Musings from Odessa to Monica
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Transdniestria, as noted by me several times, is physically very close to Odessa, the major Ukrainian port city on the Black Sea near Romania just across the Danube Delta. This week saw the local police stand down as demonstrators took over some buildings. Ukraine threatened moving special forces into the area due to the demonstrations and police inaction. Russia seemingly blinked by agreeing in principle to postponing or canceling next week’s independence referendum in eastern Ukraine. At the same time, in a new shift of policy, Putin…” said he backed the May 25 Presidential election as a “step in the right direction.” Russia announced today that they have removed forces from the border with Ukraine. The U.S., so far, has said that they have seen no evidence of troop movement. Stay tuned and watch closely.
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Putin is a master of talking out of both sides of his mouth. In speaking about the Presidential election upcoming in Ukraine, Moscow also menacingly noted according to BBC: “… it (Moscow) will protect the rights of the largely Russian-speaking people in the south and east against what it calls an undemocratic government in Kiev.”
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Speaking of upcoming elections, don’t forget the presidential election in Egypt is scheduled for May 26 and 27. Unquestionably, Abdul Fatah al-Sissi will emerge the winner. The only question is whether there will be a run-off. I’m betting no. al-Sissi, meanwhile, swears that if elected, The Muslim Brotherhood will cease to exist. Shades of Hosni Mubarak. BTW, I doubt al-Sissi will be able to keep his vow.
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Benghazi is becoming a Republican mantra as they seek to tarnish Hillary with this scandal.
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Homs, dubbed the “capital of the revolution” in Syria, fell today to government forces. “How the mighty have fallen.” Before the Ukrainian Crisis and Monica’s need to remind us of the black beret and the purple dress, this story would have been on the front pages of the news.
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Speaking of scandals—am I the only one who is viewing with skepticism Monica Lewinsky’s need to come clean with a back-handed complislap aimed at Hillary? Does anyone remember how manipulated she was by Conservative activists last time. Expect quite a dirty campaign if Hillary decides to run as is expected. I know…so what else is new?