Great question, great headline. And the answer is!
A German telephone poll found 80% approval. A "more rigorous" American-Russian poll found 84% approval. So yeah, however you like you rigor.
Great headline cuz, Should it still rankle the West? I don't think so. No, it was not cricket those little green men. It has led to greenies in the east, yes. Russia needs a way to get to Crimea now, they are separated by Ukraine now, that's why that Ukrainean city that begins with an "M," sort of sounds like Marsupial, was excluded in the latest cease-fire agreement, no that doesn't explain the Donetsk People's Republic. Look: Obama told Putin personally the U.S. will "never" recognize Crimea as part of Russia. That was stupid. Obama painted himself into a stupid box there. The sanctions all started with Crimea, what is he going to do, continue the sanctions until a "liberated" Crimea is returned to Ukraine? Remember the result of that Crimean referendum, something like 98%? It wasn't really 98% but 80%-84% (plus/minus polling margin of error, of course) will do: Overwhelmingly, Crimeans wanted to be part of Russia, they want to be part of Russia now. I wrote that then, I write that now. The Obamas said the referendum was illegitimate! They said it was illegitimate before it was even held. Obama was right to sanction Russia for Crimea cuz those little green men really weren't cricket. I supported sanctions then but wrote, "What is the shelf life?" I do not support sanctions now for Crimea, a weasly, lawyerly distinction I acknowledge as I support sanctions now for the further invasions in the east as there is a lack of crickets there also, but look we have to call a cricket a cricket, we have sanctioned Russia into a 3%-4% contraction of their economy this year (We and the oil price drop). That is not cricket either when 80%-84% don't want crickets and want little green men! Come on, we've got to end the sanctions some time, they were never intended to wreck the Russian economy--We're talking 3%-4% CONTRACTION here, Pilgrim.--Putin, wherever you are, take all the Marsupials you want--Pay at the checkout line!--and get outta the store...Ukraine...ASAP. Obama, set an...Oh! Obama tell Putin we're having a sale on Ukrainean Marsupials, Hurry! Sale ends soon! Set an expiration date and then take a powder and go lay down. Sorry, Ukraine...Oh! Ukraine, you are never going to be a member of NATO and Ukraine, give it to a Russian.
Image: first Google image for search keyword "Ukrainian Marsupials." Ugh, ugly thing. Sorry, Ukraine.
