OF THE
TIMES
Buoyed by successes against the separatists over the past two months - and noting that the Russians have threatened an invasion in the region before without following through - Ukrainian commanders have pressed ahead with an offensive to drive the rebels from their stronghold in Donetsk in the east.
The army continued to fire artillery into the city nightly, and paramilitary groups raided outlying villages despite warnings from President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that he could intervene at any time to protect Ukrainians who favor closer ties with his country. And the Ukrainians have flaunted their victories.Shelling populated centers and raiding villages far from its tenuous base of support, does not appear to be Kiev "defending itself," nor in line with the "international norms" frequently cited by Washington, London, and Brussels when justifying "humanitarian interventions" elsewhere throughout the world.
Senior U.S. intelligence officials said Tuesday that Russia was responsible for 'creating the conditions' that led to the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, but they offered no evidence of direct Russian government involvement. ... the U.S. had no direct evidence that the missile used to shoot down the passenger jet came from Russia.Where were these words in the Post? You people are behaving like a rogue newspaper.
Text of ad by This World: The Values Network, calling on #Hamas to reject child sacrifice: pic.twitter.com/F4aLD7szOgWiesel proposed the battles occurring today were not of Jew versus Arab or Israeli versus Palestinian but a battle between "those who celebrate life and those who champion death. It is a battle of civilization versus barbarism."
- Lilac Sunday (@LilacSundayBlog) August 4, 2014
Comment: One has to wonder if this new UNHRC inquiry will be a replay of it's previous investigation into Israel's crimes with The Richard Goldstone Report, only a few years ago. Though probably well-intended, one has to wonder if Schabas really knows what he's in for. The rancorous and predictable responses made by Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor are surely only the beginning. How dare anyone even question Israel's actions!?!
See: Why Did Richard Goldstone Throw the Goldstone Report Under the Bus?