The Obama Administration hasn’t been able to offer much in the way of evidence for its narrative that Russia is secretly behind the protests in eastern Ukraine, but they’ve sure been looking awfully hard.
Today, desperately for something concrete, the State Department issued a batch of photographs, most showing protesters in eastern Ukrainian cities, and some showing Russian troops who the US insists must be the same guy.
The US started with a photo of a guy with a long beard in Slovyansk, and a picture of a Russian soldier in Georgia in 2008 with an even longer beard. Coincidence? The US can’t imagine it.
In addition to Beard Guy, the US also showed photographs of a poofy-haired guy in Kramatorsk, along with a group photograph of Russian Special Forces. In the back on the Special Forces photo, wearing a hat so we can’t see his poofy hair, is a guy with a similar goatee.
Beyond that, other photos showed the armed militia members holding guns “similar” to the kind the Russian military uses. That both are using Soviet surplus arms (as is Ukraine’s government and much of Eastern Europe, for that matter) is unsurpirising, but is the closest thing to a smoking gun the US appears to have been able to find.
The USG, state department that is, are expert in faking, falsifying and working with Photoshop. Durin Iraq war, every document presented to the world by USG was fake or falsified, everything that they said about Iraq was either fake or falsified, three hundred people, men women, elderly and children were Kild in that under ground shalter in Baghdad when USG used the 500 ton bomb, day after USG announced that, it was a underground command center used by Iraqi army. The USG is in business, they actually have invented the modernized way in lying, falsification and faking documents when is right for them to start another war, Obama administration is no different, this one is as hoks as the green men in Disney world celebrating the anniversary invading earth.
The US has become a dystopia. I would be unsurprised if the State Department identified a protester as Emmanuel Goldstein.
You might want to reconsider the use of poof. In real English it's a term of abuse for effeminate homosexuals although some in the homosexual community in the UK have tried to reclaim it.
BTW, it's interesting that these claims are coming from the State Department rather than the DoD. I'm fairly certain the DoD still have groups of analysts looking at all the intelligence coming out of Ukraine to see if their is any evidence of Russian involvement in case the US military are asked to get involved at some point. That there have been no off-the-record briefings from the DoD suggests that the State Department is making stuff up.
I'm sure there are leftovers from the Dubya Administration who supposedly know how to use Photoshop…
I'm sure there are leftovers from the Dubya Administration in State who supposedly know how to use Photoshop…
There are so many reasons anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can think of why those people in the pictures could look similar or even be the same guys without having it to mean exactly what the State Department wants you to believe. For all we know this beard guy is living in Ukraine and is retired (he looks older and greyer). They do not show the patch in any Ukrainian picture, of course. And are the faces really that similar? In reviewing different ethnicities, similarities always jump at us easier.
Then again, why would Russia NOT have any special forces on the ground? The US is the last country on Earth to complain about such measures when high stakes game are being played. Although they use better disguises normally. In the end the US is doing nothing but pointing out how awfully sloppy Russia might be playing the game of thrones: "we do have standards, folks"….
There are so many reasons anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can think of why those people in the pictures could look similar or even be the same guys without having it to mean exactly what the State Department wants you to believe. For all we know this beard guy is living in Ukraine and is retired (he looks older and greyer). They do not show the patch in any Ukrainian picture, of course. And are the faces really that similar? In reviewing different ethnicities, similarities always jump at us easier.
Then again, why would Russia NOT have any special forces on the ground? The US is the last country on Earth to complain about such measures when high stakes game are being played. Although they use better disguises normally. In the end the US is doing nothing but pointing out how awfully sloppy Russia might be playing the game of thrones: "we do have standards, you know"….
There are so many reasons anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can think of why those people in the pictures could look similar or even be the same guys without having it to mean exactly what the State Department wants you to believe. For all we know this beard guy is living in Ukraine and is retired (he looks older and greyer). They do not show the patch in any Ukrainian picture, of course. And are the faces really that similar? In reviewing different ethnicities, similarities always jump at us easier.
Then again, why would Russia NOT have any special forces on the ground? The US is the last country on Earth to complain about such measures when high stakes game are being played. Although they use better disguises normally. In the end the US is doing nothing but pointing out how awfully sloppy Russia might be playing the game of thrones: "we do have industry standards for this, you know"….
There are so many reasons anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can think of why those people in the pictures could look similar or even be the same guys without having it to mean exactly what the State Department wants you to believe. For all we know this beard guy is living in Ukraine and is retired (he looks older and greyer). They do not show the patch in any Ukrainian picture, of course. And are the faces really that similar? In reviewing different ethnicities, similarities always jump at us easier.
Then again, why would Russia NOT have any special forces on the ground? The US is the last country on Earth to complain about such measures when high stakes game are being played. Although they use better disguises normally. In the end the US is doing nothing but pointing out how awfully sloppy Russia might be playing the game of thrones: "we do have industry standards for this, you know"….
There are so many reasons anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can think of why those people in the pictures could look similar or even be the same guys without having it to mean exactly what the State Department wants you to believe. For all we know this beard guy is living in Ukraine and is retired (he looks older and greyer). They do not show the patch in any Ukrainian picture, of course. And are the faces really that similar? In reviewing different ethnicities, similarities always jump at us easier.
Then again, why would Russia NOT have any special forces on the ground? The US is the last country on Earth to complain about such measures when high stakes game are being played. Although they use better disguises normally. In the end the US is doing nothing but pointing out how awfully sloppy Russia might be playing the game of thrones: "we do have industry standards for this, you know"….
There are so many reasons anyone with a moderate level of intelligence can think of why those people in the pictures could look similar or even be the same guys without having it to mean exactly what the State Department wants you to believe. For all we know this beard guy is living in Ukraine and is retired (he looks older and greyer). They do not show the patch in any Ukrainian picture, of course. And are the faces really that similar? In reviewing different ethnicities, similarities always jump at us easier.
Then again, why would Russia NOT have any special forces on the ground? The US is the last country on Earth to complain about such measures when high stakes game are being played. Although they use better disguises normally. In the end the US is doing nothing but pointing out how awfully sloppy Russia might be playing the game of thrones: "we do have industry standards for this, you know"….
US Government is getting really desperate. I am just wondering how many Russians would they be able to find among al Qaeda fighters in Syria, since they mostly use originally Russian Ak-47 guns. On the other hand how many US special forces would be there clearly visible – using advanced US hardware as for example shoulder anti-tank missiles.
It looks like only the lunatics are able to get now to the top world-wide.
US Government is getting really desperate. I am just wondering how many Russians would they be able to find among al Qaeda fighters in Syria, since they mostly use originally Russian Ak-47 guns. On the other hand how many US special forces would be there clearly visible – using advanced US hardware as for example shoulder anti-tank missiles.
It looks like only the lunatics are able to get now to the top world-wide.
US Government is getting really desperate. I am just wondering how many Russians would they be able to find among al Qaeda fighters in Syria, since they mostly use originally Russian Ak-47 guns. On the other hand how many US special forces would be there clearly visible – using advanced US hardware as for example shoulder anti-tank missiles.
It looks like only the lunatics are able to get now to the top world-wide.
The men aren't Russian Special Forces. They don't know how to securely control a building. They group together. They are disorganized. In short, they are civilians with some minimal training.
They are not Spetznatz but I fully expect that some Russian para-militaries are on the ground. Russia used them in Georgia 2008 as auxilliaries. But the whole debate strikes me as stupid. What exactly does the US expect Putin to do ? Give up Russia's influence in Ukraine without a fight ? Ain't gonna happen, my friends.
Regardless of how convincing or otherwise the photos may be, the widespread view is that these "protestors" are one and the same people. I wouldn't be surprised to see the same people pretending to be "pro-Russian" in Donetsk that rioted in Kiev against Yanukovych.
More fantasy material from planet Kenny.
Let me get this straight. The eastern Ukrainians have seen their elected government overturned by force, their MP's from the Party of the Regions sacked, an attempt has been made to ban their language from official use, their already low salaries and pensions have been slashed and their country is about to be looted by the international vulture capitalists of the IMF. And you think that Russian special forces would be needed to incite protests?
Blurry pictures of dubious provenance, supplied by proven liars and published by yellow journalists. Can anybody remember the last time the US state department told the truth about anything?
This side of the conflict will stay here years!
See, see, there's another man, and there's another. See how they both have hair, two eyes, and a nose. They are the same…basically. But its proof…we swear. See, and there's another. You can't see his hands, but he is holding yellowcake uranium. We swear. And see, behind that tree over there in this photo is a mushroom cloud. We swear. When have we ever lied to you about facts simply to justify a war?
As far as giving legal proof of anything, the entirety of the purported evidence obviously does not meet that burden. There is a maxim in law that states " Similar and the same are not the same". Since this fails that legal test, the entire purpose can only be for propaganda purposes. The quicksand of the US, EU and NATO position is shifting, and not for the better.
It was interesting the during the segment on the "pictures" on NBC last night – they didn't leave the picture on the screen long, maybe 2 seconds, so it was virtually impossible to compare the "photos" – but they really didn't want anyone to compare them anyway. And what I did see were grainy and somewhat out of focus which precluded examination to any level of detail.
But, the narrative was good…they even had a snippet of Jay Carney pontificating, with a straight face, that the photos were "absolute proof" (my words – but the emotion was the selling point.)
I mean, who would ever question the verity of anything the WH spokesbunny would say…
You know, I once saw a Civil War reenactment on TV that showed the same bearded guy on both the Union and Confederate sides. Come to think about it, didn't he show up in "Duck Dynasty?" Is there a connection between "Duck Dynasty" and the pro-Russian rebels in Eastern Ukraine? Inquiring minds want to know!
While one might expect Russian special services to be involved, so far the evidence is quite scant. These photos (which can be quite convincing) do not cut it.
One would also think that if Ukraine or even their friendly CIA observers would by now have quite extensive electronic data about "protester"/Russian communication. Also, by now one would expect actual capture of some of these alleged invaders and interrogation/fingerprints/documents. But we have heard nothing. Can any group of shadowy men with guns simply take over Ukraine government buildings at will? Kidnapping a few of these guys wouldn't be difficult if professional spooks or military were doing it. So far the Ukrainians are acting like helpless Swedes… Perhaps actual action to prove their point is not what is desired, if they are inventing this invasion scenario.
This is pathetic…