In watching the video below it is demonstrated the soldiers know exactly what they are doing. There are no mistakes. The soldiers are well trained.

They use RPGs to drive any opposition back. Once that is done to their satisfaction, they look for opportunity to move forward with rifles to clean up what the RPGs didn't kill. Then the soldiers just move on to the next row of homes or another village. I looks as though they are taking villages a street at a time. Block by block.

There is a reason Putin pulled it's navy from Syria. He had made other plans. He knew NATO would not simply allow Russia to march across the former Soviet states. He needed to intimidate Europe.

The sanctions matter, but, if the allegations of genocide prove out, then Putin and his military already has a price on their heads. Life is more important than money.

The occupation of Ukraine by Russia has been taking place for some time now.

Staunton, October 16 – Citing the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty (click here) between Moscow and Helsinki, Russia took control of a 1.78 hectare undeveloped parcel of land in Finland’s Aaland Islands in 2009 and transferred it to Vladimir Putin’s office, according to Jarmo Ratia, a former Finnish official who said he was talking now because of “changes in the international situation.”

Ratia’s statement was reported October 15 by Finnish television, which added that in 2009, the Russian consul in Marienham approached Finnish officials about this. Finnish officials did not challenge that claim but handed over the parcel — although they did not publicize their action....

January 9, 2015
Kommersant
By Catherine A. Fitzpatrick

There has been a horrific discovery in Stavropol,(click here) less than 300km from Sochi. Kommersant reports that 6 people (the BBC says 5) have been found shot to death in 5 cars, and an improvised explosive device has gone off near one of the cars. The BBC adds that authorities have already identified some suspects, and those men have ties to Islamic terrorism:

According to the Russian news website Life News, which has close links to the security forces, three suspects from the neighbouring region of Kabardino-Balkaria are being sought by police.
Two of the men named are already on a Russian federal wanted list for the murder of a hunter last year. and are said to be members of an Islamist militant group.

Kommersant reports that vehicles entering the territory will now be inspected....

The occupation began under Yanukovych. The people of these lands are reporting genocide of ethnicities. When these facts are confirmed it places Russia and it's rebels in the path of human rights abuses and the World Court.

The attacks near Sochi appears to be an attempt to impress on Russia the dissent of those aggrieved.  

The events in the Maidan become more and more clear with the discovery of the history of Russian aggression in these circumstances. 

The conflict is less about economics with Europe, although I am sure it is important; it is saving their own lives. 

May 24, 2014
By Paul Goble

Staunton, May 14 – In another case of blow-back from Moscow’s actions (click here) in Ukraine, activists in Karelia are seeking international recognition of the occupation of their republic and the holding of a referendum on independence, a step they say will end the genocide the Russian authorities have inflicted on the region and restore historical justice.
On their own site, “Stop the Occupation of Karelia,” and in a petition on the site of the US White House, the Karelian activists appeal to the international community to “help return the territory of the Ukhta Democratic Republic into the legal field and to recognize the fact of its occupation”.
In their appeal and petition, the activists also call for an end to “the genocide of the indigenous population of Karelia which has been organized by the authorities of Russia” via the imposition of “unbearable conditions” on the places of “the historic settlement of Karels, Finns, Wepsy and Saami peoples.”
And they also call on all residents of Karelia to view as “illegitimate” the Moscow-imposed authorities in the republic and to set elections for a new president and council of ministers and to support a referendum on restoring the existence and sovereignty of the Ukhta Democratic Republic....

February 10, 2015

BBC

Fighting has surged (click here) in eastern Ukraine as government forces and pro-Russian rebels try to make gains ahead of possible peace talks on Wednesday.

Separatist forces have carried out rocket attacks on a key military headquarters and a residential area in Kramatorsk, officials say.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's volunteer Azov battalion has launched an offensive against separatists around Mariupol.
More than 5,400 people have died since the conflict began last April.
The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany hope to meet in the Belarusian capital Minsk on Wednesday to hammer out a peace deal after months of fighting.
Russia denies Western and Ukrainian accusations of sending troops and supplying the rebels and has warned the West that sending arms to Ukraine would worsen the crisis.
US President Barack Obama said on Monday that he had not ruled out supplying "lethal defensive weapons" to Ukraine if diplomacy failed....

Where are the refugees. Europe was building some housing for them last year. It looks as though they'll need more. 

There is since doubt regarding the extent the rebels will seek to take land. I don't believe they intend to stop. There is no reason for them to stop advancing. They are starting from zero and with every success they will continue to build hatred and desire for more and more. Crimea has proven to be just the beginning.

The peace process is a facade to allow the rebels breathing room to advance.  

Published on Feb 8, 2015

Ukraine War 2015 - Novorossian Rebels In Heavy Clashes And Fighting With Ukrainian Army In Tchernukhino Near Debaltseve. After Novorossian rebels captured the town of Vuhlehirsk they know aim to capture the Ukrainian held town of Debaltseve. Novorossian rebels took positions in the town of Tchernukhino Near Debaltseve where clashes and fighting erupted.

 

There are days worth of cancelled consumer flights.

The Boston Transit system is down.

Severe Weather Update - February 9-10, 2015 (click here)

What to expect when winter weather hits.
On Tuesday, all MBTA rail services (Subway, Trolley, and Commuter Rail) will be suspended all day while maintenance crews continue to clear snow and ice from tracks, the third rail and switches. Mechanical forces will continue to assess the damage done to subway cars, trolleys, locomotives and passenger coaches....
Cancelled flights website (click here). 

The storms are causing financial hardship in the northeast.

February 10, 2015
By Bob Salsberg and Denise Lavoie

...The steady run of winter blasts (click here) has already sucked up over 70 per cent of New Hampshire’s Department of Transportation winter maintenance budget. Rhode Island, too, said Monday’s storm will use up what’s left of its $14 million budget for snow removal and nearly the entire salt stockpile. The mayor of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, said snow removal was eating up so much of the city’s budget that he ordered officials to hold off on hiring new personnel or purchasing non-essential items. Baker has asked Massachusetts lawmakers for an additional $50 million in snow removal funds even as the state grapples with an overall budget deficit of $768 million....

Some towns in Massachusetts have so much snow there is no place to dump it until it melts. They are considering dumping the snow into the ocean.

Australian principals warn the country about schools conducting radicalisation.

February 10, 2015
By Harrieta Cook

A growing number of Victorian schools (click here) are grappling with the radicalisation of students and parents, the Australian Principals Federation has warned.
One Melbourne principal told Fairfax Media two children at their government primary school had parents who were fighting for Islamic State in Syria.
It comes as the Education Department appoints a senior adviser to work with government and non-government schools to promote racial and religious tolerance and social cohesion.
New APF Victorian branch president Peter Kearney said the organisation received frequent inquiries from principals who were struggling to deal with the radicalised behaviour of students and parent....

February 10, 2015
By Nick Mckenzie, Richard Baker and Michael Bachelard

A man police suspect was a mastermind of the Bali Nine (click here) drug importation is living a life of luxury in Sydney while two junior members of his syndicate, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, await the firing squad in Bali.
The man's lavish lifestyle is funded by a multimillion-dollar lottery pay out, which he won about the time the two young Australians, who acted as the local leaders of the syndicate in Bali, were being sentenced to death.
Former senior police sources said the man has previously been the subject of police drug trafficking investigations. He is believed to have halted his criminal activities after he quite literally won the lottery....

The transition must be rough on the Lockheed treasury. Everyone want to buy Lockheed Martin access? Ask Edward what we need to do.

February 10, 2015
By Lia Timson

Lockheed Martin, (click here) missile maker, aerospace giant and defence contractor, wants the world to know it for something else: IT.
The $US33 billion company, already the US Government's second largest IT provider, is ready to compete with IBM and other "tier 1" technology vendors in bidding for more humble projects.
After announcing an engineering hub in Melbourne in September, the company wants Australia to be the launch pad for deals in Asia Pacific, where it has a small, but developing presence.
"We're well on our way to 450 [people] by 2015-2016, we have over 200 in Melbourne right now and some additional resources with the Victoria government," Lockheed Martin vice president, Australian Programs, Julie Dunlap told Fairfax Media.
Canberra-based Dunlap heads the company's Information Services & Global Solutions (ISGS) division in Australia. Globally, ISGS is one of five and the second largest revenue contributor to its coffers - $US8.5 billion in 2013, behind aeronautics....

Guess who is going back to Iraq? Why is this a solution because it isn't. It simply escalates the entire mess.

Here we go again!

February 10, 2015
By Audrey Young
 
New Zealand troops (click here) have been given the go-ahead to begin training for a likely deployment to Iraq.
Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee said the training would take place at Linton and Waiouru.
The work of the 10 military planners assessing a role of New Zealand to fight ISIS in Iraq was not completed, he had agreed to a request by the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Tim Keating, to begin specific training for what Mr Brownlee called a "Building Partners Capacity" role in Iraq.
"this does not pre-empt any cabinet decisions," Mr Brownlee said "but is prudent given defence officials are close to providing final advice on a possible mission."
Contingency training would cover areas such as force protection, cultural awareness and skills relevant to a possible deployment.
Prime Minister John Key said yesterday that a decision could be as close as the last week in February - which is when Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is due in New Zealand for scheduled bilateral talks.
New Zealand has been asked by Australia to contribute 100 troops to work alongside Australia to train Iraqi troops to fight ISIS on the ground.

From Afghanistan back to Iraq, watch the bouncing ball play wack-a-mole. When Iraq is decided to be stable enough to leave, we'll be back to Afghanistan. The forever war.

Who's paying for it? How many more have to die to satisfy the USA Congress? Thirteen and a half years and this again. 

February 10, 2015
By Deb Reichman

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama (click here) is expected — as early as Tuesday — to ask Congress for new war powers, sending Capitol Hill his blueprint for an updated authorization for the use of military force to fight the Islamic State group.

Haggling then begins on writing a new authorization to battle the Sunni extremists, who have seized territory in Iraq and neighboring Syria and imposed a violent form of Sharia law.
That will lead to the first war vote in Congress in 13 years — one of the most important votes faced by members of the House and Senate.
To get Congress to approve his request, Obama must find a balance between lawmakers who want wide authority to fight the Islamic State group and others, including members of his own party, who worry that a new authorization to use military force will lead to U.S. entanglement in another protracted war....

The war assessment is STUCK. The beginning of this IS mess, there were 30 thousand fighters. It has been over a half a year and those 30 thousand are still alive and occupying the lands in Syria and Iraq. It is all propaganda.

The emails aren't all that. There is something like 45 pages with groomed content. (click here) I type at least 45 pages of email a week.

The State of Florida should be tapped with a Freedom of Information Act petition to retrieve all the emails. I would be most interested in any emails and/or memos leading up to the crowning of "W". As a matter of fact the entire of correspondense from the Secretary of State needs to be reviewed as well.

I am not going to waste my time on Judge Moore. He is breaking the law and for the people still unable to obtain a marriage license, they may have grounds for a lawsuit against Moore for pain and suffering.

He is a prime example of a bought and sold judge. His election to the chief judge in Alabama was conducted by the Christian Family Association. They share in the liability.

Yesterday, out of the blue, Senator Ted Cruz stated there are already boots on the ground in the Kurds. He stated the USA could use the Cruds to fight the war.

Correction!

The USA doesn't use anyone. The Kurds are a dedicated people to protect the land where they live. The Kurds live in northeast Iraq. They are not fighting a war for the USA, they are very much fighting a war against killers that would see them dead.

As long as Cruz is focused on the Kurds, he should know they have been having a great deal of trouble obtaining weapons for their efforts. They are not at the top of list for supplies the USA is paying for in Iraq. The Kurds need to receive their own munitions and humanitarian aid from the USA to continue to defeat the killers in the region.

It is necessary for the USA to empower the regional powers t defend their lands because they will be there after the fighting is finished. They will protect their lands and borders forever. It is far better to back a fighting force capable of holding their land then to do it ourselves.

The Economical War

US Congressman Duffy (click here) has the answer to bring the American people into the Middle East with "boots on the ground."

He said the government can't lie and say only 1000 troops are going only to have it escalate and return to a full, fledged war. Additionally, the USA would save money entering a war now in the Middle East than in the future.

According to Duffy, Americans are better off killing people in the Middle East today before the cost increases a decade from now. He states the USA will be attacked sometime in the future so pre-emption allows the USA to fight the mystical war. It is cheaper today to fight the mystical war now.

Where do these people come from to imagineer a war? He needs to stop playing violent games on his cell phone. 

In the days leading up to the invasion that brought about the disaster in the Middle East as it exists today, there were questions as to the number of soldiers required to occupy Iraq after the battle was finished. As a rule generals don't guess 1000 soldiers will begin the war and then it may be an escalation afterward. 

In this question a Congressman realized there would be problems in Iraq after the actual battle ended. How about that, huh? Some people in the USA with power to decide the future of war for the USA knew there would have to be a prolonged occupation. 

The statement by Duffy that the American people are lied to about entering a war is not the issue. The TRUTH was not spoken by the Commander and Chief, he did not allow the United Nation's to determine that there was a reason for entering Iraq. George W. Bush planned to enter a country with a cabal to provide a forever deployment of soldiers.

Bush lied and people died. It would appear they are still dying.