11 December 2004

More on Ukraine

Experts: Putin's Ukrainian dilemma
The first in this collection of analyses makes an impassioned case for how the aspirations of Ukranians are being deeply used and manipulated. Some of the other writers are from pro-western positions.

Scathing Putin brands US a dictatorship

Cornered by the West over Ukraine, Putin courts allies elsewhere

Flattened by IMF, Ukraine In Geopolitical Crosshairs
Fairly notes how there are no obvious "good guys" in this power struggle. Also has key quotes and references from Brzezinski's Grand Chessboard.

Justin Raimondo — The Ukrainian Template
Raimondo's commentary on the illogic of the claim that the KGB poisoned Yushchenko seem spot-on. They at least confirmed some of the first thoughts that came to my mind. The rest is informative, despite his lame attempts to make the Ukraine struggle conform to his libertarian ideology (such as trying to portray Russia's oligarchal economic system as statist... really). See also, The Yushchenko Mythos

Geopolitics of the Ukrainian Breadbasket by Alfred John Mendes
Interesting historical background, although the heavy focus on the historical role of the Vatican might be biased. Most of what I've read convinces me that the "great game" tradition of British/Atlanticist geopolitics is the driving historical factor here.