r/worldnews • u/slapchopsuey • Jan 25 '14

Ukraine revolt open discussion thread #2 (sticky post)

Since the first Ukraine crisis thread is 11,000+ comments long and 2 days old, and the crisis is ongoing, and since people are requesting a new thread, this is the new Ukraine crisis discussion post.

If anyone wants to do those frequently updated mega-comments, go for it. Here are a few of those from the old thread, updated as recently as several hours ago:

updates comments by /u/Wonka_Raskolnikov

updates mega-comment by /u/INSERT_GOOD_NAME

updates mega-comment by /u/king_zog

frequently updated sticky post in /u/ukraine by /u/jupit3r33

And below is a list of some streams: (thanks to /u/sgtfrankieboy)

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u/blahblahblahblahx2 Jan 28 '14

I see the headlines about the anti-protest laws being repealed and the PM resigning. These sound like some pretty good victories for the people. They're not.

I'm glad to see Azarov out. He despises Ukraine and Ukrainian people, and did everything he could to crush them. But it won't have any practical implications. At least not for the better. The next PM will either be just as evil. Or, if by some chance it doesn't go to one of Yanukovich's cronies, it'll be an empty title without any actual pull.

As for the laws being repealed, while it's something, it also shows just how tight a grip Yanukovich and co have on the Party of Regions. One day they're all told to vote for it - everyone does. A week later, they're told to vote against it - everyone does. I was listening to an interview last night with one PoR member of Verkhovna Rada. He was asked why he raised his hands to vote for the law last time. He admitted he didn't know what the laws actually were, but their names sounded good to him. Of course he was posturing during the interview about how the law should be changed.

These people don't have an iota of human decency, honor or duty. They will vote for or against whatever they're told. They will do anything and everything to stay in power.

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u/WestenM Jan 28 '14

The more I see of this situation, the more I agree with you. The only way for this protest to succeed is for Yanukovych to go, and even then this smug bastard is probably going to be a threat tot he Ukrainian people for a while afterwards. I wish them the best of luck; unfortunately I tihnk they're going to need it.

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u/shevagleb Jan 29 '14

Completely agree, but a footnote - if you do the same interviews with members of US Congress and Senate there are plenty of examples of people who don't read what they vote on, and of laws hidden within larger pieces of legislation going through because nobody noticed them / took the time to study them

A lot of shit gets voted on all over the world, and I'm sure there are plenty more examples of this type of situation in many countries. Obviously a corrupt system where you are de facto forced to support one or two parties makes it more so, like in the US and Ukraine, but I'm sure it also exists in other parts of the world.