I'mconfused,cananyonehelpme?

NeilClarkisajournalist,writerandbroadcaster.Hisawardwinningblogcanbefoundat
www.neilclark66.blogspot.com.
Publishedtime:April15,201410:06
I'mconfused.AfewweeksagoweweretoldintheWestthatpeopleoccupyinggovernmentbuildings
inUkrainewasaverygoodthing.Thesepeople,weweretoldbyourpoliticalleadersandelitemedia
commentators,were'prodemocracyprotestors'.

TheUSgovernmentwarnedtheUkrainianauthoritiesagainstusingforceagainstthese'prodemocracy
protestors'evenif,accordingtothepictureswesaw,someofthemwereneoNaziswhowerethrowing
Molotovcocktailsandotherthingsatthepoliceandsmashingupstatuesandsettingfiretobuildings.
Now,justafewweekslater,we'retoldthatpeopleoccupyinggovernmentbuildingsinUkrainearenot
'prodemocracyprotestors'but'terrorists'or'militants'.

WhywastheoccupationofgovernmentbuildingsinUkraineaverygoodthinginJanuary,butitisa
verybadthinginApril?Whywastheuseofforcebytheauthoritiesagainstprotestorscompletely
unacceptableinJanuary,butacceptablenow?Irepeat:I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?
TheantigovernmentprotestorsinUkraineduringthewinterreceivedvisitsfromseveralprominent
Westernpoliticians,includingUSSenatorJohnMcCain,andVictoriaNuland,fromtheUSState
Department,whohandedoutcookies.Buttherehavebeenverylargeantigovernmentprotestsinmany
WesternEuropeancountriesinrecentweeks,whichhavereceivednosuchsupport,eitherfromsuch
figuresorfromeliteWesternmediacommentators.Norhaveprotestorsreceivedfreecookiesfrom
officialsattheUSStateDepartment.

SurelyiftheyweresokeenonantigovernmentstreetprotestsinEurope,andregardedthemasthe
truestformof'democracy',McCainandNulandwouldalsobeshowingsolidaritywithstreetprotestors
inMadrid,Rome,AthensandParis?I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?

AfewweeksagoIsawaninterviewwiththeUSSecretaryofStateJohnKerrywhosaid,Youjust
don'tinvadeanothercountryonphonypretextsinordertoassertyourinterests.ButIseemtorecall
theUSdoingjustthatonmorethanoneoccasioninthepast20yearsorso.

HaveImisrememberedthe'IraqhasWMDsclaim'?WasIdreamingbackin2002andearly2003when
politiciansandneoconpunditscameonTVeverydaytotellusplebsthatwehadtogotowarwithIraq
becauseofthethreatposedbySaddam'sdeadlyarsenal?WhyishavingademocraticvoteinCrimeaon
whethertorejoinRussiadeemedworsethanthebrutal,murderousinvasionofIraqaninvasionwhich
hasledtothedeathsofupto1millionpeople?I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?

WewerealsotoldbyveryseriouslookingWesternpoliticiansandmedia'experts'thattheCrimea
referendumwasn'tvalidbecauseitwasheldundermilitaryoccupation.ButI'vejustbeenwatching

coverageofelectionsinAfghanistan,heldundermilitaryoccupation,whichhavebeenhailedby
leadingwesternfigures,suchasNATOchiefAndersFoghRasmussenasahistoricmomentfor
Afghanistanandagreatsuccessfordemocracy.WhyistheCrimeanvotedismissed,butthe
Afghanistanvotecelebrated?I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?

Syriatooisratherbaffling.WewereandaretoldthatradicalIslamicterrorgroupsposethegreatest
threattoourpeace,securityandour'wayoflife'intheWest.ThatAlQaedaandothersuchgroups
needtobedestroyed:thatweneededtohavearelentless'WaronTerror'againstthem.YetinSyria,
ourleadershavebeensidingwithsuchradicalgroupsintheirwaragainstaseculargovernmentwhich
respectstherightsofreligiousminorities,includingChristians.

WhenthebombsofAlQaedaortheiraffiliatesgooffinSyriaandinnocentpeoplearekilledthereis
nocondemnationfromourleaders:theironlycondemnationhasbeenofthesecularSyriangovernment
whichisfightingradicalIslamistsandwhichourleadersandelitemediacommentatorsaredesperateto
havetoppled.I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?
Thenthere'sgayrights.WearetoldthatRussiaisaverybadandbackwardcountrybecauseithas
passedalawagainstpromotinghomosexualitytominors.YetourleaderswhoboycottedtheWinter
OlympicsinSochibecauseofthislawvisitGulfstateswherehomosexualscanbeimprisonedoreven
executed,andwarmlyembracetherulersthere,makingnomentionoftheissueofgayrights.

Surelytheimprisonmentorexecutionofgaypeopleisfarworsethanalawwhichforbidspromotionof
homosexualitytominors?Why,iftheyaregenuinelyconcernedaboutgayrights,doourleadersattack
Russiaandnotcountriesthatimprisonorexecutegaypeople?I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?

WearetoldinlotsofnewspaperarticlesthattheHungarianultranationalistpartyJobbikisverybad
andthatitsriseisacauseofgreatconcern,eventhoughitisnoteveninthegovernment,orlikelyto
be.ButneoNazisandultranationalistsdoholdpositionsinthenewgovernmentofUkraine,which
ourleadersintheWestenthusiasticallysupportandneoNazisandthefarrightplayedakeyroleinthe
overthrowofUkraine'sdemocraticallyelectedgovernmentinFebruary,arevolutioncheeredonby
theWest.WhyareultranationalistsandfarrightgroupsunacceptableinHungarybutveryacceptable
inUkraine?I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?

WearetoldthatRussiaisanaggressive,imperialistpowerandthatNATO'sconcernsareabout
opposingtheRussianthreat.ButIlookedatthemaptheotherdayandwhileIcouldseelotsof
countriescloseto(andbordering)RussiathatweremembersofNATO,theUSledmilitaryalliance
whosemembershavebombedandattackedmanycountriesinthelast15years,Icouldnotseeany
countriesclosetoAmericathatwerepartofaRussianmilitaryalliance,oranyRussianmilitarybases
ormissilessituatedinforeigncountriesborderingorclosetotheUS.YetRussia,wearetold,isthe
aggressiveone.I'mconfused.Cananyonehelpme?