The Crimea Debate: Who benefits

The Crimea Debate and Assets Freeze: Who Benefits?

The freezing of assets belonging to some key allies of the Russian President by the European Union is of concern to me because of one simple question. When assets are frozen, who benefits?  Russia is being accused of ‘land grab’ as the US Vice President, Joe Biden, puts it. Are the European Union and the United States engaged in “assets grab”?  It is important to underscore that freezing assets will not reverse the situation in Crimea. The people of Crimea have voted to join Russia just as the people of South Sudan voted to become an Independent Republic. This is history in the making. The right to self-determination by the people of Crimea should be respected. The EU and the US need to regard the universal principles of human rights especially the right to freedom of association.  Let sobriety overcome emotions in the Crimea debate.  Are the people not allowed to determine their destiny? 

On the question of assets freeze, who really benefits? After freezing the assets of Former President Taylor of Liberia and some of his allies, for instance, only the West knows exactly how much assets have been frozen, where those assets are, and who is benefiting from the assets currently. Hope the frozen assets of the Russians will not end up in the same corner where those of Taylor and allies ended up. It appears as though American and European banks are the beneficiaries of frozen assets. May be for the 'good reason'-bailouts.

Just my thoughts on the issues for today.

-Tom Kaydor’s reelections 22 March 2014