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June 17, 2020
Open Thread 2020-48
Comments
Peter AU 1 @99–
Been awhile! Hope you’re well! Please take a gander at the book preview I link to @47 and provide me some feedback. I’ll read whatever you provide later today. Thanks!!
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 18 2020 7:10 utc | 101
Posted by: Antonym | Jun 18 2020 5:04 utc | 90
Tryng to defend India is hard man..they provoked the incident because all yanks toilet cleaners now must act against the “red threat”.PLA has the right to do what they want on THEIR LAND.Come on India after being LOOTED for centuries loves so much western bullies now..Stockolm sindrome at its park!
Posted by: LuBa | Jun 18 2020 7:31 utc | 102
presumably guidoamm ‘s freedom is one where decent humans have the freedom to starve to death because some arsehole had the freedom to make sure unemployment never fell below 4.78% in order to ensure few of the 99.992% ever felt free enough to withdraw their labour.
Yet as a human who has lived in a few socialist states, I know that the alleged restrictions on expression in such societies only ever discomfit thepeople who refuse to use finesse.
Most people I met regard such as being an equitqble trade-off.
If you have something vital to say & when you do so you put in sufficient expression that people are entertained as well as informed – most will applaud bureaucratic failure to contain you.
Quite naturally few support the amerikan idea of freedom because it is inextricably intertwined with the freedom to die through no fault of their own.
Posted by: A User | Jun 18 2020 8:23 utc | 103
Gordon Duff shares an insightful moment here at New Eastern Outlook.
Here is a taste:
Trump is a “dancing bear,” controlled by Attorney General William Barr, part of a CIA cabal put together, in partnership with former FBI Director Robert Mueller, during the 1970s.
Barr and Mueller are and have been for decades, close personal friends despite attempts to represent them as otherwise. Not only are they friends but they are “cohorts in crime,” as the expression goes, always working together, plotting their plots, scheming their schemes.
The years of American decline under Trump, rapid and catastrophic, seems to be one of those schemes, with Trump playing little or no real role at all, not really despite efforts to make things appear otherwise.
His wars are never fought, his projects never completed, his policies seldom enacted except, of course, where his personal brutality and those of the Deep State coincide.
Posted by: uncle tungsten | Jun 18 2020 8:27 utc | 104
Is this place over run by CCP fan boys? Surely looks like it. Xi Jinping or the PLA can do no wrong. SARS CoV2 didn’t come from China; neither did SARS CoV1. The fresh wildlife markets didn’t exist; rhino horns and shark fins are not on demand in China. Etc. The CCP’s Pinoccio nose is a mile long.
Ok be against US Deep state, but what about China’s deep state?
Posted by: Antonym | Jun 18 2020 8:29 utc | 105
I tithe about 60% of my disposable income. Whom can I transfer funds to to help Syria without hurting Assad’s government? I’m a US citizen but I have no problem playing Thoreau in this case.
Ralph W. Reed
Posted by: Ralph Reed | Jun 18 2020 8:34 utc | 106
And cheers to you both, Jackrabbit and karlof1
karlof1 The subject is a domestic US issue and I don’t feel up to researching in that direction. An international issue though is Trump pulling the US out of the open skies treaty. From this, other countries can only surmise that US intends a build up for war.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jun 18 2020 8:35 utc | 107
Posted by: guidoamm | Jun 18 2020 7:20 utc | 101 The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.”
–Ayn Rand
And yet she was what is euphemistically referred to by libertarians as a “limited statist”. Because she couldn’t comprehend that the state is only limited by the power of other states. She argued against the right-wing anarchists’ view of “private protection agencies”, alleging that they would have to “go to war” with each other because they didn’t have a monopoly on violence – but never extended that argument to states – because she couldn’t without coming in favor of a one world government, which she knew would get her credibility (such as it was) ruined, especially given that she was Russian.
A “conspiracy theory” can unsettle the system by causing the public to doubt the State’s ideological propaganda.” –Murray N. Rothbard, in The Anatomy of the State
Got that right. Which, however, doesn’t mean *every* conspiracy theory is correct. Many of them are likely started by *other* conspiracies in order to throw people off the track of the *real* conspiracies. That was one of Robert Anton Wilson’s points in “The Illuminatus Trilogy” (anyone remember that one?)
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 18 2020 8:46 utc | 108
re Ralph Reed #106
The towns most ravaged by the fundies are the towns where syrians most need assistance, and the destruction which has been wrought in these towns may deny the next generation of Syrians the opportunity to repair the damage wrought by Headchoppers Inc.
Homs once a jewel of Syrian culture is the town I reckon needs help desperately.
Even a little, given to a group dedicated to getting schools up again, would make a big difference in Syria.
Posted by: A User | Jun 18 2020 9:22 utc | 109
Posted by: Antonym | Jun 18 2020 8:29 utc | 105
“Is this place over run by CCP fan boys?”
So you are an Indian? Nope this place NOT run by CCP please be respectful. We are multi racial from all walks of life around the world. – Mainly Americans, German, NZ, Ozzie, Europeans, even Brit and more, not CCP. “b” owner of this site a German, most MoA posters are more or less conservative bias leaning Russia, China, Venezuela, Iraq, Syria… OK, we are anti USA – the regime changes and endless warmongers.. Further, most are neither leaning Republicans nor Democratic party. Some may lean to either party. That’s their right so be it, we may disagree debates the issues that shape and influence our lives… ..
Me? I’m an OBC or overseas born Chinese, American. I never lived in India, but much of my lives in and among multi racial societies. I had many Indians’ classmates while in school. One thing I’ve learned they are raciest, class and cast conscious or observed Indians’ cast systems. That why very few Chinese lives in India but lots of Indians live in HK. Especially in and around HK ChungKing Mansions. During the Covid-19 many “ethnic Indians Hongkies” were stranded in India and demanded HKSAR government reparation and one family even sued the HKSAR government.
I’m sure you support the HK pro independent and democracy movement, would love to see HK independent from the Chinese government. Fuck You!
Posted by: JC | Jun 18 2020 9:50 utc | 110
Indo/sino spat….
https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/05/28/after-failure-of-covid-19-bioweapon-trumps-turns-to-india-as-weapon-against-china/
In a nutshell…
Another fukus proxy war what else ?
Backed by his anglo buddies, Modi has ready gone bonkers…
Taking on China, Pak, Nepal in one fell sweep.
The other day, some Indian soldiers walked across Nepalese border to
pick fight, the Nepalese lost their
patience , shot one Indian and sent
the rest packing.
In the neighbohood, everybody calls
India the USA of South Asia.
Enuff said.
IM NOT surprised by the diatribe of
Antonym , Off guardian’s resident Indian troll.
As for that idiot nemecalling,
I really dont know what the hell is
he squatting here for, apparently
he has learned nuthin..zero, nada, zilch.
Or may be he’s just being willfully
obtuse.
hehehhe
Posted by: denk | Jun 18 2020 11:07 utc | 111
From Korybko the indo/sino specialist,
https://insiderpaper.com/india-hybrid-war-china/
Posted by: denk | Jun 18 2020 11:19 utc | 112
Ralph Reed @ 106:
Try going to Plato’s Guns blog and ask there. Canthama appears in the comments forums there quite a lot and may be able to direct you to a genuine Syrian charity and not one acting as a front for UK-US machinations against Damascus.
Posted by: Jen | Jun 18 2020 11:46 utc | 113
Austerity who?
£100bn stimulus package injected into UK economy
So, the British government didn’t have GBP 100 million during 2010-2019 because “there was no money tree”. Now, with the pandemic, there suddenly is?
If printing GBP 100 million is a “stimulus package” (i.e. it generates economic growth), then why didn’t the UK government do it before? I’m sure that what’s valid for 2020 is valid for 2010.
There’s only one conclusion to be taken here (according to the vulgar economists’ demented logic): pandemics create wealth! Let’s have more pandemics!
–//–
Old habits die hard:
Beijing’s coronavirus outbreak poses test for Xi, China’s chairman of everything
“Chairman of everything”? Is this even journalism?
What astonishes me most is that this isn’t even in the Japan Times’ opinion section; this a Bloomberg article.
Where’s the sophistication Western propaganda was so famous for?
–//–
@ Posted by: Antonym | Jun 18 2020 8:29 utc | 105
The owner of this blog has stated more than once that the overwhelming majority of his readership is American, and that’s why most of his posts are USA related.
There was even a time where he feared his website would be shut down by the USG, during the rise of the Facebook/Twitter censorship crusade.
Posted by: 450.org | Jun 18 2020 13:01 utc | 115
@115
As far as community policing is concerned, if there is no police function and this was my grandmother, this guy would be dead already. Dead with extreme prejudice. It’s a hate crime every bit as much as a what Dylann Roof did was a hate crime. The scumbag Roof targeted those parishioners because they were black and defenseless and this scumbag targeted this old lady because she was white and defenseless. Sure, the magnitude of Roof’s massacre was many times worse and more egregious than this, but the sentiment was the same in both cases. Roof could never be rehabilitated and neither can this scumbag with 100 other priors.
Posted by: 450.org | Jun 18 2020 13:08 utc | 116
The latest Epstein update: Elizabeth Lea Vos has a good article in Consortium that reviews the two recent documentaries- so you don’t have to. Most important, she brings in Whitney Webb, who has done the most complete investigation of anyone to date. Webb says the “documentaries” don’t touch the intelligence networks, that Epstein was likely executed to keep the power people protected, and that the sex rings are still active, also mentions The Franklin Scandal. She quotes Ari ben Menashe, former Israeli intelligence.
https://consortiumnews.com/2020/06/17/epstein-case-documentaries-wont-touch-tales-of-intel-ties/
Whitney Webb is very impressive.
Posted by: migueljose | Jun 18 2020 13:30 utc | 117
Nearly 500 doctors die from coronavirus in Russia
Out of 7660 deaths, 489 are doctors (6.38%). That’s simply unacceptable. Major failure by capitalist Russia.
One more piece of info/conjecture regarding Epstein from the Consortium article: Ben Menashe gave a brief account of Prince Andrew which portrayed him as more than just a customer. According to Ben Manashe, the prince was an accomplice, a “useful idiot” with lots of time on his hands, who invited “friends” out to play and got them blackmailed.
Prince Andrew could name names.
Posted by: migueljose | Jun 18 2020 13:50 utc | 119
No wars, ever since Russia came on the scene–
Venezuela back down
Posted by: arby | Jun 18 2020 14:06 utc | 120
Posted by: Antonym | Jun 18 2020 8:29 utc | 105
When China will do the half of slaughters,invasions,lootings and colonizations of usa maybe I will be worried..At the moment my only hope is that all yanks soldiers will go home to stay.Cheers.
Posted by: LuBa | Jun 18 2020 14:07 utc | 121
People who want to find out the truth about Epstein – all those people have computers. You can’t run an operation like that without cell phones and computers and files. You can’t keep everything in your head.
Hacking is the key. Why Anonymous or whoever (the Russians, the Chinese, Iran) hasn’t been all over that, I have no idea. Lack of imagination, I guess.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Jun 18 2020 14:08 utc | 122
COINTELPRO: Why Did the FBI Target Black Activists Fighting for Equality? | NowThis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmuqmP50mRc
Posted by: Mao | Jun 18 2020 14:34 utc | 123
Why Is the Tulsa Massacre So Relevant? | NowThis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzA4gzFc5jA
Posted by: Mao | Jun 18 2020 14:37 utc | 124
Richard Steven Hack@122
The truth is that, once you get past the way he died and the list of celebrities with whom he did business, there really isn’t much of interests in the Epstein story. And those ‘celebrities’ aren’t very interesting to grown-ups, either.
Not for most of the world anyway in which the conjunction of rich old man and poor young women is pretty unoriginal. And was in Old Testament times.
As to the blackmailing aspect of the story, blackmail depends upon the sense of guilt in the victim. And the level of hypocrisy in society.
What I regard as really significant about the matter is that we seem to have reached a state in which society holds the most basic forms of hetrosexuality, involving the idea of basic nubility, to be perverse.
If you can get men to deny that they are attracted to nubile women, persuading them that black is white, up is down and the profit system moral is going to be relatively easy.
The Jackasses of this world might want to note, incidentally, that I am not promoting liaisons of the sort that Epstein sold, merely noting that they occur in nature as well as in commerce. To deny this is hypocrisy of the sort that suggests a deep seated appetite for deception.
Posted by: bevin | Jun 18 2020 15:05 utc | 125
Symbols are playing a star role recently!
A very emblematic scene: The Bull of Wall Street wrapped up in blue tarp, looks like IKEA bags made-in-China to me, fenced in, with stalwart cops defending it. The covering is not to screen it from sight as ‘indecent’ (ex. 1) – but to protect it from paintballs or the like, I presume.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eaa2tCbXgAEwyzj?format=jpg&name=medium
The live pigs wrap up and protect the dead bull, with the oblivious sheep bleating about.
The Bull is an obvious stand-in for Wall Street, Banksters, and here the Po-lice show their true function: to defend the PTB, the status-quo, which is why they are allowed so much leeway and afforded mind-boggling impunity. What it takes, man, what it takes, is allowed.
More seriously. The US is actually not strongly / heavily policed in terms of numbers, and doesn’t spend extravagantly per capita. (Intl. comparisons. Am not defending cop violence, etc.)
De-funding the US police is a bad proposal (except re. their equipment which is obscene.) Good pol. officers are incredibly expensive: training – at the very least 2 years full time – adequate to excellent pay – health, injury, retirement coverage tip-top, they have to be kept on board. Adequate ‘free / vac’ time, and ‘catch-up’ ed, practice, the possibility of new qualifications, etc. across the board. That is, assuming that their mission is not merely to protect the rich and stir up trouble and/or to assuage their murderous, aggressive impulses, collect cash, be corrupt, but … to serve *for* the people, to prevent harm, etc.
-> Their mission has to be defined very concretely, pragmatically. (And in the case of the USA, imho, needs to be split up via different functions.)
————–
1. See for ex. this artist whose nude statues (in honor of selfies no less! sponsored or shown by a UN agency..) were garbed in underwear for heh what?
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/unesco-nude-sculptures-underwear-scli-intl/index.html
Posted by: Noirette | Jun 18 2020 15:31 utc | 126
Degeneration and decay in the heart of Western Civilization:
UK society regressing back to 1950s for many women, warn experts
The death of the Liberal Woman is coming.
Peter AU 1 @107–
Thanks for your reply! Yes, to a degree it’s a domestic Empire issue, but I’d also say it’s a UN issue since it poses a threat to global peace.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 18 2020 16:12 utc | 128
Caliman at 9, many good responses to yr post. here mine..
The vaccine that might, it was conjectured, have afforded some protections against COV19 was the BCG (1) vaccine, against tuberculosis, which was obligatory in many countries for a long time, and today still is so in some places. (2, 2011).
A correlation between BCG vaccine and ‘lesser’ COV19 impact was noted. Many factors play a role, see a meta-study, 3.
Basically, nobody knows. My guess is that ‘poorer’ in some sense, countries, and those who had experience of SARS, MERS, understood / acted on isolation, quarantine rapidly, see e.g. Cuba, Vietnam, Venezuela. At the same time, such countries may have oblig. – or usual BCG vax. Figuring that out statistically is imho impossible, too much noise.
An interesting example from Ireland – much experience with TB (still cases today.) NO prisoners in Ireland were infected, ill. 4, by implementing ‘infection’ protocols well known, practised. On the vid. one can see a room labelled Isolation Unit. These used to be all over – in Switz for TB for ex.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BCG_vaccine
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062527/
https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/does-bcg-vaccination-protect-against-acute-respiratory-infections-and-covid-19-a-rapid-review-of-current-evidence/
https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0610/1146481-covid19-coronavirus-prisons/
Posted by: Noirette | Jun 18 2020 16:17 utc | 130
I think vk @48 and A User @57, while certainly not at all wrong about the India/China conflict, are overlooking a very crucial point: water.
The major river systems in India originate from the area where the current tensions are being experienced. While the Indians are every bit as silly and buffoonish as they appear, they are not dumb… at least some of them are not. The entire nation is treading the knife edge of utter disaster with literally hundreds of millions of lives on the verge of being extinguished if they get a delayed monsoon after a slightly dryer than normal dry season.
The scale of the disaster India is faced with boggles the mind. This isn’t an issue of a couple years of disappointing economic growth for India or anything like that. We’re talking raw survival here. India is staring in the face of disaster that makes the pandemic pale in comparison, and it isn’t a matter of “if” but rather a matter of “when”. Like the pandemic, the water crisis in India is not one that the “Free Market™” has any hopes of addressing. To mitigate India’s water crisis would require an enormous nation-spanning effort the scale of which we have only ever seen China attempt to date. India is not going to meet that challenge, and it is really too late to even start trying. In fact, the hopelessness of this situation is a big part of the reason for the escalation of buffoonery in India. If you are doomed tomorrow and there is nothing that you can do about it, then might as well dance today.
India would have a chance if they had developed economic planning, but assembling a planned economy is not something you can pull off over a holiday weekend or something. It takes years or decades of mistakes and false starts before a society begins to get it right. India doesn’t have that much time. They need a nationwide water management project, and they need that project to have started last century.
Needless to say, India is royally screwed, and their leadership knows it. At this point there is nothing else they can do other than try to secure water sources in the Himalayas. In the meantime, India’s buffoonery keeps their population distracted from their dire circumstances, and the covid and their crappy economy are not the biggest of their problems. Because of this India might be so desperate as to actually start a war with China (which, of course, they will lose). If India is not now so desperate then they will be soon enough.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 18 2020 16:25 utc | 131
indian punchline (M. K. BHADRAKUMAR) has an article now out –1962 India-China war redeux?
it is an excellent summary that others here would enjoy reading… here is one line i liked – …”””delusional thinking is rampant in our country, including among sections of the elite who ought to know better. “”” this from an indian diplomat!!
Posted by: james | Jun 18 2020 16:33 utc | 132
@ 131 william gruff.. no doubt water is a critical issue for these countries.. i thought there was an agreement between india, pakistan and china on this, but all i can find is this one – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Waters_Treaty Indus Waters Treaty. bhadrakumar in the article i posted above seems to put emphasis on abrogating Article 370 last august 5th 2019 as sending the wrong message to china here…
Posted by: james | Jun 18 2020 16:37 utc | 133
@ Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 18 2020 16:25 utc | 131
Water explains the existence of conflicts in general, but not in particular. Why did India reignited the conflict right now?
The geopolitical hypothesis fits better. India has realized it will never catch up with China for the simple fact it has an inferior economic system (capitalism vis-a-vis socialism). It will now try to level things up negatively, i.e. by suppressing China’s progress.
Numbers from the ADB have just came out, and they confirm my hypothesis:
‘Developing Asia’ will barely grow in 2020
The only countries predicted to grow in GDP terms in 2020 in Asia are the two socialist ones: China (+1.8%) and Vietnam (+4.1%) (they consider Taiwan as a separate country, but, economically, it doesn’t make any sense: Taiwan’s economy is completely tributary to the Mainland’s nowadays; even then it will grow less than half the Mainland, +0.8%, which corroborates with the thesis capitalism is just an inferior system).
India will grow by staggering -4%. The chasm will only widen.
Here’s a discussion between Putin and ROSATOM’s CEO Alexei Likhachev over a very wide range of projects that illustrates the dynamism of Russia’s economy and its future direction. Clearly, Russia’s making great strides forward while its geopolitical adversary is wasting away. IMO, this excerpt demonstrates what Russia’s doing correctly and what the USA must do if it’s ever to become competitive again in the global economy:
“And another important aspect. All our technologies and units are worthless without people. Since the first days of the state corporation, we have paid a lot of attention to our people, and we have some good results. Last year, we were rated the best national employers by HeadHunter recruitment agency, and our young specialists placed first, according to a Universal survey. We have re-established the prestige and authority of engineering careers. Young people want to work for us. We are outpacing many companies, including non-commodity companies, in this respect.” [My Emphasis]
Since Reagan’s War on Welfare and enthusiastic adoption of Neoliberalism, the federal government’s engaged in policies the polar opposites of what’s been done in both China and Russia, and the results after 40 years speak for themselves.
Posted by: karlof1<a | Jun 18 2020 17:11 utc | 135
bevin @Jun18 15:05 @125
Summary: Nothing to see here.
bevin can’t “see” how this large-scale child trafficking and child prostitution ring was more than just rich guys and poor girls. He refuses to “see” the intimidation that was used to keep the girls quiet. They were fearful of Epstein’s gang of international criminals. He’s also uninterested in the possible/likely links to Mossad/CIA that have been superbly described by Whitney Webb.
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 18 2020 17:13 utc | 136
Look at the big pic….
fukus has just deployed THREE carrier battle groups in Asia.
At the same time,
USAF flying into TW, this is a reckless brinkmanship to test China’s response.
USN intensifying provocative FON ops in SCS,
Jp rekindling the DiaoYu issue IN ECS,
Flare up in Korean Peninsula,
Skirmishes bet VN/China escalating in SCS,
Indians picking fight at the border…
What does Ian Fleming’s law of prob says ?
Enemy actions !
The Indians are part of the Eight Nations alliance, 2020 edition , performing their perenial
role as white men’s sepoys.
FUKUS is setting off bush fires all around China…..even when Trump the Orange clown
is telling the West Point trainees,
‘We’r no longer the world cop’
Classic performance from Trump the Great White Hoax.
Posted by: denk | Jun 18 2020 17:54 utc | 137
FUKUS
always at the wrong side of history…
IN 1962, JFK, no less, goaded Nehru into that debacle.
Today, Trump and co is giving India the backbone to poke the dragon again.
‘ On May 20, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Alice G. Wells accused China of “aggression” against India and linked it to the South China Sea dispute as proof of a pattern of “disturbing behaviour” by Beijing.’
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/06/17/inch-j17.html
While Trump is offering to mediate
bet Delhi/Beijing.
Classic performance from the
Great White Hoax. !
Posted by: denk | Jun 18 2020 18:21 utc | 138
Vladimir Putin: The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II (The National Interest, June 18, 2020, Vladimir Putin)
Posted by: S | Jun 18 2020 19:23 utc | 139
vk @134: “Why did India reignited the conflict right now?”
Last summer (June 19) was the first time that a major city in India (Chennai) reached “Day Zero” in the water crisis. A city of about 8 million with no water…
This was a wake-up call for India. It was only a couple weeks later that India started building their roads up in the mountains, locked down J&K, and reopened their military airfields in the area.
In other words, India had put off doing anything about their water problems until the crisis became acute. The crisis is now acute. They cannot pretend any longer that it is a problem they won’t have to deal with until the distant future, thus the recent activity.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 18 2020 19:31 utc | 140
S @139–
A great many thanks for providing the link to Putin’s excellent essay, one I’ve been awaiting since he announced his intent at composition. It would be excellent to find it in a format without ads. If one cannot be found, I’ll copy/paste it into a Word Document and post it at my VK Space for others to read and share.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 18 2020 21:33 utc | 142
Here’s a more readable version of Putin’s Essay, “The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II.” I must say he was very diplomatic in his treatment of those speaking for the Outlaw US Empire and its vassals, the inheritors of Hitler’s Fascism. It’s also impossible to ignore his sincere sternness and seriousness in that regard.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 18 2020 22:16 utc | 143
Pepe Escobar’s latest IMO is a mixed bag whose initial premise is provided in the title: “Nixon-Trump vs. the Strategy of Tension.” The tension seems to occur between those wearing masks and those refusing to protect their fellows from themselves, a distinction AP made about six weeks ago:
“The decision to wear a mask in public is becoming a political statement — a moment to pick sides in a brewing culture war over containing the coronavirus.”
The Dotards are many and exist on both sides, but IMO the dangerous ones are those having no sense of responsibility to the rights of others–those harboring Exceptionalism.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 18 2020 22:39 utc | 144
@Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 18 2020 22:16 utc | 143
Although I felt thankfull by his mention of world indiference and laissez faire towards events which lead to the Spanish Civil War, and veiled reference he does to, still to be judged, Odessa Massacre, as always happens to me with Mr. Putin, I felt he was, once more, greatly unfair with Stalin and the Soviet leadership, passing over with such care US responsability in every war out there since its inception as nation state, including Spanish Civil War…
He does not want to judge anybody, but History will judge him as well.
It was the care that the Soviet state took always of their citizens what made them correspond in equal form with what they were receiving. No other way could be understood such unanimity on heroic action of so diverse country of hundreds of millions of citizens spreaded over so vast lands. Precisely the reason why no country on Earth relies today on popular armies, except the Chinese, Cubans, and Venezuelans, is that no country outh there, except the metioned, is sure of the correspondence of their recruited nationals on any war ( and most probably what have avoided wars as well…), as in our mostly capitalist world, no citizen feels taken care by its state in such a way to fight to the last drop of blood for its elites. The same reason why the most ( until recently at least…) powerful military machine the US has been, takes good care of provide almost Soviet benefits for its military pewrsonel so as to secure its loyalty in “secureing its battleground” which ecompasses the fourth corners of the world.
As well as there are volunteer people in Russia doing research work on those people dissapeared by fascists, and so yet unfairly unhonored, there are also in Spain, and one day all the crimes of Franco will be unveiled and published in documents for all the generations alive and those to come, for them all to know, along with all his accomplices inside and outside the country, without forgetting the dirty war unleashed during most of the XX century in our country by Gladio network of international terrorism, on which Mr. Putin passed over another thick veil too…Nothing to see there…
I very doubt that he can fight international terrorism and extremism along with the same people inventing, funding, training and supplying it.
If it was an exercise on sincerity, it got too short…for so long essay…
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 18 2020 23:02 utc | 145
Great connecting of dots by denk @ Jun18 17:54 #137 and #138
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 18 2020 23:40 utc | 147
Whitney Webb’s ~95 minute interview with one of Epstein’s victims (Maria Farmer) posted on Youtube about two months ago named Epstein’s chef as someone who knows everything. Or knew everything. He died of natural causes about one month after the interview was posted. Also, the interview is well worth the time is takes to get through.
Epstein Chef Death
Posted by: Schmoe | Jun 19 2020 0:14 utc | 148
H.Schmatz 145
One of Putin’s attributes is that he never thinks of revenge or retribution for past wrongs. His only concern is making the future better by learning from the mistakes of the past. That he has rebuilt Russia to the military power it is, that he has such respect for those who have fought and died for Russia, but write and speak as he does, without laying blame, rather setting out a course for future peace … very few like him.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jun 19 2020 1:26 utc | 149
S and karlof1
Thanks for the links. Had read Putin was going to write. Until now, I had only heard the Anglo US version. For the bobbling heads of Europe and the vassal states though, I doubt it will make a difference. Russia is gearing up for war, at the same time trying to prevent the outbreak of war. At this point major war is inevitable unless the US collapses similar to the Soviet Union – though I think they will go to war to try and prevent that happening.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jun 19 2020 1:32 utc | 150
s and karlof1… thanks for the links to putins words on the 75th anniversary of ww2…. great speech and commentary from putin…
i especially liked the end where he discusses the role the UN has played and continues to play here… perhaps uncle tungsten would care to read it and consider revising his position on the UN??
Posted by: james | Jun 19 2020 3:36 utc | 151
James 132
Indian delusion is greefully encouraged by
the murikkans.
This ‘analysis’ based on the
Harvard Kennedy school, Stimson’s centre
concludes that Indian armed forces at the border
enjoys ‘overwhelming superiority’ over the
Chinese, this would be their good chance to
avenge that 1962 humiliation !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pqBpESkI-k
[I didnt bother to watch btw]
Posted by: denk | Jun 19 2020 3:49 utc | 152
Jackrabbit 147
I forget to mention….
Destabilisation in HK, Tibet, Xinjiang/
The most pernicious of all,
Second wave bio attack right at the heart
of China. !
The empire is going for China’s jugular..
George Floyd style.
Posted by: denk | Jun 19 2020 3:56 utc | 153
@ denk.. true…. at least the diplomat from india who wrote what i shared @132 can see more clearly into it… i don’t have the stomach to watch it either.. it seems like so much of what tries to pass for intelligent commentary is more like a marketing strategy from madison avenue on how to sell something to anyone foolish enough to believe it… cheers….
re the putin essay- speech… putin seems very disgusted with historical revisionism that he sees rampant in the west… he continually refers to the munich betrayal in his words… i suppose this part of history on the part of the west – uk in particular – is generally glossed over and ignored.. i distinctly remember reading margaret macmillians paris 1919 and thinking how uk-france-usa wanted to shaft the soviet union any chance they got.. it seems they continued that right on into the present and it still hasn’t stopped! that is the conundrum russia finds itself in with regard to these 3 countries… nothing much has changed.. putin is indirectly speaking out against it and their attempt at re-writing history.. i am not sure many in the west are listening..
Posted by: james | Jun 19 2020 3:59 utc | 154
Breaking News
“China moves to prosecute detained Canadians Kovrig and Spavor for spying. : 1:05pm, 19 Jun, 2020”
Ample warning before moving ahead with the prosecution of two Canadians on spying charges. My opinions the die is cast after China Yang Jiechi state councilor meeting in Hawaii with Pompeo. Trump sanctions China on Xinjiang, HK. China decided to Impose national security laws on Hong Kong by end of June.
Huawei Founder Ren Zhengfei decided to sacrifice her daughter CFO Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou. If you had listened to an earlier interviewed just after the abductions, Ren Zhengfei spoke about the company and his relationship with eldest daughter Meng Wanzhou. They were not closed but relation getting closer and tears almost coming from his eyes. Many Whites may not understand how Chinese willing to sacrifice for the good of the country in such a time when sacrifice is necessary.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3089745/china-moves-prosecute-detained-canadians-kovrig-and-spavor
Posted by: JC | Jun 19 2020 6:57 utc | 155
@William Gruff 131 etc.
Nice theory about India and Himalayan rivers, but in reality India runs on the Monsoon rains which fall all over straight from the sky. Himalayan rivers are only helpful outside of the Monsoon, as they tend to overrun massively during.
Chennai got totally flooded in 2015: human mistake with water reservoir opening, dry summers to condoning illegal construction in half the other water basins.
Hard to accept but the dear old PLA & CCP top in pretty imperialistic, apart from being state-capitalistic, and 100% materialistic. Hard to swallow that bitter pill! Good opponent for US imperialism – yes, only a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend!
Posted by: Antonym | Jun 19 2020 7:22 utc | 156
Peter AU1 @150: “At this point major war is inevitable unless the US collapses similar to the Soviet Union – though I think they will go to war to try and prevent that happening.”
Indeed. The US trying to prevent the empire’s collapse is precisely why war is inevitable. If that collapse were not imminent then the empire could force Russia and China to kneel through sheer economic might. That no longer being an option is what puts war on the table, as it is the last powerful card the empire has to play.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 19 2020 11:54 utc | 157
Antonym @156
Yes, we know all about how massively incompetent and corrupt India is. That is not going to change any time soon, which is why India is doomed to experience crises like the water Zero Day in Chennai on an increasing basis. That in turn is why the only solution that India’s leaders can see is to grab the source of the Indus and other Himalayan water sources.
We know that if India does succeed in grabbing those sources that it will not solve India’s water problems because of the above-mentioned massive incompetence and corruption. The sad reality for Indians to face is that China would be a better steward of those resources, even for India.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 19 2020 12:03 utc | 158
Belarusian authorities thwarted destabilization plot, Lukashenko says
Well, those are Lukashenko’s words, at least. Let’s see if they have substance.
Iran to reinforce ties with Syria despite US sanctions.
Posted by: arby | Jun 19 2020 16:01 utc | 160
Column: ‘Bad idea’ doesn’t begin to describe Trump’s Tulsa rally
Snips (with a little re-ordering):
This rally is really shaping up to be a teeming petri dish inside a wrecking ball inside a juggernaut.
… on top of the strong possibility that the Tulsa rally could spread the coronavirus far and wide, confrontation and even violence might be in the offing. Black community leaders in Tulsa have warned that an appearance by Trump, whose racism is part of his allure, is a taunt.
Trump … the father of birtherism, the Muslim ban and internment camps for Latino children. … has repeatedly lied about who is protesting [against racist policing] and what their aims are and earlier this month tried to put protests down with military force.
<> <> <> <>
Racism in US to Be Given Full Airing at UN Human Rights Council
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 19 2020 17:41 utc | 161
denk @153–
I suggest you read this Global Times item about the Beijing outbreak, which provides us with this important info:
“Although the coronavirus found in Beijing’s Xinfadi market has come from Europe, it differs with their current outbreak, as it is older than the current European coronavirus, according to preliminary research results, said Zhang Yong, assistant director of National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
“‘The large amounts of samples found in Xinfadi wholesale market indicate that the virus has been around for some time. If it had only just arrived in the city for a short period of time, there may not have been so many positive samples found; however, we need more data before making an informed decision about its origin,’ Zhang said.” [My Emphasis]
There’s more info besides the above, some of which will be news to some. The following for example,
“The coronavirus is particularly cold-resistant, and can survive for months at -4 C and 20 years at -20 C, which explains why the virus has been found several times in seafood markets, and can be transported across borders, Chinese epidemiologist Li Lanjuan said on Friday.”
The “20 years” remark is most interesting.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 19 2020 17:48 utc | 162
karlof1 @162: “The “20 years” remark is most interesting.”
And it has run rampant in America’s meat packing industry.
Oh my….
Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 19 2020 18:07 utc | 163
William Gruff @163–
Indeed! Last night I used frozen shrimp packed by Pacific Seafood who recently had a massive outbreak caused by the workers it imported from Arizona. Fortunately, those shrimp were processed well prior to that outbreak. However, my step-son who shares our home works for a major grocer in its meat & seafood department. IMO, every worker in that area will become infected at some point, which doesn’t bode well for me.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 19 2020 18:27 utc | 164
Thanks for your excerpts, karlof1@162, they make more sense to me than they did previously but very worrying nonetheless. It does sound as though the article is talking about possibilities, but if true then even if there are no human carriers in a country (or in the world) doesn’t that make any frozen product a source of contamination if it has been infected during the epidemic by a worker? Sort of like the curse of Tutenkahmen’s tomb. (I know I didn’t spell that correctly, spell check.)
Posted by: juliania | Jun 19 2020 21:45 utc | 165
juliania @165–
I discussed the info with my Partner and the extremis is clear–unless you personally know each stage of the supply chain to be free of pathogens, then you’re constantly at risk to some degree. That’s the meaning of Gruff’s reply @163.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 19 2020 22:43 utc | 166
follow-up to my comment @Jun19 17:41 #161
U.N. sets up inquiry into racism after George Floyd death
U.N. sets up inquiry into racism after George Floyd death…. The mandate also asks U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to examine government responses to peaceful protests, including alleged use of excessive force, and deliver findings in a year’s time.
. . .
The text was watered down during closed-door negotiations from an initial draft explicitly calling for a U.N. commission of inquiry on racism in the United States and elsewhere.
“It is absurd that the final resolution passed by the United Nations strips mention of the United States, where police kill people, particularly Black people, at alarmingly higher rates compared to other developed countries,” said Jamil Dakwar of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which led 600 activist groups in calling for the urgent debate.
“The United Nations needs to do its job — not get bullied out of doing it — and hold the United States accountable,” he said in a statement.
. . .
During the debate, Western delegations including Australia, Germany, Italy, Poland and the European Union said that the United States should not be singled out.
Activists said that Australia had been particularly active in negotiations to take the spotlight off the United States.
!!
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jun 19 2020 23:11 utc | 167
Angela Merkel fears economic crisis is being underestimated in EU
For once, I agree 100% with Angela Merkel.
My thanks to S @139 and karlof1 again @143 for Putin’s essay commemorating events of WW2. That is a piece of history in itself. The following was of special interest to me, in the build up to agression carefully outlined, this mention:
… Prominent British politician and statesman David Lloyd George emphasised, “The Russian Armies occupied the territories that are not Polish and that were forcibly seized by Poland after World War I … It would be an act of criminal insanity to put the Russian advancement on a par with the German one.“
My grandfather, who died before I was born, named his eldest son for David Lloyd George. I’m happy to see my Uncle Lloyd, who died and is buried in North Africa, was aptly named.
Posted by: juliania | Jun 20 2020 1:09 utc | 169
juliania @165
Exactly so, as karlof1 pointed out.
There is a scene in a movie, I think it was a flashback scene in Akira Kurasawa’s “Madadayo”, in which two boys (one of which is the movie’s elderly protagonist in his childhood) are out screwing around during summer vacation. They spot some bare lightbulbs strung on a wire over a rice paddy. Why does the farmer have lights strung out over his field? Likely just because he thought it looked nice when the lights shined off the water in his field in the evening. Anyway, the boys decided it would be great fun to throw rocks at the bulbs and see how many they could break. Partway through their fun the farmer shows up and the boys duck behind some grass to hide and watch. The farmer notices that the lightbulbs have been broken and realizing that the glass from them has fallen in his rice field, he begins to cry. Confused, the boys wonder what he is crying about when the old man mumbles that now he will never again be able to walk in his field barefoot.
We will never again be able to walk in our fields barefoot.
Well, metaphorically speaking anyway.
If America isn’t even going to try to fight this virus anymore then we will have to deal with the consequences for a very long time. Masks forever, I am afraid.
Basically, those of us living in America are screwed. I knew things were going to get “interesting” as the empire died, but not like this. On a more positive note, high school history books of a century from now will prominently feature 2020 on all of their timelines. Pay close attention so you can tell all of those who come after about all of the “excitement”.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jun 20 2020 1:24 utc | 170
@Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jun 19 2020 1:26 utc | 149
It is not a matter of vengeance or retribution ( but alos, why not? ), but of justice to be done, if we want a fairer order to build from now on.
If you notice, the very Mr. Putin considers the Nuremberg Trials as fundamental setting of events which clearly certified for History who was culprit of starting the war and resulting genocide, although what the Nuremberg Trials failed to determine was who was really behind Nazi Germany´s military machine might. Of course, that could never be determined as implied actors in shared blame were at the same time part of the jury…
I find contradictory, and even delusional, that Mr. Putin considers a path to peace and progress can be rebuilt without making justice with respect other genocides which have continued taking place and before and after before the end of WWII. I guess we agree on that Fukuyama´s “end of history” has not really happened.
I find delusional that amongst the 5 powers Mr. Putin counts as entitled to deliver a new order based on equality, peace and progress are only included those who mostly are part of current and past wars of agression, destruction of countries and sovereign states and various genocides past or ongoing….
Why are not the responsibles of past and current genocides and destruction of countries and sovereign states held responsible and then rightly excluded, as culprit party, from any deliverance of a fairer wolr order, as was Germany in the past? Why are not they deposed of the right to veto in the UNSC?
I guess you agree that we have had enough of empty words.
Until we judge the organizers and responsibles for the genocides in Spain, Palestine, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, North Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo ( ongoing without stop…), Rwanda, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Lybia, Syria, Ukraine ( ongoing without stop…), Yemen ( ongoing without stop…), Somalia ( ongoing without stop…), and make them pay for reparations, as it was done with Germany, I fear we will remain the same…or worse….as some are deemed as above law…
Why the UNSC is not reformable as if time had frozen in a point after WWII?
Why is Germany out of the UNSC and not France, UK or the US who are responsible for various genocides, especially the US, as advantaged champion of agressive states?
Mr. Putin´s essay in a very good and needed work in the vast desolated landscape the world leadership has grown.
He makes a rightful and fundamented defense of the heroic gest of the Soviet people of which we are all in debt, impossible to be paid back.
I understand he wanted to write something that do not embitters coming celebrations of 75th Anniversary of Great Patriotic War, while at the same time took the opportunity to set the record straight on current shameful intends of rewritting history by “certain people” in Western powers some of which he precisely aligns with ideologicaly, like Trump and his administration, but the cornerstone for the future of the world this essay is not, as it neglects greatly important parts on “what is to be done”, “what needs to be said”…
Of course, I would had never expected Mr. Putin delivering something relevant to such a challenge, due the opinion he still holds on Soviet leaders who were the artifices of the providential victory of the Soviet peoples over fascism running rampant in Europe.
You see, Mr. Putin is not a comrade of mine, I naively thought him of being, may be undercover, but actively he demonstrated he is not, but, even if he was, I would be equally if not harsher in my critic, because…
“Our task is ruthless criticism and much more against apparent friends than against open enemies”, Karl Marx.
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 20 2020 10:22 utc | 171
@Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jun 19 2020 1:26 utc | 149
Did you know that Spain holds the dubious record of higuest number of dissapeared people after Cambodia?
Yet, everybody talks about criminal Stalin and nobody says a word about Franco…Even some lauded here Us blogs dedicate to periodically praise the fascist Spanish dictator, like SST…
Why is that not terrorism apology in the US and yes supporting “Antifa”?
I will tell you, because Franco was supported by the US at the price of selling Spanish sovereignty for stablishing here US military bases. The disguise of “democracy” implanted here ( well, “Pax Americana”…), when Franco was about to die of old age in his own bed, while his killing machine continued functioning non stop even years after he died, took the form of an impossed foreign monarchy as gatekeeper of the deal, where the same PTB continued and continue owning and proffiting from the country, without anybody being judged for genocide.
Do you consider Spain or Germany should continue being US occupied countries?
The peoples of Spain and Germany want their sovereignty back, to be able to develop in peace and towards progress without continuous sabotage by occupiers who dedicate to keep their “strategy of tension” alive by feeding terrorism and continue twitching of political climate through formations ( of nazis of always…) of their making and funding, so as to undermine these countries´s advancement.
Denouncing this, of course, is not a task of Mr. Putin, but of Spanish and German politicians earning their wage or leaders worth the name.
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 20 2020 10:49 utc | 172
@Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 20 2020 10:49 utc | 172
Well, as an ilustration, just found this, which expresses an unknown general sentiment in Spain…That of the “silent majority”, some in the US and amongst its supported in Europe use to appropiate for themselves when it is the other way around…
https://twitter.com/pvallin/status/1274250316993777664
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 20 2020 12:06 utc | 173
@vk, so worried, in the line of Spanish and European far-right to be, allegedly, a Marxist, about the European recovery plan….wondering what dog do you have in this fight…..
Europe in conditional….
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 20 2020 12:23 utc | 174
Building up for scheduled coming confrontations in 4th July by Trump administration, vía Mark Sleboda Twitter…
https://twitter.com/theintercept/status/1274094633518354434
Posted by: H.Schmatz | Jun 20 2020 12:54 utc | 175
How wonderful the sanctions.
There was a time that Iran was a net gas importer. With sanctions, and a swift kick in the butt to learn how to fight, Iran is now, a net gas exporter — along with other things, as the article linked below, notes.
It appears that Monroe’s backyard, is now Ayatoler’s backyard.
How wonderful the sanctions.
https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/06/19/world/americas/ap-lt-venezuela-iran.html
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton writes in a book set to be published on Tuesday that Trump had insisted on military options against the South American nation, because “it’s really part of the United States.”
Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Jun 20 2020 14:32 utc | 176
Why Justin Trudeau weeps bitter tears of defeated narcissism as zionist chickens come home to shit.
Here’s Why Canada’s Security Council Defeat is a Win for Palestine
https://www.thecanadafiles.com/yves-engler/cscdp
“…The international community’s rejection of a government enthralled to the Israel lobby weakens Israel diplomatically and is a victory for Palestine.”
Posted by: John Gilberts | Jun 21 2020 7:08 utc | 177
South Yemen so called separatists have booted the Saudi scum off Socotra island so the Saudi’s are calling it a coup.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jun 21 2020 11:24 utc | 178
Stuttgart…
After Donald Trump claimed most protesters in the US were “antifa,” Germany’s Social Democrats rushed to declare solidarity with the movement.
https://www.dw.com/en/trumps-antifa-accusations-spark-debate-in-germany-the-movements-birthplace/a-53665573
I wonder what these social democrats say now. Trump should give equal support to rioters in Germany now.
Posted by: Zanon | Jun 21 2020 12:35 utc | 179