A "rhetorical fascism" that has no fangs? A. Taylor, 17 03 14

Russia has stated her readiness to defend her citizens and the population of Crimea and eastern Ukraine against both the fascist elements in the Ukraine's interim government and those patrolling the streets of Ukraine. But I am convinced the Left forces should clearly understand that the interests of ordinary working people in Ukraine are going to be only indirectly addressed for a time, given the composition of the geopolitical forces.

The Russian state has been forced into a tight corner and although Moscow's capitalist sector has zero principled commitment to the economic relief of the working class, at the political level The Russian Federation is attempting albeit through crude available means to contain and rebuke the spread of ultra-nationalist reaction.  Putin's actions in Crimea though of indeterminate legality under international principles of law, have at the least ensured that the venal fascistic demons unleashed from the Pandora's Box of Maidan have been rebuked and contained for a time.

Under the present chaotic circumstances with the EU-US coup ensconced by violence in Ukraine, the unelected Kiev 'government' under Yatsenyuk has no legal legitimacy under international law,~ only the Machiavellian "assistance' of lawless western imperialism and the paramilitary gunmen of the far-right Maidan who possess stockpiles of weapons outside of the control of the Yatsenyuk fig-leaf interim power.

The coup government has hijacked the truly popular and legitimate demands of the hard-pressed Ukrainian people by dividing up the governorships between fascists and oligarchs and preparing an IMF Austerity regimen.

The self-styled " temporary government' in Kiev is not a free agent and submits its decisions to the Maidan extremist nationalist mob encamped in Kiev. There is zero state control over policing and order: the Right Sector and aligned militias patrol the capital. Never since WW2 have so many firearms been in the hands of paramilitary militants.

There is a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine, but the EU and US so far reject it out of hand.

1. This would involve, first, the creation of a representative coalition government of National Unity in Kiev made up of all parliamentary parties, including those from the east and south.
2. Second, Ukraine should proceed with drafting a democratic constitution based on federalist principles that restores social peace by providing internationally witnessed  guarantees to Ukraine’s Russian-speaking population, granting official Bilingual status to the Russian language
3. Finally, presidential and parliamentary elections must be held under the supervision of both European and Russian observers.

In my view, in the present context, the international Left  must prepare on ideological and political levels not only for an protracted and compromised clash between  nationalist and democratic forces struggling in Ukraine, but more urgent still, prepare for the even greater more urgent battle against the resurgence of fascism worldwide.

Fascism is being appeased in Ukraine for reasons of financial and geopolitical dominance. We are told by western pundits that this Svoboda /Right Sector fascism is 'different', a "rhetorical fascism" that has no fangs, and poses no threat.

But one doesn't play with fire. The hard right's entrance into powerful Cabinet posts in Kiev affects National Alliance "All For Latvia", Vlaams Blok in Belgium, and Italy's Lega Nord. Svoboda is in the same Nationalist European political Bloc with these parties. Unless rebuked, fascism spreads, specially in times of capitalist economic crisis.

In Europe and the Americas recent events have encouraged the re-emergence of a Cold War style offensive against "Russia", against anti-fascists, and against any group or individual  not on board with the prevailing simplistic 'us versus them' jingoism.

In North America both media and government will use the crisis in Ukraine to further marginalise the fightback against the far-right and Austerity within our own already threatened democracies. The creeping footsteps of a second Cold War is about to challenge activists for environmental sustainability, social benefits, native rights and international solidarity.