Some Crimean Crisis Links

The end of term is upon me, with all the grading involved in it, so not much ii the way of commentary is forthcoming. However, here are some links to interesting articles and blog posts on the ongoing events.

Putin's Crimea Blunder by Joshua Rovner: Rovner argues that Putin has made a long term blunder. As he puts it:

Putin has not outwitted anyone. He has not taken advantage of feckless Western leaders to expand Russian power and prestige, nor has he set in motion a pattern of events that has put the international order at risk. What he has done is drive headlong into a crisis where all of the likely outcomes for Russia are bad.

How the Ukraine Crisis Ends by Henry Kissinger: As I previously noted, Charles Krauthammer quoted Kissinger quite a bit in arguing that Obama's lack of action enabled Putin;s intervention and that Obama needs to be more forceful. Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, Kissinger has a different view:

 Far too often the Ukrainian issue is posed as a showdown: whether Ukraine joins the East or the West. But if Ukraine is to survive and thrive, it must not be either side’s outpost against the other — it should function as a bridge between them.

Primer on Ukraine's Economic Troubles by Tim Taylor: The Conversable Economist analyzes Ukraine's underlying economic situation.

Is Crimean independence or annexation a good outcome for Russia? by Helena Yakovlev-Golani and Nadiya Kravets: The authors argue that annexation or independence of Crimea would be bad for Russia in the long run.