TOKYO MASTER BANNER

MINISTRY OF TOKYO
US-ANGLO CAPITALISMEU-NATO IMPERIALISM
Illegitimate Transfer of Inalienable European Rights via Convention(s) & Supranational Bodies
Establishment of Sovereignty-Usurping Supranational Body Dictatorships
Enduring Program of DEMOGRAPHICS WAR on Europeans
Enduring Program of PSYCHOLOGICAL WAR on Europeans
Enduring Program of European Displacement, Dismemberment, Dispossession, & Dissolution
No wars or conditions abroad (& no domestic or global economic pretexts) justify government policy facilitating the invasion of ancestral European homelands, the rape of European women, the destruction of European societies, & the genocide of Europeans.
U.S. RULING OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR TO SALVAGE HEGEMONY
[LINK | Article]

*U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR* | U.S. Empire's Casino Unsustainable | Destabilised U.S. Monetary & Financial System | U.S. Defaults Twice A Year | Causes for Global Financial Crisis of 2008 Remain | Financial Pyramids Composed of Derivatives & National Debt Are Growing | *U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR* | U.S. Empire's Casino Unsustainable | Destabilised U.S. Monetary & Financial System | U.S. Defaults Twice A Year | Causes for Global Financial Crisis of 2008 Remain | Financial Pyramids Composed of Derivatives & National Debt Are Growing | *U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR*

Who's preaching world democracy, democracy, democracy? —Who wants to make free people free?
[info from Craig Murray video appearance, follows]  US-Anglo Alliance DELIBERATELY STOKING ANTI-RUSSIAN FEELING & RAMPING UP TENSION BETWEEN EASTERN EUROPE & RUSSIA.  British military/government feeding media PROPAGANDA.  Media choosing to PUBLISH government PROPAGANDA.  US naval aggression against Russia:  Baltic Sea — US naval aggression against China:  South China Sea.  Continued NATO pressure on Russia:  US missile systems moving into Eastern Europe.     [info from John Pilger interview follows]  War Hawk:  Hillary Clinton — embodiment of seamless aggressive American imperialist post-WWII system.  USA in frenzy of preparation for a conflict.  Greatest US-led build-up of forces since WWII gathered in Eastern Europe and in Baltic states.  US expansion & military preparation HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED IN THE WEST.  Since US paid for & controlled US coup, UKRAINE has become an American preserve and CIA Theme Park, on Russia's borderland, through which Germans invaded in the 1940s, costing 27 million Russian lives.  Imagine equivalent occurring on US borders in Canada or Mexico.  US military preparations against RUSSIA and against CHINA have NOT been reported by MEDIA.  US has sent guided missile ships to diputed zone in South China Sea.  DANGER OF US PRE-EMPTIVE NUCLEAR STRIKES.  China is on HIGH NUCLEAR ALERT.  US spy plane intercepted by Chinese fighter jets.  Public is primed to accept so-called 'aggressive' moves by China, when these are in fact defensive moves:  US 400 major bases encircling China; Okinawa has 32 American military installations; Japan has 130 American military bases in all.  WARNING PENTAGON MILITARY THINKING DOMINATES WASHINGTON. ⟴  

January 11, 2015

USA Supports Ukraine Neo Nazis





Apparently, USA is funding a neo Nazi puppet government in Ukraine:

Imagine what would happen if the US National Guard were to display swastika-like symbols.

Of significance, the National Guard of Ukraine is directly financed by the Obama administration, with a view to protecting American style democracy in Ukraine.

Unknown to the American public, the US government is channeling financial support, weapons and training to a Neo-Nazi entity.

Nobody in America knows about it because the use of the words “Neo-Nazi” and “Fascist” in relation to Ukraine is a taboo. The have been excluded from the lexicon of investigative reporting. In media reports they have been replaced by “Ultra-conservative” “Extreme Right” and “Nationalist”.

Another entity –which is part of The Ukraine National Guard– is The Azov Battalion (Батальйон Азов). The Azov Battalion - which displays the Nazi SS emblem– (below left) is described by the Kiev regime as “a volunteer battalion of territorial defense”. It’s a National Guard battalion under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Officially based in Berdyank on the Sea of Azov, it was formed by the regime to fight the opposition insurgency in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. It is also financed by the US administration.

Image via Global Research (original source - News PN )
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976

EXTRACT - SEE SOURCE - Global Research - here.


Fancy that, eh? 

Not the first time the US has supported extremists, or this particular brand of extremist.

January 10, 2015

VIDEO - DORIS TROY - JUST ONE LOOK






DORIS TROY - JUST ONE LOOK




Really love this version of Just One Look.


CARLISLE GROUP - Thread of turning government secrets into profits

NSA revelations put Booz Allen Hamilton, Carlyle Group in uncomfortable limelight

The Carlyle Group owns a majority stake in contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)   --   By Thomas Heath and Marjorie Censer June 11, 2013
The Carlyle Group has spent years attempting to shed its image as a well-connected private equity firm leveraging Washington heavyweights in the defense sector. Instead, it nurtured a reputation as a financially sophisticated asset manager that buys and sells everything from rail-roads to oil refineries.

The recent disclosures involving National Security Agency surveillance on U.S. citizens by an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, a Virginia consulting firm that is majority owned by Carlyle, has thrust two of Washington’s most prominent corporate entities uncomfortably into the limelight, bound by the thread of turning government secrets into profits.
Booz Allen employee Edward Snowden was fired Tuesday after he confessed to being the source of stories about NSA data collection programs. Federal investigators are examining how Snowden, who worked at an NSA facility in Hawaii and had also worked for the CIA, was able to gain access to sensitive information.

Carlyle declined to comment.

Booz Allen, based in Tysons Corner, has been a local fixture for years, employing thousands and providing management and consulting services to the government, particularly the defense and intelligence agencies. It even sponsored a local golf tournament — the Booz Allen Classic — between 2004 and 2006.

It also became a leader among the contractors supplying tens of thousands of intelligence analysts to the government in recent years, including technologists such as Snowden.

Those government contracts, and thousands more like them, in 2008 made Booz Allen a ripe acquisition target for Carlyle.

It paid $2.54 billion for Booz Allen as a deep recession took hold. Fearing the risks of taking on too much debt in the midst of a financial crisis, Carlyle put up 50 percent cash instead of its normal 30 percent. It borrowed the rest to buy the company, which was then privately held.

Upon the close of the deal, the less profitable international and commercial business was spun off to become Booz & Co., leaving Carlyle with a government-only company.

After the split, the new Booz Allen Hamilton established an incentive-based compensation structure that gave the remaining partners a stake in the firm’s success. In effect, said one person close to the deal who was not authorized to speak publicly, “you got to eat what you killed.”

The incentives helped spur profits.

“Everybody has a responsibility, depending on your title, to bring in a certain amount of business,” said William Loomis, managing director at financial services firm Stifel Nicolaus.

Booz Allen, which employs 24,500, had a net profit of $219 million on revenue of nearly $5.8 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31. For the same period ending in 2010, the year the company went public, the company earned $25 million on $5.1 billion in revenue.

George A. Price Jr., senior equity research analyst for aerospace, defense and government services at BB&T Capital Markets, said “they’ve got a great brand, they’ve focused over time on hiring top people, including bringing on people who have a lot of senior government experience.”

Carlyle has cashed in on the increased demand of Booz Allen’s services. As profits and revenue have grown, Booz Allen has borrowed money to pay dividends to shareholders, including Carlyle.

Carlyle collected nearly $550 million in dividends in 2009 alone. Last year, Booz Allen issued another special shareholder dividend valued at $765 million — most of which went to Carlyle investors.

Booz Allen went public in 2010, and Carlyle now owns 95.66 million shares — around 69 percent of the total shares outstanding — valued at about $1.66 billion at the current stock price.

As government contracting began to wane, Booz Allen has pursued commercial work and opened an office in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The contractor, for instance, is marketing cybersecurity and other services to Middle Eastern companies and governments.

The moves are at least partly in response to federal budget cutting, which has taken a toll on the business.

“We consider ourselves a well-run company, and in the past year we’ve become even better in managing our business in a difficult market for government contracting,” Booz Allen spokesman James Fisher said.

Price, the analyst, said the company has seen revenue and profit declines more recently. “They’re not immune from the current environment,” he said, adding that the cuts the company has made have “blunted” the effect.

Carlyle may ultimately reap as much as $3 billion on its initial nearly $1 billion investment. In the end, Booz Allen is shaping up to be one of the firm’s biggest home runs.

 .......................................................................................
COMMENT

Biggest take-away from the above:

1)  Carlisle Group  = Asset Management/Equity (US - Defence inner-circle)

2)  Carlisle Group  = Booz Allen Hamilton (US - NSA inner circle)

bound by the thread of turning government secrets into profits
The rest didn't really jump out at me, except that Snowden had worked at both NSA and at CIA, with a Booze Allen (Carlisle Group) connection through the NSA appointment, if I understand correctly.
It seems important but I don't know why I think it is.  LOL
Very, very incestuous.  But I guess it doesn't matter.  USG is probably a sham organisation front for banks and other money institutions, so why not keep it in the money-lender / money manager family?
Almost like insider trading, I think.



UKRAINE - Neo-Nazi Gang & Crime



Neo-Nazi gang refused to order the government of Ukraine
Wednesday, January 7, 2015 13:55:01

Day 6-1 paramilitary organization of the followers of radical nationalism "right wing" (Right Sector) has announced that they will not under the control of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

Neo-Nazi gang refused to order the government of Ukraine

Assistant to the President of Ukraine, Mr. Yury Biryukov confirmed this in an interview with Channel 5 of Ukraine: "Personally, I have proposed a measure to legalize the Right Sector organizations by allowing them to serve service under the command of the army of Ukraine adopted a long-term contract. But they refused this proposal "

Mr. Biryukov said, these forces must be "discipline and order", the most important is to be under the command of the Kiev government. If they want to be legalized, but still operate freely and not have to report to anyone, it is an "illusory".
Earlier in the month 11-2014, Mr. Biryukov has vowed to help the military units of the Right Sector become regular armed forces, but so far no agreement has been agreed between the government and Kiev this organization.

Thought extreme fascist body

Right Sector was established in 2013 and only take orders from the head Dmitry Yarosh. Organizations paramilitary famous for ultra-nationalist ideology tends body fascism. They are also one of the most dynamic sectors in the coup in Maidan Square to overthrow Yanukovich.

After the new government was formed, Right Sector continues to become powerful arm with troops fighting in eastern Ukraine against separatist forces Donetsk and Luhansk.

During the fight giant ham, the battalion organization's "notorious" brutal. In May 5-2014, the Right Sector to the eastern city of Odessa, they were massacred dozens of people speak Russian anti-government protests Kiev. Many people were shot, burned or beaten to death at the beginning.

Massacre 2000 Russian speakers during the conflict in eastern Ukraine that the whole world was shaken to have been caused by the battalions of the Right Sector. Among the victims included women and children were bound and shot in the head and then buried in mass graves.

Neo-Nazi gang refused to order the government of Ukraine

The leader of this organization, Dmitry Yarosh, Moscow government was put in the list of dangerous terrorists when he had participated in the war against the Russian army Chenya 1990s.

In the past week, one of the senior leaders of the Right Sector, Igor Mozur, calling the army Ukraine continued guerrilla war against the government of the Confederacy and retake eastern Crimea peninsula-merged in Russia.

Mozur proposal sent to the small guerilla territory not controlled by the government of Ukraine to the east abducted staff, "punishment" and the assassination of the "traitor".

according xaluan

http://www.viet-times.com.au/tin-tuc/tin-the-gioi/1582025-bang-dang-phat-xit-moi-tu-choi-nghe-lenh-chinh-quyen-ukraine?device=desktop

.....................................................................

COMMENT

Aussie VietTimes tells it how it is.

Good to see a paper not afraid to tell it like it is.

Referred to Yarosh's mob as a 'gang', which is pretty much what it is (even if it's a bad Google translation). Hilarious.
And VietTimes even exposed Right Sektor's crimes in Odessa and east Ukraine, while the West is largely silent.




January 09, 2015

TOTALITARIAN WESTERN ELITES, UKRAINE, PROPAGANDA & THE PATH TO WAR

GOOGLE TRANSLATION (from RUSSIAN)

Yarosh threatened to blow up a grenade at a meeting of the Verkhovna Rada
 
Views: 574

In an interview with reporters Yarosh said that he would come to the next session of the Verkhovna Rada with a grenade in his pocket. He added that he felt calmer near some deputies, having a weapon.

"For me to stay there, especially in the same room with outspoken enemies of Ukraine - it's uncomfortable - the leader of Ukrainian nationalists. - No, well, I have a grenade, I'll throw it in a pinch. Seriously, with a burden. They have no right to search us, deputies. Security asked me if I had a gun, and I say that there is no pass. "

Previously, "Right Sector" refused to pass under the control of the Ministry of National Defense. As told local media adviser to the president of Ukraine, Yuri Biryukov, members of the armed group were offered a few "legalization schemes", in particular, the service contract. However, the "right quadrant" rejected all offers.

Social movement "Right Sector" was formed in December 2013 in the wake of Euromaidan. It includes several right-wing groups, and headed "Right Sector" the former leader of the nationalist association "Trident" Dmitry Yarosh. Later, on the basis of the "right sector" was established under the eponymous political party, and he Yarosh elections in 2014 was a member of the Verkhovna Rada.

In Russia, "Right Sector" has been recognized by the court as an extremist organization, whose activities are prohibited in the country. Against the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Yarosh filed two criminal cases - on charges of inciting terrorist activities and links with Chechen separatists in the early 1990s. He put on the international wanted list.

-------------------------------------------
COMMENT


Obviously, the US will support any type of extremist, as a stepping stone to attaining their regional agendas.

Here's Yarosh's Interpol wanted notice and a Telegraph article:  'Interpol's dilemma over Russian 'red notice' request for Right Sektor leader'.

Not that interested in Yarosh, I must admit.  Just posting mindlessly to occupy myself for the moment.

The Telegraph article is written as if the charge that Yarosh is an extremist is somehow unwarranted and that it is Russian exaggeration:

Mr Yarosh, 42, is a long-term Ukrainian nationalist campaigner, whose stated aim is for the country to be affiliated neither with Russia nor Europe. 

Critics claim his group has Far-Right sympathies and connections to gangsterism, and he himself has admitted that they possess weapons. 

He also claims that a war with Russia is probably inevitable because it sees Ukraine as part of the “Moscow Empire”. 
Telegraph addresses a THUG as 'mister' and refers to him as a 'Ukrainian nationalist campaigner'.  Yeah, much like Hitler was.

That says it all about the Western press.

It's all about conning the public and supporting the corporate/political agenda of the Western elites.

Refer to Belarus, Russia and Iran as having dubious human rights records.  Oh, really?  Coming from the establishment that has Assange in detention on trumped up allegations for 4 years now (without charge), that is responsible for murder galore all over the Middle East, arming extremists in the Middle East and the general mayhem in the Middle East -- oh, and let's not forget the CIA rendition and torture; the mass surveillance GLOBALLY; the harassment and undercover surveillance of legitimate political groups in Western countries; the misuse of the legal process and misuse of law and surveillance powers, generally, including surveillance on Western reporters.

How can these disgusting hypocrites cite 'human rights' records elsewhere when they themselves not only violate human rights on a mass scale; they do so all over the globe with zero regard for national boundaries -- or boundaries of any kind.

-------------------------------------------

* UK - Dead newborn’s identity stolen by UK police to spy on protesters
Found the infiltration & surveillance of left-wing groups an outrage.  Where they got the ID is a non-issue.  Scum.  That's all I can say.  Long history of this kind of scummy lowlife abuse of human rights that you would expect from the Gestapo. 
* UK - Police spies: in bed with a fictional character

* UK - Police misuse of Ripa powers to spy on journalists is systemic, MPs told

* UK - Surveillance state - QC: RIPA codes of practice will not protect journalists from police surveillance

* UK - Mass surveillance ruled legal in UK (wouldn't expect anything less of totalitarian state capitalism)

* UK - Like The NSA And GCHQ, Germany's Foreign Intelligence Agency Uses A Legal Loophole To Spy On Its Own Citizens
* UK - Revealed: Police using pre-charge bail to muzzle protesters [Gross violation]


More is available online for anybody who cares to search.
As for Telegraphs's 'Mister' fascist:

* Meet Ukraine’s Master Mass-Murderer: “Right Sector” Leader Dmitriy Yarosh

* German public broadcaster criticised over biased report on Ukraine
Got an old Nazi to vouch for Ukraine:  Waffen-SS Galician division and the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN)
and, laughably:
Yarosh explains in the report that he sees himself as a Ukrainian nationalist, and by no means a fascist or Nazi. Although Zoerper noted that Right Sector members greet each other sometimes with the Hitler salute, he allows Yarosh’s remark to pass without comment.
Germany has a military agenda happening & the media puppets act as propaganda instruments to bring the public around.  That's what the Western media is for.




January 08, 2015

SWEDEN - Nordic Battle Group 15 - Carl Bildt Blog


CARL BILDT BLOG

[GOOGLE TRANSLATION - Original Swedish]



What happens to NBG15? Is our preparedness enough? [Referring to Nordic Battle Group 15]

ROM: Since the beginning again stand a Nordic Battlegroup under Swedish leadership ready for the efforts that the EU could decide as part of its common foreign and security policy. [Take this says:  a Nordic Battle Group is on standby, under Swedish leadership or command, waiting for the EU say-so, to take part in 'foreign & security policy.']

It was in 1999, after the Kosovo war experiences, as the EU summit in Helsinki decided to extend its also military facilities, and in June 2004 there were more officially precisely these battle groups of battalion size that should be in constant readiness.  [By 2004, battalion sized battle groups were on constant readiness, I gather.]

As the EU had already in June 2003 in the so-called Operation Artemis conducted a successful military operation in the Congo to assist the UN in conjunction with the world organization with its little slower way of working would strengthen its peace efforts in the country.

And Operation Artemis was also something of a baptism of fire for the Swedish Special Forces who participated in it, and whose efforts came to be valued significantly high.

The idea has since been to the ever shall be two battle groups ready for action at short notice. And we had a Nordic battle deployable later than 2011.

However, it is so stridssgrupperna as such never been deployed, and therefore has doubts about the concept has gradually increased. Not inconsiderable resources are used to equip, train and keep them in readiness in the various countries.

Opportunities to use them has not been lacking.

In the last year, suddenly became current with an EU military operation in the Central African Republic to prevent what very well could have led to an outright genocide, I belonged to those who argued that the EU's battle group would be deployed.

That did
not work.

The reasons were a bit mixed.

The main responsibility for the battle which then stood in readiness low of Greece, and Athens was the interest to say the least weak. But equally important was that the man in Paris clearly preferred to put together something that was indeed the EU, but that clearly was under French command [  (1) Greece not on-board; (2) general lack of enthusiasm (3) Frenchies wanted to be commanders of forces.]

And the reason for that was that the course was about to reinforce and complement the French national strength which of course made the first rapid intervention in the country. [Maybe this says, French wanted to take the lead b/c the French  previously led a rapid response intervention in the African country in question.]

For me - then foreign minister, and fairly active in the discussion on the issue of ministerial circuit - this was unfortunately a sign that the battle groups of days maybe numbered.  [No idea.  Rotation based leadership of these groups was discussed?]

The situation in the Central African Republic was so close to the situations battle groups had been set up for that one could imagine:-threatening genocide, appeal from the UN, the need for rapid and limited effort.

But that did not happen. After considerable difficulties did you design the much more limited strength EUFOR RCA which now has a mandate that extends until March of this year.  [EUFOR RCA -- ie European Union Force Republic of Central Africa -- the weaker force was deployed.  Fully operational @ 700 troops in mid 2014.  Bet CB was spewing it wasn't something more grand, with him at the helm?]

Now, as our well trained and well equipped Nordic Battle Group in readiness for the next six months - 2,400 people from seven different countries.  [Now they've got the NBG @ 2,400 on standby & CB is just hanging for them to be deployed somewhere.]

If it will be deployed, I think the concept of EU battlegroups survive. If it does not, I think it will fade away.  [Ooh, if there isn't a deployment, EU battle groups are kaput.]

The speculation in the Irish press - Ireland is also part of the workforce - is spoken about possible interventions in Southern Sudan and Mali.

I have not always easy to see, although nothing can be ruled out.

The situation in Southern Sudan is catastrophic, and the characters right now tends to indicate that it will be worse, but a large UN force is already in place. [Must have resources.]

And if the UN force in Mali suffer from challenges it fails, I think rather in other efforts to deal with the situation.

Personally, I would probably rather see an option for operation in Libya. The situation there deteriorates continuously, and although the United Nations through its special envoy Bernardino Leon makes meritorious efforts to reach a political solution success has so far been limited. 

Would begin to achieve success, it is well not entirely inconceivable that there could be a need for a force that can quickly secure some key installations or functions. Such a task would battle to have the potential to solve.

Obviously there are also other situations that could arise - including a new collapse in the Central African Republic.

To secure parts of the "line of contact" between the separatist Russian groups in eastern Ukraine and the rest of the Ukraine would be such, but the likelihood that the EU could collect himself to such a decision, I believe can best be described as non-existent.  [If sh*t hits the fan in Ukraine, CB doesn't think the EU will have its sh*t together so as to reach an immediate/quick enough decision to deploy the rapid response play-group.  Or so it would appear.  But it could be a trick.  Maybe they're ready to pounce.  ]

In an effort is necessary decision by EU foreign ministers, and it requires no object. Thereafter, rapid decisions of the respective countries, and in Sweden, it is then that the government proposes the parliament a decision by a rapid procedure which it developed a model.

How the Swedish government would react in a situation where the EU wanted a stake of battle, no one knows today, but first, we know that the Greens are almost always been opposed to thoughts like these, and secondly, we know that the money that was previously reserved for a possible effort is disappearing in other directions.

In some places there are those who say that the investment in battle taking resources and energy from the work of national defense, and that it is now high time to saddle up on.

I do not agree with.

Let us not forget that the defense resolutions 2000 and 2004 were written off almost entirely on national defense task. The work of the battle groups was then an important way to ensure quality development in the Defence Forces in association with international collaboration. Without this work, we had been in a significantly worse position today. [Purpose of battle groups ('quality developement' & 'collaboration' ... sold as a domestic defence force investment (how clever); how financial sleight of hand, of sorts, does the trick -- ie a question of allocation, I guess.]

And although the national defense tasks now - and rightly so! - Come into sharper focus, Sweden should not abdicate when it comes to international peace and stabilitertsinsatser.  [Hahaha ... it's not about peace & stability; it's about neo-con agenda on a global scale.]

We are left with a small part in NATO's training mission in Afghanistan, are included in the EU's training efforts in Somalia and Mali, is now entering the demanding UN mission in Mali and will now once again be featured in the EU naval mission in the Indian Ocean.

And the world around Europe's borders have hardly been peaceful and stable in recent years. That the EU would dispose of the instrument battle groups IS would hardly responsibly.

But the coming months may become decisive.



Source:  https://carlbildt.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/vad-hander-med-nbg15-ar-var-beredskap-nog/

--------------------------------------------------

COMMENT

Pressed for time.  No sleep.  Massive on-line binge.
Might come back to this. 

Been good reading and seeing CB's views, although a pain having to make out the wonky Google translation.

Some good information there about Swedish domestic scenario and the EU nations relations, I guess.

Will come back to this.  Excuse any typos.  Rushed.








January 07, 2015

Russia - Ukraine


RUSSIA


Just read this:

Historian Nikolay Starikov: Ukraine was Conceived as Anti-Russia, Just Like Pakistan was Anti-India

Found the concept of imperialists pulling out and creating 'anti-states' (eg Pakistan and Taiwan) an interesting one.  

Guess that another example would then maybe be Israel, as an anti-state in the Middle Eastern region, because when the British pulled out of Palestine, Israel was created.  

That's just my take.  Starikov didn't mention Israel.

Wonder if Hong Kong could be considered one of those anti-states?

If I understand correctly, Putin gained presidency in 2011 and the West lost control of Russia  (which was on the verge of coup).

The next part is difficult for me to understand, because anti-territory Ukraine seems, to me, like this was always on the cards rather than a response to the West pulling out of Russia in 2011.

Ukraine has what the West wants:  regional strategic advantage.  Think I read somewhere that it is the equivalent of Afghanistan.  Can't remember in what way.  Think it may have been something along the lines of being a buffer territory.  Yes, I think that was it.  

Raked over what I've been looking at recently and found out I'm mistaken.  Not Afghanistan and not 'buffer'.  It's Iraq and it's -- umm, I forgot again.  It's some kind of strategic territory.  Transit.  Yes, it is a transit territory.  Oil or gas, I guess.  

Not going into that now or I'll be here forever reading about Iraq, when I should have been asleep ages ago.

I'll just conclude that Ukraine is Europe's Iraq, as it is a transit for gas and it is also a buffer region, as in a buffer between NATO and Russia (or that was supposed to be the case, but may not be so if the West has its way).

Anyway, I disagree with Starikov:  Ukraine was 'it' -- the target or prize -- not matter what.  It's not a pull-out job like Pakistan and Taiwan, in my opinion (but, bear in mind, my knowledge is limited).  Even so, that's what I believe and I'm sticking to it until I'm convinced otherwise.  

Ukraine is the pipes -- the gas transit.  It's a way of blocking Russia out of European gas markets and causing all sorts of problems for Russia, via Ukraine (and backed up with US sanctions against Russia (as well as the Arab oil producers maintaining output (along with booming fracking oil in USA, keeping oil prices down by something like 50% at the moment and sending Russia (and Venezuela) broke), to turn the screws on Russia economically and, more to the point, weakening Russia (who may have to deal with conflict on two fronts?).  

Now I've gone off track.  

Once the US has its missiles pointed at Moscow from Ukraine, you'd think this would be the end of it and that some kind of stability would be achieved.
But the writer is talking about a war between Ukraine and Russia in the making (with the West profiting).

It sounded crazy at first, as I didn't look beyond the US wanting Ukraine & pointing some US missiles at Russia and Iran ... oh, and the European gas market (and whatever it is they want in terms of energy markets in the Middle East).

Now I'm sort of coming around to the idea that, yeah, maybe they do want a war on Russia's western border, as well as it's its southern.  And why not?  The benefit for US bankers and corporations would be enormous; Russia would be the next Azerbaijan US oil company bonanza.

That's something to think about, I suppose.  Or maybe it's completely off track.  Don't know yet.

[Forever having to edit things with apostrophes, as I type them in as a reflex, without thinkingAnnoying.]