Good day my friends. I hope that the morning has found you well and that today brings with it many moments of happiness. I am back again after a two days of being absent from writing. I am determined to continue writing as often as possible; if only to maintain my writing skills. Today I wanted to discuss some thoughts about what is happening in Ukraine right now.
For those of you who may have missed what has been happening, and it is quite possible that you have as things really reached a tipping point during the Olympics and well, mainstream media found the 2014 Winter Olympics to be more newsworthy than the political upheaval and eventual revolution that happened in Ukraine. Here are a few news stories, chronologically ordered, to help give you some brief understanding of what's happening:
Ukraine split after two months of protests.
Ukranian President calls for truce.
Violence shatters truce.
Sanctions on Ukraine.
Former President freed becomes Interim leader.
Russia ready to invade Ukraine; approved.
If you were completely out of the loop before and took the time to read those news links then you probably have a basic understanding of the violence and upheavel occurring in Ukraine right now. Russian flags have even been observed being raised and flown in some Ukranian cities even before Putin went looking for approval to send troops in.
The situation in Ukraine is volatile and poses a dangerous threat to the global community. As we speak, Russian military forces have already entered Ukraine and the US, as well as Canada, have both demanded that Putin remove his forces. This very tense international incident has the potential to cause serious tensions between two international powers, Russia and the USA, that have a long history of war and threats of war with one another.
It is a positive and encouraging sign that the media is addressing and reporting on the current crisis happening there. It wasn't so long ago, just back in 2008, when Russian forces invaded the country state of Georgia committing genocide against its people. The world didn't blink an eye and not a single news media outlet reported on the growing violence and death. Had it not been for some video recordings that were leaked/smuggled out of the country, the world may not have noticed until it was too late. Comparisons have already been made.
So why is what is happening in Ukraine important to you or me or anyone who isn't living there? It's important because what happens there will inevitably draw us in. Our troops, our economy, our resources. It is important because it is another country whose economic instability has led to nothing short of a civil revolution. Country after country across the world for the past several years seem to be imploding in on themselves and all primarily cause to economic failures under the current global financial system. Of course there are plenty of other socio-economic and geo-political reasons involved as well; let us not put the blame solely in one place.
What is happening in Ukraine is concerning and a further indication of global instability. It carries with it rumors of war and threatens to plunge the planet further into war and global chaos. Super powers have already begun a war of words and egos and given the history of the countries in question, there is little doubt that the situation will escalate quite quickly especially after the Iran debate between Russia and the USA. It is important to pay attention; Ukraine could act as a catalyst for rising tensions that need very little encouragement to spill over into a second Cold War...or worse yet, a third global conflict.
I will leave you with this comparison I saw online after Russia's government approved military action:
"World War II started shortly after Adolf Hitler hosted the Olympics in Berlin; World War III started shortly after Vladimir Puton hosted..."
Let us hope that a peaceful resolution is found before countless more lives are unnecessarily lost. Love one another and be thankful that you live in a country not divided by violence and/or revolution. And if you do, then my thoughts and positive energies are with you.
