Now that the dust has settled and some of the smoke has cleared, a slightly different dynamic can be seen developing on the ground in Ukraine. Some pretty unsavory characters have infiltrated and aligned themselves with more moderate elements of the rebellion. From Kiev to Crimea, dark forces of all stripes are now making their presence known.
Looking dangerously like the dynamic persisting in Syria, weeding the extremist out from legitimate elements for change is going to be critical, no matter how difficult. Trying to do this while the nation pulls itself apart region by region, pitting one ethnic minority against another is a tall order for even a mastermind like Vladimir Putin.
Still, I like his options. Putin could rely on the old "protecting one's allies and national interest line", to buy time. And above all, time and patience will be the key to relieving the pressure currently building as western Ukrainians demand justice for the deaths of fellow protestors.
Watching ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on television defiantly rejecting calls for his ass, while mysteriously masked and unmarked military types take control of Crimea's airports, flying the Russian flag, might be Putin's way of telling the world, at least part of Ukraine is spoken for.
Considering the history and regional support, he could win that argument. With a little bit of muscle, most will back off. If Ukraine breaks up, it breaks up!
Why the US or Europe would want to get too deeply involved with Ukraine is a bit of a mystery. Considering Ukraine is flat broke,thoroughly corrupt, with a government as distrusted by its own people as much as its own people distrust each other, the country is just a land mine waiting to go off in the face any fool dumb enough to get too close. The US has little if any interest beyond being a pain in the ass to Putin and the last the EU needs now is another angry mouth to feed.
Bottom line: The West has more pressing concerns!
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