The 'West' Is Past
G-7 summits are supposed to symbolize "the west", its unity and its power. The summits pretended to set policy directions for the world.
We are happy to see that they are dead.
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I do not know who made this pic.
It is a modification of a photo by German chancellor Merkel's staff photographer Jesco Denzel that was uploaded to her Instagram account:
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Is that supposed to make her look good? Is it not similar to this scene?
Another picture of that moment shows the various heads of states redacting some common statement and discussing its formulations.
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Trump rejected the summit communiqué:
The American side objected to including the phrase “rules-based international order,” even though it is boilerplate for such statements, according to two people briefed on the deliberations. The Europeans and Canadians were pushing back, but it remained unclear whether the Trump administration would ultimately sign the statement or be left on its own.
Trump was obviously not inclined to compromise. He did not sign. There are no 'rules' for him. Not even the ones the U.S. itself once wrote.
Before attending the summit Trump trolled his colleagues by inviting Russia to rejoin the G-7/G-8 format without conditions. Russia had been kicked out after Crimea voted to join its motherland. Merkel, who had negotiated the Minsk agreement with Russia, was furious. She wants to use such an invitation as an element of future negotiations. (It is stupid attempt. Russia is not interested in rejoining the G-7/G-8 format.)
There are now many fields where the U.S. and its allies disagree: climate change, the Iran deal, trade are only the major ones.
Before leaving the summit Trump again used Mafia language against everyone else:
As he prepared to depart early from the G-7 summit in Charlevoix, Canada, to head to Singapore ahead of his planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump delivered an ultimatum to foreign leaders, demanding that their countries reduce trade barriers for the U.S. or risk losing market access to the world's largest economy."They have no choice. I'll be honest with you, they have no choice," Trump told reporters at a news conference, adding that companies and jobs had left the U.S. to escape trade barriers abroad. "We're going to fix that situation. And if it's not fixed, then we're not going to deal with these countries."
The row at the G-7 meeting was in stark contrast to the more important other meeting that happened today, the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Qingdao, China:
Dazzling against the city skyline of Qingdao, fireworks lit up the faces of guests who traveled across the vast Eurasian continent to the coast of the Yellow Sea for the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, on Saturday night.It is the first such summit since the organization's expansion in June 2017 when India and Pakistan joined as full members.
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The Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, was stated in the Charter of the SCO, a comprehensive regional organization founded in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and later expanded to eight member states.This weekend Xi will chair the summit for the first time as Chinese president, which is attended by leaders of other SCO member states and four observer states, as well as chiefs of various international organizations.
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The SCO has grown to be an organization covering over 60 percent of the Eurasian landmass, nearly half the world's population and over 20 percent of global GDP.
Two U.S. 'realists', Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski, had always warned that the 'west' must keep China and Russia apart if it wants to keep its leading global position. Nixon went to China to achieve that.
Years later the U.S. fell for the myth that it had 'won' the Cold War. It felt invincible, the 'sole superpower' and sought to 'rule them all'. It woke up from that dream after it invaded Iraq. The mighty U.S. military was beaten to pulp by the 'sand niggers' it despised. A few years later U.S. financial markets were in shambles.
Crude attempts to further encircle Russia led to the Chinese-Russian alliance that now leads the SCO and soon, one might argue, the world. There will be no photo like the above from the SCO summit. The Chinese President Xi calls Russia's President Putin 'my best friend'.
The 'west' has lost in Eurasia.
The U.S. is reduced to a schoolyard bully who beats up his gang members because their former victims have grown too big.
Trump is off to Singapore to meet Kim Yong-un. Unlike Trump North Korea's supreme leader will be well prepared. It is likely that he will run rings around Trump during the negotiations. If Trump tries to bully him like he bullies his 'allies', Kim will pack up and leave. Unlike the U.S. 'allies' he has no need to bow to Trump. China and Russia have his back. They are now the powers that can lead the world.
The 'west' is past. The future is in the east.
Posted by b on June 9, 2018 at 19:14 UTC | Permalink
next page »Yeah, I was just thinking that. Trump is running full-speed into isolation. It's an ancient policy, which recalls the 1920s. What does America need of the outside world? Good question.
I would think we will hear in the not too distant future of a European replacement of the US exchange systems, such as VISA. The Americans have become too unreliable. Obviously the Russians and Chinese do have their own systems, but that won't do for the EU.
Independence is going to be forced, and the consequences will be permanent.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 9 2018 19:44 utc | 2
LOL. Brilliantly well put, could not have said it better myself. Viva New World Multilateralism Viva!
Posted by: Odidi Bulelani Mfenyana | Jun 9 2018 19:48 utc | 3
Watching the two meetings play out has really been interesting, that the West is dead is not in question. And once it started it seems to be gaining momentum.
I don't know how many readers here watch CGTN but it is amazing. My IQ goes up every time I watch. Astonishing how much more valuable information you get from a "heavily censored" Chinese news compared to MSM. The website is a little slow at times but it is well worth the wait.
Last year during the border standoff with India they had on strident Indian voices arguing the Indian position every day. Imagine if CNN had on Mexican reps regarding the wall - never happen.
Posted by: Babyl-on | Jun 9 2018 19:53 utc | 5
Because Iran was under sanctions levied by the United Nations earlier, it was blocked from admission as a new member of the Shanghai Cooperation Council [SCO]. The SCO stated that any country under UN sanctions could not be admitted. After the UN sanctions were lifted, Chinese president Xi Jinping announced its support for Iran's full membership in SCO during a state visit to Iran in January 2016.Iran must join the SCO ASAP it is also a military alliance and should prepare itself for a big effort at regime change by the US and lackeys. The moral of the story unless they hang together, the US will hang them separately.
Posted by: Harry Law | Jun 9 2018 19:59 utc | 6
Well, China as the text books say was always ' half the human story' - only eclipsed by Western connivance in the 1860's .I remember my father argueing with high ranking Australian government and commercial figures in 1970.
My father argued Australia needed to find its own voice with China and Chinese policy . They replied sneeringly '' Ralph , their just red communists and will never amount to anything ' . Shortly thereafter Nixon flew to Beijing and my father sat back in his living room with a sardonic look on his face !
Posted by: ashley albanese | Jun 9 2018 20:01 utc | 7
Interesting picture! Judging by his posture, Japan's Prime Minister Abe seems to back Trump's position.
By the way, Mr. Abe doesn't look Japanese to me, he rather has a striking resemblance to a certain Bavarian actor - one Max Griesser.
Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Jun 9 2018 20:05 utc | 8
You may like Freedland's article yesterday, which unusually I agreed with, that in fact Trump is a poor negotiator, and gives away tricks he doesn't have to. Why no concession from Israel, over the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem? Why give away the honour to NK of a one-to-one with the US president? I'd be surprised if NK surrenders, when they know what will happen if they do.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 9 2018 20:13 utc | 9
They did win the Cold War. That's how they became the'sole superpower'.
Posted by: Madderhatter67 | Jun 9 2018 20:18 utc | 10
“President Putin is the leader of a great country who is influential around the world,” Xi said. “He is my best, most intimate friend.” Xi promised Russia and China would increase their coordination in the international arena.
Putin expressed his thanks for the honor and said he saw it as an “evaluation” of his nation’s efforts to strengthen its relationship with its southern neighbor.
“This is an indication of the special attention and respect on which our mutual national interests are based, the interests of our peoples and, of course, our personal friendship,” Putin said.
http://www.newsweek.com/putin-my-best-most-intimate-friend-chinese-president-xi-says-967531
This is not going missed by the West.
But it is unstoppable. The range of integrating projects the Chinese and Russians are working on is more than strategic.
They are forcing a massive shift in economics that is impossible for the US and EU to maintain as competitors.
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201806091065269583-putin-xi-summit-takeaways/
The Double Helix is ascending.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Jun 9 2018 20:25 utc | 11
Interesting that Trump has said Russia should be invited back into the west's G7/G8 at this time. In cold war 1.0, Soviet Union was the main enemy of the US and China was split away from the Soviet Union. In this war, Trump sees China's economy as the main threat to the US and is trying but failing to pull Russia away from China.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Jun 9 2018 20:34 utc | 12
Posted by: Madderhatter67 | Jun 9, 2018 4:18:15 PM | 10
They did win the Cold War. That's how they became the'sole superpower'.
If winning the Cold War is about vanquishing communism, they flat out lost. Because, while they were concentrating on the end of the USSR and celebrating, China was going up and up and up. They never saw her coming, yet to this day and for the foreseeable future, China is a socialist, Marxist country.
So the new, desperate Western spin is to try to argue that China has "succumbed" to capitalism. Yeah, right, a country where all the private companies have to have members of the CPC on their board and hand over enough shares to the state to grant it veto powers, not to mention the Central bank and all its major companies are state-owned... Lol.
Posted by: Lea | Jun 9 2018 20:45 utc | 13
"The 'west' is past. The future is in the east."
Wow... such grandiose conclusions...
After the collapse of the USSR the consensus - even of the alt-media (what little of it existed) was that a new American century was on the way and the whole world would be better off for it. A decade later in 2003 the consensus (post 'shock & awe' Gulf War 2) was that America had the ability to re-structure the Asian /African world and that it would all be for good.
15 years later we are all sick of the fruit of that delusion. So we look to another power to save us... Do we understand nothing?
Without the accountability of multi-polarity, Western supreme power all became security-obsessed privilege, self-aggrandizement, blatant plunder and total disregard for moral value and life. Power corrupts - it knows no exceptions.
If the West is truly dead, the East will be no different.
Posted by: les7 | Jun 9 2018 20:49 utc | 14
re 12
Interesting that Trump has said Russia should be invited back into the west's G7/G8 at this time.Thought of a moment to annoy the Europeans. It is obvious that Trump was pissed off about having to attend, and left at the earliest opportunity. The Europeans heard that, and will draw the inevitable conclusions.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 9 2018 20:55 utc | 15
Lea @ 13 Socialist, Marxist, Capitalist, what does it matter: it seems to work for China, at least for the time being. It's success makes me think that a bit more government control of corporations might not be such a bad thing.
Posted by: Quentin | Jun 9 2018 20:57 utc | 16
The summit with Kim will be fascinating to observe. In my view, NK has finessed the US and the Trump administration to a degree I would not have thought possible, even from native US insiders. To do it long range from the other side of the world speaks to me a lot about the power of Asia, and the clarity of view from there.
I agree with Laguerre @9 that Trump is a terrible negotiator (forgive that I didn't read the Guardian piece). I would take this much further and say that all the US institutions themselves are culturally crippled in terms of understanding what's happening in the ascendancy of Asia. All of their negotiation is feeble, because their grasp on their own true position is based on yesterday's view of their power. You cannot go into negotiation without knowing what you hold.
Every day, I become more confident in the ability of the elder nations to put the young western empires to rest without their being triggered into death spasms.
Red Ryder @11 - I see China's full-on drive for the one Road as its way of waging total war, its strategic masterstroke to render the enemy powerless without the enemy's realizing that it is being attacked. Russia as the other half of the Double Helix mesmerizes the west with weaponry while China undercuts the ground. Both countries are fully at war, and winning, while unseeing commenters complain that it's time for them to "do something." How superb the silk rope drawn so softly around the throat.
It's a beautiful play. I very much hope - and truly expect - that we can all survive to be able to sit back and admire it as the years unfold.
Posted by: Grieved | Jun 9 2018 21:00 utc | 17
I have a small quibble with b's wording but thank him for following and reporting on our evolving world.
b's words:"
The U.S. is reduced to a schoolyard bully who beats up his gang members because their former victims have grown too big.
"
My rewording:
The global elite have their US puppet acting like a schoolyard bully who beat up his gang members because their former victims have grown too big.
The West is trying to consolidate power and control while they still have some ghost of a chance. How they hold countries after this global divorce will be interesting.
At his time the West has little to offer humanistically except its vice grip on most economic interaction and the tools including banking underpinning the "system". The elite have deluded the public in the West for centuries about private finance behind the scenes of all/most conflict......pointing to other religions but never their own.
It sure is getting interesting. IMO, the two Koreas are going to announce a reconciliation that requires the removal of America military forces/bases et al, which fits in with the fake nationalism efforts of Trump.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jun 9 2018 21:05 utc | 18
That the US and the EU and their respective camps are at loggerheads over trade and perhaps other economic issues should not (I hope) lead readers to assume that one side has the interests of the public it represents uppermost in mind. As the US and the Anglosphere is dominated by one set of neoliberals, so Germany and the lackey EU nations following Berlin are dominated by another set of neoliberals in thrall to an export-led mercantilist ideology. Just as the elites in charge of US power structures are only interested in enriching themselves, the same can be said for those in charge of power structures in Europe. Whether under the US or the EU, the public suffers.
Notice that Germany benefits from being the major economic power in the EU while its fellow EU nations around the Atlantic and Mediterranean rim flail under a huge debt (and Greece is being punished back into the impoverished colonial status it held under Nazi German occupation) and eastern European EU members are following suit running their economies into the ground and having to beg NATO into setting up bases in their territories to attract money. At the same time German workers are becoming poorer, they are not benefiting from Berlin's economic policies, they are not reproducing fast enough so Berlin needs to bring in more foreign workers in the guise of "refugees" to prop up factories and keep wages low.
@ Madderhatter67: The US did not win the Cold War because the Cold War was only ever a propaganda front for the secret war waged by US / UK elites against Russia and China to dominate and rob these nations and their neighbours of their natural resources.
Posted by: Jen | Jun 9 2018 21:09 utc | 19
@5 Babyl-on
Thanks for the nod to CGTN. For any who care, I searched out its YouTube channel and it produces a huge daily output in English:
https://www.youtube.com/user/CCTVNEWSbeijing/videos
I've recently added Vesti News to my news for the same reason, a large daily feed of short clips of the Russian view, in English:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa8MaD6gQscto_Nq1i49iew/videos
I've never been a TV watcher, especially not for news, but I'm enjoying these tastes and flavors of this burgeoning century.
Posted by: Grieved | Jun 9 2018 21:12 utc | 20
thanks b - and for the laugh with the marjorie and homer pic for comparison!
i think this parallel you draw is a good one.. the west is certainly floundering... i am not sure how global finance responds here... i can't imagine the 1% being on the wrong side of a bet on the direction of things here either..
@6 harry law.. did iran make it into the sco? it sounds like it did.. good!
@14 les7.. regarding your last line - i tend to agree with that viewpoint..
@19 jen... do you think it will be somehow different if the power shifts to russia/china? i guess i am not so sanguine over power, regardless of who holds it.
Posted by: james | Jun 9 2018 21:20 utc | 21
Very well put, only issue that as to be dealt with is all those Stan Countries, they are a hibernating and breeding ground for Terrorists and Arms dealers , who don't care who they sell arms to and how they get them to rogue regimes.
Posted by: Wess County | Jun 9 2018 21:23 utc | 22
Its quite funny how Trump wrecked that meeting.
Trump could talk about Russia but who cares, he cant be trusted, hes totally unreliable and hopefully Russia sees that.
Posted by: Zanon | Jun 9 2018 21:28 utc | 23
at the same time Trump is a king, just look at how the pathetic western states STAND AROUND HIM begging him basically on all kinds of things!
Posted by: Zanon | Jun 9 2018 21:29 utc | 24
re Grieved 17
I see China's full-on drive for the one Road as its way of waging total war, its strategic masterstroke to render the enemy powerless without the enemy's realizing that it is being attacked.I do think you're exaggerating there.
China's past history has been one of a country very contented with itself, much like the US, because defended geographically by vast deserts. A longer history, so some foreigners did traverse the deserts.
The Chinese exported their products by foreign ships (Arabo-Persian) arriving at Canton, and buying cargoes, or camel caravans arriving in the north and buying silk. The Chinese themselves did not travel abroad very much, and so didn't know very much about surrounding countries, or the rest of the world. There was a fleet of Chinese junks which arrived in the Gulf in the 14th century, but it was the only one.
Today's situation is not so different. There are Chinese interventions in Africa, but their diplomacy is pretty ham-fisted. The Belt-and-Road initiative is in fact intended to bring up to speed Central Asian countries like Tajikistan. Fine, Tajikistan needs it, but it's not world-changing.
The rail freight from Beijing to Frankfurt works better as an intermediate between sea and air freight, but essentially it is what has always happened - foreigners export Chinese products. The Chinese don't know how to run a foreign policy.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 9 2018 21:57 utc | 25
I am surprised nobody here remarked on the pontifically present John Bolton.
This was about Iran, I am pretty sure.
Posted by: bjd | Jun 9 2018 21:58 utc | 26
I note, by the way, that in the second photo, the two persons holding a paper are not on the same page.
Talk about symbolism.
Posted by: bjd | Jun 9 2018 22:02 utc | 27
Have a closer look and you'll see that in the first photo, John Bolton is talking (Trump is silent and sitting there like 'Il Duce').
Bolton is talking to Macron, who is looking straight at Bolton.
In the second photo, Merkel is looking at Bolton, who is probably speaking at that moment.
Tell me this is not about Iran.
Posted by: bjd | Jun 9 2018 22:07 utc | 28
hopehely at @4
"OK, so, is Japan 'east' or 'west'?"
from their body language, I would say that Japan is surely 'with' Trump and the US, but that's only because that arch-reactionary Abe is in power.....and when he goes, and go he will, there will be a big period of adjustment...some day.
Posted by: michaelj72 | Jun 9 2018 22:26 utc | 29
The scambastic Trump could be inclined to make a slightly more fair deal in Singapore just to make a deal, but he is going extra early (no jet lag) and will be controlled by Pompeo with his 'Grim Reaper' CIA-dog/warhawk/translator/born & raised S. Korean with multiple relations in their South KCIA (NIS) and cabinet leadership, Andrew Kim (born Kim Sung-hyun). Kim's purpose will be to control Trump's spontaneaous decision making, inform him on what he reads as N. Korea's intent, and give baseline hawkish color to the translations for his own hawkish viewpoint.
Posted by: Villainesse | Jun 9 2018 22:26 utc | 30
bjd, bolton is trump's overseer, making sure he doesn't step out of line.
Trump is a poor negotiator, and gives away tricks he doesn't have to. Why no concession from Israel, over the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem?
Laguerre, you have it backwards. the embassy move, the iran deal, and the appointment of bolton are all concessions trump made, as payback for adelson's millions to both the gop and his campaign. possibly also has a little something to do cambridge analytica, honey traps or whatever.
Adelson: the casino mogul driving Trump's Middle East policy
The imprint of the 84-year-old’s political passions is seen in an array of Donald Trump’s more controversial decisions, including violating the Iran nuclear deal, moving the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, and appointing the ultra-hawkish John Bolton as national security adviser.......The New York Times reported that Adelson is a member of a “shadow National Security Council” advising Bolton
Posted by: annie | Jun 9 2018 22:29 utc | 31
James @ 21: I think one should always be a bit suspicious of those who hold power, especially those who find themselves holding the uppermost hand in power as a result of victory in war (whether in the form of actual military combat, trade war or other wars in soft power).
Russia under Vladimir Putin and China under Xi Jinping may be fine but will their successors know not to abuse the power they may gain from the New Silk Road projects encompassing Eurasia and Africa?
Posted by: Jen | Jun 9 2018 22:36 utc | 32
Posted by: bjd | Jun 9, 2018 6:02:20 PM | 27
I note, by the way, that in the second photo, the two persons holding a paper are not on the same page.
Talk about symbolism.
In that pic, is that Miller lurking from behind?
Posted by: hopehely | Jun 9 2018 22:38 utc | 33
@29, bjd,
Of course, it is about Iran. It's the Iranian deal that the EU needs to continue. They benefit as the biggest vendors to Iran. They want to get inside that developing 70 million person market, also.
Bolton wants regime change. The EU knows that will be worse than Iraq. And economically, the EU will be in the dumps for 2 decades if there's another war they are forced to join. And they will be forced to join. They cannot say No to the Hegemon.
The EU 2, Germany and France, are at a historic moment of truth.
They could have a great future with Russia, China, Iran, the BRICS, SCO, OBOR and EAEU or they could be crippled by the Empire.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Jun 9 2018 22:42 utc | 34
Excellent analysis as always. Here's the muck CBC is reporting on the summit.
Canada Rejects Trump's Call to Let Russia Back Into G-7
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trump-russia-g7-canada-1.4697655
"...But Canada, which pushed for Russia to get the boot in 2014, is not onside. 'Russia was invited to be part of this club and I think that was a very wise initiation, and an invitation full of goodwill,'[FM Chrystia Freeland] she told reporters at the summit. 'Russia, however, made clear that it had no interest in behaving according to the rules of Western democracies..."
Glad to hear it...
Posted by: John Gilberts | Jun 9 2018 23:01 utc | 35
it's kind of wonderful to see all these imperialist and former neo-colonial powers fighting among themselves.
unfortunately, like the old African proverb goes, when the elephants fight it's the grass and small animals that suffer.
I see no reason for optimism for the peoples of europe at this point, as the stranglehold of the Trioka is perhaps as strong as ever, and hundreds of millions of people are suffering; the people simply have to get organized at all levels and take back their sovereignty at least as a start
Posted by: michaelj72 | Jun 9 2018 23:15 utc | 36
The US still has the power of the dollar in its arsenal. The UK and EU, and any nation that deals with Wall Street, are addicted to US investment in dollars. Since the EU is run by the banks, and western banks can't function with the dollar, any statements by the EU that they're going to avoid US sanctions over Iran are meaningless.
The equation is essentially this: you can have your sovereignty or you can have the benefits of the dollar that make your 1% very rich. You can't have both. Since the EU is ruled by the 1% banker/investor class they will forestall any attempts to regain sovereignty by the people. In a sense, Europe is like Russia 10-15 years ago, thinking that the US is the key to the golden calf. Russia learned the hard way they needed to establish some independence (although to this day Russia doesn't have nearly the financial independence one might hope), and China saw from Russia's example they needed to do so as well. This led them to team up on many economic initiatives while seeking to reduce the dominance of the dollar.
Perhaps someday Europe will learn this lesson. But as long as the EU exists, I kind of doubt it. The EU-crats will cry and criticize Trump but the bankers love US money too much to let them actually do anything serious.
Posted by: WorldBLee | Jun 9 2018 23:17 utc | 37
Paul Krugman is tweeting that this is all happening because Trump doesn't understand Value-Added Tax!
This is not an endorsement of Krugman who is trying to blame it on Putin.
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Jun 9 2018 23:20 utc | 38
If the West is dead and the East is the future, then why are so many Chinese buying houses and living part time in Canada, Australia, and the USA? Why is there so much emphasis put on Western education facilities by Asians?
Posted by: rexl | Jun 9 2018 23:56 utc | 39
I'm sure Trump doesn't understand VAT.
Most Americans don't no matter how much explanation I go into.
They insist its a tariff or duty,which its not.
I've given up trying to explain its a sales tax on all,paying at customs is merely a cash flow issue for the importer.A reclaimable input on his VAT return,did it many times myself.
Posted by: Winston | Jun 10 2018 0:02 utc | 40
there is no west nor east.
there is only a bunch of paid of administrators running the countries and the corporations that pay them.
Trumps quid pro quo is deals that benefit his family. I don't thinks he cares one bit about the GOP and how the party fundraises. He cares about advancing his family and keeping the loot.
maybe we should realize that the concepts of east and west, as much as neo liberalism or neo conservatism or any other moniker that we could apply to loot and steal - legally and without shame under the guise of trade - are concepts of the past.
the future is for the strongest, irrespective of their origins or philosophy. we are burning this planet down with a vengeance and we - the people - are to numerous and too expensive to keep.
while we debate and some even chuckle with delight as to how the west is treated by trump, or how much the west deserves to be made redundant and all hail the Russians and the Chinese - the king is dead, long live the king - it is us who dies in the wars, it is our children that are being kidnapped and locked up in prison when arriving on the border seeking asylum, it is us who will watch the women in our live die in childbirth because of lack of medical care, it is us who will die of black lung, hunger, thirst and general malice.
and while we gossip, they laugh all the way to the bank.
Posted by: Sabine | Jun 10 2018 0:11 utc | 41
b, we have no doubt that the North Korean leadership is ready for the Americans and know the score with a rising Eurasia and a sinking NATO. However, your last assumption of Kim being more than ready to go toe-to-toe with DJT smacks of some of the worst tendencies of many posters here who are ready to venerate Kim without him ever even making formal address of more than a few words to a) his people, 2) his allies, or D) even the world. This is a laughable assumption from you and it would be like having the most beautifully-made garment handy for a long while, desperate for anyone to come along so you could fling it on them to prove they were the most amazing supreme leader in all the world!
This is not to say I do not want the NoKos to succeed in their endeavors of getting a fair deal...hardly: I think they will succeed eventually because they are shrewd. But this is an attempt to squash the unbelievably propagandistic (or naive) attempts to place the mantle of imperviousness, all-knowingness, utterly-innocentness, and insurmountably-cleverousness onto the boy that would be king. DJT could eat a boy like Kim for breakfast if left alone from their advisors.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 10 2018 0:24 utc | 42
Interesting that this happens in June. Because it reminds me of this classic little fun ditty:
Sabine @ 41 said:"there is no west nor east.
"there is only a bunch of paid of administrators running the countries and the corporations that pay them"
And this"and while we gossip, they laugh all the way to the bank."
I would tend to agree, but I'm hoping b's right in his assessment, the empire and her minions very badly need a comeuppance..
Posted by: ben | Jun 10 2018 0:33 utc | 44
Trump is very dependent on his base. He knows them well. At risk of hitting a discordant note I suspect a lot of his fans are happy seeing him sock it to the goddamn ch*nks and euro faggots.
Posted by: dh | Jun 10 2018 0:45 utc | 45
It’s a big weekend. G7, SCO, Bilderberg, NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels and the huge NATO “Drills” including the Baltic States and for the first time, Israel.
Oh, and the US called on NATO to add 30 land battalions, 30 air fighter squadrons, and 30 naval ships to “counter Russian aggression.”
The AZW Empire is not giving up its plans.
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 10 2018 0:46 utc | 46
I predicted it would become the G6+1 and so it has. Trump told his staffers NOT to sign the Joint Communique, which I believe is a first.
On the issue of power and the BRI, the linked item is a trove of info as it focuses on perhaps the most problematic region of the SCO/BRI.
If Europe is to break free from the Outlaw US Empire, Merkel must be jettisoned and independent-minded leaders must take control of Germany and EU. I'm not at all surprised with how events went in Canada. However, I see the Policy as the Bully, not Trump, the policy still being the attempt to gain Full Spectrum Domination. What's most important, IMO, is this spectacle will not go unnoticed by the rest of the world. The Outlaw US Empire cannot make it any plainer that it's the primary enemy state of all except the Zionist Abomination. I think Abe wonders why he's there and not in Qingdao.
Although this item focuses on Kashmir, it should be read after the longer article linked above. There's little news as of yet coming from Qingdao other than who's cooking what and sideline meets. I expect more coming out beginning Monday. Of course, Kim-Trump begins now, it being the 10th in Singapore already.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 0:47 utc | 47
The difference between the two projects- the western Empire and the Eurasian schemes exemplified by OBOR- is that the former, as 500 years of experience teaches us, relies on ethnic divisions, wars and competition while the latter requires peace and co-operation.
In a sense that answers Jen @ 32. It really doesn't matter who runs the governments of China and Russia, provided that they can prevent the imperialists from distracting them into rivalry. It was that which, thanks to plenty of stupidity on both sides, gave rise to the tensions of which Nixon and Kissinger took advantage.
Had the USSR and China ironed out their small differences on the sixties- and Vietnam gave them a perfect excuse to do so, history would have been very different and probably much less bloody.
The truth is that, as b asserts, the SCO is already much more important than the G7- America and the Six Dwarfs. How much more important is shown by the role of Freeland (the neo-Nazi Ukrainian apologist) in insisting on holding the line against Russia's re-admission to a club that it almost certainly does not want to rejoin.
Trump may not be a 'good negotiator' but he has a position of relative strength vis a vis the rest of the G7 who cannot negotiate because they do as they are told. If they won't do what Trump tells them to do they will be on the lookout for someone else to give them orders-they have no idea of independence or sovereignty. Just watch most of them scuttle back to Brussels for ideas, or set up back channels to Moscow- once a puppet always a puppet.
Posted by: bevin | Jun 10 2018 2:26 utc | 48
The Sino-Soviet Split occurred while Stalin was still alive--he refused to allow the Chinese to develop "Communism with Chinese Characteristics" just like any other European Orientalist. And as the Monthly Review article I linked, the Chinese must beware of becoming/being seen as Imperialistic in their zeal to push BRI--Imperialist behavior will kill the Win-Win concept as it will revert to just another Zero-sum Game.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 3:57 utc | 49
One of the factors which has been killing the 'Democratic' West is that its bribed & blackmailed leaders have alienated themselves from The People whose views they were elected to represent.
No-one living in a so-called democracy is prepared to tolerate a leader who spends too much time praising, and making excuses for, the crimes of the racist-supremacist Zionist Abomination (h/t karlof1) and its Piece Process in Palestine. It can be persuasively argued that embrace of and fealty to the Z.A. is the only factor which Western Leaders have in common. And it's neither a coincidence nor happenstance.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 10 2018 4:20 utc | 50
Hoarsewhisperer @ 50 said:" Piece Process in Palestine."
Nice word play. I'm assuming the "piece" word is referring to the Israelis taking the Palestinian's lands one piece at a time..
Posted by: ben | Jun 10 2018 4:40 utc | 51
Grrr! I still don't get why so many humans believe anything good comes from chucking aside one greedy oppressive arsehole then replacing it with another. Sure the SCO has a founding document laden with flowery words and seemingly wonderful concepts but I say "So what" check out the UN charter or the amerikan constitution and you'll find the same.
These issues of justice & equity cannot be fixed by swapping bosses because every society has its share of pathologically fucked up greedies who have the means and lack of empathy to destroy anything and everyone in their lust for whatever it is they imagine they need.
We have to accept that will never change and that trying to purge the planet of those types just creates more of them from within the structure most successful in effecting the swap.
I know I sound like a scratched disc but the only fix that could hope to work is one that smashes the conglomerations into tiny shards, reducing the world to thousands of small self governing entities; sure some places will still end up being taken over by low self esteem motivated arseholes, but not only will they not be able to do as much damage, arseholes stand out in a small society where more 'normal' humans interact with them - currently all the pr1cks coagulate in spots such as the G7 and few non-pr1cks ever get close enough to see them for what they are. A low count on the old degrees of seperation register makes it much more difficult for the scum to rise. Making sure that no chunk is sufficiently big to force its will on another would also be vital.
That won't fix everything, but who outside some totally screwed up anal regressive would want that anyway? I just want to live in a world where no one cops it like the entire Yemeni population currently is. I see no benefit in moving the horror from Yemen to Uigar-land or whatever place the new bosses decide should be their fun palace of hate, murder and misery.
The Congo and/or Nigeria another coupla sites of misery for money. Timor Leste aka East Timor, now that the Portuguese expats in the form of the man with the Nobel stamp of obeisance to the monied Jose Ramos Horta have done over the locals, something Xanana Gusmão always said could happen. Horta's arseholeness made the wealthiest nation in the world (divide resources by population) riven by poverty, lack of health and education services plus of course old favourite, racist oppression. Check out these kids here untroubled by issues like getting a decent phone signal or their ranking on Twitch - wondering where their next decent feed is coming from is prolly their most pressing issue.
Swapping SCO for G7 will do SFA for them or anyone else unlucky enough to be living on top of whatever the current 'must have' is deemed to be.
Anyone who imagines that it could is delusional.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Jun 10 2018 4:51 utc | 52
Humanity either learns how to live with itself on an equal basis or it will perish; it's really that simple. The likes of the Outlaw US Empire, its NATO vassals and the Zionist Abomination are shining examples of what MUST be exorcised for ever more.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 4:55 utc | 53
@32 jen... thanks.. i think we see it much the same..
@35 john gilberts... the problem with canada is having this lady - chrystia freeland, who is an avowed ukrainian nutcase who still have her apartment in kiev, representing canadians when in fact she has an ongoing axe to grind on russia... she is bullshit and i hope more canucks wake up to her bullshit.. it is a drag when the ukranian lobby in canada has the leverage for all of canada.. it doesn't benefit us one bit...
cbc is happy to offer no balance on all of it either.. it is loaded with a bunch of right wing nutcase bullshit..
@48 bevin.. thanks for your comments.. i wrote what i said above, before reading what you had to say.. canada right now is in a deplorable position thanks the mindlessness of our leadership.. meanwhile cbc is a biased outlet supporting the same brain dead leadership as witnessed with trudeau and freeland..
Posted by: james | Jun 10 2018 5:10 utc | 54
@52 debs.. i tend to see it that way too, which i think is what les7 was alluding to in his comment earlier..
Posted by: james | Jun 10 2018 5:12 utc | 55
It is indeed a very powerful picture. It rightly shows who is leader of the "free" world. I also shows that the EU will not budge in its spat with the US.
Frau Merkel's Germany is the motor in Europe, its massive production capacity and enormous trade surplus (35 years in row) makes it a wealthy country, wealth used in the unification process (instigated by Frau Merkels mentor Herr Helmut Kohl), but also used to "placate " unruly eastern neighbours, like Poland, transforming them into modern societies. As a socialist, I do not agree with Frau Merkel, but as a pragmatist, she is taking Germanys interest first. She is Germany's V.V Putin.
And speaking of Russia, it has always been in the heart of Germany to have an alliance east (distorted horrendously under Hitler), "Die drang nach Ost" , which is a phenonomen also very well known in Scandinavia. Germany has very considerable investments, trade and business with Russia. Has always had.
This "new" spat is has been in the coming for years, it will just deepen the divide between the EU and the US. The EU IS part of Eurasia, has always been. We have nothing in common with the US, no culture (they have none) no language, no common understanding, nothing. They are foreigners, and they need to go home to their dilapidated country.
The picture says it all. "You do understand, Herr Trump, that this attitude and this unwillingness to to compromise will have severe implications in our relationship, and in consequences for your country."
Posted by: Den Lille Abe | Jun 10 2018 5:26 utc | 56
I try to refrain from nitpicking people's spelling
but
the next time someone wants to mention chrystia freeland could you
please spell it Chrystia FreeLand in recognition that her name is a by-product and reflection of "Israel's" Piece Process?
FreeLand is not a name.
It's an insulting (We Con The World) gloat.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 10 2018 5:59 utc | 57
Being not so sure of the passing away of the West, and in fact the passing away of any national entity, my analytical system is more based on geography/history and technological evolution.
If b'formula means the Western White Dominance Era this is clearly fading. The ridiculously hurried enlargement of the European Union to the Ex-Soviet satellite without any democratic vote has sealed the fate of the EU.
(consider Yugoslavia wars, Kohl eagerness to recognize Slovenia, then Croatia, the tragi-comedy of Kosovo, etc...).
But the US made new Eu is still, albeit much divided, still stuck with NATO and some new-comers hysteria. What more a very large group "share" the euro.
They will die, these countries cherishing there chains.
But Europeans cultures and language should survive, even if in National Library and Museum.
Posted by: Charles Michael | Jun 10 2018 6:27 utc | 58
MacKinder, Spykman, and Mahan were correct. The heartland has effectively united and the rimlands will likely remain at war for the forseeable future.
The joker in the deck is the U.S.; and the question remains; what will it do as its influence continues to dissipate across the planet?
Posted by: V | Jun 10 2018 6:46 utc | 59
For those interested here's a link to a 4 part series on the heartland theory;
Geopolitics, Globalization and World Order Part I – IV; strategic-culture-foundation, 19.12.2016 – 15.01.2017
Posted by: V | Jun 10 2018 6:53 utc | 60
@31....Adelson, casino mogul. Once the abode of the Mafia. Now not much different than them. One in the same. "The government and us are cut from the same cloth." Sam Giancana, former Chicago crime boss.
Posted by: Jose Garcia | Jun 10 2018 7:06 utc | 61
"The West" in the sense of a US-UK - EU alliance is passing. The things that linked them (common enemies and common values) are changing.
Posted by: ralphieboy | Jun 10 2018 7:18 utc | 62
V 59
The US should do what it should have done all along .
Step back and allow others to make inevitable mistakes .
Many - since 1990 - have been AMAZED she did not follow this course?
Posted by: ashley albanese | Jun 10 2018 10:12 utc | 64
V's post reminded me to ask about Stephen Kotkin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNHFGB5X7R8&t=3423s
Posted by: rjj | Jun 10 2018 10:32 utc | 65
Kotkin's lecturing style is interestingly anesthetic (zoneout inducing).
Posted by: rjj | Jun 10 2018 10:36 utc | 66
Apart from this award-winning photo opportunity, nothing happened (yet). This is about tariffs; Bush tried to impose them in 2002, only to roll it back in about a year after counter-tariffs targeting 'battleground states' (and so endangering elections prospects). Changing style of behavior to reality -showesque is not changing much, apart from increased media noise.
Posted by: Don Karlos | Jun 10 2018 11:19 utc | 67
nice caption that I found among a flood of "sorry world, we apologize for our president" comments on twitter, assuming that the intended message of this picture to the german audience is "reasonable merkel lectures an ignorant trump"
merkel: will you now please take back those tarriffs?
trump: no
merkel: then your soldiers and nuclear missiles will have to be removed off german territory
trump: lol
so crazy how much impact such a picture has. everyone cheering how "merkel is the adult and trump is a spoiled toddler" and spilling their version of political fairytale that they so love into twitter. man, i'm getting so tired of self-righteous people thinking they're the good ones.
Posted by: radiator | Jun 10 2018 12:03 utc | 68
Before attending the summit Trump trolled his colleagues by inviting Russia to rejoin the G-7/G-8 format without conditions. Russia had been kicked out after Crimea voted to join its motherland. Merkel, who had negotiated the Minsk agreement with Russia, was furious. She wants to use such an invitation as an element of future negotiations. (It is stupid attempt. Russia is not interested in rejoining the G-7/G-8 format.
First of all, in 1991, a majority of Crimeans opted to join Ukraine (independence). So much for the motherland! Secondly, Russia recognized Crimea as a part of Ukraine when they signed the Budapest Memorandum in 1994. Thirdly, Russia illegally invaded Crimea to secure the peninsula. Putin lied when he said there was no invasion. Murdered journalist and Russian politician, Boris Nemtsov, describes in his well sourced work on the Russian war in Ukraine exactly how the referendum in Crimea came about ("Putin. War"):
As for how “voluntary” the return [of Crimea] was, Igor Girkin, the former Defense Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, recounted on January 22, 2015, on the program “Polit-Ring,” broadcast by the online channel Neyromir-TV.By his own account, Girkin arrived in Crimea on February 21, 2014. "I did not see any support from organizers of state power in Simferopol, where I was located. The militia gathered the deputies [of the Supreme Soviet of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea], I don’t know how else to say it. It was to force them into the building, so they would adopt it (a decision on conducting the referendum on the entrance of Crimea to the Russian Federation)." We 23 note that the events described by Girkin (Strelkov) took place on February 27, 2014, immediately after a number of strategic objectives had been taken over by Russian Special Forces on the night of February 26- 27, including the parliament building, where, at gunpoint, with no media present and without the video broadcast of sessions as specified by law, the deputies supposedly voted to hold a referendum.
It's always interesting how international law means so very little when there is a political agenda.
Posted by: craigsummers | Jun 10 2018 12:16 utc | 69
@70
Politicking aside, this is just 3/3 factually incorrect
(1) In 1991, Crimea was part of Ukrainian SSR. Referendum result was a vote for the Crimea to become an autonomous republic as part of USSR (in present terms that means independence from Ukraine, not from Russia). (Another all-USSR referendum of 1991 vote was for the preserving the USSR, 70 % yes) (2) There is not a single word in Budapest memorandum specifically on Crimea. It uses vague non-enforceable language (' reaffirm commitment' etc). It does talk about respect for 'existing territory of Ukraine', however this territory is nowhere defined. (+In any case, at present time international affairs are not conducted strictly to the letter of international laws in general) (3) large number of troops were there already on the Russian Navy bases, by prior arrangements. There was no 'invasion'. Subsequent referendum of 2014 on the whole was an adequate reflection of how people on the ground felt.
Posted by: Don Karlos | Jun 10 2018 12:45 utc | 70
there is a photo of hitler with his staff that looks very alike ...
Posted by: Rafik | Jun 10 2018 12:46 utc | 71
Oh how I wish I could be adult like all the other fine commenters here and not one of those 'unseeing ones'!!!
China and Russia STILL refuse to let Iran into the SCO. I think that is probably the most telling thing which goes unmentioned here.
Posted by: paul | Jun 10 2018 12:59 utc | 73
The 'West' Is Past
it's pretty humorous that the economic growth mantra that's essentially brought the West to its knees is now being celebrated as the grand purveyor of a glorious Eurasian century.
'cause, actually, the only thing that separates the west from the east are vast borderless aquatic dumping grounds and borderless substratospheric pumping zones. fancy transportation infrastructure expedites an already poisoned food chain that in turn expedites rain-forest destruction, ground water depletion, and topsoil contamination and erosion. not insignificantly, continents of just plastic are pretty much established, and there are even tracts of sovereign terra firma already semi-permanent radioactive wastelands.
♫ way ♪ down ♫♪♪ upon the ♪♫ Suwannee ♫, er, i mean Yellow River…
Posted by: john | Jun 10 2018 13:08 utc | 74
So true and so clearly visible to all in the world to see. This is what collapse means, either moral, ethical or economically, these G7 countries have lead the world to a crossroad, either a world os multipolar, order and respect or a world of demoralized and criminal society.
Berhnard's comparison to mafia like is almost perfect, the only issue is that even mafia have some morals, these country leaders and regimes don't, they clearly showed what they are made of when they broke agreements early 90s, bombed Serbia, killed millions in Iraq,Afghanistan,Yemen, Syria, Libya, Somalia...for their pleasure and greed.
Time is up for them, this modus operandi is over, everyone can feel it around the world, the real question is who, from the G7, will jump ship first toward the new world being built in the East ?
Posted by: Canthama | Jun 10 2018 13:19 utc | 75
I still like my theory, referred to on this site at http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/01/trump-offloads-foreign-policy-problems-lets-eu-grow-a-spine.html
(Original here https://patrickarmstrong.ca/2018/01/09/trump-cuts-the-gordian-knot-of-foreign-entanglements/)
Trump has been greatly hampered by the deep state conspiracy but (we're told) the IG report will at last be out next Thursday and ought to blow all that crap away (hopefully with lots of perp walk pictures too). Then, with that cleared away (and I think we can forget about some big Dem mid-term win what with the conspiracy revealed and improving econ numbers)he can move to his next phase.
Then we can all dream (dream) of USA minding its own business, Europe independent and Russia/China managing a soft landing.
Posted by: Patrick Armstrong | Jun 10 2018 13:24 utc | 76
Are you 10 year old? I'v seen far bigger transatlantic divides, such as the one caused by the Iraq War. And what happened after that? Nothing. After Bush was gone Europe remained a US puppet and was in love with Obama. A new democrat president will do the same thing again, especially if it is a person of colour. Have some long term perspective, please.
Posted by: T | Jun 10 2018 13:31 utc | 77
To my surprise, it seems that the majority of veteran MoA commenters are died in the wool anarchists. A main thrust of comments on this article ostensibly about the infighting and decadence of the G7 was to cast stones at the Silk Road.
Russia under Vladimir Putin and China under Xi Jinping may be fine but will their successors know not to abuse the power they may gain from the New Silk Road projects encompassing Eurasia and Africa? (Jen, 32)
or
If the West is dead and the East is the future, then why are so many Chinese buying houses and living part time in Canada, Australia, and the USA? Why is there so much emphasis put on Western education facilities by Asians? (rexl, 39)
or
I still don't get why so many humans believe anything good comes from chucking aside one greedy oppressive arsehole then replacing it with another. Sure the SCO has a founding document laden with flowery words and seemingly wonderful concepts but I say "So what" check out the UN charter or the amerikan constitution and you'll find the same….Swapping SCO for G7 will do SFA for them or anyone else unlucky enough to be living on top of whatever the current 'must have' is deemed to be. Anyone who imagines that it could is delusional. (Debsisdead, 52)
The Silk Road fundamentally threatens British American power, which has depended on using the oceans to divide and rule the world, to the point of giving free mandate to pirates (kind of Daesh, v1, if I'm not mistaken - though similar atrocities were committed in licenses to kill either Buffalo or Indians in the American West), by rebranding them as privateers (1540 to 1812).
Unlike anything which the G7, the US or the EU are proposing, the Silk Road really has potential to improve the lives of billions.
- Relatively free trade among neighbouring and distant countries yet with relatively efficient transportation distances (distances are substantial but for the most part are not South China to NYC).
- Low cost of transportation (rail is the least polluting of all major means of transportation). Sea freight seems to compete but there are many hidden factors in ocean pollution (waste and toxic dumping, tanker accidents, etc). Rail is at least four times more efficient and less polluting than road (see table 19 on p. 30 of the PDF linked above).
- Bringing previously landlocked countries development and trade opportunities.
- No easy way to bring military to bear on the weakest. US/British ocean based imperialism means that there are no countries to cross between San Diego and the Philippines or Portmouth and Argentina. In land wars, each country across across which a belligerent powers seeks transport troops or material has to accede to the movement. Hence the value of the EU and NATO to the US - we can no longer refuse military transports (I believe Austria tries, Czech Republic tried and failed).
- Sets up an alternative structure. The average age of poster/reader at MofA seems relatively high (we seem to be in our forties-fifties) so most of us will remember the so-called Cold War. It was a fantastic period for most of the world (South America was not spared the American lash, some countries in Eastern Europe still justifiably lament Soviet oppression. The tale of the tape leads to a different story though: Soviet casualties in satellites vs Imperialist (American) casualties in Satellites (1).
What mattered was that in a world with multiple hegemons, the West had to treat its workers well, maintain a free press and generally make living conditions appealing enough that no country would be attempted to follow the Yugoslavian route. It's no accident that Yugoslavia was the first victim of Pax Americana after the end of the Cold War.
No matter how you cut it, unless you are a British or US Imperialist (please take the Opium Wars, the North American Indian Genocide, the destruction of the Philippines, annihilation of the Maoris, the suppression of continental India and the rape of Africa on your conscience first), the Silk Road is a great benefit to Asia and Europe, facilitating trade and creating a two polar system. That two polar system will take us back to where we were before 1989: our would-be masters have to mind their manners and tread very carefully lest we switch sides. The Canadians and the Mexicans will remain more or less trapped. With a bit of luck they might enjoy the same benefits as the native US population as internal revolution will become a danger again.
Balance of power is the key to equal relations and a healthy middle class. Alas, the poor always suffer.
-----------
(1) Approximate casualties in repression of satrapies:
- Hungary 1956: 3000
- Prague Spring 1968: 76
- Argentina Dirty War 1973: 30,000
- Chile Pinochet Coup 1973-1990: 17,000
- Nicaragua Contras 1979-1989: 50,000+
- Iraq Gulf War 1990: 20000. That's without Madeleine Albright's 500K Iraqi children (1996).
I'm omitting Viet Nam 1955-1975 (3 million+), Korea 1950-1953 (2.5million+), Philippines 1899-1902 (1 million+), Afghanistan (30000+, only violent deaths) as wars rather than straight repression of satraps or outside of the period of interest (Cold War).
Post-Cold War, the US Imperialism has conducted the following punitive operations:
- Yugoslavia 1991-2001: 150,000+
- Iraq 2003: 500,000+
- Libya: 2000 to 30000 (no reliable, neutral numbers available, huge underestimate of indirect civilian deaths based on photographic evidence of the cities)
- Syria: 500,000+ killed, 8 million displaced or refugee
- Yemen: 13,000 killed (ludicrous underestimate, without starvation, destroyed medical and water infrastructure or the 3 million+ displaced)
I note that the estimates of casualties for Imperialist (US) actions tend to ignore deaths among the displaced. Their invasions usually lead to many millions displaced (ethnic conflict fanned, whole parts of a country made unliveable via depleted uranium) so casualty estimates (Yugoslavia, Libya, Yemen are ridiculously low). The Iraq War received more attention so the statistics are more comprehensive if controversial with (guess who) consistently lobbying down the numbers.
It's worth noting that the US underestimates its own combat losses, really counting only killed and battlefield injuries. That's not nearly enough:
However, as of the year 2000, 183,000 U.S. veterans of the Gulf War, more than a quarter of the U.S. troops who participated in War, have been declared permanently disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. About 30% of the 700,000 men and women who served in U.S. forces during the Gulf War still suffer an array of serious symptoms whose causes are not fully understood.
Is it the depleted uranium or perhaps the psychological stress of murdering defenceless people (surrendered soldiers or simple civilians)? I don't know but would like to know why so many deployed US military end up as invalids.
Afghanistan, the graveyard of empires - in my opinion.
Up to 1999, the West looked unassailable. Then the attack on Serbia happened. It showed the limits of war on the 'cheap', i.e. bombing from the air but nothing to hold ground or willingness to risk soldiers lives. The Yugoslav army was expected to cower and run from 'shock and awe', the politicians to surrender 'after a few days of bombing'.
78 days later NATO had failed, the Yugoslav army unbeaten, but the axe fell from Moscow.
This snatching of victory from the jaws of defeat was not taken as a warning of the shifting sands that the 1999 attack showed. Rather, there was a brief mopping of brows before the self-congratulation and memory management kicked in and like a football match, a victory is still a victory, however they got their. If there were any lessons were learned, they were kept out of sight and thus quickly forgotten for all but a few.
1999 showed that effective resistance was possible. Others took note. The attack on Afghanistan was the tipping point of the cascade. Not that I would deny the obvious importance of other actors since on building blocks of resistance since, the trend has clearly been there, such as the developing world's refusal to accept the west's demands of fully opening up their markets in return for some beans at the Doha round of world trade talks, let alone the financial crisis.
That we are here now, is not a great surprise. How 'we' got here has been a real rock and roll ride over the bodies of many innocents. Their blood stains the souls of those involved and their cheerleaders and there is still a price to be paid.
The west is still working though the Kubler-Ross 'Five Stages of Grief' and it will take a long time to come to terms with reality as many of the greenhorns in the early 1990s are now in senior positions, not to mention that the multi-polar world is a fact and negotiation on a more equal level is all that remains. It might all still go wrong...
P.S. For those who ascribe to the 'Putin weak, Israel stooge etc.' rubbish, the Saker recently did a decent piece entitled 'Is Putin really ready to “ditch” Iran?'
Posted by: et Al | Jun 10 2018 15:34 utc | 79
hopehely @4: Japan is most likely to follow the big EU countries, who for now will stay loyal to the US-centered financial/military duopoly of power.
I don't think (over the next 10-20 years) the vast expansion of the China export market will overcome the power of the financial borg and the military-industrial complex, both within Japan and throughout the 'West'. The 'people' need to do that, but they are weak.
Posted by: fairleft | Jun 10 2018 15:58 utc | 80
@ Uncoy 78
I rather agree with your positive attitude.
The OBOR project is the first great project based only on non-military means, even if Russia and China can sure provide the muscles to defend it.
European union has no spine, no unity of purpose, no solidarity and diverging interest.
Posted by: Charles Michael | Jun 10 2018 16:08 utc | 81
@69 Craigsummers. One single source is not enough to hang a 'belief' on IMO. Regardless
"regime" change happens/happened. Russian troops were already there, LAWFULY by the way there was NO invasion. I suppose you prefer killing millions polluting for generations through radioactive munitions is preferable to achieve such change. If given a choice only an idiot would choose the west and its R2P style. PERIOD.
Posted by: Tannenhouser | Jun 10 2018 16:22 utc | 82
@57 hoarsewhisperer... i will try to remember!
@70 don karlos.. thanks for responding to what craigsummers is trying to pass off..
thanks for the other interesting and informative posts..
Posted by: james | Jun 10 2018 16:59 utc | 83
Uncoy @78--
Thanks for your effort to present a cogent recap. Hope you stop by to stick your oar in more often.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 17:40 utc | 84
@ Uncoy #78
I don't know but would like to know why so many deployed US military end up as invalids.
I do not know what statistics you are looking at so I will just try to explain why the disabled numbers might seem high. When military members retire they always try to get disability as whatever percentage you are disabled, that same percentage is tax free in your retirement. One can get 10 percent disability from hearing loss, or joint injury...the trick is to make sure that it is job related or at least happened why you were on active duty.
Back pain can also result in disability payments and having different ailments is cumulative.
One other thing that causes the number of disabled to increase is that we have extraordinary battlefield medics that are keeping people alive that would have died 40 or 50 years ago.
Posted by: dan of steele | Jun 10 2018 17:54 utc | 85
In a rare Sunday edition, Pepe Escobar compares the "Dueling Summits" using quite a lot of verbiage from MoA commentators. The most significant tidbit I gleaned is which SCO member is holding back Iran's ascension:
"Iran, as an observer, fulfills the commitment. The spanner in the works happens to be tiny Tajikistan.
"Enter the trademark convoluted internal politics of the Central Asian stans, in this case revolving around Tajik president Emomali Rahmon accepting Saudi Arabia’s acquisition of a 51% stake in Tajikistan’s largest bank. Nobody else wanted it; Riyadh was just buying influence."
So, we can blame KSA as the primary culprit and Rahmon as his accomplice--and for what longterm gain for Rahmon and his nation?
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 18:23 utc | 86
Meanwhile Trump's widening the deficit, collapsing the United States fiscal base and creating an untractable debt trap (leaving the United States defenseless to intl' hedge fund hyenas and globalist financial parasites) is also a genius isolationist chess move on the part of Donald Trump ?
http://www.williamengdahl.com/englishNEO1Jun2018.php
Donald Trump's commerce, treasury and financial stability fund setting up pump and dump bankruptcy operations to guide the giant sucking sound of American capital towards China (capital desperately needed in the US to upgrade a decaying infrastructure) is also an anti-globalist, NWO move from stable genius ?
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/chinas-big-bang-reforms-opens-up-banks-funds-to-foreign-control/articleshow/61591839.cms
Posted by: Augustin L | Jun 10 2018 19:18 utc | 87
@76 patrick armstrong... thanks for coming by and sharing your link from last january.. there is a lot of value in it. i am going to quote a section that i agree with!
We start with four remarks Trump often made while campaigning. Everyone would be better off had President Bush taken a day at the beach rather than invade Iraq. The “six trillion dollars” spent in the Middle East would have been better spent on infrastructure in the USA. NATO is obsolete and the USA pays a disproportionate share. It would better to get along with Russia than not.
To the neocon and humanitarian intervention crowd, who have been driving US foreign policy for most of the century, these four points, when properly understood (as, at some level, they do understand them), are a fatal challenge. Trump is saying that
the post 911 military interventions did nothing for the country’s security
foreign interventions impoverish the country;
the alliance system is neither useful nor a good deal for the country;
Russia is not the once and future enemy."
@78 uncoy... here's my problem.... i think sco is probably a great thing... however everything seems to revolve around economics regardless if it is the g7, bilderberg meeting and etc. etc... when does the environment / ecology get a break from it? when do the ordinary people on the planet get around to figuring out all the trade in the world is leading to the decimation of the environment and it's ecology?? thanks..
Posted by: james | Jun 10 2018 19:28 utc | 88
Here's point 13 of the Joint Communique issued by the G6+1 as provided by Southfront. How many BigLies can you find?
13. We urge Russia to cease its destabilizing behaviour to undermine democratic systems and its support of the Syrian regime. We condemn the attack using a military-grade nerve agent in Salisbury, United Kingdom. We share and agree with the United Kingdom’s assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation was responsible for the attack, and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. We urge Russia to live up to its international obligations, as well as its responsibilities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to uphold international peace and security. Notwithstanding, we will continue to engage with Russia on addressing regional crises and global challenges, where it is in our interests. We reiterate our condemnation of the illegal annexation of Crimea and reaffirm our enduring support for Ukrainian sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally-recognized borders. We maintain our commitment to assisting Ukraine in implementing its ambitious and necessary reform agenda. We recall that the continuation of sanctions is clearly linked to Russia’s failure to demonstrate complete implementation of its commitments in the Minsk Agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and we fully support the efforts within the Normandy Format and of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for a solution to the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Should its actions so require, we also stand ready to take further restrictive measures in order to increase costs on Russia. We remain committed to support Russian civil society and to engage and invest in people-to-people contact.
Is it any wonder why the G6+1 is becoming irrelevant?
james @89--
Your concerns were aired at the SCO by "Tajik President Emomali Rahmon … spoke about the need to use environmentally friendly technology to enhance self-sufficiency and sustainable development across the SCO." Furthermore, Both Putin and Xi have taken the lead at SCO in calling for sustainable development, which means taking environmental impacts into the economic equation and not treating the environment as an unaffected externality as the West has always done. Since 2013, China's been #1 in solar production and implementation. I invite you to go to the Yandex search engine, type in China solar then select images to see some of the immense installations already constructed. FYI, China sees its air pollution problem as a form of poverty which must be eliminated if China is to become a truly prosperous nation as planned by 2025. Plus there's the pan-Asian philosophical outlook of humanity being within Nature and needing to remain in balance versus the Western credo of being set apart above Nature to become its master.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 20:50 utc | 89
@90 karlof1.. thanks.. i don't doubt a lot of lip service is being paid to the environment, as it has been for many years in the west too! i think a good question is - what is sustainable? is 4 billion people on the planet sustainable? i don't know that it is.. everything about economics is about more is better... i don't believe that to be true.. more is just more..
Posted by: james | Jun 10 2018 21:09 utc | 90
@karlof1... thanks for your post @88 as well and for your isolating that point 13 from the joint communique @89... it is refreshing to see trump not agreeing to signing onto it... that point 13 looks like something chrystia FreeLand personally wrote.. she really is a problem for canada..
Posted by: james | Jun 10 2018 21:18 utc | 91
Debs @52... "Swapping SCO for G7 will do SFA for them or anyone else..."
Especially when, as I've posted numerous times, the same supra-national banksters are funding them all. China's "evolved" Marxism (and, of course Marx would want Marxism to evolve) is granting great progress for most Chinese, and most who do "win/win" business with them. That much, I think is exactly what Marx prescribed.
But one needn't wander too far off the reservation to learn just how repressive China can be. Sure, it's great to see them prosecute even some billionaires, showing a level of equality under the law that the West would never tolerate. But the poor and powerless are likely to be harshly prosecuted for "thought crimes," too.
So, Debs. How do we create a world of many small polities, and how do we enforce their sovereignty when the inevitable "aresholes" next door seek a little more Lebensraum?
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 10 2018 21:23 utc | 92
Uncoy @ 78: My remark @ 32 was a reply to James @ 21. I suggested that it is healthy to be just a bit suspicious of politicians in power, not necessarily the political institutions and networks that bring them to power (unless those structures are not democratic in themselves) unless we know what those politicians value and who pulls their strings, if there are any. I did not criticise the New Silk Road projects. I only said that any power (political, economic, social) that might accrue to whoever succeeds Putin and Xi as leaders of their respective countries needs to know how to use it wisely and well. That's all.
Political institutions and networks, however they are designed, however open they are and however subject to legal and judicial oversight, can always be abused and corrupted.
Incidentally there has been news that some folks in the Russian Federation want Putin to continue as President for a third term after his current term finishes in 2024. Putin has said he will not run for the Presidency in 2024 in accordance with the Russian Constitution. AFAIK, Putin has ruled out changing the constitution himself with regard to term limits for the Presidency.
I understand though that while Boris Yeltsin had been President, he was not above changing the constitution to ensure a longer stay in the Presidency and to acquire more power.
BTW I should think that spending any amount of time in the US military and being trained, brainwashed and bullied into becoming a killing machine, and not just a soldier, would create an extreme psychological profile and entitle everyone who's gone through that culture to disability benefits. When so many people have served in US wars overseas, I should think the training they've gone undergone would manifest in extreme paranoia, a heightened state of alertness that in the long term becomes stressful and unhealthy, and perhaps also an addiction to painkillers (leading to the present-day epidemic of fentanyl and other opioid addictions).
Posted by: Jen | Jun 10 2018 21:40 utc | 93
OMG Hoarsewhispers @57! I hadn’t heard of that “We Con The World” video. And though I generally refuse to even look at Wikipedia entries, it turned out to be a perfect entry to demonstrate Wiki’s Hasbara.
“The video satirizes the purportedly peaceful intentions of the political activists aboard the MV Mavi Marmara, the Turkish-owned flagship that led the "blockade busting" Free Gaza Gaza flotilla.”
“Purportedly peaceful?” Are they referring to the boat full of food and medical supplies and no weapons onboard which Israeli Special Ops murdered 10 people and seriously injured 20 others? The case which the ICC found was likely a “war crime?”
But they put sarcasm quotes around “blockade” as if the Zionist Abomination (h/t karlof1) wasn’t really imposing a cruel and deadly (and illegal) blockade of Gaza!
And finally Wikipedia provides “balance” by quoting critics of the video, strictly saying they didn’t like it - with absolutely none of the evidence for why the video was sick and entirely false presented.
Absolutely disgusting, but expected propaganda from Wikipedia.
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 10 2018 21:42 utc | 94
Karlofi @ 90: Point 13 has so many lies that it is no wonder the G6 + 1 forgot to mention the lie of a BUK missile launch system being rushed into eastern Ukraine from Russia just to shoot down Malaysia Airlines MH17 and hurried back. Perhaps there just wasn't enough room on the A4 sheet to fit it all in.
Posted by: Jen | Jun 10 2018 21:52 utc | 95
It's amazing how much import is being placed on this photograph, and the drawing it inspired.
Allow me to quote John Lennon from "All You Need Is Love"
"There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown."
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 10 2018 21:52 utc | 96
The whole silly troupe GeeWhatever can Jointly Communique all they want, but Putin wasn't home.
Posted by: bjd | Jun 10 2018 22:09 utc | 97
james @91--
Before the social sciences disciple of economics was manufactured, there was the longstanding discipline of political economics which had a very large moral philosophical component incorporated into it. Hudson in particular harps on how classical economics was overthrown as in a coup. His most recent carries on in a similar vein depicting how history's completely falsified in order to promote "reality"--this isn't even legitimate revisionist history; like Rand, it falsifies because it has an agenda. If you have time, Academic Propaganda Protecting US Financial Imperialism ought to be a good listen.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 10 2018 22:18 utc | 98
I quoted one song, john quoted another, so let me add one more apropos to b’s title:
From Jim Morrison:
“The West is the Best
The West is the Best
Get Here and We’ll Do the Rest”
Oh, and BTW, the “Lizard King’s” daddy was Admiral George Morrison, who was commander of the fleet in the Tonkin Gulf when the infamous “Gulf of Tonkin Incident” happened… or more precisely, didn’t happen. But it did convince Congress to authorize the US war against Vietnamese Independence.
Here you can see a photo of Jim with his daddy on the bridge of the USS Bon Homme Richard, taken just months before that ship, under daddy’s command would help spark the war.
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 10 2018 22:22 utc | 99
@Daniel (99)
Thanks.
Jim looks a bit chubby in those pictures.
Posted by: bjd | Jun 10 2018 22:33 utc | 100
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Agreed! But what will the US psychopaths do to maintain their grip when they realize they are really losing it? Nuclear war?
Posted by: Kelli | Jun 9 2018 19:37 utc | 1