanan is entirely correct. What goes around, comes around, and the EU and U.S. are playing with fire. It's no secret these neo-Nazis and other thugs had to be quickly dispatched to Ukraine before the Olympics. The EU and U.S. foreign policy "experts" knew they had to strike before the games. If the Ukraine government can hold together for a few more weeks, Putin will have much to say.
I've read the protests are much smaller now. I hope that's true. I wish the people in Eastern Ukraine would swarm all over these paid thugs and kick them out.
Why would Ukraine want "austerity," which is what the EU wants to impose.
John V. Walsh
February 4th, 2014 at 7:15 am
Just a note. Bulgakov also wrote what is possibly the greatest Russian novel, Master and Margarita.
John V. Walsh
February 4th, 2014 at 7:20 am
Pat writes:
"Kerry has now joined McCain in meddling in this matter that is none of America’s business ….."
None of America's business. I wish I could hear that phrase used just once by a progressive. That is not to be. For they are the missionaries of this 21st Century American Empire, and they think that their view of democracy, human rights etc. is what the world needs. They no less than the neocons embody the hubris of Empire.
outsider
February 4th, 2014 at 7:35 am
Senile John McCain feels the need to insert himself into every non-US aligned country encouraging instability and civil war. Sometimes I think he believes in his fevered brain that he, not Obama, is the president. Imagine how many more wars this country would be in if McCain and know-nothing Palin had been elected in 2008. McCain, does not speak for the people of the US. He did not get a resolution from congress. He represents only his sorry self when he says that the US is in "solidarity with the demonstrators."
PEACE EVER AFTER
February 4th, 2014 at 7:40 am
One of Pat's finest articles. If only we had leaders like him. However, the ruling class and Mossad would not tolerate him for long.
Putin should do to Ukraine what he did to Georgia.
Michael Kenny
February 4th, 2014 at 8:12 am
This is really just the classic American cloudcuckooland. The original idea was for Ukraine to sign both treaties and that's what people in Ukraine want: Russian gas at a cheap price and visa-free access to the EU labour market. The EU has no objection to giving them that and, until very recently, neither had Putin. If Putin had objected to signing both treaties, he would have made his objections known much earlier. The problem is Sochi, which was to be Putin's triumph but is turning into a disaster. He wanted to be on Russian TV surrounded by the great and good of this world, and especially his fellow European leaders. None of them are coming! So he tried a little persuasion: come to Sochi and we'll settle the Ukrainian problem over a few drinks. He hadn't anticipated the demonstrators. Then he panicked and started releasing people right, left and centre, but even that hasn't helped him. Once the Games are over, some face-saving form of words will be found and he'll back down, as he always intended to anyway.
The parallel with Athens is interesting: there too demonstrations started peacefully and were later hijacked by a rent-a-riot group and then, suddenly, a hitherto unknown group, Golden Dawn, emerged. Much the same has happened in Kiev. Since the EU clearly didn't foment the riots in Athens, then Kiev gives a clue as to who did!
outsider
February 4th, 2014 at 8:33 am
We could have had him in 1992, when he ran against GHWB for the nomination. The people are too misinformed by the "ruling class" to ever elect an America-first leader like Buchanan.
Will Mobocracy Triumph in Ukraine? | The Ugly Truth
February 4th, 2014 at 10:52 am
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Guest
February 4th, 2014 at 11:18 am
The root of the problem lays on pentagon planed wars or militarization in where USG has its geopolitical-economic interest, the plan was introduced to USG by Paul Wolfowitz, among other pentagon "Neo intellectual's" back in 1991 when USSR was dissolved, since then USG in cooperation with EU been at war from Balkan to Afghanistan to Iraq to Libya, Syria and planed war with Iran and etc.
This is retaliation against Russia foreign policies in Middle East and elsewhere, this is against china and India economic growth, this is against countries independence as Yugoslavia was divided to divide nations in Balkan, so goes for Syrian war, the Saudis involvement from Yugoslavia to present Syrian war. In the other hand USG and EU present political arena is full of Neo liberalist whom are not in business of democracy but rather in bed with whoever and whatever to achieve their goal in geopolitical-economical interests, we see that in Syria and Ukraine where they are in bed with fascism, anarchism and hooligans rather then having any respect for any existing democratic values in Ukraine or other nation.
james
February 4th, 2014 at 12:16 pm
Great column Pat, you said what had to be said. I do not remember seeing McCain in Bahrain goading democracy protests against the brutal rule of an unelected king.
EU and US, take your paws out of Ukraine and all other nations' business.
Eileen K.
February 4th, 2014 at 1:43 pm
You're exactly correct, greedrulesindc. The EU is nothing more than a weak autocrat, with diktats emanating from Brussels on a regular basis. All one has to do is look at Greece. What has the EU done for Greece? Absolutely nothing, except force austerity on that nation, causing bloody riots in the streets of Athens and other major cities.
The USG? It's just as bad, if not worse, than the EU when it comes to meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, Ukraine included. No wonder George Washington, the first President and one of the Founding Fathers, is spinning in his grave. He had delivered one of the best speeches in his lifetime – the Farewell Address, which cautioned his countrymen and prodigy to engage in trade and friendship with all nations, but to avoid entangling alliances with any of them – but, unfortunately, his later successors ignored his warning; and, now, the US is in a death spiral.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 2:13 pm
Continuation of my above comment:
My impression is that you guys want to argue against the US interfering in the affairs of other countries. But please do so without discriminating against the heroic people of the Ukraine._
Of course the Ukrainian opposition is ill advised to put any hopes on the imperialistic greed of the US. Of course the Russians are scared to death if they think ahead and see NATO Troops entering Ukraine, as happened in Poland, playing lap dogs of the western imperialists. I agree, Russia will not allow that. But that is not a reason to discriminate against a people that stands up against a totally corrupt dictator and his puppets, democratic elected or not._
Patrick Buchanan should gather better information or think it through better before he talks about the rule of mob in Ukraine. It seems to me that you guys hate a rebelliously awakening people more than your own pseudo democratic regime, dominated by imperialistic financial oligarchs which rule over a sleepy population of sheep._
Helmut Wild___
outsider
February 4th, 2014 at 2:46 pm
Per Buchanan's article, Yanukovych won the presidency "in what neutral observers called a free and fair election." His term ends in 2015. In what sense does that make him "a totally corrupt dictator," even though you do acknowledge that he was "democratic elected?" Regarding your statement that "Buchanan should gather better information" before commenting, I think his knowledge of the situation is just fine.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Well, his son accumulated during the presidency of his father a wealth of about $20 billion. Does that smell like "democracy"?
He imposed a law that wiped out one million small businesses to the benefit of a handful of tycoons.
•The first thing Yanukovich did, after gaining power: He jailed his rival and opposittion leader Tymoshenko._
When you guys deny a people to stand up against such a dictator and instead discriminate against it, then I really don't know what's the matter with you.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 4:01 pm
Meant to be the first part of my comment:
•Yanukovich's son has under his father's dictatorship accumulated a wealth in the magnitude of $20 billion._
•The first thing Yanukovich did, after gaining power: He jailed his rival and opposittion leader Tymoshenko._
•Yanukovich has issued a law that wiped out one million small businesses to the benefit of a handful of tycoons who dominate big business and big industry.__
Of course Ukrainians are scared to death to be again dominated by Russia. They look back to centuries of brutal suppression. Their poets have kept the Ukrainian soul alive.
It is obvious that neither Pat Buchanan nor all the above commentators have any understanding of the Ukrainian people, its history and its present situation.
However, my impression is that you guys want to argue against the US interfering in the affairs of other countries. But please do so without discriminating against the heroic people of the Ukraine.
See above second part.
Empire Slayer
February 4th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Since late 40s the USA has overthrown or attempted to overthrow about 60 countries, the majority being democracies: http://empireslayer.blogspot.com/2013/12/us-empir…
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts summed up the situation in Ukraine neatly:
"The EU wants Ukraine to join so that Ukraine can be looted, like Latvia, Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Portugal. The situation is so bad in Greece, for example, that the World Health Organization reports that some Greeks are infecting themselves with HIV in order to receive the 700 euro monthly benefit for the HIV-infected.
The US wants Ukraine to join so it can become a location for more of Washington’s missile bases against Russia."
Here: http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/12/04/19038/
jeff_davis
February 4th, 2014 at 6:02 pm
The problem with your argument Helmut, is its pure blind innocence. If you had more years than those of a callow youth, you would know what the rest of the jaded world has long ago come to see so clearly, if cynically. The dictatorship of a " fairly and democratically elected leader" is all you can hope for from a modern "democratic" election. Dictatorship is what you were always going to get.
Additionally, it appears you have been a longtime consumer of the "kool aid" of partisanship. You seem to believe that your dictator would be better than theirs, which is of course complete nonsense. But you believe it because you need to believe it.
So in fact, your real problem is not so much that you are suffering the untender ministrations of the current dictator, but rather that your reflexive tribalism inclines you to commit yourself and your political loyalties to one partisan crowd or the other without much regard — that's usually the case — to the real world consequences of that commitment. Which boils down basically to:"The blind being educated and led by the blind", and "You're gonna get served up the same shite no matter who you vote for". Grow past this.
This is a problem with which Americans have become quite familiar. When one reaches 65, as I have, and has been exposed to it over decades, the game becomes clear. Would you prefer a plate of Republican shite, or a plate of Democrat shite? Inevitably, shite is what you get from comfortable and corrupt governmental poobahs.
So maybe you'd like to jumpstart your sophistication and maturity in matters political and realize that you're gonna get screwed, and you'll be getting it equally from both sides.
When you spend enough years on the planet and your youthful innocence is a thing of the past, you may come to recognize your error.
Good luck.
dan
February 4th, 2014 at 7:54 pm
"you guys want to argue against the US interfering in the affairs of other countries."
Yes.
dan
February 4th, 2014 at 7:54 pm
You cite no sources to back your claims, Helmut.
dan
February 4th, 2014 at 7:57 pm
What is McCain's problem? This silly little man seems to run all over the world sticking his nose in other peoples affairs. Remember back in 2008 when he said "we are all Georgians now"? Apparently we are now all Ukrainians.
Rusty
February 4th, 2014 at 8:14 pm
To be sure Russia and Ukraine have had some troubles. In fact a sizable portion of its population are ethnic Russians, and I am sure they are some of the most ardent supporters of maintaining strong ties with Russia.
But the EU would be no fairytale either. If Ukraine aligns with the EU, and eventually joins the EU, then they will be forced to open their nation to every immigrant and refugee that can get in. If they think ethnic Russians, the most similar people in the world to them, are a problem, just wait until they get a taste of multiculturalism EU-style. If people as close as Ukrainians and Russians cannot make nice, how is it they'd expect non-Europeans to?
Unfortunately for Ukraine geopolitics have not been kind. On one side are the Russians who have already watered down your population, and on the other is the EU who stands to totally change your population, religion, culture, etc. You might get more welfare and toys with the EU, but you will not keep your nation.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 8:30 pm
Dan quotes me kind of short:
"you guys want to argue against the US interfering in the affairs of other countries."
Yes.
Wonderfull ! I'm completely with you on that one.
"But please do so without discriminating against the heroic people of the Ukraine." You forgot to add that.
Patrick Buchanan takes side, but the wrong side. That's also a kind of interference in Ukrainian affairs. He callls the heroic people of Ukraine "a mob". What he really wanted to say is to Kerry and Obama and the expansionists of the American Empire: "Stay out of it. That's not your business."
And when he would have warned the Ukrainian opposition not to trust America's expansionism and that they risk to be wiped out if the NATO moves in,…that would have helped the Ukrainians.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 9:25 pm
It seems it took you a long time to find out that it doesn't matter in the US weather a democrat or a republican is president. Several decades you say.
And now you preach resignation.You are certainly not alone in this attitude of "wisdom". That's exactly why the financial oligarchs can do what they like in this country.
"Dictatorship is what you were always going to get." you say and it seems you feel irritated by those who rebell nevertheless.
Anyway, I feel flattered that you read the spirit of youth out of my lines. I'm 73 and I wish you to rejuvenate.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 9:50 pm
To Rusty:
That's exactly right. The Ukrainians shouldn't trust the EU and the reasons you mention are right.
I think their right way in their national self-interest is strict neutrality and good economic relations with Russia as well as with the EU.
Unfortunately, they have the worst economy in Europe and the deepest pauverty because of the incredibly ruthless corruption of the political elite – especially Yanukovich's family – and the greed of the tycoons and a hostile policy against small businesses.
Now many Ukrainians might see their salvation in the West and that is very dangerous for this nation, because it would be a real threat to Russia if the economic relations to the West slowly would merge with military games of alliances. In the long run that could mean war and Ukraine would become a battle field.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 10:13 pm
Dan:
The case of Tymoshenko is commonly known, even reported in the media here in the US.
The incredible wealth which Yanukovich's son and his family have accumulated, especially in the last three years, is mentioned in a very recent article of the Guardian. This and the horrendous economic policies imposed by the Yanukovich dictaturship, I know from my Ukrainian friends who are in close contact with their Ukrainian friends and family members.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
I agree, the EU is a headache. All Europeans would be better off if there wasn't a Euro and a EU.
But tell me, what is there to loot in this pauverty house of Europe?
The Ukrainians are much worse off than the jobless in Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy.
dan
February 4th, 2014 at 10:27 pm
How about America just stays out of the Ukraine, a country many thousands of miles away. Does that satisfy you Helmut?
dan
February 4th, 2014 at 10:30 pm
Just saying something is commonly known or that you have a friend who knows about it is not a source Helmut. Its called hearsay. I want links, quotes, documentation. If you refer to some media article say the date, author and sources etc.
dan
February 4th, 2014 at 10:33 pm
The best strategy would be for Ukraine to emulate Switzerland. Trade with all countries and neutrality from all alliances.
Helmut_Wild
February 4th, 2014 at 10:48 pm
Dan:
I completely agree.
And when it might happen that Ukrainians read this short sentence, that will help them to find their orientation.
Empire Slayer
February 5th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
Labor, iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber, and arable land…
It's kind of like asking what is there to loot in Honduras, Indonesia, Columbia, Haiti, Nicaragua, etc., etc. The people there are poor, too, and yet the imperialist wants to set them up to favor the conqueror.
It's the people, not the countries, that are poor.