The MoA Week In Review – OT 2019-19

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April 7, 2019

Last week's posts on Moon of Alabama:

April 2 – Turkey's Problems Will Change The Dynamics On The Idlib Front
April 4 – U.S. – Turkey Spat Intensifies

April 3 – No Chinese Troops Arrived In Venezuela

April 5 – Ethiopian Airline Crash – Boeing Advice To 737 MAX Pilots Was Flawed

It seems that Boeing has trouble to get the 737 MAX software changes certified. The MAX will be grounded much longer than anticipated, probably for 6 to 8 month:

Boeing’s decision Friday to reduce the production rate on the 737 MAX was a surprise in timing and scope.

This came so quickly and was steep, cutting production from 52 MAXes per month to 42. It comes on the heals that a second software problem was found, delaying submission of the MCAS software upgrade to the FAA for review and approval.
…
Boeing hasn’t announced what the second software problem is. LNA is told it is the interface between the MCAS upgrade and the Flight Control System, but specifics are lacking.

The Flight Control Computer of the 737 was designed in 2000 by Rockwell Collins. These systems have limited computation capacities. Processor speed and RAM will be 1/100s of those in a modern cellphone. One wonders if the additional MCAS software will break some inherent capacity limit.

April 6 – Libya – From Ghaddafi To Hafter

Jason Pack – The backstory to Hifter's march on Tripoli

[E]ven though Libya's civil war is witnessing its biggest escalation since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi and violent skirmishes are bound to break out and troops get captured, the safe money is still that a genuine blood bath will be avoided and the end result will be some sort of fudge with certain factions switching sides and columns of tanks darting forward and retreating. Yet, when the smoke clears, no one faction will control the country and a political compromise will still remain the only way forward.

Use as open thread …

Posted by b on April 7, 2019 at 14:01 UTC | Permalink

Comments

Operation Gladio: The Unholy Alliance
All of us in the West pay the Scumbag Tax: crime, terrorism, corruption, addiction, excessive immigration (in part from smashed countries), pollution, propaganda, managed/faux democracy, wealth/income inequality, moral turpitude (supporting dictators, war, genocide, human rights abuses, apartheid, torture, etc.), and more. All in the name of freedom and democracy.
How’s that working out for ya?

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 14:23 utc | 1

If the IRGC is a Terrorist army the AUMF applies

The official [USA] designation as “terrorist” of the IRGC … is a declaration of war.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 15:05 utc | 2

Jackrabbit @ 1
How’s that working out for ya?
A far more pertinent question for every commenter on this blog looking in the mirror and then asking ourselves and each other:
what ya gonna do about it>?
You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only juan

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 15:16 utc | 3

I’d seen headlines about the Orange Dope planning to declare Iran’s Guards as terrorists, but till reading your post it hadn’t occurred to me this was groundwork for smashing another Muslim nation for the apartheid Jewish state. It’s a bit like Obama in 2015:

I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the “order”) declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela.

Again, something so crazy that it didn’t seem relevant to ‘the real world’ at the time.
The obese dumbass in the White House has been a busy boy. It’s a good guess either Trump or whoever holds the blackmail pictures wants Netanyahu reelected. From Naked Capitalism this morning:
Israel PM vows to annex West Bank settlements if re-elected

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 7 2019 15:22 utc | 4

Regarding my post #5
@ Jackrabbit #2

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 7 2019 15:24 utc | 5

Habakkuk on cockroaches and the New York Times

It cannot be repeated often enough that it is difficult to see any conceivable excuse for the FBI to fail to secure access to the DNC servers. One would normally moreover expect that, on an issue of this sensitivity, they would have the ‘digital forensics’ done by their own people.
There can be no conceivable excuse for relying on a contractor selected by the organisation which is claiming that there has been a hack, when an alternative possibility is a leak: and the implications of the alternative possibility could be devastating for that organisation.
To rely on a contractor linked to the notoriously Russophobic ‘Atlantic Council’ is even more preposterous.
The clear close integration of other cyber people from the ‘Atlantic Council’ into Orwellian ‘information operations’ sponsored by the British Government simply puts these facts into sharp relief.
There has to be a strong possible ‘prima facie’ case that anyone in authority prepared to accept the ‘digital forensics’ from ‘CrowdStrike’ is complicit in the conspiracy against the constitution, and/or the conspiracy to cover-up that conspiracy. This certainly goes for Comey, and I think it also goes for Mueller.”

IMO The suggestion that Crowdstrike called it a hack instead of a leak to absolve themselves [as per the bolded phrase] is specious. But Habbuk (thankfully) rightly puts the onus on the FBI for not doing their job.
The chain of events that led to the publication of the DNC emails is highly suspect. IMO it’s likely to be a CIA/Mossad op to portray Wikileaks as an agent of Russia (AFAIK, Seth Rich was Jewish; and his family has acted strangely about the whole affair). And this ‘op’ fits well with use of the 2016 Presidential campaign to prepare for McCarthyist ‘Russiagate’ – for which CIA seems to have joined with MI6.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 15:25 utc | 6

The need for an international socialist front to take on the globalist conspiracy headed by the political leaders of the US, China and Russia begins at home.

here is a global struggle taking place of enormous consequence. Nothing less than the future of the planet – economically, socially and environmentally – is at stake.
At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, when the world’s top 1% now owns more wealth than the bottom 99%, we are seeing the rise of a new authoritarian axis.
While these regimes may differ in some respects, they share key attributes: hostility toward democratic norms, antagonism toward a free press, intolerance toward ethnic and religious minorities, and a belief that government should benefit their own selfish financial interests. These leaders are also deeply connected to a network of multi-billionaire oligarchs who see the world as their economic plaything.

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 15:38 utc | 7

Zachary Smith | Apr 7, 2019 11:22:19 AM | 5
From Naked Capitalism this morning:
Israel PM vows to annex West Bank settlements if re-elected
and from comments there:
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/fascism-scent-israel
Apparently election is on Tuesday, above is an ad campaign. (seems of dubious taste,
but whadda expect?)
and this from Whitney Webb a few days ago:
https://www.mintpressnews.com/media-blackout-as-israel-largest-banks-fined-for-us-tax-evasion-schemes/256414/
No MSM coverage?

Posted by: Desolation Row | Apr 7 2019 15:45 utc | 8

This is in response to several commenters in the Ghaddafi thread such as Daniel #40 and Jen #48, who seem to be suggesting that the primary danger we are confronting today comes from the following…
“conspiracist antisemites” or “actual fascistic antisemites” (Daniel #40) or from “real anti-Semite fascists (jen #48) from Libya – Ghaddafi thread
Please allow me to suggest that you back off a bit from referencing (and elevating) the manipulative term ‘anti-Semitism’.
It’s a tendentious phrase designed to stifle much-needed criticism and much-needed opposition to the world’s most coddled brand of political extremism.
‘Anti-Semitic theory’ promulgates the false notion that those of us (non-Jews) who reject the depredations of Organized Jewry are spiritually deformed, mentally ill, or prone to irrational acts of physical violence. This is a calculated libel.
Ironically, as pro-Zionist violence is embraced by Official Washington, verbal expressions that are “too critical” of (lethal) Israeli policies – or which dare to explore the destructive role of Zionist operatives inside Washington – are the kiss of political death here in the Land of the Free.
Thou shalt not…say that.
How did this happen?
Jewish-manufactured taboos have allowed the perpetrators of serial warfare to snatch sensitivity points as Israeli missiles fly.
This perverse mindset and oddball collection of modern double-standards have turned the rule of law on its head. Common sense is also a causality.
People should have the right to think whatever they want. The one red line that must never be crossed however is initiating aggressive physical violence.
How simple. How appealing. How universal. How old fashioned.
How did we ever forget it?
(Political necessity?)
Indeed, Official Washington now does pretty much the opposite. Contemporary “American” leaders embrace (and vote to subsidize) serial Israeli warfare/expansion along with Israeli ethnic cleansing.
Meanwhile, far less powerful US citizens and political observers get slammed for making mere utterances about Israeli ruthlessness and the Zionist domination of Washington.
How much longer will these strange delusions last?”
(the comment above is from Mark Green, comment #22, responding to an article at the Unz Review “Jewish Power Rolls Over Washington: AIPAC gathering is full of lies and liars”, by Philip Garaldi
Copied and pasted it here because it’s relevant to the Zionism / antisemitism discussion on the M of A Libya -Qaddafi thread, and Mark Green put this better than I could)

Posted by: anon | Apr 7 2019 15:51 utc | 9

Desolation Row @ 9
Indeed. Money laundering is the nexus for the globalist conspiracy headed by the political leaders of the US, China and Russia.
This is where the battle can be initially joined.

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 15:54 utc | 10

donkeytale @8: globalist conspiracy headed by the political leaders of the US, China and Russia
Once again, you’re ignoring the conflict between the West/NATO and Russia+China/SCO and pushing a false equivalency.
You are no doubt aware that the term “globalist conspiracy” is generally used to refer to Western Zionists pursuing NWO hegemony to the detriment of ordinary people.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 16:04 utc | 11

France now what?
Macron (Manu), is a Rotschild banker’s slimy creature, it is claimed. Imho, the Bank was a way-station for Macron. His backers and supporters were, are, to be found in Mega F Corps, the powerful MSM conglomerates, + in a minor key, The Rich, + scattered others.
The election saw the ‘right’ brought down by X forces (Fillon and Penelope-Gate), the ‘left’ with a split vote (Socialists, with a silly candidate, 6% / Mélenchon), the old guard center figure (Bayrou) withdrawing in favor of Manu, and all the fringes and dissidents either merely ignored, given no voice at all (ex. Asselineau, Communists), or hounded with endless court-cases, fines, prison sentences, etc. (ex. Soral.)
Manu, symbols:
The winner marches – alone in the dusk, his choice – to a podium where he will speak. The music is Beethoven’s Ode to Joy – the EU anthem!
May 2017, 4 mins.
https://youtu.be/EWEQF7yKhRY
Autumn 2017: Manu reduced ‘aid to housing’ (APL in F acronyms) for 6.5 million households by 5.- a month.
Five Euros! What a straight-in-yr face insult, corresponding to nothing, no change in policy, just a symbolic, denigrating punishment, like a sadistic, creepy parent telling a child your pocket money is reduced by 50 cents, I am the Decider I rule. Massive demos ensued, not reported in the Intl. MSM. They had no impact.
Le Monde, May 2018, in F, on those 5 E. (link shortener used, let me know if not accepted.)
https://lemde.fr/2I57mkp
The Music Festival quelle horreur! .. Manu + Bibi invited a black LGTB-trans-etc troupe to perform on the steps of the Elysée in June 2018. (Other outrageous public appearances in this line exist, incl. hugging black young men under ‘terrorist’ watch..) 1 min for flavor:
https://youtu.be/r8TxKhqY2vM
Next, the Benalla affair. July 2018. ( > goog ..)
Culminated in the Gilets Jaunes, taking off in Oct. 2018.
Gvmt. control and brutality against them has been condemned by the UN. A tally of killed, injured, etc. (ugly pix warning, and it is a bit hyped, interesting that no good count exists) from Adoxa. Many deaths, but the most awful imho is Police aiming at faces and knocking out eyes. Police repression +++.
https://bit.ly/2UBWIar
Manu’s iron-clad pro-EU stance and his over-the-top neo-liberal ‘economics’ are despised by a huge majority. At least 70% imho.
The old order is crumbling, falling apart. (Of course all will be done to prop up the current system in F.)
The UK with Brexit and its shambolic horrow-show is a step ahead… 🙂

Posted by: Noirette | Apr 7 2019 16:10 utc | 12

Open Thread
Last week I saw a couple of stories which were scary. One of them involved a glacier in Antarctica.
A glacier the size of Florida is on track to change the course of human civilization

With increased warming and the rise of sea levels, superstorms will become an entirely new animal. I can’t wrap my head around a storm like Sandy destroying Manhattans infrastructure every five years by 2030.

Is this overblown? Not being a climate scientist, I can’t say. What is certain is that this kind of story is becoming even more commonplace than the “500 year” storms which now happen every year or two. Another such story:
Some Arctic ground no longer freezing—even in winte
In the northern regions the surface has been cold for ages. Only in the summer will the top few inches thaw enough for there to be a brief surge of vegetation and insects. These die quickly and their remains fall into the muck to be re-frozen till next year. Throughout the thousands and millions of years an awful lot of organic matter has accumulated, and their rotting residues contain billions of tons of methane which till now has been frozen too. That is changing – rapidly.

Every winter across the Arctic, the top few inches or feet of soil and rich plant matter freezes up before thawing again in summer. Beneath this active layer of ground extending hundreds of feet deeper sits continuously frozen earth called permafrost, which, in places, has stayed frozen for millennia.
But in a region where temperatures can dip to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, the Zimovs say unusually high snowfall this year worked like a blanket, trapping excess heat in the ground. They found sections 30 inches deep—soils that typically freeze before Christmas—that had stayed damp and mushy all winter. For the first time in memory, ground that insulates deep Arctic permafrost simply did not freeze in winter.

We all know from our science classes the Earth’s core is superheated melted iron. From the center to the Earth’s surface there is something called a Geothermal Gradient. In South African gold mines only two miles deep massive air conditioning is required to keep the temperatures down to a livable 120 degrees F. These days there isn’t enough frigid Arctic air to balance out the heat rising out of the Earth, and the permafrost a mere 3-feet deep is getting slushy. At some point the methane is going to start coming out in quantities which will cause climate change to go into overdrive. This isn’t an event which human civilization is likely to survive. In the worst cases, this may not be something the human species can survive.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 7 2019 16:14 utc | 13

thanks for the posts this week b..
circe – nice fucking up the libya thread with your usual zionist-israel rage… congrats on that.. here is an open thread but i guess you are still in bed, having messed up the libya thread as you did last night… i totally agree with lozion and jen and it has nothing to do with silencing you either..

Posted by: james | Apr 7 2019 16:15 utc | 14

Not really JR. I’m including, not ignoring. You are in denial is what I say, looking for heroes and villains where there are only villains.
Most problematically, you are simply excuse making in support of the status quo. Why do you insist on doing so? It gains you and us nothing.
Your false definition of “globalist conspiracy,” first item of evidence.
This “generally accepted” definition may be widely held here but sadly ignores the obvious reality of what constitutes globalism and many global oligarchs, including not only western creatures but also FOP (friends of Putin) FOX (Friends of Xi) and FOX 2 (Family of Xi).

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 16:22 utc | 15

I just heard on Radio Sputnik an interview of Paul Williams, an American expatriate now living in Moscow who has just had published a new book called “Rogue Nation”. I would like to buy it, but I do not know how. Not only does Amazon not sell it, but a Google search does not reveal a seller.

Posted by: lysias | Apr 7 2019 16:22 utc | 16

Oh and those “western zionists”? What about the “Russian zionists?” Why is Putin ass kissing Nutty yahoo all the fricking time? Putin’s response: “sorry about your missile shooting down my spy plane Mr Netanyahu, I won’t let my military put itself in position to have something like that happen again, sir.”
Where is this “conflict” yu keep yammering on about?
Syria? No.
Israel? No.
Libya? No.
Venezuela? No.
Where is it JR? Evidence please, not additional cliche-laden rhetoric.
Let’s see, is it oil/gas? Not really…globalists in both Russia and the US both enjoy increasing oil/gas prices about equally.
Weapons sales! That’s it, the only true point of conflict between Russia and the US is in…their respective military industrial complexes….imagine that.
Capitalism is competitive by nature. Competition is “conflict” by definition.
Russia needs to sell more weapons and cut into the US monopoly for militarising the planet.

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 16:41 utc | 17

@Desolation Row,
MintPress has had its “certificate” revoked, so I can’t get there from here…I wonder who “revoked” it?

Posted by: kgw | Apr 7 2019 16:42 utc | 18

To cont. some postings on the last threads, about immigrants to the US.
Vid. from the *NYT* i.e. -> not hard hitting and prob. limited hang-out or even a shout-out for new Biz competitors:
The Co. offering detained migrants freedom at a price.
12 mins.
https://video.newyorker.com/watch/the-company-offering-detained-migrants-freedom-at-a-price

Posted by: Noirette | Apr 7 2019 16:49 utc | 19

Noirette @13
Thanks for that update.
What do you foresee for May Day? (May is also anniversary of 68 uprising.)

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 16:57 utc | 20

donkeytale: Where is this “conflict” yu keep yammering on about?
LOL.
I don’t have time to explain what is obvious to the rest of us, sorry. Putin is a Zionist! has been debunked here several times. The archives are your friend.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 17:02 utc | 21

@Desolation Row,
MintPress has had its “certificate” revoked, so I can’t get there from here…I wonder who “revoked” it?
Posted by: kgw | Apr 7, 2019 12:42:38 PM | 19
You are correct, just tried my link. I have no idea, worked on Friday (I believe)
when I read it.
People, click on the first link I posted above, very weird and surreal – also short,
won’t take up much of your time, 45 sec video.

Posted by: Desolation Row | Apr 7 2019 17:04 utc | 22

james | Apr 7, 2019 12:15:55 PM | 15
son, do you practice in the mirror? Seriously.
See anon | Apr 7, 2019 11:51:05 AM | 10 (thank you anon, for bringing that here!)
if we self-censor to avoid retribution, as Jen and you would suggest, we effect that retribution on ourselves, no?
I am NOT in favor of thread-jacking, but it happens here all the time, on nearly every thread. Circe was at least polite about it… and the link was to a livestream, less useful today, whether pers is sleeping in or not.

Posted by: Desolation Row | Apr 7 2019 17:36 utc | 23

@19 kgw and @23 desolution row.. the certificate revoked can be something as simple as an error on the dates of the cert… if someone can contact the folks who run mintpress, it can probably be corrected.. hopefully they find out sooner then later.. i have had this happen with my website..

Posted by: james | Apr 7 2019 17:37 utc | 24

The chain of events that led to the publication of the DNC emails is highly suspect. IMO it’s likely to be a CIA/Mossad op to portray Wikileaks as an agent of Russia (AFAIK, Seth Rich was Jewish; and his family has acted strangely about the whole affair). And this ‘op’ fits well with use of the 2016 Presidential campaign to prepare for McCarthyist ‘Russiagate’ – for which CIA seems to have joined with MI6. by: Jackrabbit @7
Seems to me this could be that place to start donkeytale @ 3 asks is there a way to save Julian Assange.. if the publication of the DNC emails was in fact a false flag.. then to support Assange that fact needs to be proven, and the persons responsible exposed for staging a false “framing of Assange” event..
The Jews immigrated to NYC from Salonika (the other half went to Russia) after the failure to use a corrupted CUP to over throw the Ottomans ( Ottomans discovered, and burned the Jews out) in 1908-1912 the dominate political majority in NYC became Jewish, dwarfing the previous majority, who were the Irish.
So when the POTUS needed stronger support to force governed Americans into WWI, Those in charge of the banker backed “take the oil and land from the Ottomans” project in banker controlled Europe directed the new NYC immigrants to send letters to the POTUS urging USA entry into the war in Europe.. within a week over a million letters arrived, which were designed to strengthen POTUS efforts to force Americans and the congress critters into WWI (abuse of American human rights by sending soldiers, creating a tax law, that had been rule unconstitutional every year since 1865 to (1912-13) diverting the domestic budget to a foreign war budget, and organizing and directing the industrial might of America to assist in the WWI Zionist movement in Europe to take the oil from the Ottoman.
WWI was planned before 1896, (Read: Roland Green Usher Pan-Germanism 1913-14 and My Memoirs 1878-1918 by Ex-Kaiser William, II<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_II,_German_Emperor) and organized at Zionist Congress (1897) in Europe (Russia signed a contain Germany Agreement with France in 1896 to deny Germany) and in 1897 the USA secretly agreed to support France and England against Germany agreement (why? Germany relations with Ottomans gave Germans access to the Ottoman oil, which the British, French and USA bankers and the corporations they sponsored would not stand for.
The Zionist “take the oil from the Ottoman” project involved weaponizing Jewish immigration and and redirecting European Jewish immigration from locating in Argentina[http://www.billgladstone.ca/?p=3197%5D to locating in Ottoman-Palestine-Israel locations <=object to: occupy and eventually displace the Ottomans (WWI divided the Ottoman empire into British Palestine, and French Syria) from their land and their oil. So letters (in answer to donkeytale @ 3) with return receipt, sent directly to the POTUS might be a means to support Julian Assange? I can imagine what it might be like to see 10 million return receipts posted somewhere!

Posted by: snake | Apr 7 2019 17:39 utc | 25

JR @ 22.
so what your saying is “lol. I’m right because all my friends agree with me.”
Illogic is your true ally it seems, time after time after time when you’re pressed for….uhm…factuals.
Putin is a Zionist!
No, Putin is a politician. A very good to great politician. He reaps much support from Israel and the many Russians living in Israel. As such, Putin isn’t much different at all from those detestable US pols who dance like marionettes to the music of AIPAC, is he?
That’s my point.
Russia sells Israel abundant oil and gas, much of which Israel uses to power its military in support of zionist goals.
Don’t mistake Putin’s political skills for some form of phony war against western imperialism, alls I’m saying to you my friend.
And maybe up your argumentation skills while you’re at it….
It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 17:40 utc | 26

@24 desolution row.. i saw the post of anon’s.. the libya thread was about libya.. i am not saying threads don’t get hijacked from time to time, but early in the thread for circe to go into his predictable rant on zionism-israel- what have you, is so fucking tiresome and beside the focus of the thread.. he can do that shit here on an open thread… and it isn’t about being polite about it.. there is nothing polite about constantly talking about the same thing all the time on every thread… and it is not about censuring anyone, which is a fucking lame excuse to excuse this shit.. sorry.. maybe we see it differently..

Posted by: james | Apr 7 2019 17:41 utc | 27

donkeytale @27: And maybe up your argumentation skills while you’re at it….
LOL. Don’t have the time or desire to take your bait.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7 2019 17:51 utc | 28

snake – ignoring for a moment that it is Trump’s DoJ who instigated the secret grand jury to indict Assange while it was Obama who freed Manning from a sure death sentence (by suicide) – I have nothing but respect for Assange’s courage. He’s in a tough spot and can be forgiven virtually everything at this point for the totality of his stunning reveals over the years.
IMHO, he is a journalist protected by the First Amendment and so should be immune from indictment in the US. Not sure his legal status as an Austro/Ecuadorian internet publisher in that regard but the spirit of the consititution should protect him from Trump’s DoJ’s corrupt practices.
And Trump himself should be scorned all day every day for his udder hypocrisy in allowing any case to go forward against the man he once praised for helping to elect him.

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 17:59 utc | 29

continuing my comment to snake –
10 million letters to Trump about Assnage will probably have about same impact as 6 million signatures for a 2nd referendum on Brexit has on Tereasa May….but both have more utility than a couple of comments on MoA so count me in…I’m going here:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Hope it counts if I don’t use my real name. Don’t fancy spending what’s left of my dotage in a federal “re-education” camp….

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 18:09 utc | 30

So, days or even hours after joint I$rael, U A E, US exercises finished over Souther Gr3ece, island of Cr3te/South Peloponisus – this happened:
https://youtu.be/baNGZCP8pQ0
I would really count the local Nato base as dead on the water in case of any future global urgency…

Posted by: clockwork weather | Apr 7 2019 18:11 utc | 31

JR @ 29
lol. Fair enough. I’ve used all my alloted internet time today….

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 18:13 utc | 32

I am in a weird spot here. On one hand I get where Circe is coming from because I mostly agree, yet I am 110% on board with the sentiment expressed by James and other’s in regard’s
to Circe and the almost constant ZioCrime reporting.
Best to heed the advice of Grieved me thinks, when he says and I paraphrase here “Ignore it.”
Those who know me here know I am opposed to censorship in any form so this isn’t about Censoring Circe or anyone else either. Basically after a friend of mine spent time in an Israeli prison after being kidnapped in international waters for the audacity of attempting to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, I don’t need to know anything more as I already know enough to fill numerous life times. It’s not new, the depravity never ends. Same repeated sequel looping over and over our shoulders. Only time will solve this……

Posted by: Tannenhouser | Apr 7 2019 18:35 utc | 33

@ Never Mind the Bollocks | Apr 7, 2019 11:18:30 AM | 4
“. . .if you dare to harm Julian Assange, get ready for a non-linear, all-out war by millions of free thinkers around the world.”
I’d like to think that you are correct about that, but what form, exactly, do you think that such an “all-out war” would take?

Posted by: AntiSpin | Apr 7 2019 18:43 utc | 34

Message Type
Contact the President
Prefix*
Dr
First Name*
Don
Middle Name
Key
Last Name*
Tale
Suffix
III
Email*
saintpierre666@maquelon.com
Phone*
666-666-6666
Country
Saint Pierre and Maquelon
Street*
666 5th Avenue
City*
New York
Zip/Postal Code*
10103
What Would like to say?
Dear President Trump,
How’s your day going, Mr. President? I have two pieces of advice for you:
1. FREE JULIAN ASSANGE! Do not allow your DoJ to pursue charges against him in violation of the spirit of the First Amendment. He is a journalist. Also, don’t about forget those emails, bro. The man delivered. Truth.
2. INFRASTRUCTURE. Just once, please, compromise with Nancy and Chuck and force your own congressional dotards to go along with you. Your base will approve and so will the vast majourity of undecideds in the electorate. Not to mention most Demotards.
IMHO, you will not only be rewarded with re-election if you show some true bi-partisanship you will also go down in the herstory books as “the Greatest”, erasing Muhammad Ali in the process.

* – required

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 19:01 utc | 35

@ lysias | Apr 7, 2019 12:22:45 PM | 17
You might have been given an incorrect title to the book; I think that you may be referring to this:
“Operation Gladio: The Unholy Alliance Between the Vatican, the CIA and the Mafia”
It’s for sale here:
https://www.amazon.com/Operation-Gladio-Alliance-between-Vatican/dp/1616149744
Here is a highly informative, detailed, fact-filled review of the book
https://off-guardian.org/2019/04/06/operation-gladio-the-unholy-alliance/
that might hold you until you manage to acquire the book itself.
The review by itself is filled with names, dates, events, places, and ties together dozens of nasty historical threads, making sense out of so many seemingly senseless horrors over the past 70 years.

Posted by: AntiSpin | Apr 7 2019 19:06 utc | 36

I had a comment I was preparing regarding Trump’s. watershed fascist speech in Florida on regime change in Venezuela and his weaponization of socialism as a fascist strategy against dissent and to cake walk back into the Presidency, but for now I’m being pulled into james’ nasty, petty game. Sigh….
@ james
Your comments on me are downright vicious and untrue. First of all, when the Libya thread posted, Trump also started speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition and since the open thread was way back and three pages long I posted the live feed on the Libya thread instead. Oooo, my bad! One OT and a litany of petty blowback! So who really hi-jacked? I’ve seen you and many post OT and didn’t make it my business. I moved on, scrolled over.
I posted 1, an FYI live feed that wouldn’t be viewed on the old open thread. Then, I contributed I believe 7 on topic posts to that thread, you 1, but who’s counting? I’m just having to defend myself, un for tun ate ly.
Second, why is it so important to view Trump’s speeches to Zionists? Because his corrupt relationship and allegiance with Zionists colors most of his disastrous policy.
Trump is greenlighting the annexation of the West Bank. Trump is designating the IRGC, the military of a sovereign nation, as a terrorist organization. This gives him extra-judicial power over Iran’s defenses. And this is but the latest crap he pulled!
Every move or decision Trump makes on behalf of Israel is impossible to reverse! It is political suicide for others later to take away from Israel what it has been gifted by Dumbo in the present. Do you understand, conceive the significance of this from your comfortably numb existence for the victims involved and suffering the consequences of his whiplash indulgence to Zionists???
Maybe, you don’t see the bigger threat I see, but, Zionism is slow nuking democracy everywhere, it is afflicting democracy. It is afflicting our ability to dissent and nuking our rights. It is sacrificing the lives of the children of the citizens of countries too stupid and corrupted by Zionism to fight wars on its behalf and the lives of all the victims of those wars. It is having far reaching geopolitical consequences. So forgive me if I make it my effing obsession! I see it like climate change: a source of immense misery and A THREAT TO CIVILIZATION, and I don’t wanna brag or anything, but I think I have a better track record than you on the accuracy of my perception and intuition.
Please let your griping end and agree to disagree, scroll, or whatever, but I made plenty of contributions to the Libya thread and plenty on topic on other threads unlike you and I don’t need to spin with the wind to gain favor either. I rest my case.
The 3rd degree over 1 measly ot. Wow!

Posted by: Circe | Apr 7 2019 19:30 utc | 37

Why I ignore Circe
If one were to get rid of this zionist theory and the people that support it, humanity of the West would still be faced with a form of social organization with global private finance at its core with all the associated bad incentives
If one were to replace global private finance with public tools, what would happen to your zionism Circe?
Do you understand that I think your are counterproductive to society and MoA with your incessant rants about an ism that is meant to keep you from the concrete/real problem of global private finance? That is why I ask if you get paid to do so because I otherwise do not understand your ongoing ignorance.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 7 2019 19:44 utc | 38

circe – what i say is true… you figure every time there is some zionist-israel event, you have to comment on it and take over a thread talking about it.. it is not about zionism – it is about your approach which negates and shows no respect for the thread context.. open threads are completely different.. you can speak to your hearts content here…
– here is anon speaking – “the Zionism / antisemitism discussion on the M of A Libya -Qaddafi thread”.. is that what you want every thread to be about?? you have done a pretty good job of it in the past, and yesterdays thread on libya was another fine example…

Posted by: james | Apr 7 2019 19:48 utc | 39

As a veteran blog meta-ician of longstanding in the Whiteysphere I believe what bothers most about Circe is more stylistic than subject matter related. Circe tends to go full throttle over the top when she’s on a roll [projection alert] and this single issue focus does become like a sledgehammer at times. Also, Circe, to be fair, a lot of people are invested in Trump as a change agent or a destroyer of the Evil Empire or whatever and you could possibly lighten up on that attack angle since you have been proven correct that he is truly just standard issue Republikkkanism only worse.
But I see no problem with Circe going OT in the Libya thread. Many do it here alot, including moi from time to time. She announced in advance and so be it. Just like others do. Since people couldn’t ignore it she responded. Therefore I call “no harm no foul” on anyone. Consider How that call against Auburn last night with .5 second in a game they had won? Now that was truly heinous, especially after the uncalled double dribble against Virginis a second earlier….but I digress. The NCAA is the essence of what ails Amerikkka and yet there I was watching the game. What does that make me?
If you bash Circe then bash everyone involved. The best advice is to ignore, ignore ignore…and if you can’t ignore and choose to wade in consider yourself equally a part of the “Circe problem” if that’s what you think it is. Because what it really is is a “you” problem.
Frankly, James’ driveby commenting style and endless asskissing of b at the beginning of every thread irritates me no end but see, I can manage to ignore it and let it go…lmao. JK James, I love your schtick. And I love Circe’s and psychohistorian’s too. Life’s too short. Carry on my wayward children…

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 20:39 utc | 40

lysias @17–
Whatever you do, don’t buy anything via Amazon.com as your monies only serve to further empower the dastardly, wicked Neocon Jeff Bezos–and that plea applies to the entire MoA Universe.
If the Williams book is indeed the one AntiSpin linked @37, You can order it from alibris and its network of independent book sellers.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 7 2019 20:54 utc | 41

To anon #10 and Desolation Row # 24. Well said. To James et al… First “I fear the lady doth protest too much” Second… I don’t see it as an absolutely inviable rule that Thous Shall Not Go Off Topic. At times events occur which seem to require comment – and at times the connection to any given post by b may be peripheral – but please, as psychohistorian says, if you
don’t care for someone’s point of view – you could simply Not Read The Post. What a concept.
I know – let’s play nice.

Posted by: Miss Lacy | Apr 7 2019 20:56 utc | 42

to circe #38. I share your concerns regarding the ongoing “annexing” of property by the Zionists. If this behavior was exhibited by an individual it would be called stealing. And, as you point out, the most troubling part of the problem is that it is not easily undone. The fact that the Zionists have announced a planned settlement of 250,000 (one quarter of a million) “settlers” on Syrian territory is truly outrageous.

Posted by: Miss Lacy | Apr 7 2019 21:04 utc | 43

to Kharlofi #43. Yes indeed do not buy from amazon – which paid zero taxes on $11.6 Billion profit and in fact received a $127,000,000 gift from the “murkan taxpayers. Poor bastards – I mean the tax payers.

Posted by: Miss Lacy | Apr 7 2019 21:08 utc | 44

Jackrabbit | Apr 7, 2019 11:25:38 AM | 7
Crowdstrike can continue in business defending their clients from dreadful hackers. Admitting a leak opens the question as to why have crowdstrike at their current contract and go for cheaper.
I do like the logic that suggests Comey FBI etc are complicit. They are the crime here and they are the crime in the killing of Seth Rich and they are the crime in the Awan family spy ring.
On your ‘hows that working out for ya…. I do heaps and many others here do likewise. Stay strong.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 7 2019 21:17 utc | 45

Chamberlain to Churchill: You’re sooo obsessed with the “ism.” Stop fighting it, already! Your soooo annoying, bro. Give it up.
Apparently the subject of “ism” is a tedious obsession that should be muzzled; private finance…not so much.
Original sin started with Adam so we were all doomed anyway, ism or no ism, so to hell with fighting the misery and destruction caused by ism; it all started before ism, with Adam i.e. private finance, whatever excuse. Who cares what ism is doing! Look away.
…My ongoing ignorance?
Blah.

Posted by: Circe | Apr 7 2019 21:18 utc | 46

Also don’t buy from Ebay either because then you are investing in Fox News Personality Glenn Greenwald, who among many many other neocon sins:
1. Supported the W. Bush Iraqi Invasion
2. Supported Citizens United
3. Exploited Snowden’s bravery for his own bank account and subsequently buried the documents to protect the PTB including his bossman
4. Is an all-around pseudo-intellectual and illogically hyperbolic purveyor of udderly self defeating nonsense on the order of say, Donald Trump, whom my guess is he supports (but I don’t know for sure because I have him on “ignore” for at least 5 years running)
In fact, unless you are among the poor or buying necessities for the poor, you should probably simply purchase less of everything from anyone, especially if it comes encased in packaging of any kind.

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7 2019 21:24 utc | 47

lysias | Apr 7, 2019 12:22:45 PM | 17
Try direct contact with author. Maybe it is electronic only so Kindle??? (I dont use kindle) Best supplier I use is bookdepository. com or whatever

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 7 2019 21:38 utc | 48

psychohistorian @ 39
Have you seen the Hedges interview on unz, The Delphic Oracle Was Their Davos? The interview is related to Hedges forthcoming book The Collapse of Antiquity, find myself wondering what your take is on him as he seems to profess your mantra of public banking? Here’s a link to the interview. First post so hope it’s okay
http://www.unz.com/mhudson/the-delphic-oracle-was-their-davos/

Posted by: Tex | Apr 7 2019 21:39 utc | 49

And the postmodern farce continues:
Jewish Labour Movement passes no-confidence motion on Corbyn

Posted by: vk | Apr 7 2019 21:44 utc | 50

Now back to Libya, I see the USA is withdrawing from Tripoli (perhaps) and has left some solid enclaves of ISIS behind to do the right thing.
I get the impression that Haftar is his own man. I accept he has had a circuitous trajectory but I sense he is keen to be the new Ghadafi, god of Libya and imperial highness etc. I expect the Tripoli team set up by the UN will do business fast and thereby retain some small gold tokens for their wisdom.
Good luck Libyans.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 7 2019 21:47 utc | 51

For your amusement:
Billionaire JP Morgan chief attacks socialism as ‘a disaster’

Posted by: vk | Apr 7 2019 21:48 utc | 52

From Michael Roberts’ facebook:
Economists are ideologically biased – finds a survey of their views on modern economies conducted by Mark Horowitz, Associate Professor of Sociology at Seton Hall University, New Jersey, entitled Political Identity and Economists’ Perceptions of Capitalist Crises.
Economists’ Politics Loom Large in their Views of Capitalist Crises
“Surveying academic economists in the United States, we find the field quite skeptical of the prospects of capitalist crises. Despite considerable consensus, political orientation is a highly significant predictor of respondents’ outlooks.”
“economists are generally skeptical of the prospects of capitalist crises. Very few see mass structural unemployment on the horizon due to automation (Q2) or incompatibility between capitalism and secure or meaningful employment (Q4, Q5). Only a third or so anticipates global financial contagion (Q1), while even fewer affirm a systemic tendency toward monopoly (Q11). Finally, at least two-thirds believe the global economy will likely be capitalist in 200 years (Q8)”.
Marx on ‘vulgar political economy’: “It was henceforth no longer a question, whether this theorem or that was true, but whether it was useful to capital or harmful, expedient or inexpedient, politically dangerous or not. In place of disinterested enquirers, there were hired prize-fighters; in place of genuine scientific research, the bad conscience and the evil intent of apologetic”

Posted by: vk | Apr 7 2019 21:50 utc | 53

For all the talk about the integrity of the thread or whatever, I can’t believe I just read something in the last thread that actually proposed some sort of reality-TV-game-show-rules whereby certain views could be ‘voted off the island’. WTF? Censorship?! Seriously?
There’s a dynamic here where some commentators act as citizen enforcers of the Thought Police. Elitist and authoritarian bullshit create a repressive atmosphere, and then there are the snipers who fire on whatever moves.
I’ve had my ass chewed for something that I haven’t even done because my preemptive apology was taken as antagonistic. It’s not enough for me to say that I’m doing the best I can with this, and apparently it’s too much to ask those enforcers to remember that we are all coming from different places and with different skills. For most people in the world, a cell phone is their primary internet access and most of those people aren’t using the latest version of that technology. English isn’t the first language for everyone here, including our host.
Some folks would do well to remember that this is b’s bar, he’s the one with the “Bounce” button. This is a public space and everyone is free to comment. No one should fear ridicule or be subjected to disrespect. It’s easy enough to scroll past a comment or the name of a commentator whose views you don’t share or for whatever reason. Feel free to scroll past mine, you won’t hurt my feelings.

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 7 2019 22:10 utc | 54

@ Tex with the Michael Hedges link
Thanks but karlof1 posted that link late last week I believe.
It certainly is good and I have passed the link on to others.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 7 2019 22:57 utc | 55

Counter-programming for resistance and revolution courtesy of:
Rage Against the Machine
https://youtu.be/bWXazVhlyxQ
Turn it up!

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 7 2019 22:59 utc | 56

Open Thread
Who’s Writing Your Laws? Not the Person You Elected

Each year, state lawmakers across the U.S. introduce thousands of bills dreamed up and written by corporations, industry groups and think tanks.
Disguised as the work of lawmakers, these “model” bills get copied in one state Capitol after another, quietly advancing the agenda of the people who write them.
A two-year investigation by USA TODAY, The Arizona Republic and the Center for Public Integrity reveals for the first time the extent to which special interests have infiltrated state legislatures using model legislation.
USA TODAY and The Arizona Republic examined nearly 1 million bills using a computer algorithm developed to detect similarities in language. That search – powered by the equivalent of 150 computers that ran nonstop for months – found that at least 10,000 bills almost entirely copied from models were introduced nationwide in the past eight years. More than 2,100 were signed into law.
The phenomenon of copycat legislation is far larger. In a separate analysis, the Center for Public Integrity identified tens of thousands of bills with identical phrases, then traced the origins of that language in dozens of those bills across the country.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 7 2019 23:29 utc | 57

Mourning Dove @ 56:
I am the one who suggested that Circe’s off-topic comments about Donald Trump and his connections to the pro-Israeli lobby be removed in the previous comments forum, for the reasons you mention @ 56: Circe was ridiculing and abusing other commenters (like Lozion, Daniel and myself included) because some of us were fed up with the constant ranting and the atmosphere this was creating.
It becomes difficult for others to comment on Trump and his relations with Adelson, other possible pro-Israeli donors and the pro-Israeli lobby in Washington DC generally if there is one commenter here who keeps shovelling invective on Trump et al. It also becomes very difficult to comment on the extent of the influence the Israeli government and/or its agencies, Binyamin Netanyahu individually, his family as individuals and a collective, and other individuals and families with Israeli citizenship or ties might have (or not have) on Washington DC, in such a poisoned forum. (I even sometimes wonder those who harp on so much about Trump being a Zio-Nazi puppet might not in fact benefit in some way.)
Equally it becomes difficult to see how and in what ways the relationship between the US and Israel also hurts the Israeli public (let alone the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank) and how that has led to the material and psychological impoverishment of Israeli people and Israeli society itself, to the point where Israelis are as brainwashed, degraded and fanatically bigoted as many of us in the West are.
Whatever an elite in Israel is doing in Washington DC that affects Americans and US foreign policy, we may be pretty sure that Washington DC deep state elites are doing the same or similar in Israel that affects Israelis, Palestinians and their neighbours in different ways, so they can never recognise who their true enemies are and work together to defeat those enemies.

Posted by: Jen | Apr 7 2019 23:32 utc | 58

“This article is Part II of a multi-part investigative series examining the efforts of the global elite, as well as powerful elements of the global Zionist lobby and the government of Israel, to create an independent state out of Argentina’s southern Patagonia region in order to plunder its natural resources and to fulfill long-standing Zionist interest in the territory that dates back to the “founding father” of Zionism, Theodore Herzl. Part I, which focuses on the de facto “parallel state” created by British billionaire Joe Lewis in Argentina’s Patagonia, can be read here. Part II focuses on Eduardo Elsztain — one of Argentina’s wealthiest businessmen, who is deeply connected to the global elite and global Zionist lobbies — and his role in a scheme to undercut Argentina’s democracy by hijacking its voting system.”
https://www.mintpressnews.com/the-owner-the-rise-of-eduardo-elsztain-and-the-coming-end-of-argentinas-democracy/256959/
Link to part one
https://www.mintpressnews.com/dark-secret-behind-british-billionaire-joe-lewis-parallel-state-in-argentina-patagonia/256068/

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 7 2019 23:34 utc | 59

Jen,
I went back to check, and it wasn’t Circe who started the disrespect, it was Lozion@7 who did that by telling her to fuck off for making an off topic comment.
Regardless of who started what because we aren’t children on a playground, your proposal is indefensible. Shaming, shunning, and censoring are inappropriate responses to disrespect. If that were the issue, your comment would have been directed at Lozion. Since it wasn’t, it looks to me like an attempt to impose an authoritarianism that I find completely unacceptable as well as a direct affront to the very concept of free speech. Our host is quite capable of minding the bar, let’s leave that to him.

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 7 2019 23:45 utc | 60

@60 Jen
Helloo, it was one short comment with a live feed of Trump delivering a speech!!! Just the fact that you sympathize with the impoverishment of Israelis is enough to give someone great pause as to your veracity on what you accuse me of. I did not abuse anyone. I merely replied when adrdressed and gave back as good as I got! Have the decency to tell the truth when people can easily verify what I did and did not do. Thanku!

Posted by: Circe | Apr 7 2019 23:47 utc | 61

Open Thread
I’ve found a fascinating article with the title “Ancient Humans Might Have Had a Marrow Advantage.”
As I understand it, a big problem about how we humans got from “there” to “here” has been involved our brains, or the lack of them when we were back at “there”. Our ancestors were small, didn’t have claws or fangs, and weren’t very bright either. Because we were definitely on the “stupid” side we were without tools, for it takes some brains to turn a smooth rock into one with sharp edges.
So how did we get to “here”? The link discusses a recent paper titled “Origins of the Human Predatory Pattern.” The subtitle is “The Transition to Large-Animal Exploitation by Early Hominins”, and high-nutrition bone marrow might have been a ‘bridge’ food which allowed us to move from small-brained creatures living on fruits and berries to ones which got smart enough to shape hard rocks into cutting tools to allow us to start collecting meat from large dead animals instead of waiting for the dead critters to be stripped down to their bones. Using scavenged meat as food meant cooking it, and handling fire seems to go back a very long ways.
A very interesting idea!

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 8 2019 0:05 utc | 62

@42 donkeytale.. lol.. i resemble some of those remarks!!! here’s my thang… gratitude is a long forgotten practice that is very uplifting.. if i sound like a broken record for thanking b for the posts – i do – it is intentional.. i really appreciate his work and the time and energy he puts into all the stories he does.. and, i donate to the site as much as i can.. so, for me – gratitude is like a spiritual practice of sorts… i can see how it would be off putting to some.. maybe i’ll consider doing it less, but it won’t change the appreciation i have for b and this site…
as for the drive by commentary – yes, that is true too! but, every once and a while i do open up and get long winded like yourself.. it has to be something i am passionate about and have something that i think is relevant that others haven’t communicated about – like my first paragraph here a wee bit.. keep on keeping on.. i am calling it like i see it re circe…
and – for @mourning dove and others who haven’t been on the site for all that long – circle is indeed like a broken record on this topic.. it is totally predictable and it gets very tiring..that said – it is a free world and people are entitled to say what they want.. unless b has some specific thoughts on that..it will remain as it is.. lozion is a long time poster and obviously fed up with circes broken record approach too, as is jen..
pat langs latest post which i think is very relevant – If the IRGC is a Terrorist army the AUMF applies..
for any music lovers out their, i listened to david friesens latest recording the past week.. it is really quite good for someone who is 76 and continues to put out creative music… my faith, my life.. that is the title.. it sounds like a religious recording or something, but it is just plain great as i hear it.. you can listen to some tracks here if you are interested..

Posted by: james | Apr 8 2019 0:13 utc | 63

update on asssange from craig murray..
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/04/on-the-pavement-with-wikileaks/

Posted by: james | Apr 8 2019 0:17 utc | 64

Open Thread
Britain’s Grave Historical Responsibility for the Palestine Tragedy
I’ve never read anything by Arnold Toynbee, and for some reason had always assumed he belonged to the Victorian era. Turns out Toynbee lived from 1889 to 1975, and he had some definite opinions about what had happened in Palestine.

The reason why the state of Israel exists today and why today [1968] 1,500,000 Palestinian Arabs are refugees is that, for thirty years, Jewish immigration was imposed on the Palestinian Arabs by British military power until the immigrants were sufficiently numerous and sufficiently well-armed to be able to fend for themselves with tanks and planes of their own. The tragedy in Palestine is not just a local one; it is a tragedy for the World, because it is an injustice that is a menace to the World’s peace. Britain’s guilt is not diminished by the humiliating fact that she is now impotent to redress the wrong that she has done.

The Brits cheated. I’d say it happened for several reasons. The End-Time religious nuttery was well under way a hundred years ago. The British Zionists had loads of money and plenty of influence in the UK government. Ditto for the ones in the US. All that, and the natural Imperial desire to Divide and Conquer. Keep the place in chaos to make ruling there easier. Only in this case that chaos we directed to benefit one specific group. The brief piece at the link is an introduction to a 1968 book. An expensive one, and naturally no local library has it. Getting my own copy is going to be a problem.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 8 2019 0:29 utc | 65

and – for @mourning dove and others who haven’t been on the site for all that long – circle is indeed like a broken record on this topic.. it is totally predictable and it gets very tiring..
Posted by: james | Apr 7, 2019 8:13:29 PM | 65
Sorry to break this to you, but every single one of you members of ‘The Commentariat’ is entirely predictable. At this point it takes just a peek at 2 lines (max) to completely determine who is posting what.
Now let’s do our homework, shall we?
So, ‘Da’, Putin is not a “Zionist”.

Posted by: Realist | Apr 8 2019 0:30 utc | 66

Ignore? Scroll? No way, thats how a forum’s signal-to-noise ratio is lowered and eventually dies off. I’ve said
my piece in the prior thread and before. Either Circe is genuinely obsessed or on a mission. You decide. And if you find the beer is starting to taste stale around here maybe its time to ask how that happened..

Posted by: Lozion | Apr 8 2019 0:31 utc | 67

Zachary Smith @14
I am just not convinced as our new technology is new and our memories are extremely short on a planet 4 billion years old. The thermometer was invented in 1710 and I would say its use was not widespread planetary until the 20th century. Modern instrumentation of the sort is even more recent.
Al Gore got everyone scared with video clips of storms and a voice over of terror in our future while he remained the largest private citizen electrical user in Tennessee for over a decade after the movie. He was not drinking his own koolaid. That is quite an accomplishment for a guy who spends most of his time jetting around the world and not at home.
But seriously, as a guy who has worked with some of the equipment used to monitor the atmosphere, I can tell you that the CO2 content is minuscule and it is an essential trace gas. Essential to life on the planet. Released methane gasses off the planet in about a year or so
Where the science fails is that it does not look at the rise and fall of human civilizations in the last 6000 years or so. No one looks at the writings of the past about what life was like, the art, the decline and fall of civilizations, the movements of peoples. The whole human record points to climate change effecting civilizations heavily and even recently with the Maunder Minimum. The French Revolution, the US revolution and corresponding emigration to North America is tied to that cooling event.
Warm periods have been very successful for us and cold periods of climate change a disaster. Even looking at the recent Holocene epoch in which epochs last for 10’s of millions of years it is only about 12,000 years old.
Sea levels were much lower and have been rising for a long time and the last 12,000 years have been just a drop in the bucket time wise. Our coastlines are the most heavily populated now than at any other time in human history.
Another question from the past is the Piri Reis map which shows the Antarctic coastline unglaciated with decent accuracy.
The globalist press and its fellow travelers has been pushing this canard way too hard. Climate change is real, its natural, and it has been going on for a long time IMHO. We had better prepare for it as it will drastically alter food production for a planet full of people.
Building policy on lies and flawed data will only lead to chaos and destruction which seems to me to be a tactic of the West used quite often.

Posted by: dltravers | Apr 8 2019 0:43 utc | 68

Realist @68
You have no idea how long I’ve been “on this site” but you may have an idea how long I’ve been commenting. I’m defending free speech and pointing to our host as the only Bouncer here. I’m aware of Circe’s methods and I’ve said before that they are counterproductive, but that really isn’t my issue. My issue is with commentators (I’ll refrain from making a list) who act like it’s their bar and who employ openly hostile or passive aggressive methods to impose a system of control and who do so in the name of some higher principle that they are in fact violating. That’s my issue.

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 8 2019 0:45 utc | 69

@ Jen #60

I am the one who suggested that Circe’s off-topic comments about Donald Trump and his connections to the pro-Israeli lobby be removed in the previous comments forum, for the reasons you mention @ 56: Circe was ridiculing and abusing other commenters (like Lozion, Daniel and myself included) because some of us were fed up with the constant ranting and the atmosphere this was creating.

Removing comments which one or more people see as objectionable is a touchy subject with me. At more than one newspaper “forum” the BushBots would raise a ruckus to the overworked junior staffer tasked with “moderation”. Some of these complainers worshiped Dumbya with an intensity which is difficult to understand when looking back. Their strategy often worked for the simple reason that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
May I suggest you consider trying a routine like the one I use. When catching up on my reading here, I usually start at the bottom and work upwards from the newest to older posts. With this technique I happen to see the name of the poster before I get to the beginning of whatever he wrote. Since I have a short list of people I’ve written off for one reason or other, I just skip whatever it was they wrote and move on to the next one.
There are cases where notifying the forum owner or moderator about a horror story is a good idea, but I submit those instances are rare. Besides, most stuff written here is going to be seen by the site owner, no matter what.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 8 2019 0:47 utc | 70

So nice that donkey and Circe don’t disagree with each other.
Each so vocal; so determined in their focus. Each with the ‘answer’ to what plagues us:
>> Circe: Jewish power!
>> donkey: Globalists! (but not Jewish/Zionist Globalists)
Speaking truth to power? Not exactly. donkey’s mocks us with his faux letter to the President. LMAO. Circe attacks moderates that largely agree with her. Her inability to see Daniel’s advice as constructive criticism on the previous thread (as I urged) is troublesome to me. Why would such a person – so committed to overturning Zionism – ignore donkeytale’s conflating Russia and China with “globalists”? Isn’t Russia and Chinese opposition the best hope for checkmating the Zionists?
So isn’t strange how they ignore each other?!
Just sayin’.
Which of them will be the next to smack-down james? LOL, what fun.
Yes, there is a big problem. Yes, it is urgent. And Circe and donkeytale address parts of that problem. But the 50+ Trillion gorilla in the room is corporatism/facism and the assets held offshore by the enablers. Guess what? Most of that isn’t Jewish. Follow the money? First thing the ‘money’ does is blame the ‘accountants’ (which used to be thought of as a Jewish profession). Which is not to say that those ‘accountants’ aren’t complicit (usually they are when there’s a fraud/scam!) or, conspiring to own it all.
It’s important to understand who in the Deep State made Trump President and why. Prime suspects are: Clintons, McCain, Brennan, Mueller. Comey, Haspel, Obama, and Jared-Netanyahu-Adelson also played a part. But this was a joint effort in recognition of the “grave crisis” (Kissinger’s words) caused by the Russia-China alliance.
It is very similar to the invasion of Iraq. Yes, it benefited Israel, but it also benefited a corrupt MIC/Intelligence Community.
Dumbass sheeple don’t known which end is up. Until they figure it out, they’ll continue to get it from BOTH ends, or revolt.
Ray Dailo is closer to the truth

Over these many years I have also seen capitalism evolve in a way that it is not working well for the majority of Americans because it’s producing self-reinforcing spirals up for the haves and down for the have-nots [the same is true for other countries in the Western orbit]. This is creating widening income/wealth/opportunity gaps that pose existential threats to the United States because these gaps are bringing about damaging domestic and international conflicts and weakening America’s condition.

Go long pitchforks and bomb shelters. Because if the 2008 subprime credit debacle is any indication, elites will not reform themselves until/unless there is a crisis. They’d prefer WAR (with external enemies) and/or civil discord (with internal enemies) before REFORM that relinquishes advantage/privilege. But for the time being they will use propaganda and controlled opposition to tie us up in knots, discrediting opponents as anti-Semites, socialists, Russian “useful idiots”, etc.
/rant

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 8 2019 1:06 utc | 71

Michael *Hudson*, please, not Hedges.

Posted by: John Anthony La Pietra | Apr 8 2019 1:14 utc | 72

Jrabbit @ 1; Thanks for the link, good read.
Even the “food fights” are good tonight.
As always b, thanks for the therapy…

Posted by: ben | Apr 8 2019 1:45 utc | 73

Realist and james
I misread Realist’s comment and my reply should have been directed at james.
james
It’s a very slippery slope when you start defending that kind of behavior because it comes from long time regulars. I’m also frustrated with Circe and I’ve had insulting, dismissive, and misplaced comments directed at me by her. I’ve yet to tell her to fk off. If the issue is that she’s eating up the thread, starting a childish spat contributed to eating up the thread much more than her brief off topic comment. What is the real problem here?

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 8 2019 1:54 utc | 74

The chain of events that led to the publication of the DNC emails is highly suspect. IMO it’s likely to be a CIA/Mossad op to portray Wikileaks as an agent of Russia (AFAIK, Seth Rich was Jewish; and his family has acted strangely about the whole affair). And this ‘op’ fits well with use of the 2016 Presidential campaign to prepare for McCarthyist ‘Russiagate’ – for which CIA seems to have joined with MI6.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 7, 2019 11:25:38 AM | 7
I have a different take on that conjecture than Snake. I think it is plausible for several reasons. First, self-described Zionists are not monolithic but are divided into mutually loathing each other groups, and Israeli divisions are reflected in USA. Roughly there is a right wing, more openly racist and more bent on further Zionists victories, like official annexations and destroying Iran in some way or another (not realistic if you ask me, but what is more glorious than emulating Alexander of Macedon?), venerating the memory of Jabotinsky etc, let us call them Z-alpha. Thet wing is (somewhat) discretely racist, content with de-facto annexations etc. , say Z-beta group. Z-alpha is aligned with Republicans and their top dog seems to be Adelson, Z-beta is aligned with Democrats and their notable grandees are Saban and Soros. It is a simple fact that Z-alpha hate HRC for a few reasons, (a) she once kissed Ruha Arabat, and this “will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” She associated with Barak Obama who had the gall of suggesting settlement freeze. Plus she is OK with labor unions while Adelson totally hates unions. Btw, Israeli unions were aligned with Z-beta.
Trump has a solid family connection with Z-alpha, and that is especially important since his knowledge and opinions are taken from the people in his close circle, starting from the family. Perhaps Mario Rubio would be even better candidate, but perhaps not. Trump was known to have guts unlike Rubio. Just look how manly he moved the embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Golan Heights to be Israeli.
It is also worth to note that Z-alpha do not seem to care about warming toward Russia or not. Israeli government never ventured an opinion about annexation of Crimea, to give one example. Some Z-alphas from USA are Holy Cold Warriors (neocons), but true died in the wool Z-alphas do not care about such things, after all they are not “Israel first” but “only Israel”. And they can use Mossad or a related shadowy outfit.
All of it is speculation, but if true, Seth Rich could be killed by the very people who got the stolen files and who did not want to take a risk of the guy getting remorseful or something like that. Often you have to work with mentally unstable people who are easier to manipulate, but once used, they are worth more dead than alive. As a bonus, HRC got blamed.
Disclamer: the fact that we can connect the dots does not prove that the is an ACTUAL eagle, or capricorn etc. in the heaven. That said, threads going to Israel would have a freezing effect on investigations by FBI etc.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Apr 8 2019 2:07 utc | 75

http://tinyurl.com/yxr3rzcq why do i get the feeling MBS is the fall guy,,

Posted by: snake | Apr 8 2019 2:15 utc | 76

@76 mourning dove… what kind of behaviour am i defending? if people get pissed off and blow up? is that what you mean? if so – fair enough.. everyone is going to see things in their own way, with their own filters.. i have said my piece.. it’s an open thread and all the anxiousness to say what they had to say last night in the previous thread seems to have dissipated.. funny how that works.. others can take it apart or whatever.. at this point, i am done with it.. thanks..
@snake 78… mbs wasn’t the fall guy for kashoggi.. in fact, the usa in typical fashion, let him off the hook.. now, maybe they are going to revise there approach on him with this talk of giving the wahabbi nutcult some nukes… funny how the majority of dudes on the planes flying into the wall st. trade centre were also from ksa… to me it all boils down to money.. maybe someone thinks they can bribe someone? it seems to be quite a popular technique used a lot today..

Posted by: james | Apr 8 2019 2:26 utc | 77

@ snake #78
After confessing I’ve no actual information about what’s going on in the Saudi arena, I have gotten “vibes” that MBS may be in trouble. Headlines like this:
Saudi king rejects measures impacting Syrian sovereignty over Golan Heights
Nothing about the “Crown Prince” in the tiny piece. Guessing now, I’d say MBS joined with Kushner in the Deal of the Century by selling out the Syrians, Palestinians, and anyone else in order to advance himself. That Saudi King may be in bad shape, but he isn’t dead yet, and a person has to wonder if MBS will ever sit on the throne there. MBS with nukes? That’s a really crazy thought.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Apr 8 2019 2:30 utc | 78

Piotr Berman @77:

… Seth Rich could be killed by the very people who got the stolen files and who did not want to take a risk of the guy getting remorseful …

How do you know Seth Rich was killed? Maybe his death was faked and he was simply reassigned?
Once again: many have noted how weirdly Seth Rich’s “family” have acted. But those concerns are drowned out by alt-posters proclaiming: “His name was Seth Rich!” Smells like CYA. LOL.
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
Perspective is everything.
If you believe that Seth Rich decided to leak to Wikileaks, then you ‘buy into’ his death. If you believe (as I do) that CIA wanted to discredit Wikileaks, then Seth Rich was used to do that, and his “death” was likely faked.
Why believe the latter? Because the entire 2016 Presidential election was fixed and contrived for certain outcomes:

a) to elect a nationalist;
b) to promote anti-Russian McCarthyism;
c) to settle scores (Wikileaks, Flynn).

I’ve provided evidence of (a). The failure of the Mueller witch hunt and the way that Russiagate has been stoked, prove (b). And the FBI’s investigative failures, along with (a) and (b) strongly suggest (c).

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 8 2019 2:32 utc | 79

JR @ &:
I read David Habakkuk’s article at the link you provided.
He omitted to say that the same Dmitri Alperovich who is a Senior Fellow at The Atlantic Council is also one of the founders of Crowdstrike, the same cyber-security company that was hired by the Democratic National Committee.
Crowdstrike was one of the first, if not the first, people to accuse the Trump presidential campaign of collusion with Moscow.
Alperovich and Crowdstrike have some association with Alexandra Chalupa who I understand worked in Bill Clinton’s administration in the late 1990s. Alexandra Chalupa and her sister Andrea Chalupa supported the Maidan revolution that overthrew Viktor Yanukovych’s government in Ukraine in February 2014, Andrea doing so mainly through her Twitter platform Digital Maidan.
Alexandra Chalupa also was the person who investigated Paul Manafort’s links with the Yanukovych government while employed by the DNC in 2016.

Posted by: Jen | Apr 8 2019 2:58 utc | 80

Fred Hampton, socialist leader, Black Panther Party, COINTELPRO target, assassinated December 4,1969,age 21.
His message -fight fire with water
https://www.fiercefronteriza.com/fierce-fronteriza-blog/the-message-of-fred-hampton-fighting-fire-with-water
Full text of his speech Power Anywhere Where There’s People https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/fhamptonspeech.html

Posted by: mourning dove | Apr 8 2019 3:01 utc | 81

Jen
Habakkuk mentions the connection to Atlantic Council but doesn’t mention Alperovich by name.
Thanks for the additional info. A valuable contribution, as always.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 8 2019 3:05 utc | 82

An example of pictures being worth a thousand words;
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/mapstellstory.html

Posted by: ben | Apr 8 2019 3:21 utc | 83

JR at 73
So now Circe/DT are the conspiracy theory? Talk about never giving it a rest. LOL
However, you are wrong about us never talking to each other. I gave her props just the other night in a different thread for being one of the first here to sniff out the rampant post-election Trump Love for being misplaced and she returned the love.
Her shining example ayear or so ago helped lead me back to commenting here, and no not through some secret back channel conspiracy of the type that appears to consume your every waking uber-paranoid moment. LMAO. Although to be sure, I enjoy your Trump conspiracy theories immensely for what they are, your way of back pedaling (entertainingly) away from the rampant post election Trump Love which Circe has debunked since the election…and come to think of it, Circe and you tend to be in agreement much of the time too..hmmmm……
As for insinuating I am somehow a zionist or letting the zionists off the hook, you are once again fallacious in your thought process. I worry about your lack of reading comprehension along with your lack of reasoning skills JR.
Dude figure it out. Every uber wealthy globalist who avails hisself of the tools of the financial system (including money laundering which I’m often on about as you are here too) to further self-enrich at the expense of the rest of us (that is the 1% vs the 99% in layman’s terms) is part of the globalist capitalist conspiracy.
This includes rich jews, whether Israeli or not, whether zionist or not, regardless of nationality. Yes, JR this also includes many many Russians and Chinese, Israelis, Jews of many nations, Muslims of many nations, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, agnostics you name it. It’s uhh, “global” bro. The only meaningful connections for me is (1) they are all uber wealthy, (2) they belong to the elitist class and (3) they are fucking us over mightily.
The political leaders of the US, China and Russia serve to protect and defend, not to mention further enhance, this class based conspiracy of which each is part and parcel, yes including Trump, Putin and Xi.
I think you might want to surface from the oceanic depths of your own pressurised conspiratard mentality and come up for air…at least once in a while.
As for our attacking James, he took my “attack” with the good humoured spirit in which I offered it. As for Circe, he attacked her first so all bets are off there. So that ostensible connection hardly indicates a “conspiracy” against James. C’mon man.
We are all one trick ponies here for the most part was my point of poking at James, especially those of us who are volume commenters. Not just Circe. Pretty much all. Attacking her for being a one trick pony is what I refer to as “psychological projection.” And I invented that term as you know…

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 8 2019 3:37 utc | 84

Ramin Mazaheri has the second part of his eight-part series on China’s Cultural Revolution over at the Saker:
The story of a martyr FOR, and not BY, China’s Cultural Revolution (2/8)
In this part, Mazaheri expands on the great goal of the Cultural Revolution, which was to bring education to the peasants, and to break their culture of submissiveness to their local leaders:

The Cultural Revolution cannot and will never be understood, much less appreciated and learned from, without grasping that rural empowerment was its absolute priority and goal – this really cannot be stressed enough.

It was Mao’s great understanding of his nation and his radical vision of the necessary change that prompted the extraordinary venture known as the Cultural Revolution. He invested completely in the human capital of his nation, and as Mazaheri touched on in his first part, this gave rise to an educated and empowered citizenry that was well able to take advantage of Deng’s subsequent unleashing of the economy. The Great Leap Forward, in other words, began directly and immediately in the Cultural Revolution (this is spelled out better in Part 1 rather than part 2).
Some more…

China’s rural population was 82% of the overall population in 1964, therefore this new rural focus was perfectly in keeping with democratic ideals.
But education is not enough – the political system must explicitly promote and defend the involvement of the 99%.
Chinese peasants were not historically apolitical – there are too many cases of uprisings to say that, even though this is exactly what many Western academics lazily claim about China – but the CR was undoubtedly the very first time they were ever empowered politically. “The fact that Mao and other Cultural Revolution leaders saw the need to involve common villagers, most of whom were illiterate and were considered ignorant by the educated elite, was in itself revolutionary and democratic.”

Posted by: Grieved | Apr 8 2019 3:54 utc | 85

Reuters, April 7, 2019 3:07 AM:

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he made the controversial decision to recognize Israel’s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights after getting a quick history lesson during a conversation on a different subject.
Speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition gathering in Las Vegas, Trump said he made the snap decision during a discussion with his top Middle East peace advisers, including the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
“I said, ‘Fellows, do me a favor. Give me a little history, quick. Want to go fast. I got a lot of things I’m working on: China, North Korea. Give me a quickie,” Trump said to laughter from the Las Vegas crowd.
“‘How do you like the idea of me recognizing exactly what we’re discussing?’” said Trump, recounting the conversation.
Trump, who typically demands short sharp briefings and is known for his colorful retelling of stories, said Friedman was shocked, “like a wonderful, beautiful baby,” and asked the President if he would actually do it.

——————–
a little history… a quickie… f*cking shame…
And this scarecrow wants to make America great?

Posted by: John Smith | Apr 8 2019 5:02 utc | 86

donkeytale
Maybe Circe will object to your redirecting anti-Western establishment sentiment to INCLUDE anti-Russian and anti-Chinese establishment also.
But she hasn’t yet done so (AFAIK). And this isn’t the first time that you’ve stressed class solidarity over the more practical and immediate benefit of halting the expansion of the Empire.
As I considered Circe’s take-no-prisoners anti-Zionist POV, it occurred to me that Circe’s non-objection is somewhat strange. Like the dog that didn’t bark. It is Iran and Russia that turned back the takeover in Syria, for example. And Russia and China lead the opposition to the West (which, on the whole, is sympathetic to Zionism and supportive of Israel).
Maybe there’s a reason. Maybe Circe only takes issue with those that are critical of her? I dunno.
<> <> <> <> <> <> <>
At the same time, you haven’t tried to correct Circe’s approach, either.
Someone who is committed to GLOBAL socialism might be expected to object to Circe’s focus on Zionists (from time to time, anyway). There are rich Zionists and poor Zionists, after all. And your beef is with the rich ones, wherever they may be, right? You postulate that Russia, China, and USA leadership are in cahoots to repress us all! Isn’t Circe’s anti-Zionism misguided then? From YOUR standpoint, she just doesn’t see the big picture. Yet you haven’t made any effort to correct her viewpoint. And you are certainly not shy about arguing for your viewpoint! LOL.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Apr 8 2019 5:10 utc | 87

Leave Circe alone!
S.Lavrov is getting worried that local forces he did not name that own an airforce (hint) already anounced future air operations against LNA (Haftars’ army) which officialy the Federation supposedly is not supporting.
After 2:19
TRT: “Country on the brink: UN urges truce for medevacs”
https://youtu.be/MX_6iBBXpjc
Another AP video shows US mil hovercrafts evacuating:
After 0:38 https://youtu.be/ydFgLOpsRx0

Posted by: on the brink | Apr 8 2019 6:00 utc | 88

@ Grieved with the part 2 link to Ramin Mazaheri series as Saker…thanks…. It is good to read some good historical socialism
To do what Mao did during the CR in the West one would have to deal with monotheism like China has had to do with the Uighurs more recently…..I don’t see it happening, because too much brainwashing to overcome…..sigh
And the West is still digging down. Look at the global geo-political flailing with more and more “plate spinning” while debt and garbage keep piling up at unsustainable levels…and its zionism’s fault…grin
China is building 15 regional distribution centers to support their growing economy and in America where the founding fathers installed the socialistic service of postal communications that is now being actively killed and will result in a mish-mash of distribution services designed to make a profit instead of provide a social service.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Apr 8 2019 6:03 utc | 89

Secret Document Reveals Plans For Civil War In Lebanon, Israeli False Flags, & Invasion

Posted by: TJ | Apr 8 2019 7:35 utc | 90

Posted by: TJ | Apr 8, 2019 3:35:29 AM | 92
Secret Document Reveals Plans For Civil War In Lebanon, Israeli False Flags, & Invasion
——————-
Pindos still can not calm down …

Posted by: John Smith | Apr 8 2019 8:56 utc | 91

Posted by: donkeytale | Apr 7, 2019 5:24:40 PM | 49
“In fact, unless you are among the poor or buying necessities for the poor, you should simply purchase less of everything from anyone, especially if it comes encased in packaging of any kind.”
I couldn’t tell if you were being sarcastic or not, but for the first time I agree wholeheartedly with you.

Posted by: Russ | Apr 8 2019 9:03 utc | 92

The National Interest, April 7, 2019:

Russian state news reported Kinzhal integration on the Su-57 earlier this week: “In accordance with Russia’s State Armament Program for 2018-2027, Su-57 jet fighters will be equipped with hypersonic missiles. The jet fighters will receive missiles with characteristics similar to that of the Kinzhal missiles, but with inter-body placement and smaller size,” says a defense industry insider.

Posted by: John Smith | Apr 8 2019 9:07 utc | 93

Event Horizon Telescope:

On April 10th 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration will present its first results in multiple simultaneous press conferences around the world, and many satellite events organized by its stakeholder and affiliated institutions. Press conferences will be held simultaneously in Brussels (in English), Lyngby (in Danish), Santiago (in Spanish), Shanghai (in Mandarin), Tokyo (in Japanese), Taipei (in Mandarin), and Washington D.C. (in English), starting at 13:00 Universal Time.

Posted by: John Smith | Apr 8 2019 9:20 utc | 94

mourning dove | Apr 7, 2019 7:34:35 PM | 61
There are probably research stations?
The specific foreign nation mil. ‘tourists’ mentioned are seemingly somehow also the research subjects themselves? Too many mysteries.
Places that will also act as ‘retreats’ when shtf, obviously. Has God has other plans though?
Brieff example! Look at Egypt. Huge mountains of structures above and below, just stand there empty, impossible to date, comprehend. Nobody left to figure out what for and why.The alleged historical Exodus people actually becaming the Egyptian oppressors in this historical circle. They too will become dust and wither. Plus the IMF seems to have a liking for countries with secrets, pressumably largely still ..well you know ..secret. Yet again look what happened to the former IMF director chieff. One night he openned his Tel Aviv high rise office window and he thought he could fly like a bird..

Posted by: dust to dust | Apr 8 2019 9:21 utc | 95

Syria leases Mediterranean port to Iran
Decision to lease parts of Latakia to Iran puts Iranian personnel close to Russian installations

Posted by: John Smith | Apr 8 2019 9:25 utc | 96

RAND Corporation:
Cost of training U.S. Air Force pilots:
F 16 pilot: $5.6 million
F 22 pilot: $10.9 million
B 1 pilot: $7.3 million
B 52 pilot: $9.7 million
Our new analysis shows that retaining pilots is more efficient than accessing new ones:
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2415.html

Posted by: John Smith | Apr 8 2019 9:30 utc | 97

donkeytale @ 3 says:
what ya gonna do about it
donkeytale @ 31 says:
Hope it counts if I don’t use my real name. Don’t fancy spending what’s left of my dotage in a federal “re-education” camp….
into the fray, dude, into the fray…
meanwhile…

Posted by: john | Apr 8 2019 9:34 utc | 98

@98 John Smith “Iranian developers were also given the rights to construct a 200,000-apartment housing development near the Syrian capital.”
Is that what they are calling army barracks these days?

Posted by: Yeah, Right | Apr 8 2019 11:15 utc | 99

@ Posted by: Grieved | Apr 7, 2019 11:54:46 PM | 87
China’s peasant class was completely different from the Soviet peasant class. That’s why Mao’s CR worked, but Lenin’s didn’t.
–/
Russia’s peasant class was a living fossil from the feudal era. After the October Revolution and the Civil War ended, the peasant class imediately turned against the construction of socialism in the newly founded USSR.
The main point of discord was that the Bolsheviks wanted to do a massive industrial revolution by completely mechanizing agriculture, divided into giant collective farms (similar to today’s “belts” in the USA, except for the fact they would be collectively owned and culturivated).
The peasantry wanted feudalism back, in a system of very small farms where each peasant would produce just enough for him and his family, each (occasional) surplus being sold abroad at international prices. That would mean starving the urban proletariat in the great cities (mainly Moscow and Leningrad) to death, deindustrializing the USSR and killing the Revolution.
Lenin’s solution, at first, was a “third way”: he respected the will of the poorest peasants (the ones who, before the Revolution, needed to work for the richer peasants for subsistence) and expropriated the rich peasants (kulaks) — a distortion from the tsar’s capitalist reforms of the 1860s.
After that didn’t work, he did the NEP, where the peasant finally could sell the excedent, but with the State as the preferential consumer. That worked for a while, but in 1926-8 the economy begun to plunge into recession again: the problem was that the very small property has its limits of production, no matter how well mechanized they could be. Industrialization only works if the scale is greatly amplified.
Lenin was already dead by then, so it was up to Stalin to solve this agricultural problem once and for all. He then forced the collectivization of land and implemented the giant farms, ending the USSR food supply problem until the 1980s, when it was then impelled to import wheat from the USA to supplement its domestic demand (the USSR’s climate problem for agriculture is well-known, but too complex to discuss here).
–//
China’s peasant class, on the other side, was not a fossil of its feudal past.
To begin with, China’s feudalism was different from European feudalism: the peasant class always had much more political power and autonomy. It was its divine right to topple emperors, and usurpers didn’t hesitate to call the peasant masses to do it.
Since Chinese feudalism came from the theoretical Asiatic mode of production, and not classical (ancient) slavery, it kind of “industrialized” much earlier, and its peasant class was much more involved in manufacture than its european counterpart.
That’s why it was not a problem for Mao to call for the peasant class to build socialism: it was much more familiarized with industrialization than the Russian one. In Russia, the peasant class only accepted the Revolution because it promised “land, bread and peace” and only then after the Provisory Government essentially commited “electoral stelionate”, by renewing its compromise with the other European powers to continue WWI. In China, the peasant class (or a good portion of it) was with the Revolution from the beginning.
And that was also the reason Deng Xiaoping’s reforms ultimately worked out: with the Chinese peasantry already culturally inclined to manufacture and thus, potentially, entrepeneurial initiative, he was comfortable with allowing them to sell their excedents in the market (the State still the preferential buyer)while reinvesting the profits in manufacture (again, with an incentive and tips from the State).
Hence China’s sui generis peasant class serving as the basis of market socialism. That’s why it is officially classified as “with Chinese characteristics”.

Posted by: vk | Apr 8 2019 12:01 utc | 100

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