Crimea and Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin: Of course, thats exactly what happened to the two million residents of Crimea, including the more than 40 per cent of them who do not identify as ethnically Russian. Related Items Articles Obama smart to take measured steps More sanctions as Canada calls out Russia for illegal annexation of Crimea 1 Ukrainian serviceman, 1 fighter reported killed in storming of Crimean facility Sanctions, expulsion from G8 won't harm Russia, says ambassador to Canada UK suspends military co-operation with Russia over Ukraine crisis Russia downplays fears of further takeover of Ukraine territory; stocks jump, French foreign minister says Russia is suspended from G-8, other members will meet without it Gorbachev praises Crimean referendum as "happy event" West unleashes angry torrent against Russia; looks for ways to stop Putin from expanding reach After Crimea, world anxiously awaits Putin's next move; all eyes on eastern Ukraine Russia hit with tough sanctions Putin signs treaty for Crimea to join Russia, angrily rejects Western criticism , according to Winnipeg Free Press. To be fair, when it comes to questions of territorial integrity, everyones a bit of a hypocrite. Organized Hypocrisy is the title of one academic text on the subject of national sovereignty. Vladimir Putin signed a treaty this week annexing Crimea as part of Russia, delivering a combative speech that expounded Russias links to the region dating back to Prince Vladimirs baptism and conversion of the Kievan Rus to Christianity in the 10th century through the breakup of the Soviet Union. "Millions of Russians went to bed in one country and woke up abroad," he said. This seeming contradiction is not new for Putin, who routinely accuses the West of using human rights "as an excuse for a presumptuous violation of national sovereignty" yet is willing to use the rights of ethnic Russians as pretext for seizing territory from Russias neighbours. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.