by Stephen Lendman

On March 12, Ukraine's illegitimate putschist prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Obama met in the Oval Office.

A previous article said Yatsenyuk came to meet his new boss. He got marching orders. He learned more about Obama's plans to rape and pillage Ukraine. More on what they both said below.

Meanwhile, on March 5, House Res. 499 "Condemn(ed) the violation of Ukrainian sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity by military forces of the Russian Federation."

It called for removing all Russian military troops from Crimea except Black Sea Fleet forces operating in accordance with 1997 Friendship Treaty terms.

It permits up to 25,000 Russian forces. Around 16,000 are currently there. None operate illegally on Crimean territory. Claims otherwise are false.

House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Ed Royce (R. CA) called the resolution "an important part of a larger effort to aid Ukraine and impose real costs on Russia."

It's "a very important declaration of support for the people of Ukraine during this crisis," he added. It condemns nonexistent 'Russian aggression' "in clear and unmistakable terms." It calls for:

• Removal of all Russian military forces from Ukraine's Crimean peninsula other than those operating in accordance with its 1997 agreement regarding its Black Sea Fleet stationed there.


• Deployment of independent monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Crimea and other areas of Ukraine.


• Suspension by NATO allies and European Union member states of military cooperation with Russia, including sales of military equipment.


• Boycott of the G8 summit in Sochi, Russia, by the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Britain and Japan.

The non-binding resolution passed 402 - 7.

On March 11, Senate Res. 378 "condemn(ed) illegal Russian aggression in Ukraine." It:

"(1) condemns the unprovoked and illegal Russian military seizure of the Ukrainian Crimea and demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces except as specifically allowed for by treaty;

(2) demands the immediate release of besieged Ukrainian security forces in Crimea, who have shown remarkable restraint under threat;

(3) warns that failure to do so or any additional military action against other areas of Ukraine will lead to swift and significant consequences in the Russian Federation's relations with the United States and those nations who share our views;

(4) urges the President to use all appropriate economic elements of United States national power, in coordination with United States allies, including loan guarantees matched with requirements of international financial institutions regarding Ukrainian economic reforms and transparency, to strengthen the Ukrainian economy and protect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial and economic integrity of Ukraine;

(5) urges the President to use appropriate economic and diplomatic measures, including calibrated sanctions, against those responsible for the illegal seizure of Crimea;

(6) urges the President to propose to G-8 nations to suspend the Russian Federation, and to propose to our NATO allies to suspend operation of the NATO-Russia Council and suspend the Russian Federation’s military and diplomatic representation at NATO;

(7) condemns the economic coercion pursued by the Russian Federation beginning in July 2013 against Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania, and other countries in the region in order to obstruct closer ties between the European Union and the countries of the Eastern Partnership and supports the people of Ukraine in their desire to forge closer ties with Europe;

(8) supports assisting Ukraine and United States allies in the region in gaining energy security in order to alleviate their vulnerability to the Russian Federation’s threats and manipulations;

(9) expresses its continuing support for democratic allies who regularly face aggression on their borders from the Government of the Russian Federation and supports enhanced security cooperation with, and security assistance to, states in Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine;

(10) encourages governments in Europe to take similar and coordinated actions to make it clear to the Government of the Russian Federation that violating the territorial integrity of sovereign nations will have swift and significant consequences;

(11) calls for the immediate acceptance of a credible international observer mission in Crimea and other parts of the Ukraine;

(12) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to seriously engage with the Government of Ukraine in a political dialogue on a political and diplomatic path that respects Ukrainian sovereignty and the Crimea’s complex historic and ethnic makeup;

(13) supports the efforts of the Government of Ukraine to bring to justice those responsible for the acts of violence related to the anti-government protests that began on November 21, 2013;

(14) supports the efforts of the Government of Ukraine to recover and return to the Ukrainian state funds stolen by former President Yanukovych, his family, and other current and former members of the Government of Ukraine and elites; and

(15) calls upon the leadership of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to reconsider its decision to place World Cup 2018 matches in Russia."

The Senate's non-binding resolution passed unanimously. Profiles in courage were absent.

On March 12, Obama welcomed Yatsenyuk to the White House. He duplicitously praised "the courage of the Ukrainian people in standing up on behalf of democracy and on the desire that I believe is universal for people to be able to determine their own destiny."

He lied about "how ordinary people from all parts of the country had said that we want a change."

He ludicrously praised Yatsenyuk's "courage." He outrageously called him a leader possessing "great skill and great restraint."

He disgracefully said Ukraine's "most pressing challenge…is the threat to its territorial integrity and its sovereignty."

He lied claiming a "Russian incursion into Crimea outside of its bases..." He called what didn't happen "a violation of international law."

No country is more contemptuous of rule of law principles than America.

None in human history committed graver crimes of war, against humanity and genocide multiple times.

None more threaten humanity's survival. Obama bears full responsibility for months of Kiev violence. Illegitimate neo-Nazi putschists usurped power.

Courage is not one of their attributes. Ukraine's sovereignty was eviscerated. Plundering its resources is planned. So is exploiting its people.

Russia justifiably opposed what happened. In a wide-ranging interview, Vladimir Putin spoke out forthrightly. He denounced what he called "an anti-constitutional takeover, an armed seizure of power."

"Does anyone question this," he asked? "Nobody does." Viktor Yanukovych remains Ukraine's legitimate president. Putschists have no legitimacy whatever.

No one "should...support illegal change," he said. Authorities usurping power are illegitimate, he added.

"The current acting president is definitely not legitimate. There is only one legitimate president, from a legal standpoint."

Putin supports the right of all Ukrainians to determine their future democratically. He denounced accusations about Russian military forces invading Crimea.

None were sent. "So far, there is no need for (them), but the possibility remains" to protect Russian nationals if necessary, he explained.

Compare democracy to neo-Nazi putschists seizing power. Russia hasn't interfered in Ukraine's internal affairs, Putin stressed.

"(W)e firmly believe that all citizens of Ukraine, I repeat, wherever they live, should be given the same equal right to participate in the life of their country and in determining its future."

Obama promised Yatsenyuk full support. "(Y)ou can rest assured" you've got it, he said.

Yatsenyuk thanked Obama. "We will never surrender," he said. "Ukraine is and will be part of the Western world." What Ukrainians want doesn't matter.

By end of next week, he'll sign an agreement on joining the EU, he said. Doing so will surrender Ukrainian sovereignty to Western European authority.

He plans selling its soul to IMF debt bondage. He intends having ordinary Ukrainians bear the burden of paying bankers first.

On Friday, John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov will meet in London. "Our job is to present (Russia) with a series of options that are appropriate in order to try to respect the people of Ukraine, international law, and the interests of all concerned," said Kerry.

He'll try to persuade Russia through Lavrov not to annex Crimea. Both foreign ministers will meet two days ahead of Crimeans voting up or down on independence and joining Russia.

Polls show popular sentiment overwhelmingly favors doing so. It's entirely legal. Claims otherwise are false.

Kerry warned earlier that annexation would "close any available space for diplomacy." Russia isn't cowed by Washington threats. It's got plenty of ammunition to respond.

Evidence keeps surfacing about what really happened in Kiev's Independence Square. Putschist snipers bore full responsibility for killing up to 100 Ukrainian civilians and security police, as well as injuring hundreds more.

Days earlier, Estonian Prime Minister Urmas Paet pointed fingers the right way. He confirmed what's been independently believed all along.

"There is now stronger and stronger understanding that behind the snipers, it was not Yanukovich, but it was somebody from the new coalition," said Paet.

On March 12, former Ukrainian Security Service head Aleksandr Yakimenko agreed. He blamed putschist official Andrey Parubiy. He's a neo-Nazi Svoboda party leader.

"Shots came from the Philharmonic Hall," he said. "Maidan Commandant Parubiy was responsible for this building."

"Snipers and people with automatic weapons were 'working' from this building on February 20. They supported the assault on the Interior Ministry forces on the ground who were already demoralized and had, in fact, fled," he added.

"When the first wave of shootings ended, many have witnessed 20 people leaving the building."

They were carrying military-style bags used for sniper and assault rifles with optical sights.

Many witnesses saw them. Foreign elements may have been involved. Perhaps CIA, US special forces, and secret service operatives.

What happened was well planned in advance. "These were the forces that carried out everything that they were told by their leadership - the United States," Yakimenko stressed.

Maidan leaders practically lived at Washington's embassy, he added. As security chief, he was ready to order Ukrainian troops to enter the building and remove the snipers, he said.

He needed approval from Parubiy to do it, he explained. Otherwise, so-called "self-defense" elements would have attacked him, he believes.

"Parubiy did not give such consent," he said. He controlled access to weapons used in Independence Square.

Moscow wants an independent investigation. It wants full disclosure of what happened. Deep East/West divisions remain.

Russia is on its own to investigate. Western plans for Ukraine are fixed. Evidence compromising them will be buried.

Ukraine's dark future is planned. It remains to be seen how ordinary Ukrainians react. Euromaidan protests 2.0 may follow. The battle for Ukraine's soul continues.

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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

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