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April 24, 2022
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-54
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This attack on Bryansk only 100kms from Ukraine is a fine example of the dangers to Russian security if hateful and capable NATO were stationed there in Ukraine.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 25 2022 15:15 utc | 201
From Sputniknews
Gonzalo Lira Case: Why Does US Keep Silent on Ukrainian Spooks Intimidating American Journo?
Parry does not rule out that Washington was well aware that Lira was detained by the SBU. Furthermore, “it is entirely within the realm of possibility and even quite likely the US colluded with the Ukrainian security services”, according to the American journalist.
“In fact, I find it very hard to believe the SBU would not have done so without the green light from Washington to take an American citizen journalist in custody”, says Parry. “This also has been the one thing that prevented any further harm from coming to him as well since his disappearance went viral and was all over social media networks. Nevertheless, the intent was clearly to intimidate him in retaliation for his courageous on the ground reporting getting the truth out to the Western public”.
The American journalist highlights that Lira’s apprehension was “just one of many instances of the comprador Zelensky government using strong-arm tactics against domestic activists, journalists, and political dissidents especially since the escalation of the conflict in February”. However, now this has been extended to a Western journalist, which has set a very disturbing precedent, Parry warns.
What’s more, Lira’s detention by the SBU coincided with a London court approving Julian Assange’s extradition to the US, which makes the hypocrisy of the Western authorities and media even more apparent, Parry notes.
Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 25 2022 15:18 utc | 202
The French has been sneaking ammunition into Ukraine for the Nazi’s via diplomatic mail for their embassy in Ukraine.
From the Saker.
“It’s been discovered that France has been supplying ammunition to the AFU “by diplomatic mail possibly on board civilian aircraft. Boxes with cartridges of 12.7 mm caliber were found at one of the positions of Ukrainian security forces in Donbass, where the addressee is the French Embassy in Kiev.”
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 25 2022 15:21 utc | 203
Et Tu (192).
Finland has been cooperating with Nato since at least 2008, it will come as a surprise to nobody if it makes it official.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 25 2022 15:22 utc | 204
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 25 2022 14:39 utc | 186
fog of war, rumors, and just plain bullshit “EU Global Where’s muh mf IPR waiver? Gateway“,
UN abstention,
post US-India 2+2 READ OUT,
post-BoJO READOUT
Ukraine “pressure” diplomacy:
DW von der Leyen begins post-Earth Day India tour
EC Statement by President von der Leyen with Indian Prime Minister Modi
“It is the 60th anniversary of relations between the EU and India” and the 75th anniversay of India’s independence
That is why I am pleased that today Prime Minister Modi and I have agreed to establish an EU-India Trade and Technology Council. The EU has only one TTC so far – with the US, and I think it is telling that we now establish the second one with India.
Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar 6-minute intro to EU Chief’s India visit at Raisina Dialogue
Modi tweets
Make of it what you will.
Posted by: sln2002 | Apr 25 2022 15:25 utc | 205
The CIA is running a new Phoenix program in Ukraine, according to Covert Action’s Jeremy Kuzmarov. All opposition voices are silenced by assassins and torturers trained and supervised by the CIA.
“…Douglas Valentine believes that the CIA “is applying the same organizational structure in Ukraine as it used in South Vietnam to conduct an updated version of the typical ‘two tier’ Phoenix program. The top tier is to assure political control, the lower tier to pacify the population.”…
“..According to Valentine, “the CIA is working with bankers. They want Ukrainians putting their money in a Morgan Stanley brokerage firm in Kyiv. They want to suck the life out of Ukrainians. People do it on the promise of a brighter future—others are bribed, still others like Zelensky in my humble opinion are blackmailed.”….
“Whatever, the CIA is manipulating them toward U.S. policies. CIA officers are recruiting people and putting them in place, having them sign contracts…”
https://covertactionmagazine.com/2022/04/25/cia-behind-secret-plots-to-kidnap-torture-and-assassinate-ukrainian-dissidents-for-president-zelensky-says-ukraine-defector/
Posted by: bevin | Apr 25 2022 15:25 utc | 206
What is Russia doing? A Torn-1 EW system most likely fell in the hands of NATO. Iskander decoy technology was given away to NATO and will be reverse-engineered. An intact KA-52 might fall into NATO hand. And now Ukraine has missiles that can reach deep into Russia. And only now the rails are being targeted? All rails should have been destroyed ages ago.
If there is one good thing about the American army, it destroys all threats fast. Russians are way too soft. They have strengthened NATO.
Russia is going to win the war but at what cost. How much losses and how much technology have they transferred to NATO?
@Et Tu | Apr 25 2022 14:53 utc | 189
> Am i the only one wondering why the Kremlin talks of ‘unfriendly countries’ and ‘unpredictable consequences’, which clearly gets ignored over and over, and instead does not spell it out more clearly, that Western Gov’ts attacking Russia and killing Russians, be it with weapons sales, intel sharing or by proxy, will result in Russia hitting Western targets and making Westerners suffer too?
Russia is all talk in this area. To this day they allow Israel free reign, even when 15 Russian soldiers killed in the spy plane incident. It should really arm Syria and Iran in retaliation to Ukraine. And if the biolabs are real, and the race-based-weapons are real then they should already realise the type of people they are dealing with. The enemy of humanity are the ones making them.
The fact the much of the railway system is still intact, is a disaster. Yes, it makes sense from a humanitarian perspective, but there’s a limit. Russia got attacked again, so are the “decision-making centers” going to be targeted?
Posted by: Sundial | Apr 25 2022 15:31 utc | 207
are you two guys working in tandem here?? – @Et Tu @ Sundial
reminds me of the talk about russia in the syrian war 2015 and onward..
i realize russia is not doing things ”the american way’, but is that the depth of your thinking here?
my obvious next question – how old are you two??
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 15:36 utc | 208
@199
terra nova = new world
her points was, either a world new world of chaos and slavery or a world of respect
choose for yourself on which side she is
Posted by: Macpott | Apr 25 2022 15:39 utc | 209
@Posted by: Helmuth von Moltke | Apr 25 2022 13:41 utc | 169
May be you would want to order also, since it means not much further spending, a little book on his “Travel to Russia”, which he visited for forst time in the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution.
In a moment when everything Russia is turned into synomimous of evil, with its rich culture intended to be erased, Zweig with his fine sensitivity, catch very well the esence of this people which he finds amongst the most interesting and ingenious peoples on Earth.
In particular he highlights that very Russian custom of travelling during several days by train and other means only for to have the pleasure to meet an acquaintance for just minutes, be able to shake his hand or embrace him…
The Russian sense of community and sharing, and the rich Russian social life at all levels od society, get quite well reflected, making in its description a harsh contrast with our times, where genuine human contact and meeting amongst foreigners has become a military target so that it is easier to demonize and scapegoat others on behalf of the elites in charge…
Posted by: Ghost of Mozgovoy | Apr 25 2022 15:39 utc | 210
@ Posted by: Republicofscotland | Apr 25 2022 15:22 utc | 198
Nato has tiered partner countries all over the world, hell, even Russia was one of them one time.
The point you are missing, is being full member gives Nato way more leverage against Russia. Not just to put more hostile equipment on its front door, but with the de facto guarantee that Russia can’t do anything to remove it.
If Ukraine’s yet to be built missile launchers with 15 minute flight time to Moscow were a security concern, what do you think real ones 3 minutes from St Petersburg will be?
Posted by: Et Tu | Apr 25 2022 15:56 utc | 211
>james | Apr 25 2022 15:36 utc | 202
Is belittling the limit of your capacity? Giving away secret technology is stupid by any measure, American or otherwise. Allowing the railway supply lines to exists for so long is also a major blunder. Would you like to enlighten me with your “aged” expertise.
Posted by: Sundial | Apr 25 2022 16:03 utc | 212
The checks are in the mail
The EU is India’s third largest trading partner, accounting for €62.8 billion worth of trade in goods in 2020 or 11.1% of total Indian trade. The EU is the second-largest destination for Indian exports (14% of the total) after the USA. India is the EU’s 10th largest trading partner, accounting for 1.8% of EU total trade in goods in 2020. EU foreign direct investment [FDI] stocks in India amounted to €75.8 billion in 2019, which is significant but way below EU foreign investment stocks in China (€198.7 billion) or Brazil (€318.9 billion). On 8 May 2021, the EU and India agreed to resume negotiations for a “balanced, ambitious, comprehensive and mutually beneficial” trade agreement, and to launch separate negotiations on an investment protection agreement and another agreement on geographical indications. They agreed to link trade negotiations to finding “solutions to long-standing market access issues”.
EU-INDIA Trade Picture 2020
off-the radar.
Monthly balance of payments surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($4.4), Hong Kong ($2.0), Singapore ($1.3), Brazil ($1.1), and United Kingdom ($1.0). [US] Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($33.3), European Union ($18.0), Mexico ($12.5), Japan ($7.1), Canada ($6.8), Germany ($5.4), Taiwan ($3.9), Italy ($3.2), South Korea ($3.0), India ($2.4), Saudi Arabia ($0.8), and France ($0.8). Quarterly balance of payments [US] surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($22.1), Hong Kong ($6.7), Brazil ($6.4), Singapore ($5.1), United Kingdom ($5.0), and Saudi Arabia ($0.7). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with China ($87.9), European Union ($39.4), Mexico ($33.5), Germany ($18.4), India ($13.8), Taiwan ($11.9), Japan ($11.4), Italy ($10.5), Canada ($8.5), South Korea ($6.7), and France ($4.6). US-IN Jan 2022
Posted by: sln2002 | Apr 25 2022 16:04 utc | 213
speculation is all you have sundial… okay – and you are young… all good.. thanks for the response..
et tu – as others have pointed out – this is a war between russia and usa/nato… we’ll see how it works out for nato going forward..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 16:04 utc | 214
@ Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 15:36 utc | 202
No offence, but despite all the flaws and dysfunction, doing things ‘the american way’ means i don’t have to worry about missiles landing in my country (yet!) or being sent to fight my next door neighbours. No one dares send troops anywhere near my country or try blow up our oil depots, and i am free to travel all over the world without my cards not working. And that is a ok with me, despite all the issues i may have with our Gov’ts (i am not American btw).
Posted by: Et Tu | Apr 25 2022 16:07 utc | 215
Posted by: bevin | Apr 25 2022 15:25 utc | 200
“According to Valentine, “the CIA is working with bankers. They want Ukrainians putting their money in a Morgan Stanley brokerage firm…”
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
Posted by: Scorpion | Apr 25 2022 16:07 utc | 216
james | Apr 25 2022 15:36 utc | 202
“i realize russia is not doing things ”the american way’, but is that the depth of your thinking here?”
And is the depth of your thinking this moronic hand-waving cliche that there’s an “American way” which is somehow indelibly different from the alleged “Russian way” which somehow was absent in every prior Russian war for centuries immemorial? No, I think any people that wants to succeed settles to a basic universal theme for how to wage war. Today’s neocons may be exceptionally stupid in their brutishness, but it’s clear there’s no special efficacious virtue in Russia’s softness and confusion.
One thing that we who are in touch with reality know for a fact is that, whether racially “Russian” or not, the half-assed way Russia has gone about its “SMO” is not working very well, whether the goal is the rational goal of securing the Borderlands against future NATO incursions, or to get NATO to back down on a more broad level, or to bring some kumbaya epiphany to Europe, or whatever notion the Russia-has-infinite-timers believe.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 16:11 utc | 217
@ Et Tu | Apr 25 2022 16:07 utc | 215
i suspect the country where you live – which you are unwilling to tell moa here – is part of the reason the war on russia is happening..
@ Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 16:11 utc | 217
it is a simple catchphrase to describe much more, but i’m sure you already knew that and are just being a jackass..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 16:15 utc | 218
@218
@ Et Tu | Apr 25 2022 16:07 utc | 215
i suspect the country where you live – which you are unwilling to tell moa here – is part of the reason the war on russia is happening..
What the hell kind of argument is that? What about you yourself, james, are we supposed to think you are Chinese or something?
Posted by: Unnamed | Apr 25 2022 16:17 utc | 219
Finland could try to negotiate a nonaggression treaty with Russia. Then, in the unlikely event Russia refused, that would be the time to seek admission to NATO.
Posted by: Chas | Apr 25 2022 12:37 utc | 165
Isn’t their 1992 treaty still in force?
Posted by: The Owl | Apr 25 2022 16:22 utc | 220
@ Unnamed | Apr 25 2022 16:17 utc | 219
just making observations…. i live in canada and have no chinese ancestry… et tu doesn’t feel comfortable to say where he lives and he thinks the american or nato dynamic is the reason why ‘his country’ isn’t having a conflict next to its border, as russia is..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 16:23 utc | 221
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 16:23 utc | 221
And is your country, Canada, not part of the reason this war is happening? This was the whole argument that you were making against Et Tu. Are you not aware of what you yourself are writing?
Posted by: Unnamed | Apr 25 2022 16:26 utc | 222
@ Unnamed | Apr 25 2022 16:26 utc | 222
yes! canada is fucked in the head… did you hear joly, our foreign minister mentioning yesterday we are fully behind ukraine and that she won’t talk to lavrov?
you need to follow the conversation more closely unnamed… clearly you are not.. cheers..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 16:28 utc | 223
@james | Apr 25 2022 16:04 utc | 214
> this is a war between russia and usa/nato..
Captain obvious. You answered nothing. The fact it’s a proxy war, it’s more of a reason to ask why it didn’t destroy supply lines early on, and why it give away technology that no one knew about. The Iskander-M decoy’s were unknown.
@Et Tu | Apr 25 2022 16:07 utc | 215
The man (james) is infantile.
@Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 16:11 utc | 217
Well said.
Posted by: Sundial | Apr 25 2022 16:30 utc | 224
have the last word, lol… i will remember to ignore your posts going forward… cheers..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 16:32 utc | 225
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 16:11 utc | 217
”
One thing that we who are in touch with reality know for a fact is that, whether racially “Russian” or not, the half-assed way Russia has gone about its “SMO” is not working very well, whether the goal is the rational goal of securing the Borderlands against future NATO incursions, or to get NATO to back down on a more broad level, or to bring some kumbaya epiphany to Europe, or whatever notion the Russia-has-infinite-timers believe.
”
At this point am trying to let go of the attempt to unravel all the ins and outs of how this tempest in Ukraine seems to be affecting everyone in the world sooner or later, except that perhaps that effect is one of the principal aims of this operation. I suspect both sides want this each believing that this is a new kind of global siege warfare in which the adversary will be bled dry and suffer political and economical collapse. If so, stretching things out time wise makes sense and would also explain why a massive thrust by Russia to overpower the main armies in Donbass has not yet been delivered. Because ultimately there can be no victory for Russia in Ukraine unless the political will of all the Westerners involved is sufficiently crushed such that shelling into Eastern Ukraine won’t immediately start all over again as soon as hostilities cease and some sort of deal is inked.
Maybe this is why the maps that used to be such fun to watch every day seem to have changed little since mid-March with May now fast approaching. There are rumors of a major offensive to begin any day now but only time will tell…
Posted by: Scorpion | Apr 25 2022 16:47 utc | 226
Barflies
Please do not feed the troll tag team
that is all
🙂
Posted by: ld | Apr 25 2022 16:59 utc | 227
#—In other news, zelenski is demanding $7 bil/monthly to, in essence, keep his mouth shut; guess where that $7 bil would come from.
Posted by: Thomas | Apr 25 2022 1:46 utc | 98
Nice catch! Let’s see how this plays out.
Ze must have some powerful allies, or he might just end up as Scarface.
Posted by: Anne B | Apr 25 2022 17:41 utc | 228
#—I totally took this musical for granted it is really clever. Will watch it again with fresh eyes, though always taking into account it’s a US perspective behind the camera.
Posted by: K | Apr 25 2022 4:48 utc | 123
I learned how to release frustration from Sally Bowles.
I have no train, so I cry with the tractors.
Posted by: Anne B | Apr 25 2022 18:29 utc | 229
james | Apr 25 2022 16:15 utc | 218
James referred to today’s constant moronic blare among “alternative” sites which claims Russia has discovered some mysterious new way of warfare unknown for the tens of thousands of years of warfare hitherto. Here it is again:
“i realize russia is not doing things ”the american way’, but is that the depth of your thinking here?”
Then when asked about this, he falls back upon:
“it is a simple catchphrase to describe much more, but i’m sure you already knew that…”
I don’t know any such thing. This is far more than a catchphrase at places like the Saker and its amen corner. There it’s a fundamental tenet. I think it’s the core principle among those who already have conceded defeat in their minds and are looking for the exit-ramp already where they can try to claim some kind of “victory” for a few days, when in reality the real war has only begun.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 18:33 utc | 230
Scorpion | Apr 25 2022 16:47 utc | 226
“I suspect both sides want this each believing that this is a new kind of global siege warfare in which the adversary will be bled dry and suffer political and economical collapse. If so, stretching things out time wise makes sense and would also explain why a massive thrust by Russia to overpower the main armies in Donbass has not yet been delivered. Because ultimately there can be no victory for Russia in Ukraine unless the political will of all the Westerners involved is sufficiently crushed such that shelling into Eastern Ukraine won’t immediately start all over again as soon as hostilities cease and some sort of deal is inked.”
That’s the same idea Falkenhayn had for Verdun in 1916. It didn’t work.
There won’t be anyone with whom the Russians can “ink a deal”. They can choose to impose their will or, out of faltering, fail to do so and draw the consequences.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 18:37 utc | 231
Scorpion | Apr 25 2022 16:47 utc | 226
“I suspect both sides want this each believing that this is a new kind of global siege warfare in which the adversary will be bled dry and suffer political and economical collapse.”
I envision the empire pressing the entire globe into the most ruthless vise to squeeze out just a little more time for itself. But they’re always ready to let the nukes fly the moment they think that’ll help them.
That moment is approaching. Time is ticking.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 18:48 utc | 232
@ Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 18:33 utc | 230
i am sorry i have confused you or anyone else with my words.. that is not my intent.. it was a relatively quick and generalized response to those who think russia should have done this or that to speed up the process, or end the bullshit quicker – thus the american way – to bomb the shit out of a place, kill tons of people, and claim ”mission accomplished” just as gw bush did shortly after the start of the war on iraq….
when i say ” the american way” this includes all the lapdogs for the usa empire which include canada, most of europe – uk, france, germany, netherlands and etc, australia and new zealand, finland and some others… what i mean by this is tacit support for nato which ought to have been taken apart in the 90’s, but instead expanded….
and yes, i agree with you – as i have said here before a number of times – this war is just getting started and if usa-nato has their way, they will happily fight russia down to the last ukrainian and would like this war to go on for forever…
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 18:52 utc | 233
and yes, i agree with you – as i have said here before a number of times – this war is just getting started and if usa-nato has their way, they will happily fight russia down to the last ukrainian and would like this war to go on for forever…
Not addressing the following to you personally, james, but to everyone who has noted the up-until-now correct observation that US/NATO will happily fight Russia down to the last Ukrainian:
In the past several days I think we’ve all witnessed a new phase to the war: West-sponsored terrorism in Russia and Russia-allied lands. A new phase . . . employing one of the West’s most cherished and frequently employed tactics.
Posted by: malenkov | Apr 25 2022 18:56 utc | 234
RE: Chas | Apr 25 2022 12:37 utc | 165 and The Owl | Apr 25 2022 16:22 utc | 220
you all wrote “Finland could try to negotiate a nonaggression treaty with Russia. Then, in the unlikely event Russia refused, that would be the time to seek admission to NATO. . . . Isn’t their 1992 treaty still in force?
Finland and Sweden both have Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with NATO; Finland signed in 2014, Sweden 2016.
NATO Sweden MOU
NATO Finland MOU
In the event of conflict (or even in a period of “international tension”), both Sweden and Finland have agreed to act as de facto NATO member states, as both nations will accommodate and provide both civil and military support to NATO forces (read the MOUs). While this is certainly not the equivalent of having both nations as member states, it should be clear that Finland and Sweden have been working hand-in-hand with NATO for some time.
Posted by: Perimetr | Apr 25 2022 19:16 utc | 235
Posted by: Ghost of Mozgovoy | Apr 25 2022 15:39 utc | 210
Thanks, I put it on my wishlist!
Posted by: Helmuth von Moltke | Apr 25 2022 19:38 utc | 236
@ malenkov | Apr 25 2022 18:56 utc | 234
yes, that appears to be the latest phase too.. thanks for your posts malenkov…
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 19:46 utc | 237
james | Apr 25 2022 18:52 utc | 233
I agree with what you say there. I was responding to the everyday hand-waving which falsely claims things like perceiving the strength or weakness of an adversary are pointless “Western” ways of thinking which are impervious to the higher magical “Russian” way of thinking, and never mind whether Putin makes the neocons think they can get away with further escalation.
As for what I said about the cowards that already want to quit, this read to me as their typical straw man:
“the american way – to bomb the shit out of a place, kill tons of people, and claim ”mission accomplished” just as gw bush did shortly after the start of the war on iraq….”
Obviously there’s a wide spectrum of options between US brain-dead-style “shock-and-awe” and the weak way of the SOM thus far. (Same for the straw man of the choice being to formally annex Kiev-to-Lvov or to leave it completely for the empire. There are, of course, options for effective control short of annexation. But they all require military conquest of the entire Borderlands.) So by now I automatically assume anyone that deploys that straw man is trolling. Apologies if I was wrong in your case.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 19:50 utc | 238
Thank you Perimetr @235.
As Finland has an MOU with NATO and a 1992 non-aggression pact with Russia, what are they worried about? Seems to me they already have plenty of security.
Posted by: Chas | Apr 25 2022 19:51 utc | 239
re: Chas | Apr 25 2022 19:51 utc | 239
Thanks for reading, you’re welcome.
I would speculate the raison d’être for Finland’s/Sweden’s requests to join NATO has as much to do with the incompetence/corruption of the politicians running Finland and Sweden as it does with NATO’s suicidal quest to start a war with Russia.
Posted by: Perimetr | Apr 25 2022 19:59 utc | 240
@239 “…..what are they worried about?”
You can never be sure with Russians. Putin might take his shirt off again.
Posted by: dh | Apr 25 2022 20:02 utc | 241
@ Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 19:50 utc | 238
thanks… okay! i might be a bit casual with words, but i am definitely not a troll here… you appear to be the newbie here – i have seen you for the past month approx, at moa..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 20:10 utc | 242
james | Apr 25 2022 20:10 utc | 242
“i have seen you for the past month approx, at moa..”
Actually I was a regular commenter here for years, under the handle Russ or Russ B, I forget which. I remember you. I quit in disgust for awhile over the site’s pro-imperial “Covid” apostasy, but have drifted back lately over the Borderland war.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 20:32 utc | 243
@ Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 20:32 utc | 243
the covid conversations were very divisive and some – i am not sure how many – posters left moa as they didn’t agree with b on this topic… do you live in holland? welcome back either way!
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 20:48 utc | 244
interesting article
https://www.indianpunchline.com/us-recruits-israel-against-russia/
Posted by: pretzelattack | Apr 25 2022 21:03 utc | 245
james | Apr 25 2022 20:48 utc | 244
“do you live in holland? welcome back either way!”
Thanks. I’m not from Holland. This handle refers to one of Wagner’s operas I’ve sometimes identified with.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 21:05 utc | 246
@ pretzelattack | Apr 25 2022 21:03 utc | 245
i coincidentally posted that on the latest ukraine thread…
thanks @ flying dutchman..
i don’t know wagners music any… i am not familiar with opera, but i like classical music… what time frame did he write music in??
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 21:08 utc | 247
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 21:08 utc | 247
heh, it’s a good article. I wasn’t sure which thread to post it in.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Apr 25 2022 21:15 utc | 248
Former Ukraine Ambassador Slips Up, Admits Putin Wouldn’t Have Invaded Under Trump
Posted by: librul | Apr 25 2022 22:00 utc | 249
@Posted by: librul | Apr 25 2022 22:00 utc | 249
Marie Yovanovitch — the former US Ambassador to Ukraine under Trump who testified against him in the 2019 impeachment, and was lauded as a hero — suggests that if Trump were in office, he’d have averted the war diplomatically. But she thinks this would’ve been a terrible thing
https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/1517807790605148161
Posted by: librul | Apr 25 2022 22:02 utc | 250
@ pretzelattack | Apr 25 2022 21:15 utc | 248
yes.. it shows how complicated world affairs are and gives some insight into the players more too…
@ librul | Apr 25 2022 22:00 utc | 249
librul, you made a post on kolomoiski the other day and a poster named jimmy replied with a link showing how kolomoiski and his family are not allowed to travel to the usa – are on the terrorist list, or some kind of list where they can’t come to the usa which was put out beginning of march… jimmy made the caustic and appropriate comment – zelensky is no longer working for kolomoiski and is now being managed by the cia….. i can’t find that post where jimmy linked and said that though! it was very insightful!! if you can help – great..
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 22:16 utc | 251
@Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 22:16 utc | 251
Cannot find jimmy’s post either. As a matter of fact, I cannot find a lot of my recent posts.
Some are there for now.
If you do a internet search on:
kolomoiskyy banned from travel
you will find a number of articles
about it. I just found one from 2015
saying his US visa was reinstated.
The US State Department is “negotiating” with him.
That is how I see Blinken’s recent announcement.
Not the link we are looking for but, here is a State Department link from a year ago.
https://www.state.gov/public-designation-of-oligarch-and-former-ukrainian-public-official-ihor-kolomoyskyy-due-to-involvement-in-significant-corruption/
Posted by: librul | Apr 25 2022 22:47 utc | 252
@Posted by: librul | Apr 25 2022 22:47 utc | 252
Say, james,
I think ‘jimmy’ must have posted an old link. Perhaps he thought it was an announcement from March 2022
but in reality it was March 2021.
I searched and searched and the search keeps pointing to articles from 2021.
https://opinion.org/public-designation-of-oligarch-and-former-ukrainian-public-official-ihor-kolomoyskyy-due-to-involvement-in-significant-corruption/
Posted by: librul | Apr 25 2022 22:55 utc | 253
@ librul | Apr 25 2022 22:55 utc | 253
thanks so much! that is the document jimmy had linked to…i had thought it was from march 22, but i see it is march 2021…
i don’t know why your posts wouldn’t show up… they are getting thru and i don’t believe b is banning anyone like you! thanks for your posts librul!
Posted by: james | Apr 25 2022 22:59 utc | 254
james | Apr 25 2022 21:08 utc | 247
“i don’t know wagners music any… i am not familiar with opera, but i like classical music… what time frame did he write music in??”
Wagner’s greatest period was from the latter 1840s through his completion of “Parsifal” in the late 1870s. With that he had finished his work.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 23:28 utc | 255
“I would speculate the raison d’être for Finland’s/Sweden’s requests to join NATO has as much to do with the incompetence/corruption of the politicians running Finland and Sweden as it does with NATO’s suicidal quest to start a war with Russia.” Perimetr@240
You are right. Just as the full fruits of the longstanding US government influence programmes are being harvested, in the shape of generations of European “young leaders” educated in the US, the recipients of generous scholarships, the beneficiaries of internships luxurious with career paths aimed right to the top of their political institutions, the world for which they have been prepared, the unipolar empire is crumbling. And the skills they have perfected-the arts of flattery and complete submission, the ability to kow tow without seeming insincere or self centred, a gentle contempt for their own country and culture and an enthusiasm for anything American suddenly become outdated.
Finland and Sweden look set to join NATO at the precise moment that it can no longer offer them anything but suffering for Uncle Sam.
Posted by: bevin | Apr 25 2022 23:39 utc | 256
@ Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 23:28 utc | 255
it is fairly dramatic music… i listened to the song with these folks doing it.. its okay.. not my cup of tea..a bit too dramatic, especially off the top!
Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer – Ouvertüre ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Marek Janowski
Posted by: james | Apr 26 2022 0:55 utc | 257
RE: bevin | Apr 25 2022 23:39 utc | 256
Thanks for your comment. Scott Ritter is adamant that Russia will go to war and destroy Finland if it joins NATO. He makes these comments at 13:45 into this interview Paul Craig Roberts has also written recently to that effect.
I also wonder about some of the other “non-negotiable” articles in the two Draft Treaties that Russia presented to the US and NATO last December. In particular, the two Aegis Ashore missile bases in Romania and Poland. Will Russia also use “military-technical means” to eliminate them?
Posted by: Perimetr | Apr 26 2022 1:36 utc | 258
posted by Likklemore on another MoA thread:
Russia warns of nuclear, hypersonic deployment if Sweden and Finland join NATO
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-warns-baltic-nuclear-deployment-if-nato-admits-sweden-finland-2022-04-14/
Mon. 25 April 2022 as per The Guardian
Sweden and Finland agree to submit NATO applications
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/25/sweden-and-finland-agree-to-submit-nato-applications
And Russia does not bluff.
Posted by: Perimetr | Apr 26 2022 1:47 utc | 259
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Apr 25 2022 18:33 utc | 230
Yes, the War has just begun,the USA has strong armed its fodder Armies to hold the line.
Russia is about to demonstrate and change that line with its strategic silent (partner’s) support.
Get your popcorn,rubles and yuan stocked up,enjoy the show as it unfolds before your eyes.
Posted by: Kim | Apr 26 2022 6:38 utc | 260
Posted by: Kim | Apr 26 2022 6:38 utc | 260
could be a very brief show for me, probably for the best. i live in a large us city, can’t imagine it isn’t targeted. probably get to live out the last scenes in “Dr. Strangelove”. As an old guy, I don’t think I would enjoy living in an ensuing dog eat dog environment, if I even survived for long.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Apr 26 2022 7:01 utc | 261