Which is it...

the US and Europe trying to force Russia and the Middle East into a unification and singular superstate, or is it the US and Russia trying to force Europe and the Middle East under their dual domination?? ........................................................................ 1 Stooges In Power: U.S. Should Stop Coddling Pet Ukrainian Fascists Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:10 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=490514 Interfax March 20, 2014 Time to end the condoning of Ukrainian Right Sector militants, Svoboda activists - Lavrov MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told United States Secretary of S tate John Kerry by telephone on Thursday that Washington should stop condoning U krainian nationalists and extremists. "Lavrov stressed that the decision on Crimea's reunification with Russia reflect ed the expression of will of the absolute majority of its people, that it may no t be reviewed and must be respected. The minister noted the unacceptability of p rovocations aimed at destabilizing the situation in Crimea," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website. The foreign-policy chiefs continued to discuss the situation in Ukraine and poss ible international assistance in tackling this country's political crisis, inclu ding through the organization of international monitoring of human rights and th e rights of ethnic minorities in a form that is acceptable for all Ukrainians. "Lavrov drew particular attention to the ongoing violence by ultranationalist an d extremist forces targeting businessmen and journalists, dissenters, the Russia n-speaking population and our compatriots. It is time to put an end to the condo ning of the Right Sector militants and Svoboda party 'activists'," the statement said. ========================================== http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=5&id=490388 Interfax March 20, 2014 Western sanctions on Russia are not lawful - Lavrov MOSCOW: The sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union and the United Sta tes do not have international legal grounds, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lav rov said. "Unilateral sanctions have never done any good. They are not legal. And they do not have international legal grounds," Lavrov said at a State Duma sitting on Th ursday.

"The UN Security Council is the only body entitled to decide on coercive measure s towards sovereign states but it has not made such decisions in regards to the Russian Federation and the Ukrainian administration of President Yanukovych," he underscored. "Even if we speak about the Ukrainian constitution, the people who grabbed power in Kyiv in an anti-constitutional revolt did that with at least moral support a nd, I believe, that support was not just moral, by their actions," Lavrov said. "The trampling upon laws, which aimed to bring their stooges to power, who relie d on blatant ultra-nationalists and who were unable to control even Kyiv without them, and accusations of us and Crimeans of breaching Ukrainian laws are totall y void from the legal point of view and, I believe, totally unacceptable from th e point of view of morals and ethics," Lavrov said. He said he was surprised with the Western perception of the Russian position. "I am surprised not only with the adherence of our Western partners, in which th ey are increasingly wrapped up, to unilateral imperative measures as regards oth er countries, but also with the concrete forms which this unjust indignation tak es," Lavrov said. "I won't even make comments, everyone is aware which particular measures our Wes tern partners are taking in this situation. And since they declare as the cause or, actually, a pretext for their sanctions the decisions of Crimean accession t o Russia, I would like to note that we and Crimea are accused of violations of t he Ukrainian constitution and international law," the foreign minister said. ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 2 U.S. Marine Commander Readies Georgian Military On Russia's Southern Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:22 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.mod.gov.ge/?newsid=2732 Ministry of Defence of Georgia March 20, 2014 Lieutenant General Richard Tryon at National Defence Academy Within the two day long visit to Georgia, Commander of the United States Marine Corps Forces in Europe visited Davit Agmashenebeli National Defence Academy. Chi ef of General Staff of GAF, Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze and NDA Rector Zura b Agladze hosted Lieutenant General Richard Tryon. U.S. General held meeting with the military of Captain Career and Junior Officer

s' Courses at the NDA hall. He delivered a lecture on the history of the foundatio n of Marine Forces and the current tasks of the Command. The meeting went on in an interactive format. Georgian military asked questions to the U.S. Commander a bout ISAD mission, handover of full security responsibility to the Afghan Nation al Security Forces and the role of sergeants' corps in the Armed Forces. This day was very important for the entire personnel of the Academy. The meeting went on with open conversation and experience sharing. General cited several exa mples from his great experience concerning how military serviceman has to serve his homeland, family and what should be the main principles for him. A soldier m ust be courageous with high moral and love his homeland outlined Major General Va khtang Kapanadze. General Lieutenant Richard Tryon also met with Georgian military wounded in ISAF mission in Afghanistan and presented them coins of Command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces in Europe. At the end of the visit to the high military educational inst itution, U.S. General took a view of the NDA infrastructure and got acquainted t o the curriculum. ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 3 Biden Confirms U.S. To Intensify War Games In Baltics Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:32 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.stripes.com/news/biden-signals-plans-for-more-us-military-drills-in-t he-baltics-1.273490 Stars and Stripes March 19, 2014 Biden signals plans for more US military drills in the Baltics By John Vandiver STUTTGART, Germany: The s and naval forces into ties of regional allies arby Ukraine, U.S. Vice U.S. is crafting plans to deploy rotational ground troop the Baltics as part of an effort to bolster the capabili and reassure nations shaken by Russia's intervention in ne President Joe Biden said.

We are exploring a number of additional steps to increase the pace and scope of o ur military co-operation, including rotating U.S. forces to the Baltic region to conduct ground and naval exercises as well as training missions, Biden said Wedn esday during talks with Polish and Estonian officials. Biden's tour through the region includes a stop on Wednesday in Lithuania, where t he U.S. already is taking part in a NATO air policing mission. According to a senior administration official, the plan for an increased presenc e in the Baltics is primarily focused on building up the defenses of localallies in the region. More details are expected within a matter of days, the official

said. So this would be in addition to the Baltic air policing element, it would be a gr ound and naval effort. And what the Vice President said is that we've begun the pr ocess of exploring how we can do that in a way that's effective both for our force s and for the Baltic forces, said the official, whose comments were provided in t ranscript form by the Office of the vice president's office. For the U.S. and NATO, Russia's annexation of Crimea has rattled assumptions about security in Europe and refocused attention on the Continent. For allies in east ern Europe, it has awakened old fears of a Russia with imperial ambitions. The old idea of NATO predicated on a Europe that no longer has any threats has tu rned out, with the actions we've seen against Ukraine, no longer to apply, Estonian President Toomas Ilves told Biden during the vice president's stop in Warsaw. We in NATO must draw our conclusions from Russia's behavior in the current crisis a nd conduct a review of the entire range of NATO-Russia relations, he said. In response to the Ukrainian crisis, the U.S. has tried to reassure allies throu gh various measures, such as deploying 12 F-16s to Poland for a training exercis e. The Navy also has increased its presence in the region for what has been desc ribed as a series of pre-planned training events. On Wednesday, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren said that three regularly-con ducted annual exercises in the region will go forward in the coming months. In April, a rotational force of Marines will participate in Summer Shield; a joi nt U.S.-Latvian exercise held in Latvia. In June, U.S. Navy-Europe will lead a multinational maritime exercise called BAL TOPS, aimed at improving interoperability among allies in the Baltic Sea. Also in June, U.S. Army-Europe will lead Saber Strike, a multinational security cooperation exercise focusing on the three Baltic States. Warren did not know if Sea Breeze, a multinational exercise involving Ukraine th at usually takes place in the Black Sea in July, will be conducted. The Ukrainian government has requested military equipment and supplies from the U.S. The State Department and the Defense Department are reviewing those request s and will decide on next steps, Warren said. Warren would not provide details about the requests, but said, it was a broad ran ge of stuff, a broad range of equipment that you would expect in this situation. But while Russia's intervention has sparked fears of a return to Cold War-style te nsions and military posturing, there is little sign Europe or the U.S. has any a ppetite for a military confrontation. Indeed, No significant political leader in the U.S. or western Europe has suggested there is a military solution to the po litical crisis. Stars and Stripes reporter Jon Harper contributed to this report from Washington . ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles:

http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 4 U.S. Conducts Submarine Warfare Exercise In The Arctic Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:41 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=79747 Navy NewsStand Department of the Navy March 19, 2014 Navy Commences Participation in ICEX 2014 From Commander, Submarine Forces Public Affairs NORFOLK: Commander, Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR) announced Virginia-class attack submarine USS New Mexico (SSN 779) and Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS H ampton (SSN 767) commenced Ice Exercise 2014 (ICEX 2014) in the Arctic Ocean Mar ch 19. USS New Mexico is homeported in Groton, Conn., and commanded by Cmdr. Todd Moore , while USS Hampton is homeported in San Diego, and commanded by Cmdr. Lincoln R eifsteck. The two submarines will conduct testing on submarine operations in Arctic waters . "In keeping with the Department of Defense's Arctic Objectives, the Submarine Fo rce uses Ice Exercises to prepare for a wide range of challenges and contingenci es," said Capt. Paul Whitescarver, the camp's officer in tactical command and op erations officer at Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. "The Arctic environment is a tough place to operate, so there is no substitute f or assessing our current capability and determining future requirements than to physically operate in the arctic. Our presence in the region coupled with the tr aining that our submarine crews will participate in during ICEX 2014 ensures tha t our interests in the region will stay secure, support future safety and promot e defense cooperation with many of our state partners." The overall exercise has been planned and will be coordinated by the Navy's Arct ic Submarine Laboratory (ASL) located at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego. A t emporary ice camp and tracking range will be built into the ice flow North of Pr udhoe Bay, Alaska. The U.S. Navy Ice Camp NAUTILUS consists of a small village, constructed and operated especially for the ICEX by members of the U.S., Canadia n, and British navies. U.S. submarines must continue to train in the Arctic environment to refine and v alidate procedures and required equipment, as the Arctic Ocean serves as a route for submarines to transit between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The U.S. Sub marine Force conducts these exercises in the Arctic in order to assure continued access to this unique region. Submarines have conducted under-ice operations in the Arctic regions in support of inter-fleet transit, training, cooperative allied engagements and operations

for more than 50 years. USS Nautilus (SSN 571) made the first transit in 1958. U SS Skate (SSN 578) was the first U.S. submarine to surface through arctic ice at the North Pole in March 1959. Since those events, the U.S. Submarine Force has completed more than 120 Arctic exercises with the last being conducted in 2012. The last ice camp was established in 2011. Since 1987, most of these have been c onducted in conjunction with Royal Navy submarines. For more news from Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, visit www.na vy.mil/local/sublant/. ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 5 U.S. Marine Corps' Black Sea Rotational Force Trains In Romania Thu Mar 20, 2014 1:03 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.marforeur.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/7617/Article/1610 17/3rd-battalion-8th-marine-regiment-kicks-off-black-sea-rotational-force-14-dep lo.aspx Marine Forces Europe and Africa United States Marine Corps March 20, 2014 USAG Stuttgart, Germany 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment kicks off Black Sea R otational Force 14 deployment with non-lethal weapons sustainment training By Lance Cpl. Scott Whiting | Marine Forces Europe and Africa MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania : Marines earned their reputation of always ready fro m constant training and sustaining, keeping their skills as fresh as possible in case they are needed. Marines of Black Sea Rotational Force 14 from Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 8t h Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, conducted sustainment training with oleo resin capsicum spray aboard Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, March 5, 2014 . BSRF-14 provides a contingent of Marines to the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus r egions to maintain regional stability and work with partner nations in Eastern E urope. This training is important because we could get called to reinforce an embassy or respond to any number of crises, said Cpl. Christian Doran, a nonlethal weapons instructor with Weapons Co. This training familiarizes the Marines with possible OC spray (usage) in any of these scenarios. ... The contingent of more than 200 Marines is the second iteration of the first ful l-year rotation of the Black Sea Rotational Force program. Throughout the rotati

on, the Marines will conduct military-to-military engagements with partner natio ns to bolster military capacity and interoperability while providing the capabil ity for rapid crisis response, as directed by U.S. European Command and U.S. Mar ine Corps Forces Europe and Africa. ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 6 Arctic: U.S. Leads 16,000-Troop NATO War Games Near Russian Border Thu Mar 20, 2014 1:04 pm (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.marforeur.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/7617/Article/1607 00/unpredictable-weather-creates-unique-training-adaptations-during-cold-respons e.aspx Marine Forces Europe and Africa United States Marine Corps March 16, 2014 USAG Stuttgart, Germany Unpredictable weather creates unique training adaptation s during Cold Response 14 By Sgt. Tatum Vayavananda | Marine Forces Europe and Africa BARDUFOSS, Norway: Cold Response 14 brings together nearly 16,000 troops from 16 different countries to northern Norway to train high-intensity operations in ex treme cold-weather environments. But a training area filled with snow and Arctic -cold weather conditions was not what U.S. Marines and the multinational force, the majority of servicemembers from Norway, Sweden, Canada, Great Britain, and t he Netherlands, were faced with the start of the exercise. It was a greater obst acle; warmer temperatures with wetter conditions. The rain has challenged the Marines who were expecting the snow, said Lt. Col. Joe l F. Schmidt, the battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division. Thirty-three degrees and raining is always a challenge for Mari nes out doing patrols, maintaining health while they are moving around when it's c old and wet. But I think the Marines have done extremely well. CR-14 is a multilateral exercise with more than 16 partner nations above the Arc tic Circle to train as one. The exercise includes large-scale troop movements, m aritime offloads and positioning, snow-covered foot and mechanized vehicle patro ls, amphibious raids, an international brigade of simulated opposition forces, a nd multinational command-level synchronization in a training area half the size of Connecticut, from the city of Trondheim to the northern city of Bardufoss. ... But the battalion-minus sized element of Marines have been aided by their host-n ation's proficiency and skill; Norwegian allies that understand the climate and ho w to survive and combat the elements at the tip of the Northern Hemisphere.

... Cold Response 14 is indicative of the commitment of all participating nations to global security and worldwide stability that requires the capacity to operate i n any clime and place, from arid deserts through dense jungles and in frigid gla ciers. It's really important to know how to operate in the cold, said Lance Cpl. Ryan Dole, a Marine with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. From our instructors and learn ing from the Norwegians, there are a lot of things you need to know to be able t o survive and fight in combat if it ever comes to that situation. This is a whole different ball game and it's so important because it's really hard; i f you don't know how to do it, you can die out here, said Dole. For the Marines and their allies, the exercise emphasizes their adaptability to situations and their ability to overcome unpredictable circumstances, even withi n a training environment. ... Cold Response 14 is the sixth iteration of the exercise and has grown from appro ximately 10,000 international servicemembers since 2006. The exercise will conti nue to create a robust training environment that will not only build proficiency in extreme Arctic conditions but bolster cohesion, interoperability, and unders tanding between the 16 different nations while maintaining proven partnerships a nd alliances between the participating countries. Northern Norway has experienced fresh, new snow for the remainder of the exercis e, which will run through March 21. ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 7 U.S. warship extends drills across Black Sea from Crimea, Ukrainian Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:17 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Martmns ." Forward from mart *Important! Please Distribute Widely* *U.S. warship extends drills across Black Sea from Crimea, Ukrainian troops dig in near Russian border* --------------------------------1) (Reuters) *- "U.S. warship extends drills across Black Sea from Crimea,"* http://news.yahoo.com/u-warship-extends-drills-across-black-sea-crimea-174248808 --sector.html *Reuters, via Yahoo News (U.S.)http://news.yahoo.com

<http://news.yahoo.com>March 19, 2014 * *U.S. warship extends drills across Black Sea from Crimea* *By Tsvetelia Tsolova,March 19, 2014 1:42 PM* *ABOARD THE USS TRUXTUN, Black Sea (Reuters) -* A U.S. guided-missile destroyer carried out another round of navy drills in the Black Sea on Wednesday, the latest display of American military power just a few hundred miles away from Russian-annexed Crimea. The USS Truxtun, a warship capable of carrying 96 missiles and torpedoes and equipped with a special radar system, performed exercises in calm waters with fellow NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, following a similar round last week. U.S. navy officials said last week's exercises were planned well before the current standoff between the West and Moscow over Russian troops occupying Crimea - the worst East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War. But they have coincided with U.S. and Polish fighter jets carrying out war games in Poland, and NATO reconnaissance flights over Eastern Europe, and send a message of reassurance to other NATO members nervous about Russia's intentions in its neighborhood. "There are many reasons for exercises with allies. It allows us an opportunity to assure our NATO allies that we support them," said Lieutenant Shawn Eklund, a spokesman for U.S. naval forces in Europe, adding that the navy planned more. "I cannot speak for the crew, but they train for the worst case. God forbid anything happens in this area. We are prepared, we work with our partners, with our NATO allies," he told Reuters. He said the drills helped build effective cooperation between allies and demonstrated the U.S. commitment to NATO. "Hopefully that will serve to deter those who want to destabilize the region," Eklund said, adding that Wednesday's exercises were "recently planned" as a follow-up to those carried out last week. Crimea voted in a Soviet-style referendum last weekend to leave Ukraine and join Russia, a vote that was condemned by the West and prompted Washington and Brussels to slap targeted sanctions on Russia, including asset freezes and travel bans. In the latest chapter of the crisis, Russian troops backed by volunteers stormed Ukraine's naval headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Wednesday, prompting a warning from Washington that Russia was on a "dark path" to isolation. Drills aboard the Truxtun on Wednesday included Romanian Special Forces rappelling from a helicopter onto the ship, and communications exercises in which the allies shared information about their respective radar systems. "It is a great opportunity to demonstrate our support... and also really interact with our allies," said 29-year-old Lieutenant Catherine Reppert, a tactical action officer, who sat in the combat control room next to a radar screen.

The naval exercises carried echoes of the response during another standoff between the West and Moscow in 2008, when Russian troops poured into Georgia to support the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. At that time, NATO sent ships to the Black Sea on what it called pre-planned exercises, sparking Russian accusations of a naval build up. The Truxtun was named after an American naval hero and featured last year in a Hollywood film. ----------------------------2) (Reuters) - "*Ukrainian troops dig in near Russian border*" http://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-troops-dig-near-russian-border-191820064--sector .htm *Reuters, via Yahoo News (U.S.)http://news.yahoo.com <http://news.yahoo.com>March 19, 2014 * *Ukrainian troops dig in near Russian border* *By Alastair Macdonald * *NEAR ANDRIIVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) -* Ukrainian paratroopers with armored vehicles were digging in on Thursday near the Russian border as the military demonstrated its presence in the east following Kiev's loss of Crimea to Moscow's forces. The soldiers, camped in tents with some two dozen trucks and BMD-1 combat vehicles, would not discuss their mission. They set up sandbags, strung barbed wire and carried out infantry drills in small groups next to a small quarry in rolling grain country, 30 km (20 miles) from the Russian border in Donetsk region. Ukraine's government has put its heavily outnumbered and outgunned forces on alert for an invasion from Russia in the east following Moscow's seizure of the Black Sea peninsula. But there is little evidence of a major Ukrainian troop build-up. The isolated unit near the village of Andriivka, close to a major highway, would stand little chance of resisting a major assault backed by air power, though the paratroopers put on a determined face as they set up their position. "I think things will be all right in the end," said one soldier on guard duty. The vehicles of the 25th Dnepropetrovsk Parachute Brigade, equipped with relatively light 73-mm guns, are of a type not produced since 1987, four years before the Soviet collapse. As its troops confront besieged Ukrainian forces in military and naval bases in Crimea, the Kremlin has said it has no designs on other regions of its former Soviet neighbor. But it has said it is ready to "protect" ethnic Russians in eastern cities like Donetsk, where there has been violent unrest. *LOCAL SUPPORT* Local residents in the largely Russian-speaking Donetsk region showed their solidarity with their Ukrainian troops by driving up with gifts of food, medicine and other supplies to the camp. "They39;re just children, these soldiers," said one local man, Dmitry, after handing over a bag of groceries.

"My son's been in the army. They freeze in those tents." Like many industry, President who knows in the region, which is also home to coalmines and heavy he was favorable to a Crimea-style takeover of eastern Ukraine by Vladimir Putin. "We would be better with Russia," he said. "But what will happen next?"

Another well-wisher, Tatyana, 50, was staunchly Ukrainian and choked back tears for the troops' predicament. "These are Ukrainian soldiers, our soldiers and it's a shame. Every mother wants to protect them," she said. "Our high ups are fighting over big jobs and our kids are suffering." Lyudmila Chebotareva, 56, a nurse in a nearby village, brought medicines and honey. She said these were trying times for locals, who all had friends and relatives over the border: "All this war and military action - what good does it do?" the former military medic asked. "This fertile land shouldn't be getting ploughed up by tanks but by tractors, ready for sowing. "We watch TV and everyone cries because we're all mothers ... What's the point of all this? I just want to be on my own land, Ukrainian land. Russians are welcome to visit." =================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 8 FW: * Is Annexation of Crimea Legal? * Contrast with Iraq War -- Int Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:17 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Boyle, Francis A" facboyle Francis A. Boyle Law Building 504 E. Pennsylvania Ave. Champaign, IL 61820 USA 217-333-7954 (phone) 217-244-1478 (fax) (personal comments only) From: Boyle, Francis A Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 2:13 PM To: Killeacle Subject: * Is Annexation of Crimea Legal? * Contrast with Iraq War -- Interviews Available FRANCIS BOYLE, (217) 333-7954<tel:%28217%29%20333-7954>, fboyle@illinois.edu<mai lto:fboyle@illinois.edu> Boyle is a professor at the University of Illinois College of Law. His books inc lude Foundations of World Order (Duke University Press: 1999). He said today: "U .S. officials are condemning Russia for annexing Crimea after a referendum. I pe rsonally thought Russia should not annex Crimea, but it's ludicrous for U.S. off icials to be attacking Russia's actions. Consider their record in backing bombin gs in Libya, assassination by drones in Yemen, Pakistan and elsewhere and, perha ps most notably, aggressive war in Iraq -- which began 11 years ago this week." Background:

JOHN McCAIN: Voted for the Iraq war. I believe that we can win an overwhelming vi ctory in a very short period of time. (Sept 29, 2002, CNN); The American people we re led to believe that this would be some kind of a day at the beach which many of us, fully understood from the very beginning would be a very, very difficult undertaking. (Aug. 22, 2006, CNN). JOHN KERRY: Voted for the 2002 authorization for the Iraq war. Stated at the tim e: Why is Saddam Hussein attempting to develop nuclear weapons when most nations don't even try? According to intelligence, Iraq has chemical and biological weapon s Iraq is developing unmanned aerial vehicles capable of delivering chemical and biological warfare agents (Oct. 9, 2002) JOSEPH BIDEN: Voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion of Iraq. In his floor spee ch at the time he claimed: [Saddam Hussein] possesses chemical and biological wea pons and is seeking nuclear weapons. As then-chair of the Senate Foreign Relation s Committee, he oversaw hearings which excluded former UN weapons inspector Scot t Ritter and other individuals who where highly critical of claims regarding Ira q's alleged possessions of weapons of mass destruction. HILLARY CLINTON: Voted for the 2002 authorization for the Iraq war. In her 2002 floor speech, she stated that intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has w orked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. (Oct. 10, 2002) SUSAN RICE: Before the invasion of Iraq, Rice claimed: I think he [then Secretary of State Colin Powell] has proved that Iraq has these weapons and is hiding the m, and I don't think many informed people doubted that. (Feb. 6, 2003, NPR) For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy: Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020<tel:%28202%29%20347-0020>, (202) 421-6858<tel:%2820 2%29%20421-6858>; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167<tel:%28541%29%20484-9167> Francis A. Boyle Law Building 504 E. Pennsylvania Ave. Champaign, IL 61820 USA 217-333-7954 (phone) 217-244-1478 (fax) (personal comments only) From: mediagen@lists.accuracy.org<mailto:mediagen@lists.accuracy.org> [mailto:me diagen@lists.accuracy.org] On Behalf Of Institute for Public Accuracy Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 1:53 PM To: Institute for Public Accuracy Subject: * Is Annexation of Crimea Legal? * Contrast with Iraq War -- Interviews Available Institute for Public Accuracy 980 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045 (202) 347-0020<tel:%28202%29%20347-0020> * http://www.accuracy.org<http://www.ac curacy.org/> *ipa@accuracy.org<mailto:ipa@accuracy.org> _______________________________________________________ Wednesday, March 19, 2013 * Is Annexation of Crimea Legal? * Contrast with Iraq War Interviews Available

JOHN QUIGLEY, (614) 292-1764<tel:%28614%29%20292-1764>, (614) 326-3674<tel:%2861 4%29%20326-3674>, cell: (614) 607-1511<tel:%28614%29%20607-1511>, Quigley.2@osu. edu<mailto:Quigley.2@osu.edu> Professor emeritus of international law at Ohio State University, Quigley dealt with conflicts between Ukraine and Russia arising from the breakup of the USSR o n behalf of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He recently wrote the piece "Finding a Way Forward for Crimea<http://cjicl.org.uk/2014/03/0 5/john-quigley-finding-way-forward-crimea/>," for the Cambridge Journal of Inter national and Comparative Law. He said today: "The annexation is probably legitim ate. There were issues with the referendum, but it's a fair representation of th e will of the people living in Crimea." FRANCIS BOYLE, (217) 333-7954<tel:%28217%29%20333-7954>, fboyle@illinois.edu<mai lto:fboyle@illinois.edu> Boyle is a professor at the University of Illinois College of Law. His books inc lude Foundations of World Order (Duke University Press: 1999). He said today: "U .S. officials are condemning Russia for annexing Crimea after a referendum. I pe rsonally thought Russia should not annex Crimea, but it's ludicrous for U.S. off icials to be attacking Russia's actions. Consider their record in backing bombin gs in Libya, assassination by drones in Yemen, Pakistan and elsewhere and, perha ps most notably, aggressive war in Iraq -- which began 11 years ago this week." Background: JOHN McCAIN: Voted for the Iraq war. I believe that we can win an overwhelming vi ctory in a very short period of time. (Sept 29, 2002, CNN); The American people we re led to believe that this would be some kind of a day at the beach which many of us, fully understood from the very beginning would be a very, very difficult undertaking. (Aug. 22, 2006, CNN). JOHN KERRY: Voted for the 2002 authorization for the Iraq war. Stated at the tim e: Why is Saddam Hussein attempting to develop nuclear weapons when most nations don't even try? According to intelligence, Iraq has chemical and biological weapon s Iraq is developing unmanned aerial vehicles capable of delivering chemical and biological warfare agents (Oct. 9, 2002) JOSEPH BIDEN: Voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion of Iraq. In his floor spee ch at the time he claimed: [Saddam Hussein] possesses chemical and biological wea pons and is seeking nuclear weapons. As then-chair of the Senate Foreign Relation s Committee, he oversaw hearings which excluded former UN weapons inspector Scot t Ritter and other individuals who where highly critical of claims regarding Ira q's alleged possessions of weapons of mass destruction. HILLARY CLINTON: Voted for the 2002 authorization for the Iraq war. In her 2002 floor speech, she stated that intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has w orked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. (Oct. 10, 2002) SUSAN RICE: Before the invasion of Iraq, Rice claimed: I think he [then Secretary of State Colin Powell] has proved that Iraq has these weapons and is hiding the m, and I don't think many informed people doubted that. (Feb. 6, 2003, NPR) For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy: Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020<tel:%28202%29%20347-0020>, (202) 421-6858<tel:%2820 2%29%20421-6858>; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167<tel:%28541%29%20484-9167> Attachment(s) from Boyle, Francis A 1 of 1 File(s) ATT00001.txt Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^

9 Baltics: France To Deploy Warplanes, AWACS For NATO Buildup Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:30 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_21/Putin-signs-set-of-laws-on-accession-of -Crimea-Sevastopol-to-Russia-6976/ Voice of Russia March 21, 2014 France offers 4 fighter jets to Poland, Baltics to boost NATO patrols France will offer to send four fighter jets to the Baltic states and Poland to b oost NATO air patrols over the region, a source close to the French defence mini ster said Friday. Besides the Rafale and Mirage 2000 aircraft, Paris will also offer to ensure "AW ACS patrols from France around twice a week" if asked by NATO, the source said d uring the minister's visit to the Estonian capital Tallinn amid the Ukraine turm oil. The AWACS aircraft - Airborne Warning and Control System - are among the most so phisticated planes in the NATO armoury, capable of monitoring huge swathes of ai rspace. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will also visit Estonia's fellow Balt ic state Lithuania and neighbouring Poland on Friday. The visit is a bid to reassure "Balts and Poles, Russia's neighbours, given the Ukraine crisis," the source said, adding that the NATO military alliance has ass ured patrols over the Baltics since 2004. The United States is responsible for the patrols until May. Given the situation in Ukraine, it sent additional F-15 fighter jets to the region earlier this mont h, bringing their total to 10 aircraft. Poland will then take over the patrols from the US. The ministry source said Fra nce will offer the fighter jets, along with the AWACS early warning aircraft, if NATO and Poland deem them necessary. NATO has already deployed AWACS reconnaissance aircraft to overfly Poland and Ro mania as part of its efforts to monitor the Ukraine crisis. Voice of Russia, AFP ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^

10 Interview: U.S. Dam Project In Afghanistan A Publicity Stunt Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:47 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/21/355534/us-afghan-dam-project-publicity-s tunt/ Press TV March 21, 2014 US dam project in Afghanistan `publicity stunt': Rick Rozoff Audio at URL above Efforts by the United States to upgrade the Kajaki Dam in Afghanistan are a publi city stunt and a pretense for a permanent military presence in the country, a peace activist says. The dam, constructed between 1951 and 1953 by a US firm during the height of the Cold War, had a hidden political agenda, Rick Rozoff, a member of Stop NATO Inter national, told Press TV on Thursday. According to Stars and Stripes, the US Agency for International Development (USA ID) is taking one more shot at finishing Kajaki Dam, a project that has thwarted American plans and drained its coffers since rehabilitation of the dam began in 2004. The dam, located in the southern province of Helmand, was never fully completed by the US due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1970's and was seriousl y damaged after the US-led invasion of the county in 2001. Like so many of the US plans for Afghanistan, the dam's completion date has repeat edly missed its target. Rozoff gave several reasons for why the US may want to rehabilitate the dam, inc luding to dominate and control Afghanistan's energy resources. In addition, this may simply be a publicity stunt, he said. It also gives the US th e pretense for maintaining a permanent military presence to guard the dam and ot her facilities within the country. The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power , but after more than 12 years, the foreign troops have still not been able to e stablish security in the country. ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherw ise change subscription status: stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ====================================================================== Reply to sender . Reply to group . Reply via Web Post . All Messages (1) . Top ^ 11 Russia, Crimea and the Mighty Wurlitzer: Countdown to War?

Fri Mar 21, 2014 5:58 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff http://www.globalresearch.ca/russia-crimea-and-the-mighty-wurlitzer-countdown-to -war/5373911 Global Research March 21, 2014 Russia, Crimea and the Mighty Wurlitzer: Countdown to War? Global Research News Hour Episode 58 By Michael Welch, Felicity Arbuthnot, Professor John Ryan, and Rick Rozoff Global Research, March 20, 2014 Audio at URL above Ukraine, a new and important space on the Eurasian chessboard, is a geopolitical pivot because its very existence as an independent country helps to transform Ru ssia. Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be a Eurasian empire.However, if Moscow r egains control over Ukraine, with its 52 million people and major resources as w ell as access to the Black Sea, Russia automatically again regains the wherewith al to become a powerful imperial state, spanning Europe and Asia. -Zbigniew Brzezinski, 1997; from The Grand Chessboard [1] LISTEN TO THE SHOW Length (59:01) Click to download the audio (MP3 format) On March 16, a massive turn-out of people in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea c ast a ballot to decide the enclave's future. The final results found that with 81.3% of eligible voters in Crimea participati ng in the referendum, more than 96% chose to rejoin Russia. [2][3] Western nations, including the US and Canada say they will not recognize the res ult of the vote. Moreover, the US and EU are pursuing economic sanctions against Russia, supposedly as punishment for its violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. [4][5] The West's concept of popular democracy seems to be highly nuanced. Apparently US influenced popular uprisings in Kiev constitutes an accurate measu re of the will of the Ukrainian people. A referendum monitored by international observers who testify to no voting irregularities is not recognized by the West as a gauge of the will of the Crimean people. What is behind the major Western powers' maneuvers around Ukraine? Do their action s constitute an errand of mercy to come to the aid of those freedom-loving peopl e of Ukraine and Crimea who seek to break away from the dictatorial grip of Puti n? Or is this some kind of geo-strategic power play masked by layers of base pro paganda? On this week's Global Research News Hour, we cut through the media spin with three guests. Rick Rozoff of STOP NATO International, explains that the Russian move into Crim ea was completely understandable and predictable given a pattern of encroachment

that goes back to NATO's military intervention in Yugoslavia 15 years ago this mo nth. He spells out the Western agenda and the stakes in the first half hour. A retired Professor of Geography and Senior Scholar at the University of Winnipe g, John Ryan, helps further expose US-EU-Canadian hypocrisy by pointing out that Quebec's right to secede from Canada has not been challenged the way Crimea's right to secede from Ukraine has. He explains his perspective in the second half hour . Felicity Arbuthnot, freelance print and broadcast journalist, reported on Iraq d uring the sanctions period and after the 2003 intervention by the US and its Coa lition of the Willing. She compares the media and political spin around Ukraine and Crimea with that surrounding previous targets of Western intervention, inclu ding Iraq, Libya and Syria. LISTEN TO THE SHOW Length (59:01) Click to download the audio (MP3 format) The Global Research News Hour, hosted by Michael Welch, airs on CKUW 95.9FM in W innipeg Fridays at 1pm CDT. The programme is also broadcast weekly (Monday, 5-6p m ET) by the Progressive Radio Network in the US, and is available for download on the Global Research website. Community Radio Stations carrying the Global Research News Hour: CHLY 101.7fm in Nanaimo, B.C Thursdays at 1pm PT Port Perry Radio in Port Perry, Ontario Thursdays at 1pm ET Notes: 1) http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-eurasian-chessboard-brzezinski-mapped-out-th e-battle-for-ukraine-in-1997/5373707 2) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/crimea-referendum-final-results_n_49 77250.html 3) http://rt.com/news/crimea-vote-join-russia-210/ 4) http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26659578 5) http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26672089 ==================================================================== Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopnato/messages Stop NATO website and articles: http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com Time to end the condoning of Ukrainian Right Sector militants, Svoboda activists - Lavrov - Interfax www.interfax.com March 20 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told United States Secretary of State John Kerry by telephone on Thursday that Washington should st op condoning Ukrainian nationalists and extremists.