Ukraine Open Thread 2022-162

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The current open thread for other issues is here.

Putin's Remarks On Europe

From Vladimir Putin's speech held at the signing ceremony of treaties on accession of Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics and Zaporozhye and Kherson regions to Russia:

Western countries have been saying for centuries that they bring freedom and democracy to other nations. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead of bringing democracy they suppressed and exploited, and instead of giving freedom they enslaved and oppressed. The unipolar world is inherently anti-democratic and unfree; it is false and hypocritical through and through.
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Recall that during WWII the United States and Britain reduced Dresden, Hamburg, Cologne and many other German cities to rubble, without the least military necessity. It was done ostentatiously and, to repeat, without any military necessity. They had only one goal, as with the nuclear bombing of Japanese cities: to intimidate our country and the rest of the world.

The United States left a deep scar in the memory of the people of Korea and Vietnam with their carpet bombings and use of napalm and chemical weapons.

It actually continues to occupy Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea and other countries, which they cynically refer to as equals and allies. Look now, what kind of alliance is that? The whole world knows that the top officials in these countries are being spied on and that their offices and homes are bugged. It is a disgrace, a disgrace for those who do this and for those who, like slaves, silently and meekly swallow this arrogant behaviour.

They call the orders and threats they make to their vassals Euro-Atlantic solidarity, and the creation of biological weapons and the use of human test subjects, including in Ukraine, noble medical research.

It is their destructive policies, wars and plunder that have unleashed today’s massive wave of migrants. Millions of people endure hardships and humiliation or die by the thousands trying to reach Europe.

They are exporting grain from Ukraine now. Where are they taking it under the guise of ensuring the food security of the poorest countries? Where is it going? They are taking it to the self-same European countries. Only five percent has been delivered to the poorest countries. More cheating and naked deception again.

In effect, the American elite is using the tragedy of these people to weaken its rivals, to destroy nation states. This goes for Europe and for the identities of France, Italy, Spain and other countries with centuries-long histories.

Washington demands more and more sanctions against Russia and the majority of European politicians obediently go along with it. They clearly understand that by pressuring the EU to completely give up Russian energy and other resources, the United States is practically pushing Europe toward deindustrialisation in a bid to get its hands on the entire European market. These European elites understand everything – they do, but they prefer to serve the interests of others. This is no longer servility but direct betrayal of their own peoples. God bless, it is up to them.

But the Anglo-Saxons believe sanctions are no longer enough and now they have turned to subversion. It seems incredible but it is a fact – by causing explosions on Nord Stream’s international gas pipelines passing along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, they have actually embarked on the destruction of Europe’s entire energy infrastructure. It is clear to everyone who stands to gain. Those who benefit are responsible, of course.

The whole speech includes much more and deserves your attention. (For those who can not reach the Kremlin site a text file with the speech is available here.) If you can not reach In essence Putin is setting up Russia as the new liberation force the same way the Soviet Union had been one for many formerly colonized smaller countries. The 'third world' may well turn to Russia when it needs help.

Europe though is fu**ed (recommended read). Our politicians have not only allowed our societies to be undermined by the U.S. but they have actively helped it along. They continue to do so despite the obviously coming economic and social catastrophe the U.S. has caused with the destruction of Europe's access to cheap energy.

Only a huge shift in public sentiment can change that. My only hope is that the upcoming dark decade in Europe will bring about those changes.

Ukraine - Four Oblasts Join Russia

In 1922 Vladimir Il'ich Lenin, head of the revolutionary Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, decided that several regions which for centuries had been Russian and under Russian rule were to be put, for reasons unknown, under the administration of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine. In 1954 a similar decision was taken with regards to autonomous republic of Crimea.

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The sudden disintegration of the Union in 1991 led to unruly phases in the newly created republics. Ethnic Russian people suddenly found themselves in territory that was no longer ruled by Moscow. In several of the new countries ethnic non-Russian majorities started to suppress the Russian minorities. Today's Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, are to various degrees prime examples for this.

Before 1991 the Ukraine had never existed as a state or independent entity. The early Cossack tribes in the yellow part and green parts of the map had asked for Russian protection against attacks from Poland, Lithuania and other neighbors. In the new Ukraine ethnic Russians were nearly half of the population and the parties they supported managed to win several countrywide elections. Big voting differences were visible along regional/ethnic lines. The country had strong economic relations with Russia. Its industry depended on Russian gas while nearly all its machine and steel exports went to Russia.

Cont. reading: Ukraine - Four Oblasts Join Russia

Ukraine Open Thread 2022-161

Only for news & views directly related to the Ukraine conflict.

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The current open thread for other issues is here.

Liz Truss Is Already The Bad Prime Minister Everyone Expected Her To Be

When Liz Truss was 'elected' as Prime Minister by 0.6% of all British voters I expressed some sorrow for a once great Britain:

Liz Truss is less competent than Boris Johnson but at the same level when it comes to lying. She also has no empathy. In the end she will look worse in office than Johnson did.

The damage of the Brexit disaster is still getting worse. The energy crunch, caused by the economic war waged against Russia, is tearing the country apart. [...] The National Health Service is turning patients away for lack of resources.

Truss will worsen all that.

But the billionaires and banksters of the City of London will still applause her for lowering their taxes.
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With the election process rigged for the Tories and the Labour leadership held by the hapless and vindictive Keir Starmer there is little chance for regime change in Britain. When Truss falls the premiership could even go back to Boris Johnson.

Just three weeks later and we may already be there.

Liz Truss and her chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng are libertarians who believe that the state's function should be as small as possible.

On August 5, before Truss was 'elected', the Official Monetary and Financial Institution Service, a think tank, had predicted what was soon to happen:

Cont. reading: Liz Truss Is Already The Bad Prime Minister Everyone Expected Her To Be

Ukraine Open Thread 2022-160

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The current open thread for other issues is here.

Open (NOT Ukraine) Thread 2022-159

News & views NOT related to the war in Ukraine ...

Whodunnit? - Facts Related to The Sabotage Attack On The Nord Stream Pipelines

For decades the U.S. opposed European projects to receive energy from Russia. It wants Europe to buy more expensive U.S. oil and gas.

the Lemniscat @theLemniscat - 15:56 UTC · Sep 27, 2022

US plan was always to stop EU buying Russia's gas
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Rice:"You want to change the structure of energy dependence. You want to depend more on the North America energy platform ... to have pipelines that don't go through Ukraine & Russia"
https://youtube.com/watch?v=aF0uYIjaTNE

Europe's, and especially Germany's industry, depends on cheap energy from Russia. Without it Europe will be de-industrialized and go broke.

The U.S. had threatened to disable the pipelines connecting Europe to Russia.

ABC News @ABC - 9:59pm · 7 Feb 2022

Pres. Biden: "If Russia invades...then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it."
Reporter: "But how will you do that, exactly, since...the project is in Germany's control?"
Biden: "I promise you, we will be able to do that."
abcn.ws/3B5SScx

Currently the U.S. is winning its war on Europe's, mainly Germany's, industries and people. Yesterday's sabotage attack on the Nord Stream I and II pipelines, which are supposed to bring Russian natural gas to Germany, mean that the the war on Germany has entered its hot phase.

A question remains: Whodunnit?

Cont. reading: Whodunnit? - Facts Related to The Sabotage Attack On The Nord Stream Pipelines

The War On Germany Just Entered Its Hot Phase

Just yesterday I laid out how the U.S. is winning its war on Europe's industries and people.

That war, hidden behind the U.S. created Ukraine crisis, is designed to destroy Europe's manufacturing advantage compared to the U.S. It is more likely though to strengthen the economic position of China and other Asian economies.

I have argued that Germany must open the Nord Stream II pipeline which can bring Russian natural gas to Germany without crossing other countries' territory. It must also allow Siemens to repair the defect Nord Stream I compressors. It is in fact inevitable if German's industry is to survive.

Others have come to similar conclusion and decided to sabotage the pipelines to make their re-opening impossible:

Three offshore lines of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system have sustained "unprecedented" damage in one day, Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, said on Tuesday in what one German official has suggested is a "targeted attack”. Nord Stream 2 suffered a gas leak which was then followed by a drop of pressure on Nord Stream 1.

The company also said that it was impossible to estimate when the gas network system's working capability would be restored.

The simultaneous sub sea damage to three pipelines is obviously not an accident.

A German economy official told Tagesspiegel: "We can't imagine a scenario that isn't a targeted attack."

They added: "Everything speaks against a coincidence."

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The war mongers at the British Telegraph claim without any evidence or logic that Russia is the culprit:

Cont. reading: The War On Germany Just Entered Its Hot Phase

Ukraine Open Thread 2022-158

Only for news & views directly related to the Ukraine conflict.

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The current open thread for other issues is here.