{"id":139428,"date":"2014-09-18T15:52:21","date_gmt":"2014-09-18T15:52:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/?p=139428"},"modified":"2014-09-18T15:52:21","modified_gmt":"2014-09-18T15:52:21","slug":"ukraines-president-ottawa-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/editorials\/ukraines-president-ottawa-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine’s President in Ottawa and Washington"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stephen Lendman<\/em>
\nRINF Alternative News<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Petro Poroshenko is Washington’s man. He has no legitimacy whatever.<\/p>\n

He replaced ousted democratically elected President Victor Yanukovych. He represents putschist power.<\/p>\n

He’s an oligarch billionaire. He made his money the old-fashioned way.<\/p>\n

He’s anti-democratic, fascist, lawless, neoliberal, confrontational and belligerent.<\/p>\n

He waged war without mercy on his own people. He murdered them in cold blood. He ravaged their Southeastern communities.<\/p>\n

He caused unspeakable human misery. He knows who’s boss. He obeys marching orders from Washington.<\/p>\n

Obama calls Ukraine’s fascist government “democratic.” John Kerry called Poroshenko’s election “historic.”<\/p>\n

“The successful conduct of these elections reaffirms Ukraine’s commitment to the democratic process,” he said.<\/p>\n

“The United States will continue to work with the people of Ukraine and the newly elected president to build on this victory for democracy.”<\/p>\n

Poroshenko helped bankroll Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution. Washington’s dirty hands bore full responsibility.<\/p>\n

Color revolutions are a US specialty. At issue is replacing independent governments with pro-Western stooge ones.<\/p>\n

From November 2013 through February’s coup, Poroshenko helped bankroll Kiev putschists.<\/p>\n

On March 29, 2014, he announced his candidacy for president. On May 25, he was elected with a 54.4% majority.<\/p>\n

He supports joining NATO. Not now. He favors later. Whenever Washington says it’s OK.<\/p>\n

Expect Poroshenko to remain Ukraine’s president as long as he remembers who’s boss. Fascist regimes support each other.<\/p>\n

On September 17, he addressed a joint session of Canada’s parliament.<\/p>\n

The National Post called his comments “moving, historic.” It was delivered “(a)mid waves of thunderous applause from gathered MPs and senators,” it said.<\/p>\n

Right-wing Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomed Poroshenko. They strode together down Parliament Hill’s Hall of Honour.<\/p>\n

They discussed ways to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity. To prevent democracy. To keep blaming Russia for Kiev’s crimes.<\/p>\n

Harper said “we’re greatly honored that you’re able to share this time with us on your visit to North America and to give us the opportunity to express our support for your government and for your country.”<\/p>\n

He pledged Canada’s help to fight “Russian aggression.” He said “whether it takes five months or 50 years.”<\/p>\n

He was the first Western leader to visit Poroshenko. He attended his June inauguration.<\/p>\n

“This is not to us just a matter of international law or political principle,” he said.<\/p>\n

“This is matter of kinship. This is matter of family. This is personal, and we will stand by you.”<\/p>\n

Canadian media said both leaders exchanged warm greetings. They affirmed their mutual solidarity and support.<\/p>\n

Harper gave Poroshenko a red-carpet welcome to Centre Block. It’s on Parliament Hill. It contains Canada’s House of Commons and Senate.<\/p>\n

Its prominent ceremonial spaces include the Hall of Honour, Memorial Chamber and Confederation Hall.<\/p>\n

Poroshenko called Canada one of Ukraine’s closest partners.<\/p>\n

“We consider, following your words, that Canada is the most Ukrainian country outside Ukraine,” he said.<\/p>\n

“In this very difficult time, we count on your solidarity with us.”<\/p>\n

He thanked Canada for its “unwavering support.” Ukraine “crossed the Rubicon” to a Western future, he said.<\/p>\n

It’s “bleeding for its independence and its territorial integrity.”<\/p>\n

He blamed what he called Russian “terrorism.” He shamelessly called Kiev’s war without mercy “a war against terror.”<\/p>\n

Ukraine is united with its Western allies, he said. It wants to end violence and restore peace, he claimed.<\/p>\n

Poroshenko waged premeditated war against his own people. He did so to maintain fascist rule.<\/p>\n

To enforce police state harshness. To crush democratic freedoms. To prevent Ukraine from becoming democratic at all costs.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Poroshenko arrives in Washington. He seeks pledges of more support.<\/p>\n

He’ll meet with Obama at the White House. He’ll address a joint session of Congress.<\/p>\n

Days earlier, US House Speaker John Boehner announced it, saying:<\/p>\n

“Having President Poroshenko address Congress is another signal of our steadfast commitment to the aspirations of his people.”<\/p>\n

“It will be an honor and a privilege to welcome him to the United States Capitol.”<\/p>\n

Before embarking on a three-day North American tour, Kiev’s foreign minister Pavlo Klimkin said:<\/p>\n

“There is a sense\u2026in the Ukrainian public and Ukrainian society that both the US and the EU are not doing enough to support the Ukrainian case.”<\/p>\n

He claimed Ukrainians “feel themselves on the front of a real fight for European values, for freedom.”<\/p>\n

He’s hopeful for more aid. He wants weapons and advanced military technology. He wants more financial aid for Ukraine’s crippled economy.<\/p>\n

He wants more IMF funding. It comes with strings no responsible government should accept.<\/p>\n

It’s hugely exploitive. It’s the loan shark of last resort. It’s financial terrorism writ large. Its diktats demand:<\/p>\n

privatizing state enterprises;<\/p>\n

selling them at fire sale prices;<\/p>\n

mass layoffs;<\/p>\n

deep social spending cuts;<\/p>\n

deregulation;<\/p>\n

Western corporations given unrestricted market access;<\/p>\n

corporate friendly tax cuts;<\/p>\n

tax increases on ordinary citizens;<\/p>\n

trade unionism marginalized or crushed; and<\/p>\n

harsh crackdowns on resisters.<\/p>\n

Democratic values don’t matter. Human needs go begging. Countries forfeit their material wealth and resources.<\/p>\n

Fundamental freedoms vanish in plain sight. A race to the bottom follows.<\/p>\n

Workers become serfs. Economies are financialized into debt bondage. Doing so transforms them into dystopian backwaters.<\/p>\n

Debt service overrides national sovereignty. Poverty, unemployment and deprivation follow.<\/p>\n

So do out-of-control corruption, cronyism, and government of, by and for the privileged few alone.<\/p>\n

In recent weeks, various US lawmakers visited Ukraine. Senior Democrats and Republicans want Obama to authorize lethal aid.<\/p>\n

US-led NATO trains Ukraine’s military for war. Arms and munitions are supplied. According to Ukraine’s defense minister Valery Heletey:<\/p>\n

“I have no right to disclose any specific country we reached that agreement with.”<\/p>\n

“(B)ut the fact is that those weapons are already on the way to us. To stop Putin we need weapons.”<\/p>\n

Despite September’s ceasefire agreement, Donetsk region fighting continues.<\/p>\n

It’s sporadic. It could resume full-blown any time. Expect it at Washington’s discretion.<\/p>\n

Obama rejects democracy at home and abroad. He’s against limited Southeastern Ukrainian autonomy.<\/p>\n

He wants fascist rule institutionalized nationwide. He wants fundamental freedoms crushed.<\/p>\n

He wants unchallenged control over Washington’s newest colony.<\/p>\n

Poroshenko’s North American tour was strategically timed. Parliamentary elections are five weeks away. They’ll be held on October 26.<\/p>\n

Expect hardliners to retain control. They blame Russia for their own crimes.<\/p>\n

Kiev’s Center for Social Relationships political analyst Evgeny Magda called Poroshenko’s Washington visit important.<\/p>\n

“Ukrainians need to know they’re not alone,” he said.<\/p>\n

White House officials called his visit a message to Russia about US support for its former republic.<\/p>\n

According to Obama spokesman Josh Earnest:<\/p>\n

“The picture of President Poroshenko sitting in the Oval Office will be worth at least a thousand words – both in English and Russian.”<\/p>\n

He’ll return home with marching orders. Expect more military aid.<\/p>\n

Expect Southeastern Ukrainian conflict to resume at Washington’s discretion. Expect the region to remain on the boil.<\/p>\n

Expect potential East\/West confrontation. Perhaps the unthinkable will follow.<\/p>\n

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.<\/p>\n

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanIII.html<\/p>\n

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.<\/p>\n

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.<\/p>\n

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stephen Lendman RINF Alternative News Petro Poroshenko is Washington’s man. He has no legitimacy whatever. He replaced ousted democratically elected President Victor Yanukovych. He represents putschist power. He’s an oligarch billionaire. He made his money the old-fashioned way. He’s anti-democratic, fascist, lawless, neoliberal, confrontational and belligerent. He waged war without mercy on his own people. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":131923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[461],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-139428","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-editorials"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139428"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139428\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}