by Stephen Lendman

On March 11, Crimean parliamentarians along with Sevastopol ones separately adopted declarations of independence. Judicial procedures for becoming part of Russia require it.

On March 16, Crimeans vote. They'll have their say. They'll do so by referendum.

They'll decide up or down whether to declare independence and join Russia. Polls show overwhelming support for doing so.

Russian parliamentarians endorsed their legitimate right. Claims about acting lawlessly are false.

On March 21, they'll consider legislation on making annexation easier. A lower house State Duma statement said:

"This date has been proposed for the first reading by the Committee for Constitutional Legislation and Nation-Building."

Crimean parliament speaker, Vladimir Konstantinov, pledged full legislative support for annexation. At a meeting with State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin and other lower house officials, he said:

"I hope that you'll be able to bring up a new leader in Ukraine. We talked about it several times."

"We said a new Bohdan Khmelnytsky (an organized rebellion against Polish rule in Ukraine leading to transferring Ukrainian lands east of the Dnieper River to Russian control) would emerge and unite the two greatest states, which could not exist separately."

"Yesterday I received many calls from the eastern regions of Ukraine and from Odessa. People congratulated me. They said all was great."

"Unfortunately, we have big problems." Ukraine "is part of the united Russian world. After we solve Crimea's problem...we must exert maximum effort not just to protect ethnic Russians."

"In general, all citizens of Ukraine - Russians and Ukrainians should be protected from Nazism and from the West's pressure that imposes its ideology".

"I believe that Ukraine's present power will collapse. The power will have serious contradictions within the year."

"Today instead of making Ukraine a united state it does not hear the interests of Ukraine's southeast."

Leaders of all four State Duma factions declared support for Crimean annexation. Upper House Federation Council officials expressed theirs.

Obama is a former constitutional law professor. It's hard imagining what he taught students.

He turns rule of law principles on its head. He ignores them. He spurns them. He subverts them. He does so to further his imperial agenda.

Last week, he falsely called Crimean independence illegal. He ignored US history. On July 4, 1776, 13 American colonies declared independence from Britain.

They said everyone has "certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

"That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

"That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government..."

"(W)hen a long train of abuses and usurpations (establishes) absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government."

Resisting tyranny is a universal right. Illegitimate putschists control Ukraine. Crimeans overwhelmingly reject them.

They have every right to do so. In weeks, Crimea may become part of Russia. It's their choice. It's Moscow's legal right to approve.

Crimean Supreme Council chairman Vladimir Konstantinov pooh-poohed Kiev putschists calling March 16's referendum illegal.

"We are even glad to learn (they're) refusing to recognize (it)," he said. "We have not recognized them either."

Crimeans are legally entitled to decide their own future. Konstantinov believes most Ukrainians support them. "Nobody wants to live under the (putschist) Kiev regime," he said.

Who wants tyrannical governance. Who wants neo-Nazis in charge. Who wants an Orwellian future of "a boot stamping on a human face - forever."

Ukrainians want their rights respected. On March 16, expect them to say so overwhelmingly.

On March 11, Ukraine's democratically elected President Viktor Yanukovych issued a statement. He did so from Rostov-on-Don, Russia, saying:

"I am still alive, and I am still the legitimate president." He accused Kiev putschists of "shooting (their) own people."

"(S)ooner or later (they'll) be held accountable for the suffering" they caused, he said.

He denounced Western complicity. He condemned its hypocrisy. "Are you blind," he asked? Have you forgotten what fascism is?"

He warned about Ukrainians facing harsh austerity. It began. The worst is yet to come. Disaster awaits them. He addressed Crimea, saying:

"Your actions led to (the Autonomous Republic) splitting away, to people in the east demanding respect for their rights even at gunpoint."

He neither endorsed or condemned March 16's referendum. He denounced Kiev's sham May 25 election. He dismissed claims about losing his legitimacy.

He'll return "as soon as the circumstances allow it," he said. Western-backed neo-Nazi putschists ousted him. He hopes their days are numbered.

He said Washington supports a lawless coup d'etat government. Doing so violates its own Constitution.

He urged international leaders to reject putschists. "Those who seized power are shifting the blame for the crisis on my shoulders and Russia's," he added.

He intends petitioning Congress and Supreme Court justices. He wants them trying to justify the unjustifiable.

"As far as I know, US legislation prohibits financial aid to any government that has seized power as a result of an armed coup or through any other unlawful actions," he said.

"I intend to petition to the Congress and the Supreme Court to make a legal assessment of the situation." US laws prohibit "giving money to bandits."

He fears civil war. "Cities are patrolled by people wearing masks and armbands," he said.

"Lawlessness against citizens of Ukraine is taking on a wider scale. They sack top army officers who oppose the use of military force against civilians in southeastern Ukraine."

"Just think, they want to place the army under the banner of (Nazi era) Bandera (leader) and unleash a civil war."

"They want to include (neo-Nazi) militants of nationalist organizations into the Armed Forces. They want to arm them."

They represent the worst of mob rule. Media scoundrels support them. Propaganda war rages. Big Lies proliferate daily. Truth is systematically suppressed.

Duplicitous headlines scream Russia invaded Crimea. It committed aggression. It staged a Crimean coup. It violated international law.

Cable channels report it. So do major broadcasters. Corporate owned print publications march in lockstep.

BBC, CBC, Al Jazeera, Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio proliferate lies, damn lies and embarrassing misinformation. They turn a blind eye to the most brazen power grab since Mussolini's.

Reporters, commentators, and editors regurgitate Big Lies. They do so ad nauseam. On Monday, BBC lied saying "Moscow tightens its grip on Crimea."

"Ukrainian troops remain blocked in their bases by Russian soldiers." They're "seen standing outside Ukraine's base in Bakhhisaray." They "seized control." They did no such thing. More on that below.

A fake BBC video circulated. It showed alleged Russian forces seizing Ukraine's Sevastopol naval headquarters.

BBC was caught before red-handed pulling similar stunts. On 9/11, it reported Building's 7 collapse 30 minutes before it happened.

Correspondent Jane Standley did so from New York. She did with a straight face. She was live on air.

At the time, Building 7 was clearly visible behind her. It was intact. It showed no signs of impending collapse.

Monday's Bakhchisaray, Crimea incident never happened. It was fabricated. RT.com
's Ryan O'Neill interviewed Ukrainian seaman Aleksandr Grubenko.

"We were never ambushed or beaten," he said. Sailors were told to come to security checkpoints. "(S)omeone was trying to get in."

"When we got there, these men asked us who we want to align ourselves with," said Gubenko.

"I am leaning towards Crimea because that's where I'm from, same as 80 percent of other people at this base, and they all know they won't go fighting their own people."

Crimean self-defense forces denied "fighting or shooting." Western TV and print reports lied.

Fabricated ones alleged "masked troops of unidentified armed men fired in the air at the base near Bakhchisaray."

Some said "Russian forces" were involved. They "took over a (base) military hospital and missile unit."

Other spurious reports said "masked pro-Russian troops" kidnapped commander Vladimir Sadovnik.

It never happened. He showed up alive and well. Duplicitous claims were lies.

"There is definitely no fighting and no conflict," Gubenko said. Claims otherwise don't wash.

At the same time, Crimeans are justifiably concerned. Self-defense forces reported radicalized Kiev elements targeted Chinghar village.

Over 30 cars with nearly 70 militants arrived. A Crimean self-defense source believes a coup planned. Whatever they had in mind failed.

Konstantinov said "(n)o provocations will be staged before or during (Sunday's) referendum as...enough self-defense forces" are mobilized to prevent them.

Ukraine's fate hangs in the balance. Crimeans will choose their own. East/West tensions are palpable.

Civil war perhaps looms. Ukrainians may rebel against elements they supported.

Progressive Radio News Hour guest Professor Stjepan Mestrovic believes it's "reasonable to predict that the outcome (of ongoing events) will be...protracted civil war."

"Part of Ukraine will turn West," he said. Another will shift East. It'll "remain Russian." Expect the fullness of time to explain best.

The battle for Ukraine soul continues. It's likely just beginning. End game finality appears nowhere in sight. Future reports will discuss further events as they unfold.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

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