Solidarity

You are the one who fails to provide the facts and evidence to back up your claims. If you are so well informed, put together a compelling case for your claims. Your last effort really didn't really have any substance to it. Reading the media, it even appears BEL/KAZ could benefit from these food sanctions! (http://www.freshfruitportal.com/2014/08/07/russia-looks-to-kazakhstan-belarus-after-food-import-ban/?country=others) excerpt Tengrinews correspondent reports citing the head of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan Ablai Myrzakhmetov. "The President has clearly stated Kazakhstan's position: we stand for a peaceful resolution [of the conflict in Ukraine] and support a constructive dialogue. However, we see some new opportunities emerging. You have witnessed Russia introduce sanctions against traditional suppliers of food products, fruit and vegetables, such as Moldova and Poland. Clearly, Russia will try to develop its own production, but for us, too, there are opportunities in the areas that will be hit by the sanctions. [We should] increase our production of these goods, especially of agricultural products, which is achievable," Myrzakhmetov said at the yesterday's briefing in the Central Communications Service headquarters. For more information see: http://en.tengrinews.kz/politics_sub/Kazakhstan-sees-opportunity-as-Putin-bans-Western-food-import-255243/ Use of the Tengrinews English materials must be accompanied by a hyperlink to en.Tengrinews.kz Interestingly a parallel to the argument you make regarding the Eurasian Customs Union is that EU member states were forced to take steps for sanctions which they would not have engaged in on their own. For example Greece and Serbia certainly wouldn't sanction Russia if they were not obligated to by their EU membership. This is irrelevant to the main issue that you have yet to provide any persuasive proof of your claims. Until you provide some, your claim that I am ignorant reeks of intellectual dishonesty. How about you try and put up a post of substance?

Pretty much nowhere did I state we should suck up to dictators or stick our thumb in the eye of the Americans. That was a huge leap by you to put words in my mouth. I think that Canada is so intertwined with America that we should have co-operation with them and align closely on many issues. However unless you consider remaining un-involved in the Ukraine, and not sanctioning Russia to be sucking up to them and thumbing the eyes of the Americans, I fail to see your point. If that is the case its tough to think see how Canada has any independence of policy, if it would lead to some sort of retaliation from the Americans for straying from their policy. Canada remained uninvolved in Iraq, a much larger 'kinetic action' than anything west/russia related has escalated to, and that didn't seem to have any tangible effects on our relationship. If you have some other explanation than enforcing western hegemony for the the constant meddling in internal affairs, overthrowing of foreign governments, support of brutal dictators, arms trafficking to rebels/terrorists/dictators/monarchies(Saudis), flat out Invasion and decimation of countries by NATO/USA I would be interested in hearing it. If it involves spreading democracy or freedom I would be less interested. Where is this doctrine of expansion by tank fire in practice? The last time the Russian army was in combat was Georgia? An action the EU official report blamed Georgia for. Meanwhile Nato Drones and Planes are involved in Yemen/Iraq/Afghanistan/Libya/Pakistan/Somalia and possibly other places over the same time frame. If you blame Russia for the Ukrainian civil war I ask whether you consider the Maidan Revolution and the current Kiev government as wholly legitimate? I further would ask your opinion of their indiscriminate shelling of Donetsk and Luhansk that have led to a massive humanitarian crisis in the region. What about the current government using the military to clear out demonstrations in Maidan Square against Poroshenko today and yesterday? Have the South American countries embarrassed themselves in front of the world by not Sanctioning Russia? What about the African and Middle Eastern countries such as turkey? What about India? Where was the Canadian Interest in destroying Libyan society, and fueling the fratricidal conflict which is tearing apart and bankrupting Ukraine? I implore you to answer these questions. In my view there is simply no Canadian interest other than making sure team Nato-USA wins again, and gets influence over another little chunk of the world. I'd be interested in hearing your perspective on what the Canadian benefit is to involving ourselves in these conflicts. The idea that Harper and crew isn't co-ordinating with the USA on foreign policy, and doesn't call up the relevant American representative before taking a significant foreign policy position is laughable to anyone with an idea of how politics and international relations work. I'd also challenge you to find a significant issue of foreign policy where the current Canadian Gov't has taken a stance counter to the official American position. We can still work with the Americans, we just don't need to work SO closely with them that we get dragged along into quagmires like Libya and the Ukraine.

He's also the leader of the second most populous country, and most populous democracy in the world. His opinion has significant real world importance and implications.

How about a quote from some senior government officials from Belarus or Kaz. Or a quote from a leading commercial or societal organization in either of those countries. Those would be a lot more convincing than foreign language articles from a Ukrainian and a German news site. Not only that but the translation of the article I read (The German one, didn't even bother reading the Ukrainian site) held little of anything to support your position. From the German article. As pointed out by the Belarusian news agency "Belta" meeting was held on the initiative of the Russian side. Putin Lukashenko informed on economic measures and called on Belarus to take "understanding" to the steps "taken in the interests of Russia's economic security." In turn, President of Belarus promised to ensure "full transparency on the border in the spirit of partnership," the press service of the Belarusian president. So thanks for the links I guess? If you are trying to convince me you are going to have to do a lot better than that. Perhaps putting together an actual analysis based on facts would be a start. In our discussion you have failed to provide facts or evidence to support your statements and rhetoric. It's starting to feel like you are simply throwing ideas at the proverbial wall and hoping something sticks.

Indian PM Modi at recent meetings in Fortaleza “If you ask anyone among the more than one billion people living in India who is our country’s greatest friend, every person, every child knows that it is Russia. Everyone knows that Russia has always stood side by side with India during the toughest moments and without demanding anything in return,” Modi told Putin. China and Russia just recently signed a $400 bln dollar gas contract, china and India a $40bln gas contract. Russia recently inked a 2 Billion dollar contract to import military electronics from China, and the two countries maintain significant military and economic ties, with China being Russias largest trading partner. In the recent Russian tank biathalon competition being held, which western teams including GER, USA, ITA backed out of due to political pressure, India and China still sent teams. To claim there is no friendship or alliance Russia and India/China is strange, and I have only touched on a mountain of evidence of their co-operation economically and politically. What you say about belorussia is factually false, Belorussia has in fact been sanctioning Ukranian products and maintains a freed trade agreement with Russia, in fact Belarus stands to gain from the Euro sanctions through increased agricultural demand from russia and 'grey' trading of EU goods repackaged as Belourussian Goods. I have not read anything about Kazakstan, but the situation seems identical. Since neither Bel/Kaz are sanctioning or being sanctioned by russia it's hard to understand how the embargo would be a 'humiliation,' and unless you provide some evidence for the claim it is not convincing.

Russia has friends, the BRICS, most of the Stans, some of the non alligned countries, ie venezuela, cuba, along with Syria and Libya before they were 'liberated'. Even Europe was doing a large amount of trade with Russia,. Your perception of Putin's motivations is simplistic and far removed from reality.

When it comes to issues of national security and potential crimes by the state these guys collude more than Canadian Telecoms. I have no doubt if there was any wrongdoing it would be covered up and buried. It's so that nobody powerful ever gets prosecuted, and it's why Obama chose to 'look forward, not backwards' instead of prosecuting members of the Bush regime for their illegal war and torture.

The best way to prevent problems arising about Artic resources, is to ramp up tensions with Russia? You realize we will have to beg Nato (The Americans) for help the second Russia takes an aggressive stance? None of these Nato expiditions in Libya, Afghanistan, Ukraine have done anything to further Canadian Interests. They have served to export instability, suffering, and poverty to those regions, draining men and resources out of Canada while undermining Canadian credibility internationally. I still believe there is hope for a better future in Afghanistan, at least better than the hellhole it has been since the mujahadeen kicked the Soviets out, but our intervention certainly has had dramatic and deadly consequences. On the other hand, Libya is being transformed in front of our eyes from the Richest nation in africa per capita, with one of the highest standards of living, into a lawless war-zone with a non-functioning economy other than the oil exports controlled by whom exactly? Western Firms and Libyan/Islamic Warlords? That alone is a crime against humanity, perpetrated with the co-operation of our nation, and Nato (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/03/libya-freedom-now-flee-new-chaos). At this point in time its tough to understand how alligning ourselves so closely with American foreign policy is beneficial to Canadians. Yes they are by far the most important country in the world for Canada, but their constant interventionism and imperialistic ambitions clearly have damaging affects on people across the globe (Iran/Iraq/Vietnam/Nicaragua/Chile/Argentina the list goes on). Obviously the Russians have their own ambitions, but a non-alligned or at least somewhat independant Canada would allow more manouverability in foriegn affairs. For example if Canada remained neutral in the current Ukraine/Russia tensions and sanction escalation this would improve relations between the two nations and allow for a more equitable and friendly agreement to be reached when serious exploration of the Arctic Energy resources begins. Of course first you may need to cast aside the flawed narrative that the Russians are the new evil boogeymen out to conquor the world who will stop at nothing and subjugate any people who stand in their path. This is the exact sort of crap that, lets be honest, the US, US allies, and Western based media have been pushing since the Maidan revolution, with a level of evidence of Russian crimes that really does not back up the rhetoric they spew. If you simply look at the number of countries the USA/allies have messed around in, compared to the Russians, we win by a landslide. If they are a threat to the world because of Crimea and the Ukraine, what are we because of Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan? The fact is that the Ukrane civil war is a complex, fratricidal conflict mainly between ethnic russians and ethnic ukranians, with a small dose of mercs on both sides, being pushed on by geopolitical factions, and its right on Russias doorstep. From on-location news reports as well as social media videos/posts the evidence is undeniable that the Ukranian army is causing the majority of civilian death, and have even been shelling the cities of donetsk and luhansk practically indescriminately, not quite as severe, but still reminicent of the Russian treatment of Grozny. The irony that we are now supporting this criminal military action while barking about the evil Russians goes practically unnoticed amongst the general public, at least in my experience. IMO In the current arrangement, we in essence we surrender our foreign policy independence to make sure we are in the most powerful alliance. Is this current arrangement best for the long term growth and health of our nation? I'm not so sure, we cannot escape the history we write for Canada.