That's the face of Poland Russians love.
China's English language Global Times is viewed as a tabloid under the "roof" of CCP, but being a "communist" tabloid does not mean that even this tabloid is free from good thoughts and valuable opinions. Such as this from former US Marine Corps officer and now civilian employee of Pentagon Franz Gayl who penned and interesting piece in Global Times about possible war between China and the United States around Taiwan. Gayl opens with a broadside.
And I happen to agree militarily with Gayl in terms of a possible hostilities around Taiwan, especially when Gayl goes into the neck of the woods and addresses what is commonly known as "fundamentals".
Many Americans assume China's citizenry longs for a liberal democracy like that on the island of Taiwan, and that war will trigger popular revolt. But the Taiwan question is not an ideological dispute. Rather it is a raw and painful open wound in China's civilizational identity. Today, US othering of Chinese only fuels a fierce nationalism in its 1.4 billion citizens. China has a traditional self-narrative wherein the preservation of face and enforcement of sovereignty are inseparable. All the while the balance of power has shifted fundamentally. The US would be wise to regard China as a peer superpower, if only due to her casualty-tolerance - China's decisive advantage in any fight with the US. China also shares a binding mutual defense treaty with North Korea, and the depths of its friendship and security bonds with Russia should never be underestimated.
This is an excellent point. Nationalism is not the thing the United States, which still operates with a primitive two-dimensional picture of the world (unsurprisingly, considering a "level" of US "elites") and turned the term "communism" into the euphemism for everything the United States doesn't like, encountered since Vietnam where the war was lost not just to Vietnamese "communists" but to Vietnamese nationalism, especially when one considers the historic age of Vietnamese, whose antiquity goes back as far as 2000+ years BC. American "elites" have no concept of profound and long history and we all know how the War in Vietnam ended. But Gayl makes the most important observation here:
The US has never paid an existential price for violating another nation's sovereignty, leading to our smug sense of military invincibility. However, with Taiwan being a core Chinese priority, that would be a fatal miscalculation. Still, the US counts on regional allies to share the pain. Yet some will have blood debts to pay if they engage in China's civil war. For example, India was bloodied badly in the 1960s for testing China's territorial resolve. Japan's humiliating 50-year occupation of Taiwan and the Rape of Nanjing also remain fresh, unforgettable wounds for China. The US allies will definitely think twice before militarily intervening in China's unresolved civil war and internal affairs.
Yes, I am on record for years that the expeditionary warfare--the only warfare the United States knows--is not a continental warfare which shapes nation-states and national awareness. Vietnamese lost in the war with the United States millions of people--numbers incomprehensible for the average American, while China is even more casualties tolerant and, unlike Vietnam of 1960s, which was dependent on Soviet support, has own armed forces which are capable to both defend China proper and project power into Taiwan. Recall what I wrote four years ago:
In related news, yesterday Kiev "celebrated" the anniversary of the SS Division Galicina--a kind of people US and EU support. You know, "democratic" Ukraine et al.
I know, we all are a bit down but two days ago I caught the feeling of wonderment and almost sonic ecstasy I didn't experience since my youth in 70-s and 80s when music was awesome and we were blessed with a supernova of creative talent. Of course, I had a rendezvous with my beloved legends of ELO couple of years ago, but I knew all their material. But two days Leonid and Friends posted their original send-off to their friend and composer Alexey Ashtaev and since then I cannot stop listening to this fusion-prog-rock masterpiece. This IS the Music. Evidently I am not the only one who is just afflicted by this addiction. People are just hooked.
In France for a number of reasons among which is my complete lack of confidence in French demographics statistics--I think France is more "culturally enriched" and Islamized than it is officially reported, second--French elected Emmanuel Macron. They might as well have elected Ken, Barbie doll's male companion--the result would have been pretty much the same with France descending into the chaos. Fact is, be that Sarkozy, Hollande or the current President of the Fifth Republic--one has to ask a question if France even has anyone of scale in the mainstream politics. Well, I, certainly, have a natural gravitation towards Marine Le Pen, but I am not French and I do not follow French politics that closely unless some notable France's "cultural enrichment" event, such as Chechen and Arab drug traffickers enrich the hell out of French, such as the enriching events in Dijon, occurs and French show themselves completely impotent and scared.
Now, evidently, people in French Military and Law Enforcement elite had it.
As always, it takes people who are professionals in facing death and calamity, not some bankster globalist boy-toy, to point out the evident. Considering the level of French media, which is about the same as the US media's level, that means being staffed with mostly uneducated morons and globalist shills (usually, globalism is a symptom of undeveloped mind) we get, and you guessed it, completely false historic parallels.
It was, it said, sadly reminiscent of the Algiers putsch - an attempt to oust Charles de Gaulle 60 years ago by retired generals who opposed moves towards granting Algeria, then a French colony, independence after a bloody civil war.
I wonder who said so, because last time I checked, 60 years ago, for all her colonial troubles, France proper still remained France, populated with the majority of French people and Paris still had this aura about it because it hasn't been turned into the urine smelling shithole yet. Like this:
Under the influence of Left-wing dogma France was “disintegrating with the Islamists of the hordes of the banlieue [suburbs] who are detaching swathes of the nation and turning them into territory subject to dogmas contrary to our constitution,” they warned. Failure to act now could see “an explosion and then intervention by our comrades on active service in the dangerous mission of protecting our civilised values and the safety of our compatriots”. “There is no time to waffle, or tomorrow civil war will put an end to this growing chaos and the dead, for whom you will bear responsibility, will be counted in the thousands.” Without citing any political figures, the generals said that they were “ready to support politicians who take into account the safety of the nation”.
Will their comrades "intervene"? I don't know, but what they forget to say is that European "left wing dogma" is, actually, a mental illness and no people coming from be that nominal European or American "left" are capable of any kind of real statecraft. They just cannot govern, they don't know how and the issue is not just the "left-wing". When one looks at, say, American so called "conservatives" they are hardly better, because the issue is systemic and cannot be resolved within the framework of current political and economic system. Well, even if to imagine that Marine wins, what can she do? Apart from a hostile governing apparatus she will inherit a media, packed with new iteration of French hippies and perverts of all colors, and she may end up as Trump, granted Trump was so inept and cowardly in his governing that Marine comes across like a real stateswoman with the balls of steel, pardon my French.
Mr Macron has come under a barrage of criticism for his perceived “lax” approach to immigration and security in recent days, buoyed by polls suggesting 65 per cent of the French do not think his government has a handle on crime.
Aw, French are learning now about this simple fact that all actions have consequences and I can only say here that each nation deserves government it elects. I am sure they will elect some globalist shill again and the cultural enrichment will continue. Elena Chudinova was prophetic, let's face it. The Western Europe is finished and it has no idea how to stop committing a suicide.
Wonderful! Sabrina and her numerous Aussie family's plea to President Putin made it to a major federal news network Rossiya 24 (in Russian).
Translation: By all accounts, these are good hard-working people. Russia is an Arc and hope in this crazy world! Welcome everyone with pure soul and who reject the filth being imposed by Western petty "elite".
P.S. Damn, Valerio--from Italy to Krasnoyarsk. Winters there are brutal. But I noticed many European-blood folks love Siberia. Sabrina's family is madly in love with Altai and are planning to move there to farm from Novosibirsk, once they resolve immigration situation. Altai is stunning--a lot of similarity with Montana and Idaho. But unlike Montana or Idaho--the nearest ocean is in 5 hours of...flight. I can drive in 5 hours from Idaho to Pacific Ocean.
If anyone wonders why they love Altai. Take a look.
Colonel Douglas Macgregor, being a man of a considerable courage, also makes considerable assumptions when writing about Ukraine crisis in The American Conservative.
President Biden can bring stability to U.S.-Russian relations if he doesn’t make the usual mistakes.
The key word here is "usual"--that's the problem. I don't know, maybe the United States has some local diplomatic successes somewhere in Africa or South America, but when it comes to relations with Russia, royally fvcking things up, for the last quarter of a century, is usual for the United States. Statistically, the United States should have done at least something right by now when it comes to Russia, but I, honestly, can only recall one failure after another and even recent extension of the START by Biden Administration hardly improves the overall picture of one failure after another.
Macgregor notes, however:
Putin’s directive to return most of his troops to garrison while leaving their weapon systems and equipment in place along the Ukrainian border should be viewed in Washington as an opportunity to create a measure of stability in U.S.-Russian relations that’s been missing for years. It’s not enough to hurl insults and simply restate what the Biden administration is against. It’s time to explore what kind of alternative to the fragile and dangerous status quo in Ukraine that Washington and Moscow can both support. Washington did a deplorable job of formulating strategic aims in the Middle East and Afghanistan that justified the sacrifice of American blood and treasure. The president cannot seize the strategic initiative now if Washington continues to react impetuously and emotionally to real or imaginary threats to U.S. and allied interests.
I agree, but immediate question is this--WHO formulates those strategic aims by means of doing a "deplorable job" whilst formulating those? Present American foreign policy establishment, apart from being ignorant, is utterly unqualified for such a job, hence it being deplorable, since it is not aware, by means of self-delusion, of already gross limitations of the American power and influence. This delusion grows together with the increasing growth of said limitations. Russia was ready to talk in 2014-15, since then a lot has happened and in 2021 Russia has a massive escalation dominance in Ukraine and Macgregor being a first-rate combat officer cannot fail to know that.
And Macgregor, being a highly respected military professional, while allowing some of his wisdoms to be taxonomized in 5 points, nevertheless ends with what one expects from a professional of such a level and one of a few brilliant American strategic minds still out there trying to make their voices heard.
Finally, President Biden must devise a new national strategy that ensures its political goals are congruent with U.S. military capabilities and fiscal realities. Too many hotheads in the Senate and House are ready to commit American military power without first soberly assessing the concrete interests and the costs of such action. President John F. Kennedy thrilled his supporters with his assertion that Americans should “meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” It was great rhetoric, but it put the nation on the road to disaster in Vietnam. The United States does not have the resources or the need to export its political ideas at gunpoint.
I think this sums up Macgregor's sober realism extremely well. But the question remains: who will devise a new national strategy built out of understanding of America's dwindling economic and military resources and thus may address the danger of the global conflict in which the United States has no ways of surviving. Sometimes, to survive one needs to admit own weakness. And even admitting is not enough, internalizing it is what may give some ideas for the survival. Removing neocons could be a good start in formulating such a strategy.
Here is a visual representation of the US foreign policy nowadays.
It is with a heavy heart that I have to admit that the miracle didn't happen. They are on eternal patrol now.
DENPASAR (Reuters) -A missing Indonesian submarine has been found, broken into at least three parts, at the bottom of the Bali Sea, army and navy officials said on Sunday, as the president sent condolences to relatives of the 53 crew. Rescuers also found new objects, including a life vest, that they believe belong to those aboard the 44-year old KRI Nanggala-402, which lost contact on Wednesday as it prepared to conduct a torpedo drill. "Based on the evidence, it can be stated that the KRI Nanggala has sunk and all of its crew have died," military chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto told reporters. Navy chief of staff Yudo Margono said the crew were not to blame for the accident and that the submarine did not experience a blackout, blaming "forces of nature".
This is a hard cold reality of a silent service. She was a 40+ year old German Type 209 diesel sub. Those were good subs for 1980s and 1990s. She even underwent a refit. Rest in Peace, guys.
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I am OK with Rammstein music wise, not so OK with some of their practices, but Rammstein's leader Till Lindemann is a whole other story altogether and considering a number of tours and visits to Russia, Till did what no Russian ever expected but once he did it--he did it so well, so profoundly and so beautifully that even Russia 1 TV Channel had to report on it. But first, here is the original, which since then became truly a people's song, by immortal Mark Bernes from 1939 prewar movie Fighters (Fighter-pilots).
BTW, Till also did Shtil.
The Victory Day is coming and Russia welcomes American and French veterans and remembers common Victory. Here is NTV with report. A very touching report about participants of the project Stalingrad-2021.
I am of a very low opinion of present American geopolitical intellectual faculties. Nah, I am being facetious, it is not just geopolitical--it is most of it, which is nothing more than headless chicken run. The time of the titans is over (for now) in the US. But Robert Kaplan, who scribes for, I know, I know, The National Interest, has a special case as an Exhibit A of such an intellectual impotence. Especially once Kaplan decides to come up with a Grande' Idea worthy of the TNI tabloid, masquerading as a serious publication. Get this:
Why Russia Is the Problem From Hell: America must try to move Russia away from China and improve relations while maintaining deterrence.
He opens with a broadside and knocks me off my chair because, well I'll explain.
In 1812, his army exhausted and overwhelmed by the Russian steppe, and watching Muscovites desert and burn their city rather than see it handed to his troops, Napoleon was reported to exclaim in desperation about the Russians: “What men they are! They are Scythians!” The reference was to the nomadic horsemen of antiquity whom no one could conquer, reason with, or pressure in any way. Indeed, by the turn of the twentieth-century, the historian Henry Adams observed that the intractable Russia problem had always been the key to modern Europe and that, therefore, “The last and highest triumph of history would…be the bringing of Russia into the Atlantic combine.”
Writing about subjects one has no clue about is a defining trait of modern "scholarship", and not just an American one, let's be objective. The reason I am still trying to recover from Kaplan's opening salvo is next. This is the map of Napoleonic invasion of Russia in 1812 up to an entrance to Moscow.
Russia has always proven to be a bridge too far for the designs of the modern West. And that is a point we unfortunately need to accept. To denounce Putin for his human rights abuses constitutes mere decency. But it won’t get us far in terms of confronting the eternal dilemma of Russia. For there is something undeniably Russian—straight out of Dostoevsky and Solzhenitsyn, in fact—in the way that Putin has treated dissident Alexei Navalny: banishing him to a notorious prison camp outside Moscow, where inmates do manual labor and are forced to stand silent for hours with their hands clasped behind their backs. Putin himself, meanwhile, is in good health and could be in power for years to come. And with longevity comes legitimacy in the amoral world of geopolitics.
I wonder what so "Russian" did Mr. Kaplan find in Solzhenitsyn other than mediocrity and lies--universal human traits, in any nationality. But then again, people who "studied" Russia from Solzhenitsyn, one would expect that type of concoctions. This is not to mention the fact that Russians also changed, rather dramatically, since the times of Dostoevsky who saw Russia as a very poor country (see his Pushkin Speech) and described idiosyncrasies many of which simply disappeared because times changed. Like really-really changed. Did Kaplan check his calendar recently. But never mind, he finally comes up with a grand plan, an incredible geopolitical insight into Russian psyche and government, and proposes:
The painful truth is that Putin has not only to be deterred and morally denounced, but engaged, since the chances of changing his regime in our own image is as likely as remaking Russia was in the 1990s, or of Napoleon or Hitler adding Russia to their empires.
Wow. Well, obviously trying to sell 1990s to the majority of Russians, especially by some American "scholar" is a very bad idea, the same as trying to promote creeps like Navalny as Russia's future, but then again, if Napoleon got exhausted by Russian steppes, I guess morally denouncing a President of a country where he enjoys overwhelming public support... ah, wait, I forgot--Putin is a killer, so yes, I guess then strongest moral denouncement is in order. After that, Kaplan, comes up with a classic contemporary geopolitical drudgery and parading his ignorance of Russian realities, which is a defining trait of modern American "Russia Studies" field. But his conclusion is a wowser.
What Nixon and Kissinger accomplished is now impossible. That was a time when Russia and China were practically at war and thus ripe for American manipulation. But a modest prying-apart over time of the Russia-China alliance might yet be possible. At least that is the direction where we should be headed. Merely holding Russia to account is not a policy. We should learn from Napoleon.
First, there is nothing to learn from Napoleon because at that time it took Russian more than a year to get to Paris. Nowadays, Russia can defeat the combined West without resorting to nuclear weapons in a matter of weeks. But the main issue is this: Mr. Kaplan--look in the mirror, while imagining that you represent modern United States and ask yourself a question of what do you see there? If you think that what you see there is worthy of attempts on a "modest prying apart" of Russia-China alliance, I have a bridge to sell you. No one in their mind will want to exchange brand new 2021 Japanese-made SUV for the 1978 Lincoln Town Car for practical reasons. No one in their own mind. But then again, evidently Kaplan still thinks that Nixon and Kissinger accomplished a lot. Sure, they started the US on the road to both financial ruin, with Nixon getting off the gold standard, and Kissinger... well. I rest my case.
So, the question is--how this pseudo-scholastic drivel is even published, let alone is considered an opinion worthy of consideration. Kaplan is not alone is publishing geopolitical BS, just yesterday another "expert" from The American Conservative publishes an absolute incoherent delirium. This is an intellectual disaster, a catastrophe of the American Russia "scholars" manufacturing an alternative reality, still thinking that Russia sleeps and dreams of how to become the part of the West. Forget "steppes" and other laughable mistakes public school sophomore wouldn't make after a couple of hours on the internet studying geography or history of Russia. Putin today signed the Order (Ukaz):
Указ о применении мер воздействия (противодействия) на недружественные действия иностранных государств
Translation: The Order on application of the measures of influence (counteracting) on unfriendly activity by foreign states (in Russian). Mr. Kaplan, guess from three times who those "unfriendly" foreign states are. Need a hint? Read the Order and check out what Order from 2018 (#127-F3) states.
These "scholars" still don't get it, that the West had its chance with Russia, it BLEW it. It did, however, blow it not only towards Russia, it also blew it in relation to itself. But history loves victors. Nobody loves losers, especially sore ones. Maybe it will occur to Kaplan while studying a physical geography of Russia.
...on Putin's address to Federal Assembly.
The truth is, Russia's danger to the "rules-based world order", a euphemism for Pax Americana, is in the fact of implementing a workable economic model based on real economy and real law and order, which in many respects (not all, though) is reminiscent of the ideas enshrined in US founding and Constitution of America which does not exist anymore. Yet, there are very many so well-recognizable Soviet features in what modern Russia does that the end-result already is something totally unique, sui generis. But it is conclusion to Pepe's excellent piece which hits the heart of the issue.
We always come back to the same crucial issue: whether Putin will be able, against all odds, to pull a combined Bismarck-Sun Tzu move and build a lasting German-Russian entente cordiale (and that’s quite far from an “alliance’). Nord Stream 2 is an essential cog in the wheel – and that’s what’s driving Washington hawks crazy. Whatever happens next, for all practical purposes Iron Curtain 2.0 is now on, and it simply won’t go away. There will be more sanctions. Everything was thrown at the Bear short of a hot war. It will be immensely entertaining to watch how, and via which steps, Washington will engage on a “de-escalation and diplomatic process” with Russia. The Hegemon may always find a way to deploy a massive P.R. campaign and ultimately claim a diplomatic success in “dissolving” the impasse. Well, that certainly beats a hot war. Otherwise, lowly Jungle Book adventurers have been advised: try anything funny and be ready to meet “asymmetric, swift and harsh”.
So, enjoy Pepe's superb writing. In related news from America, this is....damn...
South Park was supposed to be a funny and satirical show, not an instruction manual on how to run a country...
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Chris Hedges of RT, formerly of NYT, a Pulitzer Prize winner, what have you, wrote a piece two days ago. It is about the decline of the "US Empire" and the piece is filled with historical parallels and, naturally, the fate of the Soviet Union is mentioned, despite a rather dramatic difference between the context of Soviet collapse and America's disintegration. I understand where Hedges is coming from but then he suddenly exhibits a defining trait of America's intellectual class, without exception, attributable to the whole of it, no matter if it is neocon wing of it or honest peace-loving people, such as Hedges.
Russia, whose economy is roughly the size of Italy’s, is also attacked for destabilizing the Ukraine, supporting Bashar al-Assad in Syria, funding France’s National Front party and hacking into German computers. Biden has imposed sanctions on Russia — including limits on buying newly issued sovereign debt — in response to allegations that Moscow was behind a hack on SolarWinds Corp. and worked to thwart his candidacy.
I wrote about this issue not for once, but the ignorant myth of Russia's economy being the size that of Italy's, Spain's, Australia's, you name it, continues to be perpetuated by many and this myth is not just patently untrue, it is downright dangerous. Because American "elite" resides in a delusion about outside world for the last 30 years at least, they continue to make their decisions based on absolutely false premises, many of which are being pushed on them through media. Let's face it, statements such as "the finest fighting force in history" or "the largest economy on planet" are as American as flag, apple pie and baseball. Modern United States cannot live without self-aggrandizing. But how about forensic mental experiment? I will start with... America's GDP which does not reflect America's claim (mostly through inflation of the value of assets) to being largest economy in the world, with China long ago overtaking the US as a main manufacturing hub of the world. It is just cold hard fact, China's real sectors dwarfs that of the US. Using US Dollar and its value as a measure of economy, in the meantime, is a sign of ultimate economic and geopolitical ignorance.
On the other hand, even common sense, forget actual IMF data which defines Russia's economy as being larger than that of Germany, should prompt people who call themselves "journalists" to merely imagine what would happen to Italy if she, granted my love for Italian culture and football, ever decides to build the space program the size of Russia's, will start building nuclear power stations, maintain state-of-the-art armed forces and, simply, provide decent standard of living for most people in the climate which, as Texas has demonstrated recently, can only be described as a calamity. Even this small list of real industries should give a pause to any journo at best, in a worst case--this list is a good primer for the start of a serious cognitive dissonance. But, no. The spouting of this crap continues unabated, I can remind you another popular cliche--Russia punches above her weight. This is not just the issue of ignorance, albeit this too. It is a classic case of Kubler-Ross grief model with Stages 3 (Bargaining) and 4 (Depression) being manifestly present in contemporary American writings, be that by delusional neocons or by those who profess views opposite to neocons'.
Truth is, should Russia have the economy the size of Italy's, she wouldn't be able to do what she does and that is setting global agenda and, frankly, laughing at West's sanctions and even direct sabotage. America's "garrulous patriotism" cannot take it across the whole political and ideological spectrum. In a Stage 3 (Bargaining) of Kubler-Ross this bargaining takes grotesque forms with mantras of American greatness which begin to sound more and more ridiculous and do not anymore provide a desperately needed therapeutic effect. They cannot, because America's slide towards the bona fide thirdworldism cannot be stopped within present pseudo-economic and political system and culture, and what's left is to fight facts of life. Recall, brilliant essay by Irina Alksnis, a very sympathetic towards America's plight, which since then has become even more relevant.
And so it goes: America's economy is not the largest in the world, hasn't been for a long time, Russia's economy is not the size of Italy's, it is much larger than that, it is, actually, larger than that of Germany and continues the pursuit of economy of Japan, but even these forecasts, which forget to mention Germany's real industries shrinking for 28 months in a row now, even this BS, heavy on FIRE economy--a real reason behind America's decline--stats show where the Italy's and Russia's economies are. And again, America's real economy, not manufacturing of debt--the main US industry--is not $23 trillion, it is not even $15 trillion and is probably around 12-13, at best.
Counting Drugs and Prostitution in GDP Makes a Mockery of Budget Rules
I don't understand why the author is so incensed? In the world where Tesla and Facebook have bigger "capitalization" than Boeing or General Electric, anything is possible, so adding sales of heroin and the value of the side-road or truck stops' restrooms blowjobs is only natural for creating an impression of large booming "economies". In fact, I see no difference between prostitution and cooking of books which is MO of modern Western "economies". Actually, no--there is a difference, prostitution is more honest. But then again, in my latest book, I touch upon the issue of inability of modern Western media, at least the majority of them, to learn. It is a systemic problem and it is, as I am on record for years, impossible to cure after decades of America's self-aggrandizing which, at some point, reached a scale of a full Kafkaesque grotesque and even well-intentioned people, who see the problems, are not immune from baneful effects of a BS narrative industry, which missed the point that the ball is over and that the fancy carriage is nothing more than yet another pumpkin, under the teary glance of a Cinderella bound to dream about the magic night, not knowing that the Prince is not coming.
I mean Frau Kanzlerin begins to suspect that it is not about Russia or "democracy", it is about devouring Western Europe and putting Germany at the altar of America's desperation to preserve an illusion of own hegemony, for just a little bit longer, as a first sacrificial victim. The rest of Europe will follow. Today she figured it out, sort of...
Frau Merkel forgot only one thing, Nord Stream 1 (aka NS) was completed in 2011-12, in the times when, despite the United States already being vehemently opposed to this pipeline, it was a really bad idea to admit to Europeans that they were being held merely as a meal ready to eat (MRE) by the United States, which called them still "partners" and "allies". At that time, on Obama's watch, everything in the US was supposed to be running smoothly and efficiently, you know "the finest fighting force in history", Obama's uncle liberating Auschwitz and things of this nature. The going was good still, or at least it was viewed as good, and it was possible to play the game of "allied relations" and "common values" with Europeans who thought that the US was in Europe to "protect" them.
Well, it is 2021 and we all know the score, more or less. The United States cannot compete with Russia or China and is in a terminal, for the America's self-proclaimed hegemony, decline; to stop it America needs Europeans to become food. Unsurprisingly, those in Europe who have some brains left after a thorough brainwashing and blackmailing do not want to become food for the United States. Who would? Well Poland and Baltic States with Ukraine would, but they are merely jackals circling the table with the main course on it, or, as Ukraine, are used condoms to be thrown into the trash bin. The main course is Germany, because once it is eaten, the rest of Europe will follow. Now Germany's colorless and not very bright Frau Merkel notes:
“I have the impression that with Nord Stream 2 we may be waging a conflict that is much wider, and touches upon the question of the extent to which we want to trade with Russia, especially in the energy sector,”
The hell you say, Einstein. Russia can live without Germany, in fact Russia's very successful import-substitution program was launched precisely to achieve this goal--living without dependence on Europe. It is Germany which is an occupied country and which cannot admit to itself that it is being slowly cooked by the US to achieve German industrial collapse to open the road for both American (that means Russian ones bought by US and re-sold to Germany for much higher price) hydrocarbons and industrial products. One shot, two rabbits, the American thinking goes, "opening" German market while making German products much less competitive at the American one. That's the plan anyway and to implement it, Germany must be denied Russia's affordable energy. Nord Stream 2, thus, delenda est.
There is one problem here, though, for America and her lapdog UK, America's geopolitical thinking and planning, such as Skripal Affair, Czech 2014 explosion of munitions storage, allegedly by Russians, with ensuing diplomatic comedy, or attempts to light up several simultaneous conflicts around Russia, not least through attempts at the overthrow of government of Belarus--all of those attempts failing spectacularly--are just some indicators of an extreme detachment of the US establishment from the reality and its inability to face facts. US will throw under the bus anyone, if need be, such as it happened with Czech republic, always heavy on Russophobia, and these all are desperate attempts by the US in trying to prevent integration of West European economies into the colossal Eurasian market being formed by China and Russia. As I wrote two weeks ago:
So, Russia just goes about her business because she knows the game, she knows the score and she long ago calculated the United States' moves, which are not, frankly, that difficult to predict. Scott Ritter is way more than me informed about the underwater currents inside the Beltway and he may well be right when stating this:
But something tells me that it is now too little, too late and cleaning what amounts to US foreign policy Stables of King Augeas will require a man of Herculean abilities and courage, especially after the wasteland left in domestic and foreign policies by America's (and Israeli-first) neocons the likes of Kagans, whose intellectual abilities are inversely proportional to their gigantic ambitions, and whose damage to Russian-American relations and America herself is profound and not easily fixed, if it is possible at all. When even meek and cowardly Frau Merkel begins to understand that the bottom is in sight, that tells you something.
I speak all the time about Westerners who are moving to Russia. Here is one such wonderful and charming girl from Australia who moved to Novosibirsk couple years or so ago and wants to stay in Russia. Here is adorable Sabrina doing her shopping (and you guessed it--in Auchan) together with her brother:
We still don't know real numbers of such people moving to Russia but Maria Zakharova IS ON record during one of her briefings recently saying that she personally is besieged by inquiries about and requests for allowing to move to Russia from people from the US, UK, EU and, as this video shows, Australia. Well, Boers are already settling in Buryatia. The girls are adorable and learned Russian in...half-a-year just by watching Russian cartoons.
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Freedom is the right to say two plus two make four. If granted, all else follows
The creek will turn into the river.
Andrei Raevsky (The Saker) made an astute operational-strategic observation yesterday when noted that:
Now you can see how it looks like, observing how 4 Baltic and Northern Fleets' BDKs (Large Amphibious Ships) pass through Bosporus yesterday on their way to the Black Sea.
All these deployments are performed by Russia in order to remove any idiotic thoughts from whatever is running Ukraine from Kiev and make sure that they do not attempt any moves on LDNR. Some people go further and even propose that Russia, actually, has everything in place to solve Ukraine's issue once and for all. Yes, that is true, Russia has enough forces to dispose of the proto-Nazi Ukrainian state but will she? I don't know, but it is an option which people in Kiev view as not entirely improbable, so it remains active and contributes to Ukraine's strategic confusion (not that they ever resided outside this confused state), which plays in favor of LDNR.
Obviously, once mighty Albion, after Biden Admin recalled two US Navy DDGs from their Black Sea deployment, decided to show that London still matters and Royal Navy announced that it will be sending two Type 45 destroyer and Type 23 frigate to the Black Sea in an apparent show of support for Ukraine's regime:
Type 23 frigates are good ol' work horses of Royal Navy and are used primarily in ASW role, granted that they carry good ol' Harpoons (8 in total) and Sea Ceptor AD missiles, claimed to be able to fight off "saturation attacks" by super-sonic anti-shipping missiles. Type 45, which is much newer class of destroyers, carries the same Harpoons (8 in total) and is known as a dedicated air-defense ship carrying Aster AD complex. So, just another (European) iteration of US Navy's DDG of Arleigh Burke-class, albeit with a smaller AD missile load. Russia is trembling from fear and is sending diplomatic mail to London constantly begging for this terrifying British naval might to be recalled (wink, wink). I, personally, think that London, sending these two ships to the Black Sea, simply wants to remind everyone that it still exists and is somehow relevant to a massive geopolitical game three giants of US, China and Russia are playing. You know, glorious history, phantom pains from lost empire and greatness. Well, you get my drift. Moscow is "impressed", not.
Alexander, being a British analyst and journalist has a better insight into the British thinking. So, listen to his excellent description of British reasons.
No politics for today, just got back from a long drive (pleasant occasion, nothing is wrong), so...
Well.... fishy from the get go, not in the US where truth doesn't exists in and around Washington D.C. and around studios of the main propaganda outlets such as MSNBC, CBS, CNN--you know them all.
Ahhh, no. It is not "low to moderate confidence", those reports promoted by DNC and Biden are a complete bunk because:
1. If Russia would want to really do a bloodletting in Afghanistan, she has a number of tools to do so ranging from clandestine ops against US troops to a direct supply of said Taliban (which is officially designated a terrorist organization in Russia) or other groups with all kinds of toys which would increase US casualties there. After all, all kinds of groups are dealing in weapons in Afghanistan today, many of those weapons from old storage bases in former Soviet Middle Asia. So, you get my drift. In other words, if Russia would want to inflict the pain, the US would feel it. The main question is: what for? Anyone has any rational reasons for Russia to do so? I don't.
2. Russia is, in fact, interested in the US staying in Afghanistan not only for the reasons of, granted current disastrous Russian-American relations' background, parading US war in there as an Exhibit A of how not to prosecute the war, but also because Russia is sincerely interested in the United States tying for now, granted grossly inefficiently, any fundamentalist Islamic forces which otherwise would start their moves Northward from Afghanistan to former Soviet Middle Asian republics, now independent states. In this sense the US and Russia are unlikely allies, granted US propensity to support all kinds of terrorists.
Now even Biden's own "intelligence" community effectively says that the whole story had the same veracity as that of Iraq's WMD program or of the Michael Bay movies being documentaries. Psaki's statement like this, however, puts things in a funny light:
Psaki added that U.S. intelligence has evidence that Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU, interacts with individuals in Afghan criminal networks.
Ahh, what about the US being in cahoots with people who massacred almost 3,000 innocent Americans on 9/11? Just saying.
Iran ordered to pay billions to relatives of 9/11 victims.
So, do you understand now why Vladimir Putin didn't accept Joe Biden's "invitation":
Why even bother? To talk about what, we omit now obvious who? The US ran itself into the military-diplomatic clusterfuck completely on own volition when trying to play chicken around Ukraine with very wrong people, then recalled that Russia has rather competent armed forces, and suddenly it is all about saving face, America's. Well, Russia's diplomacy is much older than the United States as a country and Russians fought enemies much tougher than America. I think, Kremlin's decision to avoid talking to Biden or, rather, those who control him, is a solid decision and the ensuing tawdry political show in D.C. and Brussels is fun to observe. As for new sanctions imposed on Russia, as I referred to famous Russian rare-earth element called boltium few years ago, you all may refresh description of this really rare element of Periodic Table here, how Russian element boltium interacts with another element, known in the West--sanctionium (in Russian), wink, wink. This was three years ago, since then boltium, for some reason, increased its corrosive action on sanctionium and many still cannot understand why.
So, let Biden's Administration work hard on "deescalation and diplomatic process" with Russia. I am sure they are hard at work now and are desperately trying to count days before Russia finishes with her military exercise at her Western Border and will allow the US to claim a diplomatic success with "dissolving" the situation. Sure. Meanwhile, are there ANY competent people inside the Beltway left, not poisoned by a dangerous rare-earth element which exists only inside the Beltway--sanctimonium? Just wondering.