13-Aug-14 World View -- Mammoth Russian truck convoy

[John]

13-Aug-14 World View -- Mammoth Russian truck convoy heads for confrontation at Ukraine border

U.S. sends 130 more troops to Iraq as advisors

** 13-Aug-14 World View -- Mammoth Russian truck convoy heads for confrontation at Ukraine border
** http://www.generationaldynamics.com/pg/ ... tm#e140813



Contents:
Mammoth Russian truck convoy heads for confrontation at Ukraine border
Indirect Hamas-Israeli negotiations for Gaza war continue in Cairo
U.S. sends 130 more troops to Iraq as advisors


Keys:
Generational Dynamics, Russia, Ukraine, Sergei Lavrov, Trojan Horse,
International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC,
Egypt, Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Rafah crossing,
Iraq, Chuck Hagel

[NoOneImportant]

Putin's enormous convoy by begs several questions: ... to what end? Putin is a coldwar warrior, not a humanitarian. To date, he hasn't hesitated to covertly move both men and materiel into the eastern Ukraine. Why this "public" display and movement of "humanitarian" material that could just as easily have been moved covertly, and why now? What is his objective, and why the public display? Just the numbers of the items in the convoy are peculiar as they range from 69 generators (where did that number come from?), to 12300 sleeping bags (who keeps 12,300 sleeping bags lying around?)

Believing deeply that no one performs any action without an expected outcome one must ask: what is it that Putin seeks from this action? Discounting something as sinister as a Russian air attack on their own convoy thinly disguised to be a Ukrainian attack, that leaves a somewhat limited number of choices.

Certainly the sheer amount of materiel involved in 260+ trucks would be difficult to transport at one time covertly, but the equivalent amount might be transported to Donetsk in smaller groups probably with little difficulty until Donetsk becomes fully invested by the Ukrainian military, so that's probably not the issue.

The presence of ICRC personnel on this convoy, however, re-enforces the Russian contention that the purpose of the convoy is strictly "humanitarian" in nature. Assuming Donetsk as the convoy's ultimate destination - Donetsk is the current center of the "eastern Ukrainian resistance"; - if and when the Ukraine military fully invests Donetsk, with this "humanitarian" move already having taken place, or in process, Putin has created an at will "humanitarian" vehicle to relieve any resultant siege of the Ukrainian "resistance" at Donetsk. It gives Putin a precedent to transgress Ukrainian sovereign territory for "humanitarian" purposes, virtually at will. Additionally any interference with future Russian "humanitarian" convoys would provide Russia with justification to move militarily to defend any in-progress "humanitarian" effort (essentially providing Donetsk with a Berlin airlift via truck). By so doing Putin assures that if Donetsk is to fall it must fall by direct assault - direct assault is a protracted, and costly action, as exemplified by the Russian experience at Stalingrad, and winter is coming. It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to put a hastily organized Russian convoy into harms way during any Ukrainian assault of Donetsk. Doing so thus creates a justification for direct Russian military intervention in the Ukraine, but only, you understand, to protect Putin's Russian humanitarian soul.

Then again, there is the possibility that this material is simply the forward positioning of materiel for a planned future Russian invasion of the Ukraine (the humanitarian cover precludes the seizing of the contents of convoy by the Ukraine, a very bright and shrewd military move.)

Just a couple of thoughts.