(The post for today didn't work out. I had to trash it. You will have to talk to each other instead.)
Only news & views related to the Ukraine conflict …
The open thread for other stuff is here.
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May 10, 2022
Ukraine Open Thread 2022-63
Comments
Coming Regime Change in the West
Richard – apologies for the delay and for any associated comment I have missed in my quick catch up scan but I believe your assertions of May 10 2022 8:57 utc | 270 are incorrect:
In a year or two – probably much less – we can expect “regime changes” in the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain…and elsewhere. Especially if once Russia ends the war and assuming things “settle down”
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 8:57 utc | 270
I venture two alternate predictions and give explanation after.
First Prediction:
You are correct in anticipating social unrest in the west. I think this will be evident within six months i.e. circa November 2022.
Second Prediction:
The predicted social unrest will result in increased fascism in the west.
Rationale Stage 1 – Triggers for Social Unrest
The increased cost of FF energy will drive inflation in all western economies. Energy scarcity will limit fertilizer production and distribution, impact both crop yields and food transport costs thereby greatly increasing global food prices.
The last food crisis provoked a range of colour revolutions in the Middle East. Central bank policies driving up interest rates, global supply chain disruptions caused by a variety of factors, coupled with high food and heating costs, and the bottom end of the wage spectrum will be in a world of hurt.
Food riots have played a significant role in past upheavals notably the French riots immediately prior to the 1789 revolution. See the following for a list of food riots through history. I suspect there exist omissions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_food_riots
Also:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007%E2%80%932008_world_food_price_crisis
Rationale Stage 2 – Triggers for Fascist Response
There has been much good MOA debate re a definition of fascism and its place on the political spectrum.
karlof1 touched on the issue in his | May 9 2022 21:39 utc | 113 post:
Many have discussed what is clearly the escalating Fascism of the EU, which is currently engaged in trying to dismiss its need for consensus so it can further damage its own members.
Europe’s at a very dangerous stage with only a few national leaders understanding what’s occurring, something Putin noted several years ago, and that Lavrov fought accepting until last year’s epiphany.
The US is already subject to “Inverted Totalitarianism:”
Inverted totalitarianism reverses things. It is all politics all of the time but politics largely untempered by the political. Party squabbles are occasionally on public display, and there is a frantic and continuous politics among factions of the party, interest groups, competing corporate powers, and rival media concerns. And there is, of course, the culminating moment of national elections when the attention of the nation is required to make a choice of personalities rather than a choice between alternatives. What is absent is the political, the commitment to finding where the common good lies amidst the welter of well-financed, highly organized, single-minded interests rabidly seeking governmental favors and overwhelming the practices of representative government and public administration by a sea of cash.
SOURCE:
Wolin page 66
Democracy Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism
https://www.amazon.ca/Democracy-Incorporated-Managed-Inverted-Totalitarianism/dp/0691178488
Wolin’s thesis is supported by that of historian Christopher Lasch as described in
Revolt Of The Elites And The Betrayal Of Democracy in which he critiques “the new meritocratic class, a group that achieved success through the upward-mobility of education and career and that increasingly came to be defined by rootlessness, cosmopolitanism, a thin sense of obligation, and diminishing reservoirs of patriotism,” a new class which “retained many of the vices of aristocracy without its virtues, lacking the sense of ‘reciprocal obligation’ that had been a feature of the old order.”
The first economic trigger will have greatest impact on the under-classes. In Europe this class consists of recent immigrants driven from their native lands by American military chaos in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Levant.
There are existing tensions arising from these massive population flows in both the US and in Europe. Coupled with the present bias toward totalitarianism, I anticipate EU states will be tolerant of “brown shirt” organizations that assist in the suppression of immigrant revolt. According to a post by Ted | May 10 2022 4:25 utc | 243 this is already occurring in some departments of France. I expect the majority of the EU will exhibit a similar response and will fully adopt the Inverted Totalitarianism currently present in the US.
I believe it likely this outcome will occur regardless of what transpires in 404. In essence the EU, US, and Canada will abandon the principles of the Enlightenment and fully embrace “cancel culture” and the suppression of alternate points of view coupled with tolerance for vigilante violence affirming the state.
Posted by: Sushi | May 10 2022 21:53 utc | 101
Posted by: Mathew Palmieri | May 10 2022 19:32 utc | 52
joint “Lithuanian-Polish peacekeeping contingent” consisting of 4 battalions, 9,500 soldiers and 279 units of military equipment. planned to enter the territory of Ukraine.
That’s ridiculous. You can’t hold much more than a village or a small town with that force level. Russia could annihilate that with a couple passes of an fighter-bomber or a few Kalibrs. They can’t be serious. It’s got to be a fake.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 21:56 utc | 102
https://tsoua.com/en/news/the-actions-of-the-occupiers-led-to-the-interruption-of-gas-transit-through-the-gms-sokhranivka/
Gas TSO of Ukraine (GTSOU) reports the occurrence of force majeure, which makes it impossible to further transport gas through the GMS “Sokhranivka” and the border compressor station (CS) “Novopskov,” which are located in the occupied territories. CS “Novopskov” is the first compressor station of the Ukrainian GTS in the Luhansk region, through which almost a third of gas from Russia to Europe
According to that, the pumping station is on the border which puts it in a Russian controlled area since day one of the SMO – two and a half months.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 10 2022 21:59 utc | 103
Just goofing off — but any hindrance by The Ukraine of Nordstream 1 may actually speed up certification of Nordstream 2.
Posted by: bjd | May 10 2022 22:01 utc | 104
@palmieri (52)
Not necessarily a fake. The signing office is a well known figure: https://russiadaily.news/world/europe/3059-ukrainian-commander-accused-of-murdering-a-child-in-donbass-trained-at-the-us-military-college
Text in English:
Chaitmnn of the State 8order Guard Service of Ukralne
Major General Serhiy DEINEKO
Dear Sergey Vas1lyev1ch,
1 would like to 1nform yoo that, in accordance with the instruchons of the
Minister of Defense of Ukraine, in order to ensure the defense and security of the
western part of our state, during the period 22·24 05 2022. a group of the combined
Lithuanian·Pol1sh peacekeeping contingent consist1ng of 4 combined battalions
(9500 military personnel) and 279 units of military equ1pment will be sent from the
Republtc of Poland to the territory of Ukraine.
The crossing of the Po11sh-Ukrainian border of the Cis group will be carried out
from 04:00 on 22.05.2022 through the Rava Russkaya-Grebennoe checkpoint.
In view of the above. I ask you to instruct me to ass1st the aforementioned
representatives of the Armed Forces or the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Lithuan1a
in freely crossing the State Border of Ukraine with the Republic of Lithuania Poland.
Best regards,
Head of the Main Department
Mil1tary Cooperation
Armed Forces of Ukraine
Brigadier General
Gennady SHAPOVALOV
Posted by: Kassandra | May 10 2022 22:06 utc | 105
Posted by: Lysias | May 10 2022 21:34 utc | 88
“If Hungary is being blackmailed, it may be to prevent Hungary vetoing Finland’s admission to NATO”.
Very well spotted, thanks.
Posted by: Paul | May 10 2022 22:07 utc | 106
Posted by: Roger | May 10 2022 21:30 utc | 87
LOL. The breadth of knowedge of b’s patrons never ceases to amaze.
SHIT is on order and I’ll be sure to wear gloves on first reading!!
Thank you!
Cheers!
Posted by: Sushi | May 10 2022 22:08 utc | 107
Russia acts carefully and in measured steps, and it has publicly stated it apposes a unipolar world led by a group of countries operating outside of international law. Russia has said it intends to establish a fairer, multipolar world where all countries adhere to the UN Charter and International Law. China has said the same thing loud and clear.
To achieve this, Russia and China, will engage in direct conflict with a group of morally currupt and basically evil countries hellbent on maintaining the status quo.
Russia and China will achieve this economically by working with allies and like-minded countries to reinstate Gold as the global reserve currency (good bye 800+ US overseas bases) and kinetically, by defanging these countries (aircraft carriers, airforces on the ground + as many submarines as possible) and by permanently destroying their heavy military industries. They will wait for these countries to paint themselves into a corner, to overstep and then their bluff will be called at lightning speed.
The question is how does one kinetically defeat a group of apponents that possess nuclear weapons without causing a nuclear exchange?
Maybe with satelight blinding lasers and conventional weapons which can travel up to 30 times the speed of sound?
Posted by: Papa Smurf | May 10 2022 22:10 utc | 108
To those who believe MSM, the US government and our elected leaders: here is a nice historical overview: The Savage Art of Learning Nothing
A December 6, 1993 Independent interview by the late British-Irish journalist Robert Fisk highlighted the “anti-Soviet” work of a brave freedom fighter. Having left behind a successful career as a businessman, the “shy” construction mogul moved from the big city to the hardscrabble frontiers of the third world, where he put his skills to work building infrastructure for impoverished locals and leading his ragtag band of anti-Soviet warriors on the “road to peace.”
This notable road warrior to peace is, of course, Osama Bin Laden, and we all know just how successful US operations in Afghanistan were leading up to the US withdrawal last year.
A few of the links from the above article:
1993 Independent article
Charlie Wilson of Charlie Wilson’s War
Zbig boasting
NED self report on Afghanistan activities
The above Bin Laden tale spans literally 3 decades: from 1981 and “freedom fighter” to 9/11 to his purported gunning down in Pakistan. This is but one example of how American intel agency and government international fuckery is by no means novel.
Iran is even longer: the US had a clear role in the original installation of the Shah, leading to the Iranian Revolution, leading to the October Surprise and Reagan, leading to JCPOA under Obama and JCPOA repeal under Trump – with sanctions on Iran all the while.
Posted by: c1ue | May 10 2022 22:14 utc | 109
Posted by: pachinko | May 10 2022 21:52 utc | 98
“I don’t really buy the “denazify” argument – the problem is that the Nazis in Ukraine are anti-Russia, armed to the teeth and run considerable parts of the country, not that they are Nazis and share repulsive beliefs”
The two are the same: they are Nazis and they run the country. We had this discussion in the last thread. There are people who want to differentiate “Ukrainian Nazis” from “Original Nazis”. That’s bogus. Ukrainian Nazis are neo-Nazis, which by definition are different from original Nazis, but who share enough of the beliefs and behaviors to be considered “Nazis” – not “far-right”. Marco Rubio is “far right” – he’s not a Nazi. There have been articles recently about how the West is trying to “refurbish” the Ukrainian Nazis. Youtube channels like Mercouris can’t even mention the word for fear of having their videos taken down.
Don’t fall for that. These Ukrainian characters are legitimate Nazis, no matter who funds them or what their primary focus is.
Also, consider that Russians really do hate Nazis. They lost 17-30 million people in WWII (depending on whose figures you accept) and that’s why they have Victory Day on May 9. They remember.
However, I do agree that the primary purpose of the Russian invasion is not merely to eliminate Nazis or even Ukraine as a threat, but as step one of their “military-technical measures” they promised to do if their security proposals were dismissed by the West. “De-Nazification” is also an excellent way to sell a war to the Russian electorate.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:19 utc | 110
Posted by Oliver @ 93
AI is patchy and selective in their reports. Their reports on Ukraine may be accurate.
Here is an EU report on grand corruption in Ukraine:
https://www.eca.europa.eu/lists/ecadocuments/sr21_23/sr_fight-against-grand-corruption-in-ukraine_en.pdf
Follow the money from the taxpayer through to the MI complex through to Ukrainian oligarchs.
Now there is the vested interest in keeping the killing going on.
Posted by: Paul | May 10 2022 22:25 utc | 111
In response to Aleph_Null@35,
404 also bears a certain resemblance to the Ukrainian trident, their official national symbol. I think it’s a combination of that and its significance as an error code that made it stick. Also, I doubt we can credit the invention to any one person, since it’s an old meme on the Russian-language segment of the Internet.
Posted by: Skiffer | May 10 2022 22:29 utc | 112
Posted by: Sushi | May 10 2022 21:53 utc | 99
“Second Prediction:The predicted social unrest will result in increased fascism in the west.”
I think that’s quite possible and even probable.
“I believe it likely this outcome will occur regardless of what transpires in 404. In essence the EU, US, and Canada will abandon the principles of the Enlightenment and fully embrace “cancel culture” and the suppression of alternate points of view coupled with tolerance for vigilante violence affirming the state.”
Agreed. But there could be different timelines. For the near term, a decade or two, this may be the case. For the longer term, economic realities may intercede to force change in a different direction. However, that could also occur in the near term, the one or two years I mention, and overwhelm the more statist tendencies. France could have a 1968 that goes all the way over its economic woes.
I’m not usually one that believes the deplorables can really rise up and overthrow anything without replacing it with something worse. But I do think it’s possible that the current regimes in place could be overthrown and replaced with something somewhat more moderate in the near term. Or if not more moderate, then someone like Le Pen who might be anti-NATO more than Macron. That in itself might be a positive outcome even if her government was more fascist than Macrons’s.
In general, the main point is that upheavals of one sort or another are likely. Whether they turn out to be positive in some aspect or other is the question.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:30 utc | 113
@ c1ue | May 10 2022 21:24 utc | 84
I’m not sure what you are ‘mightily’ disagreeing with, it was only intended as a roundup of the various positions I have seen expressed on MOA. I’m not even sure how you can infer my own position on these matters from that post alone.
Posted by: MarkU | May 10 2022 22:32 utc | 114
Posted by: Kassandra | May 10 2022 22:06 utc | 103
Ah, I didn’t know that. That almost certainly means its a fake, deliberately leaked by Ukraine.
The force described is just too small to be significant. If actually done, it has to be a PR move, not a serious attempt to seize territory from Ukraine. And why would Ukraine even allow it, knowing that Poland wants Galicia back? Not to mention announcing the exact time and place conveniently for the Russians.
Makes no sense all around.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:34 utc | 115
@54 Sushi
Thanks for that reply. That was really unexpected, and most enjoyable.
I agree with (what I thought were) your key points:
Complex systems really tough to predict. “takes on a life of its own”
Technological advances may happen for reasons not associated with “brilliance” or planning, maybe just luck
This paragraph deserves special recognition:
In my prior post I mentioned the longue durée. This analytic system provokes a long term view of human development and centres its explanations on cultural patterns embedded in the “world view” and outlook of any group of people. These “world views” may be incongruent with reality and it may require a “system shock” to make this fact “visible,” known, and generally accepted. It is possible our present emphasis on technological advance is incongruent with physical reality and the maximum carrying capacity of the planet. This calls your emphasis on technological solutions into question.
Indeed it does. If you don’t see the problem, why bother developing a solution? And, after all, aren’t all technical solutions just new ways to extract more, better, and faster? When you’re in a hole, build an excavator and dig faster!
Those points you made have vexed me for years, and they inject considerable cognitive dissonance into an otherwise comfortable conviction about “what to do”.
Here’s a quick thumbnail of my personal coping mechanism re: the uncertainty, possibility of making things worse .vs. better, etc.
a. accept that I can’t predict, can’t know much about “how things work”. I’m relying mainly on luck and instinct to navigate
b. prepare for bad-case (not worst; can’t really prepare for that one) and prosecute good-case simultaneously
c. define “technology” as “what humans know how to do”, instead of “tech is a machine, or E=MC2, or computer boards & blinkin’ lights”
If I broaden out my definition of technology… and if I happen to get lucky and pick the right problem, and if I use me as subject (I have agency; don’t have to ask permission or get buy-in), then I have a rather clear path toward self-actualization. I just have to acquire or develop the knowledge necessary, and do the steps.
It kinda works for me, at the psychological level. I’m almost happy.
🙂
It is possible to select technical approaches which actually do address the big problems. The remedies are at the individual level, not implementable top-down so far as I can tell.
=====
I also want to call attention to another of your paragraphs:
As you asert, Europe may contain a vast reservoir of historical wealth. But I suspect much of this wealth is fully invested and earning a return; it cannot be applied toward novel solutions without divestiture of present holdings. Such a shift in finance from present high profit rent seeking to unproven and speculative “green” investment may occur slowly, if at all.
First, let me affirm that writing off sunk costs (prior investment) in order to chase a new bird in the bush isn’t the path to riches and acclaim. No one with any sense is going to do that.
But let’s look at this thru the other end of the telescope for a second. Aren’t the very best “investors” the ones that know when the current race is no longer tenable, sell at the top of the market, and use the proceeds to buy a new horse in a different race that’s about to be run?
Substitute “nation” or even “household” for “investor”.
How is that sort of conservatism – which you accurately identified – serving (for example) Germany these days? Has one of those cultural epiphanies you mentioned, when the scales fall from ones eyes, and reality can be seen at last…has one of those moments just dawned over the fair skies of Germany? Denied access to materials, denied access to growth markets, and forced to poke a stick in the eye of Russia (finger well-announced as poised above the crisp-your-country button).
So while it ain’t much fun to do blue-sky product development or strategic planning, there are some moments (like right now) when you have no good options, and action is compelled. “doing nothing” isn’t on the menu.
That is why I’m putting this stuff out there. No only does Germany not have great options, but most of the Western world’s households have just taken on a great deal of unsolicited risk and expense, and at a most inopportune moment.
It doesn’t seem to me as though things are normal anymore.
There is a whole ‘nother discussion about the household-level response.
=====
Regarding your caution about Marx. I know little of Marx; haven’t read any of his material. I am rather agnostic about the “isms” – capitalism, socialism, communism, libertarianism, etc. I see them as tools in a toolbox; use the tool that’s appropriate for the job at hand. I’m perfectly comfortable, conceptually, morally, etc. with any of them, if used appropriately.
====
I wanted to respond to your excellent post with something substantive. I hope I’ve demonstrated that I listened well, and responded thoughtfully, maybe even usefully.
Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | May 10 2022 22:35 utc | 116
UA Transmission System Operator: The actions of the occupiers led to the suspension of gas transit through the Sokhranivka DHW
• “Sokhranivka DHW and the Novopskov Border Compressor Station (CS) located in the occupied territories. Novopskov is the first compressor station of the Ukrainian GTS in Luhansk region”
map #1 (src: research net)
• “it is possible to temporarily transfer unavailable capacity from the physical point of Sokhranivka connection to the physical point of Sudzha connection located in the territory controlled by Ukraine”
map #2 (src: Sputnik archive)
I for one will file this story in “Lame Uraine ‘Provocation'”. Which isn’t to suggest this announcement will not incite vdL hysterics; just that reported RF “aggression” appears to me more likely a ruse than an even a technical inconvenience or temp service disruption.
Posted by: sln2002 | May 10 2022 22:36 utc | 117
Anyone surprised by the venal actions of those trained by the US should spend some time researching “The School of the Americas”, we are simply seeing the abhorrent techniques utilized in Latin America and South East Asia now occurring in a European nation. The techniques of the periphery travel back to the core as the Empire crumbles.
There is an excellent book “The School of the Americas: Military Training and Political Violence in the Americas” written by Lesley Gill that carries out an anthropological type analysis on the use of US training to integrate foreign militaries into the US command structure at deeply personal and cultural levels, and normalize torture and removal of those politicians not following US preferences. She certainly got much more than the US military would have wanted her to.
CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:34 utc | 113
Russian MOD has stated Poland is planning something like that. Are the Poles and Lithuanians any smarter than the Ukrainians?
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 10 2022 22:40 utc | 119
The RT article on Ukraine turning off the gas… RT link obfuscated by Tinyurl.
Ukraine turns off Europe-bound gas
https://tinyurl.com/3h7ftr2p
Russian gas conglomerate Gazprom has received no confirmation of force majeure or any obstacles to continued transit of gas through a junction in Lugansk Region, the company said on Tuesday, after Ukraine’s operator OGTSU announced it would halt further deliveries starting May 11, due to the presence of “Russian occupiers.”
Gas Transit Services of Ukraine (OGTSU) declared force majeure on Tuesday, saying that it was impossible to continue the transit of gas through a connection point and compressor station located in the Lugansk area. As OGTSU personnel “cannot carry out operational and technological control” over the Sokhranovka connector point and Novopskov compressor station, the company cannot continue to fulfill its contract obligations, it said.
Gas from this connection will not be accepted into the transit system of Ukraine starting at 7 am on Wednesday, OGTSU said. Sokhrankovka accounts for almost a third of the Russian gas that transits through Ukraine to Europe – up to 32.6 million cubic meters per day – according to the operators.
Gazprom has received no confirmation of force majeure or disruption of operations at Sokhranovka or Novopskov, company spokesman Sergey Kupriyanov said on Tuesday. He added that Ukrainian specialists have had full access to both facilities all along, and there had been no complaints about it previously.
Kupriyanov also said that Gazprom has been notified by Ukraine’s gas company Naftogaz that if Russia continues to supply gas through Sokhranovka, Kiev will reduce the volume at the point of exit by the same amount, effectively confiscating the gas.
While OGTSU has proposed to reroute the gas to Sudzha, a connector located in the Sumy region and controlled by the Ukrainian government, Kupriyanov said this was “technologically impossible.”
“The distribution of volumes is clearly spelled out in the cooperation agreement dated December 30, 2019, and the Ukrainian side is well aware of this,” he said.
Gazprom is fulfilling all of its obligations to its European customers, with all the transit services in accordance with the terms of the contract and paid in full, Kupriyanov pointed out. Moscow has continued gas deliveries to Europe, including transit through Ukraine, regardless of the ongoing military operation and the embargoes against Russia imposed by the US and its allies in the EU.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:41 utc | 120
Hungary is being blackmailed
Posted by: Lysias | May 10 2022 21:34 utc | 88
more like Hungary is being bribed
EU drafts plans to send cash to Hungary if Orbán agrees to Russian oil ban, 10 May
Posted by: sln2002 | May 10 2022 22:44 utc | 121
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 10 2022 22:40 utc | 117
“Are the Poles and Lithuanians any smarter than the Ukrainians?”
Good question. If this is a true plan, obviously they aren’t. Another more likely possibility is that this “plan” was leaked to mislead the Russians. The force intended to be employed may be much bigger than listed. That would make much more sense than this idiocy. Another possibility is that such a small force is used in order to make it seem to Russia that territorial acquisition is not actually contemplated, so that Russia may allow it, to be followed up by a much larger force later (a “boiling the frog” approach).
In any event, it remains not a serious military operation in itself if the goal is to seize territory. So something is up but whatever it is it’s stupid.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:49 utc | 123
CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 22:41 utc | 118
From what I understand, cutting of that line may halve Ukraine’s transit fees. I guess the near 40 billion Biden just signed off on will help make it up.
Looks like Hungary will feel the squeeze unless it can get gas through other lines.
I think Johnsons visit was very much about giving the orders to cut off the gas.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 10 2022 22:55 utc | 124
@Aleph_Null | 10 de maio de 2022 18:26 utc | 19
“Page” in Russian is “stranitsa” and “country” is “strana”, so they sound “similar”.
So “non-existing page” sounds similar to “non-existing country”, hence the pun.
Also, if you write “404” in a long, narrow font, you will see that the final figure will look like the Ukrainian trident (tryzub).
Posted by: SCan | May 10 2022 22:59 utc | 125
Sushi, various posts
Reading bourgeois professors like Lasch or Wolin goes nowhere. Two kinds of history, antiquarian and synthetic. Reading antiquarians means large amounts of time. The guys who write the stuff live like monks, devoting themselves to the work, and thus often transcend their native blinders. If you must proceed direct to synthetic try Walter Rodney. Who had the immense distinction of being assassinated by CIA. A few of his books you can find, others you must travel to the more interesting part of town to get hand printed and sometimes individually illustrated editions. Those shops have better history than any library.
From bourgeois historians stick with absolute best like Fernand Braudel or Richard Cobb (the RC who did French Revolution, he has many namesakes). Dear old Karl Marx was far far better as historian than at political economy. Just reading Marx would correct your notions about English enclosures. And yeah, Marx was a bourgeois historian and a bastard, he could do history. Reading Cobb on 18th century police procedure will teach you more about current issues than anything Lasch ever committed.
Posted by: Oldhippie | May 10 2022 23:04 utc | 126
Is there some kind of job-/life-experience that allows to see through this mess to some extent or is everything just pure speculation from some more and some less credentialed and qualified commentators? Not looking for the simple and golden solution here, but just rough guidelines…
Posted by: pachinko | May 10 2022 19:13 utc | 47
It’s possible bullshit-detection is a skill which grows stronger with age — interesting you should ask in that way, young person.
Rather than get philosophical about it, I’m just drilling down in search of consistent details, all the time. Pertubations in the consistency are symptomatic of concocted narrative. One very important detail about all civilians slaughters I’ve heard of: The victims are invariably Russian-speakers. I’m asked to believe that RF soldiers concentrate on Russian-speakers, when they decide to indiscriminately slaughter Ukranians.
We have two competing narratives, and the competition is very bloody, because the Nazis USA has been sponsoring like to play with civilian lives. Nobody asks about our friendly neighborhood Nazis holding so many hostages — for instance, in the Azovstal steel plant. Reporters like Ian Pannell of ABC partake of responsibility for these concocted outrages, when they knowingly assign the crimes of UkroNazis to Ruzzians.
It happened very early in this conflict that a pair of Western reporters were shot at a Ukranian-controlled checkpoint, one killed — with no Russian soldier within miles — and yet Amy Goodman followed the herd in assigning blame to Russia. To report this incident with such sloppiness is virtually to send the UkroNazis a telegram, begging for more. Sure enough, plenty of journalists have subsequently been murdered. Thanks, Amy!
Posted by: Aleph_Null | May 10 2022 23:14 utc | 127
CLT @ 113, Peter AU 1 @ 117:
The Lithuanians would be absolutely dumb to work with the Polish. Do the Lithuanians not realise Poland may want Vilnius back as well? If Polish background scheming succeeds in netting back the historical Halychia (Galicia to some here) and Volhynia, why wouldn’t the Poles feel emboldened to try grabbing Kaliningrad and eastern Lithuania with Vilnius?
And I imagine that if there’s one thing the Banderites hate as much as, if not more than, the Russians, it’s the Polish. It was under Polish rule in the 1920s, when Polonisation was behind Warsaw’s policies towards its treatment of Ukrainians in Halychia and Volhynia, that the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) was founded.
My guess with regard to the size of the Polish-Lithuanian contingent is that Poland expects other Vysegrad Group members to cough up troops for it as well.
Posted by: Jen | May 10 2022 23:15 utc | 128
well since now d.r. congo victims matter again well… not even CAR or Mali were Wagner is entrenched I guess…
– Thanks you very much see you next season of Murica vs. Russia ,)
Posted by: Macpott | May 10 2022 23:18 utc | 129
@pachinko
Be wary of discounting those that are very wrong about a particular thing. Consider everything, believe nothing.
Posted by: Rae | May 10 2022 23:19 utc | 130
karlof1, Peter AU1 & other MOA barflies
Thank you very much for posting the latest information and related links!
Just a quick note here: Last month, China’s national TV announced that China’s cyber security agency found that foreign IPs hacked some Chinese computers and were then using them to hack Russian cyber space. Majority of these foreign IPs came from US, the rest were from Germany and Netherlands.
Off but somehow related topics: There are organised and orchestrated infowars intensified on Chinese social media:
– Russia-Ukraine war: by spreading Western MSM dis/misinforamtion and lies;
– Shanghai lockdown: by taking out of context to exaggerate negative incidents, for which VOA and the 5th column inside China even compiled and edited a so-called “Voice of April” documentary to try rally anti-government sentimental and movements.
The Empire is trying to strike both Russia and China as hard as it can at the same time.
Posted by: lulu | May 10 2022 23:20 utc | 131
@ SCan | May 10 2022 22:59 utc | 123
Y’all are consistently amazing, in here! Thanks so much for your details on 404. Now I can see it’s not such a lame joke. Back in my software engineering days, I has a Russian colleague. Many of us US Americans go through our whole life without bumping into a single Russian. It might be a consistent detail of Russian–USAmerican interactions that it’s impossible for the latter to understand the sense of humor of the former. It’s certainly very difficult, at times. Any selection of authentic Russian jokes illustrates this principle, I think.
I don’t know if it also works the other way: If US American humor is opaque to Russians. Then again, I’ve gotten to where I don’t understant US American humor, either. The funnies aren’t funny anymore, just painfully embarrassing for me. I have a patriotic impulse to hide stuff like “Doonesbury” from foreigners, so they don’t see how low USA has sunk.
Posted by: Aleph_Null | May 10 2022 23:27 utc | 132
Posted by: lulu | May 10 2022 23:20 utc | 129
“foreign IPs hacked some Chinese computers and were then using them to hack Russian cyber space. Majority of these foreign IPs came from US, the rest were from Germany and Netherlands.”
That was probably Anonymous. They’ve been conducting a massive cyberwar against Russia, according to reports. If the reports can be believed, they’ve hacked all sorts of stuff, including TV channels in Russia to disrupt the Victory Day parade coverage. A lot of this is probably crap, but at least some of the hackers in Anonymous are probably very good. “Computer security” being an oxymoron like “military intelligence”…
And of course, “Anonymous” is a good cover for US government hackers…Half of “Anonymous” are probably US government agency infiltrators, even normally.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 23:29 utc | 133
c1ue (84) wrote:
|There is no question whatsoever that the Russian army could defeat any combination of European NATO attacks. Germany’s entire military is about the size of the Russian 1st Tank Army all by itself.|
This is utter nonsense. A strategic victory (which I assume is what you mean) is never guaranteed in warfare. You could win a Pyrrhic victory where you destroy the other sides ability to wage war but where your own country is also severely degraded or even crippled. And would you really want to put your theory to the test in an all out nuclear exchange? If one side is completely destroyed and the other side has one major city left standing does that count as a victory?
Sitting behind your screen and assuming that a victory for the side you like is guaranteed is just another iteration of internet fanboyism. You are a highly delusional individual.
Posted by: darren price | May 10 2022 23:29 utc | 134
c1ue is also forgetting that if Russia and NATO get into a war the US will also be involved. A war with NATO is a war with the United States.
Posted by: darren price | May 10 2022 23:33 utc | 135
Ya can’t defeat the stupid, unless you starve them.
The stupid believes what they want.
Only NO FOOD, or NO ELECTRICITY, defeats these fuckers.
I can’t tell you how many “liberal” Americans I know,
Still believe that Russia will lose this war, Putin is the devil,
And status quo is fine.
Posted by: Cadence Calls | May 10 2022 23:34 utc | 136
Address of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko at a ceremony on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of Great Victory at the Victory Monument in Minsk (President of the Republic of Belarus, May 9, 2022)
(This official translation into English is slightly different from the original speech in Russian, so one may want to machine-translate the latter.)
Posted by: S | May 10 2022 23:36 utc | 137
Pachinko @ 47:
Doing a course in critical thinking, logic and reasoning, and learning to recognise fallacies in arguments can help to some extent. Although much propaganda coming out these days depends on people being ignorant and indifferent, to the extent that The Powers That Be actively discourage people from finding things out for themselves.
You would also benefit from studying some basic psychology and social psychology in particular. The relevant topics in psychology are psychological denial and projection. So much propaganda coming out against Russia, Syria, China and other particular nations (like Venezuela and Cuba) appears to be psychological projections of the West’s own insecurities.
If you like watching short documentaries, try watching Pavel Serezhkin, “The Hooligans: Joining the Kremlin’s Football Army” and this video of the two Sydney University students who went to North Korea to see if they could get a fashionable haircut.
Posted by: Jen | May 10 2022 23:37 utc | 138
After many attempted searches I finally found a translation of Mykhailo Hrushevsky’s one volume History of Ukraine that was published in 1905 well before he began his ten-volume opus about Ukrainian history. I read that back in 1992 during my self-directed study of Russian History after reading Vernadsky’s one volume History of Russia where I found it referenced. Unfortunately, this work isn’t downloadable, so you must be an Archive member to check the book out and renew it. If you decide to look at the work, I highly suggest reading the Preface by George Vernadsky for it will give you a good outline of the Ukrainian Riddle and the importance Ukraine that was placed on that Riddle even prior to WW2. Vernadsky writes:
“Ukraine may become before long the pivot of Eastern Europe, and in a sense is that already. The fact has not yet been clearly realized because of the lack of information on the subject. People used to speak for example of the annexation of ‘Eastern Poland’ to ‘Russia’ not realizing that the country in question is neither Poland or Russia proper but Ukraine.
“For the understanding of the tangled conditions of Central and eastern Europe, of the manifold nationalistic and political combinations and rivalries of its peoples, knowledge of its historical background is indispensable.”
As seen, the Russian scholar Vernadsky considered Ukraine its own nation prior to 1900, albeit one with a tangled past I call a riddle above. So, for those now just getting their feet wet in Russian and Ukrainian history, IMO it’s imperative you begin at the beginning–Kievan Rus–and move forward from there. Vernadsky’s updated (1944) one volume History of Russia can be freely downloaded here, although the individual volumes covering specific Eras have greater detail.
Posted by: darren price | May 10 2022 23:29 utc | 132
No one is saying that NATO wouldn’t get some licks in. The question is whether NATO can win a conventional war against Russia without going nuclear. A large number of NATO-Russia war games have been conducted in recent year. Everyone of them ended in a Russian victory – or nuclear war.
Scott Ritter is not a “fanboy”:
A war with Russia would be unlike anything the US and NATO have ever experienced
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/548322-war-russia-us-nato/
‘Disaster for NATO,’ Defeated by Russia Over and Over in Their Own Wargame Exercises
https://sofrep.com/news/this-wargame-revealed-russias-supremacy-over-nato/
Outnumbered, Outranged, and Outgunned: How Russia Defeats NATO
https://warontherocks.com/2016/04/outnumbered-outranged-and-outgunned-how-russia-defeats-nato/
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 23:43 utc | 140
Aleph_Null | May 10 2022 23:14 utc | 125 “It’s possible bullshit-detection is a skill which grows stronger with age –”
Modus operandi I think plays a large part. Coming to recognize the character of a nation after some time.
Jen | May 10 2022 23:15 utc | 126
Something along the lines of honour among thieves or lack thereof 🙂
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 10 2022 23:46 utc | 141
Posted by: darren price | May 10 2022 23:33 utc | 133
And the United States has too few forces in Europe to defeat NATO. Back in the 80’s NATO had 500,000 troops in Europe. And even then the plan was for them to merely slow the Soviet advance until the US could rush reinforcements to Europe.
This ain’t the 80’s. The US will not be able to rush more reinforcements to Europe because Russia will destroy all air fields and ports capable of receiving them with long-range supersonic and hypersonic missiles against which NATO has zero defense.
This is why everyone is afraid a NATO-Russia war will escalate quickly to nuclear weapons once it becomes clear NATO is losing.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 23:47 utc | 142
Talking to my libtard FIL today,
He said, “We’ve got to shut Putin down”.
I asked, “what does that mean?”
He said, “Assassination or otherwise”
This is a retired, 70 yr old, ex military
He’s also got about 10k a month coming in from retirement/pension/ss
That’s a fantastic income for not working.
This is a tiny slice of what the American boomer generation is thinking.
He doesn’t care about anybody else’s prospects, because he is set.
And he is a so called “lefty”, hates Trump, pro choice, pro immigration.
But he doesn’t think the US is over reaching in foreign deployments of the military or arms/funding.
Blows my fucking mind.
What happened to the generation of peace?
Posted by: Cadence calls | May 10 2022 23:49 utc | 143
Posted by: karlof1 | May 10 2022 23:39 utc | 137
Whenever someone says they can’t find a book here, I go to Z-Library and look for it.
A History of Ukraine
Michael Hrushevsky (author), O. J. Frederiksen (editor)
Year:1970 Edition: reprint Publisher: Archon Books Language: english Pages: 656 ISBN 10:0208009671 ISBN 13: 9780208009678 File: PDF, 25.70 MB
https://usa1lib.org/book/3555760/3cf556
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 10 2022 23:51 utc | 144
Posted by: Dick Lenning | May 10 2022 18:12 utc | 13
I interject to welcome you.
I was equally years long lurker. Listening to the music of the regulars. Trying to figure if this was a honest bar. It had its noisy nasties. Gone now. Caught out in their lies and called out.
There are probably multiple more like you and me who come for a sip of a different brew. To check our bearings. It’s a grand place.
I urge others to not only spread the word of this Oasis, but to chime in, without fear. Our Voices Rise.
Here we help to make the world to come.
Bless you all. The Truth seekers.
P.s personally I think to believe ‘elensky has any sentience in his position is expecting an actor actually wrote the lines they speak.
Posted by: DunGroanin | May 10 2022 23:51 utc | 145
I see I garbled my comment in my haste to get it posted–Oops!!
In his more detailed series of volumes about Russia’s history, I found The Mongols and Russia to be the most important and the hardest hardcopy volume to find. Fortunately, it’s also freely available here.
Thanks Karl, I couldn’t remember which authors I was missing from St. Culture. Maybe I’m reading too much.
Posted by: NOBTS | May 10 2022 23:54 utc | 147
@ Cadence calls | May 10 2022 23:49 utc | 141
I had a conversation like that with my nextdoor neighbor yesterday — around the same age. I’m on the other side (“Contra Costa”) of San Francisco Bay, where Republicans are rarer than hen’s teeth. I want to ask someone like her what the heck she wants, anyhow. I’ve known her for years — she’s not stupid. Focus, concentration, follow-through, foresight — these things are too much to ask of US Americans. People only go where they want to go, intellectually, and nobody wants to even try to think, it seems.
George Bernard Shaw, I believe, said 2% of people think, 3% think they think, 95% would rather die than think. That last number is closer to 97% these days, I think!
Posted by: Aleph_Null | May 10 2022 23:59 utc | 148
What happened to the generation of peace?
Posted by: Cadence calls | May 10 2022 23:49 utc | 141
They turned the other cheek and were exterminated or for the sake of individual piece and their wallets joined the warmongers. Any reading of history is that if you want peace you have to fight for it.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 11 2022 0:01 utc | 149
What happened to the generation of peace?
Posted by: Cadence calls | May 10 2022 23:49 utc | 141
It never existed. A generation of “Hell no, I don’t want to fight in your war” is not the same thing as a generation of peace.
Posted by: malenkov | May 11 2022 0:04 utc | 150
@darren price #132
The question was about Europe – and I specifically said the European part of NATO.
I don’t need to make any assumptions to see that Germany’s military – tiny in size, unable even to retrieve itself from Afghanistan after the US pullout – would not be able to face off against a Russian military that has taken down the largest NATO trained force in Europe, using a fraction of its combat capability. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the difference between a half-assed German military and a Russian military that has actually fought multiple times in the past decades, and is fighting now.
But let’s look at the US military. What Scott Ritter has said, among many others, is that the US military has transitioned from a Cold War organization in the 1980s geared toward facing a peer adversary (the USSR) in modern combined arms battle to a Special Forces organization geared towards fighting 3rd world opponents and “terrorists” armed with goats and AKs.
Nor is this just talk: Philip Karber observed the Ukrainian forces fighting against Russian equipment in Ukraine in 2014/2015 via 30+ trips to Ukraine embedded with Ukrainian Special Forces and presented an hour long overview of his observations to West Point cadets. He presented a long list of both quantitative and qualitative differences between Russian equipment and SOTA US military equipment; the US did not come out looking good. Among his observations: that the US Army spent $9 billion dollars designing a next generation armored fighting vehicle starting in 2012; as of 2018, not a single next generation armored fighting vehicle was actually built.
The M1 Abrams was put in service in 1980. The Bradley was put in service in 1981. The Stryker was put in service in 2002, but it is cold meat to any form of modern weaponry much less what Russian tanks and AFVs put out. Sure, the old gear has been retooled and uparmed in some cases, but we are still talking about literally 40 year old stuff vs. Russian AFVs with built in drone carriers for use at the platoon level.
So unless you have some first world experience fighting Russian armor in Ukraine, Georgia or Ossetia – not really clear what your sad attempt at ad hominem is intended to accomplish.
Note furthermore I have never denigrated the Ukrainian army’s capabilities. I firmly believe the Ukrainian army is better motivated, better experienced, bigger and more capable than any of the European militaries. Ukraine could kick any single or multiple European nation’s asses with the possible exception of the French. But the Russians are crushing them.
But I am open to factual debate on this – maybe the lack of videos of dead Russian soldiers is a cunning plan by the heavily funded Twitter warriors of Ukraine’s information brigades. The absolutely fake Ghost of Kyiv and similar endeavors are really some 12 dimensional military equivalent of somersaulting over Russia’s military’s head – coming down on both sides and proclaiming “Surprise!”.
Do tell.
Posted by: c1ue | May 11 2022 0:05 utc | 151
Posted by: karlof1 | May 10 2022 23:53 utc | 144
Also available at Z-Library, along with his multi-volume set…
A History of Russia
George Vernadsky
Publisher: Yale University Press Language: english Pages: 537 File: PDF, 42.45 MB
https://usa1lib.org/book/5645643/628429
Seriously, anyone who wants to find a book needs Z-Library: https://z-lib.org/ They have 10,256,317 books and 84,837,646 articles available for free download (although I think that includes duplicates which are many.) Five book limit per day unless you create an account, then it’s 10, and up to thirty a day if you donate $10. Or use a VPN to change your IP and evade the limits that way.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:08 utc | 152
Posted by: c1ue | May 11 2022 0:05 utc | 149
Well said. I forgot to include the Karber video to my list. I still wish I could find that reference to the thirty NATO war games that showed NATO losing to Russia. I read it somewhere in the last few weeks but can’t find it with a Google search any more. Google search has become useless for anything Ukraine because their algorithm is now totally limited to the last two months and very little that isn’t MSM. Almost useless.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:12 utc | 153
Latest Martyanov “talking head”…
Andrei Martyanov: Debunking Fakes – May 9th, Zmeinnyi Island fiasco, Pentagon, Fakes, Nuclear subs in… Black Sea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqyC_TKE9wU&feature=emb_imp_woyt
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:20 utc | 154
c1ue | May 11 2022 0:05 utc | 149
The worst thing about war is that it always comes down to the attrition ratio. Make that the second worst. The worst thing about war is how easy it is to take the ordinary people into wars of aggression. Goering summed that up nicely.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 11 2022 0:25 utc | 155
One final note of caution. Beware doctrinaire Marxism. First because there is the question of which Marx, and which theory, and second, as anyone who has managed a software team will testify, there is a significant degree of discomfort in watching your means of production exit the building every night.
Posted by: Sushi | May 10 2022 19:36 utc | 54
Thanks for your overall comment and perspective Sushi.
I don’t really understand this last paragraph though.
What is your definition of “doctrinaire Marxism”?
and secondly I might be obtuse but what do you mean by: “watching your means of production exit the building every night.” ?
Don’t workers always go home to eat and sleep?
Or are you saying that in your opinion the means of production is the actual software code?
For myself, Marx’s theories have been helpful so far in understanding how and why we got to this western quagmire.
I believe that Marx stated that he would not write recipes or cookbooks as to how his theories could be implemented. How wise of him and unwise of anyone to assume he was dogmatic or prescriptive.
So for concrete examples I look to the quite varied historical and current communist or socialist nations. There is a wealth of observable outcomes to ground Marx’s theories in the practical world in present time. ie China, Vietnam, North Korea, Laos, Cuba, some South American nations and of course historically USSR.
Posted by: K | May 11 2022 0:32 utc | 156
Posted by: bjd | May 10 2022 22:01 utc | 102
“Just goofing off — but any hindrance by The Ukraine of Nordstream 1 may actually speed up certification of Nordstream 2.”
Russia has already repurposed one of the 2 pipelines that comprise NS2 for domestic use. If Germany decides they want the pipeline after all they are only going to get 1/2 the capacity.
Posted by: JR | May 11 2022 0:32 utc | 157
A couple of Gonzalo Lira’s latest.
2022.05.10 Australia Is The Next Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYMhIe14uF0
I haven’t listened to it yet, but I assume he’s referring to Australia vs China in the Solomon Islands over Taiwan… Australians here, comment!
2022.05.10 The Russians See Where This War Is Going
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_3H5VSllMM
Same caveat, but I assume he means the Russians are the ONLY ones who see where this war is going…which would be true.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:32 utc | 158
Posted by Roger @ 87
I searched YouTube for Brian Berletic @ The New Atlas. It was worth it, here is the B B Indo/Pacific video in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKaSWyWEUXA
Thanks and ps I enjoy your emails, I don’t always agree with all your comments, but hey, I have never met anyone who I agree with 100% and vice versa me and my opinions. Otherwise it would be a very boring world!
Posted by: Paul | May 11 2022 0:37 utc | 159
CharlesLutherThanos @150–
Thanks for your replies! I’m sure many will benefit!!
Cynthia Chung has finished the 4th part of her chronicle, “CIA, NATO and the Great Heroin Coup: How Miami Became the Center of International Fascism and the Murder of President Kennedy” that provides further evidence that it is indeed The Outlaw US Empire and a criminal syndicate rolled into one, thus explaining the reason it acts like the Mafia–IT IS THE MAFIA. Puzo’s Godfather barely scratched the surface of reality, although others have, which provide the basis for Chung’s essay. Just this one paragraph excerpt ought to be enough to entice every barfly:
“At this point, we should be seeing a picture that has painted NATO/CIA/Italian-American Mafia/Cuban exiles/and fascists including Nazis all working for the same apparatus and essentially the same goal: to overthrow democratically elected leaders and replace them with dictators and fascist right-wing governments. The profits of the narcotics trade are used in turn to fund right-wing terrorist activity globally, using the model of Gladio. The ‘great heroin coup’ that Henrik Kruger exposed was about having complete control over the profits of heroin for this very purpose.”
I know I’ll discover another aspect of the Outlaw US Empire’s history that’s darker than this because that’s the way its progressed during my decades of research. Yes, I had inklings but pursued other avenues only to discover they all merge into the same traffic circle.
Posted by: karlof1 | May 11 2022 0:39 utc | 160
Folks,
If you can’t access RT, SputnikNews, IntelSlavaZ:
1) Try a VPN;
2) Try the Opera Browser – allegedly has its own VPN;
3) Try the Yandex Browser – goto RT;
4) Geeks Try Tor;
5) Download Apps – Rumble and Odysee will get you RT; and Telegram(get the App DIRECTLY from Telegram – not from App Stores) will get you IntelSlavaZ (RT and SputnikNews on Telegram are blocked here in the USA – try a VPN).
Posted by: IronForge | May 11 2022 0:40 utc | 161
Posted by: pachinko | May 10 2022 19:13 utc | 47
Oh, and I left off Alexander Mercouris’ Youtube channel if you want the best geopolitical analysis in general and lately the Ukraine war. Lately he’s been covering Ukraine almost exclusively and both the military (which he usually gets more or less) and the economic and political aspects.
https://www.youtube.com/c/AlexanderMercourisReal/videos
And also he is one of The Duran duo with Alex Christoforou. They also have various guests on their livestreams, including Ritter, and one recently with Martyanov which is a must-see.
https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDuran/videos
Special Military Operation (Live) w/Andrei Martyanov & Gonzalo Lira
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPrDl414AFM&t=11s
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:42 utc | 162
Is there some kind of job-/life-experience that allows to see through this mess to some extent or is everything just pure speculation from some more and some less credentialed and qualified commentators? Not looking for the simple and golden solution here, but just rough guidelines…
Posted by: pachinko | May 10 2022 19:13 utc | 47
That’s a great question!
I’ve always had a BS meter since childhood. But I discovered later in life that it could be subverted if I didn’t pay attention to it.
For me it has two aspects: First my gut reaction, some people call it instinct, which is rarely wrong but being your gut doesn’t give any detail LOL
second I’ve learned how to use discriminative intelligence and how to spot logical fallacies which happen make up nearly 100% of MSM journalism. I actually took a course at Uni for this and am forever grateful, but you can easily self educate.
The best thing I did when i started to navigate geo politics was to listen to lots of Lavrov and Putin talks, they are both truthful, vastly knowledgable and intelligent and use history to make parallels with current events. I find subtitles superior to an audio translator as I prefer to hear their native language as I read. but its different for everyone.
EG: Putins epic Speech in 2008 and his Annual marathon Q and A with Russian citizens is epic. Inessa S on You tube provides good subtitles perhaps others here have some viewing recommendations.
Posted by: K | May 11 2022 0:44 utc | 163
Posted by: karlof1 | May 11 2022 0:39 utc | 158
“I know I’ll discover another aspect of the Outlaw US Empire’s history that’s darker than this because that’s the way its progressed during my decades of research. Yes, I had inklings but pursued other avenues only to discover they all merge into the same traffic circle.”
I’ve had the same experience. As I like to tell people, “you have no idea how corrupt the US government is.” It’s almost to the point where the idea of “lizard aliens” being behind it all isn’t that implausible. 🙂
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:45 utc | 164
“ Dear old Karl Marx was far far better as historian than at political economy. ”
Yes, exactly.
Posted by: Platero | May 11 2022 0:46 utc | 165
I’ve had the same experience. As I like to tell people, “you have no idea how corrupt the US government is.” It’s almost to the point where the idea of “lizard aliens” being behind it all isn’t that implausible. 🙂
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:45 utc | 162
Yes Seriously !!!
Posted by: K | May 11 2022 0:48 utc | 166
On the radio: all my life it was called chaikovkis “little russian symphony “ ; now they call it the “ukrainian symphony “
Posted by: Platero | May 11 2022 0:55 utc | 167
@78 “Ukraine’s 2021 Eurovision Contest Song was a very avant grade interpretation of a traditional Ukrainian folk song.”
Hmm. I personally was hoping for some drug-addled diversity transgender statement. Maybe with a touch of masochism. Guess I’m old fashioned.
Posted by: dh | May 11 2022 1:03 utc | 168
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 0:45 utc | 162
Posted by: K | May 11 2022 0:48 utc | 164
Chas. Beard, An economic interpretation of the Constitution of the United States (1913)
That’s how corrupt.
Posted by: sln2002 | May 11 2022 1:08 utc | 169
@ pachinko; Nice handle. When I was in Japan, way back in 68′ 69′, pachinko was a Japanese pin ball game.
Stay curious, and skeptical, read around, and let your conscience be your guide. You’ll figure it out.
Posted by: vetinLA | May 11 2022 1:10 utc | 170
Posted by: IronForge | May 11 2022 0:40 utc | 159
“RT and SputnikNews on Telegram are blocked here in the USA – try a VPN).”
Maybe on phones, but not on Telegram Desktop. I access SputnikNews on Telegram daily from San Francisco using https://t.me/sputnik . Now I wonder if that is even the real channel…see below…
As for RT on Telegram, I wasn’t following it, so just now I tried. As usual, there are half a dozen channels listed from a search in Telegram of “http://t.me/rtnews” none of which appear to be the real channel because they do not use the simple: “http://t.me/rtnews”.
Why the hell do they make it so damn hard to find an official channel on Telegram? It drives me to distraction the idiocy.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 1:15 utc | 171
K RSH karlof1
Corruption, dishonesty – once that sets in and can be recognized the sky is the limit. No rules in the rules based order. I guess I’m a late comer in looking into this geo-political morass – MH17 – but within one month I understood there were no rules in our so called RBO.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 11 2022 1:16 utc | 172
For those who are wondering which side is winning/losing in the Ukraine war, here is one revealing indicator. When the talk of Sweden and Finland joining NATO heats up, it means that Ukraine is losing, for their admission will be timed with Russia concluding the campaign on its own terms. The whole thing is designed with one goal only – to deny Moscow claim of total victory. After Ukraine is lost, the West will say to the Russians “ Sure, you can have this tar baby, but NATO has expanded, and that means that whatever you tried to prevent, actually happened”. Yes, it’s childish, but the West is run by women now, and women have infantile way of doing things.
Posted by: Venom | May 11 2022 1:16 utc | 173
The title Tchaikovsky himself used for his Symphony No. 2 was “Malorossiyskaya”, i.e. ” Little Russian”.
Posted by: Lysias | May 11 2022 1:16 utc | 174
Lira is compromised.
I am glad he didn’t get tortured and killed, but the fact that he didn’t means his whole story has some epic plot holes.
I know that’s a bit dark – couldn’t think of a better way to put it. Don’t believe the hype!
Posted by: Rae | May 11 2022 1:19 utc | 175
@ 148
I guess Im still naive.
I thought the well off boomers were still ideological.
Thank you for the kicks in the ass.
I know I shouldn’t expect much from my elders, but I’m still surprised
Posted by: Cadence Calls | May 11 2022 1:21 utc | 176
Mussolini on the Corporate State;
A definition of Fascism by the guy that coined the phrase;
https://politicalresearch.org/2005/01/12/mussolini-corporate-state
Posted by: vetinLA | May 11 2022 1:23 utc | 177
@166 dh – Well, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch was from Lviv, even though it was Lemberg and a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time. So I think you are being tradititional as opposed to old fashioned.
Posted by: lex talionis | May 11 2022 1:24 utc | 178
@ my 175; That link is an example of the attempt to scrub the word Corporatism, and it’s link to Fascism…
Posted by: vetinLA | May 11 2022 1:29 utc | 179
I must correct myself. The title “Malorossiyskaya” for Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2 apparently comes not from the composer himself, but from his friend Nicolai Kashkin.
Posted by: Lysias | May 11 2022 1:30 utc | 180
@176 Not only that but Marianne Faithful was descended from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch which may explain something. You can’t find this kind of trivia anywhere but MOA.
Posted by: dh | May 11 2022 1:38 utc | 182
@karlof1 #137:
IMO it’s imperative you begin at the beginning–Kievan Rus–and move forward from there.
The beginning was Novgorodian Rus (a term used by historians), founded in 862, when, after kicking off previous foreign rulers and experiencing chaos as a result, a federation of Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes have sent envoys beyond the (Baltic) sea and have invited new foreign rulers, three brothers Rurik, Truvor and Sineus of the Rus tribe, together with their families and the entire Rus tribe (most likely a Scandinavian tribe, although there are also North Germany and Baltic hypotheses). Its capital, ruled by the eldest brother Rurik, was most likely either Staraya Ladoga or Rurikovo Gorodische (predecessor to Novgorod, hence the “Novgorodian Rus” term). In 879, Rurik’s relative Oleg the Seer became the new ruler as Rurik’s son Igor was only one year old at the time. In 882, he assembled an army and has conquered Smolensk, Liubech and Kiev, the main city of (East) Polans, which he made the new capital, “the mother of Rus cities” (i.e., there was already such a concept as “Rus city”). The state became known as Rus (not “Kievan Rus” as many erroneously think; the term “Kievan Rus” was introduced by Russian historians in late 19th century to denote the period from 882 to 1169). The Rus tribe dissolved in much larger Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes of Rus, but gave it its name.
Posted by: S | May 11 2022 1:48 utc | 183
@176 Not only that but Marianne Faithfull was descended from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch which may explain something. You can’t find this kind of trivia anywhere but MOA.
Posted by: dh | May 11 2022 1:38 utc | 180
Sorry, but what does it explain?
Posted by: K | May 11 2022 1:57 utc | 184
Addendum to #181
either Staraya Ladoga or Rurikovo Gorodische
Some chronicles state Rurik has built a fortress in Ladoga, then, 2 years later, has established a new city (novyy gorod, Novgorod); other chronicles state he was in Novgorod from the very start. The problem is that there is no archeological evidence proving Novgorod existed then, so some historians think the capital was Ladoga (meaning, we should call that period “Ladogian Rus”).
Posted by: S | May 11 2022 2:04 utc | 185
Posted by: Rae | May 11 2022 1:19 utc | 173
“Don’t believe the hype!”
What hype? If you have a problem with what Lira says, spit it out and be prepared to back it up. Otherwise no one cares because Lira says stands on its own merits. I couldn’t care less what his personal situation is right now. He puts forth a proposition and offers his reasoning – which is more than you did.
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:07 utc | 186
Posted by: dh | May 11 2022 1:38 utc | 180
“You can’t find this kind of trivia anywhere but MOA.”
Many times unfortunately…
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:08 utc | 187
Posted by: Hammer_09 | May 10 2022 18:06 utc | 11
“…Now the world community will accuse our side of mass killing of LGBT people.”
I like the Russian sense of humour.
Going back a week or so the western msm were all prattling on about how the captured western mercenaries would be marched through the streets of Moscow on Victory Day.
The Russian response was that this was not going to happen as LGBT parades were banned in Russia.
Posted by: ted001 | May 11 2022 2:10 utc | 188
total war carrying a cross and wrapped in a flag
pamphlet: “The Doctrine of Fascism” (1932) by Benito Mussolini
Posted by: sln2002 | May 11 2022 2:11 utc | 189
@182 “Sorry, but what does it explain?”
That’s hard to say exactly. Marianne Faithful seems a tragic figure to me. Perhaps it had something to do with her background. Having somebody like Leopold for an ancestor could have a subliminal effect. She often talks about it in interviews.
Posted by: dh | May 11 2022 2:15 utc | 190
Hottie Mariana Naumova has another video report from Donass out…From Sputnik News…
https://t.me/sputnik/3583
Ukraine has shelled residential areas of Donetsk again today. There are no military facilities there and never have been. Locals say that Ukraine is just shooting at the city. Video from the scene was sent by Mariana Naumova @maryananaumova
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:20 utc | 191
@karlof1 #137
Anyway, what I wanted to say is that people should be careful with Grushevskiy’s works. While Ukrainian Nationalists such as Dmitriy Dontsov considered him a “political Moscophile”, he was in fact the author of many distortions of Rus history that formed the basis of Ukrainian Nationalist historiography.
Posted by: S | May 11 2022 2:22 utc | 192
From Rybar Telegram channel…
On the territory of Khmelnitsky, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy and Poltava regions, from May 10 to May 13, an exercise of heterogeneous forces will be held.
A fresh graduate of tactical aviation pilots from the Ozerno-Zhytomyr, Starokonstantinov, Vasilkov and Mirgorod air bases will take part in the training for running-in equipment.
Operators of the Bayraktar UAV from the Khmelnitsky airfield and artillery crews (https://t.me/rybar/32071) from the 233rd combined-arms training ground in Malaya Lyubasha will also take part in the lesson.
The purpose of the upcoming exercises:
▪️ Departure of drones from Khmelnitsky to the operational area for target designation and guidance of artillery.
▪️ Artillery shelling of identified positions.
▪️ Mass departure of Su-24, Su-25, Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft to the Poltava region and back.
In the last couple of weeks, there has been an active training (https://t.me/rybar/32451) of flight crews at air bases in the western and central parts of Ukraine and UAV crews at the Khmelnitsky airfield under the guidance of Turkish specialists (https://t.me/ rybar/32293).
Despite heavy losses, Ukrainian aviation continues to carry out sorties. This is another clear sign that the previously announced transfer of aircraft, helicopters and spare parts for them from the countries of Eastern Europe did take place.
#Vinnitsa #Zhytomyr #Poltava #Ukraine #Khmelnitsky #Cherkasy
@rybar
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:31 utc | 193
Rybar’s comment on the leaked document showing a Polish incursion on May 22… https://t.me/rybar/32525
Colleagues, we are tormented by vague doubts.
We are looking at a certain appeal addressed to the commander of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Deineko with an official notification of the imminent entry of a joint Polish-Lithuanian peacekeeping contingent (up to 9,500 military personnel and 279 pieces of equipment) into the territory of Ukraine.
And thoughts visit us: was there a boy? Well, we do not believe that such notifications are running in the leaky Signal’e. No, we understand that Kim changed the password. But we assume that we were specifically shown what we want to see.
Brigadier General Shapovalov writes that the entry of the contingent is planned to be carried out at 4 am on May 22 through the Rava-Russkaya-Grebenne border crossing. The formal reason is the need to ensure the security of Ukraine.
Of course, we are filled with skepticism. But there are 12 days left. Let’s wait shall we?
And if this is confirmed, the conflict will become quite interesting.
#Lithuania #Poland #Ukraine
@rybar
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:35 utc | 194
@ 87 roger and @ 157 paul..
thanks for drawing my attention to the new atlas youtube channel.. here is his post on youtube from may 6… minute and 20 seconds long..
SHORT: Is Russia Really Trying to Take the City of Kharkov (Now)?
this was my intuition without seeing this… whether his and my intuition on this is right or wrong is kind of irrelevant..
Posted by: james | May 11 2022 2:36 utc | 195
From Intel Slava Z Telegram channel… I’d take this as little more than hearsay rumor, but it’s certainly plausible…
Ukrainian telegram channel
“Our source in the OP said that in the last two weeks we have lost more Bayraktar TB2s than in the entire war. The failure of the operation to storm the Snake island and unsuccessful flights to military facilities in Russia cost us 50 Bayraktar. The Turkish side has already expressed its dissatisfaction with the use of drones, but the General Staff has its own vision on the use of Bayraktar TB2”
RSH
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:41 utc | 196
Last Russian MoD briefing from their Telegram channel…
Briefing by Russian Defence Ministry
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine.
During the day, operational-tactical and army aviation have hit 74 assets, including 2 command posts, 20 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, as well as 2 missile and artillery weapon depots.
Missile troops and artillery units have hit 223 areas of manpower and military equipment concentration, and destroyed 3 command posts and 2 ammunition depots.
The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 100 nationalists and up to 19 armoured and motor vehicles.
Russian air defence means have shot down 1 Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft near Shirokoe, Dnepropetrovsk Region. In addition, 1 Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force has been shot down near Novodmitrovka, Kherson Region.
In addition, 4 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down near Lisichansk, Krivoi Rog and Kulinovka, Kharkov Region.
In total, 164 Ukrainian aircraft and 125 helicopters, 798 unmanned aerial vehicles, 302 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2,983 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 351 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,440 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2,796 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation.
I would like to point out that another Ukrainian Bayraktar-TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle have been shot down by Russian air defence means this afternoon near Snake Island.
The Kiev regime has thus lost 30 military UAVs alone in this area over the past three days.
9 of these, I remind you, are Bayraktar-TB2 strike UAVs.
The UAVs were all used in the failed “PR campaign” by the Kiev regime to seize Snake Island on the eve of May 9, the Great Patriotic War Victory Day.
In addition, 3 more bodies of Ukrainian saboteurs nailed from the sea were found by Russian servicemen on the shore today.
Now 27 bodies of Ukrainian special forces and nationalist fighters remain at Snake Island as a result of Kiev’s failed operation.
In total, the Kiev regime have lost 3 Su-24 bombers and 1 Su-27 fighter jet near Snake Island during militarily pointless attempt to seize the island.
10 Ukrainian Air Force helicopters have been destroyed. Among them, 3 Mi-8 helicopters with paratroopers on board and 1 Mi-24 support helicopter have been shot down in the air. In addition, 6 more Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters involved in the operation have been destroyed on the ground near Artsiz, Odessa Region.
Also 3 Ukrainian Centaur armoured amphibious assault boats with marines on board have been destroyed.
Thus, this adventure ended in disaster for Ukraine. The Kiev regime’s mindless PR campaign to seize Snake Island on the eve of Victory Day resulted in the senseless deaths of more than five dozen Ukrainian fighters and members of elite AFU units, the loss of 4 aircraft, 10 helicopters, 3 boats and 30 unmanned aerial vehicles.
#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #Briefing
@mod_russia_en
Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | May 11 2022 2:46 utc | 197
@ Paul 109
Follow the money from the taxpayer through to the MI complex through to Ukrainian oligarchs. Now there is the vested interest in keeping the killing going on.
..and others, for sure, no matter how it ends it’s been a great success.
>Germany: …the German government’s 100 billion euro program to upgrade the Bundeswehr as an opportunity for the company. The Bundeswehr currently has “too little of everything,” Papperger told the newspaper. He was “firmly convinced” that Rheinmetall could increase sales from just under six to more than ten billion euros in the next few years.
>Japan: Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has taken the extraordinary step of proposing to double the country’s defense spending over the next five years, with the goal of moving from the historic level of less than 1 percent of GDP spent on defense up to 2 percent.
>NATO/EU: The turnaround since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has been nothing less than stunning, to the point that six NATO members have now pledged defense increases of $133 billion so far; militarily neutral Sweden has also pledged an increase. And more nations seem poised to follow suit in the days and weeks to come.
. . .Pentagon leaders are asking Congress for new authorities when it comes to cooperative defense programs with the European Union, a prospect officials on both sides of the Atlantic have said will complement traditional NATO processes.
>US: President Joe Biden has asked Congress to approve immediately his proposed $33 billion package for Ukraine, which includes $20 billion for the country’s armed forces defending against renewed Russian offensives in the eastern Donbas region. . . .On May 6 the Biden administration announced a new weapons package for Ukraine worth $150 million. President Biden on May 9 signed a bill reviving the World War II-era “lend-lease” program.
>Global: Global military spending topped 2 trillion dollars for the first time ever last year, reaching $2,113 billion, up 0.7% from 2020, as expenditure rose for the seventh straight year.
“War is a racket. . .the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.” — MajGen Smedley D. Butler, USMC, double recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, 1935
Posted by: Don Bacon | May 11 2022 2:50 utc | 198
“In addition, 3 more bodies of Ukrainian saboteurs nailed from the sea were found by Russian servicemen on the shore today.”
From what I can make out, Russian servicemen have remained on the Island from before and throughout the US/UK pr campaign.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | May 11 2022 2:54 utc | 199
I would like to point out that another Ukrainian Bayraktar-TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle have been shot down by Russian air defence means this afternoon near Snake Island.
The Kiev regime has thus lost 30 military UAVs alone in this area over the past three days.
9 of these, I remind you, are Bayraktar-TB2 strike UAVs.
Sounds like they are looking for a capital ship to hit to get some real press.
Posted by: circumspect | May 11 2022 2:55 utc | 200