For a long time, Russia has not responded to the so-called sanctions declared against it by certain countries. Until the last moment, we hoped that our foreign colleagues would realise that sanctions lead to a blind alley, and that no one benefits from them. But they didn’t realise this, and now we have been forced to respond.Whoa! That's not all. After some typical Russian propaganda, Medvedev makes some dangerous threats:
Yesterday, the President of the Russian Federation signed an Executive Order On Applying Certain Special Economic Measures to Ensure the Security of the Russian Federation. This basically means an embargo on importing entire categories of products from those countries which have declared economic sanctions against Russian organisations and individuals. I have signed a Government resolution on enforcing this Executive Order.
Russia has completely banned the importation of beef, pork, fruits and vegetables, poultry, fish, cheese, milk and dairy products from the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada and the Kingdom of Norway.
[W]e are also developing measures to retaliate against the EU sanctions against Dobrolyot for its service to Simferopol. As you all know, on 4 August our first low-cost carrier was forced to suspend operations as a result of these unfriendly acts. All of its European partners refused to meet their obligations to lease, provide maintenance or insurance for planes or to provide air navigation data. This has brought many problems to our people that we’ve had to deal with. In this context, the Russian Government is considering a series of responses. I’ll name them. This doesn’t mean they’ll be taken right away, but they are on the table.There's more, and you can read more about it from the Saker, who certainly deserves several hat-tips for all the hard work he's done to keep his readers up to date regarding Russia, Ukraine, and related matters.
First, they include an airspace ban against European and US airlines that fly over our airspace to Eastern Asia, namely, the Asia-Pacific Region. This is a very tough measure indeed. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned.
Second, we are considering changing the so-called Russian airspace entry and exit points for European scheduled and charter flights. This, of course, will affect transportation costs and fare prices for the Western carriers.
But as you read Saker's commentary, you should keep a few things in mind, especially:
3. Whatever we do is Good. Otherwise we wouldn't do it.As you already know, the Russians are our enemies (rule 5). So it goes without saying that this reckless trade embargo to be imposed by Russia is not only Evil (rule 6) but also an act of War. And it is clear that any future airspace restrictions to be imposed by Russia would also be Evil (rule 6) and acts of War. These are hard things to say, but we wouldn't say them if they weren't True (rule 4). As for the Russians: Who do they think they are? How dare they interfere with our way of life?
4. Whatever we say is True. Otherwise we wouldn't say it.
5. Our enemies are whoever we say they are. (See rule 4.)
6. Whatever they do is Evil. Otherwise they wouldn't do it.
7. Whatever they say is False. Otherwise they wouldn't say it.
By the same token, it goes without saying that all the carefully considered sanctions that have been imposed against Russia by the US and her allies were not only Good (rule 3) but actually acts of Peace. It is equally clear that any future sanctions, to be imposed by the US and her allies, would also be Peaceful and Good (rule 3). But in the usual Russian manner (rule 7), Medvedev and Putin are using these Good acts as a pretext in a doomed attempt to justify acts of Evil, beginning with an unprovoked disruption of trade, and including unconscionable threats against to our use of their airspace. Who do they think they are? How dare they retaliate against us for interfering with their way of life?
The Russians claim to be upset about what's been happening in Ukraine, but any serious analyst will tell you that the reign of terror in Ukraine is their fault (even if we provoked it), because they created the conditions which allowed us to provoke it. (And in any case, we didn't really provoke it, see rule 8.)
But this is the Russian way. This has always been the Russian way. And that's why they have always been our enemies (except when they were our allies). For all their supposed intelligence, the Russians have not yet accepted us (rule 2) as their great leaders (rule 1). And I think sooner or later this is going to be their downfall.
It's easy to see the situation is volatile. And it's just as easy to see that, if it escalates further (or even if it doesn't), the Russians will have no one to blame but themselves, because they are our enemies (rule 5). We cannot trust them because whatever they say is False (rule 7), and we cannot ignore them because whatever they do is Evil (rule 6).
And anyone who says otherwise is not only anti-American (rule 9) but also anti-American-allies: thus anti-EU, anti-NATO, anti-Israel, and (especially) anti-Semitic (rule 10) -- therefore no better than Hitler, and beneath contempt.
This much is clear, surely. Anyone who has stopped thinking can tell you that. But many people -- including the Saker himself -- don't seem to understand this. So they continue to put themselves on the same level as Adolph Hitler.
But I don't think it's deliberate. I think they just don't understand How Not To Be Anti-American, Anti-Semitic, No Better Than Hitler, And Beneath Contempt.
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