https://www.rt.com/news/575214-baltic-states-protest-china-ambassador-sovereignty/
Beijing’s ambassador in Paris called into question the sovereignty of former Soviet republics: Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.
very interesting what is, and where is, the international legally accepted and enforceable definition of sovereignty defined ?

Posted by: snake | Apr 23 2023 14:41 utc | 4

I am surprised by this finding:
https://www.rt.com/news/575192-us-taiwan-china-wargame/

Earlier this year, another Washington think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), ran 24 different wargame scenarios for a US-China conflict over Taiwan. The study found the US and Japan would emerge victorious but that they would lose dozens of warships, hundreds of planes and thousands of troops. Taiwan would be left in ruins, while China would lose hundreds of ships and aircraft, as well as tens of thousands of troops, the CSIS said.

Additional, Taiwan leader estimates war in 2027 if things continue as they are:
https://www.rt.com/news/575173-taiwan-foreign-minister-china-war-timeline/

Posted by: jared | Apr 23 2023 15:03 utc | 6

Additional, Taiwan leader estimates war in 2027 if things continue as they are:
So the unmarried, childless woman who acts as US puppet actually won the Jan 2024 election already ?

Posted by: Paul Greenwood | Apr 23 2023 15:16 utc | 8

@ my 5
And, of course, the most obvious gaining of sovereignty by invasion, regime change and occupation.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 23 2023 15:22 utc | 10

Let’s not forget, this whole business of determining sovereignty by means of elections is still pretty new. So it is no surprise there is still often a need to fix them to get the right result.
Let’s see all those purple thumbs, people!

Posted by: Chaka Khagan | Apr 23 2023 15:40 utc | 12

Interesting article on Sudan, Russia, USA.
“Putting everything together, the US plans to achieve the following strategic objectives by introducing the narrative that Russia is arming the RSF:
Entice Burhan to extend credence to these claims in exchange for US military support;
Demand that he also rescinds Russia’s naval base rights and cuts off its overflight access to the CAR;
– Consider direct support to the SAF on the pretext of commencing an “evacuation operation” in Sudan;
– Discredit Russia and the UAE’s African engagement policies by framing both as “destabilizing forces”;
– Attempt to provoke a crisis in Russia’s relations with Sudan’s Chadian and Egyptian neighbors;
– Exploit the above scenario to assemble a regional coalition for pushing back against Russia in Africa;
– Encourage Chad to support a French-backed rebel/terrorist offensive in the Russian-allied CAR;
– Plot a copycat proxy war in Russian-allied Mali in order to crush the Kremlin’s influence in the Sahel;
– Perfect this new Hybrid War method prior to employing it all across the continent;
– And thus turn Africa into the top proxy war battleground of the New Cold War.
The US therefore has many reasons to push this fake news campaign, though it’s unclear whether it’ll ultimately achieve any of its envisaged objectives or not.”
https://www.theautomaticearth.com/2023/04/us-tries-blame-russia-for-sudan-deep-state-war/

Posted by: daffyDuct | Apr 23 2023 15:54 utc | 14

Per Intel Slava Z the US evacuated its embassy in Sudan yesterday (last night).
https://t.me/intelslava/47109
(Also, Intel Slava Z is available to Telegram non-members again)

Posted by: Mary | Apr 23 2023 16:04 utc | 16

Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 23 2023 14:56 utc | 5
True, but only when the US does those things. Sovereignty for row is defined by kowtowing to the US.

Posted by: Mary | Apr 23 2023 16:13 utc | 18

Hermit: all jokes about being well rid of Texas (or California) aside, it’s difficult to imagine any Congress’s consenting to a secession, even less a SCOTUS willing to overturn Texas v. White. Secession would almost of necessity have to be violent—although as I’ve mentioned before, several states would dissolve in the process.

Posted by: malenkov | Apr 23 2023 16:53 utc | 20

anyone with a brain: “this inflation bullshit is just greedflation.”
MSM/99.9% of financial reporters: “STFU tin foil hatters! you don’t get the invisible hand!”
“Albert Edwards, a global strategist at the 159-year-old bank Société Générale”: “this inflation bullshit is just greedflation.”
MSM/99.9% of financial reporters: “such sage and wise words from a true oracle!”
bunch of assholes.

Posted by: the pair | Apr 23 2023 17:32 utc | 22

@ waynorinorway.. thanks! i am in seville at the moment with a head cold! still seeing lots.. back may 9th and will comment more when back.. cheers james
ps, went to the largest privately owned palace earlier today called plaza de pilatos.. the arabic influences are really on display in both he tile work, or art of building and in the art form flamenco.. we have gone to two shows of flamenco in the lpast four days.. all in all it is quite stimulating and the locals seem friendly enough.. i cant access rt news however.. that is interesting!

Posted by: james | Apr 23 2023 18:03 utc | 24

Today is the “74th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy” and many of its bases and ships were opened to the public as announced in this article, “PLA Navy’s 3rd aircraft carrier Fujian holds propulsion tests; more Chinese carriers to be built”:

From Saturday to Monday, the PLA Navy is holding barracks-open events in 22 cities and displaying warships in active service to the public.
In Qingdao, East China’s Shangdong Province, one of the main event sites, the Type 052D destroyer Kaifeng, the Type 054A frigate Daqing, the comprehensive replenishment ship Kekexilihu and the comprehensive submarine rescue ship Hongzehu are open for the public to visit.
These are some of the PLA Navy’s main combat and support vessels, and their opening to the public is an encapsulation of the PLA Navy’s rapid development over the past two decades, showing the PLA Navy’s confidence and serving as a good opportunity for national defense education, observers said….
The PLA Navy’s development comes as China is facing traditional security threats from the sea, including in the Taiwan Straits, the South China Sea and the East China Sea, where external forces like the US continue to make provocations by sending warships and warplanes for close-in reconnaissance operations, exercises and transits, as well as arming the island of Taiwan and countries in the region in an attempt to contain China militarily….
With its rapid and continued development, the PLA Navy serves as a maritime “Great Wall” that safeguards China’s sovereignty, protects national maritime interests, tackles multiple security threats and carry out diverse military missions, analysts said.

Lots of info and additional links to more about China’s Navy.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 18:32 utc | 26

james | Apr 23 2023 18:03 utc | 24
Thanks james. We’re in the same time zone then.
Bummer about the head cold.
Stay safe, Vancouver Island needs you!

Posted by: waynorinorway | Apr 23 2023 18:59 utc | 28

Very forceful editorial aimed at EU vassalage, “Borrell and his likes should avoid leading Europe into a ditch”. Its opening salvo:

The European Parliament just spent a whole week discussing China, and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell will convene foreign ministers from across EU on April 24 local time to discuss the same topic. In anticipation of this meeting, Borrell published a column on April 22 urging the EU to take a more active role in the Taiwan question and calling for European navies to patrol the Taiwan Straits.
This highly provocative statement immediately attracted a lot of attention, especially in light of the fact that the South Korean leader made similarly incorrect remarks about Taiwan around the same time. We can reasonably assume that the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, held in Japan not long ago, discussed the Taiwan question in a coordinated manner, and the result was that Washington’s will was more fully implemented. For Europe and South Korea, this is not only a sad loss of independence, but also means moving closer to meaningless risks.
Borrell has been criticized for engaging in “gunboat diplomacy,” which is more of a sarcastic mockery than a criticism. This not only reminds people of the infamous colonial history, which is still missed by some Europeans, but also makes it more repugnant that Europe cannot let go of the idea of interfering in Asia-Pacific affairs despite its absolute decline in power and being mired in multiple difficulties. Just like a senile old man who has long been out of touch with the times, if European warships still want to show off their might in the Pacific today, the result would only be an embarrassing failure. For the People’s Liberation Army, which has powerful strength to defend its homeland, facing European warships that come to provoke and show off is not even worth raising an eyebrow. We advise them not to bring shame upon themselves.
Borrell is known as the “foreign minister” of Europe, but the extent of his representativeness is debatable. Most Europeans, especially ordinary people, neither understand nor care about Taiwan. What they are really concerned about is whether their lives can be guaranteed and improved in the context of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict and difficult economic recovery. However, Borrell’s article reflects that there is indeed a political force within Europe that always divides ideological boundaries and holds a cold war mentality toward China. Regardless of whether there is a shadow of the US behind Borrell, it’s clear this part of the political force is deeply influenced by the US.

That Borrell was made to do an about-face on China there’s no doubt as the editorial continues:

What is confusing is that just a week before Borrell made his remarks on Taiwan question, he posted an emotional review on social media on April 13 of his three visits to China. He praised the tremendous achievements made by China since the reform and opening up, and called for further enhancing EU-China public diplomacy and cultural exchanges and working together to solve global issues. Prior to this, Borrell also expressed that the EU would not follow the US in adopting strict economic and trade restriction policies against China.
It gives people the impression that Borrell has a split personality when dealing with China. This kind of contradictory attitude toward China is quite common among European elites. Specifically speaking, it is not complicated. He wants to take advantage of both sides. From the perspective of Europe’s own interests, it is unwilling to “decouple” with China and needs to cooperate with China on global issues. It wants to maintain exchanges with China because of the importance of China-EU relations to Europe. On the other hand, European politicians represented by Borrell have been brainwashed by Washington on the Taiwan question without knowing it, and it is difficult to quit the addiction of being human rights and ideology lecturers. Borrell and his likes are self-righteously trying to manage this contradiction and want to achieve a balance, but this is harder than walking a tightrope, and it is a mission impossible.

Pepe Escobar a few days ago announce the Atlantic was now located in the South China Sea and here we have confirmation of what at the time was a cryptic remark. The Western Europe portion of Eurasia is economically dependent on the rest of the continent. As I’ve noted repeatedly in commentary, decoupling from Eurasia will cripple those nations who try. Glenn Diesen has written an excellent book on the topic, Europe as the Western Peninsula of Greater Eurasia: Geoeconomic Regions in a Multipolar World, whose content can be appraised by an essay he wrote for the Journal of Eurasian Studies having a similar title, “Europe as the Western Peninsula of Greater Eurasia”. I should note the 9 page essay was published in 2021 and much has changed since as Europe is now on its knees economically and the Outlaw US Empire isn’t in much better condition.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 19:00 utc | 30

Likklemore | Apr 23 2023 19:00 utc | 29–
Thanks very much for providing that info. The suit ought to be a Class Action and name a much larger suite of criminals.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 19:07 utc | 32

The inflation of our current time, meant to last 2-3 years, is just a deliberate policy to make real wages more competitive and reduce not just the real cost not just of labor, but also of debt, in particular mortgages. Currently the real rate of interest on mortgages is around -5% to -9%, in practice a licence to print money. It is case of internal devaluation.
There are 3 ways to do a devaluation:
* External: make the exchange rate fall so wages and debt, expressed in foreign “hard” currency, become cheaper.
* Internal in nominal terms: squeeze the economy with a recession, to make nominal wages fall. Unfortunately this is also likely to impact negatively real estate and other assets.
* Internal in real terms: make non-labor prices increase, which at the same time reduces real labor costs and increases real asset incomes, usually.
The third option was the choice in the 60s and 70s, and again this decade.

Posted by: Blissex | Apr 23 2023 19:22 utc | 34

Posted by: daffyDuct | Apr 23 2023 15:54 utc | 14
Good article, short and to the point. Thanks for posting.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 23 2023 19:41 utc | 36

Posted by: daffyDuct | Apr 23 2023 15:54 utc | 14
Good article, short and to the point. Thanks for posting.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 23 2023 19:41 utc | 36
Damnit wish there was an edit function. I forgot to mention the inherent inconsistency laid bare in the article. Which is it? Is – as CNN, one of the sources cited by The Automatic Earth author – Russia running out of ammo and personnel or is Wagner taking part in two separate wars involving heavy tactical equipment and weaponry? The Western corporate news media can’t seem to make up its mind.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 23 2023 19:45 utc | 38

Many people in the US, especially in the government and media, wrongly equate elections with democracy, or government by the people. Biden is big on that. China is evidence that the election advocates are wrong. Chinese people get good results from their government, US citizens get bought-and-paid for politicians. And just compare the biographies of Xi and Biden (and Hillary OMG), including their capabilities.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 23 2023 19:42 utc | 37
Well I have to agree, I think that elections are mainly a way to gain legitimacy in their eyes, and already any dirty tactic is OK if you get away with it. Nowadays US Pols live in the media bubble and rarely venture outside it. (Hey, it’s just like living in the Matrix!)

Posted by: Bemildred | Apr 23 2023 20:03 utc | 40

A rare admission from a US/Wall Street source.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-18/china-s-economic-growth-bounces-back-as-consumers-spend-again?

China’s economy grew at the fastest pace in a year in the first quarter, putting Beijing on track to meet its growth goal for the year without adding major stimulus, while also helping to cushion the global economy against a downturn.
Gross domestic product expanded 4.5% last quarter from a year earlier, official data showed Tuesday, beating economists’ expectations. In March, retail sales soared 10.6% from a year earlier, the biggest monthly gain since June 2021.

China is continuing to blitz the United States in almost every sector of superpower politics. As Western economies are being relentlessly pushed into recession by their central banks, China post-Covid economy is booming back into high gear. So much so that the global economy will be relying on demand from China to save it from itself. (It is not all roses. Like the rest of the world, China has a big problem with high youth unemployment.)
China has played this saviour role before. In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis 15 years ago, it was state-sponsored spending by China that shielded Australia and New Zealand from the worst of the GFC fallout. Clearly, PM Chris Hipkins should have been flying to Beijing to find new ways to foster our trade relationship, while reminding China that we’re not (yet) lining up against it in the AUKUS pact.
Instead, Hipkins has headed off to the Coronation, after which he will reportedly be talking over the teacups with the British about ways to finesse our relatively insignificant trade deal with them.
Among a lot of other things, Beijing is also emerging as a major global rival for Tesla on the development and uptake of EVs.
“This year will have new energy vehicles rising close to 10 million units [ie, a third of all auto sales] and their volume in 2035 will be at least 25 million units and they will account for 80% of all new vehicles sold,” said Ouyang Minggao, professor of automotive engineering at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 23 2023 20:16 utc | 42

Hermit: I repeat herewith my request that you divulge or create a site that collocates all of your writings. 🙂
Anyone re democracy: I can’t find the quote, but King Bhumibol Adulyadej once said that he was a democrat because he honored the will of his people. That might strike us as amusing or absurd, but I submit that a king who honors the will of his people is a better example of democracy than a body of elected representatives who consistently flout that will.

Posted by: malenkov | Apr 23 2023 20:46 utc | 44

Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 23 2023 14:56 utc | 5
The question of sovereignty is not a political one but a symbolic one. Blind Freddie knows that sovereignty means zip without the capacity to defend it. This is why Aristotle would fall off his perch laughing if you tried to convince him of ‘basic human rights’: there is only dunamis (‘capacity to act’—consider a word for the elite in Athens: dunotatoi ‘those most capable’).
What people talk about when they say ‘sovereignty’ is legitimacy. That is, who is authorised in such a way that the result of their action will be effective? If I am asked to marry a couple my words will not produce a married couple; when a civic celebrant or priest speaks those same words the result is effective. This is because, in relation to the ritual, I lack sovereignty.
You’d be right if you then said: “But this depends on the consent of the audience who recognise that authority to act”. Sovereignty only works if it is recognised by a community of actors. Bourgeois societies separate the sovereign figures from the political ones (like the UK, Australia, etc and ‘constitutional monarchies’) or contain them with other forms of power (USA). They do this because sovereigns make excellent charismatic lightning rods that can instigate revolution very quickly (e.g., the tyrants of archaic Greece). This is why the Dems fear Trump. The Presidency in the USA is potentially fatal to the established order there, which is why assassinations occur but also how FDR pulled off the New Deal—’executive orders’. The history of Roman political thought is a history of how to create and formalise new sources of legitimate power.
Now obviously this becomes very tricky with nation states. There is a three-way contradiction between the national integrity of a state that is recognised by the ‘international community’ (but what authority does that have? The UN was never given it, perhaps for good reasons), the fiction of borders, ethnicities, traditions etc, and the economic desires of groups which have a vested interest in dissolving sovereignty wherever they find it (transnational corporations are only the latest and most blatant example historically). Ultimately what sets our teeth on edge about the USA is not that the powerful can act as they wish but the bullshit narrative that justifies it. These are hard to disentangle though because sovereignty needs a narrative of legitimacy.
The USA simply cannot accept (in the way that the Third Reich could) that it pursues its end with violence without some moral justification. So long as its allies—and even its enemies—buy that justification it works.
But here’s the rub: the USA’s global hegemonic moral justification is the protection of the sovereignty of other states. Talk about painting yourself into a corner. The Romans are laughing in their sarcophagi.
So, kiddies, the moral of this story is that sovereignty in itself is theatre. What matters, as the Russians teach us daily, is being able first to define who you are as a sovereign group and second to be resist those who threaten it.

Posted by: Patroklos | Apr 23 2023 21:21 utc | 46

Lavrov’s calling out the Outlaw US Empire’s “ugly behavior” as having “chickened out” for its refusal to provide visas for Russian media to cover Lavrov’s appearance at the UNSC needs to be spread virally as he suggests:

Of course, I understood how famous our American colleagues are for this kind of thing, but I was sure that this time, given the attention drawn to their ugly behavior, everything would be different. I was wrong.
A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, freest and fairest, chickened out and did the stupid thing of showing what its sworn assurances about protecting freedom of speech and access to information are really worth.
We will also have to work for you and show more energy, put more effort to convey the truth to the world community and the public.
Try to keep track of what we will do there and spread this truth through our channels. I am convinced that there will be much more interest in it all over the world than in the “filtered” information that our Western colleagues are lowering on the heads of their viewers, listeners and readers.
Most importantly, rest assured that we will not forget or forgive it. [My Emphasis]

The MFA’s official English translation differs slightly.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if in 2024-5 there’s a call by either Russia or China to remove the UN from the Outlaw US Empire to another location within the Global South–Africa or Southeast Asia are my guesses. That’s what Lavrov’s bolded promise implies IMO.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 21:33 utc | 48

Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Apr 23 2023 21:30 utc | 47
The problem with Trump is that he never used that Presidential potential because he’s too invested in the established order. He’s a landlord, stockholder, etc. So his brand of populism is about containing the revolutionary potential of the American poor not releasing it, not unlike early 20th century fascisms in Europe which were very acceptable to big Capital because it redirected those energies into phantom enemies. This is why woke identity politics is with us, the cul-de-sac of race, the past, gender, etc. The only struggle is the class struggle, and hence the only important time is the future. But the ruling classes in the USA defuse that with spectres and fears. Trump is part of that show, promising radical change, delivering the opposite. Now, if Trump were truly interested in transformation and MAGA it would be necessary to kill him.
This is why it is so interesting that RFK’s son might be Trump’s main opponent. There’s true charisma: the son of the man who truly did want to transform America and liberate the poor. RFK Jr is the one to watch because we know he was prepared to fight to wire over vaccines and he wrote a book on it, so he’s an intellectual of a kind. But he has the aristocrat’s edge: blue blood from Camelot! The return of Arthur! Revolutions led by heroic aristocrats who show disdain for money and wealth terrify the elite because they cannot be bought and hold to concepts like honour. If RFK can convince voters of his conviction the combo he represents could be incredible. And then they’ll assassinate him.

Posted by: Patroklos | Apr 23 2023 21:47 utc | 50

Posted by: Deplorable Commissar | Apr 23 2023 21:30 utc | 47

…what can Trump do in his second term that he couldn’t do in his first ?

Trump could be physically assassinated in a second term. I doubt he would be able to do much else.

Posted by: lex talionis | Apr 23 2023 21:50 utc | 52

karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 21:44 utc | 48, 49
____
Thank you, karlof1. Withholding visas from legitimate UN attendees seems to be a glaring violation of the spirit of the UN charter, if not established rules. It is also a surprising public display of ugly, petty petulance … and ultimately impotence. This is especially ironic, coming so soon after US-Westworld’s Summit for Hypocrisy.
It must be hard to choose what to emphasize in Lavrov’s pithy messages. This is especially encouraging, although Israel has made the two-state solution extremely difficult:
“Today, the Palestinian problem, which is more important than ever in the Middle East settlement process, is far from being resolved. All the more urgent is the common task of restoring a peaceful horizon and reaffirming the universally recognised international legal basis for a settlement, including the two-state formula.

Posted by: Doug Hillman | Apr 23 2023 22:46 utc | 54

Hermit | Apr 23 2023 18:32 utc
The USA collapse is eminent, but not entirely fatal. Expert analysis of the available information and deeds done by industry, over zealous political forces, and a more than willing ignorant programmed population is that it will proceed in a rather phased 4-10 year event that one expert personally told me would be the ‘time of tears’. Re-organization will take another 8 or so years, probably starting after the initial 4 year period. My calculation is that there will be a 75-80% rapid to gradual collapse of the population over this period, along with the collapse of all the participating westernized world in somewhat a lesser degree. This is mainly due to over reporting in the lesser countries, that are more corrupt, but with a general population that is much less trusting of the US Government. Europe is significantly worse off. Canada is ‘toast’ and so is Australia along with most of SE Asia (85-90%).
The moral of this event is not to dip into Pandora’s box and attempt to bear fruit and offend the work of GOD. Man has not learned to live in harmony, yet.

Posted by: T S | Apr 23 2023 23:09 utc | 56

I really urge b to do a follow-up to his Biden laptop article given the newly revealed info by Caleb Maupin and others as this notes, “Suppression of ‘Laptop From Hell’ Story Was ‘Partisan Political Move by Anthony Blinken'”:

New developments in the story of Hunter Biden’s infamous laptop suggest that US intelligence officials were involved in “blatant partisan activity” aimed at affecting the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in the United States.
Journalist and political analyst Caleb Maupin has weighed in on recent revelations about members of the US intelligence community helping to suppress the story of Hunter Biden’s “laptop from hell” in 2020, when the story posed a risk to the presidential ambitions of Hunter’s dad, Joe Biden.
During a conversation with Sputnik, Maupin pointed out that claims about Hunter’s laptop being some kind of Russian conspiracy meant to interfere with US elections – claims based on a letter signed by some 51 US intelligence officials – turned out to be false: the laptop and the data on Biden family’s shady dealings it contained are quite real.

Between the Twitter Files and this massive fraud bigger than Watergate (what should we name it?), IMO there’s enough evidence to impeach, sack, then charge, criminally prosecute, and sentence to Life a massive number of people of various stripes. If anything, the Jan 6 people were all correct to revolt, and many more should have joined them.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 23:29 utc | 58

just somebody | Apr 23 2023 22:52 utc | 55–
There’s no Communism. There’s Collectivism and mixed economies with heavy amounts of “public goods” included in the mix.
Doug Hillman | Apr 23 2023 22:46 utc | 54–
Thanks for your reply. Big problem is most people have no clue because of BigLie Media censorship, as with a plethora of other issues. Brings new meaning to American Pie.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 23:37 utc | 60

Recall that Lavrov, his wife, his daughter and his step-daughter have been sanctioned by the rules-base international order-keeper Biden and his Treasury henchmen. The Justice Department’s enforcement of these new measures has been led by Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement[sic] task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 23 2023 23:47 utc | 62

@karlof1 | Apr 23 2023 23:58 utc | 63
The only answer the Republicans or Democrats have is “screw the poor”. The poor are those with capital of less than about 3 to 6 million depending on location, or dependent on a job, pension or state/federal income on any way, includes those reliant on medications, energy, water or food.
RFK’s family money, which exceeds $1.2 billion unless their money managers are utterly incompetent, is from mafia dominated sectors, and his son was a mercenary in the Ukraine, working for the Nazi’s. Given that apples don’t fall very far from trees, I think that anyone placing hopes here is more delusional than those vesting their hopes in Trump.
@Scorpion | Apr 23 2023 23:19 utc | 57
I still think that, given a voice, (Twitter?), Gabbard could do it with relative ease.
@T S | Apr 23 2023 23:09 utc | 56
Between your 70% to 80% and my 95% (based on the same model as was used by the CRS in the EMP studies) is not much wriggle room. The difference between 1 in 10 and 3 in 10 is not a whole lot of room to navigate through.

Posted by: Hermit | Apr 24 2023 1:00 utc | 64

Deplorable Commissar | Apr 23 2023 21:30 utc | 47
Idont think there will be a revolution in the USA either.
Also, the USA will not disband, in fact it will probably expand. Think about it. Canada has less than 100 battle tanks and 200 pieces of artillery. They cannot defend themselves their defense capabilities are absurd.
Chinese actions will be the catalyst for a new American Union between USA and Canada, as Nato was for Russia and Belarus.
Security will be the driver. The Chinese police stations in the USA and Chinese Security forces now in Canada under an agreement Truedo signed in late 2020 allowing Chinese to use their own security personnel to protect THEIR Canadian investments, will be reason.
This New American Union makes sense at many levels. It provides an excuse to limit Chinese imports and develop USA manufacturing of higher cost replacements. But perhaps more importantly, the combined USA and Canadian energy, materials, and agricultural base will permit them to retain the dollar’s supremacy. It wouldn’t be the petrodollar, it will be the Resources-dollar instead. Just what Putin and companions want. The big benefit is that US and Canada have this large resource base under their direct control. Now they can play the markets like a new Western version of OPEC, (of course, with the help of a few greedy accomplices along the way).
Security will also be an excuse to stop and clean up the migrant mess.
My point here is to present an alternative perspective that shows there are many ways the hand we see before us can be played. I don’t think anyone is going to fold their hand and leave the table in the near future.

Posted by: Jerr | Apr 24 2023 1:17 utc | 66

@jared | 6
CSIS is a neocon propaganda rag (bambaclaat) that has been wrong about pretty much everything it has ever “predicted” or “reported” on. Literally nothing that it “analyzes” should be believed. Currently the CSIS claims that Ukraine is winning, Russia is haemmoraghing troops, and Ukraine is poised to take back Crimea and the Donbass in its “coming offensive”.
The only source regarding war games that can be trusted is the US Military, and that institution has made it clear that every game it has run since ~2000 (last tally 18, but probably more, now) in a war over Taiwan the US has lost catastrophically.
If the US cannot win against Russia with 1.2 million troops in Ukraine (and counting–6 mobilizations already!), then how is it going to win against Chinese hypersonic anti-ship missiles and a submarine fleet that’s operating just off-shore from the Chinese coastline?
Add to that th threat from North Korea plus the emerging alliance with Russia–which I am sure will happily supply hypersonic missile tech to China that could easily wipe out most of the US presence on Guam and Okinawa (in addition to China’s own Dongfeng missiles) and it’s clear that any war between the US and China would certainly push US influence out of most of the eastern Pacific, permanently.
Ignore anything that comes out of the CSIS, and urge anyone who believes that trash to do the same.

Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | Apr 24 2023 1:33 utc | 68

RFK’s family money, which exceeds $1.2 billion unless their money managers are utterly incompetent, is from mafia dominated sectors, and his son was a mercenary in the Ukraine, working for the Nazi’s. Given that apples don’t fall very far from trees, I think that anyone placing hopes here is more delusional than those vesting their hopes in Trump.
@Scorpion | Apr 23 2023 23:19 utc | 57
There isn’t anything much more dispiriting to contemplate than the US political landscape, that’s for sure. Countries have many layers and levels, of course, just like individuals. On some levels, the populace does actually matter. The system is rigged to minimize this but there is something there.
I watched RFK’s full speech. There is something there too. What you say about their family may be fair. They have been up there for a while. But I find it hard to believe that someone whose uncle and father were murdered and who has then gone on to take on huge companies like Monsanto and GE and who spearheaded a legal initiative that turned the Hudson from one of the most polluted rivers in the US to one of the best in the developed world (as measured by fish per volume of water) is entirely crooked.
Policy-wise he said many good things. In terms of Ukraine I find his position distasteful.And I don’t trust anyone running as either a Dem or Rep.
That said, he has the potential to garner significant, widespread support and with such support he might have sufficient political capital to tackle tough dynamics. Might.
Most likely the US has to be starved into submission at which point all bets are off as to how it will play out. Personally, I think the best option for American people (which is mainly all I care about and that not much given I voted with my feet to live elsewhere) is to push for various State secessions as a simple way to break up the Union. At the very least the effort will expose further corruption as well as maybe opening avenues to other things. It’s a lever that can at least be attempted to be used, put it that way though Presidential elections are huge distractions which effectively obfuscate such approaches. But that said, and again, I think RFK has the potential to become a truly galvanizing figure.
If he stays within usual political parameters, ie the Democrat Political Party machine, then even if electorally successful he will be another Trump who garners significant support by promising substantive reform and then fails to deliver. But for We the People to have any chance at reforming things from the top via a presidential election (which I personally doubt is possible at this stage but) something extraordinary has to take place, a sea-change, one symptom of which might be a significant wave of support in the political-electoral arena. Despite his very painful, obviously traumatized, voice, he’s the first pol I’ve seen in a while who has the potential to serve in that sort of iconic capacity without just being purely for show – like Obama for instance.
Tulsi? There have been some effective hit pieces on her showing her endorsements of Killary and Hiden which are truly cringe. She lacks weight and punch though speaks well. The times require someone larger than life. But again, more likely is decline and collapse. The notion of someone leading the charge on behalf of the people is romantic but not realistic. Still, it IS possible and so….

Posted by: Scorpion | Apr 24 2023 1:53 utc | 70

Sorry but I’m still not quite grasping the theory that the WEF actually wants to implement communism when they say “You will own nothing and be happy.” I’m also not falling for the notion that Western leaders are intentionally trying to destroy the West in the interest of China or Russia or whoever “the East” means.
On the first count, what Schwabb was saying with the quote about owning nothing is that the economy (in the West and all over the world) will become almost a completely rentier-based system where only a select few own all the goods, property, and provide the services and the rest of us will be renting from them continuously without owning anything ourselves. This is borne out in the software industry where when you used to be able to buy a CD or download an executable that installed a fully functional program on your computer, and it could be used with no web connectivity or any further registrations, now everything “production” or “creative” related has moved to the monthly subscription model and hosted on the cloud. Adobe, Microsoft, most project management and accounting software for businesses. Try calling Microsoft and telling them you want to buy MS Office as a standalone, one-time bundle and they will talk you in circles trying to convince you to just subscribe to their monthly service. I forget the name of it, but of course the word “office” is part.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 24 2023 2:14 utc | 72

@Likklemore 29:
Concerning the Iraq war. I’ve talked to many American storm troopers and was told a most interesting story about the real reason. Concerns archaeology. Specifically the museum an a dig. Total of 20 minutes. Go to 8 minute mark if in a hurry.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nZQVvR9li5Y

Posted by: Ancient Times | Apr 24 2023 2:42 utc | 74

Posted by: Ancient Times | Apr 24 2023 2:42 utc | 73
Gotta say that’s a pretty interesting theory. If everything the video says is true about scientists/archaeologists being kicked out, it’s also pretty compelling, although I doubt the ENTIRE invasion was really about the tomb of Gilgamesh. Germany is a US vassal as we have all learned and I’m sure they’d share anything they found with “us”. That said, I’m sure a TON of extremely important artifacts were looted by the “coalition” forces.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 24 2023 3:57 utc | 76

lex:
How funny – “…given the “signs of Communist or extreme left-wing nationalists infiltration into civilian government positions”
Infiltration of leftists. LMAO, I suppose he meant by way of elections and elected leaders appointing others to certain positions.
I share your doubts about RFK Jr. or any rich and well connected politician. They only seem to get richer and more well connected after they’re elected and the Kennedy clan is by no means an exception.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 24 2023 4:07 utc | 78

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 24 2023 4:07 utc | 77
It’s so sad and stupid. Perhaps in time we can laugh some time in the future. Tragedy + Time = Humor
Right now it’s just depressing. But I don’t care. At least I can have a chat with other somewhat like minded people. I did a bit of a deep dive into Brazil for some work stuff. Found a bunch of Kennedy stuff on NSA Archives. I have never understood the allure with the Kennedy klan. But I was born in ’67. There is a great bar across the street from where the Ambassador Hotel once stood on 3400 Wilshire Blvd in LA, the HMS Bounty. I used to work right by there. I think I saw the ghost of RFK having a drink with some chick in polka dots, but I was fairly lit by then.

Posted by: lex talionis | Apr 24 2023 4:24 utc | 80

Posted by: lex talionis | Apr 24 2023 4:24 utc | 79
Well, the allure with JFK is somewhat easy to understand even discounting the Camelot bullshit from when it was contemporaneous. Whether or not they carried it out, covered it up or both (and who else could do both?) the CIA definitely didn’t like him. And if you subscribe to the “my enemy’s enemy is my friend” maxim (at least in some cases), then like me, you may be inclined to want another president like that. Anyone the CIA and big oil/fossil fuels doesn’t like is probably someone I could be convinced – with the right amount of arm twisting from a wife or lover – to vote for. LOL

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Apr 24 2023 4:42 utc | 82

humans are very sneaky
they look around the world
and think they can overcome
control everything,
except themselves
have a good week, ya”all

Posted by: Dingo | Apr 24 2023 5:29 utc | 84

Posted by: Ancient Times | Apr 24 2023 3:13 utc | 74
Wow! Thanks. Quite a resource for those who like digging.

Posted by: Scorpion | Apr 24 2023 5:49 utc | 86

The Waste is scrambling to evacuate their embassies in Sudan. Russia isn’t in any hurry. Afghanistan vibes.
https://t.me/UAexposed/199480

Posted by: unimperator | Apr 24 2023 6:24 utc | 88

karlof1 #58

Between the Twitter Files and this massive fraud bigger than Watergate (what should we name it?),

for the laptop: Hiltery Gate? or Hullery Gate perhaps.

IMO there’s enough evidence to impeach, sack, then charge, criminally prosecute, and sentence to Life a massive number of people of various stripes.

Agreed, but as in Hillarygate and the email scam no one gets prosecuted, she holds a get out of jail free card and so will Hunter.
As you so rightly point out, the little people strolling about on Jan 6 get busted, flogged and incarcerated. Proudhon comes to mind…

“To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so. To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, taxed, stamped, measured, numbered, assessed, licensed, authorized, admonished, prevented, forbidden, reformed, corrected, punished. It is, under pretext of public utility, and in the name of the general interest, to be placed under contribution, drilled, fleeced, exploited, monopolized, extorted from, squeezed, hoaxed, robbed; then, at the slightest resistance, the first word of complaint, to be repressed, fined, vilified, harassed, hunted down, abused, clubbed, disarmed, bound, choked, imprisoned, judged, condemned, shot, deported, sacrificed, sold, betrayed; and to crown all, mocked, ridiculed, derided, outraged, dishonored. That is government; that is its justice; that is its morality.”
― Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, General Idea of the Revolution in the Nineteenth Century

Julian Assange and the Palestinian oppressed come to mind.

Posted by: uncle tungsten | Apr 24 2023 7:25 utc | 90

Posted by: Hermit | Apr 24 2023 6:38 utc | 88
My friend runs an aggregator site that migrated from his old One Democratic State site that used to have a lot about this issue.
https://legacy.sitrepworld.info/Home.html

Posted by: Scorpion | Apr 24 2023 7:36 utc | 92

(Just putting this out for anyone who cares, which I can’t say is many)
Continuing from the previous open thread:
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/04/ukraine-open-thread-2023-96.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef02b68534f2c6200d#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef02b68534f2c6200d
As alluded to previously, the RT website has posting rules, the first few of which are as follows:

Your post will be deleted if it is
* rude, insulting, a personal attack, abusive, derogatory or defamatory, sexual in nature
Your post will be deleted for containing
* hate speech; racist, sexist, homophobic slurs; if it is discriminatory
* incitement; advocates violence, public disorder or criminal behavior
…
Opinions and information contained in the comments belong to the authors of the comments. While RT strives to keep all objectionable messages off the site, it will not be held responsible for the content of comments posted by users. If you come across a comment that you think should be brought to the attention of the moderators, please use the feedback form to share your concerns.

I admit I have been doing this ever since RT moved to Disqus. Sometimes it works (commentary in question is deleted), sometimes it doesn’t. In the latter case, if the comment turns out to not have broken said rules after all, much as I disagree with it, I shrug and move on, not letting it ruin my day any longer.
Within 24 hours of the article‘s publication, at least one reader posted: (names have been omitted)

Like for like. So now it should be acceptable for the RF to strike Germany for their esculation & weapons supply to their nazi family. Time to do what should have been done @ the end of the www2 destroy Germany TOTALLY with a SARMAT. [emphasis mine]

Another wrote:

Obviously, not enough Germans were exterminated during WW II. The Morgenthau Plan should have been implemented.

As of this writing these two comments and then some (e.g. a comment advocating for Germany to be nuked) still remain on even after filing a complaint to RT. Either I did so at a bad time (doesn’t seem to work on weekends like it does on weekdays – maybe that’s why?), or somehow said commentary is not considered, and I quote,

incitement; advocates violence, public disorder or criminal behavior

In the end, I guess I shouldn’t expect much in the way of intelligent discussion from RT readership as much as I do here. At least the barflies here are aware that Germany isn’t a sovereign nation, instead a puppet state controlled by Washington (and London?) since 1945.

Posted by: joey_n | Apr 24 2023 9:05 utc | 94

… It appears impossible to diagnose Westworld’s compound mental disorders. “Criminally insane” isn’t quite adequate.
Posted by: Doug Hillman | Apr 23 2023 21:48 utc | 51
Kleptophrenia?

Posted by: anon2020 | Apr 24 2023 9:20 utc | 96

About a decade ago, my late uncle, who had been tear-gassed by the IOF while participating in a demonstration, had told me then that a two state solution wasn’t possible. When I countered with talkpoints of conventional wisdom, he explained to me how the shrewd machinations of Israel in its obsessive pursuit of Eretz (ersatz) Israel had deliberately foreclosed that possibility. He also explained how this Greater (sic) Israel was conceived to achieve world dominion. At the time, I thought that was quite a stretch. How naïve.
Posted by: Doug Hillman | Apr 24 2023 13:02 utc | 96
Nothing is too stupid but the Zionist Jingos will consider it golden.
The last time two-states might have been possible was the nineties (Oslo), and Bibi put paid to that by the turn of the millenium. Meanwhile like the USA they have been assiduously crapping up what little in they way of natural resources they had and dumbing down their population vigorously with propaganda.
The Izzies have not really (IMHO) had the ability to attack Iran (outside of spookery and IRBMs) since around that time either, as reflected in the results of the 2nd Lebanon war, which they lost to Hezbollah in spades, despite rampant war crimes in Lebanon.
Hezbollah sits in relation to Israel in somewhat the same way that DPRK sits in relation to Seoul, it holds all of N. Israel hostage with massive artillery barrages. And this has only gotten much worse in the last 20 years.
And even Oslo was not really going to work.

Posted by: Bemildred | Apr 24 2023 13:18 utc | 98

@ 94 waynorinorway.. thanks for that! a select condensation from a trusted source is helpful!

Posted by: james | Apr 24 2023 13:44 utc | 100