TOW # 17: Ukraine Shows the "Color Revolution" Model is Dead by Anne Applebaum

Recently, the Ukrainian government has passed some dubious legislation that seems aimed at suppressing any recent civilian resistance. Some of the new legislation criminalizes all forms of "slander", which might include disagreement with the government, or a right to assemble. These new laws seem to reflect a growing Russian influence that the Ukranian government seems to have had. When citizens took to the streets to protest these new laws in Kiev, things turned violent and so far five people are dead. The surprising strength and ruthlessness of the Ukranian government seems to show that the "color revolutions", or more peaceful overturning of power, is in the past. So far, the United States has done little to address this issue, which may make the citizens want to use more violent means. The United States needs to reconsider its policies when it comes to dealing with governments like these.
The author uses various rhetorical devices in her argument. She uses the repetition of the word "they" when talking about the Ukranian government. Applebaum writes, "They have the cash to bribe a parliament’s worth of elected officials. They have the cynicism to revive the old Soviet technique of selective violence....They have also learned to manipulate media (as the Russians do) to multiply their money in Western financial institutions (as the Russians do), even to send threatening text messages. They have crafted a well-argued, well-funded, alternate narrative about Western economic decline and cultural decadence." This repetition acts as a sort of list to show how powerful the Ukranian government has become. Applebaum also uses humerous quotes to mock the lack of U.S response to this issue. Quoting a Canadian diplomat, she writes, "It's like watching a hockey game with only one team on the ice."
Overall, I think Applebaum achieved her purpose of attempting to show this problem and urging the United States to reconsider its policies in that area of the world. However, I think she underestimated the difficulty of the situation, especially the power of Russia. Her position, though well-intentioned, seems a bit naive.
Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer-winning author and the director of the Global Transitions Program in the Legatum Institute in London.