In the past three years there have been very dramatic events in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, and now Ukraine.
The default stance for many has been to passionately and vociferously support those who are anti-government, and to unquestioningly believe that all those involved in anti-government efforts have to be true-hearted lovers of freedom and democracy.
But something seems to have changed. I haven't seen as much of the default stance these days as I have seen in the past three years.
Maybe it's 'buyer's remorse' now felt by some due to the way they bought hook, line and sinker the propaganda churned out by the Syrian opposition's media machine.
The questions for me, and maybe for others, now regarding Ukraine are:
- Are these legitimate, generally peaceful, protests against a corrupt government in an effort to bring about polical change and a more democratic government of the people?
- Is this an armed insurrection whose purpose is to use arms and violance to achieve the political and governmental changes desired by those committing this violence and carrying these arms?
- Is this an armed rebellion instigated by radical groups in an attempt to overthrow the government and put themselves in power?
If it's the first case, they have my complete support.
If it's the second or third, they don't.