UK Doesn't Have ...

 ... Army in operational sense. What it has is a couple of units with weapons which are combat capable. 

The British Army is not strong enough to defend Ukraine in the long term, Sir Ben Wallace has said. The former defence secretary said he believed the country could only “sustain” boots on the ground for a short time in the event of a peace deal. Sir Ben said only Germany was properly investing in defence spending and Vladimir Putin would not be “fooled” by assurances British troops could safeguard a ceasefire.

Bundeswehr is also a joke, as is Germany. But I see a lot of hysteria on discussion of Venezuela with people who visit this blog not to educate themselves--and, boy, do I try to educate--but to vent their kindergarten frustrations. I have a statement for them--if you cannot learn basic things about military-political analysis and cannot take reality for what it is, why are you here? There are many forums for people who instead of learning are into business of repeating same thing over and over again as if anything is going to change in their little fake universes. 

Here is an example about Venezuela. You want the truth? Many of you, and you know who you are, can't handle the truth(c). 

It would seem that after the criminal kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Madur by the United States, all Latin American countries should feel vulnerable – and unite against American imperialism. Some people do say so. But others not only do not want to help Venezuela, but even rejoice at the actions of the United States. Why?  For many years, it was believed that Latin America was a kind of unified bastion of anti-Americanism. Experts argued that Latin American countries value sovereignty, security and leftist ideas, that they are extremely negative about any manifestations of American interventionism, especially such as the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "This attack is not only directed against Venezuela; it is an attack on Latin America and the Caribbean. Today, it could be Venezuela; tomorrow it could be any other country that decides to exercise its sovereignty," says Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil. However, the kidnapping demonstrated that there is no single Latin American choir. "We are at the lowest level of inter-American diplomacy because all countries have turned inward and developed pragmatic approaches to their relationship with this administration," said Arturo Saruhan, a former Mexican ambassador to the United States.   

Yes, it was "believed", but not anymore and since long ago. Read the whole piece. Russians long ago stopped being idealists--they look at their partners politely but through a very cynical lens. Now, about "Russian" Tanker--it IS NOT Russian tanker and never was. I expand on the history of this vessel in the video which should be up in about 40 minutes. But here is the thing which many PMS fanboys in this blog do not understand but what even Western pundits do. 

Russia appears to be gaining from the US military operation in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, as more shadow fleet tankers move under Moscow’s protection. Data by Lloyd’s List, cited by CNBC, shows a growing number of tankers are reflagging to Russia to shield themselves from enforcement action, a shift that has accelerated following US seizures of vessels carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil.  

There are NO "brotherly nations" for Russia anymore, and this is a good thing.  But look at this, this is December 2025 issue of Voennaya Mysl:

Read summary, as you can see it is in English, and it is written by Commander-in-Chief of Russian Navy Admiral Moiseev. But then again, what does he really know/s. 

I Haven't Seen ...

 ... any proof of it, mostly the ability to buy out traitors, which, as it turned out most of Venezuela military-political top is, but it is difficult to explain people with "military" background of Trump or Hegseth that there was no any real military operation in Venezuela. But that's Donny for you. 

But as expected, I see the inflow of both "concerned citizens" and hysterical individuals in discussion boards on this blog, who push the same agenda that Russia should have done something for Venezuela, some people even invoke the Treaty on Strategic Partnership between Venezuela and Russia which, incidentally, HAS NO CLAUSE about mutual military aid, unlike it is the case of fully allied relations between Russia and North Korea per their Treaty on COMPREHENSIVE Strategic Partnership, which DOES include serious mutual military aid commitment making it a full blown military-political alliance. Comparing North Koreans, who are tough and courageous warriors with Venezuelan military which consist of mostly fifth column having no pride but only price tag--this is a wrong blog to even imply such things.

Per lament of a well-known contingent who continues to view Russia as somehow the power responsible for liberating the combined West, including the US, from a collection of nutjobs by means of defeat of this said West. Nope, I have bad news for you--Russia, unlike the Soviet Union (and even then), will not waste her resources on anyone, unless she sees a real use for her own national interests. For the 12th year I repeat ad nauseam in this blog, that if need be Russia will "negotiate" with the Devil, e.g. Syria, where Russia still maintains her military bases. But now it is the time to openly state what Russian military-intel professionals knew for a very long time--Latin America is essentially a Western Hemisphere's Arab World, all of it is about the price tag. Africa, and some of her leaders have more integrity and principles than what we observed in Venezuela, which is now covered in national shame, they may never recover. 

All that being said, nothing has changed factually on the ground: the US military remains obsolete, it cannot plan, let alone conduct real massive combined arms operations, it is only capable of psyops and raids similar to Venezuelan against backward enemies who do not shoot back. So, what's left then? Greenland, where the US will send a military police squad to "regime change" and that will be it. It will also be touted as a great victory. When you lose all your wars, this will do. As per SMO, here is another demonstration to all those UAVs fanboys who still think that UAVs can win war.

Here is Akatsia:

Here is towed Msta. 

Artillery, including rocket artillery, remains a critical component in REAL war, especially when considering Fire Productivity and Fire Impact of it. 

Give Pam A Credit ...

 ... where credit is due. 

Of course, nobody in Washington will do anything like this, after all--404 is the best SOB the US ever had. But for fanboys of "Delta-force" and Hollywood type "operations", I have news--it is being now openly stated that everything was sold out to the US by Venezuelans themselves and the title of this piece in RT is correct: 

Through centuries, the region has seen leaders who stood for independence, but also traitors willing to sell out to colonial powers

Which brings us to 2023 and "mutiny" by criminal Prigozhin, his Wagner and media empire he built on lies and whose supporters are still around. This is US Army MO in "operations": 2-3 weeks of hurling whatever the US can muster in terms of stand-off weapons at usually third world "opponents", then fifth column curated by CIA and CIA paras, does the mutiny thing and voila'--the regime changed. Well, they tried to do so with Prigozhin and his Wagner, thinking that NATO "counter-offensive" will do the trick. Poor, poor kids from CIA and Pentagon, with their level of warfare "knowledge" they failed to reach even the first line of Russian defense, killed 200,000 of VSU and failed miserably, while their "fifth column" has been exposed. Not all of it--some still hide behind Russian Constitution and much greater freedom of speech than in increasingly totalitarian Europe. 

But the situation with Venezuela is ... helpful--in a sense of removing any illusions about capacity of Latin and Central America of getting out from under the US influence, reason being that building powerful, independent nations requires a removal of old "elites", often as a result of violent revolutions and brutal purging in order of the removal of opposition on the way to massive industrial expansion, with all that it entails. Exhibits A of that are Russia and China. To a certain degree--Iran, but it requires help. India too, but she has to overcome a number of serious issues, related also to being a main jewel in British Crown. So, is kidnapping of Maduro a crime? Hell, yes! But in a long run, it is a net positive for a world which was fooled for far too long with the idea that somehow "international law" can exist on its own. It cannot--laws of history and of human nature cannot be altered without CAPABILITY to do so. And that means, in the medium to long run that what is known as the Global South faces the choice, yes, if they choose the Dark Side or if they decide to stand up and fight. Will know soon enough. 

A Visit...

 ... Russian ships in Venezuela. 

So, Venezuelans treat Russians with... ahem, whatever that thing is, LOL))) 

In related news, try to find Fed's chair Jerome Powell's thoughts on the US national debt in US (Western) media from yesterday on the central bankers' forum in Europe. Second day since this admission and guess what... not a word about it. I speak about it in my new video but this is all simply astonishing--the US has become the Soviet Union in its worst manifestations. But when even such moron as Powell, who thought that printing money does not create inflation, admits that this cannot continue anymore--that's the real news. Not discussion of the American political theater which completely discredited US political system and media. 

In related news: agree 100%. 

Victory for Le Pen’s party will change nothing in France. The highest turnout in forty years demonstrates the electorate’s desire and hope for change. But voters are very unlikely to get what they want. 

The voters are about 20 years too late.

This Is Not Just "Demonstration Of Flag"...

 ... albeit this is how demonstration of force was always called in naval affairs. 

МЕХИКО, 2 июл — РИА Новости. Корабельная ударная группа Северного флота ВМФ России зашла в порт венесуэльского штата Ла-Гуайра, передает корреспондент РИА Новости. Она состоит из атомной подводной лодки "Казань", фрегата "Адмирал Горшков", спасательного буксира "Николай Чикер" и танкера-снабженца "Академик Пашин", который зашел в порт первым. Командует группой начальник оперативного управления Главного штаба ВМФ вице-адмирал Михаил Неупокоев. Как сообщили в пресс-службе Северного флота, во время стоянки экипажи российских кораблей смогут отдохнуть и ознакомиться с местными достопримечательностями. Уточняется, что деловой заход продлится несколько дней, после чего корабельная группа во главе с фрегатом "Адмирал Горшков" продолжит выполнение поставленных задач в акватории Атлантического океана, в их числе: демонстрация флага и обеспечение военно-морского присутствия в оперативно важных районах дальней океанской зоны.

Translation: MEXICO CITY, July 2 – RIA Novosti. The naval strike group of the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy entered the port of the Venezuelan state of La Guaira, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports. It consists of the nuclear submarine Kazan, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker and the supply tanker Akademik Pashin, which entered the port first. The group is commanded by the head of the operational department of the Main Headquarters of the Navy, Vice Admiral Mikhail Neupokoev. According to the press service of the Northern Fleet, during the stay the crews of Russian ships will be able to relax and get acquainted with local attractions. It is clarified that the business call will last several days, after which the ship group led by the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" will continue to carry out its assigned tasks in the Atlantic Ocean, including: demonstrating the flag and ensuring a naval presence in operationally important areas of the far ocean zone.

 

Keep in mind that in this particular case the "flag" consists of a mix of 48 missiles of Kalibr, Onyx and Zircon variety. Add here Venezuela, Caribbean and shit and you get the picture. For now, Kazan is logging more surface hours demonstrating, indeed, that there could be something else underwater. Now get the load of this, and I mean THE load. 

Предполагается, что "субмарина выполнит испытательные пуски гиперзвуковой ракеты "Циркон" с надводного и подводного положения", сообщил ранее другой собеседник агентства.  КРОНШТАДТ, 26 июня. /ТАСС/. Атомная подводная лодка (АПЛ) "Иркутск" проекта 949АМ Тихоокеанского флота (ТОФ) после ремонта и модернизации вышла на заводские ходовые испытания. Об этом ТАСС сообщил источник в кораблестроительной отрасли в кулуарах Международного военно-морского салона (МВМС) "Флот-2024". "Ремонт и модернизация АПЛ "Иркутск" на одном из дальневосточных заводов практически завершены. Лодка вышла на заводские ходовые испытания", - сказал он.

Translation: It is expected that “the submarine will test launch the Zircon hypersonic missile from surface and submerged positions,” another agency source said earlier. KRONSTADT, June 26. /TASS/. The nuclear submarine "Irkutsk" of project 949AM of the Pacific Fleet (PF) after repair and modernization entered factory sea trials. A source in the shipbuilding industry reported this to TASS on the sidelines of the International Naval Show (IMMS) Fleet-2024. “The repair and modernization of the Irkutsk nuclear submarine at one of the Far Eastern plants is almost complete. The boat has entered factory sea trials,” he said.

The funniest thing about deeply modernized good ol' pr. 949A lovingly known in the fleet as Loafs, and in NATO as Oscar-II, is that nobody knows the exact number of missiles it carries now. It is clear it is way more that 30 but how many? The base number is 48 but is it more? Some say it is 72. Well, look at those lovely Loafs...

This is K-132 Irkutsk before modernization. This is the worst nightmare of any surface fleet and shipping. 

But here is West's worst nightmare. Although I speak about for years, let me rub this in again:

Russia becomes ‘high income’ country – World Bank. Moscow’s economic growth has defied Western sanctions 

The worst nightmare having two components.

1. Russia is beginning to live better than most EU countries. Soon Russians will live better than ANY EU country and will be on average reaching the US, allowed for climatic and geographic peculiarities. 

2. This is the worst one: while definitely capitalist, Russia is very social and, in fact, a mixed economy which is performing amazingly and that is the key--Russian economy is NOT neo-liberal economy and that drives globalist types insane. 

Well, what can I say--too bad, they should have studied real economics and history instead of wasting their time in Ivy League degree mills. Try to explain to any economics Ph.D from Harvard what real war is and how it shapes humanity for tens of thousand of years. But I repeat myself.

LOL. Marco Rubio.

I mean it IS ridiculous, really)) Just a hint, Iranian oil is already on the market as a "ghost" oil. But,

(Bloomberg) -- Future U.S. imports of oil from Venezuela and Iran would be banned under legislation being introduced this week by Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and member of the Foreign Relations Committee. The move is an attempt to forestall any potential effort by the Biden administration to turn to Venezuela or Iran -- if a nuclear deal is reached with Tehran -- as a cushion to rising crude prices sparked by the Ukraine war and a U.S. ban on Russian oil imports. The U.S. doesn’t currently import oil from either nation, both of which are under sanctions regimes. Rubio wants to see the U.S. increase domestic oil and gas production to offset rising crude prices, and said importing petroleum from Iran and Venezuela -- both allies of Russia -- would only serve to enrich American rivals.

The issue here is not that the US cannot hypothetically grow own extraction--it can--but it is always the issue of costs for the US and, of course, who can forget the self-righteous BS:

“Under no circumstance should we be funneling money into the hands of dictators and narco-terrorists, who are also allies of Vladimir Putin,” Rubio said in a statement. “Enough is enough -- it’s time to bring energy production back home.”

And who does Rubio think US "allies" of Saudi Arabia and Qatar are? Jeffersonian democracies? Does Rubio think that the rest of the world, especially cultures much older and much more experienced in diplomacy than the US do not see this pathetic attempt at moral high ground? But then again, this is beyond the grasp of the American elites who still think that they can pontificate on moral issues when many of them qualify for the status of war criminals. A complete farce even a high school student can appreciate.

Practical Geoeconomics.

Short news, huge consequences. Ria.Ru reports (in Russian) that largest, gigantic, actually, Venezuelan tanker (320,000 tons) Ayacucho since June 1st is not really Ayacucho nor is Venezuelan anymore. It is now a bearer of Russian flag and is named... (cough, cough) Maxim Gorky. What do ya know! 

As you may expect, stopping and arresting Venezuelan (or, drum roll, Iranian) vessel is easy, the Russian one--there are some practical problems with that, because the whole "arrest" thing may end up at the UN Security Council level plus Russia can arrest something back, because Russia does have an actual navy which feels itself fairly comfortable around some choke points. If shit hits the fan, hopefully not, Russians may even sink a thing or two to make the point clear. 

This is a classic example of practical geoeconomics conducted by a superpower. It is also a material manifestation of Russia's main export which is political, and, by default, economic stability. Nothing really new about it, it is the nature of international relations in which everyone is free to choose a horse to bet on. Smaller, weaker nations look for bigger powerful suitors. As I said, security is an extremely hot commodity nowadays and only very few countries can offer it on the market. Only one will do it in good faith and compromise on price to make it affordable. Simple as that. Nothing personal, just business.

No Sh.t Moment.

It is a Victory Day in Russia and elsewhere in the world where people of good heart and will celebrate those who sacrificed so much to save civilization. But...life never stops and a major No Shit moment just occurred with POTUS. 

Donald Trump is questioning his administration’s aggressive strategy in Venezuela following the failure of a US-backed effort to oust Nicolás Maduro, complaining he was misled about how easy it would be to replace the socialist president with a young opposition figure, according to administration officials and White House advisers. The president’s dissatisfaction has crystallised around national security adviser John Bolton and what Mr Trump has groused is an interventionist stance at odds with his view that the United States should stay out of foreign quagmires. Mr Trump has said in recent days that Mr Bolton wants to get him “into a war” – a comment he has made in jest in the past but that now belies his more serious concerns, one senior administration official said.

Ahhh, Mr. President, it is called YOUR (that is Trump's) Administration for a reason--You, nobody else, out of your own free will (and ignorance), stuffed (or deliberately infested) this administration of yours with most imbecilic, incompetent war-mongers, who even failed the smell test in W's admin. That is some crafty bottom feeding you performed which would impress even "Buck" Turgidson. So, Mr. President, now it is a time to own it. War and serious international relations are not your run of the mill New York real estate shyster dealings--they do require real qualifications and skills. But, let Mr. Trump deal with this smelly business himself, after all, according to sources:

Despite Mr Trump’s grumbling that Bolton had gotten him out on a limb on Venezuela, Mr Bolton’s job is safe, two senior administration officials said, and Mr Trump has told his national security adviser to keep focusing on Venezuela.

A classic case of serious bi-polar syndrome which afflicted current Administration which, evidently, is not really Trump's, methinks. It is akin to asking a plumber (nothing against this highly needed profession) to continue to perform open heart surgery on a dying patient. Or, for that matter, letting a fox guard chickens in a chicken coop. No shit. 

Colonel Lang Had It With Trump, And Other Business.

Colonel Lang tried to stay calm but even he had it with collection of maroons aka Trump Administration.  

Trumpy!  These stiffs are losers!  Losers!  They lost in Iraq!  Remember!  You say you like to win.  These guys are losers.  Keeping these losers will just drag you down!  You always dump losers like these.  Remember!  Where did you get these stiffs?  Who pushed them off on you?  Get rid of them losers too! Bolton torpedoed your deal with your friend Kim!  Remember.  Is he trying to torpedo your deal with China? You know that you  have to make some kind of deal with Russia and the great judomaster.  Is Bolton trying to screw that up ? The three stooges.  Ah, no, Pompey the Magnificent is missing from the group mug shot.   Trumpster! You should dump these guys, AND the crews who gave us the messes in Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, the Golan Heights, Kushner's deal of the century, and the coming good deal in Lebanon.Get some new ones.  You can't let little people losers drag you down.

I long ago simply resigned myself to the fact that nothing short of all out war (I mean within US proper) can change the situation with US elites consistently producing human and professional trash which then occupies top positions in American political structure. The level of degeneracy is simply off the scale and continues to break records. Look at the faces, BTW. 

Per Bolton, he is a very special case of uber-neocon and exceptionalist who, probably, given his not very large frame, was beaten in school without trying to fight back and now he is settling accounts with his pathetic cowardly self by trying to bully those, he thinks, can not hit back. There is a definite mental pathology there. I will omit discussing here other possibilities. As The Hill reports:

Michael McCarthy, a professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, likened the recent posturing by administration officials to being "in a position where they believe it’s time to get a win for Trump." "They’re doubling down, but they’re working on what doubling down means besides increasing sanctions pressure," McCarthy said. "We’re in a gray zone between the saber rattling and action, and I think we’re going to stay there for the foreseeable future." But inaction is unlikely to satisfy Bolton, Posner said, even if it sets up a showdown with Trump. Bolton will likely "find another reason for military intervention," he said. "If that happens, I think that Trump will back off because he knows that’s a losing proposition."

Patients truly are in charge of the asylum. So, will Trumpy kick these dangerous morons out or is he really content with lunatics running his national security and foreign policy, or, rather, lack thereof. How about dropping Bolton with Elliott Abrams with the SEAL team into Venezuelan jungles or at the Iranian shores--let them lead by example. 

Paul Craig Roberts penned an excellent piece:

Now white people in America are to be stripped of their history, because white history traumatizes preferred minorities. At George Washington High School in northern California an historic mural depicting the school’s namesake has been declared offensive.      

PCR explains eloquently what will come, I can too. It is worth reading and contemplating.  

Meanwhile Pepe Escobar explains some key facts about BRI (formerly known as OBOR).

Scores of nations across the Global South, as well as some aspiring to developed world status, have adopted the Chinese investment and development model over financing from Washington or Brussels for three very simple reasons: no strings attached, no one-size-fits-all straitjacket, and no interference in their internal affairs.

Ahh, here are some other news on this issue:

For Monroe Doctrine Junkies.

Many in the US still cannot come to grips with a simple historic fact that Monroe Doctrine was not just about Western Hemisphere being US sphere of vital interests. Here is a short reminder: 

Monroe Doctrine, (December 2, 1823), cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy enunciated by Pres. James Monroe in his annual message to Congress. Declaring that the Old World and New World had different systems and must remain distinct spheres, Monroe made four basic points: (1) the United States would not interfere in the internal affairs of or the wars between European powers; (2) the United States recognized and would not interfere with existing colonies and dependencies in the Western Hemisphere; (3) the Western Hemisphere was closed to future colonization; and (4) any attempt by a European power to oppress or control any nation in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as a hostile act against the United States. 

As you can see, the whole doctrine was predicated on a quid-pro-quo principle of not screwing with Europe and her possessions. Of course this whole thing was not worth the paper it was printed on once the United States solidified and started to grow in the postbellum years and suddenly recognized herself a colonial power with  pompous rhetoric about democracy and liberty serving as a fig leaf for full blown imperial conquests. Donald J. Trump is not known to be well endowed with historic knowledge so, naturally he, and many of his warmongering "advisers" concluded that:

US President Donald Trump has warned that Russia must get out of Venezuela. Two planeloads of Russian troops are currently in the Latin American country under the terms of a 2001 cooperation treaty. Speaking at the White House, Trump also warned that “all options are open” when it comes to getting Russia out of Venezuela.Around 100 Russian troops touched down in Caracas on Saturday, a show of support for President Nicolas Maduro’s government. The move caused consternation in Washington, however, with Vice President Mike Pence calling the deployment an “unnecessary provocation.”Pence also called on Russia to withdraw its support of Maduro and “stand with Juan Guaido,” the Washington-sponsored opposition leader who declared himself interim president in January.

So, when Donald J. Trump, and the whole choir of America-based Monroists, tries to convince Russia to "get out" of Venezuela they should really read attentively what Monroe Doctrine is actually about, you know pp. 1 and 2. Last time I checked the United States has more than 800 military bases around the world and, surprise, surprise, is involved in fomenting troubles, humanitarian catastrophes, support of terrorism and other activities which null and void any idea embedded in the Monroe Doctrine. After all, it was the United States which unleashed a bloody coup in Ukraine (together with her lapdogs from EU) and any referrals to Monroe Doctrine and its principles are just for PR. United States through its incessant aggression around the world since 1999 lost any moral and judicial grounds to demand anything from anybody. The ongoing coup in Venezuela, with all my huge reservations about "lefty" Latin American regimes, is a blatant violation of Venezuela's sovereignty and having a convicted crook and neocon such as Abrams (supported by draft-dodger and coward Bolton) as a handler of Venezuela pretty much answers all questions who is behind events in Venezuela. I omit now a criminal role of propaganda and disinformation US media play in all this affair--by now no one should be surprised with that.

So when chicken hawk Bolton proclaims with pathos that:

The United States will not tolerate hostile foreign military powers meddling with the Western Hemisphere’s shared goals of democracy, security, and the rule of law. The Venezuelan military must stand with the people of Venezuela. 

And Trump threatens with "all options" being opened, they should really consider some few cost-benefits factors in case (and it may happen) of US attacking Venezuela with Russian advisers in it. Never mind the fact that militarily a hundred or so military personnel, primarily IT people to help Venezuela fight off those "strange" electricity blackouts, are not really there to set up a base or anything of like.  Even Bloomberg gets it. Russia knows that the US now is in full blown attack on Nord Stream-2 and that new (what round? Number 100?) sanctions are coming, but Russia doesn't care. Why Russia doesn't care? Few factors:

1. Militarily Russia can annihilate conventionally any combination of threats in Eurasia. This capability only grows with time and US knows this. Pentagon has to live (and it tries, actually) with the fact that it neither has forces nor force structure to win anything conventionally in Eurasia in general and especially in Russia's immediate vicinity. 

2. Economic, and here are two really stunning graphs. 

Russia's Gold Reserves:

China's Gold Reserves:

And I mean physical gold, not those funny papers which pass for gold on all those speculation platforms such as Wall Street and other so called "exchanges". 

What you see is the death of a US Dollar in progress. The US simply ran out of her military luck and ability to "color revolutionize" serious players. It also ran out of ability to bomb those--how can US bomb China or Russia, or India? Did anyone even calculate the consequences for the US? Once the United States stops being able to overthrow or bomb into submission nations which prefer to trade in own currencies and in gold, you already guessed what is going to happen with grossly overvalued US economy and US Dollar. Remove US military "power" from equation and then just dismantle present US-based global financial system one country at a time. As per Venezuela, will see where it all goes. In my mind the best way to do things would have been US and Russia secretly negotiating some kind of settlement but I doubt today, seriously doubt it, that there is much time left for that or that US has competent people on its very political top to negotiate anything at all. Russia and China seem also settling something really huge which both dramatic growth of Chinese gold reserves and Russia's incessant growth of the same support. 

Well, this, plus a dismantling of Russia's "liberal" economic block together with massive purges of inept and corrupt administrative elite--leftovers from Yeltsin's criminal years. Paradoxically, Russian-American trade continues to grow despite all sanctions and other monkey wrenches morons in Congress continue to throw at it. Well, of course, this trade is small relative to Russia's or US' trade, but still--in few billions. I think it is too late for the US but who knows, now she has to think how US can block China, if the US even have any resources for that. I doubt she has but US still has some aces to play but are required skills there? This I don't know but something tells me--not anymore. It could have been great, it could have been new prosperous century--too bad self-proclaimed hegemon turned out to be the main reason for everything going down the drain. Time of reckoning is upon us.     

MAGA All The Way.

As was expected: 

The Trump administration is poised to announce Friday that it is withdrawing from a treaty that has been a centerpiece of superpower arms control since the Cold War and whose demise some analysts worry could fuel a new arms race.An American withdrawal, which has been expected for months, follows years of unresolved dispute over Russian compliance with the pact, known as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, treaty. It was the first arms control measure to ban an entire class of weapons: ground-launched cruise missiles with a range between 500 kilometers (310 miles) and 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles). Russia denies that it has been in violation.

Obviously Russia is not in violation of that treaty, she simply has better missiles and because of that this whole thing, the INF Treaty that is, is dead. But not only that--the US needs similar weapons around China. So, all pretense of abiding by treaties and international law is thrown out, but we knew and anticipated this anyway. What is most fascinating, however, is how Trump's Administration became one of the most neocon-infested admins in recent history with even W having his doubts on such specimens as Bolton, not to mention a crooked psychopath such as Elliott Abrams. And here is how Daniel Larison assesses Trump:

The framing of this New York Times article on Trump and Venezuela is all wrong:

Mr. Trump’s forceful challenge to Mr. Maduro is the first such intervention in his anti-interventionist presidency, a sharp departure from an “America First” foreign policy aimed at extracting the United States from overseas quagmires and staying out of the internal affairs of other countries.

The analysis here is wildly misleading. The Trump administration has previously taken a keen interest in meddling in the internal affairs of several countries, including Yemen, Iran, Syria, and Venezuela, and he has publicly threatened to attack most of those countries along with North Korea. The latest decision to recognize the opposition leader as Venezuela’s interim president is an outgrowth of the administration’s consistent hawkish position over the last two years.

I have to agree with Larison here--it is not just bellicose rhetoric, Trump completely out of his own volition turned his MAGA into MAAA--Make America Aggressive Again. Not that it was very difficult to do to start with. In fact, he succeeded greatly by laying down the foundation for further American decline and loss of any respect. I have no reasons to like Maduro and all those South American "lefties" but if the regime change in Venezuela does occur (with Trump recognizing some young globalist stooge as legitimate president of the sovereign nation), one has to seriously think about American elites being completely unhinged. Trump is turning into proverbial American war-monger (narcissism was always with him as a malt) and one has to admit--he turned out to be no contest for the cabal of even moronic neocon shysters any person with even rudimentary knowledge of international system and geopolitics would have no problem figuring out. But not Trump--a NYC real estate hustler and TV personality. In general, he betrayed MAGA the same way he gave up on General Flynn, not understanding that if one wanted to change America's (and possibly world's) course away from oblivion one had to learn slightly more than how to built casinos and upscale (and grossly overpriced) condos. But in the end, one has to ask now the question--are there any normal and competent people left in D.C.? Call it a hunch, but I don't think there are any, anymore. And Trump comes across today as defeated and totally corralled by people he thought he was smarter than them. Boy, was he wrong and that is bad news for what remains of American Republic.