Changes

{{See also|Maidan coup}}

{{See also|Maidan coup}}

[[Washington D.C.]]’s regime-change arm, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), spent $22.4 million on operations inside Ukraine since the Maidan of 2014, when democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown and replaced by a successor regime handpicked by the U.S. Those operations included propping up and training pro-Western political parties, funding pliant media organizations, and subsidizing massive privatization drives that benefit foreign multinational corporations, all in an effort to secure U.S. control over the country that NED President Carl Gershman called “the biggest prize” in Europe.

[[Washington D.C.]]’s regime-change arm, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), spent $22.4 million on operations inside Ukraine since the Maidan of 2014, when democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown and replaced by a successor regime handpicked by the U.S. Those operations included propping up and training pro-Western political parties, funding pliant media organizations, and subsidizing massive privatization drives that benefit foreign multinational corporations, all in an effort to secure U.S. control over the country that NED President Carl Gershman called “the biggest prize” in Europe.

[[File:Oleh Tyanhbok.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Tyahnybok: "[[Moscow]]-[[Jewish]] mafia" is running Ukraine.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2018/07/05/corporate-medias-about-face-on-ukraines-neo-nazis/</ref>]]

[[File:Nuland-in-ukraine.jpg|left|3O0px|thumb|Maidan coup conspirators [[Oleh Tyahnybok]] (left), U.S. Asst. Sec. of State Victoria Nuland (center), Yarsenyi Yatsenyuk, and (right) Vitali Klitschko (rear).<ref>https://youtu.be/vtKgW2DSIb0</ref>]]

The National Endowment for Democracy was set up in 1983 after a series of scandals undermined both the credibility and the public image of the [[CIA]]. The organization was established as a cutout doing much of the agency’s dirtiest work. “It would be terrible for democratic groups around the world to be seen as subsidized by the CIA,” Gershman himself said, explaining its creation. “A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA,” NED cofounder Allen Weinstein told ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in 1991.

The National Endowment for Democracy was set up in 1983 after a series of scandals undermined both the credibility and the public image of the [[CIA]]. The organization was established as a cutout doing much of the agency’s dirtiest work. “It would be terrible for democratic groups around the world to be seen as subsidized by the CIA,” Gershman himself said, explaining its creation. “A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA,” NED cofounder Allen Weinstein told ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in 1991.

   

   

Studying the NED grants database reveals that the organization has approved 334 separate grants to Ukraine, a country the group’s 2019 annual report identified as its “top priority,” owing to “its size and importance for the Europe region.” The report notes that NED is focused on “counter[ing] foreign [i.e., Russian] malign influence, particularly disinformation and corrosive capital.” Of the European nations, only Russia itself has been the target of more NED money ($37.7 million to Ukraine’s $22.4 million).  NED is rather hazy about where its money is going, yet scrutinizing the vague project outlines, it becomes clear that NED has two major objectives in Ukraine:

Studying the NED grants database reveals that the organization has approved 334 separate grants to Ukraine, a country the group’s 2019 annual report identified as its “top priority,” owing to “its size and importance for the Europe region.” The report notes that NED is focused on “counter[ing] foreign [i.e., Russian] malign influence, particularly disinformation and corrosive capital.” Of the European nations, only Russia itself has been the target of more NED money ($37.7 million to Ukraine’s $22.4 million).  NED is rather hazy about where its money is going, yet scrutinizing the vague project outlines, it becomes clear that NED has two major objectives in Ukraine:

 

:Pushing through a mass privatization of the country’s state-owned businesses.

:Pushing through a mass privatization of the country’s state-owned businesses.

:Building up political parties that will represent elite U.S. interests.

:Building up political parties that will represent elite U.S. interests.

 

Of the $22.4 million, over $2.9 million has been awarded to the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), an offshoot of the [[U.S. Chamber of Commerce]].  One NED grant to the CIPE — worth $500,000 described the project’s goal as “enhanc[ing] the role of leading business associations and the private sector in public policy decision-making, and improv[ing] the capacity of the private sector and officials to cooperate to develop and implement economic reforms.” In other words, to hand over government decision-making to big business, something many might argue is the antithesis of [[democracy]].<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/documents-reveal-us-ned-spent-22m-promoting-anti-russia-narrative-ukraine/279734/</ref>

Of the $22.4 million, over $2.9 million has been awarded to the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), an offshoot of the [[U.S. Chamber of Commerce]].  One NED grant to the CIPE — worth $500,000 described the project’s goal as “enhanc[ing] the role of leading business associations and the private sector in public policy decision-making, and improv[ing] the capacity of the private sector and officials to cooperate to develop and implement economic reforms.” In other words, to hand over government decision-making to big business, something many might argue is the antithesis of [[democracy]].<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/documents-reveal-us-ned-spent-22m-promoting-anti-russia-narrative-ukraine/279734/</ref>

One $595,000 grant describes how NDI will “help political parties develop into inclusive, national movements,” and will “assist parties in the development of inclusive, internal communication and decision making procedures” and “conduct public opinion research and trainings to help parties better understand and respond to citizens, including those outside of their traditional geographical bases of support.” A less charitable interpretation of the grant would be that the U.S. government is taking over the political direction and organization of Ukrainian political parties, molding them as they see fit.

One $595,000 grant describes how NDI will “help political parties develop into inclusive, national movements,” and will “assist parties in the development of inclusive, internal communication and decision making procedures” and “conduct public opinion research and trainings to help parties better understand and respond to citizens, including those outside of their traditional geographical bases of support.” A less charitable interpretation of the grant would be that the U.S. government is taking over the political direction and organization of Ukrainian political parties, molding them as they see fit.

 

In tandem with the support of political blocs also comes the grooming of young political and social activists who NED hopes will become the leaders of tomorrow. To this end, it has given at least $385,000 to the European Institute for Democracy in Warsaw, in order to, in its words, “support a new generation of political leaders in Ukraine,” by conducting training courses for their handpicked proteges, flying them out of the country to provide lessons in “election campaigning, women empowerment, effective governing, and crisis management,” among other skills.

In tandem with the support of political blocs also comes the grooming of young political and social activists who NED hopes will become the leaders of tomorrow. To this end, it has given at least $385,000 to the European Institute for Democracy in Warsaw, in order to, in its words, “support a new generation of political leaders in Ukraine,” by conducting training courses for their handpicked proteges, flying them out of the country to provide lessons in “election campaigning, women empowerment, effective governing, and crisis management,” among other skills.

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|colspan="3"|<hr/>'''Left''' Ukrainian girls mixing [[Molotov cocktail]]s<br>'''Right''' Ukrainian girls carrying Molotov cocktails to the Odessa Trade Unions House in Ukrainian flag.<ref>https://archive.fo/29yFk</ref>

|colspan="3"|<hr/>'''Left''' Ukrainian girls mixing [[Molotov cocktail]]s<br>'''Right''' Ukrainian girls carrying Molotov cocktails to the Odessa Trade Unions House in Ukrainian flag.<ref>https://archive.fo/29yFk</ref>

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The point, of course, is to develop a cadre of pro-Western [[neoliberal]] thought leaders who will ally themselves to the United States and its vision for Ukraine. Left unstated in all this is that the U.S. is deciding who exactly this new generation of leaders comprises. And for all the nods towards [[diversity]] and [[liberalism]], the U.S.’ record in Eastern Europe shows they are happy to support [[fascist]]s and other highly anti-democratic forces. Those who do not share Washington’s goals for Ukraine need not apply.

The point, of course, is to develop a cadre of pro-Western [[neoliberal]] thought leaders who will ally themselves to the United States and its vision for Ukraine. Left unstated in all this is that the U.S. is deciding who exactly this new generation of leaders comprises. And for all the nods towards [[diversity]] and [[liberalism]], the U.S.’ record in Eastern Europe shows they are happy to support [[fascist]]s and other highly anti-democratic forces. Those who do not share Washington’s goals for Ukraine need not apply.