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Crimea 16 March

It was almost too easy.

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It was almost too easy. Putin was at the closing ceremonies of the paralympics in Sochi. The polls in the Crimea closed and now with over 70% of the vote counted, over 95% of the votes go to joining the Russian Federation. Not exactly a surprise. 56% of the population of the Crimea are already Russian, but given the events of the past few months in Kiev, it's a wonder anyone would vote to stay aligned with the Ukraine any longer. The alignment goes only 60 years back anyway. And now, what with the neo-Nazis seizing power in Kiev and installing 'Yat the Rat' as interim PM, the comparatively sensible peoples of east Ukraine and the Crimea have had it. Celebrations were widespread all through the new country tonight. Big shows, fireworks, happy people. The pictures don't lie. The Crimea could turn into a major tourist attraction for their amiable people alone. Reggae music was heard being blasted on the streets, and so forth. The spectre of Ukrainian democracy: Dmitry Yarosh of the feared Right Sector. It's a hard case to refute, no matter how hard the Nuland camp struggle to find a way. Victoria Nuland and the US ambassador to the Ukraine, as revealed by the leak, sliced up the coming government, decided who would not be in the new government (including one famous boxer) and who would be in (including 5 neo-Nazis and Yat the Rat). It didn't work. International observers were all over the referendum and reported that everything was done correctly. The referendum got more turnout than expected, and expectations were already understandably high. The mandate of the voting results was more clear than any US or western politician could ever dream of. The ruble will be a concurrent currency starting tomorrow until, six month later, the old currency is phased out. The welfare of the people of the Crimea increases immediately. Their safety against the hooligans in Kiev is strengthened immediately. And they will then, already tomorrow, formally request membership in the Russian Federation. You can't get more democratic than that. Amateurish foreign policy: Yat the Rat gets to meet the Peace Prize laureate in the White House. The 16 March referendum in the Crimea was a great victory for democracy on our planet. Join in with the people of the Crimea in their celebrations; be inspired by them. The same thing can happen in your country: this is all about 'people rule'. The role of the western MSM through this tortuous time was more blatant than even in the incessant attacks on Julian Assange a while back (and continuing now and then to this day). The likes of James Ball, David Leigh, Nick Davies, Heather Brooke, and Luke Harding were found everywhere. Mythical stories were made up all over the place. It's a wonder anyone in the US can have one genuine clue. Celebrations: People of the Crimea dancing in the streets. Two formidable pieces that may help are from Empire Burlesque. http://www.chris-floyd.com/component/content/article/1-latest-news/2374-oligarchs-triumphant-ukraine-omidyar-and-the-neo-liberal-agenda.html http://www.chris-floyd.com/component/content/article/1-latest-news/2376-change-agents-the-curious-case-of-the-qresponsibleq-nsa-revelations.html But perhaps best of all is this brilliant interview posted yesterday by 'Partisangirl' with a wonderful 'Ukraniangirl'. Find out what people on the ground really want. You might be surprised but you shouldn't be. What happens now? Harry Potter had to fight a long time. 007 had his work cut out getting rid of Blofeld. And when Han Solo sent Darth Vader spinning into space at the end of the first Star Wars movie, you knew the bastard would somehow be back. The Peace Prize laureate hasn't given up, even though Peter Lavelle says he's never seen such amateurish foreign policy. So there will be dark clouds as time goes on. Yet the victory in the Crimea 16 March may just mark the beginning of the end of an horrific era of US aggression, exceptionalism, and expansionism. And through all this, Putin was at the paralympics. Grandmaster Putin plays a mean game of chess; Obama and Kerry play poker and football - bluff and brute force. Guess who won again.