FUN FACT FRIDAY!

Bethel, Alaska, is home to the most taxi cabs per capita. 66 cabs serve 6,000 people. That's 11 cabs for every 1,000 people.

Turmoil in Ukraine Poses Future Threat to United States

The current turmoil in Ukraine poses a grave threat to the United States in the future. A weak Ukraine is subject to Russian influence, which has been spreading quickly throughout the Middle East, the Baltic States, and the Balkan Peninsula. Russia already manipulates Belarus near the Baltic Coast. The civil war that is ravaging Syria has brought Iran and Russia into a near alliance, not to mention the amount of influence that alliance has in Syria.  If the United States continues to become less involved in Egypt and its popularity there continues to dwindle, Russia could jump in and gain influence in Egypt, especially with a new set of elections in Egypt on the horizon. That would surround one of the United States' greatest allies, Israel, by a nation that has not necessarily been very helpful to the United States recently.

First and foremost, Russia spurned the United States by refusing to turn over Edward Snowden after he caused a "blizzard" of reaction in the United States. President Obama sought to have Snowden return to the United States as a traitor, but Russia refused to deliver him to the United States. Russia and the United States oppose each other on the crisis in Syria, causing many problems. Russia backs the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad who has been found to use chemical weaponry against his own people. (Let's hope Ukraine never comes to that...) And, with the uneasy relationship heading into a Winter Olympics that has questionable security (so much so that the United States has two warships in the Black Sea ready to extract American citizens at a moment's notice), who knows what Russia will do next?

Increasing its sphere of influence is nothing new to Russia and the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin was given the task of rebuilding Eastern European governments after World War Two. Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt told him to set up free elections in those nations. Instead, Stalin set up elections where only communists were permitted to run for office. Thus, Stalin effected increased the sphere of influence when these nations were at their weakest. While never incorporated into the Soviet Union, these Warsaw Pact nations were puppets. In fact, when communism was threatened by a people's revolt in 1956 (Hungary) and 1968 (Czechoslovakia - the Prague Spring), the Soviet Union sent in troops to smash the protests. These revolts prompted the Brezhnev Doctrine which stated that the Soviet Union could intervene to protect communism in any communist nation.

Ultimately, I hope that Ukraine becomes stable and pro-Western, but I fear that Russia will sneak in and make another puppet state. The United States does not need another Cold War.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Resigns Amid Turmoil

Ukraine's prime minister turned in his resignation today before a session of parliament that Ukraine's protesters have called "Judgement Day." Mykola Azarov resigned amid turmoil where protesters have been calling for Ukraine's president, Viktor Yanukovych, to resign. Instead, Yanukovych has offered the position of prime minister to a leader of the opposition but also has been turned down twice.

At that session of parliament, they repealed the anti-protest laws that caused an escalation in the demonstrations.

Ukraine's Justice Minister Threatens State of Emergency

Last night, Ukrainian protestors seized the Ministry of Justice's building, prompting the nation's justice minister to threaten a state of emergency. The Ministry of Justice is the fourth building that has been seized by the protesters. Kiev's city hall is among the other three. The parliament is set to meet on Tuesday which has been called by the protesters as "Judgement Day." President Yanukovych also decided on Monday to get rid of the anti-protest law that heated up the protests. An important dispute between the two sides is amnesty for prisoners. Yanukovych says that he can only promise that if protesters stop occupying buildings and ditch the tent city in Kiev.

The turmoil in Ukraine began in December when Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych decided to strengthen ties with Russia rather than the European Union. The protestors originally called for new elections in Parliament, but recently have called for Yanukovych's resignation. Yanukovych offered the prime minister-ship to an opposition leader, but the offer was turned down.

UPDATE on "Crisis in Kiev"

Violent riots in Ukraine over a dispute with the president, Viktor Yanukovych, are spreading to the countryside. The opposition has warned Yanukovych that the only way to end the violence is through is resignation. However, the Yanukovych didn't go that far. He announced on January 21 that he would make changes to his Cabinet, grant amnesty to some jailed rebels, and ease laws aimed to diffusing the protests. The opposition is still calling for Yanukovych's resignation. Instead, Yanukovych offered the job of prime minister to one of the opposition's leaders, Arseniy Yatsenyuk. However, Yatsenyuk replied to the offer with a resounding NO, so protests will continue.

This should worry the United States. A weak Ukraine could be subject to Russian influence which has already spread into Syria and Iran with the possibility of Egypt as well.

World's Newest Nation on Verge of a Civil War

South Sudan has been a nation for only a couple years now, but that's enough time to start a civil war. The current president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, recently accused a former vice president of planning a coup, igniting cultural conflicts between to two. Rebels have since been fighting government forces. The two groups are still at odds, but there is hope. Both sides met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, earlier this month.