T. Belman. I tried to post my article The pot is calling the kettle black on my TOI Blog and they said “We’re passing on publishing this because it’s riddled with unfounded claims and offensive comparisons.”
I also submitted it to Am Thinker who have published over 50 of my articles and it was rejected because of its “anti American tone”.
Finally one leftist tore into me for posting Ukraine Invasion, Bioweapons Labs, Russian Perspective. He questioned the fact that the article was harsh on Zelensky. So I looked into to some of the allegations it contained and found this article.
I also hear from a very reliable source that Russia is in good shape and quickly taking over the country and is also negotiating an agreement with the Ukrainian military that will result in regime change in Ukraine and the departure of Russian troops just as they departed in Kazakhstan.
More than 14,000 people been killed in fighting between Ukraine’s army and the Moscow-backed separatists since 2014.
A woman walks past cadets of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk [File: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters]
The two self-proclaimed rebel republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, whose independence Moscow recognised on Monday, are situated in the rust belt in eastern Ukraine, and escaped Kyiv’s control in 2014.
Since then, more than 14,000 people have been killed in fighting between Ukraine’s army and the Moscow-supported separatists there.
About the region
Donetsk, surrounded by slag heaps, is the main city in the mining basin of Donbas.
Once named Stalino, it is a gritty industrial hub dominated by mining.
It is also one of the main steel-producing centres of Ukraine.
It has two million inhabitants.
Luhansk, formerly Voroshilovgrad, is also an industrial city of 1.5 million inhabitants.
They are grouped in the basin, on the border with Russia on the northern banks of the Black Sea — home to vast coal reserves.
The presence of Russian speakers came about as many Russian workers were sent there after World War II during the Soviet era.
Conflict since 2014
The regions have been locked in armed conflict with Kyiv’s army since a Kremlin-backed armed uprising following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Their independence, proclaimed following referendums, is not recognised by the international community.
Kyiv and the West say Russia instigated the eastern uprising, pouring arms and troops across the border to bolster them.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he was recognising their independence.
Donbas is also at the heart of a cultural battle between Kyiv and Moscow, which says that the region, a large part of eastern Ukraine, is Russian speaking and needs to be protected from Ukrainian nationalism.
Peace agreements
Efforts to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine, laid down in the 2015 Minsk agreements, are deadlocked. Kyiv and the separatists have each accused the other of breaches.
A series of ceasefires have fallen through due to repeated violations by belligerents.
The political strand of the accords, which foresees a large degree of autonomy for the rebel regions and local elections under Ukrainian law, remains a dead letter, with each side blaming the other for the failure.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson denounced Russia’s recognition of separatist republics as “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity of the Ukraine”.
Leaders
Each of the two republics is seeking full autonomy from the central government and have their self-proclaimed presidents.
Denis Pushilin, elected in 2018 at an election disputed by Kyiv, is the leader of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, while Leonid Pasechnik is the leader of the Luhansk separatist region.
Many warlords and separatist officials have been killed over the past few years in attacks, the victims of infighting or in operations by the Ukrainian forces, according to reports that could not be verified.
Donetsk’s rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko, killed in a bombing at a Donetsk café in August 2018, is the most prominent rebel victim in the conflict to date.
SOURCE: AFP
A nice map of the self-proclaimed republics showing the de-facto and claimed territories:
Again, I keep hearing this argument. There was no consideration of bringing Ukraine into NATO. Ironically if they were in NATO, this invasion most likely would not have happened. Your thinking is ass backwards and frankly I’m tired of the blame America first crap.
I think that a few here misunderstand and mis-characterize Ted’s position. [Ted can certainly speak for himself, but I agree with him.]
First…Russia was provoked, if not justified, for several reasons, the chief of which was the threat of bringing Ukraine into NATO. If you don’t understand the gravity of this, consider what the US reaction might be if Canada or Mexico were on the verge of allowing Chinese troops and weapons to be stationed on our their borders with the US. I dare say that we would invade, too. I would also remind you of, (if you are old enough to remember), the Cuban missile crisis. Same scenario, and we were ready to go to (nuclear) war over it. And we don’t expect Russia to do the same? How naive!
Second…America bears much responsibility for the current Ukraine situation, its feigned indignation, notwithstanding. Think of the US meddling (to use a nice word) in Ukrainian politics, in 2004 and 2014, especially.
Third… Ukraine, itself, is certainly not innocent. They did not honor the Minsk agreements and have conducted a war against the ethnic Russian people of Donetsk and Luhansk for the last eight years, which has resulted in 14,000 deaths.
Of course, NO ONE wants to see civilians killed, injured, or displaced, no matter which side they are on. So, while Russia may be justified, and may have been provoked, we should all hope that the conflict will end as quickly as possible, regardless of which side prevails.
I do not think, therefore, that it’s a question of being pro-Russian or anti-American. It’s just that sometimes, the facts must be seen for what they are, even if we dislike the conclusions that they demand.
Lastly…As Ted has said, “This is not the America that I grew up in.” I have to agree, that the America of the twenty-first century is greatly different than that of the twentieth century. It is lamentable. Yes, we do have financial wealth, many creature comforts, and technological conveniences. That’s all people seem to care about. America has lost its ideological and moral compasses. In other words, America has lost its soul. We are no longer “the home of the brave and the land of the free”.
Mark Levin was brilliant as usual. On the radio he really scolded the isolationists in the GOP and talk radio and tv.
@Ted, your buddy Putin has been cooperated with Israel in Syria because it is of mutual benefit. If Israel attacks Iranian forces this benefits both sides because Putin is in competition with them for Syria and prefers Israel do the dirty work.
However, Russia has sold all the enemies of Israel weapons. It has sold Iran nuclear technology.
You are confusing Biden as being the USA (yes he is POTUS and not a friend of Israel). US still sells Israel weapons and subsidizes many to the tune of 3 billion dollars annually. It still supports Israel in the UN mostly. Does Russia?
So you are very confused in my mind about who are the relative good guys or bad guys.
Full article at https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2022/02/27/mark-levin-at-cpac-we-love-america-because-its-america-not-because-were-nationalists-n1562239
I’m well aware that Biden admin is anti-Israel. They can do no right by me either. But contrary to what you might think, they are not pro-Ukraine and anti-Russia. It’s quite obvious they have enabled Putin.
@ Laura.
You brought up Russia And Iran. Let me expand.
It is the US that is actively working to force a settlement freeze and a TSS on us. It is the US who is lifting sanctions on Iran and negotiating an agreement that allows Iran to move much closer to a bomb. It is releasing from money to them. It left $85 B in military equipment in the hands of the Taliban to distribute as it wishes.
Meanwhile Russia continues to allow Israel to attack Iran and even Syria in Syria. Russia is not hostile to Israel. the US is except for the Trump years.
As for my alleged anti-Americanism, I would po9int out that I am very pro-Trump and the MAGA movement. That’s Americanism. I am very much against the click that have taken over the country and has been systematically destroying Americanism. They out and out stole the election. I do not forgive them for this. After that, they can do no right nor do they have the right to preach.
I’m well aware of your anti-Americanism, Ted, but if you are taking Russia’s side because you think the White House is anti-Russia, you are mistaken. The Biden regime has been enabling Putin from the get-go, despite its lip service criticizing him. Pay very careful attention to what they’ve actually DONE AND ARE DOING rather than what they SAY. These people, the American marxists, want to bring down America, so they are enabling Russia and China to supplant us as the leading world powers.
Bear Klein, you appear to be the only other rational person here. I’m guessing the posters here will spin Putin’s insane nuclear threats to be our fault. There’s no point in trying to reason with them. It should be crystal clear that Putin is a madman, but Ted and the others are still defending him. Unreal. Let’s not forget that he’s also helping Iran get nukes, but no matter, they are still unwavering in their support. I can’t for the life of me rationalize their thinking.
@ Bear.
I used to believe in the US. But today’s US is not the one I grew up with.. In my rant, I did not pass judgement on Putin. Instead I pointed out America’s flaws. I have long felt who are they to preach. That’s what the article was about.
As for Ukraine, I have pointed out a bit of very valid criticism. It is not a democracy. It is a puppet government installed by the US. Since 2014, 14000 citizens in the 2 eastern provinces have been killed. The 10 minute video proves Nazis are involved with the complicity of the US government..
All this mitigates, if not justifies, what Putin is doing.
Negotiations are taking place and soon there will be a new Ukrainian government friendly to Russia or at least sworn to be neutral. And Russia will withdraw..
What is more erratic now Putin or people who support him??
Russia has activated and put on alert their nuclear forces. Ted or other Putin supporters do you approve of that also?
@Adam Dalgliesh
I didn’t say “continuously”, I said “continually” – there is a difference.
Just because you haven’t seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or it isn’t true.
Maybe you weren’t looking hard enough or paying enough attention at what has been going on.
Don’t invent “supporters of the secession-Russification movement”.
These people are Russian speakers who identify as Russians, who don’t want to be subject to forced Ukrainization a la “the Western Ukraine”, and who live on the territory donated to Ukraine by the USSR.
@Reader. I have not seen any evidence or even reports that the Ukrainian military has been “continuously firing on civilians.” Nor have I seen any evidence that all of the people killed in the fighting in this region are supporters of the secession-Russification movement.
The Ukrainian military says it troops have suffered heavy losses in the fighting. The pro-Russian and Russian soldiers in the fighting have also suffered some losses. There have undoubtedly been at least some civilian casualties. But I have not seen any data from any source about the political allegiances of the civilians whohave been killed or injured.
@Bear. I think it is absolutely wonderful that at last we completely agree about something!
@Adam Dalgliesh
I didn’t say that all refugees will be heading East into Russia.
I said they will be heading into Poland (barring the ones from the self-proclaimed republics who WERE heading into Russia after being told to do so for their protection).
Ukraine started the “anti-terrorist” operation against the self-proclaimed republics in April of 2014 utterly refusing to negotiate even for their autonomy within Ukraine.
Since then, the Ukrainian military stayed there continually shooting at civilians.
After 8 years of this, 13,000 people have been killed mainly because they don’t want to be regarded as 2nd class citizens (since they prefer identify as ethnic Russians) and they don’t want to be forced to speak Ukrainian, the Russian language having been made illegal (or nearly so) in the “new Ukraine”.
Now, the terms “ethnic Russian”, “ethnic Ukrainian”, and “ethnic Belorussian” are almost as questionable as the term “ethnic American” but based on their preferred language and culture that’s how different people there prefer to identify themselves.
Personally, I think that it’s time to put the “divide-and-conquer” thing to bed no matter how well it might have work for the elites till now and how much they would love to keep using it.
@Adam I 100% concur with everything in your post!! It is completely accurate in statement and sentiment.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/opinions/2022/02/26/new-cold-war-emerging-russia-launches-full-scale-invasion-of-ukraine.html
This is from Newsmax.
I am utterly appalled by Ted’s pro-Russian stance on this war. I never understood Ted’s pro-Russian sympathies. But that he could be insensitive to the obvious brutality, inhumanity and illegality of this invasion of Ukraine is shocking and incredible to me.
Reader is wrong that all of the refugees are heading east into Russia, as this clip, citing the U.N. high commission on refugees, demonstrates. Large numbers of refugees are crossing Ukraine’s western borders , fleeing the Russians.
Ted, you article was not a constructive critique of things the USA has erred upon but sounded like something a Jihadi or Putin supporter who wants to destroy the USA would have written. That is why it was not published.
Example why did the USA go into Afghanistan? Do you remember 911 where the USA was attacked and 3000 Americans killed!! Was going after Bin Laden not correct? Was going after Al Quida not correct?