Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
February 07, 2022

'Russian Troop Build-Up' - Eight Years Of Crying Wolf

Note: Map published first on May 2, 2014 by Washington Post


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Jul 30, 2014:

Mar 19, 2015:

Sep 1, 2016:

Sep 13, 2017:

Dec 15, 2018:

Jun 12, 2019:

Jul 17, 2020:

Apr 2, 2021:

Jan 27, 2022:

Posted by b on February 7, 2022 at 8:26 UTC | Permalink

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At least the 2014 WaPo map shows Crimea as Russian territory. One fact amidst a lot of fiction

Posted by: DavidKNZ | Feb 7 2022 8:58 utc | 1

There is a military confrontation in March 2021, but no buildup since then. The most amusing part is, west media propagate the fake 'buildup' news so hard that Ukraine people become panic. Zelensky have to refute rumors, declare that there is no buildup recently.

Posted by: Russell | Feb 7 2022 9:18 utc | 2

I don`t see any false reporting here.

The Ukraine conflict has been active since 2014. In 2015 it greatly dimished in intensity but there was never a cease fire that was actually implemented and it was generally understood that the war could flare up at any instance.

Within Ukraine - among the Ukrainians - the Russion position has little popular support. In the case of renewed hostilities the (Russian occupied) Donbass therefore couldn`t hold out on it`s own. This has been requiring Russia (the Russian Federation) to keep enough troops close to the Ukraine border in a hightened state of readiness in order to be able to intervene militarily at any instance if necessary.

Since 2014 the Ukrainian military capabilities have been growing continiously.

So did the numbers of the Russian troops on the other side of the border.

This process will continue in the future.

Posted by: m | Feb 7 2022 9:40 utc | 3

To understand the crisis on the Ukrainian border you should first look at who the stakeholders are that are causing all the war hysteria. They are the usual suspects. Once you understand this you will see what the conflict is really about and that it can only end in one of three scenarios.

A: The USA will accept defeat and pay $6.86 billion to fund the East-Med pipeline, the NYT and Biden will discover that Russia has capitulated and sent its troops back to their bases in Western Russia, Germany will buy Levantine gas at inflated prices to ensure its energy security, Russia will sell more gas to China, Israel will get its sovereign wealth fund and everyone will live happily ever after except the people of the Donbass still stuck in their frozen conflict.

B: The EU will accept defeat and pay €6.00 billion to fund the East-Med pipeline, the NYT and Biden will discover that Russia has capitulated and sent its troops back to their bases in Western Russia, Germany will buy Levantine gas at inflated prices to ensure its energy security, Russia will sell more gas to China, Israel will get its sovereign wealth fund and everyone will live happily ever after except the people of the Donbass still stuck in their frozen conflict.

C: They will reach a compromise and both pay.

Posted by: Julian | Feb 7 2022 10:07 utc | 4

Wiki, not very reliable but quick, 65K US troops in Europe, almost 4K in my country Spain. Russia can have 100K or 5 million or whatever they want or might be able to deploy in their own territory. The US is invading Europe, time to go home. And as far as how many troops Russia is deploying within their country, that's their problem, my problem is the plutonium the US left -and does not want to clean up- in Palomares, plus the Aegis radars installed not too far from here and certainly a target in some missile site's computer in Russia, plus the refueling of ships and planes to bomb the middle East, plus the dark hole agenCIA secret prisons, plus... go home, gringohome, the quicker the better for all involved, spend your dollars taking care of your homeless, and providing quality education to your people, they'll learn geography in the classroom and not while watching the evening news about exotic places being bombed.

Posted by: Paco | Feb 7 2022 10:11 utc | 5

m | Feb 7 2022 9:40 utc | 3

In the case of renewed hostilities the (Russian occupied) Donbass therefore couldn`t hold out on it`s own.

Yes, it was quite cunning of the Russians to occupy the Donbass region from 1860 on. I mean the current denizens are descendants of the original settlers, that's how long they've been there. Anyone else would just refer to them as the inhabitants, but not you. You see through that ruse and recognise them as part of a long-term operation by Putin. Yes! He is just that clever!

Posted by: Kukulkan | Feb 7 2022 10:51 utc | 6

The Donbass Russians are the equivalent of Putin's Sudetendeutsch along with the other tens of millions of Russians in the diaspora left by the breakup of the USSR, where they lost their privileged status and became mere minorities, often subject to discrimination and marginalization.

In other words, this is somewhat similar to the ethic jumble left at the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. My grandparents all left that crumbling edifice before it completely collapsed and emigrated to America.

Posted by: Malchik Ralf | Feb 7 2022 11:36 utc | 7

The Donbass Russians (along with all the rest of Novorossiya — basically the Black Sea coast and the southern part of the country) were added to Ukraine by Lenin in 1922. Up until then, the territory was part of the Russian Empire. So if Lenin had just left it alone, we wouldn't have this problem.

Galicia (basically the western-most part of modern Ukraine) was added to Ukraine by Stalin in 1945. Given that's where most of the Nazis seem to be based, I think he should have let the Poles have it.

And, of course, Crimea was added to the Ukraine by Krushchev in 1954.

It's interesting how the Ukrainians reject all things Soviet, but have no problem with all the territory added to the Ukraine by successive Soviet leaders and that legacy is what they want to preserve.

Posted by: Kukulkan | Feb 7 2022 11:55 utc | 8

Meanwhile the Ukranazi coup regime is "training" 4 year old kids(!) on camera(!) with wooden guns to "fight" Russia.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Feb 7 2022 11:58 utc | 9

One of my comments seems to have been disappeared.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Feb 7 2022 12:00 utc | 10

I agree with this:

West cooked up ‘Russian threat’ to save face after Afghan flop, diplomat says

It is also a very handy distraction from the Chinese Olympics.

It might be interesting to trace the coincidence of these bullshit storms with "enemy" soft power events, or other times when a distraction is needed.

"Such euphemisms illustrate one major function of language, which is to keep reality at bay." – John Carey "Eyewitness to History" Introduction

"Powerpoint is to thought what TV is to education."

Posted by: Bemildred | Feb 7 2022 12:15 utc | 11

Just an addendum to my comment at 8.

Modern Ukraine is cobbled together from various bits and pieces. If the Ukrainians want to preserve that territory — and there's no reason why they shouldn't; after all many modern countries are made up of various disparate parts — then they need to acknowledge that the inhabitants of those bits and pieces exist and find ways of accommodating and including them.

The problem is the current Ukrainian leadership has some fantasy of an ethnically and linguistically pure Ukraine that has never existed and is never going to exist. Attempts to make it exist just lead to conflict.

I really don't know why the Ukrainians (and the US and UK behind them) don't seem to be capable of grasping that. It's not that complicated.

For most of us learning to get along with the people around us is part of growing up. It makes for an easier and happier life. And often has unexpected benefits and synergies. I have no idea where the Ukrainian arrested development comes from, but it's seriously maladaptive.

Posted by: Kukulkan | Feb 7 2022 12:19 utc | 12

I consider this recent news item as a very welcome official confirmation meaning any talk about troop numbers is a bit of a red herring:
"Lukashenko: Belarus and Russia to Respond Together if Ukraine Starts War Against Donbass" via Sputniknews.

TL;DR: a Ukrainian attack LPR & DPR will be met with missiles (and more) from Belarus and Russia against Ukrainian armed forces.

My original comment on this is here in another MoA thread.

This news might have been why I slept so well last night :)

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Feb 7 2022 12:40 utc | 13

Well said Kukulkan!

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Feb 7 2022 12:43 utc | 14

I am fortunate to be able to see into the future, so the title of reference in 2023 will be;

The Russian military build up around Ukraine - continues. CNN (Collective Nuttier News)

Posted by: Stonebird | Feb 7 2022 13:04 utc | 15

Kukulkan @12

The Ukrainians may have difficulty grasping that fundamental truth you mentioned. However, their Anglo backers sure understand the situation well and are exploiting the divisions in Ukraine society. The UK-US are past masters at dividing peoples and drinking the resulting blood. They are at their tricks again, but not enough people want to read history or study the past.

Posted by: R | Feb 7 2022 13:04 utc | 16

The most revealing fact on that map is that it highlights the "Boundary of former Soviet Union".

The cold war was too good for Washington, it is just impossible to let it go.

Posted by: MadPig | Feb 7 2022 13:09 utc | 17

the same advertising techniques used to sell widgets are depressingly effective in selling wars.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Feb 7 2022 13:12 utc | 18

could he interesting to examine the synchronicity with Ukraine needing money eg IMF and recieving funds .

Posted by: Jo | Feb 7 2022 13:17 utc | 19

@Kukulkan | Feb 7 2022 12:19 utc | 12

Unfortunately, I think this has it backwards: the conflict is a feature not a bug--how are you going to militarize the place otherwise? Were peace to break out, how are you going to "keep the Americans in and the Germans down"? Without doing those things, how are you going to control Europe's energy flows, and force them to trade in dollars?

"Strategy of tension" is a thing, you know. Without it, you can't understand Korea either, or the rest of the world for that matter. Note that on the latter conflict, Hillary said "We have a good thing going" in her banker speeches.

Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Feb 7 2022 13:17 utc | 20

The U.S. is destroying Ukraine to justify new sanctions against Russia

The U.S. State Dept and Pentagon are releasing increasingly more hysterical headlines about the pending destruction of Ukraine. Gen Milly said, 'Kyiv will fall in 48hrs and up to 50,000 civilians will die' as CNN rushes in to ask Ukrainians, 'do you plan to fight or hide?'. We are undermining Zelensky as he tries to calm his citizens down. Ukraine already has a weak economy and we are making it worse.

So why is the U.S. doing this. It is to justify adding sanctions against Russia for not invading Ukraine, to punish Russia for 'creating a crisis' that never was. Ukraine is just collateral damage.

I hope that Ukrainians start to understand the price they pay for being canon fodder against Russia.

Posted by: Christian J. Chuba | Feb 7 2022 13:42 utc | 21

@Ma Laoshi | Feb 7 2022 13:17 utc | 20

Yeh, ... just like that hot-spot of bubbling French-German-Italian tension called Switzerland.

Difference?

One is a highly devolved participative governance system owned and operated by a relatively civilized people committed to a neutral geopolitical strategic role.

The other is a fringe-land of brigand-types open to geo-political manipulation by vested regional interests and criminal gangs like Binden Inc -- and is also largely shunned by a post-Soviet Russian mentality that refuses to integrate its Jungian shadow side.

Posted by: imo | Feb 7 2022 14:00 utc | 22

@Kulkulkan
I did at no point refer to the Russian speaking inhabitants of Donbass as Russian occupation.

The Russian occupation is the administrative apparatus that effectively governs these territorries (Luhansk People's Republic, Donetsk People's Republic).

This administrative apparatus:
- Has been established in 2014/2015
- Has been established with substantial -outside- support from the Russia Federation (arms, supplied, ammunition, volunteers/"volunteers"). It accordingly covers only a spall part of the area of Ukraine where Russia is spoken by a majority of the people and it could only be established in an area that borders Russia.
- It can be only maintained by the permanent thread of an -outside- military intervention by the Russian Federation.

Once the current Russian sponsored administration of Donbass ceases to excist it's inhabitants will be governed by the Ukrainian authorities as Ukrainian citizens just as they had been until 2014.

Posted by: m | Feb 7 2022 14:07 utc | 23

I tried Boy Who Cried Wolf in a recent comment and thought nobody read it. You never know.

Ukraine does not have 100,000 soldiers in the field, adding another 100,000 is not happening. They need mercenaries simply to stage a parade or a photo op. In 2014 the militia were there to point pistols at any trying to desert the front. Militias are much larger now, their fighting spirit no different. Mercenaries fill all sorts of key positions. When the shooting starts, or even threatens to start, mercs are fleeing to Poland instantly. They are not being paid enough to fight Russia.

In press release land Ukraine is drafting pregnant women and 60 year old men. None of this happens in reality. Fighting age men are in Russia, US, Canada, Germany. Especially if they are smart enough to tie their shoelaces.

Posted by: oldhippie | Feb 7 2022 14:13 utc | 24

Italy conquered South Tyrol (now Bolzano province) from Austria in WW1.
Its population is 90% of austrian descent and speaks german, with italian as a second language.
During Mussolini years government tried to erase austrian language and culture from the province, thus causing troubles which lasted until 1960s when a treaty was signed between Austria and Italy.
Bolzano province has now a large autonomy, they use german as their main language, are basically self-governing within the framework of Italy; but police is italian, they pay taxes to Italy (keeping a sizable share of it for use in their province), and use italian law.

For an italian like me the Donbass question is eerily resembling the history of our South Tyrol between 1922 and 1960. And treaty between Austria and Italy about South Tyrol is strikingly similar to Minsk agreements.

Posted by: Mauro Rossini | Feb 7 2022 14:21 utc | 25

This is 'Pathogenetic' war Ukraine has been fighting lonely for eight years. Russia has never showed up on battlefields annoyingly offered them by the West. Lunatics are desperate to convert another 'Pathogenetic' conflicts into horrific war, now between two Slavic nations. It looks like China and Russia finally fed up with it. Something is going to happen around Ukraine and Taiwan right after 24th Olympic Games.

Posted by: Vladibe | Feb 7 2022 14:23 utc | 26

m | Feb 7 2022 9:40 utc | 3

Without meaning to be rude, your comments are utter nonsense. Maybe you should ask the innocent civilians in Donbass being subjected to daily shelling by the Ukrainian state just how "Ukrainian" they consider themselves.

The problem in Ukraine is the "Maidan revolution" which gave political power to a clique of rabidly nationalist and ideologically anti-Russian politicians. There was no civil war or threat of a conflict with Russia until these people came with their goal of creating a "pure" Ukrainian state. It is not Russia that threatens Ukraine, it is the hateful and illogical policies of the current Ukrainian authorities that accelerate the destruction of Ukrainian statehood.

Posted by: Jay | Feb 7 2022 14:24 utc | 27

@Kukulkan | Feb 7 2022 12:19 utc | 12

To say things in a perhaps different way: in any country you can find crazies. But to get from A to B you need above them a power structure which trains them and gives them media oxygen--and, since this is Ukraine we're talking about, arms them to the teeth. Yes, going by the images Ukies are hateful scum; but I have to remind myself that the benighted place also has political prisoners and torture victims, in large numbers by European standards.

Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Feb 7 2022 14:49 utc | 28

What date is most likely for a Ukie false flag (as opposed to a Russian false flag)?

2/20/2022 is the date of the Olympic Closing Ceremony.

It is also a palindrome.

Could the warmongers in the US surprise us and cancel their false flag?
Hopefully, Biden will just be satisfied with a "policy success" and he
will say he thwarted Russia's invasion by the use of "secret intelligence",
and finger wagging.

[Hmm...I like that. "Biden has secret intelligence. :-) :-) :-) ]
["Biden's intelligence is a guarded secret"]

---
What is Poland's planned role in a pretext for war?

Posted by: librul | Feb 7 2022 14:52 utc | 29

Good take on the situation.

Reminds me of Israeli hysteria over Iran and 'the bomb' culminating in war-criminal and common criminal Netanyahu at the UN with an ACME bomb right out of a Road-Runner cartoon. Indeed the recent over-the-top rhetoric and 'american' hysteria is quite reminiscent of Zionist insanity.

Posted by: gottlieb | Feb 7 2022 15:18 utc | 30

8 years of bullsh*t masquerading as journalism. Disgusting.

Posted by: Ali | Feb 7 2022 15:46 utc | 31

@Julian #4
The East Med pipeline would have to pass through waters claimed by Turkey, or Libya.
Not the least bit clear how stable that would be.

Posted by: c1ue | Feb 7 2022 15:46 utc | 32

@m #3
Not the least bit clear what you're trying to say, since the same thing could be said of Kosovo, Croatia or Montenegro vs. Yugoslavia/Serbians.
Or is this just an example of "do what I say, not what I do"?

Posted by: c1ue | Feb 7 2022 15:49 utc | 33

@29 "What is Poland's planned role in a pretext for war?"

Dealing with a massive influx of refugees.

Posted by: dh | Feb 7 2022 15:58 utc | 34

I don't recall the Western MSM report on the multitude of US military bases that have sprung up around China and Russia year after year, or when they are going to invade both countries, obviously this isn't news, or the kind of news that manufactures consent.


Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 7 2022 16:28 utc | 35

Anyway, what I wanted to say was that in 2015 or 6, zero hedge had posted an article called "Separatists Are Not Human" about Azov and Pravii Sektor Hitler Jugendesque youth camps in Ukranazistan where children were being indoctrinated to hate Russians. This article was still up as recently as 2020 as I remember. Today I tried to check it again (I wanted to post the link to the Amerikastani propagandist Signe Wilkinson on Twitter) and got a 404 error message (which itself is ironical about Country 404). I wonder why the article was removed, and after all this time,too.

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Feb 7 2022 16:39 utc | 36

Once the current Russian sponsored administration of Donbass ceases to excist it's inhabitants will be governed by the Ukrainian authorities as Ukrainian citizens just as they had been until 2014.

Apparently, you haven't been following their press, their blogs, their websites....

They revolted against Nuland's Color Revolutionary NAZI/Facist coup installed government.

Nuland's UkroNazis continue to run the place, now under the tutelage of NATO....

The goal was always to pickup where Barbarossa left off.....

NATO thought that the Russians were asleep at the switch, mesmerized by their 2014 Sochi Olympics...
or... at the very least cowed into submission to protect their games...

Strelkov's initiative to fight the UkroNazi's armour gave time for the Crimeans to hold their referendum, for the DonBas peoples to do the same, and for the Russians to accept Crimea back, and to provide critical and sufficient support to stop the UkroNazi war machine.

The heroism of Mozgovoi, Motorola, Givi, and Zacharchenko led to the UkroNazi debacle at Debaltsevo...

The Minsk agreements were initiated by Merkel, to save their protege's bacon. The bait was Nordstream 2...

Putin was not yet ready to confront NATO... his banking system was vulnerable... and the new Hypersonics were not yet ready.... so he went along....

As matters turned out... Merkle etal., negotiated in bad faith, with every intention to regain UkroNazi military strength to the point the DonBas could be overwhelmed like RepublicSrbska was by the Croats...

The current crisis is basically a card game where NATO is trying to out bluff and intimidate the Russians into doing nothing.... They believe this to be possible because up to now, the Russians have been too timid....

Why the change in Russian behavior???

That is easy... NATO has run out of hydro-carbon fuels... the last seizure was Libya... but that source never materialized due to local infighting... Previous seizures like Algeria/Angola/Nigeria/Yemen... peaked long ago... and those places are exporting minimally, or not at all...

NATO's fuel problem is compounded by the new market spearheaded by China... The asians pay better,don't threaten Russia, and many of them fondly remember Russian help vis a vis the US wars of aggression...

The US/NATO seemingly have forgotten their role in the "Century of Humiliation" China endured..
I can assure you, the Chinese haven't forgotten their role in that.

The US breaking it's word over the Taiwan issue, was the last straw for China...

Henceforth... NATO will be confronting a unified EurAsia.... following Confucian principles...

The following countries now comprise unified EurAsia....

Russia Kzakhstan Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Tajikistan Mongolia China Vietnam Cambodia
Laos Thailand Myammar...Iran... Syria Belarus... Iraq Pakistan Afghanistan...Ethiopia
Sudan Egypt Yemen Lebanon Serbia Bolivia Cuba Nicaragua Venezuela Argentina
Indonesia Malaysia Singapore DPRK Oman Iraq Libya Algeria Panama Zimbabwe Namibia
Zambia South Africa Somalia Uganda Kenya TanZania Madagascar Sri Lanka

And others...

China is now the largest consumer market... largest source of FDI..... operates with other countries on a win-win basis... shows respect...

INDY


Posted by: George W Oprisko | Feb 7 2022 16:45 utc | 37

"The cold war was too good for Washington, it is just impossible to let it go."

MadPig (17).

It was for the military industrial complex, so another lengthy cold war would be right up their street, the likes of Boeing, Raytheon and Lockheed-Martin charge outlandish prices for spare parts for their military equipment, and its equipment that's not up to standard such as the F-35 fighter jets, and the Littoral combat ship both are plagued with many expensive defaults that cost billions in spare parts.


The military which buys the parts from the providers aren't even allowed to know the costs or question them, the military industrial complex has got it all sown up when it comes to squeezing every last dollar out of the US taxpayer via the defence budget, so wars must be conjured up, and bad guy countries must always exist to keep the money flowing in.


https://consortiumnews.com/2022/02/04/military-industry-healthier-than-ever/

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 7 2022 16:53 utc | 38

@librul | Feb 7 2022 14:52 utc | 29

2/20/2022 is the date of the Olympic Closing Ceremony.

It is also a palindrome.

Could the warmongers in the US surprise us and cancel their false flag?


The "palindrome" is only valid in the US, so it would be a message of whodunnit..

Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 7 2022 16:56 utc | 39

@29 "What is Poland's planned role in a pretext for war?"

In the 'No Missiles in Eastern and East Central Europe' Szenario?
Invoke Art. 5 and break NATO.

The ukrainian military is not that stupid. With the Russians in the south and the north Eastern Ukraine is an operative cauldron. Any action would be suicidale.

Posted by: schkid | Feb 7 2022 17:17 utc | 40


A Missing Link

https://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/03/world/europe/ukraine-luhansk-building-attack/index.html


The carnage was sudden, unexpected. This was the middle of a city, a building adjacent to a leafy square, where civilians walked and worked. Eight people were killed, five women and three men, according to the self-declared Luhansk People's Republic; the authorities in Kiev reported the same tally.

States which attack their own citizens with military aircraft typically cause the application of a Responsibility to Protect doctrine.

CNN's own investigation found the citizens were killed by 30mm cannon fire from a Ukrainian SU-25 ground attack plane.


A CNN investigation in Luhansk has found clear evidence that whatever detonations hit the building and the adjoining park came from the air. The tops of trees were splintered, and a series of small craters -- about a dozen -- had been blasted in a straight line, starting in the park and reaching the walls of the building, blowing out many of its windows and spraying the area with jagged shrapnel. That's what appears to have killed most of the victims and injured 20 more.
The pattern of the craters clearly indicated some sort of strafing, according to a munitions expert at the scene with CNN. Their size suggested 30-millimeter ordnance, he said, which is standard equipment on the Su-25, a ground attack fighter, and the Su-27 -- both combat aircraft operated by Ukraine.

The Ukie military murders its own citizens and Obama sanctions "bad Vlad."

Posted by: Sushi | Feb 7 2022 17:23 utc | 41

Two points about the map:

1. In the map, they use battalion as an unit. There are only a few hundred soldiers in a battalion. So the map will show a lot of little "icons" of battalions. The intention is obviously to graphically looks like a massive force.

2. They never shows the corresponding NATO and US forces around the area. And of course, there are also plenty of battalions of US in Europe, Middle East, East Asia and throughout the world.

Maybe Russia and China should display map of US and NATO deployment throughout the world - not in battalion units, but in companies, or even platoons... They need to use propaganda to fight propaganda...

Posted by: d dan | Feb 7 2022 17:34 utc | 42

All the above provides excellent testimony to the legitimacy of Russia's security concerns and the West's wholesale violation of the many OSCE Treaties that place indivisible security as the sine qua non, the paramount point being agreed upon. Although not the first act in the process, performing the coup was a direct attack on Russia's indivisible security AND Ukraine's, the latter being an extremely important point overlooked by most.

This week we ought to begin seeing the responses to Lavrov's letter, which will show us which NATO/EU/OSCE nations still adhere to or disown their word. Several have already done so by way of deed--UK, Outlaw US Empire, Canada, Poland, Lithuania, and Belgium. And it will be argued that others ought to be added. IMO, it's on this extremely important issue that the Outlaw US Empire will break NATO since it will insist upon NATO members breaking their word of honor by disowning those OSCE Treaties. Its addiction to prevarication is what will doom the Outlaw Anglo Empire as its members continue to be 100% untrustworthy on matters big and small.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 17:57 utc | 43

The media avoid using the identical headline as previous articles. It seems they had trouble thinking of new headlines with "massing", so they all switched to "buildup".

Posted by: Keith McClary | Feb 7 2022 18:04 utc | 44

The US really need a "Russian Invasion"

ABC News & Jake Sullivan, Russia ready to invade "at any time"

Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 7 2022 18:16 utc | 45

Macron in Moscow today, press conference later. Does not look like a DeGaulle visit, unfortunately, before flying he talked to Biden, Johnson and Stoltenberg, that should set the tone. We'll see if anything comes out of it, but Macron does not believe in miracles -sorry James Brown- and would be happy with a little "désescalade".

https://youtu.be/ZNaXb3uuekk

Posted by: Paco | Feb 7 2022 18:18 utc | 46

Rebublicofscotland @ 35 stated;

"I don't recall the Western MSM report on the multitude of US military bases that have sprung up around China and Russia year after year, or when they are going to invade both countries, obviously this isn't news, or the kind of news that manufactures consent."

Absolutely on point, a simply stated fact, that, is the crux of the world's problems.

Don't hold your breath until this simple fact is EVER mentioned in the U$A's corporate media.

And IMO, should be laid at the feet of our greedy multi-national corporations, whose motto's should be; Enough profit is never enough..

Posted by: vetinLA | Feb 7 2022 18:27 utc | 47

Re: The East Med pipeline would have to pass through waters claimed by Turkey, or Libya.
Not the least bit clear how stable that would be.

Posted by: c1ue | Feb 7 2022 15:46 utc | 32

It’s not the Turks stopping East-Med they just want a part of it. It’s the US. Trump liked it but Biden vetoed US involvement. This was done officially a few weeks ago. The EU is not very interested either, apart from Greece and Cyprus. It is not economically viable while cheaper gas is available from Yamal through existing pipelines, and the EU is working to eliminate hydrocarbons by 2050. So naturally Israel is using it’s lobbying skills to try and change their minds.

Posted by: Julian | Feb 7 2022 18:27 utc | 48

This article seems off topic, but it relates to the whole sordid history of the current NATO treaty violations, "The Great Slaughter: A forgotten genocide of WWII".

Paco's main point @5 is major--none of this would be happening if Outlaw US Empire forces weren't stationed in Europe and NATO didn't exist. I'd argue that NATO's continuing existence violates all the OSCE security related treaties as it directly threatens Russia's security. At no time has the Outlaw US Empire renounced its aim to turn Russia into a backwater via containment and other policies that are illegal under the UN Charter. As shown in the Joint Declaration, both Russia and China understand how the Charter aimed at neutering Unilateralism, and thus their push to reassert its prominence and convince the world that it's the Outlaw US Empire evil policies that must be contained along with its global threat.

Here's a thought: The entire Cold War was a continual violation of the UN Charter.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 18:29 utc | 49

GWO @ 37; Great synopsis!!

Posted by: vetinLA | Feb 7 2022 18:30 utc | 50

Paco @46--

Escobar posted this about Macron's visit:

"TALLEYRAND HE AIN'T

"Le Petit Roi’s masterplan:

- clinch deal with Putin, stop 'Russian aggression'.

- bask in a Peacemaker glow.

- raise EU's tawdry profile, as he’s the current president of the EU Council.

- then bag the April presidential election in France."

Macron will need to publicly state France upholds the OSCE Treaties it signed to get anywhere with Putin. If he refuses, he'll get nothing.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 18:35 utc | 51

Reminds me of the old three stooges bit. In this case uncle Sam says Lets you and him fight! No US troops will be sent.

Posted by: c | Feb 7 2022 18:36 utc | 52

the Military-Industrial-Media Complex needs hysteria to continue selling its wares...
and they are pouring into the Ukraine

And of course the powers that be need a series of boogeyman to oppose and fight - the bolsheviks in Russia, the Red chinese, Ho Chi Minh and the viet cong, the Sandinistas in Nicaragua, Allende and the socialists in Chile, Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction, terrorists and more terrorists, the Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming....

the list goes on and on


"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." - H. L. Mencken

Posted by: michaelj72 | Feb 7 2022 18:38 utc | 53

@schkid | Feb 7 2022 17:17 utc | 40

"The ukrainian military is not that stupid."
Another option is that they are too clever. With Blackwater as well as British SOF on the front line, in the merry company of the Nazi militias itching for a fight, who is to say that the Ukie officers will remain in the driving seat. And the notion that the hapless Zelensky has control over this unholy mess will get a good laugh from many sides, one assumes.

Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Feb 7 2022 18:52 utc | 54

John Helmer has a new article which is about the Blinken "Booby traps" leaked in a new document Spain.

http://johnhelmer.net/blinkens-booby-traps-how-the-us-propaganda-paper-released-in-madrid-proposes-to-go-to-war-with-russia-while-claiming-to-do-the-opposite/#more-47478

I come away from this with the idea that NATO will no longer be utilised as the principal counter to the original Russian proposals. Rather that the US is now going to increase it's own presence in Europe and the UK to pose the threat of eastward advances by it's own troops. ie across US occupied Europe (Since Germans, Hungary and other countries are trying to find their own way out of this mess.)

This "leaked" paper can be "denied" if necessary later. It ignores the total realistic demands of the Russian documents, and concentrates on the idea that Russia gives up all forward armed forces positions (Crimea etc included), give up advanced weapons etc. DO THE US EVEN LISTEN?
I also note that Helmer thinks Blinken believes he is smarter that the Russians and they won't see the "traps" he has laid. Just ONE example by Helmer.

The Blinken paper also declares the US intention to continue to “use the territories of other States with a view to preparing or carrying out an armed attack against the other Party or other actions affecting core security interests of the other Party” (Article 3); to encourage “further eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization”(Article 4); and to plan to “establish military bases in the territory of the States of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, use their infrastructure for any military activities or develop bilateral military cooperation with them” (Article 4).

In the Blinken paper, that last point means it no longer matters to the US whether Ukraine joins NATO or not. The US intends to make war on Russia from the territory of the Ukraine across the Red Line.


Posted by: Stonebird | Feb 7 2022 19:09 utc | 55

m | Feb 7 2022 9:40 utc | 3

"In the case of renewed hostilities the (Russian occupied) Donbass therefore couldn't hold out on it`s own."

to which replied @Kulkulkan replied | Feb 7 2022 10:51 utc | 6

"Yes, it was quite cunning of the Russians to occupy the Donbass region from 1860 on." /s

If we want to talk about occupations and invasions of 150+ years ago...

The Mexican government was alarmed by growing numbers of US immigrants to what was then its Alta California province while fears were building of war with the US in 1846. On 8 June of that year a group of 33 US citizens who had entered Alta California without permission ("illegals" let us say...) launched armed attacks against government buildings and formed the nucleus around which other US citizens gathered, seizing control of an area north of San Francisco—the so-called Bear Flag Revolt.

They held this territory for all of 25 days before US Army Brevet Captain John Fremont took control of the "California Battalion"—in violation of the 1794 Neutrality Act, which made it illegal for a US citizen to wage war against a country with whom the US has peaceful relations. In another week, on 9 July, US Navy Lieutenant Joseph Revere hoisted the US flag over their headquarters, ending any pretense of a "California Republic".

The US had in fact declared war on Mexico on 13 May but word of this wouldn't reach California until 12 August. Advance knowledge of a coming state of war would, however, exist among officers with orders to carry out—Fremont knew he would face no court martial for his actions. And US Navy ships had anchored in San Francisco harbor since mid-April "to protect US citizens and interests" in Alta California. They in fact carried arms, ammunition and supplies for the US "enemy combatants".

California—born of a hybrid warfare special op.

Russia does what it can—"polite men in green", "North Wind", etc.—to protect ethnic Russians where they've lived for centuries against Nazi attacks... The US calls it aggression.

The US uses false flags raised by freshly-infiltrated racist colonizers in coordination with troop/naval buildups to seize lands to which they have no legal right... Its history books call it Manifest Destiny.

Posted by: Vintage Red | Feb 7 2022 19:51 utc | 56

Posted by: michaelj72 | Feb 7 2022 18:38 utc | 53

Or "The aide said that guys like me were 'in what we call the reality-based community,' which he defined as people who 'believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality.' [...] 'That's not the way the world really works anymore,' he continued. 'We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors...and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do'."

We're an empire NOW? As in this was a recent development during the Bush administration?

I always thought "the aide" quoted was really Don Rumsfeld.

Posted by: tom_q_collins | Feb 7 2022 20:07 utc | 57

America will not put any substantial ground, air or Naval force up against Russia within 1,000km of Russia's borders. There are still some competent people running the Pentagon who know this would mean a massive defeat and/or a nuclear exchange.

Were the pressure to do so become too intense, I would expect to see a series of fatal accidents and career destroying revelations engulf the pundits and politicians trying to force it.

Instead the plan is to use other nations and mercenaries as a cat's paw and have them do the fighting and suffer widespread destruction. Then, the hope is, the US has enough economic power left to force the desired outcome ( Russis weakened to insignificance) through sanctions.

In the event that fails, Europe would still have been destroyed as a potential, independent, rival power of any note so that would be satisfactory too .

Posted by: DaveGood | Feb 7 2022 20:09 utc | 58

@DaveGood | Feb 7 2022 20:09 utc | 58

"America will not put any substantial ground, air or Naval force up against Russia within 1,000km of Russia's borders."
Ummm, isn't the US doing that like all the time with its fleet maneuvers in the Black Sea? Or do you consider those to be symbolic show-the-flag annoyances, which (deliberately) don't rise to the level of a credible strike force, with your comment only pertaining to the latter?

Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Feb 7 2022 20:26 utc | 59

@Stonebird | Feb 7 2022 19:09 utc | 55

Being a trained lawyer, John Helmer understandably is all about the words. But those will only get us so far. Basically, the US is asking Moscow "Whatcha gonna do about our eastward march?", betting that the Russki's won't dare, as usual.

Posted by: Ma Laoshi | Feb 7 2022 20:32 utc | 60

The US Navy doesn't send "Fleets" into the Black Sea, A Fleet would be a Carrier Battle group. And even that would have a life expectancy of less then thirty minutes if the shooting started.

What it does send in there would have zero impact if things really did kick off

They are there to annoy, to provoke, and to persuade the American public and anyone else gullible enough that America can project war winning power against anything other then third rate, basically unarmed, opponents.

It,stupid, it's dangerous, it's what Nato does.

Posted by: DaveGood | Feb 7 2022 20:40 utc | 61

Stonebird @55
Webserver is down on that link. It makes sence. This is not just about juicing up arms sales. You would have to be nuts to want your region smashed up again. Blinken is a hardcore Zionists, a Demorat NEOCON. Their fingerprints are everywhere on this future murder scene.

Posted by: circumspect | Feb 7 2022 20:45 utc | 62

@ Kukulkan | Feb 7 2022 12:19 utc | 12 quote...

"The problem is the current Ukrainian leadership has some fantasy of an ethnically and linguistically pure Ukraine that has never existed and is never going to exist...
I really don't know why the Ukrainians (and the US and UK behind them) don't seem to be capable of grasping that. It's not that complicated."

they don't want to comprehend because it doesn't serve their purposes! glad to help clarify that for you!

Posted by: james | Feb 7 2022 20:53 utc | 63

tom_q_collins | Feb 7 2022 20:07 utc | 57

The aide quoted was really Karl Rove.

Posted by: Alberto | Feb 7 2022 20:59 utc | 64

Posted by: Alberto | Feb 7 2022 20:59 utc | 64

Ah right, I'd forgotten that. Thanks. Rove was known for snotty little quips and other disingenuous behaviors.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Feb 7 2022 21:00 utc | 65

Posted by: Mauro Rossini | Feb 7 2022 14:21 utc | 25:

Thank you for this post. I learned something.

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Feb 7 2022 21:03 utc | 66

Posted by: George W Oprisko | Feb 7 2022 16:45 utc | 37:

Nice post!!!

Posted by: Oriental Voice | Feb 7 2022 21:12 utc | 67

Circumspect @62

Use a different browser. A lot of browsers will report a CDN failure when attempting to view Helmers site. (eg Firefox will fail, Opera is fine)

Posted by: S.O. | Feb 7 2022 21:22 utc | 68

Ma Laoshi
John Helmer is NOT a lawyer.
His undergraduate degree was in Melbourne, Australia.
He has a masters degree from Harvard Kennedy School, which he attended on a scholarship.

Posted by: downtownhaiku | Feb 7 2022 21:23 utc | 69

Macron and Putin have met and are currently meeting the press. Putin is quoted as saying:

“I see how much effort the incumbent government of France and the president personally are making to resolve the crisis related to ensuring an equitable security in Europe.”

But was he being serious or sarcastic?

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 21:27 utc | 70

To state the obvious, the war profiteers have done well since 2014 and are doing well currently raytheon (austin's a former board member), lockheed, etc are well pleased-it is the business of america to make war and sell war making systems that just might not work as well as advertised:

https://inthesetimes.com/article/ukraine-russia-raytheon-lockheed-martin-general-dynamics-weapons-industry

Posted by: Thomas | Feb 7 2022 21:29 utc | 71

This article explains the consistent pattern: subvert others and call it 'democracy',

https://johnmenadue.com/wests-bid-to-subvert-others-is-no-longer-a-secret/

Posted by: Paul | Feb 7 2022 21:30 utc | 72

Thomas @71--

You're 100 years behind the times. The Merchants of Death have greatly profited since 1914.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 21:31 utc | 73

American and NATO deployments in Poland (size of units not depicted and the recent deployment of the elements of 82nd Airborne to southern Poland not depicted:

https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/7432490.html

Posted by: Thomas | Feb 7 2022 21:43 utc | 74

karlof1 73:

Point taken as it is indeed obvious; my post simply was attempting to tie in the linked article to the tensions "since" 2014.

Posted by: Thomas | Feb 7 2022 21:49 utc | 75

Too bad my realtime comment about the Putin-Macron presser was wiped. No links were involved, just several sentences.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 21:56 utc | 76

Putin again emphasizes the root cause of the current Ukraine crisis was the 2014 Coup, which was a NATO/Outlaw US Empire operation. As usual he's putting the onus onto the West where it rightfully belongs.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 22:01 utc | 77

Macron wants to wriggle out of its several OSCE commitments. I await a direct question asking if France abides by the treaties it's signed.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 22:03 utc | 78

I see foot-dragging by Macron. I predict no progress will occur tomorrow in Kiev. The presser is over.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 22:07 utc | 79

Paul @ 72; Great article thanks for the link.

Posted by: vetinLA | Feb 7 2022 22:07 utc | 80

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 21:56 utc | 76

I'm watching it, finished now, what a great BSter Macron is. No wonder from the very beginning Putin looked pissed off and tense, lots of words to say nothing on Macron's part, he wants a deescalation tu justify his trip, all the rest plain verbosity.

Here some notes:

A tense Putin reiterated the known positions of the two treaty proposals

Macron, as expected, more american than european, hinted at Sweden and Finland joining NATO, but at the same time fear could be seen in what concerns the proposal put forth in the Duma to recognize the Donbass Republics.

Mali was not mentioned, first question by a french journo. So if Nato has open doors why Mali not? said Putin, commercial interests, we have nothing to do with that.

Ukraine, we’re not moving towards NATO but he other way around. Last time here with Orban I said if Ukraine in NATO means a war with NATO now I say, tell your voters, are you ready to have a war with Russia for Ukraine’s sake?

Macron is a clown, first he says that when the Minsk agreements were signed there were not 100k Russian troops on the border, and thereafter the Minsk agreement must be implemented. What has one thing to do with the other one?.

La Grande Debacle, nothing good came out of it, the positions are as far away from each other as ever, and as usual, the western clowns are full of rhetoric and are unable to understand basic facts. Putin insists on the proposed treaties, nothing less.

Posted by: Paco | Feb 7 2022 22:14 utc | 81

You, 'b' are the best of all the blogs on affairs of Russia and co, top marks for it, pour yourself a large one, how do you manage it is a puzzle, the approach is innovative, and more to the point very effective, the record of the 'build-up-of-troops mania is one of your best, it's amazing the morons haven't figured it yet.

Nobody can doubt that the American objective is a full containment of Russia, encircling her, sanctioning her, doing everything possible to destroy her. Their problema is the China's helping hand, both Russia and the Middle Kingdom know they have to back each other because if one were to fall the other will be next.

The Ukraine crisis however is designed for one sub-objective, the cancellation of not just N-2, but he full Monty of Russian fossil fuels shipments to Germany and the whole of Europe. That's what is targeted, what has to end, be cut off, destroyed.

Energy is the bloodstream of any economy, it's the one ingredient without which life itself cannot be, who controls it controls the rest of everything, the sovereignty of any country is underwritten by its energy sources.

One would expect not an invasion of Donbas, not yet anyway, not even a false flag op that can be figured out, may even be turned against the instigators, rather one would expect another dose of Novichok to find its usefulness, it's one of the best known brands worldwide, it has been used by the 'evil Putin' twice, cost Russia dearly, it may become useful again, If that were to happen, the target were to be a reasonably well known Ukrainian figure that can be disposed of, if only temporarily, would any European country, including Germany, still have the guts to continue buying oil and gas from Russia?

If the Germans succumb, they will become a full colony of the American Republic no longer able to balance their trade, investments and cultural relations between the East and the West, China will be out of limits, they must know it, they must also know that China is the market of the future, 1.4bn eager retail customers not yet saturated with consumer gear as much as the oversaturated West.

We do live in interesting times, but also dangerous times, the doomsday clock has never been closer to midnight - check it out on google.


Posted by: Baron | Feb 7 2022 22:24 utc | 82

Timely study and article from MintPressNews.

https://www.mintpressnews.com/279612-2/279612/

MintPress Study: NY Times, Washington Post Driving US to War with Russia Over Ukraine

This MintPress study reveals that ninety percent of recent opinion articles in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal have taken a hawkish view on the Ukraine conflict written by pundits tied to the national security state promoting NATO as a defender of the free world & describe Putin as Hitler incarnate.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Feb 7 2022 22:26 utc | 83

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 22:07 utc | 79

I listened to them in two windows since I hate the voice over of the translators, Macron is full of it and nothing will come out of his trip tomorrow, he had a list of sound bites -like for example Armenia- for his presidential elections campaign, and that was that, the French way of talking a lot and saying nothing. Putin hardly kept the diplomatic tone, like we are working and will keep on working, but from the very beginning it was obvious he was tense. Does not look good at all, anything could happen. A colorful point by Putin, twice, he offered Poroshenko political refuge, not out of sympathy obviously but due to humanitarian considerations.

Posted by: Paco | Feb 7 2022 22:28 utc | 84

Paco @81--

I agree with your assessment. As Pepe Escobar observed in a comment I cited upthread, Macron went to Moscow as part of his reelection campaign. IMO, he also said France reneges on its OSCE Treaty commitments, but not in any sort of upright, straightforward manner, instead wriggling out the "We have differing interpretations" about concepts that are 100% distinct and hashed out more than three times over 12 years, and even more when we go back to Helsinki. Putin also lashed out at the NATO/EU policy of consensus when confronted with serious issues that not all members agree about yet go along to get along which only serves to worsen the situation.

People can be excused for thinking they're reading a Martyanov screed as they peruse this Scott Ritter op/ed attacking Biden's "policy" and his so-called advisors.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 22:42 utc | 86

Paco @84--

Thanks for your reply! Really poor press attendance, IMO, given the gravity of the talks. Time to focus on other aspects, like this interview in Russian between the Russian Ambassador to Kazakhstan A.N. Borodavkin and Nezavisimaya Gazeta that's both an update and backgrounder. Buenos Noches!

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 22:54 utc | 87

In yet another Howler, this time by Jake Sullivan, China is warned that it will suffer if Russia invades Ukraine. However, Sullivan omits saying how badly the Outlaw US Empire's economy will be hit given its dependence on both China and Russia--that's the part of the overall equation being shoveled under the rug. As Hudson points out in the article linked above by JB @85, the entire sanctions regime is aimed more at the Outlaw US Empire's vassals than Russia or China so the Empire can keep its vassals's dependent upon it. There're also two new video presentations at Hudson's website, "The Blueprint to the US Empire" and "American Trade Tactics". Those barflies who became patrons of Hudson through Patreon have received a series of videos that have yet to be posted to his website. And for those of us contributing more than the basic $5/mo, we'll soon be participating in a Q&A session. If you value Hudson's contributions, then I suggest joining us at Patreon, which you can get to via Hudson's website.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 7 2022 23:10 utc | 88

EastMed pipeline provides too little gas to replace Nord Stream 2. At best, it provides output at the margins that would replace US LNG. That's why it's been canceled.

Posted by: Les | Feb 7 2022 23:11 utc | 89

And eventually the wolf does come...

I was extremely skeptical that Russia would invade at the start of all the recent round of western propaganda. Now I am not so sure of my skepticism.

Posted by: Razumov | Feb 7 2022 23:41 utc | 90

@ Razumov | Feb 7 2022 23:41 utc | 90.. is it okay for the west to have nuclear weapons pointing at russia within a short distance, with the thought of including ukraine within nato, to make it even closer?? if that is okay, then it has to be okay for russia to do the same and we know the usa would raise hell.. well, in fact they are raising hell as well speak, aren't they? but, but, but.... we are supposed to see russia as the constant bully and russia as the constant threat!!! see how upside down this shit is?

i thought so, lol..

Posted by: james | Feb 7 2022 23:50 utc | 91

Razumov @90--

Your instincts are correct. Putin has no desire to start a war in Europe. Rather, he has much bigger desires as outlined in the Russia/China Joint Statement. It's his and Xi's riff on Back to the Future where the defenders of the UN Charter regain control.

Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 8 2022 0:27 utc | 92

Biden today insisted Nordstream 2 is kaput: "If Russia invades — that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again — then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it..."

"Asked how specifically that would happen given that Germany controls the project, Biden responded: 'I promise you, we will be able to do it.'"

For his part, Chancellor Scholtz agreed that Russia would face unified measures, but specifically never referred directly to the pipeline, even when prompted. But Biden insists: "Germany is completely reliable. Completely, totally, thoroughly reliable. I have no doubt about Germany at all..."

https://www.axios.com/biden-germany-ally-ukraine-russia-ff2c2dcb-8968-414c-932b-e95dbe6c4ac0.html

Posted by: jayc | Feb 8 2022 0:58 utc | 93

These fucking yanks are out of their fucking minds.

Posted by: Misotheist | Feb 8 2022 1:00 utc | 94

Biden: "If Russia invades, that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2,"


Cleaning up the Biden mess from a few weeks ago, Blinken said if just ONE Russian troop crosses, sanctions go into effect. Bam! No Nord Stream 2 gas (at low prices) in a the EU that didn't fill their reserves - and waits for how long for US LNG to come - into what LNG terminals?


From Blinken's comments previously, we could then say there are *no* Russian troops in Ukraine now?


But now Biden goes back to reverse-parsing the scope of "The Invasion". I think Scholtz is here to find out WTF is actually the US position.


But, Mr. NATO saw an opportunity to serve: "As head of Norway’s central bank, known as Norges Bank, Stoltenberg will oversee not only the oil-rich country’s monetary policy but also its sovereign wealth fund — the world’s largest. "

Norway supplies a lot of energy - it'd be a shame of Germany couldn't get Russian energy now wouldn't it?


Posted by: daffyDuct | Feb 8 2022 1:16 utc | 95

Posted by: librul | Feb 7 2022 14:52 utc | 29

It's only a palindrome if you're an American exceptionalist. Here the closing ceremony is on 20/2/2022. But I guess the empire decides how we record time.

Posted by: Patroklos | Feb 8 2022 1:25 utc | 96

Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 7 2022 16:56 utc | 39

Beat me to my last comment...

Posted by: Patroklos | Feb 8 2022 1:33 utc | 97

Posted by: Vintage Red | Feb 7 2022 19:51 utc | 56

Wonderful parallel, nicely drawn.

Posted by: Patroklos | Feb 8 2022 1:40 utc | 98

I think that soon after the EU/NATO nations are forced to walk their talk in regards to Russia/China security the UN as a whole will be put to the test of Syria and dare I say Palestine, being illegally occupied.

Very interesting times

Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 8 2022 1:43 utc | 99


to Tom Q at #57
"...I always thought "the aide" quoted was really Don Rumsfeld....."

It does sound in a way like Rumsfeld doesn't it...if you go over to Wiki, which I did searching with part of this quote, I have always assumed it was by Rove.. and so do many others

Well, what I have to ask is, How did that all work out for the US Empire, anyway? I mean, a great success in Afghan-i-Nam, right?! an even greater success in Iraq, right?! and other success stories in Libya and Syria under Obama, right?

Not!! what a totally fucked up 'reality' they created, so much murder, mayhem and madness

back to the Wiki page: I like this part, in the Reactions to that quote about Empire and the US creating its own reality...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality-based_community

"...Political scientist and former U.S. National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski characterized the encounter with the senior White House aide, as reported by Suskind, as exemplary of the "arrogance that swept the Bush White House". Journalist Steven Poole compared the phrase to Hannah Arendt's definition of totalitarian thinking, which she described as having "extreme contempt for facts"......"

the arrogance of Empire, still alive and kicking through all successive US administrations

Posted by: michaelj72 | Feb 8 2022 2:19 utc | 100

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