Vladimir Putin is given 'one last chance' as world fury mounts over flight MH17

[LiberalEsto]

From The Guardian
Shaun Walker in Kiev, Oksana Grytsenko in Grabovo, and Philip Oltermann in Berlin
The Observer, Saturday 19 July 2014 13.17 EDT

Link: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/20/malaysia-airlines-mh17-crash-russia-victims-ukraine

"Dutch PM describes armed rebels' behaviour in blocking access to crash site as 'revolting'"

"Global leaders rounded on Vladimir Putin on Saturday night as armed separatists continued to block international inspectors attempting to identify and repatriate bodies at the Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash site in eastern Ukraine.

Amid reports that pro-Russia rebels accused of shooting down the plane had removed corpses themselves and were looting credit cards and other possessions belonging to some of the 298 victims, Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said that Putin had "one last chance to show he means to help [rescuers recover the bodies]".

Rutte vented his anger following what he called a "very intense" conversation with the Russian president. Referring to allegations that bodies of the passengers, including 193 Dutch nationals, were being treated with contempt and allowed to rot at the scene, he said: "I was shocked at the pictures of utterly disrespectful behaviour at this tragic spot. It's revolting."

David Cameron called for the EU and the west to change its approach to Russia if Putin does not alter course on Ukraine following the tragedy. The prime minister said: "This is a direct result of Russia destabilising a sovereign state, violating its territorial integrity, backing thuggish militias, and training and arming them. We must turn this moment of outrage into a moment of action." "

[randome]

1. He thinks he's a tough guy when the reality is he's embarrassingly incompetent.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/game-changer--5

In a paradoxical way, I think the future ramifications of this are almost greater because it is about Russia's recklessness and bumbling than it would be if it were more clearly a matter of intent. This is a f'-up on Putin's part of almost mind-boggling proportions. Yes, a tragedy. Yes, perhaps an atrocity. But almost more threatening, a screw up. Malign intent is one thing. So is aggression. But goofs of this magnitude by someone who controls a massive military arsenal and nuclear weapons are in a way more threatening.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Cha]

25. That was compelling from Josh Marshall.. thanks randome

[roguevalley]

28. he is russia's dubya. all thiss and credit card thefr to. eighty kids. eighty.

[The Magistrate]

27. Indeed, Sir

"It was worse than a crime. It was a blunder."

[riverwalker]

2. rumors of a US/Dutch operation from Poland

to secure the crash site appearing on Twitter.

This newspaper in Netherlands reported as the source:

http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/archives/buitenland/2014/07/nederland-en-vs-bereiden-invasie-voor

I ran it through Google translate

Netherlands and U.S. prepare for invasion'


Mark Rutte a diplomatic guideline may have done for the outside Vladimir Putin behind the scenes is a Plan B forged. Together with the United States That report sources of Spitsnieuws.nl in Poland, which are close to the U.S. Embassy.

At about twenty kilometers from the Polish capital Warsaw Dutch, but most American troops prepare according to our sources for an invasion in the area where the wreckage of Thursday flight MH17 Malaysia Airlines came down. Thereby may possibly also Dutch F-16s are deployed, these perform normally patrol flights over the Baltic states from. Both the Dutch and U.S. authorities have so far not been expressed about a plan B.

Plan B
Both Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans afternoon gave separately to the situation surrounding the plane crash in eastern Ukraine by wanting to solve. diplomatic channels Meanwhile, would therefore also been working on a plan B.

Military action does not sound very credible after the harsh words which President Barack Obama spoke yesterday evening. May be that once Washington has sufficient cause, the crash site by soldiers will be taken, screened and marauding separatists are arrested adopted. Then normal, independent research can be carried out and the remains of the passengers of the flight disaster are correctly recovered.

UPDATE July 20 0:24 The U.S., Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, a major non-NATO ally status granted. Exchange of military assistance, including defense systems and small artillery, and intelligence to be made easily.

[joshcryer]

4. Igor is shitting himself over the new found resolve.

His latest postings are of a defeated rebel group.

This thing should be over in a week.

[LiberalEsto]

5. oh shit

I would hate to see more bloodshed

[joshcryer]

14. Unfortunately the rebels won't go out without taking innocents with them.

[LiberalEsto]

15. Unless Darth Putin issues orders to the contrary

One can but hope

[joshcryer]

17. They have no escape route to Russia now.

So they have nothing to lose...

[riverwalker]

13. so far, that is the only source

but this is interesting.

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has called his Dutch counterpart Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=16836&source=GovDelivery …

[Igel]

19. Won't happen.

Story will sink and be forgotten along with so many other stories that should never have been written.

[awake]

3. I hope the EU move to act

The sooner the screws are tighten the better. If the EU waits too long it will be getting close to winter and thy might get cold feet wiring about gas prices.

[Cha]

6. It's so Messed up! The ones who shot the air missle are the ones guarding the

the crash site.. potentially wiping out evidence of their involvement. Own up to it, Vlad.

Russia attempting to hide proof of involvement in terrorist act in Ukrainian skies – SBU

http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/07/19/russia-attempting-to-hide-proof-of-involvement-in-terrorist-act-in-ukrainian-skies-sbu/

thanks for the post, LE

[geek tragedy]

7. We'll see how much Brazil and India value human decency soon enough. nt

[William769]

8. Kick & recommended.

[roamer65]

9. August 1914...er...2014.

Military action will probably ignite war. Seems like around the world right now, things are just waiting for the "spark" to make it global.

[geek tragedy]

10. No, just sector- level sanctions and travel bans.

You could even see Putin banned from using European and North American airspace. No more UN sessions etc.

[Itchinjim]

16. Pffft.

DU is so silly sometimes...

[Rex]

11. Since when do dictators care about what others want?

Means to help others? Vladimir Putin? REALLY?

[riverwalker]

12. this is like 9/11 for the Dutch

http://www.vox.com/2014/7/18/5915193/a-greater-share-of-netherlands-population-was-killed-than-the-us/in/5677250

MH17 claimed a bigger share of the Dutch population than 9/11 did in the US

There's a particularly sobering statistic that emphasizes the magnitude of this tragedy: with the reported death count now including 189 passengers from the Netherlands, the MH17 crash has claimed the lives of a greater share of the country's population than the September 11th attacks did in the US.

The people lost onboard MH17 represent approximately .0011 percent of the total Dutch population of 16.8 million.

Many more Americans were killed in the 9/11 attacks — 2,624 in total — but because the US population is so much larger (it was roughly 285 million in 2001), the death toll represented .0009 percent of the overall population.

Obviously, it's impossible to compare the immensity of two tragedies like these, but it shows just how much of an impact the crash will have on the small country.

[joshcryer]

18. That's devastating.

And to think they are dragging the bodies around and not allowing access to the scene. Looting, covering it up, getting rid of evidence.

[MH1]

30. To think they left the bodies to rot for two days. It's obscene.

The whole behavior of the "rebels" about this tragedy are appalling and obscene.

If they had any hope of sympathy from anyone in the West they sure are destroying it.

[Igel]

20. It's more than that, though.

9/11 was no accident. The guys on the planes knew what they were doing. They'd planned it. They had their targets. And they struck their targets, for the most part.

Had they struck all their targets the carnage would have been even worse.

It's not just the outcome. It's the purposefulness, it's the intent, it's the hate and the attempted victimization.


This was intentional only in the sense that somebody said, "Hey, there's a plane ... Target it and shoot it down."

It's not intentional in that it's highly likely *nobody* said, "They, there's a civilian plane from another country ... Target it and shoot it down."

Most people know the difference. What's happening now, though--the attitude over the corpses, the claims that 50 bags of corpse (or 50 corpses) have been removed, the alleged looting of the bodies, even the most recent claim from an activist by the name of Snegirev that the black boxes are in Gorlovka/Horlivka waiting to be sent to Russia ... That's going to produce a lot of rage, and should.

[tclambert]

21. Remember when the Republicans wished Obama was more like Putin?

[heaven05]

22. he is a thug

this putin guy. Russian separatists? Animals and despicable human beings.

[ellie]

23. That's right Putin, you asshole

Alienate everyone and have the world as your enemy.

[Historic NY]

24. Screw him, its time to seize ALL Russian assets in the US...

to hold them for reparations for the victims.

[fujiyama]

26. I have a feeling the Europeans are going to open up fracking on a large scale

I don't blame them really. Being beholden to Russia for your energy needs isn't a pleasant situation to be in. Look at Ukraine. They've been cut off from their natural gas supply. Come winter, things will get really nasty. Granted, fracking won't happen overnight and neither will American exports.

Putin known his country has little else the world wants - well other than that and some old military equipment. But even the Indians are looking for other military suppliers (they're about to close in on French Rafale fighter jets) and China is becoming more independent in building their own equipment.

Putin is a barbaric and insecure thug. He has no grand strategy. I'm convinced most of his actions are for domestic consumption. He has backed Assad for similar reasons - to look tough in front of the West. But the reality is, he's just isolating the country further. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[grahamhgreen]

29. If they don't have access, how do they know it was looted???