(archived from February 24, 2014 11 years ago)
by Scott Creighton
Among the reasons Mr. Yanukovych turned away from signing political and trade accords with Europe in November was his unwillingness to carry out austerity measures and other reforms that the International Monetary Fund had demanded in exchange for a large assistance package.
On Sunday, the fund’s managing director, Christine Lagarde, said that there was concern about the political instability in Ukraine and that the fund could provide assistance only in response to a formal request. But she added that an economic program to help Ukraine had to be “owned by the authorities, by the people, because at the end of the day it will be the future of the Ukrainian economy.” New York Times
For all intents and purposes, all it took was a bunch of snipers shooting at police and protesters, some raging yuppies viciously attacking unarmed police and a complicit military who chose a side by not choosing a side and the West has achieved what they wanted in Russia’s backyard: a pro-EU regime change in Ukraine.
Outside the Cabinet of Ministers building, parents had their small children pose for photographs with victorious anti-government fighters who are still armed with clubs and wearing helmets, but now stand guard over the government headquarters. New York Times
Democracy is served once again, right? Thug democracy that is. Thug democracy on behalf of the IMF that is.
To be sure, Kiev has quite a long way to go before it will feel normal again. Instead of trained police, irregular bands of antigovernment fighters now control and provide security at main government buildings, including the presidential residence, and enormous barriers of tires, scrap wood and other debris still close off the main protest zone. New York Times
But our official Ministry of Truth version of the story?
“The United States is on the side of the Ukrainian people,” Rice said. The people expressed themselves peacefully, she said, and Yanukovych “turned on” the people by using violence against them. CNN
(is that what we saw? State violence or regime change thug violence?)