donkeytale @ 79: let me add my kudos for your post @ 79.

Anti-Spin @ 100; Your take on Cultural Marxism mirrors my own, but, much better expressed than I ever could. Thank you..

Posted by: ben | Jun 10 2019 23:50 utc | 101

@ Den Haag | Jun 10, 2019 12:26:17 PM #89

I wonder, You Moonies are climate believers?

Thank you for that tidbit of information.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 10 2019 23:53 utc | 102

@100 antispin

You could be right and that would make me an imbecile for trusting racists and bigots, but I view the term differently. I already mentioned that they are not attacking Marxism, even by extension. It may be possible that some airheads may further take the discussion down that route, but for the most part, the term, I believe, is a rather humorous and apt take on a cultural phenomemon where everyone is a victim and is crying out for justice in their subgroup. The idea behind the term I believe stems from the right's correct interpretation that these groups in many cases want government intercession for some phantom pain caused by an egregious patriarchy.

In other words, CALL THE WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHmbulance!

Proper comeuppance I would say for the "Me-Too" and hand-out generation and for the suckers that bought into the BLM; they were all used for divisive purposes. AFAIK, we are all taking a bite out of this turd sandwich.

But dispense with the term for all I care. It still leaves the phenomenon without a name. But it sure can get under the skin of a lot of people who like Marx. Perhaps that was their intention as well. In that case, kudos to their media relations.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 11 2019 0:05 utc | 103

Cultural Marxism. Where to start?
The infamous Illuminati (or whatever they call themselves today) gave that name to the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century,which claimed that human progress must abandon "superstition," meaning Christianity, in favor of "reason." Thus the Illuminati succeeded in bringing about the French and American revolutions, which instituted the separation of Church and State and then sponsoring the mythical ideals of Communism and Marxism that would give them total control of global wealth and its people. Contrary to popular belief Marx did not invent the idea of Communism

To achieve their ends society must be controlled. This brings us to the field of Cybernetics. According to one of Cybernetics pioneers, anthropologist Gregory Bateson,an approach to controlling societies, is “the biggest bite out of the Tree of Knowledge that mankind has taken in the last 2,000 years.” Bateson was a leading member of the Cybernetics Group, a CIA project that both directed the evolution of the personal computer, and contributed to the CIA “mind-control” program, known as MK-Ultra. MK-Ultra was imported to the US from the eugenic practices of the Nazis with the help of Operation Paperclip.

MK-Ultra, begun in the 1950s, developed from the behavior control research project coordinated by the Tavistock Institute, with the Scottish Rite Masons, the CIA, and other British, American, Canadian and United Nations agencies. Formed at Oxford University, London, in 1920 by the Round Table’s Royal Institute for International Affairs (RIIA), the Tavistock Clinic, whose members referred to themselves as an “invisible college,” became the Psychiatric Division of the British Army during World War II.

The Tavistock Institute’s projects were a follow-up on the work of the Frankfurt School established shortly after WWI to determine why Marxist revolutions did not spread to the West following the revolution in Russia. To understand the roots of Cultural Marxism today one must understand the Frankfurt School thinking.

A key member of the Frankfurt School was Herbert Marcuse
Marcuse’s criticism of capitalism was built on a synthesis of Freud and Marx. He agreed with Marx that capitalism dehumanized workers by turning them into objects, resources to be used for production. Marcuse took this further, arguing that workers had begun to see themselves as extensions of the things they made and thus had adopted a consumerist view of the world where life does in fact consist in the abundance of possession.
This, in turn, meant that the working classes have bought into the capitalist system which provides them with the goods they pursue. From this it was concluded Social Marxism was the missing ingredient

During the Third Reich they had relocated to New York and began preparing the way for the imposition of “Social Marxism,” from its home base , which was Columbia University and other nearby Universities and Think Tanks/Institutes/Foundations. Social Marxism as it was called then, was necessary, in order to inject a new meaning into the failed Marxist philosophy, which had proven to be a total disaster in the Soviet Union and which would need dramatic changes before the ‘Free West’ could be blindly lead into the same trap.

Lord Bertrand Russell, a member of the Round Table, is considered one of the founders of analytic philosophy . Russell offered a glimpse into Frankfurt School’s mass social engineering efforts, in his 1951 book, The Impact of Science on Society:
 
“I think the subject which will be of most importance politically is mass psychology... Its importance has been enormously increased by the growth of modern methods of propaganda. Of these the most influential is what is called "education." Religion plays a part, though a diminishing one; the press, the cinema, and the radio play an increasing part.... It may be hoped that in time anybody will be able to persuade anybody of anything if he can catch the patient young and is provided by the State with money and equipment.

…Although this science will be diligently studied, it will be rigidly confined to the governing class. The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated. When the technique has been perfected, every government that has been in charge of education for a generation will be able to control its subjects securely without the need of armies or policemen.”

Thus they began the work towards the psychological change necessary to force an unwilling public, particularly a White male public, to accept that they should be prepared to surrender control over their societies

To achieve their surrender they had to undermine the Judeo-Christian legacy through an "abolition of culture" and to determine new cultural forms which would increase the alienation of the population. Their net effect is to divorce us from truth, social cohesion and our cultural heritage.

Funds to do so came from various German and American universities, the Rockefeller Foundation, and several American and British intelligence services (Marcuse worked for the OSS and State Department before becoming the Father of the New Left in the 60’s)

The supplementation of Marxism with its modern cultural focus, taking care to disassociate itself from Communism , corrects the failures of those whom had used the myth of Marxism for their own ends in Soviet Russia and is again being used as a front to further the aims of Corporate Elite, whom actually did and do control Russia, just as they now control China. At the same time they have taken control of that other system which is Democracy, and more myth than reality today, and they are taking the West along the road to serfdom that Marxism in its original form was designed to achieve.

Todays Russia, China and the West all have in common neoliberalism which is a synthesis between Feudalism and Monopoly Capitalism where the owners of production and property (1% corporate elite) control government (one or both parties), media and education. In effect they control our reality. In essence, New Communism.

This New Communism that is not called Communism, yet really is Communism, calls itself Democracy or claims they are striving toward True Socialism , but they are neither and yet the same. Orwellian Newspeak at work.

Conflict between the New Communist States is like Fake Wrestling. Entertaining and Distracting the proles with external threats makes it easier to control them, as does Cultural Marxism which divides the people with its internal threats pitting race, gender, religion, etc against each other. Divide and Rule. Its so easy for them.

Posted by: Pft | Jun 11 2019 0:08 utc | 104

I knew Huawei was considerably ahead of US companies in 5G development, and that this was the reason for the tech-war against them. The "security threat" BS was simply the only remotely legal justification for blatantly illegal anti-competitive practices. If US companies can't beat foreign developers fair and square, the US government can always fall back on it's only remaining asset--bullying and coercion. I will admit citing "security concerns" was particularly rich, seeing as how US telecommunications companies are famous for complicity in spying, and if the NSA is unhappy about Huawei it's only because they don't, in fact, have back doors that the NSA can use.

However, it turns out that US development is even worse off, and intentionally so, than I realized. The real goal appears to be to force US consumers to accept a product that's going to be virtually worthless, certainly in fly-over USA. https://www.wired.com/story/choosing-the-wrong-lane-in-the-race-to-5g/

Posted by: J Swift | Jun 11 2019 0:22 utc | 105

donkeytale | Jun 10, 2019 8:40:05 AM | 79

Right on and can I add that if we are to have open borders and free roam of citizens then lets have open unionism for all. All workers in a union and only that union to negotiate with management.

Can I add open elections: where everyone is automatically enrolled to vote (like in many other countries)and is subject to fine for failing to vote. Perhaps I could add heavy fines for any contrivance to impede a voter from fair and prompt access to polling stations.

Why not exclude corporate purchasing power from election activity. Paper ballots immediately should be a high priority demand (it works mighty fine in other nations and gives prompt results).

The cultural Marxism debate is a distraction, open participation for all citizens should be front and foremost. The right will have trouble arguing that as they prefer gobbledygook debates.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jun 11 2019 0:55 utc | 106

@ 79 Donkeytale

At last I have the opportunity to respond to your lengthy post.

Re: illegal immigrants. (Please do not reply that, "BUT WHITES ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!"...you are annoying if you do) I understand their plight and I empathize with them. I might probably do what they have done for my family if I were in their shoes. This has all been said before by well-meaning, generous people. I like to think I am one of them. However, to be generous does not follow that you must always be welcoming. Especially when it comes to the commonsense debate of economic refugees. And it is commonsense. There are several negative products of this reality that are easy to identify:

* They jump the line.
* They lower wages by leveraging the desperation of their position which in turn hurts nationals who are competing for jobs in the same field.
* They often bunch together and do not assimilate to the culture.
* They send money home instead of reinvesting it in the local economy.
* If they stayed in their own country and fought for liveability, don't you think that would be a better plight, and that installing fair government for themselves would be a better use of their time and wouldn't hurt others?
* They have become instruments in the demonic quest for identifying anyone who questions the practice of employing cheap, illegal labor as racists, thus "moving the goal posts" of the whole debate entirely.
* THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT: Defenders of this practice argue that these are jobs which whites and other nationals "don't want." Well, that is partially true, but only because they don't PAY SHIT! If options were limited for cheap labor, employers would be forced to increase wages to attract help and suddenly those jobs like a lot more rosey. Hell, I would sew Nikes everyday for $25/hour and three breaks. So don't give me the Obama (globalist) line that "THESE JOBS AREN'T COMING BACK! Horseshit. Bring them back and pay people.

Is it also the abandonment of the left from unions and middle class? Absolutely. But I brought up the issue because it related to what we were discussing re: cultural Marxism and identifying those who object with economic refugees as RACISTS!

Re: your take that because I am Christian I must accept economic refugees in my home country. BALONEY! Just because I am a generous Christian, does not mean that I have to willingly endorse policies that breed resentment and the kind of reactionary violence seen in other countries who have a large migrant population. They are first against the wall in times of desperation. I am trying to avoid these circumstances and that is a sensible position. Furthermore, St. Thomas Aquinas held that one should welcome visitors and guests with no prejudice, granted they: 1)assimilate to the prevailing culture; 2) do not leech off the system or host; 3)be deemed peaceful for the common good. This is a church father saying this. Seems sensible to me.

Re: your take on rape culture. What you are saying has been the case in this world since time immemorial. Bad things happen for no reason and even when they don't ask for it. Man-creatures have always preyed on the physically weaker sex. In times of war and in times of peace. Why does making a huge-fucking deal about the issue somehow qualify you to dictate policy or steer cultural discussions in ways that benefit those who want us to be talking about something else? Thank you for your well-wishes for my family. I extend the same for you and everyone else here on the site who honestly care for truth and the advancement of spirit. But I will be sensible when I instruct my daughter about how to know when you are in trouble and what to do. This is the duty for all PARENTS: to instruct their kids and then push them outta the nest. I don't need government or a PSA or my eyelids held open so I can watch a desensitizing film on the sexual exploitation of women.

Re: BLM and the plight of blacks. Why are they talking about police violence when they should be talking about incarceration rates and the prison-Industrial-complex, of which you do have a point is an issue. I know very little on the subject other than what I presented before: blacks have a much higher statistical probability of engaging in violent crime. But I would be happy to understand more on the subject.

Re: Kushner and KSA and blah blah blah. Yes. These are the enemies. More corruption on an individual level than the wide-breadth effects of globalism. We make our government more transparent and limited and we make it work for us Americans.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 11 2019 1:08 utc | 107

@109
Thanks NemesisCalling, great rebuttal.

"* THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT: Defenders of this practice argue that these are jobs which whites and other nationals "don't want." Well, that is partially true, but only because they don't PAY SHIT! If options were limited for cheap labor, employers would be forced to increase wages to attract help and suddenly those jobs like a lot more rosey. Hell, I would sew Nikes everyday for $25/hour and three breaks. So don't give me the Obama (globalist) line that "THESE JOBS AREN'T COMING BACK! Horseshit. Bring them back and pay people."

Anybody who works in the service industries, like I do, know how excessive immigration has gutted wages over the last 30 years. Yes, many of these jobs are dirty and dangerous, but they used to put a roof over peoples heads. Now the only roof you will get from working 40+ hours is a bridge or interstate overpass. West Coast USA is an absolute disaster, the cities looking more and more like those of a banana republic.

Self-preservation isn't racism, although the harsh realities imposed by excessive immigration on the working class creates a fertile environment for racism.

Posted by: Hasaan | Jun 11 2019 1:45 utc | 108

Nemesis Calling @ 109:

"... If they stayed in their own country and fought for liveability, don't you think that would be a better plight, and that installing fair government for themselves would be a better use of their time and wouldn't hurt others? ..."

I might say that in a number of Western countries, Syrian refugees are actually making an effort to leave and return to Syria to help reconstruct their homes and communities. Interesting thing is, their host governments are not exactly supporting them in their attempts to return home.

And these people are refugees, not economic immigrants from other countries who have joined the refugee caravans.

Posted by: Jen | Jun 11 2019 1:59 utc | 109

Nemesis: ... blacks have a much higher statistical probability of engaging in violent crime.

There are a lot of reasons for this that you could easily educate yourself about. I suggest that you actually talk to a black person and learn their perspective directly.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

The US middle-class got shafted so the wealthy could make MOAR from the China-US wage differential (bonus: break the unions). China's "peaceful rise" was also in the cards as part of the US NWO strategy.

NOW that the NWO strategy is in tatters and all the easy money was made, the Deep State has initiated Cold War II and a trade war and touts it's intention to return jobs to America. But NO ONE talks of the clusterf*ck that got us here. That embarrassment to the establishment is memory-holed.

There was no "peace dividend" because there was no peace after Cold War I. US continued to pursue it's NWO aspirations and "greater Israel" was a large part of that (judging by what has occurred). But the spoils of war were distributed to the wealthy elites in the form of Open Season on the middle-class. Apparently showcasing a middle-class to prove the superiority of the West/capitalism was no longer necessary when the Cold War ended.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 11 2019 3:26 utc | 110

Follow-up @112

Those who have NOT memory-holed the history of the clusterf*ck are the ruling elites that got so close to achieving their NWO goals.

Kissinger's August 2014 WSJ Op-Ed demonstrated a determination to redouble their effort to achieve those NWO goals. MAGA was part of that prescription and Trump was the 2016 MAGA candidate. Even more remarkable (and further evidence that the election was rigged from the start) he was the only populist on the right - out of a field of 19!.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 11 2019 3:32 utc | 111

Still an open thread? Here is something I saw at a milblog:

The U.S. Navy Could Soon Embrace What Amounts to Laser 'Shields'

My concern is that this massive shift from kinetic energy defenses to lasers is going to kill a lot of sailors. Supposing they actually manage to make a super-laser, what are they going to do when a rainstorm comes along. Or a spell of heavy fog? I'd imagine today's sea-skimming missile bodies are made of some aluminum alloy, but what's to keep an enemy from making them of something really resistant to heat? Say, nose cone material, or tungsten?

From where I stand this scheme looks like another way to bilk taxpayers, not to protect ships.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 3:41 utc | 112

@114 Russia and China say thanks for the heads up. They are already working on a missile system to thwart the High Energy Laser and Integrated Optical-dazzler.

Posted by: dh | Jun 11 2019 3:59 utc | 113

@110 hasaan

Respect, brother. One laborer to the next.

Great point at the end of your post.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 11 2019 4:57 utc | 114

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48590148
"US Africa envoy to visit Sudan amid crisis to encourage talks"

Not the UN. When the 'crisis' is directly related to anything related to KSA, the US just tells the UN to shut up and they do.

When the African Union last week had done the correct moves: exclude Sudan and call for a civilian gov, everyone expressed satisfaction, but when within 24 hours the protesters of the sit-in were massacred (incl. by Chadian soldiers or mercenaries according to an RFI report) they all got mute. How come?

Posted by: Mina | Jun 11 2019 6:24 utc | 115

This is what I've been patiently waiting for since the last Malaysian elections overturned the corrupt previous regime:

The Downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17: Mahathir Opens a “Ukraine Political Pandora’s Box” by Engdahl. I saw a brief quote from Mahathir a few days ago but this article gives much more details and pulls them together - this could be the ticking time-bomb on Ukraine, Kolomoisky and Biden.

Posted by: BM | Jun 11 2019 7:32 utc | 116

The U.S. Navy Could Soon Embrace What Amounts to Laser 'Shields'
Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 10, 2019 11:41:17 PM | 114

So the US hopes to counter Russian highly maneuverable hypersonic missiles moving at Mach 10 or more using lasers? And that only at short range (the range of the lasers is not much due to atmospheric absorption)! How many nanoseconds to they have to aim and fire, then?

Let me guess, to test these lasers the MIC corporations want to get a positive result so that they can get more money for R&D, and maybe even sales, eventually, so the test the lasers against slow-moving subsonic 1940's era missiles, then they claim it works, and it starts installing them on US ships as "operational". But against a Russian hypersonic missile it won't stand a chance (nor probably even against Chinese missiles). By the time the laser controller has seen the missile, pinpointed it's location and aimed the laser it has already hit the ship - or if not that, at any rate the missile has already travelled so far it is no longer anywhere near the laser's target!

Never mind that though, Lockheed and it's pals will make their billions selling the lasers at the cost of the US taxpayers/US treasuries buyers, and cross their fingers it will never be shown up as the same white elephant as the F35.

Posted by: BM | Jun 11 2019 8:04 utc | 117

Nemesis @ ........
Thank you for your ‘in-depth’ and very wordy insight into your psychology ! Which I oppose 100%
Your view is a small sample of all that is wrong in this brutal uncaring and greedy world ! A call for a ‘were all right jack the devil take the rest’ point of view.
The US is not the center of the universe ! But a small loud insignificant part of the world, and needs to be put back in it’s place. For the good of all man kind.

Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 11 2019 8:18 utc | 118

To add to my last comment -
What nemesis is preaching is the direct course of the worlds problems not the salution. Don’t buy into it. They are incapable of predicting the outcome of there own actions.

Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 11 2019 8:31 utc | 119

MSM revisionism at full speed, even when they pretend they are criticizing
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48582559
We now learn that the infamous Janjawid militias were just the
"ruthless force that was used to terrorise civilians in Darfur"

no more genocide in Darfur? no more ICC conviction for Omar Beshir? no more South Sudan, that great Qatar-sponsored project?

finally in the three last paragraphs, the journalist lets a bit of truth in the open; his editors know that a tiny percentage of people will read until the end

Posted by: Mina | Jun 11 2019 10:20 utc | 120

And to protect Yemen and Iraq, why not invite the very people who destroy them at a big event in the so-called Peace Palace?
https://www.facebook.com/events/2007829469327690/
https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/binaries/content/assets/geesteswetenschappen/lucis/final-programme-world-peace-programme.pdf

I hope the Sudanese, Yemenites, Iraqi and Saudis expats will welcome them with rotten tomatoes!

Posted by: Mina | Jun 11 2019 10:30 utc | 121

@114 I am reminded of the Battle of Savo Island, where the US Navy was convinced that its radar-equipped cruisers and destroyers held a decisive advantage against anything the radar-less Imperial Japanese Navy could do.

Only the radar-less IJN paced themselves behind a rain-squall that played havoc with radar-returns. Until, that is, they entered Ironbottom Sound, whereupon it was much too late for the US cruisers to know what the heck was happening.

Quite a bit was happening, as it turned out, none of it good for the Americans and the Australians.

Posted by: Yeah, Right | Jun 11 2019 10:49 utc | 122

'Progressive' governments often shoot themselves in the foot by trying to look 'fiscally responsible'.

Corbyn is doing some great stuff but gets bogged down in neoliberal thought about economics. Bill Mitchell takes this to task:

money vs resourses

I think an understanding of MMT has a lot to do with thinking in terms of
resources than in terms of 'money'

"An MMT understanding allows us to break out of the illusory financial constraints that for too long have hindered our ability to imagine radical alternatives and to envision truly transformational policies, such as the Green New Deal, in the knowledge the issue is not whether we can afford a certain policy in financial terms but only whether we have enough available resources – and political will – to implement it."

MMT policy is generally agnostic as it just describes how money is issued and spent but they do favor employment as a policy option:

""The task of such a government is to provision itself with real resources to deliver its socio-economic program.

It also means that a currency-issuing government can purchase whatever is available for sale in that currency, including all idle labour.

The appearance of idle labour, for example, is evidence that the government has not spent enough relative to its tax take – so taxes are too high and/or spending is too low

In turn, this means that the unemployment rate is not a ‘market’ phenomenon or a choice of individuals (the mainstream dogma) but a political choice of government. The ideology of mass unemployment is thus exposed by an MMT understanding.""

Also MMT does understand inflation but again this concern is rooted in real resources:

""But it should be emphasised that all spending carries an inflation risk if it outstrips the capacity of the economy to respond to it by producing goods and services. Government spending is not unique in that respect.""

Posted by: financial matters | Jun 11 2019 10:56 utc | 123

Ohs noes! The "Big frickin` laser beams!" are back.

It is simple. Weapon systems all boil down to some mechanism to transfer energy to a target. Traditional guns and artillery transform the chemical energy in the propellant into kinetic energy in the projectile which then unloads that energy on the target. It doesn't matter to the basic point here if the projectile contains some chemical energy of its own to deliver. The point is that is is easy to store a good deal of energy in a compact package using chemistry and unleash that energy quickly. Chemicals go "Boom!" and projectile goes "Woosh!" and target goes "Aaargh!" Very simple and straight forward.

Now infotainment consumers want to talk about "Big frickin` laser beams!" We still need to transfer a big batch of energy to the target, whether it is kinetic energy in a chunk of lead or EM energy in a stream of photons. Where to get that energy? While it is possible to power lasers directly from chemical reactions, allowing you to use chemical cartridges in your laser guns much like you do in your traditional guns (an approach I believe the Russians are pursuing), the more typical approach is to power lasers with electricity. But for a weapons grade beam of coherent light we are talking massive amounts of electricity delivered very quickly. That's fine and dandy if you happen to have a nuclear power plant and a really big bank of capacitors handy. Not so fine if you want to carry your laser cannon around with you.

Of course, the Zumwalt class destroyers use a nifty gas turbine turning big generators to give it electrical drive power. All that electricity could be used to charge up a big bank of capacitors to power a laser system, at least in theory. Of course, then the captain has to choose between making his ship move and firing his lasers. Can't really do both at the same time. Not quite the kind of trade-off that impresses the Navy types.

Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 11 2019 11:11 utc | 124

William Gruff observes

'Chemicals go "Boom!" and projectile goes "Woosh!" and target goes "Aaargh!" Very simple and straight forward.'

LOL, thank's for the laugh, I needed that.

Posted by: Hmpf | Jun 11 2019 12:24 utc | 125

Leaked recording reveals Trump’s plan to stop Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister

Posted by: vk | Jun 11 2019 12:33 utc | 126

@donkeytale

You stated, "Let's also ignore the fact that the sons and grandsons of the unionised postwar generation for the most part subsequently rejected blue collar work no matter what the pay. This is a sign of decadence I will grant you, and I am guilty as charged. "

This canard doesn't hold up in the face of empirical evidence. One example: 20,000 waiting in line for lousy warehouse jobs at Amazon. The fact is, open borders and illegal immigration are NeoLiberal tactics to promote wage arbitrage. In California, those impacted the most by illegal immigration are African Americans. Whole sectors, such as hotel maintenance and janitorial service, had been unionized, and had principally employed black workers whose salaries enabled them to move into the middle class. The hotel industry welcomed the influx of illegal immigrants willing to work for drastically lower wages. Black workers were replaced and the union destroyed. Unfortunately, many in the US and globally have been so propagandized about illegal immigration that even mentioning illegal immigration gets one falsely labeled racist. in the US, Democrats use illegal immigration as a "demographic strategy," which enables Democrats to remain in power while remaining wholly loyal to Wall Street and doing nothing to ameliorate the misery of the bottom 90%.

Posted by: MG | Jun 11 2019 12:40 utc | 127

@ Gruff 124

Exactly. The whole threat of hypersonic missiles is that you don't have time to jack around. Even a lowly, "barely" hypersonic missile is traveling over a mile per second. So if under average weather conditions you have an effective range of 5 miles or so, you have less than five seconds to aim, lock on your tracking, and burn through whatever anti-laser defenses the missile has. Now, let's say the opponent has the gall to fire TWO missiles at once! Or a mix of hypersonic and conventional (but still supersonic) missiles?

Hell, even the Pantzir systems, which apparently have a real world effectiveness of over 80% kills (roughly 10 times better than the US Patriots), have still on an occasion or two been knocked out by swarm attacks. But hey, the US defense industry has become far more about how to win the battle for taxpayer dollars than winning against an armed opponent.

Posted by: J Swift | Jun 11 2019 12:48 utc | 128

Re several posts about Israel.

Palestinian prime minister says PA is on brink of collapse, bankruptcy. ME Eye, 5 June.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinian-premier-says-pa-brink-collapse-bankruptcy-report

Not mentioned in this article is the US de-funding of UNRWA and other moves in this direction. (No precise fin. nos for now.)

https://www.unrwa.org/careers/working-unrwa

UNWRA has 30K employees. I’d hazard 90% .. are Palestinians working in Palestine. They are doctors, teachers, nurses, drivers, coordinators, social workers, tech specialists, etc. The UN via its international contributions has kept Palestine limping but alive. Each salary provides vital services and feeds X ppl. Part of the Jared K.-Trump plan is cutting this ‘aid.’

One possibility I thought of is that the Jared K. plan (now mostly said to be dead in the water, e.g.)

https://lobelog.com/trumps-middle-east-policy-in-tatters/

while nobody quite knows what it is (a fantastic bigly plan kept secret, sounds great great?) involved shunting the reponsibility for the Palestinians to some other country, like Egypt. Smoothed w. pay-offs, etc. That is, a one-state-solution ->Pure Jewish Israel<- with the cumbersome absorbed into another country/demographic. Or even moved. !? Idk.

Just, this is an idea that seems obvious but is never mentioned. — Not PC; only the classical 2-state solution / 1-state on the model of a equal-citizen-rights Res Publica ‘models’ can be discussed. Neither of these will work, nor has anyone sought to apply them for more than 60 years btw.. but neither will a Jared-type solution. Why? Israel’s function for the Hegemon is to be, exist, and continue as it is.

If one follows this argument, Jared-Trump , are dangers for Israel, as being disruptive, unpredictable and thus unwelcome.

Posted by: Noirette | Jun 11 2019 14:27 utc | 129

john 96

Magic mushrooms are exactly that: magic.

Ive noticed how in large parts of Asia most drugs, including alcohol, are illegal and carry huge, sometimes drastic penalties for possession, and yet Psilocybins are fine, and have somehow managed to escape litigation. In fact, the only two countries I know of that actively prosecute for possession are Australia and the US.
How the DEA managed to convince most of the world that weed was worse than alcohol, mushrooms were dangerous, and ibogaine worse than the nasty drugs it helped cure addiction from, is simple. They gave them money to legislate, and, having become the behemoth it became by the 80s, continued to lose [and even encourage] the war on drugs in order to receive increasingly large amounts of money from congress, reducing massive to swathes of America to little more than a glorified crack den, and facilitating the creation and distribution of methamphetamine around the world, not to mention monopolizing the global herion trade. The last thing they want are drugs on the market that could help with or even cure many of these afflictions, with little or no negative side effects... It might threaten their reason to exist.
AOC couldn't give a shit about us, but spouts ideas that appeal to idealistic naivety.
Better than the existing powers that be, I guess, if I had a vote I would go for Gabbard any day...

Posted by: dan | Jun 11 2019 14:44 utc | 130

The common migrant cannot be tasked with improving the politics, the financial aspects, the pay scale, the opportunities for work, the safety of his family in his home country.

The USA has prepared his country the way that it endeavors it to be. That is a vassal, saddled with World Bank, IMF Debt and currency with ever-declining value pegged to the us dollar.

Often the US controls his country via election rigging, coups, military intervention, black ops, etc.

He must do that which best serves his family. That is find the most efficient solution - which is migration.

Posted by: fastfreddy | Jun 11 2019 14:51 utc | 131

That arsehole Luke Harding is back with one of his bullshit exclusives in the Guardian.

Leaked documents reveal Russian effort to exert influence in Africa
Exclusive: Kremlin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin leading push to turn continent into strategic hub, documents show
by Luke Harding and Jason Burke

The only thing you really need to know about the exposé:

The leaked documents were obtained by the Dossier Center, an investigative unit based in London. The centre is funded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the Russian businessman and exiled Kremlin critic.

The Guardian obviously has no shame for publishing such an article but then it has never explained the claims of Manafort meeting with Assange in the Ecuadorean embassy. As for the article, my reaction was "so fucking what?". The British French and Americans have fucked up large parts of Africa while the Soviet Union/Russia was indirectly responsible for eradicating that cancerous growth, the apartheid state of South Africa, a single act that was better than all the good things that the United Kingdom, France and the United States have ever done in Africa

Posted by: Ghost Ship | Jun 11 2019 15:01 utc | 132

"Big frickin` laser beams!" @ various...

A laser can be thought of as an electronic scalpel.
The main problem with using a scalpel to cause severe damage to a fast-moving object is that it can only inflict narrow cuts in the target. In order to inflict terminal damage on the target, two conditions must be met:
1. One must know precisely where a vulnerable part is located within the target.
2. The laser aiming system must be capable of tracking that part (inside a 3D object) with millimeter precision, continuously, until the part has been disabled.

Imo it'll never happen. Ever.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jun 11 2019 15:11 utc | 133

Behind Boeing's offer to settle with victims' families in the 737 Max crash is a hardball legal strategy that could leave them with nothing

Boeing is playing with fire. In a "normal" airliner crash the manufacturer is seldom as obviously guilty as Boeing is in both crashes. Paying huge awards to the families of the victims ought to be part of the punishment for such outrageous corporate misbehavior.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 15:14 utc | 134

Yemeni Guantanamo detainee's bid for release rejected by Supreme Court

17 years! Something is wrong here. If a person gets "accused" of a crime, the authorities ought to have evidence. Otherwise he/she should have never been taken into custody. After a decent interval to arrange a trial, those authorities ought to have that trial. Guilty or not guilty - BUT A TRIAL.

Guantanamo makes a mockery of everything I learned in school about US "justice".

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 15:24 utc | 135

So first, I'm about to piss off Trump bootlickers, whitewashing appeasers and enablers, and even conspiracy theorists who like to trash Sanders as a sheepdog and maybe even Russia-only, f-the-rest of the world, always-Trump bots, and Americans who dumped Trump on the rest of us either by voting for the Ay-hole himself or supporting right-wing and Democratic, Hillary/Obama foreign policy that brought us the Hidenburg Trump karma. I warn you all in advance: I am not into ass-kissing, but rather ass-kicking and didn't join the human race to win a popularity contest rather to battle ignorance, propaganda and those who exploit feeble-minded complacency and screw the world and try to own it for their narrow, selfish gain.

Let me start with that interview Trump gave Fox at the D-day commemoration. As usual Trump led with his snout instead of with wisdom, smearing his shnoz in all the dung he could sniff against the backdrop of the fallen and heroism he so abjectly lacks and sacrifice he runs from in the most cowardly and depraved manner as displayed in his past interviews with Howard Stern. Never has a man, if one deigns to call him that, so publicly humiliated himself as he did on that solemn day.

But here's the kicker: everyone is praising and or giving Trump credit for that speech he made to the veterans in their nineties who having reached the 75th anniversary of the time when they risked their lives to defeat fascist supremacy didn't deserve to be subjected to words that emerged hollow in monotone from the orifice of such dereliction in the service of mankind and even to his own country! How could the basest specimen of mankind honor the best no matter the expression of gratitude and honor contained in words that he most certainly did not author but merely read off a teleprompter like a blathering, trained oaf. He's a disgrace and all Americans should be ashamed to have him represent them anywhere!

You know what I find incomprehensible around here? How little support there is for Sanders who is the only viable Democratic candidate capable of defeating Trump who is totally anti-war and has sane, rational and intelligent policies that would benefit this planet. Recently, he called Saudi Arabia a murderous regime that is generating the worst human catastrophe of our time in Yemen. He stated that KSA is not our ally. He is not a hawk on Russia either so why the hell is he not getting attention here? Why is Jeremy Corbyn not getting attention here either? MAGAbot financial matters claims it’s Corbyn's Neoliberal economics. My ass! What a malarkey smear! Both Sanders and Corbyn are on the cusp of elections, and have the best platforms and Jeremy Corbyn is also against turning Assange over to the U.S. I speak to the MAGA propagandists here, like nemesis, hoarsewhisperer, and too many others. There can be only one explanation you are focusing all your attention on Trump the poor Neocon hostage, or peddling his policies without naming him because his name is losing its shine—either you hang on, because he’s a rabid Zionist or because he’s supposedly good for Russia only. WTF else??? There is no other logical justification for supporting this menace to the planet so come out with the truth!

And the first lady, as queen of the East Wing, is also fair game for scrutiny. Melania, the high-priestess of silence and mystery, is putting on a good show, cause that's all there is there…SHOW, as in FASHION show-- don't care how many languages she speaks—she’s nothing more than a trophy wife who tolerates that orange blob for the billion-dollar lifestyle and now, unfortunately, the Presidential power trip. She expressed herself transparently one time with her billboard overcoat. I really don't care, do you? translation: you little people: EAT CAKE. Nothing more to see here. SHE AIN'T THE SPHINX OR THE MONA LISA GUARDING A PROFOUND MESSAGE ON ALTRUISM! She’s the wife of the orange capitalist SLOB and that spells it out clearly: birds of a feather stick together. She's not the secretly longsuffering rebel wife, i.e. the people's first lady. She relishes the privileged inner circle and the look of superior disdain is for those, like myself, who see through her well-heeled pretense at caring for the poor, unwashed masses.

So here we are, hardly a bad word written here about Trump, while he destroys Venezuela's independence and sets the stage for invading Iran amongst all the other shet he's pulling to strengthen U.S. Zionist domination and screw the rest of the world while he also dines with royalty.
I'm so pleased that Corbyn refused the invitation--that's called integrity!

It's really discouraging that even with all Trump is doing you're still pushing this egomaniac who doesn't deserve even to tie the shoelaces of those WWII veterans let alone subject them to his phoniness and still you continue putting lipstick on this PIG and his magashet.

Meanwhile silence on two candidates who can turn this disaster around, who are the only hope left for empowering the average, working class, raising millions out of poverty, especially, making the powerful heel, promoting diplomacy and peace and trying to save the planet from climate disaster.
Your continuing promotion of MAGA and protection of the hostage orange baby, pretending he suffers from Neocon stockholm syndrome, and silence regarding the policies and platform of the only two politicians who could help turn this madness around is a reprehensible hypocrisy.

Posted by: Circe | Jun 11 2019 15:45 utc | 136

What was the first US city to undergo an attack from the air?

The blogger gives as the answer to that question the city of Tulsa. In 1921 the US had a huge surplus of WW1 airplanes, and their very low cost is one reason the "barnstormers" were able to prosper. Whether or not the Oklahoma National guard had its very own little air force isn't something I've been able to determine.

Officials ordered six airplanes into the air...

Contrast that with this from another source:

Moreover, in her escape from the riot area, Parrish also tells the story of nearing the aviation fields, and seeing planes out of their sheds, all in readiness to takeoff, and “men with high-powered rifles getting into them.

This story also had reports of the airplanes dropping gasoline bombs and leaving buildings in flames. It then went on to deny the presence of but two civilian aircraft and tried to minimize the airplane issue.

While it is certain that the police, photographers, and sightseers, used airplanes, probably only a few, if any, white people fired guns from planes or dropped bottles of incendiaries.

That's one way of arranging a whitewashing. Lots of nostalgic SF stories have folks traveling back to the Good Old Days of the US. As I read more and more about those Days, I find there is virtually nothing I'd care to do or see back then.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 16:07 utc | 137

united tech,ratheon to join together.

Posted by: dahoit | Jun 11 2019 16:24 utc | 138

Caitlin Johnstone on US meddling in UKelections:

Uh… What Did Pompeo Mean When He Vowed To “Push Back” Against Corbyn?

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 11 2019 16:27 utc | 139

Looks like a color revolution is in the cards for Moldova. A few will remember that couple years ago an invasion force of NATO troops was positioned at the border to support a coup but was blocked.

https://www.fort-russ.com/2019/06/major-moldovas-beleaguered-president-dodon-pushes-back-against-u-s-coup-attempt/

NATO will continue to expand by any means. For example member of the government of North Macedonia were bribed to vote to join NATO even thouth the majority of the people were against this action.

Posted by: Krollchem | Jun 11 2019 16:32 utc | 140

@131 Noirette

If one follows this argument, Jared-Trump , are dangers for Israel, as being disruptive, unpredictable and thus unwelcome.

So, basically, you'd have us believe Jared is an Anti-Zionist. 🤣🤣🤣

And ergo, ditto Trump; so in fact Trump is good for the Palestinians.

You and Hoarsewhisperer should have a TRUMP, 4-D genius, can do no wrong brainstorm party.

SIGH...the 4D strategy to salvage Trump. What will Trumpbots cook up next?

Posted by: Circe | Jun 11 2019 16:44 utc | 141

@ Jackrabbit | Jun 11, 2019 12:27:57 PM #141

My searches found the original WP story, an approving one by Fox, and a Jewish site saying they're looking very hard for the person who recorded and leaked the comments. Otherwise it's just bloggers.

Why the WP reported this is a mystery to me. Perhaps the source threatened to give it to somebody else? But who could that possibly be?

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 16:45 utc | 142

I usually agree with the points raised by Federico Pieraccini in his essays. But in his most recent effort, he makes what I consider a major mistake that undermines his analysis of the Outlaw US Empire's past and future direction:

"Obama was the opposite of Bush and Trump a reaction to Obama."

The only real difference is in their personalities; their policies and goals continue the attempt to establish Full Spectrum Dominance and further financialized impoverishment of the "homeland" for the 1%'s benefit. They share the same unconstitutional actions and have committed the same impeachable offenses. Obama may have lent more credence to reality than the others, but that made no difference in policy outcomes.

The scenario produced completely ignores the domestic politics of the USA that drive elections, and those politics are highly charged now and will only escalate further as the election approaches; and the same will likely be said about 2024. And despite the Current Oligarchy's desire to continue the status quo, I seriously doubt that outcome will be possible due to the effects of TrumpCo's policies domestically.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 11 2019 16:57 utc | 143

dan @ 132 says:

The last thing they want are drugs on the market that could help with or even cure many of these afflictions, with little or no negative side effects

yeah, or even that could turn you into a jazz musician.

p.s. the only thing i see that AOC has going for her is her age.

Posted by: john | Jun 11 2019 17:04 utc | 144

Craig Murray has been "out of touch" because he's "Festivaling". A cynic might see that as a lame excuse for ignoring serious criticism of his latest post regarding Assange (see comments by Alex, Sean Lamb and Arbed, and John Doe, which I've also replicated below). Murray's post made it seem as though a Swedish Court threw out the request of an arrest warrant because of insufficient evidence. But this is not true.

While "Festaviling" leaves no time to correct the mis/dis-information that Assange has nothing to fear from Swedish extradition, Murray fans will be delighted to know that he has found time in his busy schedule to express his views on fishing rights and politics of sex.

I find Murray's willingness to allow mis/dis-information to stand, along with his support for Assange's extradition to Sweden (Assange clearly doesn't want to be forced to Sweden) very disturbing. It suggests to me that Murray is being forced/intimidated into supporting the establishment narratives that seek to achieve a pre-determined goal: get Assange to Sweden. IMO the position of anyone that is truly pro-Assange would be to reject BOTH extraditions.

Assange's extradition is being depicted in MSM as though he must go to US or Sweden (untrue). And Swedish extradition is being hailed as a blessing for Assange because Swedish jails would have better conditions. You see these narratives repeated because the agenda is to get Assange to Sweden. We can only assume that he will be quickly sent on to USA once he's in Sweden via the 'temporary surrender' mechanism that Assange's human rights lawyer warned against.

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Ignored objections (these are snippets, emphasis is mine).

Alex:

Since you frequently and rigthly point out the omission of facts in the media in your posts, I find it interesting that you fail to mention the reason why the court refused to issue the warrant. It’s not stated in your link to the DT, but has been reported in other outlets that Assange doesn’t have to be arrested because he is serving a prison sentence in the UK.

Sean Lamb:

A strange blog post from Craig Murray – the decision by the Swedish court had nothing to do with the weight or otherwise of the evidence. It was solely based on the fact he was already detained, so when his advocate insisted he didn’t want to come to Sweden the court agreed he didn’t have to if he didn’t want to. Assange is no more or less likely to be have rape charges filed against him on the basis of this decision.

The only difference this ruling has made is that when the decision is made to file charges or close the matter he will be in London and not in Stockholm

Arbed:

[To Craig Murray] That’s not quite true. Although the fact that Sweden had no need to detain an already detained man was argued in court, and the judge did indeed rule that an EAW would under the circumstances be disproportionate, the real reason was that the rules have been changed and EAWs are no longer allowed prior to preliminary investigations being completed and the prosecutor has at least *made a decision* to charge the suspect (see https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/41/section/12A). Until that stage has been reached, European law dictates that a European Investigation Order must be used instead. These new European Investigation Orders replace the previous Mutual Legal Assistance procedures.

Apparently, this came as a surprise to both the Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson and the Swedish judge when Assange’s lawyer submitted documentation to the court about the new rules....

Can you imagine? Both Swedish prosecutors and Swedish judges did not actually know current EU law on extraditions!!

[ Or, maybe they hoped that Assange or Assange's attorney either didn't know current EU law -OR- would succumb to the propaganda campaign that Assange has nothing to fear and everything to gain by going to Sweden ? ! ]

John Doe:

Craig,

while you have good knowledge on foreign policy and international law, you are now talking about things you really don’t seem to have much of a grasp of. Let’s look at some of the points here:

1) You carefully structure your post so that it moves seamlessly from the Court’s finding that an EAW would be disproportionate, to your own musings about the strength of your evidence. You’re insinuating to any reader, that the Swedish court agreed with your assessment of the state of the evidence, and that this is why the Prosecution’s application was not granted.
That is, as you know, of course not true. The EAW was not granted because the Court said that Julian Assange was in detention anyway (on the basis of the UK criminal judgment on the Bail Act charge) and that therefore there was no need for a separate arrest warrant, a European Investigation Order would be sufficient.

You don’t seem to want to mention this basis for the court’s rejection of the application…the Court has made no finding on the strength of evidence at all.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 11 2019 17:12 utc | 145

You know what I find incomprehensible around here? How little support there is for Sanders who is the only viable Democratic candidate capable of defeating Trump who is totally anti-war and has sane, rational and intelligent policies that would benefit this planet. -- Circe 138

From the outside (not US citizen or connected) one sees that Sanders did not win the Dem. primary last time, could not be a candidate, and the next election is shaping up as copy-pasta.

Sanders is maybe a sincere opponent, within the Dem party struggles, and that says it all!

It is naive to imagine that ‘support’ (in what form?) for Sanders would change anything?

As for him being anti-war, see for ex. (not that I agree with all in that article, not a fan of Counter Punch.. but some of the points..)

https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/04/12/no-bernies-not-anti-war/

Sanders is not seen as anti-war internationally, or credited at all in any way, just part of the 'pretend' pol. US scene, which has to bruit some contradictory voices to keep up the myth of plurality of opinion, genuine elections, etc.

Posted by: Noirette | Jun 11 2019 17:24 utc | 146

As a lot of people have already heard, when a large drug company named Pfizer learned one its products reduced the chances of getting Alzheimers by 64%, it did nothing besides hide that information. Surprisingly, elements of the Corporate Media jumped right in with support. Version One - it didn't happen.

Pfizer denies report it hid possible Alzheimer’s breakthrough

Version Two - suppressing the information was a really good idea.

America's largest pharmaceutical company had plenty of good reasons not to pursue a potential new Alzheimer's treatment.

In the event some Corporate Researcher discovers a universal cure for cancer using baking soda, ginger ale, and extracts from a few roadside weeds, hiding the news will be another great idea. 1) No way to make any money for the Corporation because anybody could do it. 2) Cancer patients would no longer exist, and the market for hyper-expensive cancer drugs currently made by the Corporation would collapse.

Money is all that matters to the Corporate Psychopaths.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 17:31 utc | 147

More on BRI and the Russia/China Partnership. Brian Cloughley offers "Belt and Road Harmony – and Hostility", where the following frames the essay:

"The foreign and domestic policies of the US Administration appear to be guided by a combination of financial greed, the desire to exploit weakness for the sake of doing so, a partiality for malevolence, and determination to be spiteful. In no manner, domestically, has the last been more effectively demonstrated than by Washington’s treatment of the children of illegal immigrants."

Ultimately, TrumpCo threatens the wellbeing of children globally while Putin/Xi and their partners have announced their intention to act as saviors, which I see as good framing.

Pepe Escobar provides a further post-SPIEF report: "The Unipolar Moment is Over." In his essay, Pepe floats an idea Korybko's written quite a lot about and recently promoted: The Golden Ring which was floated in this article 15 months ago. The problem with this concept is the unpredictability of Modi's India, although TrumpCo's deranged Trade War may finally jolt Modi enough to see India's future is best served by becoming an integral part of BRI.

Next up is the annual SCO Summit followed by the G-20 to cap June. In the interim, we can watch the circus that's the Biden campaign which has just launched its own projection onto Trump:

"The former Vice President will target the current president as an existential threat to decency, America's standing in the world, and democracy."

Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 11 2019 17:37 utc | 148

Cultural Marxism is the Right equivalent of the Left usage of KKK and Nazi.
i.e. a convenient bucket to denigrate ideological opponents with.

As for Marx: he isn't a scientist - he was a theorist. Science means running experiments to prove or disprove hypotheses.
Marx never did any such thing, admittedly, difficult for any one person to do anyway.
However, we've had many "experiments" run over the past 100 years. Ironically, none of the successful "Marxist" movements were composed of industrialized nations' workers uniting. All of them were 3rd world nations.
Given the utter failure of oppressed industrialized workers to revolt, or for capitalism to have failed thus far, it remains to be seen whether Marx's original vision applies.
Furthermore, there weren't really corporations in Marx's day. While there were a couple of multinationals in the East Indies company, the vast majority of industry was still national and private.
It is also very unclear whether Finance was different or not from Capital as they were one and the same people in that era.
Lastly, Marx - as far as I know - never really addressed whether the Capital(ists) would be able to successful suborn both government and worker leadership (unions) as they have clearly been able to do.

Posted by: c1ue | Jun 11 2019 17:48 utc | 149

This is the blogger's introduction:

Warning: This post is very long. Much longer than anything else I have ever done on this blog, clocking in at just over 16,000 words. It took me quite awhile to finish, but although I felt compelled to write it, you are not compelled to read it. I'm also certain that if you do read it, you will find a typo or three that I missed since my Writer Brain has not yet had time too cool off and switch over to my Editor Brain.

She is writing about the career of Mr. Michael Gerson: former George W. Bush chief speechwriter, senior Republican policy adviser and reliable Beltway Republican stalactite who now exists in a perpetual state of shock that his Republican Party is full of Republicans.

Also: "Mr. Gerson is a member of the Can-Never-Be-Fired-No-Matter-How-Fucking-Wrong-They-Are Pundit Guild. (Mr. David Brooks of the Neocon York Times is another of those types.)

It IS really long, but I enjoyed skimming the piece to see what a perpetual recipient of Wingnut Welfare has written over the years.

Helping after helping after big, steaming helping of Beltway Both Siderist Bullshit.***Mr. Gerson is untouchable because he is a useful cog in a machine which rigidly enforces and relentlessly reinforces this biggest corporate media lie of all.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 17:51 utc | 150

@karlof1 #150
I don't consider India to be unpredictable - they just have different priorities.
Among the chief ones: how to keep pace/outcompete with China to their North and Pakistan to the West.
The tripod is the least stable arrangement; Pakistan's ties with China mean a strong force for India to counterbalance with the US - even ignoring the enormous trade ties between Indian outsourcers and US multinational customers.
Ultimately, I view India as more Turkey than China - a nation looking out for its own short term gains as opposed to working towards some specific set of strategic goals, and as such, inconsistency is to be expected.

Posted by: c1ue | Jun 11 2019 17:52 utc | 151

Zachary Smith @149

Thanks for the links - I hadn't heard about this.

Posted by: spudski | Jun 11 2019 17:56 utc | 152

@148 Noirette

Bernie was against Vietnam, against the U.S. proxy war on Iran waged by Saddam with U.S. help, against Iran, against Hillary's plan to escalate U.S. presence in Syria. He's condemning U.S. support of the Saudi war against Yemen. I don't care how it's spun by a purist with no sense of the consequences at this time. I'm a purist, but after Chris Hedges repeatedly put down Sanders in 2016 and we got Hillary instead and then Trump, I say: F#CK PURITY! GIMME SANDERS OVER BIDEN AND ESPECIALLY TRUMP ANY DAY!

Posted by: Circe | Jun 11 2019 18:16 utc | 153

Zach @149--

I have years of direct experience with Alzheimer's as a care giver and researcher. I don't care for Pfizer one iota, but I seriously doubt the substance discussed would do anything to deter the onset of Alzheimer's, which appears to be almost 100% random as its caused by the dysfunctioning of proteins which then become known as prions. The doctor/researcher who discovered prions is Dr. Stanley Prusiner, whose autobiographical book about his arduous voyage of discovery is detailed in Madness and Memory. The work on finding out how debilitation begins and spreads is very slow. But people are working hard and further discovery progress was just published last May, which may point to a way in which these proteins can be encouraged to remain normal.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 11 2019 18:25 utc | 154

Belated thanks, karlof1 for your link to Putin's speech at the economic forum in Saint Petersburg @ 45, and for the one
at #145. I would agree with your caveat, as the statement should have read "Obama presented himself as the opposite of Bush." That is, and was an innocent time for US voters, who had suffered through the Bush years while at the same time being actively propagandized by media that the Democratic Party was indeed the opposite of the warring Republicans, and that they were different. They can no longer present that facade. And so, to Circe's question as to why they are not wholeheartedly supporting Bernie - that, plus his kowtowing to Hillary, is why.

If Mike Gravel can get into the debates, I will watch. Only then!

Mr. Pieraccini has a powerful presentation in the piece you linked, but I am more impressed by the speech of Putin, plus the one that followed from Xi. I think the moment has arrived for the 'soft landing' we have all hoped for, at least it sounded that way from the emphasis on transition in both speeches. And to my mind it cannot come soon enough for this to take place.

Posted by: juliania | Jun 11 2019 18:50 utc | 155

Circe@155

Upton Sinclair in 1904 called the duopoly Republican/Democratic dictatorship two wings of the same bird of prey. Please consider reading this article on Sanders and war.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/13/bernie-war-the-empires-pie/

Posted by: Krollchem | Jun 11 2019 18:55 utc | 156

Thanks again karlof1 for your links at 150. I have only so far read the first one, which, along with adressing US cruelty towards immigrant children, dealt with the climate change aspects of Belt and Road initiatives in contrast to the Trump administration's continuing denial.

I would like to recommend two posts today at nakedcapitalism.com - the first is the second of two dealing with the ramifications of the recent flooding in midwestern states of the US (comments also good). The second is a post that details Australia's complex straddling of security issues vs. trade in its US vs. China entanglement. Some history of the situation is well encapsulated in that article.

I apologize for not putting up links, but if you go to the site you will see the articles in question, and they can also be accessed later through nc's archives. ( I am not good at following technical advice on posting links, and I really
don't want to disrupt the thread.)

Posted by: juliania | Jun 11 2019 19:14 utc | 157

IMPORTANT program on radio four bbc U.K.
8 pm today !
A must listen program on phone hacking by governments!!!
There’s hope for the bbc yet ‘

Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 11 2019 19:22 utc | 158

I see some still persist in the quaint delusion that the empire can be dismantled via US electoral politics.

Posted by: Ash | Jun 11 2019 19:24 utc | 159

Circe @155

We've debated Sanders many times now.

Apparently we have to agree to disagree on Sanders because those who love him refuse to see the merits of those who criticize him and vice versa.

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But I'll just note that IMO the Democratic Party is an arm of the establishment and there will not be any real change until the people are pissed off enough to form mass Movement(s) that are independent of the Democratic Party. Sanders is NOT independent of the Democratic-Party and the organization he founded is essentially Democratic-Party astro-turf with Sanders branding.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 11 2019 19:35 utc | 160

@ c1ue | Jun 11, 2019 1:52:17 PM | 153

“I view India as more Turkey than China . . .”

I was just sitting here thinking the exact same thing.

Posted by: AntiSpin | Jun 11 2019 20:05 utc | 161

Caitlin rightly calls out Trump administration for threatened interference in U.K. elections.

Trump administration push back against Corbyn

Here's the guy Trump wants that I've read some of you here want too!

Boris Johnson allowed arms sales to Saudis

Now go hide your shame UNDER A ROCK!

@158 Krollchem

Did you read that article you linked??? Since it was written before the 2016 election it proves how stupid, false and short-sighted it is. It proves my point all the way. Bernie has done more to oppose U.S. support for Yemen than anyone in Congress. Tulsi Gabbard quit her post at the DNC to support Sanders and devote time to speaking at his rallies. Do you think she would have done that if she bought half of the garbage spewed in that article??? Do you think she's stupid and naive??? Do you think I am? I'm anti-war and a purist but I ain't stupid because of it! I, unlike the author of that article, who must be a stealth Trump supporter--live in REALITY. Trump is counting on left purists to bring him back to power! I know about the duopoly! I've written about the duopoly! Are you hating Ron Paul too for running within the Republican Party??? HELLO! It's called trying to make lemonade out of the lemons you've been dealt! So if Tlaib or Omar were to run in 2024 or 2028 on the Dem side, they too would be part of the duopoly???

Thanks to people like Sanders those two women dared to run for Congress. I'm a purist but right now it's IMPERATIVE TO KEEP BIDEN AND ESPECIALLY TRUMP FROM WINNING IN 2020 - SO THE AUTHOR OF YOUR LINK AND ALL PURISTS PISSING ON SANDERS CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL.

Posted by: Circe | Jun 11 2019 20:22 utc | 162

juliania @157 & 159--

Thanks for your replies and suggestions! I've been pleased with the notice given by other writers to the ecological stance the BRI/EAEU grand partnership has taken and pursuit of sustainable economies, and in particular what I believe to be Xi's efforts to educate Putin on the subject as he'd previously exhibited skepticism. Putin's going to be very busy again with the annual SCO Summit 13-14 June then off to Dushanbe 14-15 June to attend the summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 11 2019 20:31 utc | 163

Jackrabbit

there will not be any real change until the people are pissed off enough to form mass Movement(s)

Yeah, and with a half-cocked Zionist lunatic in the White House salivating to get back the White House so he can pounce on Iran and finish his regime change in Venezuela we have the luxury of time to wait for the rest of the dumb American mass to smell the coffee and mobilize for that change...NOT

My @163 applies to you too.

Posted by: Circe | Jun 11 2019 20:38 utc | 164

"Regarding the Intercept 'scoop' - it's a little late now to reveal the conspiracy againt Lula. The damage is done..."
Posted by: the pessimist | Jun 9, 2019 10:42:34 PM | 58

The question to ask is, why now? The current President is very unpopular and the AG he appointed is the one who railroaded Lula. The VP, a military man may want to cut them both loose.
How better than to use actions against the much loved Lula to ditch both of them? I would:)

Posted by: frances | Jun 11 2019 20:39 utc | 165

Kayfabe wins again.

Trump (probably) safe from impeachment as Nancy Pelosi huffs, puffs and gives him a pass: Says She's "Done" Talking About Trump.

Pelosi's outburst seems to be a signal that any debate over the issue is over. AFAIK, virtual the entire Democratic Party establishment stands against impeachment, effectively telling the progressives to pound sand.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Memory-holed: Trump's assistance in getting her elected as Speaker of the House. He gave he an opportunity to show-off during a high-profile meeting with her and Schumer in the prestigious Oval Office before the vote for Speaker to talk about "the Wall". It was completely unnecessary to do that before the vote.

Also don't even dare to discuss the possibility that Sanders threw the 2016 Democratic nomination to Hillary ("Enough with the emails!") or that Hillary threw the 2016 general election to Trump by alienating or ignoring key voter groups and choosing to not campaign in the three states that she KNEW would decide the election during the final weeks. People that love the Trump Show will hate you for spoiling it for them. They may even call you anti-American or something worse (is there anything worse?).

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 11 2019 20:56 utc | 166

@ karlof1 | Jun 11, 2019 2:25:16 PM #156

...but I seriously doubt the substance discussed would do anything to deter the onset of Alzheimer's, which appears to be almost 100% random as its caused by the dysfunctioning of proteins which then become known as prions.

You may well be correct – I know little about the disease. My objection is that Pfizer didn’t even allow anybody to pursue the possibility. To the drug companies everything is about money. I’ve uploaded one of their publications which they’ve been trying hard to deep-six since its publication. On page 39 and those following is the reason why.

”Is curing patients a sustainable business model?”

Big Pharma’s answer is a definite “NO”. They want the sick people to stay well enough that the treatment money keeps rolling in, but most definitely not be cured.

On a side note, I recall the uproar some years back with it was discovered Big Livestock was grinding up useless cattle carcasses and feeding them to other cows. Talk about a recipe for spreading the prion diseases! When the expected epidemic didn’t happen, the best explanation I heard was the theory that most of us possess a high degree of immunity because our ancient ancestors were cannibals, and most of the dying from those prion diseases happened long ago.

Page 39

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 11 2019 22:41 utc | 167

@120 121 Mark

It is quite funny that you state your disagreement, but do not identify what you disagree with. Is that supposed to be some sort of worthwhile attempt at refutation?

What about my post was nonsensical, lacking in the observance of the natural order (which leads to less violence), or "Greedy"?

The problem with posters like you is your good intentions, utterly lacking sense where it counts, where the butter meets the bread.

I WANT! the US to start behaving like a normal country. My post could not have emphasized that any more.

I guess not a sufficient amount of boilerplate hate for the US and its fine workers and people in my post?

Bring something better next time.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 11 2019 23:18 utc | 168

@133 fastfreddy

That is fine and good and I don't neccessarily disagree with your post.

I think your statement that migrants "can't" effect change in their home countries is an excuse, however. How many people died during the American Revolution or the Civil War in America? Did they die for something? Anything?

But it is a moot point, regardless, because the people in the US have the God-given right to pursue prosperity and what is in their best interest. No, this doesn't mean that we have the right to force ourselves onto the treasure of another country. That is neocon stuff and should be identified as a deformed mutation of the founder's original intent. And if other nations wish to adopt this mantra, all the better. Indeed! All the better for everyone. We have the right to say "No!" to the effects of globalism curbing our standard of living. IF...we are willing to fight for it.

The continuance of this status quo is a powder keg, as I have mentioned before, where these migrants will be victims of much scorn when the SHTF.

Prove me wrong.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 11 2019 23:49 utc | 169

"As stunning as it may sound, an argument can be made that neither the Nazi Party’s rise to power nor even WWII itself could have happened without the backing of U.S. industry and finance. Cash contributions through the 1920’s and ’30’s helped elevate Hitler’s brownshirts from mere street thugs to a political party and financed “off budget” ops for the SS. Before and after the U.S. entered the war, military equipment and critical technology transfers flowed from U.S. corporations and subsidiaries to the Reich."

"The record reveals more than just self-serving opportunism. It proves the existence of what sociologist C. Wright Mills called a Power Elite – born to privilege; attending the same prestigious schools; belonging to the same insular, rarified social circles; naturally assuming some God-given right to rule the world and in these particular cases, blinded by fanatical anti-communism and completely unhinged from democracy."

Excerpt from this TRNN article;

https://therealnews.com/loyal-to-their-class-unhinged-from-democracy

Posted by: ben | Jun 12 2019 0:01 utc | 170

Hey Everybody,

I really appreciate reading your discussions. I’m happy to know this place.

Best wishes to ALL !

Posted by: Featherless | Jun 12 2019 1:08 utc | 171

Here's an example of the attempts being made to try and separate Russia from China by saying China will eventually subsume Russia and conquer it, depriving Russia of its Russianness. It's an appeal to what White Supremacists within the Outlaw US Empire see as their comrades--Russian Chauvinists. But such comradeship would only last until the disintegration of the Russia/China Eurasian project when once again all Russians would be attacked and vilified as they continue to be by BigLie Media. This is the fourth such article I've seen during 2019. But unless they get published in Russian within Russia, they don't have any chance of being effective, and even then that's highly questionable.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 12 2019 1:29 utc | 172

NemesisCalling @ 109

I'm not arguing with you even though I mostly disagree with everything you say. I appreciate you openly welcoming my thoughts even as you mostly disagree with everything I say.

I will only add that most of what I believe comes from a very jumbled and inconsistent experience of life. I was raised a workingclass white kid in the barrios of eastern LA County, have keen first hand experience in pretty much every facet of these items we discuss (including work with minorities along the Souther Border including as recently as two weeks ago--and so can barely tolerate theoretical abstract economic discussions of displaced, suffering people...but in your case will make an exception).

I was considered a freak (1960-70s analog version of "troll") by my own friends and family growing up from whom I have spent most all of my life alienated and aloof. I have experienced the depravity of the criminal justice system both from the inside and the outside, but only as a white person. I know the difference and precisely how much the difference in "identity" matters in exacting, tragic detail.

I have seen with my own blue eyes the vaster amounts of police brutality practiced against non-white persons for no other reason than their skin colour, and many times this violence that I saw was practiced by non-white police officers who also tended to treat me as a prisoner with much greater respect than did white police officers.

I am an extremely skeptical fake-Buddhist cynic who doesn't for a second believe in the existence of any Semitic God yet I also covet the righteousness of every single word attributed to Jesus who I am convinced never uttered the words and whose historical existence I seriously doubt. And yet those words salve what I think of as my soul and help me fall asleep at night.

I have been a non-union blue collar scab worker totally exploited for a non-living wage because if I didn't work at a job of any kind at that point time I couldn't eat or keep a rented roof over my head. I have been homeless and abused just as I have ignored too frequently the homeless and abused who are less fortunate by virtue of physical, mental and emotional deformity.

I am a lumpen proletariat socialist by nature, sometimes an exploitative capitalist and a serial sexual harrasser of women all my life (a few of whom might be tempted in light of current trends to even consider me their "rapist") (of course in my mind I deny this I convince myself because they consented and yielded easily. They seemed, to me anyway, in my demented fantasy recollections of those few stolen moments of ecstasy, to also have derived their pleasure---although I admit this could have been, and probably was, more often than not faked to assuage my ego or to protect themselves from further violence---and who crucially, at the end of the night for whatever reason, decided not turned me in---so far).

Posted by: donkeytale | Jun 12 2019 3:39 utc | 173

Earlier in the evening I ran into a brief piece at the DESMOG blog which left me feeling like a bit of a fool. Obviously wind is intermittent and the sun doesn't shine much at night, so we need at least some storage. But storage of energy is presently not-so-cheap. What the essayist wrote is so obvious when looking back:

A Radical Idea to Get a High-Renewable Electric Grid: Build Way More Solar and Wind Than Needed

More solar cells are cheaper than more batteries! And it's not like we won't be needing that extra capacity for other reasons. Synfuels are one, and the need to start removing the excess CO2 in the atmosphere (which will require lots of electricity) is another.

The point is this: if we survive, it won't be as peasants shivering in the cold and afraid of the dark. But that's a mighty big "IF", especially given the current situation with a president who believes stuff like the Moon being part of Mars.

Posted by: Zachary Smith | Jun 12 2019 5:04 utc | 174

@174 Donkey

Great post. My thanks. Reminded me of Charles Bukowski. Raw stuff and unadorned. MoA is better with barflies like you.

Even though we disagree, I am thankful you can discuss this with me without resorting to attacking my character. It does look bad to rail against economic refugees/migrants. But it has to be done for the US to drop the world police act and for it to cease being the empire reaping the spoils of its hegemony without having to run a real, sustainable economy. When the bottom falls out, there will be opportunity to reassess Americanism and this will leave very little room for those who compete unfairly with natural citizens. You can take that to the bank and cash it.

But I am tired of saying what must be said, and most posters here I am sure are tired of reading it.

But I just wanted to tip my hat to ya.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 12 2019 5:26 utc | 175

Below is a quote from a Xinhuanet posting about Abe from Japan visiting Iran
"
Media reports also suggest that, in his Wednesday meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Abe is going to invite Rouhani to a G20 summit in Japan at the end of this month.
"

And the worm turns.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jun 12 2019 5:50 utc | 176

Circe@163

Cool the anger about anyone who disagrees with you.

Posted by: Krollchem | Jun 12 2019 7:52 utc | 177

Nemesis @ .....
I disagree with you and all you stand for. To engage with you in discussion would only be seen as giving you credence and plausibility .
Not only do Trump voters have no concept of the outcome of there actions !
But perhaps even more importantly they have no remorse for there actions. I don’t meen to be insulting ! Just stateing a fact ! If the cap fits wear it.
I’v got no time to waist talking to psychopaths. They don’t listen or understand (no insight)
Krollchem @ 179
See above

Circe @ all
Keep up the good work ! Respect !!

Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 12 2019 10:27 utc | 178

donkeytale

so, you consider yourself some kind of serial sexual predator, do you? even though your marks 'consented and yielded easily' and even 'derived their pleasure' from 'those few stolen moments of ecstasy.'

all of this with a nod to JC, who you don't believe in, but nonetheless whose words help you get to sleep at night.

what gives dude? limping libido?

Posted by: john | Jun 12 2019 10:36 utc | 179

NC and others on this thread

Thank you. In 174 I shamelessly attempted to update Whitman through the corrupt decadence of my own heart. And yes Bukowski definitely too whose heart was pure for being so heavily polluted. The enduribg bard of a bygone bohemian Los Angeles that I do recall once upon a time. Although I an not considering myself worthy by any stretch...it is fun to play at it.

John lol. I'd like to think of it as aging rather than limping but I suppose it amounts to the same.

Uncle T. Your short post deserves a much closer look. Yes indeed on each point you raise. Especially the open unionising of the illegals. Isn't that essential in order to attain the global class struggle against the global oppressors? And why the reactionary forces work so hard to separate themselves through white identity politics?

Posted by: donkeytale | Jun 12 2019 11:12 utc | 180

Whatever your view on Sanders, if he wins the democratic nomination there will have been a clearly expressed change in the policy wishes of Americans. And, if Sanders wins the Presidential election there will be something of an electoral/political revolution within the American electoral system. It doesn't matter if you think Sanders is a sheepdog or will betray the American people - in such a "political" event his room for manoeuvre would be restricted (both by the permanent state, on one side, and, on the other, the electorate) but the tension would be immense. Sanders isn't important; the expressed collective desires the of the American people for change, peace and jobs is what would be important.

An alternative election scenario is Trump vs Biden (or, even, Clinton) which would present Americans with a choice of war or war - and, in such an event, they would be the definite choice that Americans wanted (war or war). And, in such an event, if you, for instance, choose not to vote, it would still be the choice that you (as an American) would be making.

Sanders, Gabbard, Gravel - these are choices that represent peace, an end to wars and foreign intervention, jobs and better pay and living conditions. Americans don't have to support these choices, they can opt out, not vote, attack these candidates as sell-outs, sheepdogs, etc.- but these choices are the only ones Americans will get for peace. This doesn't mean that voting is all that it would take, but, in the current American context, not voting, not making those choices, makes war more (not less) likely.

As an outsider it seems to me that American voters are not as peace seeking as they were in 2016. The hatred of Russia, Iran and China is being ramped up - Americans must realise where this is heading!

Posted by: ADKC | Jun 12 2019 12:05 utc | 181

@179 Krollchem

Look, I read and respect a lot of your posts, and have commented as such, but the stakes are so high right now, I just can't pussyfoot around with niceties when people who I thought were intelligent use that gift to destroy our chance for decency, peace and humanity in this world by either spinning and fudging facts or nitpicking purity to the extent Hedges and Counterpunch are doing with Sanders and including people circulating this left propaganda to smear the only decent VIABLE candidate right now in this race, and I include Corbyn because we will need both working in tandem to reverse the lunacy of Zionist Trump's actions. I therefore take nothing back and insist that sane people who I usually respect STOP DOING THIS TO SANDERS AND CORBYN! STOP NOW! Start using your intellect to promote the good these candidates have done, the narrative they offer and the good they have the potential to do when elected in their respective countries. That's all I care about and everyone should help in their own way to fight the smears against them. The stakes have never been higher. They need every bit of help NOT THIS NITPICKY, PURIST BULLSHET. This is not the time to pounce on Sanders. Purists like Nader and Hedges brought us Bush and TRUMP! I prefer realists like Kucinich, Paul and Sanders, the latter having the most viable chance to make it if everyone on the Left stop cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Mark2

Thanks. I will keep up the good fight for as long as it takes and hope to see you and others continuing to do same.

Posted by: Circe | Jun 12 2019 12:55 utc | 182

ADKC - Americans dont want war. This is a mistaken assumption. Across the Board we prefer policies more in line with Sanders. You are very correct in your reading that a Sanders presidency will not bring about wholesale political change. Obviously this is not ever the case in the US. The system is designed for compromise.

The impatience of a certain blogging cohort who go from hopey mchangey in 2008 to udder cynical acceptance of fake populist fascism in 2016 is stunning to me...and a comment on the shallow nothingness of this cohort not Sanders, Gabbard, Tlaib, Omar et al, or even Biden.

And by the way, love her or hate her (and why the hate anyway?) but AOC deserves credit imho for being real and true to date.

Sanders has my vote FWIW regardless of the naysayers and the nonsense about his sheepdogging or whatever. 3rd parties in the US are the true rabbit holes. History proves this over and over.

And glibly calling for revolution while tacitly allowing the forces of racist class based oppression to solidify their decades long effort to seize control and destroy what little remains true in our hollowed out mostly online existence is simply abhorrent.

If this is your true belief then lead by example, put life and limb on the line, shut down your internet discourse and take it to the streets.

You are either for fascism or against it

Posted by: donkeytale | Jun 12 2019 13:00 utc | 183

And I hasten to add the above comment is not directed at ADKC whose opinions I value greatly or to any individual fir that matter but to a certain blogging mindset. Lol. Im done.

Posted by: donkeytale | Jun 12 2019 13:09 utc | 184

@10 Nemesis

You're calling Zach a DNC troll when every day you slither out from under the growing, festering Trump dung heap to promote and justify the indefensible stinking garbage Trumpco generates or frame it as 4-D genius?

Posted by: Circe | Jun 12 2019 13:20 utc | 185

donkeytale says:

Americans dont want war...The system is designed for compromise

yeah, ostensibly, but since compromise is an adjustment of opposing wants, and thus requires input from at least two players, the fact that we've been at war for pretty much the last 70+ years kinda suggests that Americans don't not want war either.

Posted by: john | Jun 12 2019 14:27 utc | 186

John,

Yes, well I don't not agree with you either. The majority of US people don't want war but the majority of US people don't control those decisions and have not for at least the last 70+ years.

In fact, they never have the world over since the beginning of recorded time.

How do you believe this dynamic will ever be changed?

Posted by: donkeytale | Jun 12 2019 14:51 utc | 187

I think your statement that migrants "can't" effect change in their home countries is an excuse, however. How many people died during the American Revolution or the Civil War in America? Did they die for something? Anything?

They can effect change in exactly the same way you and I can effect change. What have we changed, lately?

Canada gained independence from GB without commoners killing other commoners (aka war).

Posted by: fastfreddy | Jun 12 2019 15:01 utc | 188

donkeytale says:

How do you believe this dynamic will ever be changed

by the evolution, the maturation, of conscientious objection.

Posted by: john | Jun 12 2019 15:31 utc | 189

Circe @143, I expected you’d respond in that vein!

Jared K, Trump are rabid, staunch solid Zionists. No 4D calcs or plots are going on.

What I’m saying is Jared’s ‘plan’ won’t be implemented as judged in anticipation as unworkable. (Whatever it is.)

.. The situation will move forward as usual, meaning that, for the Palestinians, it will slowly deteriorate further, as it has been doing for some 60+ years.

However, the likes of Netanyahou, and his mates, I am certain, see Trump as disruptive, maybe even dangerous. Bibi was imho terrified at the start (see the first joint press conference) and then breathed slow and calmed down somewhat.

What is undeniable is that opposition to ‘Israel’ - Zionism, the Bibi Gvmt, apartheid, etc. is growing, and becoming far harder to stifle or repress. (See attack on Corbyn.. Pompeo saying ‘they’ will prevent his election to some Jewish audience.. > link) Sympathy for Palestinians is edging into being ‘cool’.. just like not buying South African Oranges was in the day.

All this is for a large part due to Trump, because the ‘libruls’, base, and some pols. others who need to pander to the voters are (or pretend to be) against anything that Trump does, proposes, etc. For ex. the latest objections / obstacles to the selling of arms to KSA, an Isr. ally. Which would never, imho, happened under Obama or Bush. ( .. > ?)

This momentum is set to continue and Isr. can do nothing to stop it except wield the usual measures, pay-offs, control of info from the top - MSM - (but what if nobody believes it?) and cashing in, or trading, influence, favors, etc.

These gate-keeping moves concentrated on shoring up the status quo and those in power, in this case based on, in part, for the public, a fabricated theatrical ‘image’ - only ‘democracy’ in the ME, valiant exceptional victim tribe, fighting evil soul-less blood thirsty jihadist killers, etc. — most often yield sudenly after a slow build-up.

Circe @ 155, Sanders is possibly a better cand. or potential Pres. than Trump. I’d actually pick Sanders over Warren and Ocasio-Cortez (if had a vote and forced to choose), but so what my opinion and yours are of no consequence whatsoever. These alternatives are all ‘junk’ in the grand and now catastrophic sweep of history.

https://www.palestinechronicle.com/pompeo-us-will-do-its-best-to-stop-corbyn-from-being-elected-as-prime-minister/

Posted by: Noirette | Jun 12 2019 15:36 utc | 190

Circe

A couple of months ago you were saying that we should support Sanders because he was the front-runner at the time.

If we are to follow your anyone-but-Trump logic today, then we should be supporting Biden now.

There's another logic that I've seen from time to time and it goes like this: Voters get the leaders they deserve and when those voters can't/won't hold their leaders accountable, then the sooner that the shitty leaders drive the economy/society into the ground the better as it means that some degree of accountability can be restored.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

Trump is a symptom of the disease. Clinton-Bush-Obama was no better or worse.

The disease is now cultural as a lax, dumbed-down populace has been conditioned over decades to accept the illusion of democracy that allows a ruling elite to carve out valuable benefits and privileges. This seems to be a feature of Empires and the ultimate cause of their downfall.

We often blame the greed and hubris of rulers that bring an Empire down, but those terrible rulers are really just following in the footsteps of the rulers that came before them. Once a ruling class has thrown off the shackles of democratic oversight, it's just a matter of time before corruption rusts through the society, making governance more difficult for the ill-prepared pampered elite that chose to 'deal with it' by reflexively choosing worse and worse leaders until the grand edifice finally falls in a no-one-coulda-seen-THAT-coming! moment of farcical release.

Welcome to the rabbithole.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 12 2019 15:53 utc | 191

ADKC @183--

As I've been writing/arguing, the 2020 election will pit two very different philosophies of life against each other, which I've expressed and spelled out often--the current and longstanding Zero-sum Neoliberal philosophy versus the humanistic, universally uplifting Win-Win with American Characteristics that's exemplified by the fight for Medicare For All. Sanders expresses it as a Politics that works for the many as opposed to the few--and a good majority agree with that need, not just D-Party members.

For those who have yet to read the speeches Putin and Xi delivered at the SPIEF, they can now be read here, Putin's followed by Xi's. You'll notice that Putin has listened to Xi and has upped his emphasis on environmental related issues as this excerpt exemplephies:

"Exacerbating environmental and climatic challenges that represent a direct threat to the socioeconomic well-being of all humankind are making the crisis even worse. Climate and the environment have become an objective factor in global development and a problem fraught with large-scale shocks, including another uncontrolled surge in migration, more instability and undermined security in key regions of the planet. At the same time, there is a high risk that instead of joint efforts to address environmental and climate issues, we will run into attempts to use this issue for unfair competition."

Xi touches on the topic often as this epitomizes:

"As we form the global network of interconnectedness and partnership, we will effectively couple the Belt and Road initiative with the sustainable development agenda, ensure harmony between the economy, society and the environment in the interest of green, low-carbon and sustainable development."

The majority of the planet's nations agree with Xi and Putin and disagree with Trump and the Empire's vassals. Escobar and others are correct to write the Unipolar moment's over, but its Multipolar replacement has yet to gain the reins of global leadership, although that could change by the end of June. Trump's domestic policies are as shocking as Zionsitan's as are the twin's support for terrorism and wonton violations of international law. The G-20 will be tense.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 12 2019 16:09 utc | 192

Noirette @192

"This momentum is set to continue and Isr. can do nothing to stop it except wield the usual measures, pay-offs, control of info from the top - MSM - (but what if nobody believes it?) and cashing in, or trading, influence, favors, etc."

Apparently something is already being done about BDS besides making it illegal--

"Singer’s project to bolster Israel’s tech economy at the U.S.’ expense is known as Start-Up Nation Central, which he founded in response to the global Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement that seeks to use nonviolent means to pressure Israel to comply with international law in relation to its treatment of Palestinians."

From a link from Uncle Jon on the Cuban topic #6

https://www.mintpressnews.com/neocon-billionaire-paul-singer-driving-outsourcing-us-tech-jobs-israel/259147/

Posted by: arby | Jun 12 2019 16:15 utc | 193

We've already had an economic collapse: the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. But it was papered-over via accounting changes, front and back-door bailouts, and can-kicking. And we've already experienced military over-reach in Syria and Afghanistan. These failings are magnified by the moral turpitude and skullduggery of rendition and torture, Jihadi proxy armies, etc.

Asshat control freaks have chosen to ignore these warning signs and push on, doubling-down on their quest for global domination. They marginalize those who oppose them and reward the worst among them. And the rest of us are 'strapped in' to our comfy chair watching the show. Can this lead to anything other than hardship and heartache?

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 12 2019 16:20 utc | 194

Those last two posts are good JR.

Posted by: arby | Jun 12 2019 16:22 utc | 195

Here's a plus for Sanders--

"
Bernie Sanders
‏Verified account @SenSanders
4h4 hours ago

Bernie Sanders Retweeted The Intercept

During his presidency, Lula da Silva oversaw huge reductions in poverty and remains Brazil’s most popular politician. I stand with political and social leaders across the globe who are calling on Brazil’s judiciary to release Lula and annul his conviction."

The Intercept has found leaked documents showing the corruption that went on in order to imprison Lula.

PS; found on Glen Greenwald's twitter account

Posted by: arby | Jun 12 2019 17:39 utc | 196

Circe@184

I fully agree with you about Trump and Biden. Having observed both Democratic and Republican County level delegate selection meetings I can tell you that the party leadership can rig the outcome to favor the "establishment" selected candidate. This happened with Paul and Sanders and even to eliminate Vice President Wallace from being nominated for President after he wrote the article "The Dangers of American Fascism (April 9, 1944)".
https://truthout.org/articles/the-dangers-of-american-fascism/

See also: "Trying To Change The System From Within Is Like Trying To Dry Your Hair With Rain"
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/trying-to-change-the-system-from-within-is-like-trying-to-dry-your-hair-with-rain-71bac2211d6c

Sadly, the political issues are dwarfed by climate change, soil destruction, overpopulation, energy system collapse, pollution, ecocide, etc. See the Club of Rome study and Doughnut economics for a overview of these problems.

Be prepared.

Posted by: Krollchem | Jun 12 2019 17:57 utc | 197

Jackrabbit @ 196
All good points there !!
Except the comify chair bit ! Me ‘I love the smell of tear gas in the morning’ !!!

Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 12 2019 18:16 utc | 198

And to add to my above - - -
It’s time to ‘build bridges’ now or never !
Veterans against war know a thing or two, we need to listen to them and they need to listen to us here. That is the way forward !!

Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 12 2019 18:22 utc | 199

@ c1ue, prior post #39 Link to comment

Had OT enough on that thread but wanted to point out another source that would sustain your observations in that comment in Charles C. Mann's 1493 How Europe's Discovery of the Americas Revolutionized Trade, Ecology and Life on Earth ISBN 978-1-84708-245-9 Granta. As well, David Graeber's DebtThe First 5,000 Years ISBN 978-1-61219-419-6 Melville House ff parts concerning historical debt and slavery. I generally subscribe your comment but would observe slavery was Constitutionally allowed both as a practical matter and a political compromise needed for successful agreements among differing interests, first there was no alternative at the time for production to replace slavery, secondly those areas south of the Mason-Dixon line were rife with tropical disease which Africans had developed some genetic immunity whereas northern Europeans had not.

I had intended earlier to state those books by the Polish Journalist give insight into traditional cultures of MENA before modern tribulations set in. The observation there was of a stable culture extant that may be the key for their recovery if as much as possible of that culture can be reestablished among the returnees. The three books should establish the writer's credentials, one contains the best definition of economics I have ever read - it is there for the acute reader to discover for themselves.

Posted by: Formerly T-Bear | Jun 12 2019 18:53 utc | 200