{"article":{"id":267353,"heading":"Minsk Agreement: What's Most important to Know","author":"Stephen Lendman","created":"2015-02-13 19:27:47","modified":"2015-02-13 19:27:47","last_modified":"Sat, 14 Feb 2015 02:27:47","article":"<p>Minsk Agreement: What's Most Important to Know <br><br> by Stephen Lendman <br><br> Washington was the elephant in the room in Minsk. It controls Kiev's geopolitical agenda.  <br><br> Poroshenko is a convenient stooge. An impotent front man. Installed to do what he's told.  <br><br> Otherwise he'd be ousted like Yanukovych. Maybe killed by a bullet, bomb or slit throat. Coups and targeted assassinations reflect longstanding US policy. <br><br> Presstitute media scoundrels suppress what's most important to know about Ukraine. Obama wants war, not peace.  <br><br> He didn't launch it to quit. Kiev proxies may be prelude to direct US involvement. If they continue failing, expect it. <br><br> Obama wants control over all Ukrainian territory nationwide. &nbsp;He wants none of it democratically, independently or autonomously governed.  <br><br> He wants it used as a dagger against Russia. US bases on its borders. Multiple nuclear warhead long-range missiles targeting its heartland. <br><br> Agreements involving America directly or indirectly are meaningless. Easy to violate.  <br><br> As simple as ignoring provisions agreed on. reinterpreting them, or blaming one side's violations on the other. <br><br> Last year, Kiev systematically breached agreed on Geneva and Minsk protocol\/follow-up memorandum terms. <br><br> Donbas freedom fighters and Russia were blamed for its crimes. Washington and other Western governments pointed fingers the wrong way. So did presstitute media scoundrels regurgitating propaganda like gospel. <br><br> On Thursday, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki effectively said Washington will only condemn alleged Russian or Donbas self-defense fighter (unlikely to occur) Mnsk violations, not Kiev's (virtually certain to occur) ones. <br><br> Asked if \"there (is) any consequence or any cost to Ukraine if they're the ones found to be not complying with\" Minsk terms, Psaki &nbsp;lied saying: <br><br> \"(W)e've seen over the last 24 hours even that Russia has continued to take aggressive actions into Ukraine even while this agreement is being discussed.\"  <br><br> \"So Ukraine, over the past several months, has not only implemented and taken steps to implement the Minsk protocols, but they have been supportive of efforts to find a peaceful solution here.\"  <br><br> What convoluted rubbish!! Asked again if costs will be imposed on its government if breaches occur, she called the possibility \"a little bit ludicrous given Ukraine is a sovereign country, and (Russia) illegally brought troops, weapons, resources into their country.\" <br><br> A third time she was asked to explain why only one side, not the other, will face consequences for violations.  <br><br> She lied claiming \"over the last six months, Ukraine has implemented the Minsk protocols, whereas Russia has not.\" <br><br> Psaki's attempt to reinvent history fell flat. Russia and Donbas fighters scrupulously abided by Geneva and Minsk protocol terms. <br><br> Kiev violated them straightaway. It's virtually 100% certain its forces will commit serious breaches ahead like it's been doing all along. <br><br> Russia and Donbas fighters absolutely will be blamed for their crimes. Expect conflict to escalate, not end - after a short-term hiatus.  <br><br> Dmitry Yarosh heads the radicalized Right Sector. He's on Interpol's wanted list for inciting terrorism. He openly boasts about wanting to kill Jews and Russians. <br><br> Media scoundrels ignore his extremism and high crimes. Including his involvement in last May's Odessa massacre, killing hundreds of defenseless civilians. Murdering them in cold blood. <br><br> On Friday, RT International reported him saying he rejects Minsk. He reserves the right \"to continue war.\" Maintain \"active fighting\" according to his \"own plans.\"  <br><br> RT cited him saying Minsk violates Ukraine's constitution. So its citizens aren't obliged to obey its terms. He'll continue waging war. <br><br> In late January, Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) headlined \"Yarosh creates a parallel staff with adequate leaders.\" <br><br> Saying he created his own \"General staff, which will work in parallel with\" Ukraine's defense ministry. In other words, his own state-supported private army waging war on Donbas.  <br><br> Murdering civilians in cold blood. Committing horrendous atrocities. Totally ignored by MSM scoundrels.  <br><br> Bashing Russia alone matters. Blaming Putin for Kiev's high crimes. Expect no letup in daily Big Lies. Truth is their mortal enemy. <br><br> US heavy weapons keep pouring into Ukraine. Along with hundreds of US combat troops training and directing Kiev's military. <br><br> Readying it for greater war than already. Expect promises made Donbas residents to be broken. Washington won't let them be honored. <br><br> Expect no democratic autonomy allowed. No federalization. No durable ceasefire. Expect continued Kiev violations. Especially from Yarosh elements, neo-Nazi National Guard forces and other fascist battalions. <br><br> No pullback of Ukrainian forces enough to matter. Reaarming, regrouping and readying for resumed warfare. <br><br> Expect Kiev to violate every Minsk provision. Just like last time. Including: <br><br> \t&bull;\tno durable\/sustainable ceasefire; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno significant withdrawal of heavy weapons as ordered; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno honest OSCE reporting on Kiev violations; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno real Donbas autonomy permitted; no recognition of democratic election results; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno meaningful dialogue with or outreach to Donbas leaders; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno recognition of their legitimate rights; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno restoration of Donbas socio-economic relations and benefits enough to matter; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno reconstruction following state-sponsored destruction; nothing to help hundreds of thousands of displaced Ukrainians; many thousands without homes, decent shelter, jobs, or income enough for bare sustenance; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno democratic constitutional reforms; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno withdrawal of foreign mercenaries; no disarming them; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno change of fascist rule;  <br><br> \t&bull;\tno softening of vicious anti-Russian\/anti-Putin hate-mongering; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno letup of state terror;  <br><br> \t&bull;\tno durable\/sustainable end of dirty war without mercy; <br><br> \t&bull;\tno chance for peaceful conflict resolution. <br><br> Expect short-term letup in fighting only. Giving Kiev forces time to regroup and rearm with greater flows of US\/NATO supplied heavy weapons plus locally produced ones. <br><br> Kiev in cahoots with Washington planning renewed aggression. Expect it launched with false flag help blamed on Russia and rebels. <br><br> Analysts calling Minsk a new dawn ignore reality altogether. Perhaps they haven't paid attention to everything ongoing since fall 2013. <br><br> Including America's Maidan orchestrated coup. Illegitimate putschist governance installed.  <br><br> Run by US puppets. Strings pulled in Washington. Fascist thugs breaking every promise they made.  <br><br> Agreements they sign or commit to aren't worth the paper they're written on. <br><br> Merkel and Hollande aren't born again good guys. They represent core NATO member countries.  <br><br> Partnering in Washington's war on humanity. Bashing Russia in lockstep with Obama. <br><br> Russian, German, French and Ukrainian leaders didn't sign the Minsk agreement. Their meaninglessness statement without teeth accompanied it.  <br><br> The whole business smells charade-like. An ugly sham masquerading as breaking through diplomatically.  <br><br> Illegitimate Kiev governance remains. Mob rule defines it. Democracy is verboten. War is considered peace. <br><br> Good guys are called terrorists. Putschists are called democrats. Washington wasn't in Minsk but has final say on everything.  <br><br> Putin was right saying Thursday \"wasn't the best night of (his) life.\" He knows Kiev's war on Donbas continues.  <br><br> Nothing in Minsk resolved things. Pretense doesn't change reality. Expect less conflict short-term.  <br><br> A meaningless interregnum followed by escalated fighting. Likely worse than before. With greater diret US involvement.  <br><br> Maybe American boots on the ground. They're already involved in Kiev's war overtly and covertly.  <br><br> Expect Obama to do whatever it takes to secure total control of his newest colony. Mass casualties and human misery are small prices to pay.  <br><br> So is risking direct confrontation with Russia. Hopefully Putin is ready to counter whatever Washington has in mind short of starting WW III. Given America's rage for war, anything is possible. <br><br> Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net\" rel=\"nofollow\">lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net<\/a>.  <br><br> His new book as editor and contributor is titled \"Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.\" <br><br> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html<\/a> <br><br> Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.  <br><br> Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. <br><br> It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs. <\/p>\n","contact":"lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net","link":"sjlendman.blogspot.com","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"Ukraine","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2015\/02\/267353.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}