For Those Who Read Too Much ...

... into it. Here is Peskov to Zarubin. Yes, in Russian. Main point: want to talk about 404--remove main reasons for conflict. What are MAIN reasons for conflict? How many times to repeat the same--read Russian Foreign Ministry statement from December 2021. 

What's not to understand? Read also statement by Pete Hegseth today (previous post in blog). Remember 2 + 2 =4, that's how easy all this is. Here is Zelensky after Hegseth's statement)))

In Russian that means I am fucked, but not by male member but rather female part)) Essentially, Europe should be doing the same. 

The Best Comment.

This is why I keep my comments 99% unmoderated except for some trolls and nutjobs. 

Nutcracker cancellation reignites heated debate in EU stat. The policy in Lithuania of “mental quarantine” from Russia has been questioned after a minister admitted to actually liking Tchaikovsky 

I happen to agree with Lithuania. I also suggest for EU in general to introduce "mental quarantine" from Russia.  While at it--as one commenter noted:

Russia should challenge them to remove all the math/statistics formulas by Markov, Kolmogorov, and Chebyshev from their textbooks.

Correct, they should also remove Mendeleev's Periodic Table (of course, most in the West nowadays do not even know who created it). Works of Basov or Landau should also go. Europe is being primed for "suicide by Russia" anyway and its propaganda inevitably will succeed overwhelmingly--the trend is highly pronounced--in convincing most of population that Russians are subhumans (CERN, as an example, already banned Russian scientists), so there is no reason to subject sensitive and enlightened minds of Europe to crude art and science of those who refuse to submit. Let Nutcracker die, nor should Russians performers (most of them banned in the West) expose combined West to Rachmaninoff,  Tolstoy, Dostoevsky or Russian painters. West loves Solzhenitsyn anyway--he fits profile well. So, let's do it...

Oh, No! Not That!;)) Not Sinking.

Western "economists" and "analysts" are a very interesting breed--they carry worthless pieces of paper called degrees in "economics" from universities where people who never worked a day in life on real job teach them how real economy works, and they love hyperbole. Like this:

The ruble sank early Monday as Russia allowed so-called "friendly" countries to re-enter Moscow's bond market. Moscow's fiat currency fell as much as 1.5% to 61 against the US dollar, while also pulling back roughly 0.2% against the euro. The Kremlin announced plans last week for investors haling from countries that haven't taken part in sanctions against Russia to trade in debt securities. Russia will also convert global depository receipts, or GDR's, into shares to be traded on the Moscow Exchange. Russia's central bank said on Monday that it planned to write off the GDR's from account holders and then credit the shares. Moscow closed off its markets in February to keep a tighter seal on outflows of capital, after President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine. And the ruble's latest fall adds to the wild swings the currency has seen after notching all-time highs and record lows this year.

As you all know I don't deal with this voodoo which Western economics is because I don't deal in magic, occult and magic spells, aka Wall Street. But as always, for anyone who wants to glimpse at economic reality of the world it is worth noting that Ruble was revolving around 60-61 (Hey, Joe, where is those promised 200 for a dollar) for a duration of the last week or so and today it closed at:

Of course, the piece above reports in a proforma manner this piece of news:

NEW YORK, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Several major Wall Street banks have begun offering to facilitate trades in Russian debt in recent days, according to bank documents seen by Reuters, giving investors another chance to dispose of assets widely seen in the West as toxic. Most U.S. and European banks had pulled back from the market in June after the Treasury Department banned U.S. investors from purchasing any Russian security as part of economic sanctions to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine, according to an investor who holds Russian securities and two banking sources.

Allegedly it is all about divestment and ridding off the "toxic" Russian assets. Sure. But something tells me that there is a lot more to this story than Reuters puts on, and the issue here is very simple: in the long run real economy on which the financial system rests, not the stock market, wins. And while I am no specialist in securities--I am simply not that interested in speculation in general--I give you one example to illustrate the issue. 

Japan has revealed it will keep hold of its stake in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia, despite Western energy giants abandoning projects in the country. Industry minister Koichi Hagiuda argued the project was key to diversifying Japan’s energy supply. He said: “Sakhalin-1 is a valuable non-Middle East source for Japan, which depends on the Middle East for 90 per cent of its crude oil imports. There is no change in maintaining the interests of Japanese companies in it.” Sakhalin Oil and Gas Development, a Japanese consortium, owns 30 per cent of Sakhalin-1. Russia has banned investors from so-called unfriendly countries from selling shares in banks and key energy projects, including Sakhalin-1, until the end of the year. This is despite firms such as Shell and BP unilaterally ditching stakes in projects situated in the country following the invasion of Ukraine. 

You try to kick them out, but no--they just don't want to. You see, when one's life is dependent on real, tangible things, not some funny papers--sanctions or not--try to kick them out. And mind you, Russia is imposing her own sanctions on the "unfriendly" countries. But, getting back to Ruble, it is absolutely not a secret that Russia since June went public stressing that:

Russia Doesn’t Want Stronger Ruble, Seeks to Avoid ‘Sharp’ Gains

And that Russia is now in the process of "weakening" the Ruble and tries to find a "golden middle" which will be both good for revenues and budget. The discussion is on now about what is this rate comfortable for Russian economy. Some say it is 65, others go as high as 70. But under no condition all those changes are "sinking" as some try to portray a normal work of the government, which is in a full control of national economy and works with it as a unified organism, unlike it is the case in Western world where suicidal economic and ideological concepts got a stronghold on the West's future which is bleak. But then again, what do you expect from people who cannot find the definition of recession. I am on record, most of those people cannot find their own ass with their own two hands in a brightly lit room, so it is all good. Somebody, tell me where can I buy Tesla or Apple stock, I need to make a good investment before electricity rationing and food shortages start, wink, wink... 

P.S. Something tells me that there are many people in D.C. who would love to lift many more additional sanctions from Russia while making sure that EU imposes new ones. Just a wild thought. But what do I know.

North-South.

As most of you know, I am only marginally interested in the everyday "tactical" minutiae of SMO, because now it is mostly ruthless extermination of what's very little left of VSU and sorting out these co called Territorial Defense Troops of Ukraine which are nothing more than modern iteration of the Volkssturm and have no chance against LDNR forces, let alone regular Russian Army. But while this situation is ongoing, some other very important things happen elsewhere. No, I am not talking about Turkey removing veto for Finland and Sweden joining NATO--in a larger scheme of things it changes very little for Russia. But this, below, does:

Following agreements reached during the January official visit to Moscow by Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to further develop and deepen bilateral relations between Iran and Russia, the countries have decided to jointly revive the North-South Transport Corridor. This decision has become particularly relevant against the background of the unlawful sanctions policy pursued by the United States and its Western allies against Russia and Iran, and Tehran’s and Moscow’s desire to establish trade routes that are not linked to the West. In order to implement this decision, Iranian authorities are seeking to revive the recently stalled International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project, which traverses Russian and Iranian territory and the two countries’ waters to connect with Asian export markets. As the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported on June 11, in order to implement the International North-South Transport Corridor, the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) has initiated the transit of cargo from Russia to India or to South Asia through the project, using just one consignment note for the entire transit route.

This is this corridor. 

Geopolitical ramifications are huge for the region, especially when both Iran and Azerbaijan, which will have new railway built connecting Russia and Iran, capable to handle large rail traffic of cargoes ranging from wheat to oil, to metals etc. As article notices:

The International North-South Transport Corridor emphasizes the Russian port of Astrakhan and the Iranian Chabahar as bases for further transport to Eurasia. The development of the latter, as well as the construction of a large petrochemical complex and an export terminal near the port of Jask, are projects being implemented by the Iranian government as part of the Mokran coastal development strategy. Nevsky Shipyard, which produces multipurpose dry-cargo ships of RSD49 (deadweight of 7150 tons, container capacity of 289 TEU) and 005RSD03 (container capacity of 225 TEU) projects, is also engaged in the work of the North-South transit corridor in building ships for the Caspian Sea.

This brings us to the part of Russia's shipbuilding industry which concentrates on construction of those River-Sea vessels, like these:

Nevsky Shipyard has the order for 10 of these, other shipyards also build those or similar to them transports. Caspian Sea may get even busier in terms of marine traffic in coming years. This is a very important piece of news. Together, of course, with EU now trying to "resolve" Kaliningrad "blockade" and promising to iron out details in a few days.

VILNIUS/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Trade through Lithuania to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad could return to normal within days, two sources familiar with the matter said, as European officials edge towards a compromise deal with the Baltic state to defuse a row with Moscow. Kaliningrad, which is bordered by European Union states and relies on railways and roads through Lithuania for most goods, has been cut off from some freight transport from mainland Russia since June 17 under sanctions imposed by Brussels. European officials are in talks about exempting the territory from sanctions, which have hit industrial goods such as steel so far, paving the way for a deal in early July if EU member Lithuania drops its reservations, said the people, who declined to be named because the discussions are private.

Of course, they are private. In the West everything now is private and secret because public is completely excluded from any "democratic" process and should know only one thing--how unified and powerful combined West is, because, obviously, the reality is exactly opposite. But who cares about reality in West's political "elite"? I doubt many can even grasp it. But they surely are very "cultured". 

Ben Wallace has said Vladimir Putin is a “lunatic” with “small man syndrome”, as he accused him of trying to change history through “violence and invasion”.

I believe Ben Wallace is a typical representative of British "elite"--barely educated and low-cultured, and I am on record on the "quality" of Sandhurst "products". They are good for barking, not very good for real fighting against real enemies. I guess Wallace senses this, being a defense secretary of a toy army of a toy country. Pink Floyd were wrong when singing about "hanging on a quiet desperation is the English way". Ben Wallace's desperation is that of a bellicose and verbose jester at the plastic throne.

Russia Is Not Invited...

... for celebration of V-Day in France, because, obviously, supporters of Nazism from the US and EU, cannot invite the main force which destroyed the best combined Europe threw at USSR in 1941. In fact, it is only natural. So, while they celebrate in France, this event will probably be ignored, because after all--these are West's new old heroes.

A World War II cemetery in Nijmegen has been vandalised with anti-Russian texts and swastikas, news website Nu.nl said on Wednesday afternoon.The website published several photos showing Ukrainian flags, swastikas and the text ‘Fuck Russia’ painted across the entrance to the Jonkerbos cemetery and on several grave stones.The location is the last resting place for 1,642 soldiers, mainly British but also Canadians, Australians and other allies.-Advertentie-Nijmegen mayor Hubert Bruls said the vandalism was ‘disgusting’. ‘And to happen on a day like today,’ he told the Gelderlander, referring to the May 4 Remembrance Day commemorations. ‘I cannot understand how someone would do this.’

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

Well, Hubert Bruls, evidently missed the memo that Western political establishment  and media are now into Ukie thing and support murder, rape and pillage committed by Nazi regime in Kiev and that from now on is the fate of Europe who MUST support Nazism, and she will. 

So, the spirits of fallen Allied heroes probably look in horror on this:

But they shouldn't worry, West merely returns to its natural self circa 1930s and inevitably the crowds of 404 refugees will make sure that brainwashed and utterly pussified Europeans accept what is coming to them. In related news: LOL. This is from the country venerating Nazis and SS Division. Don't worry, Europeans and US "intelligentsia" will swallow it line, hook and sinker. Actually, they did already and that is why Russia is not invited to France, because you cannot invite people who paid the ultimate price defeating those who the combined West openly supports. But that is a whole other story, after all: 

US authorities have canceled this year’s ceremony in memory of the historic meeting of Soviet and American soldiers on the Elbe in 1945, which takes place annually at Arlington Cemetery near Washington at the Spirit of the Elbe memorial, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told the media. “It was refused to hold such events. Purely formally [they were canceled by] Arlington Cemetery, but we were clearly told that [this happened based] on the recommendation of the State Department. We understand this reaction due to the Russophobia that is deployed today in the United States,” he said. Russian diplomats, their counterparts from CIS countries, World War II veterans, and American officials previously laid wreaths at the memorial every year.

So, nothing unexpected, just the routine. 

Larry Johnson On Intel Matters In War. Plus Some Other Quick Observations.

Excellent historic introspective from Larry about deception operations in real wars and some historic lessons as applied to SMO today. 

Unless you are a student of the history of World War II, you probably do not appreciate the role that DECEPTION operations played in pinning down German forces and the relevance of such operations to what is going on in Ukraine.

Read the whole thing. Larry arrives to the conclusion which is very solid:

Well, looks like Russia was feeding the western allies a big load of bullshit.

And you already learned by now, I guess, that "intel" US and other media were spewing about Shoigu having "artificial heart attack" or some 20-odd Russian generals "arrested" turned out to be..of course, a complete BS. Obviously, Shoigu just yesterday held a Ministry of Defense Council (Kollegia) being in perfect health and a good mood and spoke about both State Defense Order (GOZ) and about dramatic (orders of magnitude) increase of the speed of targeting exchange for Russia's stand off high precision weapons such as Kailbrs and Kinzhals (in Russian). 

Meanwhile, the great German strategist, reincarnation of Erich Von Manstein and Schlieffen in one body, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivered his military wisdom:

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday said the Russian armed forces shouldn’t be allowed to win in Ukraine, APA reports citing TASS. He made the statement at a news conference following talks that Western leaders held by video link. The leaders included presidents Joe Biden of the US, Emmanuel Macron of France, Andrzej Duda of Poland, Klaus Iohannis of Romania, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

As you can see, this statement was made in the company of people (Western leadership, really) who never served a day in any armed forces and wouldn't know shit from shinola, or LGBT from BTG of BCT. Scholz dealt Russians a severe damage because of the deadly bouts of the hysterical laughter they had upon hearing about intentions of Germany not to allow such a victory. Right. In related news, Germany and EU should reject all Russian hydrocarbon contracts and concentrate completely on powering their industries by electricity from the wall sockets, because this is where real electricity (which is clean energy) resides--it is so easy, just plug in and voila'. Just ask Greta Thunberg or any Hollywood celebrity, they nailed this plan to the minute details. 

In other related news, a technical and military genius, first Vice-Premier Yuri Borisov explains why Russia is not running out of high precision weapons. English WiKi gives totally abrogated bio on him, but Borisov graduated both military academy with focus on Radio-electronics of Air Defense Systems and then graduated Moscow State University, the department of Applied Mathematics and Cybernetics (in Russian). What a loser, he should have gone to study marketing or journalism, or become a lawyer as the last resort, but no-o-o, those stubborn Russians prefer this type of people running their crucial industries. How they can run anything when they don't even have a Tik-Tok accounts and don't follow Sean Penn, what a bunch of losers. 

Anyway, here is Borisov verbatim on why Russia will not run out of high precision stand-off weapons. 

From as early as 2011, all our defense procurement programs have focused on the production and deployment of high-precision weapons. All this time, we have also been building up our manufacturing capacities. As a result, today, we can fully meet the demand of Russia’s armed forces for precision weapons.

Recall Bismarck: "A Russian makes a plan when even going to a toilet." So, there you are--you plan (of course based on this proverbial OODA, which the West cannot and doesn't use for a number of reasons), based on situational awareness, execute, check the process of the execution, make adjustments if needed, correct the mistakes, get the desired result. Obviously, for carrying out such plans one needs very many good professionals on all levels, but especially at the top, decision-making, circuit. EU government in general, and Germany's in particular are opposite of that, and that is why they still believe in Ukraine's "victory".   

As they say, hope dies last. Somebody show those leaders these well-known facts:

Europe is desperate to replace Russian gas, which has driven the U.S. to export as much LNG as it possibly can.

12 new LNG projects in the U.S. have already been approved, but they are unlikely to all be completed due to long-term uncertainty.

While Europe is currently desperate for natural gas, its long-term goal is to move away from fossil fuels, which means some of these projects aren’t economically viable.

Pitch-forks times in the combined West, especially Europe, are coming--I omit here issues of food altogether--but the process of economic and cultural suicide at this stage is very robust and probably is not reversible in Europe by merely peaceful means. But that is the separate topic in and of itself.

Pepe Escobar's Excellent Summary.

Of Iran's President Raisi visit o Russia. This quote is of a great importance:

A new Eurasia-led order encompassing the vast majority of the world’s population is a work in fast progress. China using Eurasia as the larger stage to upgrade its global role, in parallel to the fast-evolving Sino-Russian-Iranian interaction, carries larger than life implications for the Western gatekeepers of the imperial ‘rules-based order.’ The de-Westernization of globalization, from a Chinese point of view, does involve a completely new terminology (‘community of shared destiny’). And there are hardly more glaring examples of ‘shared destiny’ than its deeper interconnection with both Russia and Iran. One of the crucial geopolitical questions of our time is how an emergent, supposedly Chinese hegemony will articulate itself. If actions speak louder than words, then Sino-hegemony looks loose, malleable and inclusive, starkly different to the US variety. For one, it concerns the absolute majority of the Global South, which will be involved and vocal. Iran is one of the leaders of the Global South. Russia, deeply implicated in de-Westernizing global governance, holds a unique position – diplomatically, militarily, as an energy provider – as the special conduit between East and West: the irreplaceable Eurasian bridge, and the guarantor of Global South stability. All of that is at play now. It is no wonder that the leaders of the three main Eurasian powers are meeting and holding discussions in person, within just a matter of days. As the Atlanticist axis drowns in hubris, arrogance, and incompetence, welcome to the lineaments of the Eurasian, post-Western world.

Read the whole thing at Saker's blog. It is written by a man with a keen understanding of the region.  It also adds to the picture which Western "elites" must grasp in order to survive in one form or another: Russia made a decision to break off the combined West long time ago, we are just seeing this decision being carried out. Combined West is not West it used to be anymore and is morally, culturally and intellectually malignant. I was on record for years calling for a new Iron Curtain in order to prevent the spread of a social disease from the decomposing West. At this stage I don't see how Western Europe could be saved, considering who runs it and majority of its population still believing that the gravy train of EU "socialism" and welfare may accelerate yet again. It will not, it is in a process of grinding to a complete halt with no chances moving ever again--mechanisms are broken down and there is no fuel to run it. It is basic modern economy logic. I mean real economy, of course, not a BS of stock exchanges and currency speculators.

Better To See Once...

.... than hear and read about it. Zvezda  elaborated on Russian-Chinese naval exercise taking place now in the Sea of Japan and yes--this is not your regular exercise, which, indeed, attracted USS Chafee. In Russian, starting from 5:30 through 9:00. 

Nope, these are not your traditional "international naval exercise" with maneuvering and saving distressed people in the water. The scope of tasks Russian and Chinese fleets fulfill: 

1. Formation of the joint Ships Search-Strike Group (KPUG);

2. Joint ASW activity including KPUG's search and destroy of "enemy" submarine;

3. Setting up and engaging joint Air-Defense of the group, including target and targeting data distribution within group (Netcentricity, hello!);

4. Joint launching (electronic) of anti-shipping missiles by the group;

5. Other combat tasks such as counter-mine and gunnery.

This is how military ALLIES train. This is how they integrate their forces and, boy, we can only speculate now at what stage of integration those forces are. I am sure it is in advanced stage. 

In related news, Russians, with sarcastic laughter, noticed (in Russian) that Hadley Gamble didn't listen to many Putin's answers during recent moderating of Russia's Energy Week and was merely trying to look good while asking questions. No shit! The whole core idea of US media and politicos is how to turn anything being about precious me, me, me. It is narcissism taken to eleven. LOL. Apart from the obvious fact that many of them are simply dumb and badly educated to grasp even simplest of the responses.  Can you imagine trying to explain how Operational Sweep in Northern Atlantic against heterogeneous forces of Russian Navy has a direct influence on geopolitics to Hadley Gamble or... ahem, David Axe. Good luck with that.  Same wish of good luck goes to Turkey (another LOL) who tries now to return her $1.4 billion of down-payment for F-35s, while Washington offers Erdogan (his words)...F-16. You literally cannot make this shit up. 

"There is the payment of $1.4 billion we have made for the F-35s and the US had such a proposal in return for these payments," Erdogan said. "We have said we'll take whatever step is needed to meet our country's defense needs," the Turkish leader added.  The Turkish government's purchase of S-400 defense systems from Russia caused diplomatic tensions between the US and Turkey, who are both members of the trans-Atlantic NATO alliance. The US has sanctioned employees of Turkey's Defense Industry Directorate and warned Ankara against purchasing further equipment from Russia. Erdogan said last month Turkey is planning to purchase more S-400 systems from Moscow. "In the future, nobody will be able to interfere in terms of what defense systems we acquire, from which country at what level," Erdogan told US media outlet CBS News. 

Good luck, Turkey, getting your money back. Turkey may expect down the road offers to buy M-4 Sherman tanks and P-51 Mustangs, and why not? F-16 is an excellent combat plane for... the war against countries with no viable air forces in 1990s. It is 2021 today. But even more stunning was this, three days ago--I posted it on the discussion but give it a minute to take in what is being said: 

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jose Fernandez met today with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Overchuk to reinforce the United States’ commitment to a stable and predictable bilateral relationship.  Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John F. Kerry separately met with Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk today and repeated his call for Russia to take more robust action on climate. Deputy Secretary Sherman called on Russia to do more to ensure European energy security while also echoing Secretary Kerry’s call for it to submit a strengthened nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement by the time COP 26 meets on October 31.  Deputy Secretary Sherman and Under Secretary Fernandez urged Russia to ensure fair treatment for U.S. companies in its marketplace and to resolve U.S. concerns about Russia’s trade and investment climate.  Deputy Secretary Sherman also underscored continued U.S. commitment to freedom of expression online.

Just think about it. This is not some BS think-tank in D.C. These are people with actual power and policy-setting positions. Polish press went apoplectic on this:

Cynizm czy odrealnienie? Podsekretarz stanu USA poprosiła Rosję o... zapewnienie Europie bezpieczeństwa energetycznego

Translation:  Cynicism or unreality? The US Undersecretary of State asked Russia to ... ensure energy security for Europe. 

I have news for Polish politicos and media personalities. Read my lips--second or third tier powers, such as Poland (for all my love for Polish culture), trying to interject themselves into the big guys game always ends up bad for such powers as Poland. Recall 1939? It is a cold hard fact of life. The US needed Poland as a front window for Western "capitalism" in the wake of the Soviet collapse and then as a pro-American spoiler in messy European affairs, including as a saboteur for Russia's energy projects, to be thrown out as used condom later. Now, this time has come for a simple reason, the United States tries to coral all her, by far not infinite, in fact very limited, resources to meet Chinese and Russian "challenges" and Poland, despite her active and fairly influential US diaspora, is not that important in the larger scheme of things. 

The times when Poland had a respectable industry from extraction to massive shipbuilding and even consumer electronics capacity are long gone, and Poland today is primarily a FIRE economy--EU made sure that Poland will be primarily a consumer, not a supplier. So did the US. After all, Germany and France (or Netherlands)--they have their own working class to feed and to do so they have to have high value added physical economy staying home. So, there you are. The United States is too busy making a killing at the hotter than hot Asian energy market and Polish LNG facilities can wait. Come on, guys, nothing personal, just business and the business is good for the United States in Asia.  And that is just one factor, there are many more. Big powers always think about themselves first--it is an axiom. It is about time Polish political class recognized it. Words are worthless, especially when they involve such terms as "common values", "democracy", "human rights", "freedom of speech" etc.  Russians, meanwhile, are still trying to figure out who among US elites (groups, clans, mafias etc.) has at least some capability to govern and with whom one can have a meaningful dialogue. This is a tall order. 

Always Look Into The Essence.

A lot has been said and a lot of hype has been created about pseudo-academic BS Klaus Schwab wrote on the issues he has no clue about and the beaten to death cliches and neoliberal recycled fodder he had to produce to sound competent. But we know that the doctrine-mongering is a defining feature of the West's white-board academe, which tries to pretend that it knows how the world works. It doesn't, neither does Schwab, who holds Ph.D in engineering from Swiss school but, evidently, never had a chance to exercise any of the engineering skills, concentrating primarily on some globalist "economic" and social BSing which, as we all can see, worked out just brilliantly, I hope you get my sarcasm. In general, for anyone who ever was involved in actual life beyond comfortable offices of EU and North American "academe" and think-tanks, the whole notion of Davos Culture which is primarily a post-modernist white-board construct appears preposterous and rightly so. 

Here is Klaus Schwab facing President Vladimir Putin where Putin reiterates his point about the fate of Western Civilization.

There is no subtlety in Putin's words, as there is no hiding Putin's irony, if not sarcasm, towards an Exhibit A of Western intellectual impotence which Schwab is. Putin also seems uninterested in this talk, which he concludes with a rather obvious statement: "but love is impossible if it is declared only by one side. It must be mutual." Russia is always ready to talk but if EU is incapable to do so--so be it. Here is an example of why normal relations between Russia and EU are impossible. Not only because EU is not West anymore but because people in charge of it are not fit to to run a convenience store, let alone formulate anything substantive and beneficial to all sides, let alone implement it in a larger framework of global power balance and real economy. 

Russia is not in the business of saving Western Civilization if it doesn't want to save itself. USSR did it once in 1945. Not anymore. I will only repeat late Eduard Limonov's conclusion that "we (Russia) are Europe now". He is absolutely correct. Europe is a good market for Russia and that's it, culturally current Russia's current real elite (I stress this--real) and what passes in the West for elites continue to diverge in their views and values. As RT reports today:

For centuries, the elusive “Russian soul” has puzzled writers and explorers alike. Familiarly European, but distinctly different to the West, what makes the world’s largest country tick is still the subject of fierce debate.Now, one foreign correspondent has put forward a new theory that is likely to receive a mixed critical reception in the world of Russia-watching. Oliver Carroll, the Moscow correspondent for The Independent newspaper in the UK, took to Twitter on Wednesday to opine on why locals had been broadly unmoved by the three-and-a-half year sentence handed down by a court to opposition activist Alexey Navalny the day before. Carroll said he had been contemplating “how this is different to Ukraine,” where “cops beating kids made a revolution. People were just indignant.” In contrast, he said, “Russians have an altogether different sense of self worth.”

Remarkably,  Carroll, who is a proud product of Anglo-Saxon "Russia Studies" field--a euphemism for propaganda--is not incorrect here. I agree with him, Russians have a very different sense of self-worth than some dumbed down globalist shill journo, pretending to know shit. But he is, accidentally, spot on here about Russians' self-worth--it is very different from how Carroll defines it. It is beyond his grasp and he better concentrate on his activity as a tabloid level journalism pusher. Especially working for a rag owned by a Russian ex-pat with a very curious biography. But then again, being a whore comes naturally in "journalism" profession, especially in a rag owned by Russian oligarch. But that just underscores the impossibility of any substantive dialogue between modern Russia and the West. That is exactly what Putin says. 

In other news, related to different self-worth, I could have never thought that I will live to see this:

The Navy needs to modernize the way it names ships, buildings and streets, and the service should rename assets that honor the Confederacy, a task force designed to identify problematic policies recommended this week. The recommendation is one of nearly 60 presented to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday in a new 141-page report released Wednesday from Task Force One Navy. Gilday ordered the creation of the task force in July following the death last May of George Floyd, a Black man who died in the hands of law enforcement, prompting nationwide protests about racism and police brutality.

Wow. How 'bout that:  

As retired Lt. Cmdr. Reuben Keith Green noted last year in U.S. Naval Institute's Proceedings magazine, Stennis had a long record of championing white supremacy. "Most sailors -- and Navy leaders -- have little idea of his background, but the Navy, as an institution, has a moral obligation to know," Green argued. "And, it should act." The Chancellorsville, named for the major 1863 Civil War battle, was won by the Confederacy.

But I wrote on this issue before, and the United States continues on the road of cultural suicide and getting deeper into the alternative reality.

Europeans Want Own Weapons.

Well, at least this is what they state. 

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments gave the green light on Tuesday for 13 new defence projects in a step to develop more firepower independently of the United States. Under plans agreed by EU defence ministers in Brussels, work will begin on a new patrol vessel, an electronic jamming weapon for aircraft and technology to track ballistic missiles. The projects took months to negotiate but French President Emmanuel Macron underlined the desire for deeper EU defence collaboration last week when he said the U.S.-led NATO defence alliance was dying. Some 47 joint EU defence projects are now in the works following the signing of a pact by France, Germany and 23 other EU governments in late 2017 to fund, develop and deploy armed forces following Britain's decision to quit the bloc. Any new weapons on land, at sea or in the air and cyberspace can be put at NATO's disposal, but U.S. President Donald Trump's questioning of the alliance's significance has added impetus to European defence efforts.Macron has expressed doubt about NATO's security maxim that an attack on one ally is an attack on all. But many European allies reject his portrayal of NATO, which will hold a summit in London on Dec. 4, as brain dead. 

Looks like Macron made some decision personally, this one maybe out of personal conviction even. This fact:

European defence planning, operations and weapons development foresee France taking a big role in 60% of the 47 projects, often with Germany, Italy and Spain.

Speaks volumes. But while France may have some technological, by far not all, expertise to realize at least some of those programs the underlying issue remains--it may be too late for Europe. If to follow Macron's today statement at Paris Peace Forum:

In his opening speech, Macron advocated for multilateralism and a “balanced cooperation” between the nations. In an apparent reference to President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, Macron said that the temptation of unilateralism is “very risky.” “We tried that option in the past: it leads to war,” Macron said. “Nationalism is war.” Climate change, demographic issues, migration, conflicts, terrorism and the fight against poverty were among topics at the forum, which runs through Wednesday.

One has to seriously question, granted it being a traditional political fodder in Europe, such "priorities" as climate change (the way Europeans want to deal with it--which is DOA), if "nationalism" is truly a real danger? I think President of France should be better situationally aware than your average Joe, or Jacques, for that matter, to not know that the so called "nationalism" was merely a response to a degenerate, culturally and economically, globalization. People simply fell back to their roots. One has to when seeing sodomy, pedophilia and Islamization flourishing in Europe. You know, like Poles today, or Russians who guard their children from European "progressive" so called "values".  

Trump is surely correct in one thing, granted this thing is built on a false premise, that Europeans were a free loaders and riders against Soviet/Russian "Threat". Not that the US didn't profit from it, pardon, I mean few American corporations, but Trump's logic is sound--how about Europe paying for her safety from those nasty Russkies, who, as we all are aware, sleep and dream of attacking Europe for some mysterious reasons. But, in the end, it is between Europe and the United States. Macron wanted to put a mantle of a mediator between Russia and combined West, but I don't think it is a serious attempt nor do Macron or France have enough weight to mediate anything. Russians just want Europe to buy their gas, which Europeans are hell bent on doing so, and that is good enough for Russia. Russia has a much bigger business to attend with China and there are some issues to be solved because for all her massive economy China also has some serious energy and military issues, especially if to consider the bat-shit crazy US political Parnassus, which may decide in the end to block China on SLOCs. United States would love to "pull" the war with China into the high seas where mighty US Navy can interrupt the flow of resources to China. But Europeans wanting own weapons is, certainly, a symptom, a late one, but important nonetheless. 

Meanwhile, Power of Siberia is getting ready, and now there is a very compelling school of though out there which thinks that during 2014 negotiations between Russia and China on this strategic gas-pipe issue, it was Chinese side which was more interested in the project, not actually Russia. But no matter now, it is ready and so be it. New ones are also in plans because China will need Russia's energy badly. That is unless the United States itself doesn't implode so badly that it will be, indeed, forced to live only by effectively regional aspirations, if that. But that is a separate issue altogether.  

P.S. Because people may ask due to rumors spread by all kinds of BS Artists from various US media sewers I forestall it--I don't see why Russia needed to "test" S-500 in Syria. This whole "story" reeks of yet another BS, especially related to F-35 damage control in US (and Israeli) media. I call it a BS.  

Polish POV, Really?

As I said not for once, I like Polish culture and, for me being a product of Soviet culture, we all grew up with heavy Polish cultural presence in USSR. Sadly, the times of Pub 13 Chairs or of Sopot music festivals of 1960s and 70s are long gone and we are left with Polish politicians who are either total nutjobs who went full James Forrestal, such as Poland's Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, or we get smooth operators such as Poland's Peasant Party's big honcho Władysław Kosiniak, who came up with a "brilliant" idea: he proposed to increase political sanctions on Russia while removing economic ones (in Polish). Make no mistake, Kosiniak's rationale behind this harebrained scheme has nothing to do with Russia--it has everything to do with Poles who, in Kosiniak's words "suffer" from economic sanctions on Russia. Duh!

I can only scratch my head in disbelief. Poland was one of the initiators of the coup in Ukraine, she also was a major driver behind West's sanctions on Russia. Anti-Russian hysteria in Poland, especially among elites, rivals that in US and now Polish politicians who have to deal with the loss of Russia's large market want to remove sanctions? We have to clarify here what sanctions. As you may remember, Russia responded to EU sanctions with her own counter-sanctions. Now it begins to hurt Polish farmers but the immediate question is this: guys, these are yours, not Russia's, politicians who joyfully slapped sanctions on Russia, so talk to Warsaw or Brussels, not Moscow. Russia didn't start it, you did. Now, when it hurts (and it will hurt even more with Nord Stream-2 moving ahead) Poland wants sanctions, economic ones, removed and yet slap additional political sanctions on Russia. Talk about being hypocritical to the point of a complete loss of any rationality. 

The history of this sanctions question is very simple: Poland, who wants to feel herself a real big honcho in EU, thought that she, with obvious support of US Polish diaspora and US-European financing, will be well positioned for dictating her, Polish, conditions to both, Russia and EU. What Poland, of course, forgot was the fact that she is an economic dwarf when compared to Russia. Russia easily compensated for the loss of Polish agricultural products and today, in 2017, really doesn't feel that she needs Poland in any economic capacity. Poland barely registers in Russia's foreign trade and that is the way it should stay until all sanctions are completely and unconditionally removed, which, as we all know, is not going to happen. Well, too bad. So, Poland has to deal with "suffering" completely on her own and remember that one reaps what one sows. That is, there are consequences for everything one does.

Once Nord Stream 2 is completed, Poland will be bypassed by it and will become simply completely unimportant to Russia's economy, especially against the background of ongoing import-substitution in Russia, which, however slowly begins to bear its fruits--literally and figuratively speaking. Poland made her choices and Russia respects them in a sense that, as old Russian proverb goes--nasilno mil ne budesh (one can not coerce someone to love one). Polish pride and follie de grandeur will continue, as they always did historically, but this time they will continue within Poland's worst case scenario of becoming irrelevant. The only commodity Poland will still have to sell will be her visceral Russophobia and her territory for NATO bases but this is a separate issue altogether.

UPDATE: meanwhile Poland is having some issues with EU in general, and Mr. Macron in particular. I guess Poland needs a "cultural enrichment" by EU through welcoming "refugees". No?