The MoA Week In Review - OT 2018-63
Last week's posts on Moon of Alabama:
- November 19 - Syria - Back In The Arab Fold
Last night Jihadis in the Turkish-Russian de-escalation zone in Idleb governorate launched gas filled artillery munition into Aleppo city. Some 100 people were hurt with some 30 still being hospitalized. In response to the chemical attack the Russian air force in Syria launched bombing raids against the Jihadi positions and eliminated the threat. It earlier informed the Turkish observers in the area of its intent. This was the first Russian air attack on the de-escalation zone since it was established.
There have been a number of such provocations and skirmishes between the Syrian army and the Jihadis along the demarcation line. The terrorists hope to provoke the Syrian army into an all out attack on the de-escalation area. They hope that the U.S. would then support their side. The all out attack will come, but probably not before next spring.
Turkey was supposed to clean a 15 kilometer strip along the demarcation line from all Jihadi presence and from heavy weapons. It seems to be unable or unwilling to do so. That Russia intervened today can be understood as a warning to the Turks. Either it does its job and controls the Jihadis or Russia will eliminate them.
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Over the years various MoA pieces were translated and published in Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German and Russian language. Yesterday's piece about the British government smear campaigns was the first to appear in Turkish. Emre Kose translated it: Çeviri | İngiliz hükümeti Rusya’ya karşı gizli bir karalama kampanyası yürütüyor — Moon of Alabama.
(The general policy is that I welcome such translations if they are a. published without any commercial intent and b. link back to the original piece on this site.)
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Use as open thread ...
Posted by b on November 25, 2018 at 18:07 UTC | Permalink
thanks b.... congrats on having your post translated into turkish!
the gas attack in aleppo is disconcerting... is the west even reporting it?
b quote.. i certainly hope this is true... at some point the jig has to be up for turkey supporting it's own group of moderate headchoppers in syria.. "Turkey was supposed to clean a 15 kilometer strip along the demarcation line from all Jihadi presence and from heavy weapons. It seems to be unable or unwilling to do so. That Russia intervened today can be understood as a warning to the Turks. Either it does its job and controls the Jihadis or Russia will eliminate them."
Posted by: james | Nov 25 2018 18:07 utc | 2
further to @1 russ post, and the latest post by b on the azoz sea, it would seem that ukraine is increasingly acting as a rogue international state, which probable support and encouragement from the usa... i can't see any of this ending well.. at some point there is going to be a complete breakdown in relations with ukraine which will not serve ukraines interests..
Posted by: james | Nov 25 2018 18:11 utc | 3
"b"
".......With Crimea back in Russian hands the Kerch Strait is solely Russian territory. The Treaty on the Legal Status of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, signed in 2003 by Russia and the Ukraine, provides that military ship entry into the sea is only allowed with mutual consent........"
I don't mean to sound like a troll, but Crimea is illegally (under international law) back in the hands of Russia after Russia illegally invaded and forced an illegal referendum at the point of a gun. The Russians broke several agreements including the Budapest Memorandum (but Ukraine should honor agreements with Russia?). Additionally, Russia invaded Eastern Ukraine to counter a Ukraine offensive (to retake Ukrainian land from separatists) and currently conducts the war from Moscow using Russian mercenaries and Russian military equipment in support of Ukrainian separatists. So who has provoked who? The entire war being conducted against Ukraine is a provocation by the Russian government to protect her geopolitical interests - albeit illegally.
The punishment being doled out to Ukraine is simply an effort by Russia to reclaim her "near abroad" outlined clearly in the 2008 Medvedev Doctrine written during the pseudo Medvedev Presidency:
Fourth, protecting the lives and dignity of our citizens, wherever they may be, is an unquestionable priority for our country. Our foreign policy decisions will be based on this need. We will also protect the interests of our business community abroad. It should be clear to all that we will respond to any aggressive acts committed against us.Fifth, as is the case of other countries, there are regions in which Russia has privileged interests. These regions are home to countries with which we share special historical relations and are bound together as friends and good neighbors. We will pay particular attention to our work in these regions and build friendly ties with these countries, our close neighbors.
There is no such thing in international law as a "sphere of influence". A sphere of influence does not apply to the US in South and Central America and it does not apply to Russia's near abroad.
Posted by: craigsummers | Nov 25 2018 18:44 utc | 4
Sorry, the post @5 went to the wrong thread. I'm not changing it though.
Posted by: craigsummers | Nov 25 2018 19:12 utc | 5
According to Meduza (https://meduza.io/en/feature/2018/11/19/moscow-accuses-bill-browder-of-poisoning-sergey-magnitsky-as-russia-is-expected-to-win-interpol-s-next-presidency?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=share_twitter&utm_campaign=share via @meduzaproject):
“.……….The Russian Attorney General’s Office announced on Monday that it is investigating financier and economist Bill Browder as a suspect in the death of Sergey Magnitsky, who died in November 2009, after 11 months in pretrial detention. Russian officials believe Magnitsky and several other “Browder criminal associates” might have been poisoned secretly with certain “chemicals containing aluminum compounds.”……..”
Broder was also accused by Russia in the deaths of three businessmen associated with the Magnitsky case (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/19/bill-browder-putin-accuses-three-murders-campaigner-sergei-magnitsky?CMP=share_btn_tw). Broder was recently arrested in Spain on an Interpol warrant, but was released because the EU considers the case against Broder to be political. Does anyone believe the lies of the Russian government?
Russian, Alexander Prokopchuk, was expected to be elected President of Interpol, but intense lobbying by the US probably prevented his election (Meduza):
“.……..In a recent op-ed for Forbes, conservative think tank Heritage Foundation senior research fellow Ted Bromund said, “There is literally no one in the world who bears a more direct and personal responsibility for Russia’s abuse of Interpol than Alexander Prokopchuk.” According to Bromund, “The only possible explanation for this, if it comes to pass, is that a majority of those nations agree with Russia and China that Interpol is an instrument of power, not of law. In other words, they accept and welcome the abuse of Interpol because they abuse it, or plan to abuse it, themselves.” In his article, Bromund argues that Western democracies should consider leaving Interpol, if Prokopchuk is elected…….”
A South Korean was elected instead in a win for the west.
Posted by: craigsummers | Nov 25 2018 19:25 utc | 6
Also - don't feed the house troll. Craigsummers is allowed to comment here solely for our amusement. There is no need to discuss whatever he posts.
Posted by: b | Nov 25, 2018 5:58:16 AM | 96
Posted by: james | Nov 25 2018 19:56 utc | 7
"Over 100 civilians were hospitalized, including dozens of women and children, after anti-Assad militants unleashed a wave of mortars filled with poison gas on government controlled Aleppo Saturday evening. "
Comment section:
ExpatNL: "USA cheers Al-Qaeda gassing and condemns the secular eye doctor Assad for not giving in to ISIS."
True.
Posted by: Anya | Nov 25 2018 20:00 utc | 8
@ b | Nov 25, 2018 5:58:16 AM | 96
Also - don't feed the house troll. Craigsummers is allowed to comment here solely for our amusement. There is no need to discuss whatever he posts.
_____________________________________________
Fortunately, I've never actually read the posts in question. For one thing, I was waiting for them to be translated into English.
Posted by: Ort | Nov 25 2018 20:16 utc | 9
@8 james
Thanks for the explanation, I was wondering.
@9 Anya
The hypocrisy is hard to believe.
Posted by: spudski | Nov 25 2018 20:22 utc | 10
Taiwan held local elections, which precede national elections by a year, resulting in big defeat for the pro-independence/anti-PRC Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that forced its leader to resign. The legacy Kuomintang (KMT) Party has moderated its aims as the DPP become more confrontational in response to Outlaw US Empire warmongers's urgings.
In stark contrast, Asia Times Online chose to highlight in its headline the big win for an anti-gay marriage referendum--"Referendum: Taiwan voters say no to gay marriage"--preferring to relegate the more important secondary headline from its main to the secondary page: "President Tsai Ing-wen resigns as leader of the ruling DPP after her party suffers major defeats in key midterm polls, a significant blow to her prospects for re-election in 2020." When the story was posted to ATOL's website early yesterday when I first saw it, the secondary headline was what the main page announced. Apparently, that was too embarrassing for the new CIA-linked owners.
Aside from far too much emphasis being placed on reporting the various marriage referenda, the bulk of the article is fair considering its source. Neocons are certainly dismayed.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 25 2018 22:42 utc | 12
James @ 8, Ort @ 10: I always thought he was a ventriloquist's dummy.
For who the ventriloquist is, I would look to an unexpected source, in the same way when UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson says something unexpectedly intelligent, I look to his pet tarantula Chronos as the source of the brainwave.
Posted by: Jen | Nov 25 2018 22:53 utc | 13
@13 The BBC, which is heavy weighted towards gender politics these days, handled the Taiwan election news the same way. Not much about Taiwan's relations with the mainland. Perhaps the aim is to portray the KMT as homophobic.
Posted by: dh | Nov 25 2018 23:11 utc | 14
Dear b, Quite a few of your articles have been transtated and published in French too, notably by the French team of the Saker and on Arrêt sur Info.
Posted by: Jean | Nov 25 2018 23:37 utc | 15
dh @15--
Thanks for your addition. It seems "Culture Wars" dividers/distractors have crossed both oceans.
Angry Arab provides this astute observation:
"Israel can never ever have its flag fly in a truly free Arab country. This explains why the Zionist project is organically tied to the preservation of the Arab tyrannical order. Notice that the least repressive Arab countries are the most hostile to the Israeli occupation state."
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 25 2018 23:48 utc | 16
Under international law Kiev is allowed access to the Sea of Azov thorough its' port city of Mariupol. However, just like the straits of Hormuz Russia still has the 12 mile territoriality around its' coast so the current ship incursion into Russia's territory is clearly a provocative action by Ukraine. No doubt Ukraine believe that the current NATO wargames will dissuade the Russian from making a firm response (a dubious theory at best, especially since it now appears that the Russians have seized several of the offending vessels). Unhappily, it appears that Russia made a mistake when it forced the Donetsk troops to stop their advance to take Mariupol back in 2015/2016 as part of the peace settlement as Kiev's possession of Mariupol (and the resulting right of access into the Sea of Azov), makes it a weeping wound that Kiev can salt whenever it feels like provoking a timely crisis (It's just been announced that Poroshenko has used the ship incident to declare marshal law throughout Ukraine - this could lead to all sorts of situations; a new attack on the separatists, delaying the upcoming elections, cracking down on his political enemies/rivals, etc...)
Posted by: Kadath | Nov 26 2018 0:18 utc | 17
It seems the USA has caught up Russia in the arms race:
More Details on Reasons Behind US Decision to Leave INF Treaty (by Andrei Akulov) <https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/11/25/more-details-on-reasons-behind-us-decision-to-leave-inf-treaty.html/>
An excerpt:
This [the PGS] is a threat for China and Russia. With the Mk-41 used, one can never tell what missile is going to be launched - an interceptor or a prompt global strike missile reaching as far as Russian Primorski Krai (Primorye), the Kamchatka Peninsula where the Pacific Fleet SSBNs are based, and Krasnoyarsk, the third-largest city in Siberia, where Russia plans to deploy its new silo-based heavy ballistic Sarmat missiles. With all only land-based deployments in place, the entire Russian territory will be covered by US PGS weapons. Add to it the naval and aircraft-based PGS component. One can only imagine how strong will be the temptation to deliver a first strike to knock out Russia’s key infrastructure and strategic nuclear weapons sites, leaving the US strategic nuclear arsenal intact! The missile might have delivered a 2,000- pound payload over a 1,500-mile range, 80 with an accuracy of less than 5 meters. This would allow it to reach its target in less than 15 minutes. The payload is enough to fulfill the mission. True, the increased 2,000 nautical miles range will require a less powerful warhead but the US is working on a low-yield nuclear weapon.
Russia and China will have to think quickly if they don't want to be anihilated/capitulate to American pressure.
Karlof1@13
“The legacy Kuomintang (KMT) Party has moderated its aims as the DPP become more confrontational in response to Outlaw US Empire warmongers's urgings.”
In what way are they being more confrontational? Its actually Beijing being more confrontational stepping up efforts to poach Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, coercing foreign companies to erase references to Taiwan, restricting Taiwan’s participation in multiple international organizations, and escalating military threats toward Taiwan, and cutting back on tourism which has impacted the service sector.
Also, KMT lost in Taiwan and the win in Khaoshiung (2nd largest city) was by a guy out of favor with the KMT and was largely a protest vote against extreme corruption there over the last 20 years , and loss of manufacturing jobs to China for which both parties are to blame, although the KMT deserves more of the blame for Taiwans economic dependence on China. So yeah, KMT did well but its like in the US, the other party always looks better after a few years. Change for change sake.
Also the younger people are becoming more influential and most could care less about independence (knowing they already have it) and dont fall for the “KMT mainlanders” vs “DPP Taiwanese” trap like their elders over historical events like 2-28. Like they say “Its about the economy stupid”. They have the same problems as the US, housing is unaffordable, jobs harder to find , etc. Not as bad as in the US by any means as the family and inherited wealth are bigger factors in their security, and health insurance is affordable and without crippling student debts. DPP will need to change their strategy and focus more on the economy and end corruption in the party going forward to survive.
Bit of a tight rope for Taiwan, having to balance the 2
powers that exist in China and US , who both wish to exploit them in different ways. China obviously prefers to deal with KMT and goes on the attack mode whenever DPP is in power. That pushes them more into the US arms. The cycle reverses when KMT takes power.
Posted by: Pft | Nov 26 2018 1:02 utc | 19
Although about disinformation related to the Outlaw US Empire's War OF Terror, this translated article goes beyond reporting the facts of the matter to delve into analysis of why it's being waged. Psycho Historian will be pleased to read the author's conclusion:
"In other words, today the US is the 'muscle' of trans-national corporations, and therefore they, because of this status, are obliged to wage war all over the Earth. It is important for our society to understand this sense, otherwise we won’t be able to make out a grin behind the cute smile of the US.
"Having being built by 'business' on the bones and resources of others, having towered thanks to the fraud and masquerade of 'nonexistent persons', western civilisation is faithful to its former principles also today. Everyone who has sovereignty and doesn’t allow external financial elite to come to their country are enemies, and the difference for a long time has consisted only in the fact that the weight of what was done is so big and the information space is so wide that it becomes extremely difficult to hide the 'wolf maw' of America from the world." [Italics original; bolded emphasis mine]
Not that we didn't know, but the gross problem of private finance isn't just relegated to within the Outlaw US Empire's domestic borders; it's an international plague--a contagion that must be destroyed lest in infect and kill off humanity as it's already doing. It's certainly one of the biggest roots supporting the Problem Tree. Once uprooted, the tree will be fatally crippled, wither and die.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 26 2018 1:06 utc | 20
@ karlof1 with the link and excerpt....thanks
I want to provide one more quote from the piece
"
......from 1993 to 2007 alone the number of general military contractors in the US was reduced from 37 companies to 5 – “Boeing”, “Raytheon”, “Northrop Grumman”, “Lockheed Martin”, and “General Dynamics”.
"
@ wendy davis with the julian assange reporting.....the part of me that has looked into the abyss says that Trump went to the military and spooks and said if MBs can kill someone like they did, why can't we take out julian assange? I hope to be wrong.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 26 2018 1:45 utc | 21
karlof1 @ 21 said in part;"Everyone who has sovereignty and doesn’t allow external financial elite to come to their country are enemies"
Yep, that's the essence of the empire's quest for global hegemony, now, the problem is, and has been, how the hell does anyone get this truth to the rank and file peons?
Posted by: ben | Nov 26 2018 3:04 utc | 22
ben | Nov 25, 2018 10:04:26 PM | 23
I'm not trying to be confrontational Ben, but imo referring to the billion plus decent humans on the planet as 'peons' is not a way forward in exposing these individual, sentient beings to anything other than more humiliation coated in a synthetic gloop imitating 'the milk of human kindness'.
The real problem is of course that when someone does really consider the state we've got ourselves into, all the obvious alternatives appear to be equally exploitative albeit in their own particular way.
I have frequently said that if I was gonna be born into grinding anonymous poverty, that I would rather be born in China than India. I still hold to that but things have gotten really bad for average sh1tkickers in China over the last two decades. e.g. healthcare which is only properly available to those who can pay for it. No more dedicated doctors on bicycles pedaling around the countryside delivering heathcare in return for a feed and sometimes not even that.
Upward mobility for the unconnected karked it shortly after the same happened to the gang of four.
This doesn't mean it is all hopeless and that we should just surrender to the inevitable, what it means is that it is down to all of us 8 billion + to each in our own way, resist the bastids by ignoring them as much as possible, then doing whatever we can within our own immediate community. When enough people do that it simply doesn't matter what the arseholes say because all their power will have gone.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Nov 26 2018 3:58 utc | 23
@Pft | Nov 25, 2018 8:02:29 PM | 20
Its actually Beijing being more confrontational stepping up efforts to poach Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, coercing foreign companies to erase references to Taiwan, restricting Taiwan’s participation in multiple international organizations, and escalating military threats toward Taiwan, and cutting back on tourism which has impacted the service sector.
In other words, Beijing was doing what it's done for decades. How is that more confrontational? I think what really irks the islanders is that the mainland has been mostly ignoring them.
Also, KMT lost in Taiwan
I think you mean Taipei, the capital city. Because the Kuomintang (KMT) won big time in Taiwan overall (15 mayoral/county seats to 7 for the DPP). That is why President Tsai Ing-wen chose to resign as DPP leader.
As for Taipei, the DPP also lost; the KMT nearly won. Ko Wen-je, an Independent, probably won only due to being the incumbent mayor. And he barely made it, getting 41.05% of the votes to 40.82% for the KMT. The DPP candidate got 17.29%.
The cycle reverses when KMT takes power.
Perhaps. But the cycle does reverse, even in Taiwan's south, which is normally overwhelmingly pro-DPP. This means the US is losing influence.
In general, nice try at spinning the defeat of the pro-US party.
Posted by: Cyril | Nov 26 2018 4:44 utc | 24
British spy pardoned by UAE, checked!
MbS at G20, soon checked!
Yemen negociations next month in Sweden, checked!
Deseperate move by Aleppo 'rebels', checked!
Next to come: Qatar back into GCC.
Posted by: Mina | Nov 26 2018 9:58 utc | 25
What does "Europe has done enough" mean?
I guess I'm playing catch-up but the statement really made the following fall into place for me in a way that it hadn't really done previously.
The US needs a weak Europe for the US to remain dominant or maybe at all relevant, so the gloating means that Europe is now weak enough. Leaving aside the EU structure which is primarily a convenient garbage bag the three largest European powers are crippled and flirting with civil war, coups, or violent overthrow of their so-called governments from multiple internal armed factions be it Germany, France, or the Un-united Kingdom. Second tier European powers like Sweden and Spain are in similar situations and the exception of Poland is hyper-russophobic enough to make up for the difference. In general this "either-or" or "a little of both" combination applies without fail across the entire continent (not counting Russia).
Thus what "Europe has done enough" translates to is in fact "mission accomplished". Enough chaos and stupidity has been guaranteed to ensure US dominance to do absolutely whatever they want while they force Russia into either total submission or war for survival.
To me this explains the last two decades. If it is a correct understanding of what happened then it pains me to admit that everyone but the US has been outplayed politically and strategically militarily (which does not mean that the it will be a winning strategy for the US, I believe strongly that it won't be anything but a total loss for everyone and everything on this planet except subterranean microbes).
If so then the only power non-Russian Europe has to save itself is to completely abandon the US ad US power structures like NATO and structures that add to us power like the EU, SWIFT, OSCE, and so on including all intelligence agencies. They won't do that, possibly simply can't untangle themselves even if they wanted to, no one close to power has either the brains or the balls to do it and perhaps no one else either.
This brings Syria and Ukraine, and also Iran and North Korea, into context. Think of them as feints of opportunity; if they work out nicely then that's welcome for the US but as long as they steal enough attention and keep enough people preoccupied and diverted then it's enough of a victory.
In culinary terms our rice is al dente and our pasta is fluffy: we're fucked up :C
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Nov 26 2018 10:53 utc | 26
@ Posted by: Pft | Nov 25, 2018 8:02:29 PM | 20
Beautiful theory. Except for one problem: the economy. Taiwan's economy is completely dependent on the Mainland. The only thing it has in leverage is the American Navy. The DPP saw its 2014 victory as an anti-China vote, when in fact it was an economic one.
Democracy is cute when the economy is doing fine: people decide on what color the facade of the building will be and everybody is happy in the end. But when the resources start to become scarce, love is gone.
Posted by: vk | Nov 26 2018 11:52 utc | 27
Instead of war, big money needs to be spent on climate mitigation.
@Ocasio2018
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
1. Aspirational Goals: Push the limits of what’s possible.
2. Nuts + Bolts: Our lives are on the line. We shouldn’t let the planet be destroyed because it’s “too expensive” to save.
3. Supporters: Many
4. Opponents: Fossil fuel industry
5. Beyond Energy: A Federal Jobs Guarantee
---------------
financial matters
September 20, 2015 at 7:20 am
In part 1 of a climate change platform series Michael Hoexter addresses the ability of current government to deal with the problem.
“The US system of governance, particularly fragmented by geographical subdivisions and dependent on rich patrons, is unable to respond to overwhelmingly popular demands for reform and risks full delegitimation.”
“we must unite, in some form, around the critical climate emergency in order to survive in any organized form as a civilization. Human-caused warming and acidifying emissions must cease rapidly”
Posted by: financial matters | Nov 26 2018 14:41 utc | 28
I've been commenting in this blog for some time about the theory that the establishment and the Democrats don't hate Trump because of his policies, but because the damage to the American soft power projection he's causing -- specially to the first world allies.
Today, the NYT has come up with a op-piece which confirms my theory:
A Chance to Repair America’s Image Abroad: Democrats can use their new power in the House to check the Trump administration’s recklessness and advance their own foreign policies, by Ben Rhodes and Jake Sullivan<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/25/opinion/a-chance-to-repair-americas-image-abroad.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage>
Ben Rhodes and Jake Sullivan are credited in the piece as "[ex-]senior national security officials in the Obama administration."
Posted by: vk | Nov 26 2018 15:04 utc | 29
Posted by: vk | Nov 25, 2018 7:42:55 PM | 19
(It seems the USA has caught up Russia in the arms race)
...
Don't lose any sleep over it. It's silly juvenile wishful thinking.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 26 2018 16:53 utc | 30
vk @30--
There's a bit of merit in your hypothesis, although Trump campaigned on the need to reverse the poor public image given the Outlaw US Empire by both Obama and Bush. Most of today's global chaos was fostered by Obama and the two men who wrote the op/ed, although Obama built on the chaos previously instigated by Bush, Clinton and GHW Bush. Formal CIA control over the executive branch and thus of Imperial Policy began when DCI GHW Bush became VEEP, and can be proven by that policy's continuity over almost 40 years. Same can be applied to domestic policy with the ascension of Neoliberalism under Carter and his appointment of Volker as Fed Chair who immediately declared financial war on the citizenry under the ruse of fighting inflation by rising interest rates to almost 20%, thus bankrupting millions of small business and home owners, which made the so-called Reagan Revolution--and CIA control over the executive--possible.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 26 2018 18:14 utc | 31
@11 spudski.. you're welcome!
@14 jen...lol... gavin williamson saying something intelligent would be a surprise too, lol...
@18 kadath.. yes - martial law is fairly draconian here... clearly poroshenko is skating on thin ice here..
Posted by: james | Nov 26 2018 18:19 utc | 32
Oh what a tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive ! https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/peter-geoghegan-and-jenna-corderoy/theresa-may-accused-of-major-cover-up-over-brexit-do
Posted by: Mark2 | Nov 26 2018 19:25 utc | 33
as rt reports, the west has been silent on the chemical weapon attack that their proxies were responsible for... no one is surprised..
Posted by: james | Nov 26 2018 21:04 utc | 34
Vk@28
I would not say Taiwans economy is completely dependent on China. Overly dependent might be a better description. Some of their policies (taxes, visas, exchange rates, property) could be changed to attract more foreign investment and keep whats remaining of its manufacturing, and becoming more energy independent by expanding nuclear and not scrapping it. But those are issues for them to decide. Like I say they walk a tightrope and whatever they do is likely to be opposed by China or US if not both. Which is the lesser evil they have to decide, but yeah, its always the economy that people look at when its time to vote and China can influence the economy by freeing up or restricting tourism , as they have done (restricting) since the DPP won the previous election.
Cyril@25. Yes I meant Taipei As for the US support in the south, frankly there never was much there. Their thinking seems to be more Taiwan centric. Like I tried to convey , I dont see it as a pro KMT anti US vote, more of a protest of DPP performance which is refelected in a number of unfortunate events in the south due to corruption and incompetence plus economic factors. Like in the US where much of Trumps support came from those disillusioned with the Democrats performance and the economy. Anyways, thats how I see it. Not pro DPP or pro KMT, but believe whomever is in power needs to be wary of getting too dependent on China and the US, and they probably know that.
As for former DPP Ko, he was helped by DPP running someone else. His pro China stance , former DPP status and performance in Taipei led him to get votes from both DPP and KMT. Frankly splitting the DPP vote should have favored KMT , which just supports my position that this election was not a blue wave but simply a retraction of the green wave
Posted by: Pft | Nov 26 2018 21:16 utc | 35
Sibel Edmonds starting a series on Khashoggi. Worth a read although this is just an intro
https://www.newsbud.com/2018/11/26/khashoggi-psyop-series-introduction-who-what-how-why/
Has some stuff on twitter but its hard to follow (twitter is a very inefficient media IMO)
Posted by: Pft | Nov 26 2018 21:23 utc | 36
Manafort met Assange before hack(gran).nyt says Hond.potus brother was indicted by drugs at Miami.damn the clintons!
Posted by: dahoit | Nov 27 2018 16:40 utc | 37
Yeah, why don't we discuss why a man facing a life in prison sentence would blow a deal reducing it to 5 to 10 years? Could it be that he's on the verge of the ultimate deal from the quintessential dealmaker?
Trump likes to use the Stone's song You don't always get what you want, but you get what you need at his rallies. I would instead do a minor re-write stating: Americans are getting exactly what they deserve! They created the monster.
Now, It's possible Mueller is singing this Stone's tune:I can't get no...satisfaction and Manafort and Trump will be singing this one: Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste...pleased to meet you, hope you guessed my name, ah, what's puzzling you is the nature of my game.
Posted by: Circe | Nov 27 2018 17:24 utc | 38
For reference:
The Libertarian Institute via Antiwar.com: Syrian Rebels Used Chemical Weapons Throughout The War: A Partial List Of Mainstream Admissions
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/syrian-rebels-used-chemical-weapons-throughout-the-war-a-partial-list-of-mainstream-admissions/
By Brad Hoff - November 25, 2018
Posted by: et Al | Nov 27 2018 17:48 utc | 39
dahoit @38--
Wikileaks challenges Guardian's veracity: "@WikiLeaks is willing to bet the Guardian a million dollars and its editor's head that Manafort never met Assange."
Unfortunately published in Guardian:
"So, Firedrich migrated from Bavraia to Canada, became rich by setting up a brothel upon which he moved over to New York to set up real estate business and eventually begat a grandson who became POTUS..."
To think I once used The Guardian as a trusted source. Perhaps once it's sold and hires 100% new staff....
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 27 2018 18:14 utc | 40
"Has @hrw ever filed criminal complaints with prosecuting authorities in states where Israeli war criminals are known to travel, for the horrific crimes well-documented in its own reports? If not, why not?"
He asks because:
"Ahead of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, @HRW has filed a submission to an Argentine federal prosecutor on Mohammed Bin Salman's possible liability for war crimes."
IMO, activists in every nation recognizing Universal Jurisdiction ought to submit similar papers on every potential prominent war criminal, such as Blair, both Clintons, Bush, Cheney, Obama, Netanyahoo, etc.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 27 2018 19:08 utc | 41
"UNITED STATES ATTORNEY AGREES TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAW REQUIRING SUBMISSION TO SPECIAL GRAND JURY OF REPORT BY LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE AND 9/11 VICTIM FAMILY MEMBERS OF YET-TO-BE- PROSECUTED 9/11 RELATED FEDERAL CRIMES"
The PSA explains that the law demands a response and related details. Here's what was submitted:
"The Lawyers’ Committee’s April 10th 52-page original Petition was accompanied by 57 exhibits (https://lawyerscommitteefor9-11inquiry.org/lc-doj-grand-jury-petition/) and presented extensive evidence that explosives were used to destroy three WTC buildings. That evidence included independent scientific laboratory analysis of WTC dust samples showing the presence of high-tech explosives and/or incendiaries; numerous first-hand reports by First Responders of explosions at the WTC on 9/11; expert analysis of seismic evidence that explosions occurred at the WTC towers on 9/11 prior to the airplane impacts and prior to the building collapses; and expert analysis by architects, engineers, and scientists concluding that the rapid onset symmetrical near-free-fall acceleration collapse of three WTC high rise buildings on 9/11 exhibited the key characteristics of controlled demolition. The Lawyers’ Committee’s July 30th Amended Petition addresses several additional federal crimes beyond the federal bombing crime addressed in the original Petition. The Lawyers’ Committee concluded in the petitions that explosive and incendiary devices preplaced at the WTC were detonated causing the complete collapse of the WTC Twin Towers on 9/11 and increasing the tragic loss of life."
I wonder if such a submission could be made to other nation's legal systems that had their nationals murdered on 911 and/or to the Hague's ICJ? Here's where I learned this news. Too bad it only has 237 retweets as such news needs to become Viral!
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 27 2018 19:29 utc | 42
Lots of interesting news today, much of it going un/misreported. Morocco Says No to MbS:
"King Mohammed VI of Morocco told Crown Prince bin Salman that he was NOT welcome to visit Morocco, because of the Khashoggi saga."
MbS is on the move, visiting Tunisia last I saw. Will Argentina act on the CIA's request made via Human Rights Watch @44; and if it does, will MbS challenge or go home? IMO, the request will be seen by MbS as a threat requiring a response.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 27 2018 19:42 utc | 43
Karlofi @ 41:
You'll be pleased to know that Wikipedia, for all its partialities, has a more detailed biography of Donald Trump's grandfather which reveals that Friedrich Trump spent almost 30 years working in New York and then in Washington state (in the Seattle-Everett area) as a barber and then as owner/manager of a restaurant. Like other eateries in that area, Trump's restaurant had a room where miners could consort with a prostitute; in other words, his establishment was not unusual. Whatever or whoever passed for law enforcement authorities in those days and in that area (Washington state had its own gold rush during the 1870s) turned a blind eye to illegal activities such as prostitution.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Trump
That is a long period that The Fraudian deliberately ignores in its tabloid piece.
In those days, when gold-rush towns could literally spring up overnight, and hotels are in short supply, the idea of restaurants offering a room where miners could take temporary girlfriends and have some private time and space seems quite sane to me.
Posted by: Jen | Nov 27 2018 21:24 utc | 44
Jen @45--
Thanks for that info. Reminded me of the hilarious Clint Eastwood musical, Paint Your Wagon, and its No Name City hotel/brothel. One of Clint and Lee Marvin's best efforts, IMO. And talk about spinning the past! RT did a good job with Wikileaks challenge whereas the Sputnik effort was miserable and I won't bother linking it. Wikileaks has apparently called off the bet in favor of legal action. Oh, and Putin's English language Twitter account's still suspended, but I've yet to read any report of that abomination.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 27 2018 22:04 utc | 45
Read the comment thread at the Wikileaks tweet announcing their legal action I posted above to see how many differing narratives I might discover--narratives being the enemy's talking points as outlined by Caitlyn Johnstone in her essay on the subject I linked to @ a month ago--and thus resharpen my discourse analysis skills. Aside from Wikileaks legitimate fund raising narrative, I found four others aimed at impugning Assange, Wikileaks, their supporters, and the very notion of requiring a defense fund. A fifth narrative promoting the illegitimacy of The Guardian is present but very disjointed since it's being fomented by disparate individuals instead of a single source.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 27 2018 22:41 utc | 46
@48 tatiana - lets hope it never happens!
craig murray has a good article up today some might want to read...
Assange Never Met Manafort. Luke Harding and the Guardian Publish Still More Blatant MI6 Lies
Posted by: james | Nov 28 2018 2:19 utc | 47
to quote the last paragraph in craigs article in the link above @49 :
Assange is not a whistleblower or a spy – he is the greatest publisher of his age, and has done more to bring the crimes of governments to light than the mainstream media will ever be motivated to achieve. That supposedly great newspaper titles like the Guardian, New York Times and Washington Post are involved in the spreading of lies to damage Assange, and are seeking his imprisonment for publishing state secrets, is clear evidence that the idea of the “liberal media” no longer exists in the new plutocratic age. The press are not on the side of the people, they are an instrument of elite control.
Posted by: james | Nov 28 2018 2:21 utc | 48
Can a prosecutor of any country privy to Turkey's intelligence re Khashoggi hit issue a warrant for the arrest of MbinSawman when he appears in Argentina for G20?
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 4:54 utc | 49
@42
I agree with your point, but why not allow the arrest of BinSawman to set precedent???
This is a good thing despite your point. Don't forget what the basturd is doing in Yemen.
------------
Manafort and Trump had and probably still have on the sly a Joint Defense Agreement which basically allowed their respective attorneys to share info. Of course when Manafort accepted a plea deal the JDA would not be permissible. If you ask me, however, there's a reason Manafort sabotaged the plea agreement and it just may have something to do with a breach in plea protocol in respect of JDA. How much was communicated to Trump while Manafort was under plea restriction that forbids JDAs? Is Trump going to be an a-h now if in fact Manafort risked giving him an inside track and let him rot in solitary confinement, or is he going to give Manafort the ultimate get out of jail free card?
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 5:34 utc | 50
We can argue all we want that the deal is a sham, that any sense of security is an illusion, and that having gobbled up their privacy and some of their liberty, Leviathan will only come looking for more, because that’s all it knows how to do. But an awfully large number of our fellow citizens have already decided, or have been conditioned to believe, that it’s better to be subjects and let others make the hard decisions for them. After all, the organization must have its reasons.
Leviathan,
Billmon
In a sense, the corporations have taken over already. They run a big chunk of the economy (setting aside drugs and human trafficking). I can see this where I live - Geneva - to make a long story simple, two groups living side by side in the same territory. The Corps and their employees, and the others, who act in a moldering local economy (many like it that way) medieval, almost, some of it black; and provide the services needed for the first. The ‘social contract’, a limping but still effective direct democracy, and a consensus that this state of affairs must endure ensure a sort of cynical stasis. We (all ‘citizens’ and workers) are under no illusions. I know that my salary (state paid in education), and that of the President of Switzerland, which is not even double mine, is basically paid for by Marcel Ospel (dir. UBS), whose salary last year was 24 million francs. Trickle down and taxation work.The corps and their employees do not vote (mostly.) They act through influence, wield the stick and carrot, shape and mold. The others use the traditional tools, from initiative to demonstration. An uneasy, oppositional alliance betwen the two groups sees to it that most events are muted, coded. The Gvmt. (at present a truly unified coalition Gvmt. that speaks with one voice) is lumbered with the job of negotiating beween the two groups. At present, no faction of any kind holds the upper hand. The plus point is that the situation is clear; and circumscribed; Geneva is a small Republic.
Yawning cracks, of course, have appeared in the last 10-15 years. The first victims were, are, lowly workers and their families. The second victim is the public education system. The Corps. and the rich want to get rid of it. (Big news, sorry!) The third, even more intangible victim is honor and propriety in both public and private life. Corp mores have sept into every corner, substituting power and influence and threat/agression for a decent espousal of an ascribed role in a system which was designed to maintain the public good. Here, the first victims are the weakest of all: children.
This is loong; I post it because I presume some ppl at least are interested in from-the-ground international povs. (?)
To come to my point. The Corps thrive in and expand in a landscape of Nation States. They count on the ‘state’ (failed in some places!) to provide the stability they need to act. (Oil companies are a good example.) They outsource what they want - protection, school lunches, roads, medical care, etc. So, on the one hand, they want to destroy organisms that limit, curtail, tax their activity. On the other, they need ‘the state’ and know they can’t go too far on some points. Their main fear, always, is the military; their main beef against countries/pols that appear determined to resist.
They know that they can lock ppl in for the 8 hour day but more than that is...moot for the moment.
The interest in ‘security’ and ‘information gathering’ in Western countries is a Gvmental reflex, and does not spring from the Corps. themselves (except insofar as in some instances they can make money out of it.) Gvmts. see their role dwindling and seek to enforce it with control. In the US, as the Gvmt. has been tied to corps. since forever, things are a quite confused. Wire tapping (as if we were in the 1950’s!) veers between market research, interesting data, spying on opponents, a measure to scare the sheeples and keep em feeling Big Brother is watching, a money making scheme (one can sell those records), providing employment and kudos for Gvmt. employees (they are not useless), etc. Business as usual!
Comment by Noisette on “WB: Leviathan”
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Nov 28 2018 6:02 utc | 51
Beware the Trumpenleft (ht ZeroHedge)
Kool-Aid makers and Kool-Aid drinkers hate free thinkers.
Fake "Resistance" and radicalized narratives serve an anti-democratic agenda.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 28 2018 6:12 utc | 52
I Watched Joe Biden Give An Award To George W Bush So You Don’t Have To
Let no one say I don’t earn my Patreon money. For today’s article I’m sitting down to watch a one hour, 23-minute video on Facebook, the only currently available footage of the complete Veterans Day event in which George W Bush and his wife Laura were given the $100,000 Liberty Medal by Joe Biden at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center. I’ll write the highlights of the ceremony with the time stamps from the video for posterity.
Meanwhile...
Bonus: Trump & Obama Give Same Syria Speeches, Different President but Script Remains the Same
Posted by: Uncle $cam | Nov 28 2018 6:48 utc | 53
It's true what they say about birds if a feather. Yesterday, the repugnant John Bolton addressed the WH press. Lemme tell you I almost threw up in my mouth when he opened his to recite his Neocon credo. I wondered looking at him how Trump who really hates ugly tolerates having this mutt in his midst. So you have to think what does Bolton offer Trump that makes him overlook just how ugly he really is? Bolton is a rabid Zionist and one of the founders of PNAC. Trump is fulfilling a Zionist agenda since he was the favorite choice of the cabal that subverts U.S. democracy.
Bolton is panting for regime change in Iran since Trump scrapped the Iran deal. Here he is promising a celebration in Tehran in 2019.:
Zionists love Bolton so much he was honored with the Guardian of Zion Award in 2017. At the rate Trump is going making all of his Zionist masters' dreams come true, he just might be the 2019 recipient of that same award.
Trump tolerates Bolton's wretched looks because they're both in the service of Zionism. I knew from day one Bolton would end up in Trump's administration. This is one ugly sob Trump finds irresistible and couldn't wait to bring on board. Ah, it feels good to say I told ya so! Iran will be extremely resistant to reime change and Trump might be needing a major distraction blitz real soon, so Iran may be Trump's wag the dog. Just imagine what we'll get when two lunatics like Trump and Bolton put their heads together to take on Iran. Oh and let's not forget bin Sawman who's such an important factor in the destroy Iran equation they're willing to give him a pass on the Khashoggi thing even if both Trump and Bolton can't stomach listening to the Khashoggi tape. These raving chickenhawks are at the wheel thanks to Zionists.
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 7:41 utc | 54
Trump just confirmed my point above in an interview today that the media is blacking out. The U.S. spends billions every year ensuring military presence in the Middle East for the benefit of one country alone: ISRAEL.
Here is proof that Trump is Israel first, America second.
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 15:21 utc | 55
Okay Sputnik link got lost, but it's in the WP and all over the Israeli press today:
https://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Trump-US-troops-will-remain-in-the-Middle-East-for-Israel-572997
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 15:26 utc | 56
It's also very important to note in the interview with WAPO how Trump emphasizes Russia's collaboration with Israel on Syria which also proves a point I made recently on another thread here regarding the hold Zionists have on Putin.
President Putin also is helping Israel, and we both spoke with ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu and they would like to do certain things with respect to Syria, having to do with the safety of Israel. ”He continued, “I think their working with Israel is a great thing – and creating safety for Israel is something both President Putin and I would like to see very much.”
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 15:42 utc | 57
The Senate is on the brink of voting on a resolution to stop all support for the war in Yemen immediately. This is why Trump ordered Pompeo to brief Congress today on Khashoggi intelligence rather than Gina Haspel. Why did Trump do this? Because Pompeo was there to downplay MbinSawman's involvement and so delay this action against KSA because Pompeo, who clearly stated he was ordered to go in Haspel's place, as Zionist Trump's mouthpiece stated that this resolution will help the Houthi and Iran and Trump wants KSA to continue their pounding of Yemen so they can take over Hodeidah. This is the level of evil Zionist Trump exacts for all those still enamoured of him.
Posted by: Circe | Nov 28 2018 18:13 utc | 58
New polling results from RoK show 2:1, 64-32% in favor of lifting sanctions on DPRK, while an almost similar margin believe military tensions are being reduced while trust is built. While similar data isn't available for DPRK, IMO it ought to mirror that of RoK at minimum. It will be difficult for the Outlaw US Empire to justify the continuation of UNSC sanctions when the people most affected by the situation say to remove them so they can move forward with their reconciliation and reunification process that's hindered by said sanctions.
Meanwhile in Moscow, the annual, 3-day Russia Calling!Investment Forum--Building Partnerships. Bridging Differences--began today with President Putin giving a brief recap of the state of Russia's economy. The presser transcript has yet to be posted, although several news articles based on Putin's remarks were published. One comment related to a WW1 propaganda meme about Hun behavior:
"If they demand babies for breakfast, they would probably be served babies. They’d say: ‘Why not, they are hungry, what is to be done about it?’ This is such a shortsighted policy and it cannot have a good outcome. It makes the Ukrainian leadership complacent, gives them no incentive to do normal political work in their country or pursue a normal economic policy."
This one would be called a sound-bite:
"The authorities in Kiev are selling anti-Russian sentiment with quite a success today. They have nothing else to do."
Yesterday I reported that Putin's English language Twitter account was suspended, but that may have been done by someone at the President's Office as a new one is now available.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 28 2018 18:26 utc | 59
The Lies You Still Believe (John Kaminski)
“The reality in which Americans exist consists mostly of fabricated accounts designed to enslave the population to a world view that benefits only the controllers of misled dupes (us) who have been taught to accept their slavery.”
https://www.darkmoon.me/2018/the-lies-you-still-believe/
Posted by: Kristina | Nov 29 2018 3:13 utc | 60
John Helmer's review of BBC documentary on Skripals:
BBC REVEALS NEW TRUTH-DEFYING EVIDENCE IN SKRIPAL POISON CASE
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 29 2018 4:35 utc | 61
Another round of the Astana tripartite meetings between Iran, Russia, and Turkey just ended with the release of this joint statement, the most important, IMO, being point #3:
"Rejected all attempts to create new realities on the ground under the pretext of combating terrorism and expressed their determination to stand against separatist agendas aimed at undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria as well as the national security of neighboring countries."
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 29 2018 19:16 utc | 62
And yet something else Russian's possess that you won't find within the Outlaw US Empire: A civil society organization, the Popular Russian Front. As Putin describes it,
"The Russian Popular Front (ONF) is a nationwide movement established to protect the interests of the people, each and all citizens of Russia.
"Over the past few years, the ONF has proved worthy of the purpose for which it was created, which is to provide public control over the implementation of state decisions." [My Emphasis]
Now, imagine such an organization existing within the Outlaw US Empire. What, you mean there is one?!? Public Citizen is its name; it's the brainchild of Ralph Nader. Does it actively work with government in an active oversight manner? No, although it does try very hard to sway policy. Does POTUS interact with it in a close fashion as does Putin? Ha! You've gotta be kidding!
Those that have read this far, please read Putin's short speech to learn more about what this major aspect of Russia's civil society does; I assure you you'll be quite surprised. While Trump and company fumble about making a mockery of his MAGA proposal, Putin and Russians are actively involved in MRGA and in many areas--healthcare and education being the most important--already surpass what's available within the USA.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 29 2018 21:07 utc | 63
Stands to prove that S300 is not in Damascus nor not to be used by SAA!
Syrian air defense downs several 'enemy targets' in southern Syria – reports
https://www.rt.com/news/445179-syria-defence-south-conflict/
Posted by: Zanon | Nov 29 2018 21:43 utc | 64
Below is a link to a large online REUTERS misrepresentation of the way that China is handling religious folks who purport that their mythical ignorance is equal to the China government knowledge when it comes to social policy.
Because the Western social system is based on the God of Mammon religion, the West is pulling out all stops to obfuscate what China is really doing.......
.......
.......telling all religions that they cannot effect social policy but if they want to practice their mumbo jumbo that is just fine.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2018 1:01 utc | 65
What I forgot to say,
sort of tongue in cheekly,
is that for America to put out this sort of hit piece on China in light of having the highest level of incarceration in the world and fronting immoral empire all over causing deaths and torture beyond simple imprisonment,
is the sign of a failing form of social organization that does not know how to give up gracefully.
More war will not solve war nor will more hate solve hate. It is time for a paradigm change in the West and China and Russia are demanding it in their society and will not put up with the elite led BS that purports to be civilization in the West.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 30 2018 1:11 utc | 66
psychohistorian,
How do you figure the Russian and Chinese systems aren't Mammon theocracies, same as the US? They self-evidently are.
One CNN apparatchik has a “Palestine moment” off the clock, and he gets booted to the unemployable wastelands by Those Who Must Not Be Criticized.
(Marc Lamont Hill gets fired from CNN after remarks about Palestinians and Israel.)
https://twitter.com/TwitterMoments/status/1068275992685203457
The media is a special kind of place.
Who controls your mind?
http://i.stack.imgur.com/PPhcg.jpg
Posted by: Kristina | Nov 30 2018 15:43 utc | 68
Russ @69--
No, Russ, you're incorrect. Attaining Zero-sum outcomes is the goal of the Outlaw US Empire's political economy--just as with the game of Monopoly, only one can win. Russia and China have a distinctly different goal and that's to elevate all segments of their society through a Win-Win approach that has many aspects of Socialism.
Posted by: karlof1 | Nov 30 2018 17:30 utc | 69
Lately, I've been starting to lose respect for Putin. First, you have Trump bragging:
President Putin also is helping Israel, and we both spoke with ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu and they would like to do certain things with respect to Syria, having to do with the safety of Israel. ”He continued, “I think their working with Israel is a great thing – and creating safety for Israel is something both President Putin and I would like to see very much.”
Then, Putin's doing a bro-shake with that butcher, war criminal, binSawman and they're laughing it up together, I thought my lunch was going to give way! How on earth could Putin put on a spectacle like that with a tyrant who sent mercenary jihadists into Syria and who's waging a barbaric assault on the Yemeni people and had a journalist hacked to pieces. He may as well be shaking hand with the Prince of the head choppers or Satan himself!
And what exactly does Trump mean by Putin is working with Israel on Syria and helping Israel??? Putin must have sold out to Zionists.
After that G20 photo-op I don't need to know more; I'm done with him!
Posted by: Circe | Dec 1 2018 5:15 utc | 70
Lately, I've been starting to lose respect for Putin. First, you have Trump bragging:
President Putin also is helping Israel, and we both spoke with ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu and they would like to do certain things with respect to Syria, having to do with the safety of Israel. ”He continued, “I think their working with Israel is a great thing – and creating safety for Israel is something both President Putin and I would like to see very much.”
Then, Putin's doing a bro-shake with that butcher, war criminal, binSawman and they're laughing it up together, I thought my lunch was going to give way! How on earth could Putin put on a spectacle like that with a tyrant who sent mercenary jihadists into Syria and who's waging a barbaric assault on the Yemeni people and had a journalist hacked to pieces. He may as well be shaking hand with the Prince of the head choppers or Satan himself!
And what exactly does Trump mean by Putin is working with Israel on Syria and helping Israel??? Putin must have sold out to Zionists.
After that G20 photo-op I don't need to know more; I'm done with him!
Posted by: Circe | Dec 1 2018 5:15 utc | 71
Tinny PNG lectures uncle scam ...
"It's about honor and integrity, once you enter into a deal and an arrangement you go with it."
hehhehehe
Posted by: denk | Dec 1 2018 5:45 utc | 72
karlof1 @ 71
Russia and China believe in money every bit as much as the US does. China is ruthlessly driving its people off their land and into factory servitude (where anti-suicide nets have to be installed to keep despairing workers from jumping to the factory floor) same way as happened in the West. China imports vast amounts of commodity maize and soy. Russia wants nothing more than to be integrated into the Western globalization system. China already is so integrated. The Three Gorges Dam has been an absolute human and ecological disaster, typical of the necropolitan "great works" ideology which is as zero-sum as it gets.
There's just a few examples.
"Elevate all segments of society" - Does that mean an ever-greater proportion will eat CAFO meat, the result of vicious land-grabbing in Africa? Even in your short comment you can't prevent long-disproven "progress" ideological rhetoric from creeping in. To where exactly are they all going to be Raptured?
I like the China-Russia challenge to US world domination (assuming that's really what's going on), but I don't delude myself that wherever they become boss they'll be any different from the old boss. I don't want to replace a unipolar Mammon empire with a Mammon system of two or three poles. I'm betting that the challenge will help bring the whole system down permanently, faster than it would have collapsed on its own. Speed is paramount if anything of humanity and Gaia are to be salvaged.
And yet more proof from the CIA that MbS ordered the hit on Khashoggi:
But Trump as usual is blocking his ears and repeating lalalalalala...I can't heeear you! Israel likes him....lalalalala.
Posted by: Circe | Dec 1 2018 15:55 utc | 74
russ 75
dockey the troll claims 'CCP helps foreign co to exploit its own citizens' [sic]
You've gone one up over the donkey, making it sounds as if CCP is forcing millions of peasants into the 'shenzhen hellhole'
'Africa land grab'
This sounds so CNNish.
Many MOA readers sniff at MSM readers naivety.
Yet when it comes to China, they'r just as gullible as any GUardian, CNN reader, instinctively swallow any official stories about 'Muslim repression', 'xitian persecution', 'China the new colonial master in Africa'.....
The three Gorges dam was conceived for flood control and electricity generation, its controversial from the start due to the potential ecological impact, silt problem and earthquake worry, but 'grandiose proj' it wasnt.
Posted by: denk | Dec 2 2018 16:41 utc | 75
The comments to this entry are closed.
Whereas Russia works to keep Monsanto under control, post-Maidan Ukraine has opened the floodgates to them. Now a Romanian environmental group has proven them to be illegally smuggling Monsanto GM soybeans into the EU.
https://www.gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/18608-soybeans-from-ukraine-gm-and-undeclared
Posted by: Russ | Nov 25 2018 18:07 utc | 1