US Taking 'Fresh Look' at Providing Lethal Aid to Ukraine

[malaise]

http://www.voanews.com/content/report-us-taking-fresh-look-at-providing-lethal-aid-to-ukraine/2624245.html
<snip>
A leading U.S. newspaper says Washington is reconsidering its stance on providing defensive weapons and equipment to Kyiv.

The New York Times reported Sunday that while President Barack Obama has not made a decision about supplying lethal aid to Ukraine's security forces, his administration is taking a "fresh look" at the question of military aid.

The newspaper reports that unidentified officials say Secretary of State John Kerry, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey and Susan Rice, Obama's national security adviser, are all open to new discussions about providing lethal assistance to Ukrainian forces.

The Times said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel already supports giving defensive weapons to the government forces, which Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko asked for in November.

NATO's military commander, General Philip Breedlove, also supports providing the lethal assistance to Ukraine, the newspaper says.

The New York Times said an independent report being released Monday by eight former senior American officials, urging the U.S. to send $3 billion in defensive arms and equipment to Ukraine, is "fueling the broader debate" in Washington.

In December, Obama signed legislation authorizing $350 million in lethal and non-lethal military aid to Kyiv. But a White House spokesman at the time said the president had misgivings about delivering such hardware - a move that many analysts say would be viewed by Russia as a major Western military provocation.
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[OverseaVisitor]

1. Should wait

Let the MH 170 report be make known.

Cause if this is true that it was shot down.
Then we need to look at the motive.

This is crime against humanity.

[djean111]

2. Yes, by all means, let's get into a really BIG war! Think of the profits! nt

[KingCharlemagne]

3. America, fuck yeah! - nt

[randome]

4. You wouldn't be trying to make a point about the acceptance of RT.com, would you?

Linking to a VOA article that quotes 'unidentified sources'? How is this different from RT.com?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[malaise]

5. Bwaaaaaaaaaah hahahahha

Voice of America - who's that again????
VOA was quoting the New York Times article from yesterday - maybe you should watch the interview they quoted.

[JonLP24]

6. If Western & European allies are lining up one way

wouldn't its media be biased against Russia or have negative perception? Certainly there is a range of sources but a lot of times when I watch Vice reporting, they're reporting things Western media isn't, clearly showing depending on the topic there is an information war going on.

You see a lot of press on ISIS & Boko Haram (which is starting to become reported on more recently) and certainly Islam fundamentalists in the Wahabbi "convert or die" is a cause for concern but there is a lot of hands off with Saudi Arabia though not as much as Kuwait or Qatar (who received international condemnation for doing the same thing US private contractors do). Last 3 hours -- Kuwait Court Upholds Jail Sentence for Online Activist -- http://www.ndtv.com/world-news/kuwait-court-upholds-jail-sentence-for-online-activist-736425 Though if we decide to send ground troops into Iraq, US Army will probably need Camp Arif Jan again & in all likelihood they still have multiple task forces & CENTCOM, among others deployed there right now.

My point in all this and I probably watch a little bit of RT America which I favor over CNN, MSNBC, & Fox News though they have more of a liberal non-partisan bias so I may not be familiar which I have no doubt got some facts wrong (including the NY Times who VOA cites & the unnamed sources come from NY Times reporting) or reporting the news with an editorial slant (no one is as obvious as The Guardian in print, Fox is the most obvious television news editorially slanted. I don't think I have came across something RT reported that also wasn't otherwise reported by another outlet) when it comes to reports on Ukrainian crisis. what is funny people do the RT over something they reported that isn't in dispute (with the exception of Fox-like corporate or pro-Western bias).

That's why I like that there are so many choices but RT helps in providing that perspective that is missing when you have US & Western allies lining up against you. How often does CNN report the drug trafficking private militias fighting for Columbian Government & US+Western allies against the revolutionaries--as well as revolutionary groups that also drug traffic as well? Pablo Escobar ties with Columbian government were revealed years after his famous bust. Not saying RT isn't biased, I'm very uninformed as to the editorial control over its content in RT in Russia.

How often do US state department officials mention Alhurra when bashing Al-Jazerra? Propaganda is everywhere.

[randome]

7. Western media is not controlled by governments. RT.com is.

There are plenty of western media organizations that like nothing better than to show different perspectives. And no, I don't mean TV outlets.

Thinking that RT.com might, sometimes be right is like saying anti-vaxxers might, sometimes be right because...well, look at that poor kid who developed autism right after his vaccination shot! That proves...something!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

[JonLP24]

8. I haven't seen any of this criticism substantianted from government officials

(I want to be clear as far as government officials goes)

that will they in all-likelihood have a perception bias & from limited reports from Russian based RT reporting, certainly have reporting US in a negative light (much like the opposite here) a major focus but what I found what I found so far refreshingly honest. I'm aware of a British media regulator threatening RT over Ukranian coverage for violation of the impartial thing. I mentioned The Telegraph and this is only based on 2 articles which 1 I actually have more knowledge than The Telegraph either misrepresented or was misrepresented to them but still had a slant to it that was so obvious. I didn't mean just television news but overall, I'm a big fan of Frontline myself but they're a rare breed. There is so much news consolidation which is overshadowed by the constant media mergers taking place. It isn't only bad for consumers (since buying out the competition drives up the prices & decreases options) but information.

It isn't the only thing. Headline bias, sensationalist bias, will this grab readers? If I write it this way does it attract viewers? So much of it, very few outlets but many mainstream outlets wouldn't maintain reasonable credibility if they didn't report much of the same things RT reports.

On edit - Different perspectives is one of the things RT has received accolades (outside of Russia) is for and this goes further than Russian foreign policy or Ukranian crisis reporting. They grant interviews & report perspectives from controversial & people who should be sought out more for interviews.

[JonLP24]

9. It is interesting the things you can find without digging too deep

Disturbing deterioration in press freedom situation since new president took over

Reporters Without Borders is dismayed by an alarming deterioration in the press freedom situation in Ukraine since the two-round presidential election on 17 January and 7 February, which was won by Viktor Yanukovych.

Despite the persistence of self-censorship, Ukraine had risen significantly in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index in recent years, but the past three months have seen a return of intimidation and physical attacks on journalists and abuse of authority towards the media.

Reporters Without Borders voices its support for the open letter which 17 journalists working for privately-owned television station TVi have sent to President Yanukovych urging him to put a stop to interference in the media by the SBU, the country’s main security agency. TVi’s journalists complain of harassment by the SBU and accuse it of defending the personal and business interests of its director, A. Khoroshkovskiy.

The press freedom organisation is also concerned about an unexplained decision to disband the Commission for Establishing Freedom of Expression, which until now had been attached to the president’s office. It was dissolved by a decree posted on the president’s website. Yanukovych should explain this move and spell out his policy towards the media.

http://en.rsf.org/ukraine-disturbing-deterioration-in-press-15-04-2010,37027.html

but all we hear about is RT

[malaise]

13. The Telegraph is now a Murdoch trash sheet

I wonder how many ex-journalists are ready to tell all like their German counterpart.
We might discover some scary truths.

[OverseaVisitor]

12. Good for you

At least you do not deny yourself input and have faith that you grey cells are in perfect condition.

[Ramses]

14. CIA assets have been shitting in Ukraine for decades

CIA and NSA clowns and goons have been trying to screw over Ukraine for over two decades. Assets have been in place and have been supporting fascist Capitalism for over half a century all over the world.

Its too bad... people who are not sociopaths are waking up to the evil that the American Government has been forcing on duly elected governments the world over.

[Octafish]

10. Money trumps peace.

Besides, Ukraine is on top of our oil. From three years back, before most Murkens even heard of Ukraine.

Message from Condoleezza Rice to Ukraine:

"The World is Watching You"

Katya Soldak
Forbes, 9/19/2012

Recently, Condoleezza Rice, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Gordon Brown, Ukrainian president Victor Yanukovych and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan congregated at Livadia Palace in Southern Ukraine, the summer retreat of the last Russian tsar, Nicolas II—a Renaissance style building on the top of a hill, with the Black Sea rolling below. The same place as where Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met at their famed Yalta conference of 1945.

The difference is that back then the rulers of the powerful countries met to make real decisions about the world’s future. This past weekend, Rice, and other guests of the 9th annual Yalta European Strategy meeting came to share their thoughts about the world’s challenges. Discussions today could influence policymakers and lead to making tomorrow’s decisions.

Among the matters discussed were the economic future of Europe and the role of the United States in dealing with economic and political issues of today. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian theme continued throughout the two-day conference. The government imprisoned former prime minister and opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, and this has drawn criticism by the West; Ukraine tightens conditions for independent media and freedom of speech; the parliamentary elections coming up this October have already caused concerns among democratic observers on the subject of fairness and transparency.

Condoleezza Rice made it clear in her speech that the world is interested in Ukraine and is carefully watching all its developments: “Country like Ukraine with consolidation of democracy is watched carefully,” she said. Rice emphasized the importance of freedom of speech and free elections. “If Ukraine speaks in one voice, this voice would be heard.”

SNIP...

Indeed, the 9th annual Yalta conference – by many opinions, one of the best international platforms for discussions among high-profile politicians and innovative thinkers – is organized by Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk’s foundation and is taking place in Ukraine at a time when European leaders have recently boycotted the Euro 2012 soccer championship over Tymoshenko’s arrest and detainment. The fact that American politicians like Condoleezza Rice and Britain’s Gordon Brown attended, can’t be attributed to good relationships between Ukrainian and Western governments.

CONTINUED...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/katyasoldak/2012/09/19/message-from-condoleezza-rice-to-ukraine-the-world-is-watching-you/

Fracking was doing great, now ker-bloom and all the little players are done. Soon, war goes ka-boom and prices go up and all the little players who invested everything into energy when the market crashed are left out, their investments sold off at pennies on the dollar to the banksters.

[woo me with science]

11. I feel sick. nt