Visa Waiver Program for Ukraine

[Dakine10 5,452]

Putin Is Losing In Ukraine And That's Our Biggest Problem Right Now

Don't kid yourself. Opinion pieces are just that. Contrary to what Forbe's keeps printing, Putin's approval ratings are higher than they've been in a while.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vladimir-putins-approval-rating-hits-three-year-high-as-russians-back-putin-over-ukraine-9192170.html

Vladimir Putin's approval rating hits three year high as Russians back president over Ukraine

Two recent polls have placed the Russin president’s approval rating at 72 per cent - a height only dreamed of by western leaders

TOMAS JIVANDA

Friday 14 March 2014

Russian people appear to back their government’s intervention in the Ukraine – or the state’s propaganda machine is working extremely well.

Either way, while the western politicians increasingly present Vladimir Putin as an out of touch Soviet relic, in Russia, his approval rating is at a three year high.

Further spurred on by the success of the Sochi Olympics, perhaps unsurprisingly, the state owned research centre VTsIOM placed Mr Putin’s approval rating at a staggering 71.6 per cent – up 9.7 per cent since mid-February.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval rating has reached a three-year high amid Crimea's plans to join Russia and the nation's historic triumph at the Sochi Winter Olympics,” the state run news site ria.ru explained.

The poll isn't a state pushed anomaly however – the fully independent Levada Centre matches VTsIOM’s finding, placing Putin’s approval rating at 72 per cent.

Offering a slightly different insight into the population’s support of the Ukrainian intervention, a Levada Centre report into public opinion said (translation via Google): “The two-week, unprecedented in post-Soviet time, propaganda and disinformation campaign gave a powerful effect and mass approval of Putin's policy towards Ukraine.

In pictures: Russian troops in Crimea as Ukraine crisis continues

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It found that 67 per cent believe radical Ukrainian nationalist organizations are responsible for the situation in Crimea, while 63 per cent believe that the federal Russian media as a whole or in large part covering the events taking place in Ukraine or the Crimea objectively.

Even if, as the Levada Centre suggests, propaganda has played a big part in his boost in popularity, its worthy of note that the peak of Putin’s popularity came in September 2008 - just after Russia crushed Georgia in a short war with the country over another former Soviet territory, South Ossetia. Then, Leveda put his approval rating at 88 per cent.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Dakine10

[Boiler 46,226]

Putin or Obama.

Let me think......

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Don't kid yourself. Opinion pieces are just that. Contrary to what Forbe's keeps printing, Putin's approval ratings are higher than they've been in a while.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/vladimir-putins-approval-rating-hits-three-year-high-as-russians-back-putin-over-ukraine-9192170.html

Sure, the old KGB apparatschik learned from the best. They always backed the leadership by high percentages. Old Soviet habits die hard.

There were, however, anywhere between 50 and 70 thousand Russians protesting against Putin's imperialistic posture and war mongering today. That's encouraging.

Edited March 16, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Putin has lost this one already. There's no win to be had here for Putin.

Blogs are not the same as facts.

[Abell 11]

then Ukraine does not need the VWP. If it were up to me, I would not spend a nickel to help fix another country's problems...our own country has numerous problems that are not being addressed. I don't see Ukraine offering us anything, except headaches.

you are missing one point here, midterm election is this year, so every politician is gonna play ukraine card to get some extra votes, there are so many problems right now in the country and people need new distraction

[Rattlehead 69]

How on earth do we benefit from the addition of Ukraine to VWP?

[Boiler 46,226]

you are missing one point here, midterm election is this year, so every politician is gonna play ukraine card to get some extra votes, there are so many problems right now in the country and people need new distraction

I have yet to hear anybody mention Ukraine, I doubt if the vast majority of the US population care.

[Mike-eeh and Odie 193]

...It is time that the U.S. stand up and show them that we support their quest for true freedom and democracy.

The USA already did this for Ukraine by intervening with Russian politicians and sending a military presence.

[Rwlaird 18]

only 21 percent of Russians, according to the latest Levada Center poll, think that sending in troops is “the correct position with regard to the situation in Ukraine”

http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/vladimir-kara-murza/moscow-braces-protests-against-ukraine-aggression?fb_action_ids=712179908846746&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B210729685803930%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.recommends%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

Handing over the VWP to Ukraine would be a disaster. It is hard to believe that all those 'proud' Ukrainians would just shrug and stay put in their country, while their economy and politics crumble. Of course that would happen......not. They would not be coming here to establish business connections - they could do that now electronically, and yet they don't. So why do they need to be 'face to face' to do the same task they don't do now?

No, they would come here to find work via other Ukrainians who 'forgot' to be proud and return home, like they were supposed to (in accordance with those western laws and values they supposedly want to emulate...if only they could be given a visa or the VWP privilege).

I don't owe a single Ukrainian citizen anything. Neither do the rest of American taxpayers. If the Ukraine is going to hell in a hand basket, that is not my responsibility nor is it the responsibility of the United States of America. Handing out visas or the VWP won't change the poor leadership in the Ukraine. It would only harm our middle class and siphon off more tax dollars to people who do not deserve them.

Tyrants like Hitler and Putin love people with this type of attitude!

Edited March 18, 2014 by Rwlaird

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Talking about Hitler & Putin...

Seems a bit crass still to compare the two but Putin is working his way to where it may not be crass anymore.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Talking about Hitler & Putin...

Seems a bit crass still to compare the two but Putin is working his way to where it may not be crass anymore.

I think he would rather be labeled, more correctly, as an anti-Khrushchev, or even a Stalin.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I think he would rather be labeled, more correctly, as an anti-Khrushchev, or even a Stalin.

Hitler, Stalin - what's the difference? Oh yes, the body count. Stalin was second to none on that one.

[MacUK 983]

People here are missing the main point.

How will Ukraine and Russia vote for each other come Eurovision time?

Nul point or the full 12?

It's a more pertinent thought than wether or not they get a privilege that they are not qualified for.

I had my driving test today, clipped 78 cars, 2 trucks, knocked 15 cyclists over and ploughed through a bus stop in front of a school.

But the examiner thought I should have my licence because it would make me feel better about myself and show me that he cared for my struggles.

[BatmanUSA 105]

Hitler, Stalin, Obama.... same group...

Obama continually ignores Federal laws, changes laws without consent of congress and has historically lied to the American people..

When talking about would be dictators, one must not forget to include Obama...

[BatmanUSA 105]

you believe western propaganda doesn't work as good as russian one? so your position here is the only right and unbiased position about this situation?

there is no much reason to even watch russian tv but just see some videos of what was going on on maidan to see what is going on

I don't really care if russian troops are there or not, they have their bases there and can be there, unless we see russian flag in their hands that is nothing more then assumption that their who they are

Don't you know that MSNBC is the only honest and trustworthy news organization in America.??