What In Zelenski's "Epic Piece Of Theater" Was "Daring" And "Bold"?
"Daring"?
Zelensky’s Weapons Wish List Goes Mostly Unfulfilled on Trip to Washington - New York Times - Dec 22, 2022
After his daring 10-hour dash to the nation’s capital on Wednesday, Mr. Zelensky left with nearly $2 billion in new arms and equipment — as well as a likely commitment from Congress for nearly $50 billion in additional aid next year.
What please is "daring" in taking an armored car ride from Kiev to Poland to jump onto a U.S. military plane for a non-stop flight to Washington DC?
Likewise "bold":
Zelensky’s role on the Washington stage is Ukrainian fighter - Washington Post - Dec 21, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s bold Wednesday visit to Washington is an epic piece of theater designed to motivate multiple audiences — in the United States, Europe, Russia and Ukraine itself. The message is simple: With its own bravery in battle and the world’s help, Ukraine will prevail.
Baloney.
Larry reminds us of a similar visit 65 years ago that looked great (vid) but had an unhappy ending:
By the time of the coup, there were 12,000 advisers in Vietnam, but those who knew Diem best feel that neither he nor Nhu would ever have invited or allowed 550,000 American soldiers to fight in their country, and to permit the devastation caused by air attacks, including bombing and defoliation. There is evidence that shortly before the coup took place—and for several months afterward—the first tentative efforts were initiated both by the Saigon Government and the National Liberation Front to come to some sort of accommodation.
The coup against Diem had of course been arranged by the U.S. government:
The Pentagon's, secret study of the Vietnam war discloses that President Kennedy knew and approved of plans for the military coup d'état that over threw President Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963.“Our complicity in his overthrow heightened our responsibilities and our commitment” in Vietnam, the study finds.
Back in April, when Boris Johnson made it clear to Zelenski that the U.S. would not support any peace agreement with Russia, he may well have thought of Diem's fate. He decided to ditch the ongoing negotiations and to commit his country to the suicidal quest of beating the Russian army.
Accordingly Zelenski's "epic piece of theater" was "designed" to keep him alive and to fill his bank account plus those of the owners of the U.S. war industry.
Everything else be damned.
Posted by b on December 23, 2022 at 11:20 UTC | Permalink
next page »The American prepared coup against Zelensky will happen quite according to the Diem downfall scenario IMHO. But the difference between Diem and Zelensky is Zelensky's Jewish network that (to my knowledge) was absent in the case of Diem. When the coup against Zely happens, this may mark the the beginning of the disintegration of this powerful network as well. The Afganistan debacle hardly did cause repercussions in the American ruled empire. But with the collapse of Ukraine there will be.
Posted by: Oblomovka daydream | Dec 23 2022 11:44 utc | 2
The comedy actor appeared in his green fatigues and combat boots, like he just came from the battlefield.
Whereas he just cam from the Polish production studio complete with greenscreens.
The 'Merican clown show just ate it up. zelensky was tailor made for this farce.
When reality sets in the that will be the best comedy show of all, not for the innocent slobs but for their masters.
Posted by: Sevnzark7 | Dec 23 2022 11:53 utc | 3
"an epic piece of theater designed....."
More a pantomime, with Zelen and Bidensky in the principal roles. With Bidensky playing the part of the goose that lays golden eggs, Pelosi in the the role of mother twanky (ably seconded by Karmala as the horse), and Zelen as the principal "boy" (played by a girl) who falls in love with (probably) a "girl" (also played by a girl) at the end.
Hiss, boo , hiss.
****
"b" I know it is "OT" but it is christmas, so my excuses. The whole affair in Ukraine is taking on the outward aspect of a tragedy anyway.
*
PS. For those that really don't know; a "pantomime" is a theater piece designed to please kids (and adults) at Christmas in the UK. There are "set" characters that appear, ie. "mother" twanky is always played by a man, and falls down to show her knickers (which we hope are not too twisted for the occasion). etc. Much throwing of flour, and jokes.
PPS. I am not sure that children should be taken to this spectacle since they might ask too many questions about Lgbt+.
***
I must admit that the whole visit must have been planned to take advantage of the commercialization of christmas in the public sphere, and that "happy", and "jolly" could be used with Zelens demands for arms. All it lacked was a sack over his head, and a pair of antlers.
Russia has upped the ante, increasing the size af the army to 1.5 million troops. Can Europe follow suit?
Imagine yourself in a town square in todays' typical European village or city. Consider asking 17 to 25 year olds to go fight in Ukraine, for European values. A lot of slogans will go flat real fast.
Posted by: Passerby | Dec 23 2022 12:14 utc | 5
Nations always see their struggles as “epic” or “bold” – how myths grow. But the wars they fight are for power: but power is an illusion – like the myths that clothe it
https://patternofhistory.wordpress.com/
Posted by: peter mcloughlin | Dec 23 2022 12:18 utc | 6
Apparently the Imperialist States of Amerikastan is pressuring its Greek slaves to send the S 300s they bought from Russia to Ukranazistan.
The S 300s were sold to the Greek slave regime by Russia on the explicit condition that the child not be transferred to anyone else without the consent of the Russian Federation.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 23 2022 12:30 utc | 9
What is the endgame?
What was the endgame in Afghanistan?
There is no endgame.
Except to make as much money as possible for the Imperialist States military industrial complex.
https://sonar21.com/videos-not-to-be-seen/
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 23 2022 12:41 utc | 11
Looks like desperation to me. Biden needed the omnibus bill passed to guarantee funding for next year (most of it going to American corps and orgs). Sending Patriots is desperation too. That was a no-go for a long time but every other air defense system that’s been sent hasn’t helped. Biden was afraid to go to Ukraine (not that Russia would target him) so Zelensky had to come to the US.
But don’t be surprised if the trip also included some words about the where the end of the rope is located and that Zelensky should think about negotiation. Zelensky didn’t look at all triumphant and immediately after there started to be public talk of Ukraine’s peace plan and peace summit in February. Then Blinken admitted that the cost is high by saying if there hadn’t been the disastrous Afghan withdrawal, the US wouldn’t be able to afford Ukraine.
This was the peak of the emotional PR narrative. It’s all denouement from here down. That doesn’t mean it won’t drag on for a long time, but the trend lines are set and people in the US gov are starting to act on them. If Biden is running in ‘24 he absolutely can’t have a disastrous proxy war on his shoulders. He either needs to be able to really show the US winning or he needs enough time to memory hole the whole thing before the meat of campaign season.
Posted by: Lex | Dec 23 2022 12:44 utc | 12
Posted by: Passerby | Dec 23 2022 12:14 utc | 5
I don't think anyone will be "asked". One day you're strolling down to your usual supermarket trip, next thing you notice a grey van screeching besides you and a couple of muscular guys wearing ski masks and camouflage trousers throw you into the back of a van. The next thing you know you wake up at an UAF enlistment office and congratulated for the spirit you've shown for fighting for European values.
Posted by: unimperator | Dec 23 2022 12:48 utc | 13
Posted by: Passerby | Dec 23 2022 12:14 utc | 5 "increasing the size af the army to 1.5 million troops"
What year will this be done by?
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 12:50 utc | 14
When asked about the missiles at a joint news conference with Mr. Zelensky on Wednesday, Mr. Biden cautioned that sending the arms could rupture NATO unity in support of Ukraine. “They’re (NATO) not looking to go to war with Russia,” he said of the alliance. “They’re not looking for a third world war.” NYT
&
Zelensky's goal was to get "more powerful weapons and increase Ukraine's ability to launch major offensive operations" next year."There is virtually no indication that he has succeeded, at least in the short term,". For its part, Washington was looking forward to "discussing what [Zelensky] thinks about diplomacy," a White House source told the newspaper. WaPo
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The United States will not supply Ukraine with M1 Abrams main battle tanks.Senior Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhail Podoliak included the Abrams on the “Christmas wishlist” he posted on Twitter earlier this month. President Vladimir Zelensky repeated the request during his speech to the US Congress on Wednesday, saying that Ukrainian soldiers were “capable of operating American tanks and aircraft.”
However, officials cited by the Post argued that the Abrams are “too difficult to maintain and complex to operate,” adding that “Ukraine has enough tanks already.”
&
The new US military assistance package for Ukraine under the PDA program ($1.85 billion) includes:- One(1) Patriot SAM battery and ammunition;
— ammunition for HIMARS (Qty unknown)
- 500 units of 155-mm high-precision projectiles
- 10 120-mm mortars and 10,000 120-mm shells for them;
- 10 82-mm mortars;
- 10 60-mm mortars;
- 37 heavy MRAP Cougar;
- 120 HMMWV vehicles;
- 6 armored general purpose trucks;
- HARM anti-radar missiles;
- JDAM kits;
- more than 2,700 grenade launchers and small arms;
- Claymore anti-personnel mines;
— Night vision devices and optics;
— Tactical secure communication systems;
— Bulletproof vests;List of military assistance provided under the USAI program ($800 million):
- 45,000 152-mm artillery shells;
- 20,000 122-mm artillery shells;
- 50,000 122mm rockets for the MLRS BM-21 "Grad";
- 100,000 125-mm tank ammunition;
— SATCOM terminals and services;
— Funding for training, maintenance.Comment: Qty x 1 only Patriot Battery (That's 8 launch tubes, likely older PAC2 series, training requirement for minimum marginal competency is ~6 months)
Tube/rocket ammo for Arty & MBRLS is good for ~3-7 days at only 6,000 rounds/day.
NO to the request for 300 MBTs, 600-700 IFVs/APCs & 500 Howitzers, to 'Win the the War' as requested by AFU General Zelushny(?).
&
Translated from Russian FYI, ПЕРЕХВАТ (Z)
(Transformation (Z)) (Open TG link)Aid to Ukraine: What exactly has the U.S. allocated $45 billion for?
Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's Ambassador to the US, has published a brief explanation of what $45 billion of the US aid to Ukraine will be used for in the new year.
In general everything is as usual. It's not $45 billion in money. It is all US aid for 2023, including military aid. Kiev will receive only $13 billion in money (or goods). And $7 billion of military aid is in general the salary of the Americans who "work for Ukraine" (you know, instructors, etc.):
This amount is included in the U.S. federal budget, which was approved by the Senate on Thursday. According to Markarova, the House of Representatives will vote on the budget on Friday, and by the end of Friday (that is, by Saturday morning in Europe) it will be signed by the president.
The Supplemental Security Assistance for Ukraine Act included in the budget provides:
- 28.4 billion in military aid,
- 13.37 billion in economic aid,
- 4.92 billion in humanitarian aid.Military aid includes, in particular, $9 billion to provide the Ukrainian army with everything it needs, from equipment to intelligence, $11.88 billion to replace equipment, weapons and ammunition transferred to Ukraine in the United States' own arsenals, and nearly $7 billion for Ukraine-related work by the European Command of U.S. Forces.
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 12:50 utc | 14
It won't probably have too much effect on the Ukraine war. It will done over many, many years to disrupt things little as possible, and it's done to counter potential threats created by Nato.
Posted by: unimperator | Dec 23 2022 12:55 utc | 16
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 23 2022 12:30 utc | 9 S-300's possibly to Ukraine
The Russians already have pointed out that all those countries that sent tanks, APCs, artillery, helicopters and aircraft (SU-25's from Macedonia, for example) had also gotten that equipment with the limitation that it could only be transferred with the permission of the Russians.
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 12:57 utc | 17
Posted by: Outraged | Dec 23 2022 12:53 utc | 15 "Tube/rocket ammo for Arty & MBRLS is good for ~3-7 days at only 6,000 rounds/day."
"Currently, Ukrainian forces are firing 2,000 to 4,000 artillery shells a day" from here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/us/ukraine-artillery-breakdown.html#:~:text=Currently%2C%20Ukrainian%20forces%20are%20firing,as%20far%20or%20as%20accurately.
Since that 2k to 4k per days is a mix I would do the math (45,000 152mm + 20,000 122mm) / 3,000 = 21 days. That leaves 50,000 Grad rockets to be used over that number. Plus the HIMARS rounds. Plus whatever 500 units of 155-mm high-precision projectiles equals in non precision rounds. 7 to 1?
An unanswered question is where does the 152 and 122 rounds come from. At least two Eastern European counties plus Ukraine now have production lines for them working. I have no idea what the daily output is though. Does this really mean that the US paid from the other countries to make them and send them to Ukraine? Later one we will see double counting for them> Here by the US and eventually by the country of manufacture?
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 13:05 utc | 18
@ Passerby | Dec 23 2022 12:14 utc | 5
RF increased it's arms/materiel/R&D production by 50% mid July compared to Feb2422. Last week increased again to 88% compared to Feb2422. RF has isolated its war industries from the general economy & running them in a separate high-level tightly managed State controlled mini-war economy.
Yes it is quite bold to lie like that, unless perhaps it is the Snow White speaking or pathological lying.
Posted by: William Haught | Dec 23 2022 13:15 utc | 20
"Baloney", describes the whole thing perfectly. Zelensky's wife was also in Paris for shopping. That's also daring and bold. The Western establishment and its media outlets are beyond contempt.
Merry Christsmas to veryone here.
Posted by: Steve | Dec 23 2022 13:18 utc | 21
Apparently, I should have finished reading Bernard's article before posting. Never heard about Diem not wanting to fight for U.$. empire, only that he was supposedly a right-wing radical. Even right-wing alt media never challenged this, AFAIK.
Posted by: William Haught | Dec 23 2022 13:20 utc | 22
New Light in a Dark Corner: Evidence on the Diem Coup in South Vietnam, November 1963
National Security Archives - nsarchive.gwu.eduPublished: Nov 1, 2020
Briefing Book #730JFK Was More Inclined toward Regime Change than Earlier Believed
Newly Released JFK Tape and President's Intelligence Checklists Fill in Gaps in Record
South Vietnamese Leader's Notes Published for First Time, Written Hours before AssassinationWashington, DC, November 1, 2020 - President John F. Kennedy was more disposed to support the removal of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem in late 1963 than previously appeared to be the case, according to a recently released White House tape and transcript. The ouster of Diem in a military coup that would have major implications for American policy and growing involvement in the country happened 57 years ago today. Even now the views of Kennedy and some of his top aides about the advisability of a coup specifically have been shrouded by an incomplete documentary record that has led scholars to focus more on the attitudes of subordinates. Today, the National Security Archive is posting for the first time materials from U.S. and Vietnamese archives that open the window into this pivotal event a little bit wider.
Kennedy's views on removing Diem become more explicit in a tape recording of his meeting with newly-appointed Ambassador to Saigon Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., in mid-August 1963, just before Lodge set out for Saigon. Other records published today, including NSC notes of White House meetings and CIA field reports from South Vietnam, allow for a broader look at the coup period and the roles of on-the-ground officials such as the CIA's Lucien Conein and Ambassador Frederick Nolting. Some of these materials first appeared in earlier National Security Archive E-books and are added here to provide the larger context of events.
Today's posting also features a dramatic handwritten proclamation on November 1, 1963, from the doomed Diem demanding that the South Vietnamese Army follow his orders. But within hours he would be deposed and 24 hours later summarily executed by the military. Author Luke A. Nichter found the document in the Vietnamese archives. He co-authored today's posting with Archive Fellow John Prados.
...
Alexander Mercouris made a good point yesterday related to what Putin said, his visit to Belarus, and his message to the Chinese President. He referred to the west/NATO/US and how they keep saying "we aren't a party to this war" and the point he made is "oh yes you are a party to this" and if you want a fight "you've got it".
Cold weather isn't just an unpleasant thing to talk about. It's -4F where I'm at and of our 3 vehicles, the doors are frozen shut on 2 of them.
Posted by: chunga | Dec 23 2022 13:40 utc | 24
What please is "daring" in taking an armored car ride from Kiev to Poland to jump onto a U.S. military plane for a non-stop flight to Washington DC?
Probably the best answer to this whole insane affair is from The Simpson's episode,
"Homer's barbershop quartet":
Bart: [after Homer tells his family about his barbershop quartet] Man, that's some story!
Lisa Simpson: But there are still a few things I don't get. Like, how come we never heard about this until today?
Bart: Yeah. And what happened to the money you made?
Lisa Simpson: Why haven't you hung up your gold records?
Bart: Since when could you write a song?
Homer: [laughs] There are perfectly good answers to those questions, but they'll have to wait for another night. Now off to bed!
Posted by: Dee Plorible | Dec 23 2022 14:00 utc | 25
I watched Zelenski's speech to congress and it was thoroughly coherent, hitting all the high points that the American press and political class just gobble up. But it was also too perfect and what really shone through was the reality that those words just didn't square with anything other than a speech written by an American, which it surely was. Zelenski's delivery was perfect as well, as he delivered his lines with measured cadence's with just the right pauses. The guy's a great actor and has a bright future here in America once he's fled for his life and become an asylum seeker. He'll make bank on the lecture circuit. Will he come here or go to Canada and join the Ukrainian diaspora?
Posted by: A. Pols | Dec 23 2022 14:01 utc | 26
Bold and Daring …hmmmm what does that remind me off, oh right! Kaitlin Jenner, stunning and brave!
Posted by: Chevrus | Dec 23 2022 14:04 utc | 27
So 'an epic piece of theater'.. that's like right up there with Eugene O'Neill and Sam Shepard, I guess...
Posted by: Gerry Bell | Dec 23 2022 14:18 utc | 28
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 13:05 utc | 18
Even if US is having problems delivering 155mm shells, the bottleneck isn't going to be shells, it's going to be guns. Russians claim 4 M-777 guns neutralized in this days report.
Or maybe you can also argue that the shells will be enough as there isn't that many guns to use them, one can view that as a "silver lining".
Posted by: unimperator | Dec 23 2022 14:20 utc | 29
At least the nyt wrote some truth about his visit.
Calling it theatre is what it really is, it's what the US is, a bunch of actors pretending to be real people and real people pretending not to be actors.
Posted by: Eoin Clancy | Dec 23 2022 14:29 utc | 30
Geez, $120 billion, now, and the guy still can't afford a goddamned suit!
Posted by: Tom SteChatte | Dec 23 2022 14:29 utc | 31
Posted by: unimperator | Dec 23 2022 14:20 utc | 29 "US is having problems delivering 155mm shells"
There are only 500 155 mm shells listed, but 65,000 152mm and 122mm shells. Maybe the reason for that is what you say.
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 14:32 utc | 32
Wasnt that an interesting statement from biden that... we couldnt provide this level of support without withdrawing from Afghanistan.
So why leave so much there for the taliban
Posted by: Hankster | Dec 23 2022 14:33 utc | 33
Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 23 2022 12:41 utc | 11
The plea for a rational endgame! Let’s have a common sense goal! Give us something decent we Americans can get behind! How delusional!
The means, as we know, are lying, manipulation and chaos. The goal, the creation of lots of little shahs ( a la Iran as was), who rule through their secret police in the empire’s interest. Nothing decent left in this North America.
Posted by: Zed | Dec 23 2022 14:35 utc | 34
In Vietnam, it was more than a military coup d'état that over threw President Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963.
Ngo Dinh Diem, the first president of South Vietnam, was executed in the back of an armored personnel carrier along with his younger brother and secret police chief, Ngo Dinh Nhu, the day after their government had been overthrown in a military coup.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 23 2022 14:48 utc | 35
@ Hankster | Dec 23 2022 14:33 utc | 33
The DoD estimated that $7.12 billion worth of U.S.-funded aircraft, vehicles, weapons, munitions, and other equipment were still in Afghan government inventories at the time of the Taliban takeover,” the State Department IG report said. - Aug192022
At the time of the US 48hrs notice bug-out ... having only just assessed Taliban was ~96 days away from taking Kabul ...
So, reasonably double or treble that figure ? Given Pentagon cannot account for ~61% of its assets globally.
I would doubt whether the Zelensky that traveled from Kiev and the one who went back are one and the same person. It would not be impossible to groom a dummy intelligence agent, face properly altered, to take his place and do their masters' bidding without any fears of treachery. The 10 hours bold and daring dash could be an extraction exercise. At a suitable time, "agents of Russia" would explode a bomb in his palace, preferably during a crucial meeting called by this dummy Zelensky with all his top henchmen, which makes Zelensky a historical figure, a quasi-Bandera, while the real man gets into deep cover with the help of the powers that be. The payoff for America would lie in the armistice quickly arranged by his poor successor, a man who has no idea that he is being groomed to be a patsy by the Western deep state. USA and the West denounce that armistice, being secretly happy to be rid of the millstone around their neck. The poor "widow" of Zelensky finds another rich husband, with an obscure past, who in reality is the real Zelensky with a different face. The agreement between the patsy and Russia is not recognized by the West and they declare a Government in Exile, continuing the policy of low intensity insurgency - death by a thousand cuts. A tactical retreat NATO style if you will. And the acting skills of Zelensky find a really useful, well-paying outlet - playing the part of a wealthy man married to a beautiful widow.
Perhaps intelligence agencies should try to get the real Zelensky's DNA samples and finger prints from existing records, if they have not been altered prior to the switch!
Posted by: sumant | Dec 23 2022 14:52 utc | 37
Cold weather isn't just an unpleasant thing to talk about. It's -4F where I'm at and of our 3 vehicles, the doors are frozen shut on 2 of them.
Posted by: chunga | Dec 23 2022 13:40 utc | 24
If you're talking about soldiers then that's no problem, nato has enough clothes for them. Mercenaries will suffer more, they're used to other temperatures.
The power outages don't last long enough per day to create protests, which won't be allowed anyway, they'll just kill the protesters and say it was the Russians. What Baldie does has no results, like the week long shortage of fuel during the summer. No one cared. Everyone can live a few hours a day without electricity and gas.
If general Baldie wants to push the population against nato puppets holding them prisoners, he has make outages longer than a day, long enough for the house to get cold and the fridge to defrost.
Posted by: rk | Dec 23 2022 14:57 utc | 38
the parallels are striking....
Ngô Đình Diệm, the President of South Vietnam, made a state visit to the United States, the main ally of his government, in 1957. Diệm received a glowing welcome and was heaped with praise as a leader of a "free country" in the midst of the Cold War. The receptions during the visit were in large part organized by the American Friends of Vietnam (AFV), a lobby group dedicated to resolute US support of South Vietnam and which included many politicians from both major parties. The visit was mainly celebratory and ceremonial, rather than being a policy or planning mission. It was part of a year of travelling for Diệm, as he made a visit to Australia in September, as well as to fellow anti-communist countries South Korea and Thailand.
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles greet South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm at Washington National Airport.
Prior to the visit, the US government and the AFV made thorough preparations to make Diệm's visit pleasant, and the AFV successfully lobbied the media to write favourable reports on the South Vietnamese leader. Diệm was trumpeted as a champion of democracy, and mentions of his autocratic style and election rigging were avoided. Diệm arrived by plane in Washington, D.C. on May 8, and was personally greeted at the airport by President Dwight D. Eisenhower—an honor Eisenhower accorded to only one other visiting head of state. Diệm's motorcade was greeted by 50,000 wellwishers and his address to the US Congress and his policies were heartily endorsed by both sides of politics. During his time in the US capital, Diệm also attended receptions, and had private meetings with both Eisenhower and the US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, to discuss American support for South Vietnam, although the meeting with Dulles was ineffectual as Diệm spoke continuously, rendering two-way discussions impossible.
Diệm then visited New York City, where he was given a ticker tape parade through Manhattan, which was attended by 250,000. He was presented with several honors by the city council and given a civic reception, before attending several functions with business leaders, marketing his country as a favorable location for foreign investment. The South Vietnamese president also made stops at the city's main Roman Catholic institution, St Patrick's Cathedral—a Catholic, Diệm had been helped to power by the lobbying of Cardinal Francis Spellman and American Catholic politicians. He also returned to Maryknoll Seminary in Ossining, New York, where he had stayed while in exile, and to the Catholic Seton Hall University to receive an honorary doctorate. Diệm later received an honorary degree from Michigan State University, where he had stayed in exile earlier in the decade and the day was dedicated in his honor. The South Vietnamese president then traveled westwards across to the Pacific coast before returning to Vietnam.
The visit was the high point of relations between Diệm and Washington, as in later years, the US government and members of the AFV became increasingly disillusioned with Diệm's failure to liberalize his government and enact changes to make South Vietnam more democratic. The once-supportive media began to report on South Vietnam without overlooking problems in Diệm's administration. In 1963, American support for Diệm collapsed during the Buddhist crisis as Washington concluded that Diệm was incapable of offering a solid alternative to the communists, and he was overthrown in a US-backed military coup and executed after being captured.
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/State_visit_by_Ngo_Dinh_Diem_to_the_United_States
Posted by: Exile | Dec 23 2022 15:04 utc | 39
Sorry, misstated. “There’s nothing decent left here in North America.” Mexico is decent, still, in the sense of the earlier blanket statement.
Posted by: Zed | Dec 23 2022 15:04 utc | 40
US decision to weaponize SWIFT and its currency might have been beneficial for the short term, but ultimately there are expensive long term costs to pay. Ultimately, it's not about "yuan vs. dollar" but a multipolar system of payments, where a lot of currencies will increase share at the expense of the dollar.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/suddenly-everyone-hunting-alternatives-us-130000587.html
Posted by: unimperator | Dec 23 2022 15:08 utc | 41
We forget, repeatedly, that what cannot continue will not continue.
The US does not have the weapons Ukraine needs, and cannot make them in time.
Therefore, they will run out.
Therefore, Ukraine is circling the drain, whether or not we refuse to see that.
Ukraine's regime now has effective control over about half the pre-war population. The rest being taken by Russia or decamped to the EU or just internally displaced and lost to the economy. That remaining half has declining economic activity. Thus, the country is not 33% down over pre-war, because that would be a big increase for the remaining half. It is down to something in the region of 25% of its prewar economy. It can't live like that, so it won't.
This is just impossible. Therefore, it won't happen. Fantasy won't change that.
Posted by: Mark Thomason | Dec 23 2022 15:19 utc | 42
[email protected], there is only room in Canada for one big dick.....and when Christina straps it on, the drama queen flinches.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Dec 23 2022 15:19 utc | 43
What you have here is a Western corporate meta-verse mass media manufactured fake orgasm. It gave Zelensky a consolation prize after his much more epic piece of theater flopped when the FIFA turned down Zelensky's request to appear at the World Cup.
Posted by: ? | Dec 23 2022 15:27 utc | 44
@unimperator | Dec 23 2022 15:08 utc | 41
US decision to weaponize SWIFT and its currency
SWIFT is a messaging system that allows banks and other financial institutions from all around the world to send and receive encrypted information, namely cross-border money transfer instructions.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 23 2022 15:38 utc | 46
@ Don Bacon | Dec 23 2022 15:38 utc
I imagine the “its” refers to the USA and not SWIFT.
Posted by: malenkov | Dec 23 2022 15:41 utc | 47
Yet again the premise that this war is something only the governments of US and Ukraine want.
Posted by: Vikichka | Dec 23 2022 15:48 utc | 48
@malenkov | Dec 23 2022 15:41 utc | 47
No, "its" is closer to SWIFT than to US
Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 23 2022 15:51 utc | 49
JFK did not approve of the coup and death of Diem. That was the CIA, without the President's knowledge. The lie was supported by false cables written by E. Howard Hunt. This was revealed during Watergate, but uncirculated through the mass media. Soon thereafter JFK himself was murdered.
Posted by: Bob In Portland | Dec 23 2022 15:51 utc | 50
What year will this be done by?
Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 23 2022 12:50 utc | 14
I would like to tell you, but unfortunately the country where I live censors Russian news.
Posted by: Passerby | Dec 23 2022 15:53 utc | 51
So, let me get this straight : the U.S. government wanted a more liberal democratic state in South Vietnam, so it installed a military junta and rigged all future elections there. Makes perfect sense.
Posted by: G. Poulin | Dec 23 2022 15:58 utc | 53
Posted by: Outraged | Dec 23 2022 12:53 utc | 15
Just to add a little to your post. An informed poster has already told us that Abrams tanks are too heavy for the Ukraine ,weighing around 55-60 ? ton. That means they would likely chew up the tarmac roads of the Ukraine, whereas Russian tanks ,built lighter and with broader tracks , do not chew up the tarmac nor sink in mud /ice snow as much.
My belief is that this another reason of why the Abrams will never be seen in the Ukraine in large numbers -even if the US has a doctrine that thinks it could take the Russians- as a mobile force. Maybe only dug in as defacto artillery in desperation. The Americans would hate to show the world the limitations of their wares. Australia bought some some years ago, and the media reported that the tanks did destroy the roads on their incorporation Down Under . I take it that some freeways have been strengthened since.
Posted by: Brother Ma | Dec 23 2022 15:59 utc | 54
The difference with Vietnam being that the boots on the ground are Russian, not American.
For the Americans this whole affaire is pure benefit. It doesn’t cost them much in the grand scheme of things, the involvement is minimal with almost no boots on the ground except a smattering of special forces, and the Ukrainians are attriting the Russians quite successfully.
I flatly do not believe that the Ukrainians risk any kind of shortage. Shortages have been predicted from day one about almost anything : Tochka-U, oil, lubricants, 155-mm shells, 152-mm shells, you name it. Here we are in December 22 and the Ukies are happily firing away at Donetsk from 10 km away as if there was no tomorrow.
Honestly, placing all your hopes on such an imaginary shortage makes you look weak. People who say that just show that they do not believe a military victory is at hand. Incidentally this was exactly the same hope McNamara and his guys had in 1965 : that somehow Vietnamese industry would cease to function. But the Vietminh adapted and moreover, they could cound on powerful backers - exactly like Ukraine today.
Guys, you are just deluding yourself. I will confidently bet you that the combined Western industry will be able to supply Ukraine for years to come, and it’s more likely Russia who will experience problems. Look at the US and European leaders ; do they look panicked, frightened, even afraid ? Not at all. Americans are serenely shipping Patriot and seem quite happy with the whole situation. Ukies are determined as ever.
Posted by: Micron | Dec 23 2022 16:03 utc | 55
Maybe we are all missing the point - and the hasted trip across the Atlantic wasn't a PR-stunt, but a dry run to practice a planned evacuation routine?
Posted by: Marvin | Dec 23 2022 16:07 utc | 56
Excellent political theater. I liked how he said the aid wasn't charity it's an investment ukraine is carefully managing lol.
Oh I'll just bet it's carefully counted and closely divided as it slithers through so many, many fingers before some residual amount gets to where it was supposed to get to.
I'm noticing a lot of things are getting bolted to pickup trucks now. Not exactly Nato standard I think and certainly not a hundred billion worth.
Finest theater indeed.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Dec 23 2022 16:09 utc | 57
@ Don Bacon | Dec 23 2022 15:51 utc
I’ll agree that the statement in question is poorly formulated. However, I don’t think anyone believes that SWIFT has its own currency.
Posted by: malenkov | Dec 23 2022 16:09 utc | 58
Posted by: Bob In Portland | Dec 23 2022 15:51 utc | 50
i don't remember anything about this being "revealed". it might have been asserted. Kennedy was a big time warmonger who ran to the right of Nixon in 1960, trumpeting a fake missile gap (the US had strategic superiority at the time) and on a fake heroic war record. Kennedy's hagiographers rewrite history to absolve him, kinda like Obama stenographers. the warmonger was the original Biden/Obama/Kerry/Clinton prototype.
the cast of characters that planned and ran the Vietnam War were largely if not solely from the Kennedy administration, who continued in the Johnson administration. Joseph Kennedy was a red baiting plutocrat who got rich off Wall St scams, he didn't change his spots. Camelot was a myth.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Dec 23 2022 16:13 utc | 59
Posted by: Hankster | Dec 23 2022 14:33 utc | 33
"mistakes were made"--Ronald Reagan, on a different US foreign policy screwup.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Dec 23 2022 16:15 utc | 60
Zelensky could play a piano with his dick at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the MSM media would compete to praise him.
"Bold"
"Epic"
"Provocative"
"A performance for our times"
Posted by: pretzelattack | Dec 23 2022 16:19 utc | 61
@55 the Russian strategy isn't to cause a shortage of weapons, it's to cause a shortage of Ukrainians. It's often been said to fight to the last Ukrainian.
There is some hints about large scale western merc/volunteer units picking up the slack where the Ukrainians are short.
The parallel is Syria. The US spent a lot of time supporting its proxies in their until they died, then it was jihadist volunteers and now American troops occupy Syria openly.
This is the progression, and it's stopped because the Americans don't want to engage directly and no one wants to risk open war with them.
But yes, waiting on shortages is stupid. The mic is just starting up and those poor recruits in the US can always be drafted and initiated in a baptism of fire. There's always battle hardened survivors even amongst the weakest seeming.
So ukraine, is already on stage 2, national forces supplemented with foreigners, then the imperial regulars will show up when needed.
The only question is, does Russia fight the Americans? Syria couldn't of course, the signal for Russia is yes they will.
They will have to fight in Syria too. I'm betting Assad is prepping for it, turkiye is chomping at the bit. And iran stands defiant as always.
W
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Dec 23 2022 16:21 utc | 62
Aristodemos posting
"Sorry, but you are timed out. Please try again. "
Yeah, like I'm supposed to recapitulate each jot and tittle of a posting which addressed the PROPAGANDA intention of the whole charade, which was to wrap the Great Overwashed, physical and brain both, in this mantle of 'PATRIOTIC" symbology to keep the still deluded 2/3 of the public consumers of boobtoob noose and similar anti-American propaganda by the Talmudist owned and controlled mass media of misinformation and deception.
I'm hoping that the dirty deed was not the product of Bernhard's system. That would be doubtful as a number of postings larger than the one lost in cyberspace have consistently appeared on these threads...including some of my own.
So now I'm even more interested in the power of Hacktivism on the part of some intel agency or another. I. was, after all, addressing the most critical element of the whole Capitol Circus in terms of the prime attention of the controllers...to keep the American people fearful and divided.
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 23 2022 16:25 utc | 63
Posted by: Micron | Dec 23 2022 16:03 utc | 55
South Vietnam - type help to the Ukraine ?
That was when the West actually made lots of things, now all is made in China(the socalled enemy) . How long will it take the EU to retool ? How long to train its workforce? Where will the fuel come from? In this time, Russia ,China,Iran and maybe Turkey will all also retool and produce more. It comes down to who can last longer until Ukraine is ruined. Do you think Europe /US will keep sending troops into Ukraine pretending they are mercs for ever? Families back home will leak that they have too many missing “merc” members.
The US /EU cannot outproduce Russia and its allies . To me even low-level warfare over years means Russia wins. If it is taken up a notch, then Russia just torches all of Ukraine and all Ukros invade the EU. Game over. War over. Britain only kept going as it still had the US/ Anglo Dominions and African /Indian /Caribbean colonies to supply it. They are now gone.
If the EUNATOUS goes further, then Russia can take out any shipborne supplies sent to the EU /UK by missile even on the high seas and simply embargo all of Europe. USA tries the same? ,well by then that means Russia will have to take out its navy with carrier-killers. We are then maybe in a nuclear war.
It goes nuclear? Well that is a different ballgame , and we can write about that then.
Posted by: Brother Ma | Dec 23 2022 16:31 utc | 65
Looks like "Idiot Savant of the People" has been greenlit by Washington for a 4th season. Rumor has it that cancellation of the Spring 2024 Ukrainian Presidential Election is in the script.
Posted by: Opport Knocks | Dec 23 2022 16:31 utc | 66
Microness @ 55
Dream on, sukkah. Give the U$$A propaganda mill a rest for a couple of weeks. You may experience a startling discovery. The fogs, mists and clouds will begin to clear and you will come back to your senses. It's all about perception, dude. A whole lot of research helps as well. Best wishes for your recovery.
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 23 2022 16:33 utc | 67
@ Brother Ma | Dec 23 2022 15:59 utc | 54
Actually current models weigh ~73 tons. Indeed they would severely chew up the terrain, frozen or not. Not designed for zee Eastern Front, especially in Winter. Furthermore, USSR roads & bridges were built & designed with Soviet armor in mind. Hence Ukraines roads, highways & bridges were/are all designed for a maximum total gross vehicle weight (vehicle and cargo combined) not to exceed 44,000 kg.
This was intentional. All Soviet & current RF armor can operate throughout Ukraine. Fairly obviously 73 ton Abrams MBTs cannot. It is absolutely unrealistic to supply & deploy as a matter of widespread routine military bridging equipment to support Abrams. Not an option.
Dug in Abrams MBTs? How do they get to the site ? A heavy tank transporter with a loaded Abrams is even worse off. No.
With no integrated nor Layered AD, & sweet FA functional AD batteries let alone actual AD missiles or even ManPads left, & the available priority allocated to defense of critical national infrastructure (Electrical Grid) ?
Stationary MBTs in a revetment, behind a berm or partly hull down in a defilade position re direct fire, are merely indefensible ground targets for in range RF Arty, drones, missiles, including Theater Air Dominance of RuAF re CAS aircraft/helos. And that situ is rapidly, irrevocably, getting worse day by day.
And nil effective capability to withdraw or tactically maneuver. Specialist service/maintenance & logistical support unique to the Abrams is required compared to remnants of AFUs vehicle fleet. Is US/NATO willing to sacrifice their critically short heavy tank transporters to provide AFU with unrealistically highly exposed very limited Operational maneuver. No.
Then their is functional design & operation considerations re crewing, dramatically different to the ex-soviet MBTs remnant AFU crews are familiar with.
Entirely new requirement re tank main gun ammunition & logistical supply, including MG ammo. Different calibers, not ex-soviet.
Abrams will only be seen in Theater if US/NATO decide to become full belligerents, and that is highly probable to not end well for Empire.
Still no key indicators of the months of logistical preparation required 'in advance' to even consider such. Note the decision to enter the conflict re Theater logistics pre-positioning has a lead time of 3-6 months when considering 150,000+ troops.
Cheers
See: Persian Gulf War, Iraqi Armor, serial daily destruction by CAS, '90-'91, pre era of cheap/plentiful ISR & suicide/attack drones ...
@57 "Oh I'll just bet it's carefully counted and closely divided as it slithers through so many, many fingers before some residual amount gets to where it was supposed to get to."
Yes indeed. But some must be trickling down. Does anybody know what frontline UAF troops are getting paid these days?
Posted by: dh | Dec 23 2022 16:39 utc | 69
Posted by: pretzelattack | Dec 23 2022 16:13 utc | 59
Joseph Kennedy was an Irish gangster made good , and his son had a bullshit war - record. His skin was saved by an Australian ‘“Coast- watcher” in the Solomons , and it was the Aussie who did most of the swimming and saving of all the sailors …including JFK himself. Hardly - mentioned and hard to find word of it now,but I read about it years ago.
Wow! I am surprised they even have it in wiki.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Reginald_Evans ( first written up 2006! )
So you had to be old enough to remember the original thank - yous in 1961 , or read it in a the book or magazine somewhere as I did.
Posted by: Brother Ma | Dec 23 2022 16:42 utc | 70
aristodemos posting...
ALERT: Bit of quick research for everyone. Google it up before it gets trashed by them. The Ukrainian flag which Kamala's Foote, second in line after the demise of the $enile One and the Nancy, #3 in line for about another week...that flag is the point of attention. Enlarge and check out the lower right corner area. You will see the old Nazi SS symbol added to the good wishes and all throughout the rest of the banner. This Nazi symbology was not some overlooked accident. Ah, the supreme irony of a Kosher "leader" and Nazi symbolism. Delicious irony, I would say, but rife with meaning.
Posted by: aristodemos | Dec 23 2022 16:43 utc | 71
26
He won't live to see "freedom"
Who is going to let a guy with all those secrets run around?
Could you imagine if he "blabbed" everything while engaged in a fight with a bag of white powder. Fondly known as flour!
No loose ends in this business.
Posted by: Cocochanel | Dec 23 2022 16:43 utc | 72
@ pretzelattack | Dec 23 2022 16:13 utc | 59
Camelot was a myth.
Indeed. JFK & RFK & BS McCarthyism, & the rest ...
@ dh | Dec 23 2022 16:39 utc | 69
Germany stopped exchanging Hryvnia months ago(IIRC). AFU troops ? Nothing if they're KIA, but their commander can ghost 'em by retaining the soldat paybooks whilst reporting 'em MIA instead ... are all the routinely abandoned AFU KIA 'cause of pagan beliefs re Valhalla or just venal criminality re paybooks ?
@69
I dunno but its definitely a small fraction of the mercs pay. I hear Ukrainian commanders are quite happy to put those dummies where the action is hottest. Usually against russias dummies who signed up to fight in bahkmut lol.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Dec 23 2022 16:50 utc | 74
Marvin @56
I thought it might be that Zely was fleeing or getting the runways foamed for going into exile. While he was in transit, Macron made another call for the west to work with Russia on establishing a security agreement. With the Russian meetings ongoing seemed like another pause before the next major scene. Macron's statement to me sounded like a veiled statement to Zely to end it while he still could, if he could. Combined with Mme Zelenska shopping in Paris recently my first thought was that she was getting the homegoods for the house in Florida before everyone moved in. I was surprised to see him go back, I agree with @Lex above who stated that this is the likely high water mark of the war and it is denouement from here on especially if Biden thinks he is running in '24.
Posted by: super extra | Dec 23 2022 16:57 utc | 75
It can't live like that, so it won't.
Mark Thomason | Dec 23 2022 15:19 utc | 42
Sure they can. nato doesn't need a normal country, they will provide enough money and weapons to keep the puppets working just like they do now, the rest will die fighting or go to wash old people's butts in Italy.
The problem is that is already turning Russia into Syria, with strikes everywhere, car bombs, bridge bombs and himars over the border. There is no need for an Ukr army to have weekly terrorism, large enough to put people on the streets. You only need the logistics provided by a puppet government, money and training bases provided by nato-eu. It was an interview that it will take 5-7 years, don't remember exactly, to remove all mines Ukr shot at Donbass.
Posted by: rk | Dec 23 2022 17:00 utc | 76
“Epic Piece Of Theater" was "Daring" And "Bold" - neither O’Neill nor Shepard, rather Brechtian “Threepenny Opera.”
b - a bold and daring post from you - NOT, lol...
this is all theatre.. the americanos wouldn't have it any other way!! go hollywood... a perfect set up, planned in advance to tell the american public how all this money has to be spent on ukraine... it ain't going to ukraine.. it is going into the military and banking complex... get with the program.... the media is 110% on board with this too! if they are not - they will be fired, lol...
after all. it is only us$ and there is an endless supply of them to go around... meanwhile the usa decays from within.. homeless increases, but ignore all that and think of the apple pie and your favourite hollywood movie or actor and etc. etc... bury yourself in distractions!!
speaking of distractions, i happened to see william gruff posting yesterday... that was nice!
my hero - zelensky, lololol...
Posted by: james | Dec 23 2022 17:10 utc | 78
@72
My thoughts exactly. He’ll never live to see any on the money he’s appropriated.
When he’s no longer useful he’ll be toast.
Posted by: PalmaSailor | Dec 23 2022 17:11 utc | 79
Posted by: Outraged | Dec 23 2022 16:34 utc | 68
Calculating by the available average weight-to-area for M1A2 and T-90, they are approximately 2400kg / m2 and 1800kg / m2 respectively. Of course in reality the weight goes through the tracks, but I'd assume those track-to-area ratios are roughly the same, giving M1A2 roughly 33 % more weight-to-tracks. All this affects operating in semi-marshy terrain, soft ground and fuel efficiency negatively. My guess is that M1A1/A2 type tanks would be most useful as semi-stationary gun-platforms on some defensive line, not that useful in attacking maneuvers.
Posted by: unimperator | Dec 23 2022 17:14 utc | 80
i agree with the first 4 posts in this thread.... the only part i don't agree with is the idea that something big is going to happen on the battlefield.... i still can't see that myself richard... i will be happy to be proven wrong... i think this thing is going to drag on and on...
Posted by: james | Dec 23 2022 17:15 utc | 81
@ james | Dec 23 2022 17:10 utc | 78
I like Gruff too. But has anyone seen c1ue recently ? He’s another of my favourites.
Posted by: Featherless | Dec 23 2022 17:23 utc | 82
@ 55
Let me guess you and President Z have the same speech writer- ok he/ them/ it is from SoCal lives in Malibu and oh ya drives a Prius and wait for it ... totally loved Twitter before the coup.
And his NEW fav color is Olive!!
It's OK I like olive too!
Cheers
Posted by: Cocochanel | Dec 23 2022 17:23 utc | 83
@ Featherless | Dec 23 2022 17:23 utc | 82
c1ue must have taken a break... jackrabbit never came by either... i wonder where the moa auto wrecking dept is? lolol..
Posted by: james | Dec 23 2022 17:28 utc | 84
How much of the " US military assistance package for Ukraine " is actually " US military assistance for Ukraine ?"
Are the items listed by Outrage@15 actually worth 1.85 bn and 800 m? Will the US donate them free of charge? Or are they " leased", and will have to be paid for unless returned undamaged? ( The HIMARS, it appears, may actually be presents from EU or Germany. Paid for by Europeans, the US just being a middleman facilitating purchase and delivery ...)
Earlier US-Aid packages were great examples in creative accounting, with less than 10 % of the money going into weapons for Ukraine. 2-3 times the amount was earmarked to buy "replacements", i.e., the US Army would donate rusty old kit and buy themselves shiny new state of the art gear. "US military assistance package for Ukraine " would also pay for Us soldiers training Ukrainians, and to establish and maintain US military presence in Europe.
All very useful for the US army, for NATO and maybe even for Ukraine. Still, a bit cheeky to advertise the entire package as " US military assistance package for Ukraine " ...
Posted by: Marvin | Dec 23 2022 17:28 utc | 85
Vice President of the US holds up a SS logo as Congress applauds.
Posted by: Perimetr | Dec 23 2022 17:46 utc | 86
@ unimperator | Dec 23 2022 17:14 utc | 80
How does one drive the 73t MBT to & fro, relocate or redeploy, without destroying roads whilst avoiding bridges, in winter or during raputista ? M1 has better Power-to-weight ratio, so more nimble/responsive, though tracks are narrower compared to Soviet/RF, so higher ground pressure(IIRC). Oops.
Tactically, an MBT does not sit pat, static, in a revetment/berm/firing ramp or in defilade, each MBT has at least an alternate defensive firing position, preferably more which it can jostle between post target engagement or if taking incoming direct fire. An M1 that doesn't jostle from one defensive position to another is quickly destroyed/disabled, either by direct or indirect fire, other means. And the terrain churned up by the 73t MBT whilst doing so ? Then there is the issue of supplying sufficient specialist 'capable' (re 73t) tank repair/recovery tanks, crews, parts, etc. Otherwise abandonments for minor breakdowns/damage ...
Extremely wasteful re a valuable asset that is a significant logistical burden for AFU & highly vulnerable in a static defensive position without AD when RF has total Theater air dominance, drones, etc. Bad Hollywood empire PR ?
Ideal for combined arms maneuver warfare, on firm dry ground, yet AFU is far beyond that capability & it is winter ...
Anyways, AFU ain't gonna be lend-leased any, so ...
Outraged @ 68
Abrams tank is a product of General Dynamics. Which is property of the Crown (Krinsky) family of Chicago and Lithuania. Crowns are straight mafia. There is no need for them to sell a tank that works, it is a mafia shakedown. If you are interested in more see Bobby Baker, TFX, Jack Ruby, Julius Myer Schine.
Posted by: oldhippie | Dec 23 2022 17:47 utc | 88
Autocorrect strikes again. Not Julius, Junius. And if it does it again third letter od first name is an 'N'.
Posted by: oldhippie | Dec 23 2022 17:50 utc | 89
Is it just me, or what happened to the
https://t.me/azmilitary11
channel?
Btw james, I miss Gordog too.
Posted by: blueswede | Dec 23 2022 18:04 utc | 90
There will be no peace negotiations in Ukraine. There will be no Ukrainian surrender. After the Ukes are destroyed, Zelensky will encourage them to fight a guerilla war. Of course he'll do that from Miami or Tel Aviv. Or the US will get the Poles or Romania to get involved for real. This is about hegemony. World hegemony. The US is in rapid decline. Their backs are to the wall. They have to steal someone else's stuff to survive for a while longer. This isn't going to end well.
Posted by: Leroy | Dec 23 2022 18:07 utc | 91
Zelensky's trip seems aimed at stopping renegade republicans from forming any anti-Ukrainian war movement as one of its major PR goals. Tucker Carlson absolutely skewered Zelensky's speech and outlined the major talking points against it like health care for Americans. For the war mongers not a good development as Tucker is the voice of the populist right and also the anti-imperialist left (like all 30 of them) and he has become more and more vociferous.
Interesting but looks like Russians have figured out a way to locate Starlink terminals.
On the Western propaganda front, Ukraine is still winning the war.
Posted by: Erelis | Dec 23 2022 18:07 utc | 92
tuckers description of Elensky is the most appropriate.
The 'strip-club' owner from Ukraine who visited the Whitehouse.
Old hag Pelosi's fantasy courier...
Posted by: crazycanuck | Dec 23 2022 18:11 utc | 93
Perhaps the fact that it's Epic treason by Zelenskyy's sponsors and fellow money launderers...We have wounded vets sleeping under viaducts, or simply not getting adequate medical care, but they don't have Raytheon's lobbyists...
Posted by: pyrrhus | Dec 23 2022 18:14 utc | 94
@ oldhippie | Dec 23 2022 17:47 utc | 88
Lol :) Prost!
A tank moving on a combat course, defilade, & using alternate firing positions Youtube. Runtime: 1m 47s
US WWII stock training footage.
@ Perimetr | Dec 23 2022 17:46 utc | 86
i wonder how many will pick up on that??
@ blueswede | Dec 23 2022 18:04 utc | 90
yeah - gordog was great!
Posted by: james | Dec 23 2022 18:16 utc | 96
There is an interesting article at a French site that claims NATO has taken the decision to enter the war when Russia begins its winter offensive, and perhaps even before that. This has apparently been reported by a number of high level (but anonymous) sources. The article claims that the U.S. will not accept defeat in Ukraine and it looks like its EU vassals in NATO will go along with the plan to enter the war. Here's a link to the article (but your computer will need to translate it from French into your language):
Which redirected my computer to:
Posted by: OdessaConnected | Dec 23 2022 18:16 utc | 97
This is not a tightrope Ze can walk to the other side. He knows he's a dead "man" no matter how the other strands of history will run. I'm sure he knows that.
He won't be living in Antibes or Martha's Vineyard.
His performance may be interpreted in several ways, analogs abound. A comparison to Vietnam or to Libya are all about equal. How he was able to trapse his way halfway around the world to perform without being prevented is the mystery no one dares to answer.
Posted by: Elmagnostic | Dec 23 2022 18:20 utc | 98
Analysis: EU unity over Russia sanctions falters as Europe's economy wiltsBRUSSELS, Dec 19 (Reuters) - European Union unity over sanctions on Russia has started to falter as jitters about the impact on Europe's own stumbling economy weakens resolve to punish Moscow for war in Ukraine.
EU leaders agreed on Thursday to a ninth package of sanctions but talks were acrimonious, with Poland and the Baltic states that neighbour Russia campaigning for tougher measures, while states further west, such as Germany, were more hesitant.
Some, such as Belgium and Greece, as well as Hungary which still relies heavily on Russian energy imports, pushed back against further sweeping measures, EU diplomats told Reuters.
Posted by: ? | Dec 23 2022 18:26 utc | 99
@ OdessaConnected | Dec 23 2022 18:16 utc | 97
From your link:
On the subject of ammunition: “Ammunition stocks being what they are, what are we going to fight with? »In addition, the winter break would have been used to transfer Patriot and other systems that are not yet on the road.
2- According to other sources (French air base), Air Force officers receive intensive Russian language courses.
3 - According to other sources (army) orders for ammunition from African countries have been canceled by the French authorities, ammunition sent to Romania where French forces are stationed.
4- According to another senior officer in activity “There are 60 Rafale fighter planes left in France, of which at least 30 are no longer operational because we no longer have the financial means to maintain them. In fact, during the parade on July 14, all the airworthy planes gave their little demonstration to give the image of a country with a “strong” army, whereas we are completely exhausted. The American F35s have huge technical problems and are unusable. The 200 tanks in our possession are also not operational because they have been stored for a very long time in poor conditions and in addition, for lack of money, we cannot restore them”
The comments to this entry are closed.
Typical media. As Martyanov says every day, imbeciles and morons. As is Zelensky and those in Congress who applauded him.
Not actually worth commenting on, since by now it should be expected. I'm waiting for the real action to start, probably in a few weeks. Until then, hardly anything which is occurring in Ukraine is worth spending much time on. Karl is covering the external ramifications very well.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | Dec 23 2022 11:28 utc | 1