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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Police Reports Schneider Art Museum installation re-imagines Rivera UPDATED: Two lanes open after I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit 10 things to know for Friday Education New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Music Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... RELOCATIONS Herb Rothschild Jr.: Demonizing Putin makes case for war Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News To say anything that seems to defend Russian Premier Vladimir Putin is as risky today as appearing to defend Saddam Hussein in 2003. The demonization of Saddam was key to the Bush Administration’s case for invading Iraq. The demonization of Putin is key to our current government’s case for confronting Russia over Ukraine. Warnings of another avoidable disaster, instead of being considered on their merits, get dismissed as support for Putin. That’s what happened to Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies and politics at New York University and Princeton. He pointed to several realities that contradict our leadership’s prevailing narrative about Ukraine. That narrative is all Putin-centered. To wit: Putin wants to restore the territorial control exercised by the former Soviet Union. Thus, he chose to annex the Crimea and to foment rebellion in eastern Ukraine. If not stopped, he’ll soon make other moves. Such a story is simple enough for public consumption. And it conforms to our mainstream media’s habit of erasing all history from the events they cover. Here are five factual realities that don’t fit that narrative: First, Russia didn’t take Crimea. It took it back. The Crimea was part of Russia long before Khrushchev capriciously gave it to Ukraine in 1954. That a key Russian naval base was in Ukrainian territory didn’t matter only as long as Ukraine wasn’t hostile. Second, instead of disbanding when the Warsaw Pact, NATO’s purported reason for existing, broke up, our military alliance expanded by annexing pieces of it, thus arousing Russian fear of military encirclement. The move to include Ukraine in NATO was as threatening to Russia as adding Mexico to a Russian military alliance would be to us. Third, we call the February 2014 overthrow of the democratically elected government of Ukraine a revolution, but if we hadn’t approved of it, we’d call it a coup. Whatever it was, the Western powers backed it to rid themselves of a leader who wouldn’t commit to an alliance with the West to the disadvantage of Russia. Fourth, the interim government that seized power in Kiev represented non-ethnic Russians in western Ukraine, but not ethnic Russians in the east. According to polling in March, 2014 by Germany’s largest market research firm, only 20 percent of the population in the eastern and southern regions supported the overthrow. Why is it OK for the “revolutionaries” to revolt but not for those loyal to the elected government of Viktor Yanukovych to take up arms? Fifth, the conduct of the war — all in the east — has been marked by brutalities, many by the Kievan forces, some by the other side. In this regard, there is no moral high ground. If the reason to cite these realities were to apportion blame between Russia/Putin and the U.S./Obama, doing so would be fruitless. Even we good progressives in Ashland will favor Obama over Putin. But that’s not my reason. It’s to indicate that there is ample room on our side as well as Putin’s to reach a diplomatic settlement. The question is whether we have the will, not the ability. Bush and his neocons wanted a military showdown with Saddam. Congress is pushing Obama to increase U.S. involvement in the fighting and ultimately a military showdown with Russia. They are even more irresponsible than Bush. This time the disaster may come home to us, not in the form of body bags and wounded servicemen, but as nuclear warheads. Herb Rothschild Jr. is chairman of the board of Peace House. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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