General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Wanted: Proof that what happened in Ukraine actually constituted a "western sponsored coup." [View all]Xolodno
(6,390 posts)On one had you say:
"Except that doesn't account for the lack of force or urgency surrounding his departure."
and then say:
"But again, coups typically involve violence and they are organized by small groups, not protests of hundreds of thousands of people. "
Coup's don't have to involve violence, Fiji has those types of coups quite often.
And just because there were large protests, does not mean its not a coup. El Sisi of Egypt comes to mind. If the Tea Party managed to force Obama from office I would certainly call that a coup. When a leader is forced out through non legal means....its a coup. Not all coup's are bad either. But what Ukraine got in its place is probably worse.
And your point about him taking paintings and furniture as a letter of resignation is pretty pathetic. We don't know the full story yet. He may have been anticipating a coup (Ferdinand Marcos fleeing to the US with a lot of cash) or some Oligarch's told him to pack up and if he knows whats good for him, don't mention they were there.
I don't care what the video shows, without a letter of resignation or legal due process of his removal....its a coup of an elected leader that a significant portion of the country voted for.
And I don't buy the "Ukraine was vulnerable" argument either. There was still a Parliament that could have ran the institutions and even negotiate on behalf of the nation via a committee. Plus the military was still fully intact and more than capable of keeping order (a lot easier than telling them to fire upon your own citizens).