It Is Kinda Too Late, Isn't It?

This should have been done 9 months ago and it could have been a very serious message to Islamic terrorism. Russia and US fighting jihadists together. But it wasn't meant to be, in fact--opposite, driven by US hubris and paranoia, was implemented. Now, Kerry brings to Russia some "plan" which IS NOT designed to fight ISIS.

Obama’s Syria plan teams up American and Russian forces 

The only reason for Kerry's top level meeting with Putin, and Lavrov, is to ensure that lame-duck Obama can get at least some face-saving something from the US-engineered "Assad-Must-Go" catastrophe in Syria. It is understandable entirely against the background of Obama Administration's utter disaster in foreign policy. We all may, of course, do the "what if" thing and imagine what if Obama was a competent and courageous national leader, what if US foreign policy establishment wasn't run by insane neocon war-mongering Russophobes, what if US media had at least some professional integrity--yes, then things would have been different. Far fewer people would have been dead and the only militarily sensible conclusion would have been made--that it is in US interest to cooperate in good faith with Russia in fighting such a scourge as ISIS, Al Qaeda and affiliates, not to support them. Now, obviously, no one in their own mind in Moscow (or in Russia) believes in US "good intentions" for the sake of defeating jihadists in Syria. 

I will expound on Kerry's visit and the "plan" later but for now--all attention on Putin and Lavrov, while Russia's Air-Space forces continue to do their job.

   

To be continued......

  

Congrats To Portugal

My sincere congratulations to Portugal, guys with balls of steel, with their gritty win in European Cup 2016. You were really tough and really good mofos--true grit, true team. That is why we love this game. Portugal, rejoice!!!

 

    

The Contry Run By Imbeciles...

House passes legislation blocking Boeing sale to Iran Air

Well, boys and girls, these are your public "servants" who really, really, really do care about your jobs and prosperity. I am being facetious, of course. This quote from Rep. Sherman (D-Calif) gives some hint on why such a preposterous decision was made:"Iran Air's aircraft will undoubtedly be used in the future to continue to funnel lethal assistance to Assad, to Hezbollah, and to other terrorist entities."  Do you get my drift (wink, wink)? Loyalty to Israel is a big deal in US politics. 

Meanwhile Airbus and some Russian aerospace firms are gladly reading these news. And why not--$17.9 billion is a big chunk of money. At this stage one has to ask a question, apart from Congress and White House consistently not representing the real interests of the majority of American public, how stupid one has to be to lose such a massive financial opportunity which could have had a positive multiplicative effect on the economy? The answer, apart from being at the service of other than US interests, is--one has to be a complete imbecile, or, rather a collection of those.  

And He Went On The...Facebook.

Really!? No, really!? The President of the United States in a face of an unfolding calamity he directly is culpable in goes on the fukking Facebook to still promote points which really tear his (???) country apart. It is beyond belief. 

‘Their lives matter’: Obama issues lengthy statement on police shootings

Mr. President, how about dropping this BS: In the meantime, the president urged Americans to resist falling “into a predictable pattern of division and political posturing,” and instead try to “come together as a nation, and keep faith with one another, in order to ensure a future where all of our children know that their lives matter.” How about taking responsibility for stoking racial tensions in already bitterly divided nation (nation???) and admitting that these are mostly your "if I had a son" thugs who perpetuate the violence, mostly black-on-black, but also going beyond the "fences" of their welfare sucking, Obama-phone using, drugs and abuse promoting, "kill whitey" rap listening hoods which are a cancer of today's America. Mr. President--you are one of those who promotes this degenerate, violent thug culture under the guise of outdated and completely corrupted "civil rights" demagoguery. But why I even waste my time, I am sure this bimbo Beyonce will provide White House with all necessary "expertise" on race relations.... RIP to Dallas Police Officers (and bystanders), my heart goes out to their families. The descent into oblivion continues....  

Back On Watch (conclusion).

In conclusion what has to be said from my personal impressions:

a) Russians seem to be quite content with West's sanctions and, in fact, many support them. Sure they do, once one considers that Russian made products--food and consumer goods, among many, most of a very good quality--begin to dominate the selves of the  stores. 

b) Against the background of events in Ukraine, which looks more and more like a vast mad house, Ukrainian restaurants and even libraries of Ukrainian literature stay open. One of them was located right next to our hotel. 

    

All this while Kiev regime destroys everything Russia-related in Ukraine. Needless to say, for some reason vast numbers of Ukrainians, especially from Western Ukraine flock to work for hated by them Moskals in Moscow, St.Petersburg and elsewhere. Why don't they stay in their highly "European" Lviv or Ternopil but try by all means to get into this "Asiatic" and highly "Non-European" Moscow is a question for Kiev's European and US curators who consider Ukraine to be a "democratic" country.  And here is the issue--is Russia a European country in a sense which normal people perceive Western Civilization? Absolutely! Russian spiritual and cultural root is in Byzantine Christendom and in this sense modern Russia is on the order of magnitude more European than degenerate Europe itself. At least Russians do not perceive European "values" to be that:

No Swimsuit Day: Madrid allows nude bathing in public pools to 'educate & transmit Western values'

This kind of "progressiveness", gladly embraced by European "elites" and by large swaths of European population, can create a very predictable reaction in Russia, most importantly among young people, and it will not be pretty for "transmitters" of such "Western values".  But then again, Russians are so "backward" but it is precisely this "backwardness" which sustains Russia. Indeed, it is inconceivable to view running around public with bare ass and genitalia, proclaiming this to be a value, in the nation which still remembers and treasures her heroes and sacred spirits from millennium ago through present. 

  

          

The Tomb Of Unknown Soldier

     

The Assumption Cathedral

If "traditional" European West is to survive as civilization, it is not going to develop the antibodies, which would fight an almost incurable decease, in Brussels or Paris (least of all Paris), the cure will come from the "East", granted, of course, that West will have enough strength (and courage) to call out for help. Will it do it? This is yet to be seen.  US? That is a separate game altogether and I will try to reflect on it soon.  

      

Back On Watch (cont'd).

As I said I will give some account of my latest trip to Russia and here it is. What needs to be pointed out immediately is this:

1. Russians (and especially Muscovites) are generally well aware of the world outside. My sense is that they are aware of the world on several orders of magnitude more than Americans or even Europeans. As I stated many times in this blog--it comes naturally, memories of wars and sacrifice are as alive as it was true in my childhood, which was quite some time ago. I had a very interesting discussion with youth (distant relatives and relatives in law) one warm night near Moscow. The interest about US was lively but even this youth (ranging in age from 25 to 31) radiated what Leo Tolstoy called in his War & Peace "the warm light of patriotism", when describing Russian soldiers on the eve of Borodino Battle. It is there and it shows. These are very bad news for neocons.

  

Memory Hall in The Victory Park. There Are 2.6 Million Crystal Pendants-Tears Hanging  From The Ceiling--Each For A Fallen Soldier. 

 

 

Lend-Lease M-4 Shermans And Matildas Are proudly Displayed.

2. Life is not easy for anyone but it is also not what is being peddled by Western media. Not even close. People still go out, they still buy things and department and grocery stores are always packed. The choice of products both consumer and groceries is, actually, startling. I bought a superb Russian-made shoes--leather, comfy, nice. Well, they came out around 60 USD which is a hefty sum but there are very many less expensive options which work just fine. Fact is, I wouldn't mind getting to one of the huge Russian market places (rynok) where variety of stuff is offered for a fraction of the price. We simply didn't have time. 

3. Moscow and around it--everything is uber-computerized, everything is scanned, including universal cards for all modes of public transportation--from metro through buses and trams. As it is well known, Moscow's traffic is a nightmare and even colossal Moscow's major streets (sometimes 12-14 lines of traffic combined) have issues handling the flow. Yes, Moscow is gigantic but it is what is inside it that makes her stand out. Major arteries are incredibly wide and there is construction everywhere--2018 FIFA World Cup is coming. The worst part is narrowing of famous Tverskaya Street which leads to the Manege Square.  As I already stated, to comprehend Moscow's scale one has to be there physically and try to get the bearings while standing on the isle near Arc De Triumph   on Kutuzovsky Avenue--the space seems limitless despite colossal buildings and skyscrapers of Moscow-city towering in distance. Lovely villages around Moscow (if not for a freaking heat-wave) are a much better way of spending time, granted that one has an ample supply of Jack Daniels and a couple of good cigars;-) 

               

In Village.

4. One can literally feel Russians visceral hatred towards Medvedev's cabinet and, in general, towards so called "liberals". I merely confirmed what I wrote many times about--it is only Putin and his immense popularity which keep the so-called "pro-Western" operatives from hanging from the lamp posts. The hatred is palpable. So, good luck to combined West with supporting these scumbags.  Russians' attitude towards Europe is that of condescension (deservedly so, I may add) and nobody has any illusions on Europe's and US' account. Russians do like Trump though.  

To be continued......

Back On Watch

Flew back yesterday from Moscow, just in time to pour some bourbon and light a cigar for the 4th.  17 hours combined (Moscow, Domodedovo--Frankfurt, Germany--D.C., Dulles and SeaTac, Seattle) in the air will do a trick on anyone.  I will write about this in depth soon. Moscow, as always, is a plethora of senses, her scale is beyond comprehension of those who never experienced this metropolis. It ranged from 85 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit with sick humidity most of the time. Traffic, skyscrapers, streets, humanity moving in gigantic flows, Chinese are everywhere (holy crap!), glitz, misery, enormous wealth, fuck..g Starbucks where they torture you with interrogations including what kind of roast (light, medium, dark) and other things you want. Girls? My son will not recover from that for a long time, I know;-) 

We caught bells' tolling in Kolomenskoye  and took elektrichka beyond Moscow. So, my advice:

1. Don't go there in Summer, unless you are lucky to catch a break temperature-wise;

2. They will treat you to espresso anywhere from BP gas-stations to some shitty dive; 

3. Scale! Paris, Berlin, NYC--don't even compare. Imagine LA and Orange Counties combined and packed with high-rises and humanity. Distances are colossal, Wi-Fi is everywhere, including famous Moscow Metro (you can call from  from 300 feet underground)............

Ah, yes, when in Kremlin--Vlad was there, the standard was there. Beer is everywhere, hotels are fine (our Holiday Inn was superb, and girls at front desk--holly molly!!! This is for young people, I am happily married for 33 years, I mean it). It is THE happening in its most concentrated form.......

   

Soviet, American, British, French Allies in Victory Park in Moscow. 

 To be continued.....