Dear friends of the Russia & America Good Will Association and antiwar colleagues!The Crimea referendum verdict:

<<83.1 percent of the eligible population voted and that the final result was 96.77 percent in favor of joining Russia and 2.51 percent against.>>

 

 

 

It means that not just the ethnic Russians (60% of Crimea’s population), but also the majority of Ukrainians and Tatars wanted to secede from the illegal Maidan coalition in Kiev. The electorate participation was considerably higher than in just about ANY election in the US.

As a result Russian ruble gained 30 kopecks on a dollar on the Russian stock market (at the end of election day), reflecting a greater business confidence of in the correctness of Vladimir Putin’s leadership (whose ratings are up from 60 to 72).

This expected but still surprising democratic verdict calls into question the US siding with one part of the Ukrainian nation (probably, a minority, judging by their share in the last electron) against the other part.

Are we not repeating the mistake of siding with the rebels in Syria? Do we want a full-scale civil war in Ukraine? As many Russians, including myself, have relatives and friends in Ukraine, I hope and pray we do not.

It’s NOT TOO late yet for the US government to reject the neocon Victoria Nuland’s profane meddling in favor of sanity expressed by such outstanding people as Henry Kissinger, Ambassador Jack Matlock, scholars Stephen Cohen, Nicolai Petro, Mark Almond and many more.

First and foremost, we must recognize it is NOT a conflict between Ukraine and Russia, but among culturally, ethnically, linguistically and religiously diverse Ukrainians, as Ambassador Jack Matlock has rightly argued.

On the eve of the referendum, I wrote  What the West missed about Ukraine:

<<If outside powers, including the United States, the EU, Russia, other members of the CIS or the United Nations have a role to play, it must be only as a mediator and peace-maker between these divided segments of the Ukrainian nation. These outside forces should show the same tactfulness, sensitivity, common sense, persistence and patience that they have shown in respect to Northern Ireland, Quebec, the Basque people and Scotland. So far, it looks as if the Western supporters of Ukraine are applying a double standard.>>

Read also Mike Averko, an independent New York writer:

Blame Game Over Ukraine And Crimea’s Status

 

<<There is a reasoned basis to question the legitimacy of the group in the Rada who have gone against Yanukovych>>

Read Chicago’s Richard Rozoff

Ukraine, Syria, Venezuela and beyond: Beware the Wars of March

 

<<In the unbroken series of direct, covert and proxy wars waged by the U.S. and NATO since the attack on Yugoslavia on March 24, 1999, the following nations and former nations have been seriously, more than likely fatally, wounded. Read Rozoff’s list

Read Bo Filter, the author of “The Cause of Wars and Aggression”

Ukraine On Its Knees: “The Commies are Coming. The Commies are Coming.”

http://www.4thmedia.org/2014/03/12/ukraine-on-its-knees-the-commies-are-coming-the-commies-are-coming/

<<With a collapsed Soviet Union, the US has steadily marched eastward. Ukraine is one of the last dominos left to fall, which brings us back to Kiev. This is the second coup by the US, and some of the actors are familiar. Playing a starring role in the Pentagon’s war-theater program is none other than world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko. His act apparently wasn’t well enough refined. When Klitschko tried to persuade Ukrainians to accept the EU-brokered deal, he was booed off the stage.>>

Suspecting a foul play in the bi-directional sniper fire, in my letters I mourned the unneeded victims sacrificed on both sides.  Then EU’s Cathrine Ashton and the Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet cited Olga Bogomolets (once Maidan’s pick for Health care Minister) that the opposition leaders were covering up this fateful incident.

Why? Because the shootout HELPED the opposition play the “Winners Take All” sweep stake. Isn’t this a misapplication of popular US culture to politics?Instead of unifying the divided nation, the opposition drove a wedge between West Ukrainians (mostly Catholic) and South-East Ukrainians (mostly Orthodox Christians).

Had the opposition honored the February 21 Accord, retaining Yanukovich as president until May 25 election, the Crimea would not have revolted against “the illegal central authority”. The grab for power in Kiev triggered regional efforts to secure the safety and well-being for their electorate.

As RAGA’s mission is to overcome cultural barriers between the US and Russia, I avoid government-sponsored sources from both sides. I choose opinions of outstanding American professors (Steven Cohen, Nicolay Petro, Nicholas Gvosdev, Tim Snyder) and diplomats (Matlock, Kissinger etc) who are long-time students of Russia, and are familiar with BOTH sides.

I also use other Western sources (Patrick Armstrong, professor Michel Chossudovsky of Canada, Yakov Kedmi of Israel, Seumas Milne and Mark Almond of UK etc). My forwarding does not mean I agree with them on everything but they offer an alternative to war.

If outside powers (US, EU, Russia, Belarus, Commonwealth of Independent States), Customs Union, United Nations) have a role to play it must be that of mediation between the warring segments of Ukrainian nation. They should show the same tactfulness, sensitivity, common sense, patience and persistence that they have shown to Northern Ireland, Quebeque, Basques, Flemish, Catalans or Scots. Why not Ukraine?

Why don’t the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of Russia issue a joint appeal to the divided nation to stop hating and fighting each other and sit down at the round table instead?

For those who know Russian, read my interview in <geopolitika.rf) site that is private and independent of Russian government.Геополитика – Главное

www.геополитика.рф/

БРАНДСПОЙТ ДЛЯ БЕЛОГО ДОМА. Беседа Сергея Трусевича с Владиславом Красновым ШТАТЫ НЕПОСЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬНЫ И НЕДАЛЬНОВИДНЫ. A better version, supplied with hyperlinks, is avalable at

Брандспойт для Белого дома – Русская народная линия

ruskline.ru/analitika/2014/03/10/brandspojt_dlya_belogo_doma/

The only weapon outside powers should use in Ukraine is a police fire-hose to give a cold shower to the warring segments of the Ukrainian electorate.

Whatever one might think of Yanukovich, the legitimacy of his election was never contested by the US or the EU. But first the outside powers should take a cold shower themselves. It will take their combined efforts to extinguish the flame of hatred and shut the Pandora box which they thoughtlessly let the provocateurs open on February 22.

With all those wise people I cite, my emails are but a drop of water against the tide of ignorance, unfiltered passion, and prejudice of mass media, but there is more truth in this drop than in the tide of confusion.

Henry Kissinger again:<<Public discussion on Ukraine is all about confrontation. But do we know where we are going? In my life, I have seen four wars begun with great enthusiasm and public support, all of which we did not know how to end and from three of which we withdrew unilaterally. The test of policy is how it ends, not how it begins.>>

When I am back in Washington, I’d be happy to help Henry aim the fire-hose at the White House.

Please consider this offer by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC)

Sign the Petition below demanding no US interferrence in Ukraine.  Please pass the link to your email lists, Facebook friends and send it out on twitter (#UShandsoffUkraine).

Click here for UNAC’s statement on Ukraine and Venezuela

 

NO TO US WARS, THREATS, ATTACKS, SANCTIONS, AND COVERT OPERATIONS IN UKRAINE, RUSSIA, VENEZUELA, AND ALL OTHER SOVEREIGN COUNTRIES!

MONEY FOR JOBS, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE AND MEETING SOCIAL NEEDS, NOT WAR AND AGGRESSION TO BENEFIT THE RICH!

RAGA always appreciates feedback! Malice toward None. Good Will  to All. Peace and Justice to the World. миру мир и благоволение в сердцах From RAGA site: “We are an association of Americans who believe it is in the U.S. national interests to foster friendship with Russia on the basis of mutual Good Will and non-interference in each other’s affairs. RAGAis a gathering of people who share common interests in Russia’s history, culture, religion, economy, politics and the way of life. We feel that Russian people have made outstanding contributions to humankind and are capable of greater achievements. We envisionRussia as a strong, independent, proud and free nation and as a partner in achieving peace in the world.”