Ukraine: Wither, Dither and Boom?

I retired that word, so you will not see me use it.

Aid to Ukraine.  The Euros promised $15 billion.  The US promised $1 billion. The IMF has not decided.  However, the World Bank has stated they will loan $3 billion for infrastructure in Ukraine this year.  That brings the total promised so far to $19 billion and the IMF may give as much as the Euros.  Unfortunately, there are two bits.  The first is that the US House and Senate are at loggerheads over IMF funding.  The Senate passed and attached some IMF reform to the Ukraine aid bill.  The House supports the aid, but not the reform.  This could cause problems.  I hope they realize how damned important this is right now and find a way through this fast.  The second bit, which is more amusing than bad, is Putin has stated it is illegal for the US or West to loan Ukraine money, specifically its against treaties.  *snork*

Ukraine is perilously close to going bankrupt.  They need financial aid immediately.

Obama says Ukraine has the full backing of the United States.  Prove it!  Get the House and Senate to move their rumps, Mr President.

From what it looks like the build up of Russian forces on the east and northeastern borders continues.

In Crimea, things remain dicey.  The Russians take over small posts.  The Marines and others are left alone.  The former is probably wise for the Russians. More troops continue to move into the Peninsula.  The Russians have shutdown the internet and all Ukrainian language tv channels.  They have also stopped all flights except to Moscow.

The anglophone russian apologists are starting to come round.  They are starting to say both sides are nuts rather than simply claim the West is the source of the problem and Kiev is evil.  Let me say there are NO ANGELS in this.  We have our problems.  The Russians have theirs.  yanukovich was a son of a biscuit though.  50% of a GDP over three years is astounding.  Doug once told a 'joke' about a dictator who took 100%.  Had Yanukovich not been ousted, Ukraine was headed that way.

 The Poles and Ukrainians have planned an air force exercise in May.  I hope this is on Ukrainian soil. The Poles keep reminding me of Stephen.  You can figure out the rest of what I mean.  Good for them, btw.

Yanukovich is not dead.  Oh the travesty of rumors which make us hope.  He's CEARLY delusional though.

The Crimean Tatars are all but saying "Over our dead bodies" that they will be Russian again.  I hope that won't happen.  In either interpretation of that.

Rumors are that TIMOSHENKO'S accounts are being unveiled.  I certainly hope so.  She's a snake.  I keep calling her Ann Coulter with a Ukrainian hairdo.  Her nastiness (and Yuschenko's) were why we are in this mess in the first place.  Its also why Yatsenyuk and Turchynov are handling this so much better: they learned from the idiocy of the Orange Revolution. 

Lots of people are saying there will be a civil war.  If anything it will be the mainland against the twits in Crimea.  

The funny bit for the day is the folks in Odessa.   They made a funny "Putin Go Home" Video.  Now they showed up at the Russian consulate and started draping pasta all over fence.  In Russian, apparently, 'hanging noodles on ears' means lying or you are in the act of lying.

At any rate, my bet is the endgame for Putin is another Frozen conflict.  He has a different way then to manipulate Ukraine and prevent it from getting into the EU and possibly NATO (though doubtful that last any time soon under ANY circumstances).  People smarter than I have concurred.  My only worry is he might pull the trigger and go for south and east Ukraine.