Video: SodaScream — Bubble trouble

Way off topic but: For probably sound editorial reasons MW has avoided opening threads on the Ukraine. That discussion can open a real can or worms. However, for a site that spends much of its effort discussing Western Jewish attitudes towards problems in the ME, it does seem that what is happening in Ukraine is relevant.

I do not think Israel is part of the problem in Ukraine nor do I think Zionist are particularly important players in this crisis. What is relevant is that the provisional government of Ukraine today is heavily influenced by neofascist and antisemitic elements. Twenty five per cent of the ministries of that government is controlled by the Svodoba Party and the Right Sector. These guys are without doubt fascists and old fashioned antisemites. Many Jewish immigrants over the last century have harrowing tales about the Ukrainian antisemites. Without going into the history this is one little anecdote that illustrates the issue: in September, 1941 just outside Kiev in a gully called Babi Yar, the Germans killed in one day 40,000 Jews. There were 300-500 Ukrainian Auxilaries that helped carry out that massacre. This was the precursor force that became part of the Bandolera brigades which are now worshiped by the current neofascists parties in Ukraine. Somehow I think this should be relevant to a site that spends so much time discussing the Jewish diaspora.