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February 23, 2020
The MoA Week In Review – Open Thread 2020-14

Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama:

Related:
Putin keen to cool Turkish hawk down – Pepe Escobar

An hour ago the Russian air force bombed a convoy of Jihadis and Turkish soldiers near Jabal al Zawiyah. Syrian artillery fired on another Turkish convoy. There were Turkish casualties in both incidents. Erdogan can do nothing about it except to order his troops to retreat.

Related:
Intelligence Sources: All Candidates Are Russian Agents But Pete Buttigieg – Caitlin Johnstone
National Security Experts Dismiss ‘Hysteria Over Russia’ Allegedly Supporting Bernie Sanders Law and Crime

“One of the best ways to undermine American democracy is for the media to constantly tell Americans that our democratic system is run by a foreign power, that polls [and] debate outcomes are based not on the appeal of our politicians but from the invisible hand of an enemy government,” explained Northeastern University Associate Professor and Quincy Institute Fellow Max Abrahms.

Other issues:

Long reads on the changing global role of the U.S. of A.:

America in Distress: The Challenges of Disadvantageous Change – Chas Freeman
Trump’s Vanished ‘Liberal Middles’ – Alastair Crooke

Netanyahoo asks Al Thani to finance Hamas:

Mossad Chief Visited Doha, Urged Qataris to Continue Gaza Financial Aid – Haaretz

Use as open thread …

Posted by b on February 23, 2020 at 14:19 UTC | Permalink
Comments

Seems UK quarantine is a (deliberate?) farce.
Liverpool

Posted by: Some Random Passerby | Feb 23 2020 23:32 utc | 101

Can someone please slap a comment limit on the Rabbit? He’s taking over thread after thread and making them difficult to follow.
@91 – Yeah, typical Zero Hedge aggregated material. Let’s see what moron is behind that article (from the TownHall site bio):

Biography Kurt Schlichter
Kurt Schlichter (Twitter: @KurtSchlichter) was personally recruited to write conservative commentary by Andrew Breitbart. He is a name partner at a growing Los Angeles trial lawyer, a retired Army Infantry colonel with a masters in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, and a former stand-up comic.

I laugh when people whose entire career was started and sustained by pure socialism decide to criticize socialism/socialists. Wonder if he’s turning down his Army pension?

Posted by: Tired_of_it_ALL | Feb 23 2020 23:49 utc | 102

MERS-coronavirus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East_respiratory_syndrome
“MERS-CoV is a betacoronavirus derived from bats.[2] Camels have been shown to have antibodies to MERS-CoV but the exact source of infection in camels has not been identified. Camels are believed to be involved in its spread to humans but it is unclear how.[3] Spread between humans typically requires close contact with an infected person.[2] Its spread is uncommon outside of hospitals.[3] Thus, its risk to the global population is currently deemed to be fairly low.[3]”
(Saudi’s should’ve been wearing condoms)
SARS coronavirus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome
“In late 2017, Chinese scientists traced the virus through the intermediary of civets to cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in Yunnan province”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome_coronavirus_2
“Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),[1][2] formerly a novel coronavirus named 2019-nCoV,[3][4] is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus.[5][6][7] It is contagious in humans and is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).[8]”
SARS-CoV-2 has strong genetic similarity to bat coronaviruses, from which it likely originated,[9][10][11] although an intermediate reservoir such as a pangolin is thought to be involved.[12][13] From a taxonomic perspective SARS-CoV-2 is classified as a strain of the species severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus.[1]
And this.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Radiology/comments/eu788b/ct_scan_of_the_chest_of_a_patient_infected_with/
“Coronaviruses are RNA viruses that are broadly distributed in humans and other mammals. Though most coronavirus infections are mild, the new betacoronavirus (2019-nCoV) appears to cause similar symptoms to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS). Both SARS and MERS are known to trigger respiratory tract diseases and their outbreaks were collectively responsible for over a thousand deaths in the past two decades.”
So likely a bat virus via a pangolin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangolin… (doesn’t look like a fish to me) got going at a fish market.
However the latest one developed, it looks like the bat Coronavirus strains have good potential as politically useful bio weapons.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 0:01 utc | 103

“More to the point, Bernie’s interest in building a movement declined to zero after the 2016 election.” –corvo @69
Quite true! But now the movement is bigger. How do you explain?
There is a tendency in the West, what with the excessive focus on individual personalities and identities and all that, to only see the personality riding the societal wave rather than the wave itself. This causes westerners to be largely oblivious to a great deal of what is really happening in the world, leading them to mistaken assumptions like thinking that the 2016 elections were about Trump and Clinton. Trump, surprisingly, was smart enough to see the difference, while Clinton was not.
This is actually a very good point to keep in one’s head while analyzing the elections this year. The movement to put Sanders in the White House is growing not only despite relative negligence from Sanders himself, but also despite active opposition from all (as in 100%) of the political/business establishment and all (as in 100%) the corporate mass media. This should suggest to the observant that the movement to elect Sanders has become partially independent of Sanders. Sanders is just a very convenient rallying point.

Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 24 2020 0:02 utc | 104

This debate regarding us politics is a deliberate distraction. Both here (look at all the new names) and in the wider media!!
Meanwhile world war three has just been unleashed.
China incapacitated by coronavirus.
Iran as above, importantly most borders closed by nearby country’s!
Israel firing missiles at Damascus and Gaza.
Italy way up in the virus chart
https://coronavirus.zone/
Just when they were holding talks with Iran to resume trade.
Controlled news reports.
Heads up everyone Elections are a thing of the past.
We’re talking the end game right here right now.
Oh and look at the infection chart, why is Africa missing ? China is big in Africa.

Posted by: Mark2 | Feb 24 2020 0:05 utc | 105

One day after the Nevada caucuses, only 60% of the causus results are in.
And guess who’s holding up the rest of the results: NONE OTHER THAN THE GUY LINKED TO THE SOFTWARE THAT HELD UP IOWA’S RESULTS TO DENY BERNIE THE BENEFITS OF A WIN.:
WEASEL MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG!

Buttigieg’s campaign sent a letter to the Nevada Democratic Party’s chairman asking for the release of early vote and in-person vote totals by precinct, corrections to any outstanding early vote and an explanation on the “anomalies in the data.”
“Given how close the race is between second and third place, we ask that you take three steps before releasing any final data,” according to the letter obtained by The Hill.


buttigieg-campaign-claims-irregularities-in-nevada
Now, why would Buttigieg claim irregularities, but not Biden nor Klobuchar, she, right now at 5%?
Here’s what I see: Buttigieg has only 15.3%. If when the rest is counted he falls BELOW 15%, then he will get 0 delegates and will appear on the media’s banners for a week and a half up to Super Tuesday as 3rd placed for delegates gained and that will reduce his chances of winning in any Super Tuesday states.
IF, however, his griping and whining holds up the final count, Bernie will not appear with a wide lead, and Biden will appear further back behind Warren, because only a small part of the delegates have been allocated to Sanders for now and Biden’s share has been completely held up so the WEASEL mayor will remain on screen in 2nd place in delegate count for days to come!
That’s how dirty the weasel Pete is playing it.
But that’s not all. Last night instead of congratulating Bernie, he used his LOSER speech to trash Bernie amongst other things of being divisive, cause he couldn’t wait until today to attack Sanders. He couldn’t even bring himself to graciously congratulate Senator Bernie Sanders.
Lemme tell you something: using the fear mongering narrative won’t work, but using the “divisive” narrative is a BIG MISTAKE. Why? Because in Nevada, Bernie won substantially among ALL RACES and he carried the wide majority of very left, liberal and a good portion of moderates!
So there goes Buttigieg’s bullshet talking point!
Buttigieg, don’t pull that FAIL narrative out of your weasel playbook at Tuesday’s debate, or you’ll get egg on your face!
Anyway, Buttigieg is gonna lose BIG in South Carolina. So he’ll get zero momentum from that.
Today, Bernie finally got some okay coverage in the media, for now. I mean the guy won a landslide last night! Give him some credit and hard-earned respect already!
Hmmm…in the meantime what has weasel mayor Pete been up to to steal the limelight away from Sanders? It’s good; read on and find out…
I said he would do poorly with Latinos, and I was right. Today he was in a black church speaking from a pulpit PANDERING TO BLACK FOLKS. No amount of pandering will work. Black people are never going to back a weasel mayor with a history of undermining the black community.
Now as far as his marriage to a man being an issue. It seems today, at a town hall, a 9-year old boy was brought to the stage and gave him a bracelet, but was almost completely silent, never smiled, even when people cheered, and looked very uncomfortable. However, according to the town hall moderator who announced him, he wanted Pete to tell the world he’s gay. It was very strange, and the Mayor was affected, but it just looked off. Now, I can’t say for sure if that moment was staged, but regardless, the weasel mayor is desperate. He’s pandering to blacks and then this spontaneous moment?
I’m not going to post the video cause that child did NOT look happy at all and IMO a vulnerable child shouldn’t be paraded in the media to make a statement. It just seemed twisted to me.
It’s okay if the child is gay and that Buttigieg’s married to another guy, that’s fine, but he ain’t gonna be President and that fact is just another of several that will stop many from voting for him.
Ain’t gonna happen in the real world and appearing on a pulpit in a black church or with a gay child ain’t gonna change the fact that he’s an ambitious OPPORTUNIST in this race for the wrong reasons!

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 0:11 utc | 106

@Circe #103 – Actually while Pete is a disingenuous little worm and probably a spook, the issue with Nevada is related to him wanting 2nd place over Joe Biden, not an attempt to take any delegates from Bernie.

Posted by: Tired_off_it_ALL | Feb 24 2020 0:14 utc | 107

Tired @104:
Certainly both are the case.

Posted by: corvo | Feb 24 2020 0:17 utc | 108

Bernie’s rally in Austin Texas is an inspiring sight. Only Sanders speaks out with passion against the prison industry and the punitive creed that tolerates solitary confinement and sentences that punish mostly minorities and poor. For that reason alone he stands far above others who are running for president.

Posted by: Copeland | Feb 24 2020 0:19 utc | 109

AntiSpin @84
Yes, the CIA’s non-communist version of a “left” is largely what the Democrats are today. The Democrats rightly complain that Sanders is outside of that, though.
Here is the thing that the CIA understands, but that the non-communist “left” mostly doesn’t: There is ultimately no difference between a “pro-democracy activist” (they are almost always socialists) who seeks to challenge the dominance of capital in society and communists who seek revolution. Unless the “pro-democracy activist” gives up on their goals, they will eventually become communists. The “pro-democracy activist”, if they stay true to their ideals, will invariably come to understand that the impediment to achieving true democracy is capitalism, and capitalism will never yield its power to the public without a fight. From the empire’s perspective it is best to murder these activists before they reach that realization, or at least as soon after they achieve that understanding as possible, as was the case with Malcolm X and MLK.

Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 24 2020 0:20 utc | 110

The link for the Pangolin again as I messed up the link in my earlier post. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangolin

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 0:32 utc | 111

“Have you considered the possibility that Sanders knows the accusations against Russia are mostly or entirely bullshit, but he see’s that it’s become accepted ‘fact’, and isn’t an issue worth disputing?” –Benjamin @87
Of course I have considered that. I think Sanders can afford to be a little more noncommittal in his comments on the matter, though. I realize that Sanders cannot just scoff at the silliness when Anderson Cooper pastes on his practiced look of concern and asks “But… the Russians!??!” Still, hurling invective at Russia’s president and energetically agreeing with the Russophobic jingoism is unnecessary.
After what we have seen done with Trump, does Sanders think he will be able to rein in the empire’s aggression against Russia after he is elected? Unlikely, so he would be better served by using some of the energy of the campaign to try and interfere with the Russophobic hysteria a little bit.

Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 24 2020 0:33 utc | 112

The thread looks to be swamped with excitement about the latest US teevee reality show.
Trump now has his dialanukes mounted on tridents in a sub or two so the next five years…. hmm.. we will live in interesting times.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 1:21 utc | 113

@ Tired 100
Schitler in that article overlooks the existing socialism in America. Socialism for the 1% from farmers subsidies to free funds for the banksters.
Panic in the Democratic establishment because Bernie is leaning unstoppable.
@ WG 109

Chris Matthews faces calls for resignation after comparing Sanders victory to Nazi invasion
Bernie needs to address his detractors – the russophobia and his policies more clearly.
O’Brien, National security adviser disputes the Russia interference, has not seen any evidence to help Trump but when asked about helping Sanders he said “no surprise” they will help Sanders
Such bull manure. Russia, China, Iran are the new bogeys. They controls how the sun rises and sets.

Posted by: Likklemore | Feb 24 2020 1:34 utc | 114

@104 Tired_off_it_ALL
Yes, I know, but right now Bernie is showing 34 delegates and Buttigieg 23 he won in Iowa plus for 2nd place in NH. In fact the spread between him and Sanders should be wider than 11 delegates. But because the counting stopped at 60%, Bernie is not being allocated all his delegates and you know, there’s a perception difference between a spread of 11 and say double that. And maybe Buttigieg will end up third, because Biden’s delegates aren’t registering at all, so when his appear, he might move into 2nd. What I’m getting at is that in stopping the final results Buttigieg is exploiting during this holding pattern a false impression online and on screen where and when the delegate rankings are posted.
People see him in second place 11 delegates behind when really he might be in 3rd place with a wider separation from the leader.
He’s very SNEAKY.
@107 William Gruff
If you were able to understand that capitalism denies democracy, then others do as well. The threat to them is not in knowing this but attempting to do something with that knowledge as in regulating that capitalist power so it doesn’t interfere with democracy. So for now, I wouldn’t think there’s a problem, but in the general election, I would suggest Sanders gets serious security detail.
I just don’t even wanna think about that sort of thing, and believe me, if the 1% want a revolution in the streets, I mean fighting in the streets they’re gonna get it this time, if they pull something. It’s ironic that Kennedy was the one to define what would happen in such a case.: Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
@109
Do you not see the microscope Sanders is under? Everyone is waiting with baited breath for him to slip up; make one false move. They’ve already pegged him as a Left-wing Trump who has supporters comparable to Trump’s deplorables, worst, they call them Nazi brown shirts!
If a candidate who is associated with socialism is seen as soft on Russia as well; he’ll blow the whole campaign, and people will be denied, again.

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 1:46 utc | 115

@14 Trailer Trash:
Yes, I agree with you completely.
@25 jef:
Thank you, I understand what you meant now:)
On another note, I wonder if Bernie supporters will ask him to condemn the Israeli bombings on Syria and Gaza today? I’ll have to check his twitter feed;)

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 1:47 utc | 116

@Peter AU1
his? Trump’s dial-a-nukes?
Don’t you mean Trump is deploying Obama’s dial-a-nukes on two trident subs?
Of course, we have to worry about the hand that hovers over these instruments of death.

Posted by: Copeland | Feb 24 2020 1:48 utc | 117

@76 Bravo

Posted by: dp | Feb 24 2020 1:53 utc | 118

Copeland
Nope. Trump’s. He pushed for low yield tactical nukes for use against non nuclear countries. Both Iran and Venezuela have good air defence and would make US conventional attack vey costly. Both are targets for Trump’s Tridents. Iran being specifically named as a non nuclear country against which the weapons may be used

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 1:57 utc | 119

Peter AU1
Trump has made noises to the effect that these weapons can actually be used, and he is threatening Iran. However, the decision to bring these smaller nukes along, into the US arsenal, was Obama’s. Development of these weapons and the potential to use them has been in the pipeline for quite a while.
Scott Ritter has been talking about these weapons. To use them against non nuclear countries, or any country, is crossing a boundary from whence there is no return.

Posted by: Copeland | Feb 24 2020 2:09 utc | 120

on another note, sanders refuses to attend aipac annual conference, because it is a platform of bigotry against palestinians. but hey, he’s just a sheepdog, right? he is getting the full cia treatment which they reserve for politicians they want to fail, operation mockingbird via major media outlets. that’s what they do. that’s what they are good at, not assassination, character assassination and fixed trials al la julian assange. the only major u.s. politician i think they may have assassinated is paul wellstone, and he was in a small plane with a few others. the politicians they go after are outsiders who oppose the policy consensus normally found in washington, dc. hint, this does not include jfk the warmonger, who escalated vietnam, launched the bay of pigs invasion planned under ike, and took the world to the brink of war for domestic political advantage in cuba after campaiging on a nonexistent missle gap with russia. he fit very well with the clinton/obama wing of the democratic party, the right wing that loves wars along with its counterparts on the republican side, and received the doting press that obama did–and later hilary, though bill actually encountered a lot of pushback for being an outsider from the new york times. but bill proved over time he was fully reliable, and received tickets and favors on the epstein express for being a good dog.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Feb 24 2020 2:20 utc | 121

Bernie STILL needs to mention two words that can blunt the effort to use the Democratic Socialist label against him.
And those two words are; Mixed Economy, the kind the U$A has, and virtually every other country we’re taught are “Socialist”.
Case in point;https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/important-facts-related-to-the-economy-of-venezuela.html

Posted by: ben | Feb 24 2020 2:22 utc | 122

@102 William Gruff
In a way you’re right, but even if Sanders is not as perfect a vehicle to take the growing movement where they wanna go, he’s still the only VIABLE VEHICLE.
If you got lost in the desert on foot and after days of walking and running out of supplies you miraculously came across an old car with plenty of gas in the tank that could get you out of there, would you look down on it and say, well, it’s not perfect and it might only take me 3/4 of the way or less. Yeah, but you got a better option, and what if it does make it all the way? You know what? This is it; if people don’t seize this chance; it’s over.
Someone earlier mentioned the changes Trump is making to the judiciary. You’re looking fascism in the eye, heading towards war and compound that with climate change blowback looming.
Sanders is the only vehicle. If people seize this opportunity, and since the ground swell is with him; he will defeat Trump and Sanders’ influence will have a dramatic impact that people will defend and move forward with someone else later. People are not going to give up on whatever gains Sanders acheives to empower them and he is genuinely committed. I mean look at him! He’s giving this everything he’s got; it’s not an ego-driven power trip, and people see it and that’s why the movement is growing. They know he’s real! Ergo his theme; not ME. US.

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 2:24 utc | 123

@ 117; Speaking of Scott Ritter, here’s a interview with him from the Grayzone;
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/#more-21248

Posted by: ben | Feb 24 2020 2:26 utc | 124

Noirette #17

IMO Bernie will not be the nominee. Jack Rabbit at 7.
Right on. If he finally is hoisted to that position, contrary to all expectations, resisting all the kill-him Dem moves (which are costing the Dems. bigly) it will be because the fix is in, giving Trump a second term.
But Bernie is not that much of a threat to the establishment Sharon M at 11.
No threat at all.

Yes YES to you both but I am totally with gottlieb #15 who recognises all that but will still vote for Bernie: “its Bernie or bust”.
The establishment will do whatever it can to smother the sound of the left, to extinguish any spark from its ranks any appeal to unions or organised labor or organised anybody. The establishment in the USA wants an end to this Bernie bother as it disturbs their calm and their control.
They will rig the convention and whatever caucus they can leading up to it. They have shown for a century and more how they will even kill to silence the left and organised labor. They will do it again too if they must.
The permanent state is intolerant, murderous and insane and it takes a revolution to change that.
IMO Bernie Sanders is one step on the long march to that revolution. Perhaps he wont be among us when revolution day arrives but hopefully his advocacy will be on fire in everyone’s mind as they take down the permanent state.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 2:28 utc | 125

And then there is the treatment Bernie is getting from the paranoid tools on MSNBC: MSNBC Melts Down Over Sanders Front-Runner Status

Posted by: Copeland | Feb 24 2020 2:34 utc | 126

Likklemore #91
Pathetic drivel from ZH posing as informed comment. And you repost it here.
That is like passing round used toilet paper for a second try.
I am not fooled by that pathetic gesture.
ZH hates the left, despises Bernie Sanders, is terrified of organised people against the oligarchy and is petrified by the thought of taxation.
I happen to think that a major financial disaster is about to overwhelm the USA and so does ZH. But unlike ZH I will not be kissing the arse of the oligarchy or buying up gold to hedge against that day.
Societies strength is in its hands and is actioned though cooperation, organisation and understanding the means to bring in a better day. We dont need no zero hedge: they are just another brick in the wall.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 2:41 utc | 127

here is cecile mclorin salvant singing a well known song.. some here might enjoy it..
https://youtu.be/RdvY_UF5LFg
okay circe… here is one for you… i like nathan robinsons writing and thinking… i was first introduced to him and his site via b who posted the article on pete buttigeg about a year ago..
“For now, we have a goal, and that goal is to expel Donald Trump from the White House. If we agree on that goal, then now that Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic primary, the only route to way to meet the goal is to go all in for Bernie. The clock is ticking. Trump’s approval rating is rising and rising as Democrats squabble. There is an argument to be made that a failure to immediately join Sanders will create direct moral responsibility for the human consequences of a second Trump term, should he be narrowly reelected. Do not be the person who sees Trump squeak through, and then wishes you had perhaps spent a little less time tearing down Sanders, or come around to him a little earlier.”
Can We Get Real Now, Please?

Posted by: james | Feb 24 2020 2:49 utc | 128

@122 uncle tungsten
So you agree that Bernie is “no threat at all” to the establishment, yet you think the establishment “will even kill” to stop him and his supporters who you refer to as the “left”?? You lost me there.

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 2:49 utc | 129

#AIPAC is trending on twitter now because Bernie said he’s going to skip their annual meeting. There are some congratulations for him, notably from Medea Benjamin. But there are some breathtakingly stupid protests from zionists. One zionist called AIPAC “center-left”! lol I hope the U.S. and British State media gets on this and make a big to-do about it, just so that the criticisms of insane AIPAC and psycho Israel will be a louder topic of discussion;)

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 3:17 utc | 130

Coronavirus blues running round my brain: This story at NEO is a good read 🤑

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 3:20 utc | 131

@91
Somehow I’m fine with being called an idiot by someone who doesn’t understand that Fight Club was anti-capitalist, and who unironically uses Tyler Durden as their nom de plume.
The only good thing about Zero Hedge is their motto.

Posted by: Benjamin | Feb 24 2020 3:25 utc | 132

‘Sanders gave up building a movement after 2016’? Which is, uh…why he has a movement now? One with an independent fundraising and media operation separate from the Democratic Party? He’s largely insulated himself from being subjected to the McGovern treatment, should he win the nomination.
Some people apparently think everything is part of some orchestrated, competent conspiracy, and that Sanders can’t possibly be exactly what he appears to be: someone genuinely principled, and genuinely trying to win, though having made calculated compromises along the way.
I think you’re giving our elites far, far too much credit. By appearances they didn’t see this coming, and after having tried and failed with a series of photogenic neoliberal non-entities (Beto O’Rourke, if anyone still remembers him, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg) all of which have failed, are in total confusion.

Posted by: Benjamin | Feb 24 2020 3:35 utc | 133

Here’s an article from 2015, That shows even China, that bastion of authoritarianism an Socialism, was moving towards a Mixed Economy.
https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/02/09/the-long-march-to-the-mixed-economy-in-china/
Come ‘on Bernie, grab a clue…

Posted by: ben | Feb 24 2020 3:51 utc | 134

Copeland
Do you have links to Ritter’s pieces on that. I did a quick search but nothing turned up.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 3:52 utc | 135

Copeland 117
As to Trump making noise, NPR is US military doctrine or policy which is a little more than making noises. This now goes into pentagon contingency planning, or if ordered to strike Iran, it is now part of their toolkit.
Trump doesn’t like endless wars which is why tactical nukes are now on pentagons options list.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 3:58 utc | 136

I don’t know where TheGreenPapers.com is getting its numbers, or how many percent of the precincts they include — but as of 10:47pm EST (25 minutes ago as I type), the site says the county delegate counts are:
Sanders 6,120 (47.15%)
Biden 2,723 (20.98%)
Buttigieg 1,772 (13.65%)
Warren 1,243 ( 9.58%)
Steyer 604 ( 4.65%)
Klobuchar 506 ( 3.90%)
Delaney 5 ( 0.04%)
Yang 5 ( 0.04%)
Bennet 2 ( 0.02%)
Patrick 1 ( 0.01%)
Gabbard 0 ( 0.00%)
Uncommitted 0 ( 0.00%)
Total 12,981 (100.00%)
It says this translates to 21 delegates won by Sanders so far, to 8 for Biden and 3 for Buttigieg, with 4 more available now — when they are allocated, it projects, the split will shift to 24-9-3. Of course there are still the 12 unpledged “PLEOs” (party leaders and/or elected officers), a/k/a superdelegates, yet to come.

Posted by: jalp | Feb 24 2020 4:15 utc | 137

ben @119: “mixed economy”
Yeah. With his newfound publicity he could also draw a sharper contrast between the interests of people and the interests of the empire-builders in the Zionist-supremist NWO establishment.
E M P I R E

  • USA/NATO belligerence
    weaponized trade, seizing State assets of Venezuela and Syria, assassination of Soleimani, provocative “exercises”, failure to follow-thru on peace agreement with North Korea, coup in Bolivia, etc.
  • the New Cold War
    nearly $1 trillion/yr for military + intelligence agencies
  • Restore the ban on Government propaganda directed at US citizens

Duopoly and media as establishment tools:

  • Obama and Trump as faux populists
  • “Third Way” Democratic Party sell-outs (Clinton, Obama) and the Party’s turn away from the working class to focus on divisive identity politics
  • End ‘access journalism’ which makes corporate media into propaganda

Bubble Economics:

  • Wall Street’s new bubble
    ‘Money printing’ continues to prop up an economy that has struggled since the banks wrecked the economy in 2008 – Banks still don’t mark-to-market
  • Carried interest tax deduction
    why has this fallen off the radar? Obama promised to end it in 2008

Civil and Human Rights:

  • War on whistle-blowers and free press
  • Need to regulate social media companies.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <>
1992 Bill Clinton:

It’s the economy, stupid!

2020 Jackrabbit:

It’s the Empire, stoopid!

!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 4:21 utc | 138

“This should suggest to the observant that the movement to elect Sanders has become partially independent of Sanders. Sanders is just a very convenient rallying point.”
Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 24 2020 0:02 utc | 102
Yes, very astute observation of the elemental nature of the growing counterbalance to corporate oppression. That force is waiting, in fact begging, for a leader. But Sanders is not that leader. He is too tired – mentally and physically – to be that leader. On the verge of death himself, he is not willing to die for the cause. He will kill it, though.

Posted by: Activist Potato | Feb 24 2020 4:22 utc | 139

Looking good in Syria right now. Liberation of entire north western provinces is imminent. Congratulations to the forces of sanity and civil society.
Erdoghan is doing an excellent losing game. Soon all those jihadis wil be pushing up olive trees and the ocasional hashish.
With all those tunnels left behind there could be a new mushroom industry on the rise.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 4:25 utc | 140

Scrolling past all the US irrelevance of no importance:
Gottlieb why do you ignore the answer you yourself give? They simply don’t actually believe in what is mostly nonsense used for manipulation and control.
What else can one expect when since childhood people have been shouted at with what they’re supposed to believe? Of course many will claim to believe things they don’t, claim to understand things they don’t, claim to care about things they don’t, and claim to do things they don’t, and the worst will be the most vocal and the biggest supporters.

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Feb 24 2020 4:33 utc | 141

Trisha #52
As I see it…
Bernie is doggedly sticking to his mantra of reform, not getting into distractions like making challenging statements about non-core issues.
The rabid media jackals would just love to tear him down.
IMO that is a sound strategy when the sky is full of noise.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 4:34 utc | 142

uncle tungsten
Syrians would be better off sticking to olives. Considering mushrooms need to be fed shit as well as kept in the dark, it would be difficult for them to compete with the US.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 4:37 utc | 143

jalp @134
I don’t know if the counting is done yet.
I don’t know that “PLEO”s are counted as “elected delegates”
However, using those raw numbers (with PLEOs), I get current count of elected delegates as Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada races as:
Sanders:42
Buttigieg: 25
Biden: 14
Warren: 8
Klobachar: 7
<> <> <> <> <>
So Bernie has 42 of 142 or 29.58% of the elected delegates thus far.
That’s still on track for a brokered convention.
And, AFAIK Biden is currently leading in South Carolina.
Bernie is very likely to win the most elected delegates – but he’s unlikely to win the majority he needs to prevent a brokered convention.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 5:01 utc | 144

Peter AU1 133
ben posted a link to the Scott Ritter interview @ 121, where you will find the information you expressed interest in. It’s a good piece that covers the abandonment of missile treaties between US and Russia during Obama and Trump years. Tactical nukes were on the pentagon’s wish list long before Trump came along. The technical work for producing variable yield nukes goes back decades.
Nukewatch:B61-12 Bomb Upgrade-news archive

Posted by: Copeland | Feb 24 2020 5:05 utc | 145

My own experience from living in Asia makes me believe “fish market” is only a western misunderstanding of what to me is a typical (but in no way exclusively so) Chinese living animals meat marked where the animals are often killed on the spot after being bought and the blood washed away using a water hose (sometimes more correctly called a wet market).
Unless the customers do it themselves later. Fish, crabs, ducks, snakes et cetera and more exotic stuff.
The main trade can be fish in which case it often becomes a “fish market” even though they’ll have much more than fish.

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Feb 24 2020 5:07 utc | 146

Correction
Bernie has 46 of 96 or 47.92% of the elected delegates.
(That number is a bit less if PLEOs are not counted.)
Can Bernie get >50% of the delegates in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday? If he did, he might have the momentum necessary to win a majority of elected delegates and become the nominee.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 5:07 utc | 147

https://twitter.com/Mustafa45161146/status/1230891857841938438
“@Mustafa45161146
who need planet of the ape? when u have blanet of the turks. coming soon hollywood oscar awards soon #idlib”

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 5:12 utc | 148

WHY ARE THEY GIVING BUTTIGIEG DELEGATES IF HE’S UNDER 15%???
Isn’t the rule that you can only get delegates if you’re over 15%?
Oh please Jackrabbit!

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 5:16 utc | 149

They say that “Homeland Security whistleblower Philip Haney” shot hizzself on Saturday morning… Geewhiz, another coincidence.

Posted by: Walter | Feb 24 2020 5:19 utc | 150

Circe @146: WHY ARE THEY GIVING BUTTIGIEG DELEGATES
That’s a count from all 3 races: Iowa + New Hampshire + Nevada.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 5:27 utc | 151

Forget Buttigieg’s debate participation w less than 15%. Bloomberg had not a single vote cast for him before the debate.
You know, not a single patient w flu-like symptoms could confirm whether it was something new or just flu. Neither could their doctors. Ah, that’s right. The people who participated in the advance “simulation”– they are the ones who actually looked at it through their microscopes– and they are honorable men. https://www.voltairenet.org/article209126.html

Posted by: Penelope | Feb 24 2020 5:35 utc | 152

BUTTIGIEG’S NOT SUPPOSED TO GET ANYTHING IN NEVADA IF HE’S AT 13.7%!!!
Buttigieg is getting praise from IDIOTS and criticism from SANE PEOPLE for exploiting the 9-year old child to score a political moment.
Some people are rightly stating he should have met with the child privately and not have him come up on stage and others claiming that 9 years old is too young to assess his sexual preference since he hasn’t passed puberty.
And I’ll add this: If you really want to be TRUTHFUL ABOUT BUTTIGIEG’S INTENTIONS DAILYKOS, DON’T SHOW THE VIDEO TAKEN FROM A DISTANCE WHERE YOU CAN’T SEE THE CHILD’S DEMEANOUR, OR BUTTIGIEG’S PLAYACTING!
THAT CHILD WAS NOT COMFORTABLE AT ALL!!! IT WAS CREEPY AND EXPLOITATIVE.
Yes, I’m pissed! How far will that asshole Buttigieg go to score political points???
Watch for this to backfire….
Does anyone know who of the cadidates is going to attend the AIPAC Conference?
I’ll put all my money on Bloomberg, Biden and Klobuchar, and I would have included Buttigieg bigly, but knowing what a conniving opportunist he is, and Sanders drawing the line in the sand, I’m picturing Buttigieg with one foot on each side and testing which direction the political wind is blowing in first. But we all know he’s all in with the Ziofascist state, since his big donors are Zionist and he’s already come out (no pun intended) holding back criticism and expressing full support.

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 6:03 utc | 153

Jackrabbit @ 141
Here’s another percentage to consider, 142 of 1991 elected delegates or 7.13% of the goal thus far. That’s probably too small a sample size for most extrapolation.
South Carolina has new ES&S voting machines that could be rigged because the tallying process reads a bar code which the voting public cannot. Assuming Biden and Sanders effectively split the 54 delegates there, it’s still too small a sample size. Regardless, I expect Biden will not be permitted to lose here.
If it appears Sanders will be over 700 elected delegates after March 3rd., he’s going to be odds on favorite to have enough to win on the convention first ballot. If on the other hand, it appears he will be short of 600 elected delegates, a contested convention becomes the favored scenario. In between 600-700 is currently forcasted but confidence in the prediction won’t solidify until after Super Tuesday. Sanders is currently 11/4 to win the Presidency outright, and trending toward 2/1 which is a sucker bet, as he’s no better than 9/2 in my mind if it remains a five or six-person race going into Super Tuesday.

Posted by: psychedelicatessen | Feb 24 2020 6:10 utc | 154

Copeland
All I could find on the linked page that was relevant was Obama upgrading the gravity bomb which has been around for yonks. I scrolled through the page for a bit but did not run onto anything by Ritter.
What Trump authorised, plus his nuclear review are very different to an upgrade of old stock.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 6:24 utc | 155

Copeland
Cott Ritter interview with Aron Mate
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/
He is saying the opposite. Obama did away with development of new nuclear weapons in his Nuclear Posture Review. From what I understand, Obama authorised the upgrade of existing weapons but according to Ritter, Obama was the first to stop development of new weapons. Trump has overturned this with his posture review which calls for new sub launched nuclear weapons to add to the existing article. On top of that, Trump is ending nuclear treaties.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 6:54 utc | 156

When I get up tomorrow I expect to find the global financial and supply chain worlds to be freaking out about the global spreading virus.
If we had sovereign public finance, any natural or unnatural disaster would be easily accommodated (assuming resources), but private profit and overarching debt are going to keep Western countries from doing the right things.
On anther subject commented on above about tactical nuclear devices. First, I think the term, tactical nuclear device is and oxymoron in today’s world. If Iran and Venezuela are not getting bombed because China/Russia are saying no then how can there be such a device? MAD is MAD
Which “balls bouncing in the global air” are going to do what this next week?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 24 2020 6:56 utc | 157

psychohistorian
Mad is the word alright. Perhaps Trump is a bit like Erdogan and thinks Russia China will stand aside if he hits Iran or Venezuela.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Feb 24 2020 7:04 utc | 158

Likklemore @ 91
What to make of it?
Every single word of it is absolutely correct, except one:
Where he writes “socialist”, replace that by “sheepdog”.
But the guy is way too optimistic in imagining that Sanders will be robbed, against his will, of the success he deserves. As we know from his behavior after the Wikileaks scandal in 2016, Sanders is the the real sheepdog: he is in on the game; he is not an aggrieved party but an accessory to the theft of his candidacy and his votes.

Posted by: Piero Colombo | Feb 24 2020 7:08 utc | 159

Okay, not sure what happened to my post on Andrew Yang, but I’ll say this. Andrew Yang is starting to piss me off!
First he joins CNN after dropoing out of the race.
On Saturday, Andrew Yang was pushing for one of the moderates in the Dem race to drop out so one of the remaining could consolidate energy on the moderate side against Bernie Sanders. He could only be referring to Buttigieg consolidating energy on moderate side since Buttigieg is in second ranking with delegates.
Then on Sunday, Andrew Yang posted this on twitter.
Andrew Yang twitter
So, why do I have a bad feeling about this? Early March??? Is his announcement before or after Super Tuesday? Did Buttigieg ask Andrew Yang to be his VP? NOOOOO! If so, would Yang be that selfish, hypocritical and crazy to accept? But Buttigieg would be incredibly stupid, arrogant and presumptuous to do that since he isn’t even winning! If Yang were to accept such an offer I’d hate his guts for eternity!
And here’s something else that adds to my suspicion. When Marianne Williamson dropped out some time ago she endorsed Yang, but since Yang dropped out, she endorsed Bernie on Sunday in Austin Tx.
And Yang’s only comment on her endorsement was: I love MarWilliamson.
But-but, what about Bernie? Nothing for Bernie, like Congrats Bernie, and great addition to the Bern team?
What is he up to?
Some of the yanggangers already moved over to Bernie since he dropped out, but the ones still hanging out hope for Yang are completely delusional and arrogant.
I’m telling you, I hope I’m wrong but I’m feeling sick about this. It doesn’t feel right. Too many red flags. UGH.

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 8:38 utc | 160

WWI history unveiled.
A researched example of how mobsters manage the of the oil and gas owned, petrodollar controlled, nation state system.
Deceit, lies, and just about every kind of underhanded thing humanity has ever dreamed up, operating at the highest levels of all
nation state governments. It is important to recognize the problem is the system, because it attracts the scum to the top and gives
those attracted the personal power to ravage the world.

Posted by: snake | Feb 24 2020 8:41 utc | 161

SharonM #126

So you agree that Bernie is “no threat at all” to the establishment, yet you think the establishment “will even kill” to stop him and his supporters who you refer to as the “left”?? You lost me there.

My apologies for being way to brief with that remark. My thought around Sanders is that the establishment detests the sounds he makes that signify ‘the people united etc’.. and the no threat remark is based on the near impregnability of that establishment without a (full Bernie supporting) majority in both the house and senate.
It will take time for the political system to gear up to reflect a major shift in the highest decision making levels and by then Bernie Sanders will likely be out of office. In that interim candidates will be assassinated, blackballed, character assassinated or have their elections rigged and stolen from them by whichever dem or repugnant state committee the establishment can seize.
So Bernie Sanders is no immediate threat to the establishment as we say.
They will still do everything possible to silence the ideological line that he is uttering, they always have and always will, until they are exterminated.
Plus I note corvo #69 and Walter #102 discussion on the Bernie Sanders ‘movement’ or lack thereof. There really does need to be a separate movement that is not controlled SOLELY by Sanders and his closest people. That will be a folly of supreme proportions and should the Bernie candidature fail in 2020 or be confronted with demands to back any of the other Democrazi candidates against Trump (other than Gabbard) then the momentum will be shattered and only Sanders and the elite in that movement will be to blame. I trust that does not happen.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 9:51 utc | 162

@89 Glossopteris
Do you know if there is any plan to distribute prophylactic drugs to the mass population, or whether it is possible to get a prescription on a prophylactic basis for chloroquine phosphate and anti-virals?

Posted by: TJ | Feb 24 2020 10:06 utc | 163

ben @119: “mixed economy”
Excellent point and well put.
That is the vaccine to inoculate the conversation.
Of course some will get on high horse and avocate the need for more “pure” capitalism – which /ranslates to enacting regulations and laws which benefits my owners.
Which returns me to my point – there is not such thing as capitalism – it is only a simplfied economic model, not reality.

Posted by: jared | Feb 24 2020 10:54 utc | 164

@13
I fail to understand how these soldiers got the Brain injuries while being into bunkers. There was definitely no one into the tents otherwise you would have real brain on the wall, which is apparently not the case.
I bet soldiers get compensation if they are declared injured.

Posted by: murgen23 | Feb 24 2020 12:39 utc | 165

@159 uncle tungsten
I understand you now, thanks:)

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 12:42 utc | 166

@160 TJ
Hi sorry I am just not privy to that sort of information. The general info includes a set of FAQs for staff (updated weekly by the current looks of things), GOV.UK links detailing advice on initial assessment and investigation, infection prevention and control and guidance, guidance on diagnostics, a list of the specialist treatment centers in England, a rapid check list to assess if individuals need to self-isolate, info on specific masks etc. All pretty general and likely following well established procedures.
I looked again over the CT image I mentioned and all patient details had been removed, including age, gender ethnicity and the date of the scan. The image had been provided by an international source to help diagnosis; there was little else I could extract from it.

Posted by: Glossopteris | Feb 24 2020 12:54 utc | 167

“Boeing Pilot at Center of Inquiry”, NY Times, 22 Feb. 2020 (print):

Federal prosecutors investigating Boeing are examining whether the company knowingly misled the Federal Aviation Administration while it was seeking the regulator’s approval for its 737 Max plane, according to two people familiar with the matter … [P]rosecutors have questioned several Boeing employees in front of a federal grand jury, with some of their queries focusing on whether Mark Forkner, a top pilot at the company, intentionally lied to the regulator about the nature of new flight control software on the jet …

Posted by: David G | Feb 24 2020 13:24 utc | 168

murgen23@165:
Soldiers don’t get compensation if they’re dead, do they?
Do we have names for these supposedly brain-injured soldiers?
It looks increasingly as though initial Iranian reports of having killed more than 100 Americans in their strikes are fairly accurate.

Posted by: corvo | Feb 24 2020 13:26 utc | 169

>IMO Bernie Sanders is one step on the long march to that revolution.
How ironic. Last night’s Bernie and Anderson Cooper Show on CBS was great entertainment, especially when Bernie implored Anderson not to use the “revolution” word. Then not two minutes later, we all learn that Socialist Bernie became a millionaire by selling a book with the word “Revolution” right there in the title!
Truth really is stranger than fiction, but not as strange as delusions that a person who became rich on the word “revolution” but now refuses to use it, will somehow lead one.

Posted by: Trailer Trash | Feb 24 2020 13:40 utc | 170

British journalist ridiculed online after lashing out at ‘Stalinists’ within Labour Party
Looks like the British social liberals still prefer the traditional nomenclature.
–//–
@ Posted by: ben | Feb 24 2020 3:51 utc | 134
I disagree with He Fan.
Yes, the plenum decided for more “mixed ownership” in more means of production in China. But that doesn’t mean China is heading towards a “mixed economy” in the classic Cold War social-democrat sense.
The key here is which is dominant. It is false to say that any economic system that isn’t identical to some hypothetical sacred text is automatically a “mixed” system. There’s no sacred text on capitalism, much less one on socialism. There’s no holotype.
And Marx already was vaccinated against this. He stated that capitalism is the society where capital is the dominant (but not the only one) mode of social reproduction. It’s easy to define capital – it is value that self-valorises, a process and not a thing. That’s why the post-war European social-democracies are capitalist economies (and not “mixed”).
Socialism is much harder to define, because it is only in its embryonary stage right now, and Marx died long before he had any time to formulate it. But he envisage the post-historical system — communism — and then postulated socialism as the transitory stage between capitalism and communism. In this sense, socialism already is a “mixed” mode of production by definition.
In this scientific sense of the word, there’s no reason not to think China as a socialist country. All land is State-owned. All the strategic means of production is State-owned (including the financial sector). Its people think of themselves as socialists. Yes, there is capital – but not capitalism, as capital doesn’t govern China (the CCP does).
You can have competition without capitalism. Deng Xioping did that in the 1970s-1980s. You can also have trade without capitalism (as we had before capitalism was born). It is a bourgeois myth that humans can only do basic things such as those with capitalism.

Posted by: vk | Feb 24 2020 13:46 utc | 171

SharonM @130
AIPAC is indeed trending on Twitter. They are preparing for their annual meeting where they decide who the quality candidates are to run for US president. In preparation they drive around a lot of construction equipment used in building illegal settlements. Here they are helping an injured local youth.

Posted by: Myopia Longshot | Feb 24 2020 13:50 utc | 172

I forgot to mention that during the CBS interview, Ole Bernie once again stated plainly that he would support the Dummycrat nominee, even Billionaire Bloomberg.
So no, there will be no independent movement led by Bernie.

Posted by: Trailer Trash | Feb 24 2020 14:06 utc | 173

The official US propaganda site has taken a break from Russiaphobic ranting to tell us:
“Turkey’s Claim of Killing 76 Syrian Troops Has Scant Evidence” Feb 5
https://www.polygraph.info/a/turkey-claims-it-killed-76-syrian-soldiers-russia-denies/30419032.html
Posted by: Keith McClary | Feb 23 2020 19:56 utc | 66
————————–
There had to be a good reason! Perhaps that explains (cite from the linked article):
Erdogan also said there is “no need to be in collision with Russia” and listed various strategic partnerships between the two countries, including the Turk Stream gas pipeline.
Russian and regime airstrikes continue to hit civilians in the area around Idlib. On Feb. 5, Erdogan demanded that Syrian regime forces pull back from Idlib by the end of this month or face further action from Turkish forces. A day earlier, the U.S. State Department issued a statement in support of Turkey’s intervention.
———————
Erdogan, where is the Russian and “regime” blood you have promised, you cheat! We will not spell you Erdoğan, or use any nice expression like “Turkish leader also said”.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Feb 24 2020 14:06 utc | 174

Coronavirus outbreak highlights need for independent CDC-style body in Japan
But we know it’ll never happen, don’t we?
I love Japanese propaganda. So brute, so in-your-face, so “it us against the world”.
–//–
‘Stigmatizing would drive Shincheonji believers into ground’
As they should.
Religion is a scourge of humanity, and has no place in a prosperous society.
–//–
The riddle of conflicting US economic surveys
No, Goldman, you just suck as an economist.
–//–
Coronavirus news – live: Europe death toll rises as outbreak nears pandemic ‘tipping point’, UK declares new cases and infection spreads in Middle East
But it was so fun when only China was affected! That’s not fair!
How will the western MSM will politicize the COVID-19 against socialism now that Italians, Japanese and South Koreans are also spectacularly failing at containing it?
–//–
Immigrants built Britain. Now their Conservative children are disowning them
By “immigrants” you mean “slaves”, right?
Such an absurd euphemism, and people are still obsessed with Chinese propaganda…

Posted by: vk | Feb 24 2020 14:12 utc | 175

@ UNZ > (Mark Weber & Collusion) ” secretive and unlawful collusion by an American leader with a foreign power that subverts the US political process is not new. The most far-reaching and flagrant case was by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940-41.” Hummmm…
Well, why stop with FDR…”Known and unashamed pederast and mysteriously wealthy agent of France, Benjamin Franklin….”
But withal, Weber’s end notes and also the body of his long essay ought to interest everybody who might give a hoot. The ties to Stephenson are, Wally think, especially interesting…
Brother Karlofi in particular.

Posted by: Walter | Feb 24 2020 14:31 utc | 176

I fail to understand how these soldiers got the Brain injuries while being into bunkers. There was definitely no one into the tents otherwise you would have real brain on the wall, which is apparently not the case.
I bet soldiers get compensation if they are declared injured.
Posted by: murgen23 | Feb 24 2020 12:39 utc | 165
We can keep guessing what happened. For example, what kind of explosion caused the trauma (injuries? concussion?). For example, thermabaric explosives create particularly strong shockwaves (because they detonate a large volume of air+fuel mixture rather than a compact oxygenator+fuel explosives?), so soldiers could be impacted by a shockwave transmitted by the bunker roof/walls. At high level, shockwaves can destroy lungs, perhaps they cause concussions at lower levels. US military is “strangely” close-lipped.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Feb 24 2020 14:39 utc | 177

Trailer Trash @170:

Bernie implored Anderson not to use the “revolution” word.

Asking media not to use “Revolution” isn’t a real push-back. As ben @122 writes:

Bernie STILL needs to mention two words that can blunt the effort to use the Democratic Socialist label against him… “Mixed Economy”

40 years ago, before the Democrats sold out, Bernie would be a bit to the left of a mainstream Democrat.
But Bernie won’t say that because that would be shining a spotlight on the Party. ‘Party unity’ is more important to him than winning.
=
Trailer Trash @173:

… there will be no independent movement led by Bernie.

Yeah.
His one and only shot is to win a majority of electoral delegates. That’s the only thing that makes his insurgency (not a Movement) a success. And that is a long-shot.
That’s why I criticize his pulling of punches: not taking on the Party directly; not taking on Party-friendly media; accepting the Party’s narratives (like Russiagate); etc. For this, I’m labeled ‘cynical’ (I am!) and a ‘purist’.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 14:54 utc | 178

@ uncle tungsten | Feb 24 2020 9:51 utc | 162 (in re #102 and Walter)
Wally does not see any words of his @ 102…
But he’ll say something about movements here.
Movements are like sand, they exist as irrelevant motes, until the circumstance couples with a suitable nascent cadre (mote) and transfers energy from the circumstance to create “movement”…which is to say, influence the Changes. Movements are feedback loops in a dynamic process. Neary 100% of movements never move. The few that do take to the air tend to create surprises…Castro comes to mind, So does Lenin. And Churchill.
Movements need money, Intelop and Movement are identical. Intel ops are flush with money – thus most movements are curated for hidden purposes…like the movent that shot JFK, or the movement (that one has a capital Z) that demolished buildings on 911…
Wally once joined a movement, the Boy Scouts – but after they endorsed sodomy Wally felt betrayed.

Posted by: Walter | Feb 24 2020 15:06 utc | 179

@172 myopia longshot
Oh I saw that! Looks like the old films of bulldozers tossing hundreds of bodies into pits at concentration camps in WW2. The Israelis are just so horrible.

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 15:07 utc | 180

@Piotr Berman
In case you missed it, there’s a new book by Andrzej Walicki, O Rosji inaczej (hard copies are currently out of print, but there’s an e-book available with free 14-day registration). Sputnik Polska has discussed the book with Paweł Dybicz, Przegląd’s deputy editor-in-chief.

Posted by: S | Feb 24 2020 15:08 utc | 181

I wonder why Dow Jones is so far down today?

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 15:18 utc | 182

@vk #171
The real British Stalinists are, of course, CPGB-ML—the only consistently anti-imperialist, pro-worker British party.

Posted by: S | Feb 24 2020 15:25 utc | 183

Following the “Corbyn is a Stalinist”, we now have “Bernie Sanders is a Jewish Nazist” jibe:
Blitzkrieg Bernie? Sanders’ victory in Nevada like NAZI invasion of France – MSNBC’s Chris Matthews
Nothing is sacred in the land of the moderates/centrists.

Posted by: vk | Feb 24 2020 15:57 utc | 184

I fail to understand how these soldiers got the Brain injuries while being into bunkers.
Posted by: murgen23 | Feb 24 2020 12:39 utc | 165
A better question is why were these soldiers not defending their bases, but were in bunkers cowering?

Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Feb 24 2020 16:02 utc | 185

Of the movements: here is a movement I can see myself support.
It is said that in US, the top 400 persons or families own as much wealth as the bottom 50%. This is a finite list and can be used to: protests at their residences “occupy” style. Hurt their businesses by finding and addressing their malfeasance in US courts “pro se” style. Pro se style means “for oneself” or argue on one’s own behalf, and that an average citizen can file a lawsuit in the court without all the costs of hiring an attorney. Most of the out of work citizens have much time to do the filings.
When a substantial case is identified – among the many filed – it can be strengthened by bringing the out work lawyers to help win it.
When a case is won, materially, it strengthens the movement by allowing more resources to be allocated to the cause.
“Pro se” is the way. Your vote may not count in US, but your filings do. The 400 can’t possibly fight the fight.

Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Feb 24 2020 16:06 utc | 186

Sakineh Bagoom | Feb 24 2020 16:02 utc | 185 (brain injuries)
Fear is a form of brain injury. For the specific injuries in the recent affair there can only be one medical treatment, alas it must be often repeated – cold beer, weed and cocaine, and whores in Santa Monica… Proper treatment takes years…

Posted by: Walter | Feb 24 2020 16:30 utc | 187

@186 Sakineh Bagoom
“…protests at their residences “occupy” style.”
I’ve thought this myself, Sakineh. Go to the Hamptons en masse, and scare the poop out of them;)

Posted by: SharonM | Feb 24 2020 16:30 utc | 188

A thought for open thread: “Sanders told reporters on the campaign trail Friday that he was briefed on Russian interference efforts “about a month ago,” speculating that the news of potential Russian interference efforts came out now because it was on the eve of the Nevada caucuses.
“It was not clear what role they were going to play. We were told that Russia, maybe other countries, are gonna get involved in this campaign,” Sanders said.
————
Where is the outrage? Without public disclosure of details, how can American public resist the interference? Why they are hiding it? We are afraid, and we want concrete steps how to avoid being interfered.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Feb 24 2020 16:39 utc | 189

Israeli Ziofascists treat their garbage better than they treat Palestinians.
Only one of many reasons to support Bernie Sanders for President, because he, along with Reps. Omar, Tlaib, and McCollum are the few changing the narrative on Israel in Congress. For the first time, this is a singular opportunity to put in the White House a President who will change the Zionist narrative that erases Palestinians as human beings deserving of full rights.
There’s a video circulating of Palestinians in Gaza trying to retrieve the body of a Palestinian killed by Israeli forces.

After one Palestinian is shot to the ground and another is injured, a group of other young men rush to retrieve the injured, at which point the bulldozer begins barreling toward them.
Unable to retrieve the man who was shot, the group retreats.
The bulldozer then begins probing at the body of the incapacitated man, and at one point, the blade of the bulldozer appears to be moving up and down, hitting the body of the man trapped below it.
Finally, the bulldozer lifts up the man by his clothes, his limp body dangling from the blade of the bulldozer.

WATCH UNDER SUBTITLE THE VIDEO AT MONDOWEISS.
israeli-bulldozer-dragging-palestinian-body-sparks-outrage
Just three weeks from today, March 16, 2020, marks 17 years since Israeli Ziofascists murdered 23-year old American activist, Rachel Corrie, crushing her body to death! To date the CRAVEN U.S. government has yet to hold Israel’s Ziofascist forces accountable for her brutal murder!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Corrie
On March 1-2 Aipac, will hold its policy conference and Hakeem Jeffries (D) is on the roll call.
Jeffries is the Congressional Black Caucus’ Whip and is considered a rising star in the Democratic Party.
In 2014, Jeffries held a photo-op with Eric Garner’s mother. Eric Garner was the black man choked to death by the NYPD.
Wiki:

As a member of Congress, he has called for a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into the circumstances surrounding the death of Eric Garner.[68] On a visit to the Staten Island site where Garner was killed, recorded by a CNN news crew in December 2014, Jeffries encountered Gwen Carr, the victim’s mother.

HYPOCRITE!!!
CONDEMN, DENOUNCE AND SHAME HYPOCRITE HAKEEM JEFFRIES FOR ATTENDING THE POLICY CONFERENCE OF AIPAC REPRESENTING IN AMERICA A RACIST, FASCIST, APARTHEID, MURDEROUS REGIME!
member of congress hakeem jeffries
(Share this far and wide!)

Posted by: Circe | Feb 24 2020 16:53 utc | 190

Jimmy Dore is interesting about Sanders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlIIqJnH-_k

Posted by: Blue Dotterel | Feb 24 2020 16:55 utc | 191

@169 : A bit too much conspiracy to my taste for I doubt you can hide 100 US soldiers dead, they have families and plenty of staring journalist in need of scoops. I do have another theory. Trump withdrawal of troops from Roja was badly perceived by fractions of military, including at the Pentagon. Past the Iranian salvo of missiles, Trump gloated that there were no US troops injured. Since they were warned several hours in advance, it is very probable they did effectively hide in Saddam bunker, and with the right amount of beer, one can keep them in place so there were no injuries at all. Hence some scratched the egg atop their necks and found these brain ‘injuries’ to displease the Twitter in chief. Who needs enemies when you have such friends? How do you prove brain injuries without concussion and wounds ? If the hierarchy is willing to accept that it is enough to declare you have headache to receive purple medal, money and other compensation for life. go prove the contrary when wounded without wounds are accepted. If this is the case, I am afraid they won’t have enough purple medal in stock.
@185 : They did not have patriot battery in Irak. Too bad, I would have liked to assert their effectiveness.

Posted by: murgen23 | Feb 24 2020 16:58 utc | 192

A pretty good explanation of how the viability rules apply is also given at TheGreenPapers.com — toward the bottom of the page. I was somewhat confused as well, but one point is that candidates whose votes make them viable at a precinct caucus are eligible to win county delegates, and candidates whose county delegates make them viable within a Congressional district or statewide are eligible to win pledged national-convention delegates.
As you can see in the chart at the bottom of the page, Sanders was viable in all four CDs, and thus of course statewide too — in fact, he won the most county delegates from precincts in each CD as well as statewide . . . so he was eligible to win all types of pledged national delegates. Biden was only viable in three districts and statewide — and Buttigieg was only viable in two districts, and NOT statewide. This works out (with no card draws or coin flips) to Sanders winning 24 of the 36 pledged delegates up for grabs from the caucus, versus 9 for Biden and 3 for Buttigieg.
24 is 2/3 of 36 — and 1/2 of the grand total of 48 Nevada delegates, including the 12 unpledged PLEOs (a/k/a superdelegates). Certainly winning 2/3 of the winnable pledged delegates catches Sanders up a little toward the goal of an outright majority of the grand total. Even 1/2 is a better share than he won in Iowa or New Hampshire, and could be seen as indicating momentum. OTOH, it’s also true that he will need to climb above 1/2 of the pledged delegates by the convention to win on the first ballot — or else have persuaded enough superdelegates to accept him on the second ballot or after to win there, which may be even harder.
(BTW, I now see that the site is saying its figures are coming from the NV Democratic Party — which should be fairly authoritative.)

Posted by: jalp | Feb 24 2020 17:05 utc | 193

“…plenty of staring journalist in need of scoops…” –murgen23 @192
Which “journalists” would put their “need of scoops” above their duty to god and country in a time of war? Such journalistic integrity exists only in Hollywood movies and people’s imaginations today. ALL of the corporate mass media infotainment specialists of the present consciously view themselves as fighting the information side of the empire’s wars. They will not embarrass the empire by bringing the public’s attention to anything that the empire doesn’t want the public to pay attention to.
This isn’t a rhetorical question. Name the “journalists” who would actually report deaths of American troops if the government was keeping quiet about it? There is Julian Assange, but I don’t think he counts right now.

Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 24 2020 17:11 utc | 194

SharonM | Feb 24 2020 16:30 utc | 188 Going…scare
Nope, crossing State lines for a demo, or especially creating “fear”, or to “scare” a class or group or an individual – particularly for political purposes is a federal crime. This law is necessary to keep Americans free.
MLK proposed doing a little affair in DC… It’s terribly sad that his own actions and plans forced the innocent defenders of freedom to use the Atlanta piggie sharp-shooter team to blow away most of Martin’s lower jaw and also force his medicos to smother him in the ER after spitting on him.

Posted by: Walter | Feb 24 2020 17:17 utc | 195

“… most people prefer to fear and be anxious about anything that is different, then to be curious… that is what it looks like to me..” [James @ 71]
I am reading “Howards End” by E.M.Forster, published 1910. To your point:
“…Margaret realized the chaotic nature of our daily life, and its difference from the orderly sequence that has been fabricated by historians. Actual life is full of false clues and signposts that lead nowhere. With infinite effort we nerve ourselves for a crisis that never comes. The most successful career must show a waste of strength that might have removed mountains, and the most unsuccessful is not that of the man who is taken unprepared but of him who has prepared and is never taken. On a tragedy of that kind our national morality is duly silent. It assumes that preparation against danger is in itself a good, and that men, like nations, are the better for staggering through life fully armed. The tragedy of preparedness has scarcely been handled, save by the Greeks. Life is indeed dangerous, but not in the way morality would have us believe. It is indeed unmanageable, but the essence of it is not a battle. It is unmanageable because it is a romance, and its essence is romantic beauty…”
The last sentence I’d compress to simply ‘Life is beauty’ but Forster is a novelist so I should let it stand. I do appreciate what he says, before two terrible conflagrations, about preparation against danger. We do see the problem now, don’t we? I wish Bernie would; he’d win then, I am sure. All us hesitating would throw in with him then.

Posted by: juliania | Feb 24 2020 17:31 utc | 196

Concerning the surge in coronavirus cases in Italy, who here remembers Italy signing on with China’s new Silk Road initiative roughly this time last year? I’ll bet the empire hasn’t forgotten. Neither has the empire overlooked South Korea balking at paying more extortion to cover the expenses of the empire’s occupation.
I’m wondering when the coronavirus will show up in Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. The CIA’s drones have probably already sprayed it there.

Posted by: William Gruff | Feb 24 2020 17:41 utc | 197

Blue Dotterel @191
Jimmy Dore for President!
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 17:45 utc | 198

Jimmy Dore: the LOL Movement.
!!

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Feb 24 2020 17:47 utc | 199

This is interesting. The website is rather strange but often appears to contain grains of truth so who knows The above description fits most of the mainstream media as well anyway.
http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index3137.htm

Posted by: Ike | Feb 24 2020 18:08 utc | 200

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