Ukraine Flag
It is all kicking off in the Ukraine! Just like it is kicking off in Syria, Mali, Pakistan etc. Why in a post ‘Iron Curtain’ world people cannot accept that democracy is about the only system which works, but, minority views are important and freedom from oppression must be guaranteed.
The reason why it has kicked off is that a peace deal has been changed because the one negotiator decided to make a bluff. As in poker, politics is open to a well timed bluff. The difference between a political bluff and a poker bluff is that there can be consequences in which blood is spilt.
President Viktor Yanukovych does not want to discuss the agreement he had a few days ago, which seems a shame and has now painting himself in a corner which will only end with sanctions by Western Europe or intervention from Russia. The bluff was called and President Viktor Yanukovych will need to be clever to keep his people united.
In Mali the Al Qaeda inspired rebellion has a choice, will it continue with its death cult agenda or will it negotiate a peaceful resolution which does not mean the capitulation of non-sectarian values?
Personally, I feel that the only way to deal with a death cult is to give them what they desire. However, these types of people tend to have families and children who are raised by these nutters and it is blatantly not fair to condemn the children to death because their parents want to die so that they can force women to wear burkas, stop the sale of alcohol and bacon, end musical entertainment, end education for women and stop kite flying.
The other major bluff is the prospect of Imran Khan convincing the world that he can negotiate a settlement with the Pakistani Taliban and end the violence which is escalating in that country. Hopefully he is right and it is not a bluff as Pakistan does need a period of civil government without the corruption which seems to by word for Pakistani government.
Is Imran Khan bluffing? Well people under-estimated him when he came out of retirement to lead Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup champions and thereby proving them completely wrong when he managed to turn around a team of a very weak batting line up.