Open Thread For Venezuela.

Cretins from NHC soft "updated" their editor such a way that it now crashes and my video is in limbo now. 

I Might Have Rushed Today Re: Lula.

 Some very peculiar news. 

Москва. 25 октября. INTERFAX.RU - Каракас до последнего пытался предпринять все меры, чтобы на саммите БРИКС Венесуэлу включили в список стран-партнеров группы, однако этого не произошло из-за позиции Бразилии, пишет в пятницу EFE. Агентство напоминает, что бразильские власти обосновали отказ от придания Венесуэле статуса страны-партнера в связи с итогами выборов президента в Венесуэле, которые в Бразилии сочли несоответствующими демократическим принципам. В Венесуэле этот шаг назвали недружественным и противоречащим интересам граждан страны. Власти Венесуэлы заявили, что вето Бразилии является свидетельством ненависти, несогласия и вычеркивания страны, что продвигалось силовыми центрами Запада, а также препятствования на пути к сближению с БРИКС. EFE напоминает, что отношения между Каракасом и Бразилией ухудшились после президентских выборов в Венесуэле в конце июля 2024 года, когда оппозиция оспорила их результаты.

Translation:  Moscow. October 25. INTERFAX.RU - Caracas tried until the very end to take all measures to ensure that Venezuela was included in the list of partner countries of the group at the BRICS summit, but this did not happen due to Brazil's position, EFE writes on Friday. The agency recalls that the Brazilian authorities justified the refusal to grant Venezuela the status of a partner country in connection with the results of the presidential elections in Venezuela, which Brazil considered inconsistent with democratic principles. In Venezuela, this step was called unfriendly and contrary to the interests of the country's citizens. The Venezuelan authorities said that Brazil's veto is evidence of hatred, disagreement and the deletion of the country, which was promoted by Western power centers, as well as an obstacle to rapprochement with BRICS. EFE recalls that relations between Caracas and Brazil worsened after the presidential elections in Venezuela at the end of July 2024, when the opposition challenged their results.

That speaks volumes about Brazil and the fact that she did play a spoiler, especially if one considers that Venezuela's oil reserves are of global significance. Who's side is Brazil on? Here is part of the answer.

It Was Expected And Predicted.

After President Putin and China's Leader Xi Jingping concluded their first meeting in Moscow today with press-conference, one of the statements by Vladimir Putin certainly stood out (deliberately in Russian): 

"Россия и Китай намерены развивать практику расчетов в национальных валютах", — сообщил президент. По его словам, заключено межправсоглашение, нацеленное на дальнейшее расширение использования рублей и юаней в двусторонней торговле, а также на обеспечение бесперебойности банковского обслуживание сделок в условиях нестабильности на глобальных рынках. 

In other (English) words:

"Russia and China intend to develop the practice of settlements in national currencies,” Putin told journalists at the news conference following the talks. He added that the states have signed intergovernmental agreements on expanding the use of the yuan and the ruble in bilateral financial operations. 

It is, by now, almost anti-climactic--the way genuine multi-polarity unfolds--with China and Russia claiming, step-by-step, independence from Western (primarily American) institutions in every single field--from economy to "security". It is especially contrasting with what Daniel Larison described as Trump's Venezuela Hallucination:

Trump was eager to boast about Moscow’s withdrawal of its troops from Venezuela, but it turned out that he or someone else in the administration just made it up....Trump’s Venezuela policy is a shambles, and Russia previously brushed off his ultimatum to remove their forces from the country. It isn’t surprising that he would try to spin any development in his favor, but in this case it seems that he just invented something out of thin air so that his Venezuela policy wouldn’t look quite so feckless. He has no genuine successes that he can talk about, so he has to have pretend victories instead. The original tweet is still up:

It is, indeed, embarrassing, but in the same time--how is that different from Obama's "Russian economy left in tatters"--a hallucination and imbecility applauded by a bunch of Democratic ignoramuses with the aid of foreign policy "experts" of GOP such as late terrorism supporter McCain or his buddy in delusion Lindsey Graham. No difference whatsoever--it is still same ol' myopia (myopia? how about being retarded, literally) of which I write for years now. 

But at least give Associated Press a credit for allowing this to be made public:

Putin and Xi were meeting in Moscow as world leaders gathered on the south coast of England to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Putin, who attended 70th anniversary commemorations in France five years ago, has not been invited. Russia was not involved in D-Day but the Soviet effort was crucial in defeating the Nazis on the Eastern Front.

Obviously, Eastern Front in general and Operation Bagration in particular were the key for success of Allied Breakout from Normandy, but even brief reminder is good enough for now. It takes nothing from heroism, dedication and sacrifice of Allies: Americans, Britons, Canadians, Poles and others who stormed Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. But on the 75th Anniversary of D-Day it comes with a sense of dark irony how non-stop Cold War by the combined West against USSR/Russia and now China already resulted in a dramatic decline of the combined West and inevitably leads to a serious clash of (Western)European and American interests. Why? Because there is only so much is available to go around and, as I stated huge number of times, no currency worth anything unless it rests on the real military (and by implication, economic) capability. I reiterate it--REAL. This very Daniel Larison, on Trump's example, conveys how American political class played a key role in America's worst nightmare coming to reality, with China and Russia not willing to play by American rules and how it, in the words of Pink Floyd, missed the starting gun. 

This episode isn’t that important by itself, but it shows how easily Trump can be convinced of the reality of things that haven’t happened and how readily he will accept any story, no matter how unfounded it may be, if it flatters him and bolsters his agenda. That makes him unusually easy to manipulate and provoke, and it makes him an exceptionally easy mark for misinformation. That puts the president’s decision-making completely at the mercy of the advisers that control what he sees and hears.  

Substitute "Trump" with "American elites" and it will describe really well the overall state of the affairs in the shining city upon a hill.  

UPDATE from 06/06/19: As I stated not for once, United States will exit START (strategic arms limitations) treaty and Russia was preparing for that. Here is Putin today:

САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГ, 6 июня. /ТАСС/. Новейшее гиперзвуковое оружие России будет способно защитить страну даже в случае прекращения действия Договора о сокращении стратегических наступательных вооружений (СНВ-3)  

Translation: Russia's newest hyper-sonic weapons will be able to protect Russia even in case of START-III ceasing to exist. 

Putin added (in Russian), very ominously, that if nobody wants START's extension, well, Russia is not going to insist. What will be demonstrated next? I can only speculate but REAL, fully integrated echeloned anti-missile system covering all of Russia is being constructed as I type this. We are yet to learn about actual capabilities of S-500 which surpass by far those of S-400 (imagine that). Plus, in another little news-piece, as Natsionalnaya Oborona reports (in Russian), Poliment-Redut, which is an anti-air and missile system on Russia's latest frigates of pr. 22350 (and reportedly will be installed on two remaining nuclear cruisers), will receive long-range (400 kilometers) missile based on 40H6 for S-400. So, make your own conclusions.      

Making Israel Great Again, One Country At A Time.

Trump is a first fully Zionist POTUS in American history. Now he decided to give to Israel part of the territory which is Syria's, but never mind International Law, as long as Ivanka, Jared (most likely some form of Mossad's asset) and Bibi are happy, everyone is happy. At least in the White House. Obviously, Trump's recognition of Golan Heights as part of Israel does not mean a squat in serious geopolitics, other than the propaganda value for BiBi's campaign to get re-elected and avoid being criminally charged in Israel. 

Washington (AFP) - With Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side, US President Donald Trump declared Monday that the Golan Heights belongs to Israel -- handing another major diplomatic victory to the premier ahead of elections. Netanyahu spared no praise as he watched Trump sign the Golan proclamation at the White House, likening him to President Harry S Truman, who recognized Israel, and even to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king who freed the Jews of Babylon.

The main issue here is not Israel, however de facto in control of US foreign policy, but a desire of Russia to talk to Trump. Lavrov was quick in expressing to Pompeo all he, and Kremlin, think about this whole histrionics, but in the end, it is not for Trump to decide but for a military-political balance around Israel where this whole PR clusterfvck may go. And Russia can certainly make sure that if push comes to shove there will be enough hardware to make Israel's life hard, much-much harder than it is now. It is difficult to convey what a real PR disaster, especially in a long run, for the US this recognition is, but, I guess, Mueller Report is what got to the Trump's head. This, plus, of course, AIPAC Conference taking place now in D.C. Talk about "collusion". And where is a Special Counsel when you need one.  

Meanwhile, something is up in Venezuela and it all might well be the part of what I talk about for years--Russia "selling" the most valuable product on the market today--a political stability. Patrick Armstrong yesterday posted a very interesting hypothesis about Donald Trump and some observations he makes are very worthwhile. But I also have to ask the question, can we at least allow some probability of current US elites being utterly incompetent? This, I think, should not be discounted at all and, in fact, should be considered strongly each time we observe the United States turning into Bismark's version of Russia:

Never fight with Russians. On your every stratagem they answer unpredictable stupidity.   

You can rephrase Bismark in relation to modern US completely on your own.