Picketers block road to US military to wargames in Odessa

Over 200 activists of the Ukrainian Progressive Socialist Party on Monday blocked the road in Odessa near of the House of Officers to the American military that arrived to take part in the Sea Breeze 2008 ...

[uther pendragon]

The idea that political dissidents in Ukraine have the same right to protest and have no fear of the consequences of "civil disobedience" certainly demonstrates they are moving closer to being "like any member of the EU".
Agreed?

That is where Kyiv is heading.:)

[Swandiver]

Fortunately, the protest was non-violent.

Russia's government-controlled press makes much of the protest, but it was a very small one.

The reality is that these few feeble communists, and their hammer and sickle emblazoned banners, and icons of Lenin and Stalin, are not stopping Ukraine's drive toward sovereignty and NATO MAP.

They won't be able to stop war games like Sea Breeze.

[Foresttoday]

Swandiver wrote:

Fortunately, the protest was non-violent.
Russia's government-controlled press makes much of the protest, but it was a very small one.
The reality is that these few feeble communists, and their hammer and sickle emblazoned banners, and icons of Lenin and Stalin, are not stopping Ukraine's drive toward sovereignty and NATO MAP.
They won't be able to stop war games like Sea Breeze.

I fully agree with you on this. The demostrations just goes to show that Ukraine is very close to a full fledged democracy. Go Ukraine. They may not join NATO this year, but it is not far away.

[uther pendragon]

http://www.interfax.com.ua/en/press-center/pr...

It is quite irrational that with only 24.3% of Ukrainians actually in support of membership in NATO outside forces are so determined that "they must have it".
Why this outright rejection of the actual opinion of Ukrainians?

[biomed_guy]

Swandiver wrote:

Fortunately, the protest was non-violent.
Russia's government-controlled press makes much of the protest, but it was a very small one.
The reality is that these few feeble communists, and their hammer and sickle emblazoned banners, and icons of Lenin and Stalin, are not stopping Ukraine's drive toward sovereignty and NATO MAP.
They won't be able to stop war games like Sea Breeze.

The photo in the article brings it into question. People are standing on a long bridge over many railroad tracks (10 or so). The Potemkin Stairs are in the background (notice no flags). At the base of the steps is Primorskiy St. running perpindicular, a somewhat busy street and cars drive fast here. The bridge these people are standing on is the only access to the sea passenger terminal, Odessa Hotel, marina and a somewhat modest exposition center. It juts out into the port. The connection to Primorskiy St is a very long exit and a very long entrance ramp running parallel to Promorsky. It would be easy to control a crowd here.

It's not unusual to see Turkish naval ships here and I wouldn't doubt if some US ships are docked in the port. But I doubt the US would let people get as close as the passenger terminal would let them. The article said the buses turned around and took another route. There is none at this spot.

There are other things making this story suspicious but the photo says a lot. Of course, if the photo had nothing to do with the story, boy, have I wasted time thinking about it.

If true, you could tell it was not a Ukrainian bus driver. Laying down in front of a moving bus would be considered suicide by law enforcement. The driver's claim would be something like, "I wanted to drive thru and he wanted to commit suicide. We both did what we set out to do."

[Swandiver]

uther pendragon wrote:

http://www.interfax.com.ua/en/ press-center/press-conference/ 106882/
It is quite irrational that with only 24.3% of Ukrainians actually in support of membership in NATO outside forces are so determined that "they must have it".
Why this outright rejection of the actual opinion of Ukrainians?

I can't think of any country that bases its national defense on opinion polls so these dubious polls taken months ago and often cited by Russian propagandists are pointless.

Ukraine is steadily moving toward NATO

[Natr]

Looks like somebody (Swandiver) is dying to get Ukraine to NATO, how about underTO?! I think Ukrainians spoke, NO NATO, yet there is no need to drag Russians into it, Ukrainians smart enough... Soon you will want the "bread basket of Europe" into EU. Ukraine does not need that, we can survive as independent free country.we had enough of USSR or Russian szarizm.

[Foresttoday]

uther pendragon wrote:

http://www.interfax.com.ua/en/ press-center/press-conference/ 106882/
It is quite irrational that with only 24.3% of Ukrainians actually in support of membership in NATO outside forces are so determined that "they must have it".
Why this outright rejection of the actual opinion of Ukrainians?

I question all polls if that figure is a poll. Who took the poll, where, how many people did they talk to, is it legit, or phoney? A percentage number like that is so misleading without all the fact. That number could be either direction from the 24%. so, we should wait and see. After Russias foray into Georgia, I think that number would change drasticly, as the Ukrainians know that if Russia controls Georgia by force as they next or Estonia, Lituania, or who. This Russian Foray is just the tip of the iceberg. What a world we live in, Huh?

[Red]

If attacked, Ukraine must ensure total devastation of all of Russia's gas pipelines to totally destroy Russia's income sources. If Russia acts out against Ukraine next, Ukraine must take the war to Russia and destroy all gas infrastructure.