Bruce, I generally find myself in sympathy with the positions you take, but in this case you have made a serious misjudgment in my view about the facts of the MH17 tragedy. You seem for example, to be completely unaware of the evidence presented last Monday by two high ranking Russian Generals which has been virtually ignored by the Oz media.

That evidence calls for a reasoned response and debate. It was shown for example, that MH17 deviated from its flight path and the deviation took it over the war zone. The Ukrainians have refused to release their air traffic control data to explain why that happened.

It was further shown that the US had a spy satellite directly overheads at the time of the crash, yet they have refused to (officially) respond to the Russian request that they release the data that satellite will have shown. Instead, there have been a series of outlandish allegations, utterly without supporting evidence, and directly contrary to what is known and can be independently established.

There have also been several attempts by the Ukrainian regime to claim they have "evidence" which has quickly been shown to be utterly false. The innocent have no need to manufacture evidence to prove another's guilt.

There is much else that could be said in rebuttal of your thesis, as you, and indeed could anyone with a genuine desire to establish the truth, could quickly establish by a search of reliable sources.

I endorse what SteeleRedux, halduell and Pericles say about your approach to Ukraine, and endorse also Ojnab and Peter King's vivid exposure of Abbott's professed humanity with his stunning silence on the travesty being perpetrated upon the Palestinians by his Zionist friends.

Yep James O'Neill

While we await Pilger's Russian propaganda report your preference for the Kremlin's claims is all too predictable.

Cheers

Pete

Yes Pete. I will always prefer evidence to propaganda. But if you actually read what I said rather than rushing in with your customary smart alec remarks you would have read that I said the Russian material presented last Monday calls for a "reasoned response and debate". The Russian evidence (whether you accept it or not) is streets ahead of the unfounded allegations and manufactured "evidence" that has thus far emanated from the US and its acolytes. When you are ready to engage in a reasoned and evidence based debate process feel free to post again.

"The first casualty of war is truth".
I doubt there'll ever be a completely accepted truth to this now, "evidence" is all too easily fabricated these days and I wouldn't take their word from either side of this.
Perhaps if one of those actually responsible spoke up, with some sort of real evidence, then I might believe, maybe.
Until then, Occam's Razor applies, it was probably mistaken identity by the operators of the missile system, whichever side of the Russian border they came from.

Here you go James

This should provide you with some interim Pilger thought-food http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/13/ukraine-us-war-russia-john-pilger

Not yet updated as the Pilg awaits his Moscow stipend.

:)

Pete

Abbott waited three days before even calling Putin, launched yet another military nuanced "Operation" and recited some generic platitudes.

I saw nothing special or any unique qualities on display - he just did what any other leader would have been advised to do.

At best he didn't offend anybody - unlike his statements about excusing the Japanese for WW2 atrocities.