Why Are These Biden Officials Leaving Their Top Posts?
Recently several administration official who were working on China and Ukraine policies announced to step back or retire. The people in question were not neo-conservative China hawks like Secretary of State Anthony Blinken or National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The unexpected loss of top sane hands has me concerned that there is some big move in planning that will damage U.S. relations with China and Russia even more than they already are:
The head of a new US State Department unit tasked to coordinate efforts aimed at countering Beijing plans to step down next month, the department’s second high-ranking official with a China portfolio to announce a departure in less than two weeks.Rick Waters, head of the State Department’s recently created Office of China Coordination, and known informally as its “China House”, will leave the position just six months after it was established to manage what Secretary of State Antony Blinken called “the scale and the scope of the challenge” posed by the country.
The career State Department official will “rotate out” of the unit and the Office of Taiwan Coordination on June 23 “as part of the Department’s normal summer transition process,” according to a State Department spokesman.
There was no reason given why Waters was moved aside. This comes shortly after an even more important figure suddenly decided to retire:
The announcement about Waters followed news of US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman’s retirement earlier this month.Sherman, the highest-ranking State Department official from the Biden administration to have travelled to China, has been an instrumental member of US President Joe Biden’s efforts to build an Indo-Pacific strategy that offers an alternative to China’s economic influence and expanding military presence there.
Sherman was a hard nosed negotiator but had a realist view on issues:
Before she was appointed Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman had pushed for a swift return to the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). She urged the Biden administration to immediately begin consultations with Europe, Russia and China on preserving the JCPOA after taking office. “It's important for the U.S. to start its consultations as quickly as a new administration can,” Sherman said at Johns Hopkins University on November 19, 2020.
Another important figure will soon leave from a top Pentagon role:
The Defense Department’s top policymaker plans to resign, according to three U.S. officials familiar with the decision.Colin Kahl, who has been undersecretary of defense for policy since April 28, 2021, is likely to leave in the summer, the officials said.
The officials, who asked not to be named, said Kahl plans to return to the private sector, most likely to Stanford University, where he was a professor and fellow before he joined the Biden administration.
...
Before his time at Stanford, Kahl was national security adviser to then-Vice President Joe Biden from October 2014 until January 2017. During the Obama administration, he was also a policy official at the Pentagon.
...
Two years ago Kahl faced a tough confirmation battle to become the No. 3 civilian at the Pentagon, in part because of his critical comments about Republicans on social media when he worked in the private sector. Republicans also criticized his involvement in the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran known as the JCPOA and his other policy views about the Middle East.
Kahl was also known for opposing escalation of the U.S. proxy war with Russia:
Kahl has also been one of the administration’s top officials making the case against sending U.S.-made F-16 jets to Ukraine, which has been a point of contention between the Biden administration and lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans.Despite a plea from Kyiv for more advanced jets, Kahl has argued sending F-16s would take years and cost billions of dollars, while noting fighters aren’t Ukraine’s most immediate need.
China hawks had rallied against Kahl's position on China:
In an interview with Defense News this week, Kahl offered extraordinary overconfidence that China will not attempt an invasion of Taiwan within the next two years and likely far further into the future. This bears note because U.S. military and intelligence officials increasingly do believe that Xi is likely to order an invasion before this decade is out, possibly before 2027. Their assessment is vested in intelligence reporting and comprehensive political and military analysis.
Kahl, however, is unconcerned.
Kahl announced his departure from the Pentagon shortly before Biden elevated a China hawk to the top position of the U.S. military:
President Biden is nominating Gen. Charles "C.Q." Brown Jr. to serve as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the president is expected to announce Thursday in a White House Rose Garden ceremony.Brown is currently the Air Force chief of staff.
The position is the nation's highest-ranking military officer, and the chairman is the primary military adviser to the president, as well as to the defense secretary and National Security Council.
Gen. Brown had previously commanded the U.S. Air Force in the Pacific region. He is known for seeing China as the top U.S. enemy:
Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. in his keynote address said China’s People’s Liberation Army has the largest aviation forces in the Indo-Pacific and the largest conventional missile capability in the world, and is actively fielding hypersonic missiles. China also is establishing bases around the globe, often in places where the U.S. already has a presence.China has said its armed forces will be fully modernized by 2035 and “world class by 2050,” said Brown, who noted that “China continues to move its modernization timelines left at a rate of change that is outpacing the United States.”
“The day after the last C-17 left Kabul, I was in the Indo-Pacific where a graver threat is manifesting, where the risk and stakes are high,” Brown said. “We must move with a sense of urgency today in order to rise to the challenges of tomorrow, because the return to strategic competition is one of our nation’s greatest challenges. Strategic competition may not be as stark or obvious as a 9/11-like event, but it can be just as catastrophic. We cannot wait for a catastrophic crisis, whether it be sudden or insidious, to drive change for the Air Force and the Joint Force. If we do, it will be too late.”
I think that all these moves are somewhat related. Wendy Sherman and Colin Kahl have known each other throughout their careers. Both of them cooperate with each other while serving in several Democratic administrations. It is hard to believe that did not talk to each other about stepping down.
But still I find none of the usual background pieces in foreign policy media that connects these moves or would explain the issues involved. Can they find no one who wants to talk about this?
Or is it just me seeing things that ain't there because I fear that the Biden administration is preparing for even more escalatory policies?
Posted by b on May 25, 2023 at 14:07 UTC | Permalink
next page »Hal Turner reporting indictments incoming and shit is about to hit the proverbial fan.
Over and out.
Posted by: LtGen_Breedluvv | May 25 2023 14:23 utc | 2
b
It is just you. Just you seeing what is happening. Wendy Sherman is the only one on the list I know anything about. In any other context she would be seen as a hard line loyalist and uber hawk. When she is the moderate we are in CrazyTown.
I had noted Sherman's departure a while back. Noted, thought it significant, have seen absolute zero commentary. Not surprised this is the place it gets discussed.
Posted by: oldhippie | May 25 2023 14:24 utc | 3
It's not just you.
The thing that puzzles the fairly sophisticated, though terminally dishonest, analysts in the Academy and the MSM is the suicidal irrationality of the collective Rasputin surrounding the President who, like a fish, is rotting from the head down.
China has not the slightest intention of invading Taiwan. It feels no need to do so- the apple is ripening and will fall into its lap sooner or later.
But everything can change. All it needs is for the imperialists to make it imperative for the Chinese to invade. And they know how to. They just did it in Ukraine. Which was a country that Russia had not the slightest intention of invading-just as it had no intention of invading Belarus, Turkmenistan or any other of the old SSRs- until imperial provocations made the SMO absolutely necessary.
Biden and his cronies think that what they did in Ukraine was very clever- they are almost alone in not realising that it cannot end well for the US, or Europe. A blindness on their part which is founded in their refusal to look ahead. In their view the Ukraine provocation worked out well because it rallied the NATO nations, excited Sweden, Finland and Switzerland to throw away their long standing 'neutrality' and made it easy to paint Putin as Hitler of the Month.
And that is enough for them. Who cares about tomorrow? Tomorrow they will be back in the MIC or Academe coining it and planning boozy vacations in exotic locations.
But today they are busy stuffing Taiwan-whether it likes it or not, with offensive weaponry (which can only be aimed at China) and offensive Eurotrash like Borrel and Stoltenberg, stinking up the joint. The next move is going to be harder- convincing the people of Taiwan that their fellow countrymen from the mainland, are inferior, hateful, 'orcs' whom they are destined to kill alongside their American and Japanese buddies.
Not surprisingly, any bystanders in the White House with the brains of a young squirrel can see that things are not going to end well and are tip-toeing back to less frenzied environments.
Posted by: bevin | May 25 2023 14:37 utc | 5
Thanks for the posting b
I think you are correct in observing rearrangement of folks around the escalation of pressure on China. I think you are also correct in seeing these replacements making relations worse.
Then there are those of us that see these changes as a feature, not a bug, of empire demise....when you are a scorpion, you are just a scorpion and skin changes do not change the underlying beast.
The problem for the scorpion is that these moves bring them under threat from two scorpion killers, instead of just one.
I feel blessed to be alive to watch this civilization war unfold.
Posted by: psychohistorian | May 25 2023 14:41 utc | 6
RealClearPolitics with fun poll numbers …
Biden vs Trump a dead heat
DeSantis vs Biden edging ahead
Trump vs Harris a clear lead
DeSantis vs Harris on points ahead
The ultra-crazies taking over Washington DC and the Pentagon
In reading this article, for me it looks like more and more the characters who want a full blown clash with both, and I say again, both China and Russia are gaining foothold in the government. And their drive for a full blown clash on both fronts will lead to a nuclear exchange and they have no problem with that. No doubt about it. They really don’t care how many people will be killed, either in both countries or the US. They’ve figured that out in their calculations, and they are willing and able to cross that line. When that line is crossed they will find cover to protect themselves and their families, but you and I will become the proverbial sitting ducks. And they really don’t care.
Posted by: Jose Garcia | May 25 2023 14:42 utc | 8
Bevin @5 is correct in that China is not eager to invade Taiwan, but fish, for heaven's sake, rot from the intestine like all other vertebrates...because that's where the bacteria live that begin the decomposition process.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 25 2023 14:43 utc | 9
Like birds flying to warmer climates in the Fall, I would say.
Time to look for a safer perch.
Posted by: Bemildred | May 25 2023 14:44 utc | 10
Truly baffling, yet fascinating, how empire disintegrates at every conceivable level.
I'd be delighted if it wasn't for the fact i live in empire's most loyal and spineless vassal-state.
Posted by: kspr | May 25 2023 14:46 utc | 11
is there some doubt from the G7 communiques that the intent is to escalate up to the point of the destruction of Russia? some of the rats are fleeing the ship, most are still bailing it out, patching holes, manning (excuse me, staffing) the rigging, haggling over bread and cannon balls, while the fiery hunt goes on.
Posted by: rjb1.5 | May 25 2023 14:48 utc | 12
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 25 2023 14:43 utc | 9
rotting from the Biden down.
Posted by: pretzelattack | May 25 2023 14:50 utc | 13
thanks b...
wheels coming off the empire, but i think like oldhippie it is you, or that you are trying to put an external set of circumstances to your intuition that the wheels are coming off the empire... it has to unravel somehow.. getting more neocon koolaid drinkers into the drivers seat just pushes forward the timing of the collapse... that's all..
Posted by: james | May 25 2023 14:52 utc | 14
@Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 25 2023 14:21 utc | 1
The one thing that the Republicans, including Trump, and the Democrats agree on is that China is enemy #1. They know that 2024-2028 is pivotal, beyond that China will be so far ahead and the US will keep disintegrating. Seems the majority of the US elite, plus their security state lackies and true believers have decided that they want a last stand. When added to the fact that a victorious Trump will be looking to take some revenge on the "deep state", and short of a third world style election fix he will win, no reason for such people to stick around.
The next 18 months will be a complete shit show in the US. Bobby Kennedy Jr. seems to be the only real hope, and the Dems and establishment will do whatever it takes to stop him. Ukraine will disappear from the MSM as fast as Afghanistan did. For the Taiwanese, the only hope is that they vote out the US-backed warmongers - if they are allowed to.
It will need one hell of a US provocation to bait the Chinese given that they know that time is on their side.
I don't think any plan is necessary. It's that 'stigmergy' again. Moderate crazies leave and extreme crazies take their place. The result is the same as if there was a plan. As to crazy, we need look no further than the horror of Biden vs Trump, together with the government flirting with wrecking the dollar via sanctions and debt limit defaults. Say, do you think this rope and noose will hold your weight? Let's see.
Humans can accept anything as normal if it's persistent and gradual. The academics who should be warning society are taking the lead in Crazy Town.
Posted by: Eighthman | May 25 2023 14:56 utc | 16
Wendy Ruth Sherman has been a dynamo in State affairs, lots of travel on important issues, but she is 74 years old and has experienced some health problems.. . .from a January speech in Cleveland: "And you may note that behind me is a chair. That’s because if you see my silver hair, you know that like probably some of you here I have some back problems. And so I’m going to pull up the chair and sit on it while I talk to you. Because standing for a long period of time is a little difficult for me. So I manage – I go all around the world, including to Ukraine."' . . . here
Posted by: Don Bacon | May 25 2023 14:59 utc | 17
The insanity prevailing in the United States right now .....
I wouldn't be surprised if they did a nucular false flag attack on there own soil, to justify starting a nucular war with Russia.
There are preveous lesserscale, track records and presidents.
In which case expect the rats to leave the ship first. Most of their money is off shore already, nucular bunker in new Zealand.
In the modern world the elete have no borders. And no loyalty to any one country.
Posted by: Mark2 | May 25 2023 14:59 utc | 18
it could be that the Biden admin are going to escalate things with China via Taiwan, and those that have and are going to stand down see this as wrong and dangerous which it is.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | May 25 2023 15:01 utc | 19
@Posted by: Oui | May 25 2023 14:42 utc | 7
DeSantis was a very happy part of the torture program, a complete sociopathic piece of scum.
https://therealnews.com/gov-ron-desantis-oversaw-torture-in-guantanamo-as-a-military-lawyer
How many of Biden's brain cells will still be working by November next year? Kamala is another obvious sociopath who slept her way to a start in politics, then serviced the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor while laughing about it. Also, not exactly the brightest person in the room.
Compared to the above, Trump actually looks good and Bobby Jr. a bloody saintly genius! The head is certainly rotting if this is the best the US establishment has to offer. DeSantis is 30 points behind Trump for the Republican nomination.
Well. I love looking for things that aren’t there! b, I’m adding some Canadian sources to your informative post and line of questioning (and thanks for the info, by the way!):
Here in Montréal, La Presse is only reporting on the arrival in New York of a new ambassador from China. (We all remember that guy representing China diplomatically in Canada got bounced recently, right? Foreign interference.)
One official fake news site, The Beaverton, (satire) has a report from Langley, BC. (I’d advise bracing yourself, perhaps with a stiff drink, before diving into this one.)
https://twitter.com/TheBeaverton/status/1661442984922021901
And here’s the always dapper, Jon Erlichmann, delivering today’s mid-morning market update on Canada’s business news network, BNN Bloomberg. (Is that sharkskin? I always get confused about that.) Nvidia and Canadian banks reporting, among other updates.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/bnn-bloomberg-s-mid-morning-market-update-may-25-2023~2694362
Posted by: Bruised Northerner | May 25 2023 15:09 utc | 21
And yet US GDP numbers are revised up to 1.3% annual growth which is relatively good. Thanks to inflation. Stripping out inflation I would say a deepish recession is coming.
Posted by: Oh | May 25 2023 15:15 utc | 22
There's no indication on why Rick Waters is moving on, but we can guess. First of all, he's a very smart guy. Rick speaks Mandarin, Arabic, and Spanish (plus English). Wow. And while Waters might favor a more intelligent approach to the "China Threat" the House of "representatives" has been ridiculous recently, not even recognizing that China is a state. These bought-and-paid for agents only refer to "The Chinese Communist Party" when they mean to say and should say China.
Posted by: Don Bacon | May 25 2023 15:18 utc | 23
If you follow or believe in the fake election clown show in AmeriKa at this point you are dumber than a box of rocks. Go watch the 'fake hope springs eternal' comedy show at Breitbart.
The unlimited PA mail-ins from fake addresses to seal the steal in 2020 and also in 2022 to elect a brain-dead satanist should have sealed that. The in-your-face rigging to erase a 21 point lead of Lake (to install a globalist witch so hated that she hid in a bunker thru the campaign and sent out her twin sister to divert the handful of journalists left in AZ on the street) was a message to you, Forrest Gump, that the rigging will be done in broad daylight whether you are too dumb to figure it out or not.
All of the deep state moves in EU-US 5 eyes nazi-land have the same relentless story arc since the COVID-Nazi lockdowns and blatantly fake election roll-out:
- get serfs used to slavery and censorship;
-destroy the energy and food infrastructure at home;
-kill the middle class with rate hikes and inflation far worse than official lies;
- use all of last gains the Ponzi derivative scheme to line SIFI-TBTF elite pockets before implosion:
-blame the impending implosion on "Putin" and "unprovoked" war that was provoked by the US-EU SchwabNazis:
- use the fact that ALL AmeriKans of ALL political stripes ALWAYS worship government as God in a crisis (especially if government caused the crisis) just as they did in 2001 2008 2020 and now;
- use both War and Ponzi collapse of FED-monopoly derivative fraud crises to ensure that ALL Americans will BEG for ANY mandate that the globalist elites suggest.
C.Q Brennan at JCS seals the WW III deal.
And the Ponzi collapse warning bell was in March 2023 with SVIB collapse (just as it was with signal flares at Bear Stearns and Lehman in March of 2008).
Buckle Up. We get both within a year or so.
Posted by: CrashDavis | May 25 2023 15:20 utc | 24
Apologies I meant C.Q. Brown at JCS not 'brennan' . (although it would not make much difference if CIA hack Brennan took his place).
Posted by: CrashDavis | May 25 2023 15:26 utc | 25
General Brown who is "known for seeing China as the top U.S. enemy" is merely repeating the US position, with China as the principal threat to the US. Generals don't get to disagree with politicians, as General MacArthur found out years ago.
Posted by: Don Bacon | May 25 2023 15:27 utc | 26
The Biden administration is suffering from an extreme case of elite overproduction, and drink too much of their own coolaide. Case in point, the Belgorod "raid", which no doubt had top Pentagon approval. This guy compares it to the Bay of Pigs debacle, and believes that Biden officials were just as convinced that this would work, and Russian civilians would greet Ukrainian troops as liberators.
Posted by: Иван Иванович | May 25 2023 15:28 utc | 27
Colin Kahl's position as undersecretary of defense for policy calls into question why the Pentagon even has such a position. Foreign policy is (or should be) determined by the President, Congress and State, with the military acting on policy not determining it. Kahl may have recognized that.
Posted by: Don Bacon | May 25 2023 15:34 utc | 28
It's not who's leaving but who will be their replacements, IMO.
On China, there's no chance the Outlaw US Empire will ever become its peer over the next century. The power of integration within Eurasia is too strong for the weak Empire to crack. What matters most is the Eurasian people are all for it even if a few "leaders" are bought like those in Moldova and Pakistan--but even the bought Pakistanis won't jettison BRI/China as development partner. The Thais are too integrated into ASEAN to abandon it as ordinary Thais will revolt. South Korea is an odd cookie. It's greatly benefited from Asian integration and abandoning that for deeper vassalage to the Empire will likely be overturned with the next Presidential election. A good question: Is Japan a lost cause; will its people ever awaken and attempt to free themselves from occupation?
IMO, much depends on what occurs further with the Empire's financial crisis and rapidity of dedollarization. Over half the population of the Outlaw US Empire is under the age of 35, with 25% under 15, which might make it easier to yet again rob from the young to pay for Imperial excesses. For the 13% nearing retirement age, this next election and how it will treat social policy will be crucial, even existential. Domestic politics have usually been ignored by US Imperialists, but with the escalating financial crisis and utterly wrong Fed and foreign policies driving it, I don't see how it can be ignored in 2024 as it will be close to a replay of 2016. My crystal ball is hazy when it comes to what will happen here, although the next month ought to clarify it somewhat as the debt issue is either solved or isn't.
This is what I think will happen:
About 12 F-16 airframes will be modified for autonomous flight. They will have inertial as well as GPS / RDF guidance so they don't need, but will have a remote human controller. These drone jets will carry external fuel tanks for longest posable range. They will carry air to air missiles. But most importantly, they will carry nuclear bombs that were made inside Ukraine with nuclear material sourced from Ukrainian nuclear power plants. These nuclear bombs will not be the most fancy new fangled hard to build bombs, just rudimentary nuclear bombs that are not beyond Western Ukrainians capability to build.
Each drone plane will be accompanied by a piloted F-16 armed with air to air missiles, and able to operate the air to air missiles on the drone planes. All of the planes will fly to their targets in Russia as low as they are able to, and they will avoid population centers to try to not be seen. The piloted planes will search for Russian ground based air defense systems, and try to avoid them. Any air defense missiles launched by Russia will be what all the air to air missiles the drone jet is carrying will be fired at, and then the air to air missiles the manned plane will be used.
This will be called "Ukraine attacked Russia with Nukes, but the West had no part in it".
Posted by: Hot carl | May 25 2023 15:43 utc | 32
Just as rats will flee from a sinking ship, deceased fleas are fleeing the sinking rat.
Posted by: Elmer Fudd | May 25 2023 15:48 utc | 33
Here is what I know will happen. The murican elites will click their emerald slippers together and hoards of wunderwaffen will magically appear in the skies over Russia. Putin will pee his pants and die and the mighty hohol army will crawl out of it's holes and swarm across Eurasia..planting rainbow flags. Biden will descend to hell and sit at the right hand of his father and the reign of anti-Christ (cocaine Hitler) will begin.
No? Why not? This makes as much sense as any other victory scenario for the west.
Posted by: nook | May 25 2023 15:52 utc | 34
Oh | May 25 2023 15:15 utc | 22--
Genuine US GDP is almost 50% less than the number stated due to the gross method with which its calculated that counts overhead costs as productive earnings. There're very good reasons why the debt is $31 Trillion and the national government's equity is negative $126 Trillion--many of those overhead costs and so-called productive earnings are actually monopoly rents that ought to be completely taxed and turned into government revenues but aren't because the Donors (the Parasites) have captured the government. Actual GDP is about $15 Trillion making the debt 200% of GDP and the depth of insolvency worse than any nation on the planet. It will worsen until policy and regulation are ripped from the Donors's hands.
@Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 25 2023 14:21 utc | 1
I enjoy your comments, and I really enjoy the comics! One suggestion, take it or leave it, obviously. I far prefer the term Pindostan to Americastan, although I understand your usage of Americastan, since a lot of people wouldn't get it and wouldn't bother to look it up. That is not directed at anyone who is in the MoA clubhouse, by the way.
We're screwed here in Pindostan Americastan. If seemingly loyal Democrat party aparatchiks are bailing from the Bidet, things don't bode well. I just hope we don't bring down the RoW on this sinking ship, swirling turd.
Posted by: lex talionis | May 25 2023 15:52 utc | 36
No way I would participate in, or accept, an election involving machines. Simple.
Posted by: g wiltek | May 25 2023 15:53 utc | 37
This mass resignation has all the hallmarks of a fully recognized cull--from top to bottom--an institutional recognition that a political cull is coming.
The first of these sorts of institutional culls that were instigated by anti-communist ideologues, back in the 1950s, were pushed by the FBI, CIA, the China Lobby (aka "Chiang Kaishek", "Song Meiling", and the general "Song" family + CIA/FBI/US Media empires of the era: Time and Live Magazines)--a coalition that the US Rethuglican Corporate Party happily funded and cooperated with (quietly, under Eisenhower's awareness, which Nixon was keeping careful track of), along with Truman's cabinet.
The cull that's coming is going to swerve the US into an even more self-destructive path.
Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | May 25 2023 15:57 utc | 38
SANITY: Those in higher levels of position know that the current administration is acting in an insane manner. They also know that their collective influence is not going to alter the course. Many of these "influential sane" ones know where the current escalation is heading without any doubt in their minds.
NUCLEAR WAR: They know that the end of the current progressions is nuclear war. So, they are retiring to get their house in order before the nukes fly. The most important item on their list is their bug out plan and implementing it before the launch date.
Some of these with some "enlightment" may even have a relatively good idea when the USA launch date is planned to be.
COMING LAUNCH DATE: Most likely Russia already has the Western plans to when they will take Russia out. Since the West can not do this by conventional military means, they will initate their nuclear plan to take Russia out. Yet, the bear will pre-empt the West's launch date to obtain the tremendous advantage of a first strike.
WHEN: I have repeatly stated and still do, that the bear will arise and devour much flesh soon after Russia takes and secures all of the Donbas.
THE ALTERNATIVE: Most can't conceive of a nuclear war. Most have swallowed the pill of mutual assured destruction as being what will keep a nuclear war from ever being. Yet, the negotiation alternative towards a peace treaty has no viable mechanism. The Russians no longer trust the West with any more treaties. The West can't back down until Russia is either destroyed or controlled by their puppets. Otherwise, they lose the hegemony of the United States Dollar.
With no viable alternatives, logic points to nuclear war.
VERY ONE SIDED: The coming war will be very one-sided. It will not be mutual assured destruction. The Russians will survive because they have been preparing for such for many decades while the peoples of the West have been drinking the Mutual Assured Destruction lemonade. One example is that Russia has many prepared fallout shelters for their populations. None in the West. Another example is the Russian nuclear delivery superiority which it has decisively obtained within the last decade.
ALL ROADS LEAD: All logical roads lead to the sudden end of the USA in the soon future. Most likely that is due to the bear arising and devouring much flesh.
Posted by: young | May 25 2023 16:12 utc | 39
@Posted by: karlof1 | May 25 2023 15:52 utc | 34
And thats with the US government increasing their spending by 2% of GDP in the first five months of fiscal 2023 (and the EV credits that will only show up in the end of year tax returns)! The second half of the year will look very different with the fiscal spigot kept constant at best and the interest rate effects starting to sink in.
Sorry b, while the phenomenon is real, it's not new and has been part of a gradual process since the neocons obtained any prominence in the US.
Perhaps it's merely a tiny avalanche at the head of glacier that has already traveled very far ...
The frogs, long boiling, decide to kick a little.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | May 25 2023 16:20 utc | 42
Gonzalo Lira was insistent that Biden would be replaced by Kamala Harris amidst potential race riots in the US. If so, they might not for obvious reasons want to be on the same "team".
Posted by: unimperator | May 25 2023 16:20 utc | 43
“It's important for the U.S. to start its consultations as quickly as a new administration can,” Sherman said at Johns Hopkins University on November 19, 2020.Around 2006, when the US House of the odious elected Pelosi speaker, I started a figurative incident folder titled "Hag Watch Int'l." From time to time in the years since, I've dropped a relevent note on whichever blog I happen to be visiting. This is such a time.
Sherman appeared on my radar just last year. In 2022, Biden's brainz trust commenced flogging DOD security package "frameworks" (eg. IPEF, PBP, PRP) as climate change common challenges-adaptation-resilience-assistance for the Pacific Islands Forum (a/k/a PIC) members. Mind you, to puncture China's "sphere of influence" before Joe's appearances at ASEAN and G20, which Indonesia chaired, Sherman's approach to currying favor from long-neglected, irradiated "partners" was as crude and self-absorbed as I have come to expect from the US State Department.
Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy were among dignitaries who attended a dawn service near the capital of Honiara on Sunday to commemorate the Battle of Guadalcanal.Not unlike, say, Linda "Freedom Gumbo" Thomas-Greenfield and Mad Madame Albrecht, Sherman is a professional careerist. Unlike Samatha Power or Caroline Kennedy, she scaled the GS ladder over 30 years—that is from 1973 to 2023, seven (7) different US administrations with identical INDOPACOM congressional "mandate". So. There's Wendy on the last rung, literally entitled be seniority if nothing else, to be nominated to "highest ranking State Department official"—all of 30 months. I'd be as surprised as hell if anyone in Beijing will miss her.
Sherman's father, Marine Mal Sherman, and Kennedy's father, the late President John F. Kennedy, almost died in fighting on the Solomons.
[...]
"This was a place where international leaders gathered to say that the work with Solomon Islanders, at the time of World War II, was decisive in victory, in ensuring freedom and democracy. And so I really felt sorry for the prime minister because I think he missed an important opportunity," she added.
Posted by: sln2002 | May 25 2023 16:21 utc | 44
What is more likely: these people are being pushed aside by the neo-con/neo-lib hawks so that the latter can cause more trouble, or are they simply rats fleeing the sinking ship that is the SS Biden?
Posted by: Monos | May 25 2023 16:25 utc | 45
"biden" was publicly proclaiming a thaw in us China relations. Also accompanied by a narrative campaign to fix the idea that decoupling is impossible.
My guess is that the US is preparing to court China to dump Russia a la Nixon and kissinger in the 70s.
Where it goes I dunno, probably not far. After all the US truly doesn't think it needs to abide by agreements, being exceptional as they are. China will need more than words, they'll need concrete irrevocable action before they'll engage
Let's see what happens next, for sure the US will need to abandon its economic war campaign, and withdraw all support from Taiwan and I don't think the 'biden" administration can do anything so useful.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | May 25 2023 16:28 utc | 46
Posted by: Hot carl | May 25 2023 15:43 utc | 31
These nuclear bombs will not be the most fancy new fangled hard to build bombs, just rudimentary nuclear bombs that are not beyond Western Ukrainians capability to build.
How do they hide the radiation signal? These will look like beacons lighting up the sky ...
Posted by: Arch Bungle | May 25 2023 16:31 utc | 47
For your consideration, in approaching what would be highly contested elections, it is customary to install new people in an American administration prior to the onset of an election year in order to for those newcomers to have a firm seat in the saddle during the rodeo.
Posted by: Arby | May 25 2023 16:32 utc | 48
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | May 25 2023 16:28 utc | 45
I think you need to bookmark the PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Regular Press Conference and read it every day.
Posted by: sln2002 | May 25 2023 16:33 utc | 49
The cull will be officially sanctioned by US Gummint.
Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | May 25 2023 16:37 utc | 50
Hot carl | May 25 2023 15:43 utc | 31
mad is mad!
on fighter pilot charlie q brown.... he is leaner than milley!
noteworthy he is 'pushing' f-35a into his air force.
thaose tech marvels are 20 years late and not passing tests and are deployed bc the industry needs to distribute dividends. with 600 hundred delivered they all need a new engine to meet the tests they cannot do.
distances in indo-pacific are such that usaf fighters are as top heavy as aircraft carriers.
the talent demand parroting and going along.....
and steering the us' military industrial welfare state to go for things that could compete in 2028 is a couple of rivers too far away.
Posted by: paddy | May 25 2023 16:41 utc | 51
Gonzalo Lira was...
...an unrecalcitrant racist who despises people who are of darker color because they are darker colored.
Honestly, I don't much understand how ordinary folks don't connect the fact that he is a racist with him moving over to Ukraine. Gonzalo Lira is/was an opportunist, and a person who despised anyone who wasn't of European origin.
His social media posts have made that abundantly clear.
Is he dead? I hope not. Is he dead? I really don't care. Fuck him.
Posted by: Pacifica Advocate | May 25 2023 16:45 utc | 52
"China also is establishing bases around the globe, often in places where the U.S. already has a presence."
Say what? Exactly how many bases does China have outside China? (Exactly 2?: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_overseas_military_bases)
Oh wait, I get it. China is establishing military bases inside China, which is pretty much surrounded by "places where the U.S. already has a presence" (i.e. US military bases).
The US neocon brain trust is truly exceptional!
Posted by: forceOfHabit | May 25 2023 16:48 utc | 53
Incidentally, Johns Hopkins University, that bastion of advanced international studies that Wendy Sherman haunts, emailed the lowest form of insult to their graduating class: spam
Posted by: sln2002 | May 25 2023 16:51 utc | 54
WHEN: I have repeatly stated and still do, that the bear will arise and devour much flesh soon after Russia takes and secures all of the Donbas.
Posted by: young | May 25 2023 16:12 utc | 38
So until 2035 or so we should be safe.
I don't want to ruin your already ruined sleep schedule, but there will be more entertainment soon. And the Idiocracy employees of Russian embassy in Norway already pissed their pants in a stupid message: "press officer of the Russian embassy in Norway called the sending of the largest US aircraft carrier to the country "an illogical show of force". USS Gerald Ford will go to Norway to participate in joint NATO exercises on May 29 in the Barents Sea. Then will travel to the Arctic Circle for Arctic Challenge Exercise, which will involve 150 aircraft"
Posted by: rk | May 25 2023 16:53 utc | 55
Anne Applebaum, a senior fellow at the SNF Agora Institute and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, as well as being a staff writer at The Atlantic who has written extensively about the war in Ukraine and has interviewed Zelenskyy, introduced the Ukrainian leader. Following the address, Zelensk* was awarded with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the university.bwahahahaaha
READ HIS BOOK!
Posted by: sln2002 | May 25 2023 16:54 utc | 56
sln2002 | May 25 2023 16:54 utc | 55
The wife of the guy who tweeted thanks to America when NS exploded.
Posted by: rk | May 25 2023 17:00 utc | 57
@rk | May 25 2023 17:00 utc | 56
The wife of the guy who tweeted thanks to America when NS exploded.
The tree was close to the apple when it fell
Posted by: Norwegian | May 25 2023 17:09 utc | 58
Apropos Biden's bureaucrats/apparatchiks, this concerns the Fed Reserve System gamers:
[from today's Wall St On Parade]
... “Congress did create Inspectors General in 1978 to provide some of this oversight. The inspector general for the Federal Reserve, however, is appointed by consultation between the Fed and the CFPB, which shares a single individual inspector general. To be more precise still, this inspector general oversees only the Fed’s Board of Governors, not the Federal Reserve System.” [Bold emphasis added for this article.]
In addition, I found nothing in the Inspector General Act of 1978 (as amended) that gives the Fed Board’s OIG the authority to investigate the privately-owned Fed regional bank presidents’ trading activities.
So my question is, under what statutory authority is the Fed Board’s OIG investigating the trading activities of former Fed Bank presidents? ...
[END QUOTE]
So the FED Reserve bosses are privileged to simply be gamers of US ,gov and do it non-stop until ordered to stop... by who? ...fellow gamers? In Wash. DC? ...in London? Perhaps authority emanating from not-mythical gods/goddesses in the not-mythical Divine World who must have Infinite Senses Of Humor?
We are drowning in Magic-Bullet-Think.
Posted by: chu teh | May 25 2023 17:11 utc | 59
rk 54
"So until 2035 or so we should be safe."
RESPONSE: Don't know the exact timing. I see the fall of Bakhmut as a key milestone for for when Russia will take the Donbas. And I see the fall of the Donbas as being a key milestone on when Russia will launch against the USA.
It looks as if Russia has coordinated its fire power on the zero line within Ukraine very well. This was a significant contribution to Russia's victory in Bakhmut.
Perhaps, the same tactics will work well on other areas of Russia's advance within the Donbas.
Posted by: young | May 25 2023 17:11 utc | 60
Truly baffling, yet fascinating, how empire disintegrates at every conceivable level.
I'd be delighted if it wasn't for the fact i live in empire's most loyal and spineless vassal-state.
Posted by: kspr | May 25 2023 14:46 utc | 11
Are you a Lithuanian?
Posted by: Piotr Berman | May 25 2023 17:19 utc | 61
The military guy is just a lobbyist for us mic. They don't want war with China as long as China has the capability to f us up in its backyard. They just wanna,make money and any war with China will lead to defeat of us leading to changes within us or nuclear fallout. These people don't want that, they wanna make money and enjoy it
Posted by: A.z | May 25 2023 17:20 utc | 62
The fact that Hillary's errand boy (fetching her Parkinson's meds per Wikileaks e-mail leak) Jake the Snake Sullivan (he of "Al Qaeda is on our side" fame) has ANY voice in US affairs is frightening beyond words. Blinken is a dolt, which is never reassuring. Susan Rice is departing, too. She was purportedly only involved in domestic affairs, but that may not be true. She had extensive experience in lying about Benghazi, after all. Maybe her conservative son is shaming her into leaving the Biden shit show. If the people leaving think Biden is endangering the American citizenry, they should have the decency to say so publicly.
Posted by: Sentient | May 25 2023 17:20 utc | 63
Bevin or Bevan,
Rasputin was a decent man. Everything the media in the west produced about him is slanderous. He told the Emperor not to get tangled up in wars. He told him not to intervene over Serbia.
He appeared to have understood how dangerous a war with Germany could be. That’s why the MI6 agent Prince Yusopov murdered him.
Posted by: Wokechoke | May 25 2023 17:22 utc | 64
The US neocon brain trust is truly exceptional!
Posted by: forceOfHabit | May 25 2023 16:48 utc | 52
It is very confusing when you have neo-libs and neo-cons. This may explain why some Austrians created NEOS party (I do not know German, but from Wikipedia description, NEOS is a smooth paste made from two ingredients.)
Posted by: Piotr Berman | May 25 2023 17:23 utc | 65
These changes are fairly common in the Imperial Capitol at the levels we are talking about. Let's be clear here I wouldn't call any of these characters "moderates" or "realists" because those people have been culled--Wendy Sherman, for example, may have some input in policy but is mainly a gofer. Policy is made by oligarchs above the President and his political appointees--if Sherman has back problems it's due to the stress of being forced to kneel to the Deep(er) State reptilians (so to speak).
Posted by: Chris Cosmos | May 25 2023 17:28 utc | 66
Colin Kahl's position as undersecretary of defense for policy calls into question why the Pentagon even has such a position. Foreign policy is (or should be) determined by the President, Congress and State, with the military acting on policy not determining it. Kahl may have recognized that.Posted by: Don Bacon | May 25 2023 15:34 utc | 27
I had thought that undersecretaries of defense were within the organization headed by the secretary of defense and therefore are technically civilian rather than military (even if they often act as if they represent the interests of the military or of defense contractors).
Posted by: David Levin | May 25 2023 17:35 utc | 67
David Levin | May 25 2023 17:35 utc | 67
under secretaries in the usa' executive branch are political appointees who are partisan hacks, who are approved by the senate.
unless the hack is totally odious to the other party the hacks are approved and they do the bidens' bidding.
bill clinton made it easier for hacks to go to high level permanent civil service positions which makes for the swamp to endure and grow ......
a republic if we could keep it, usa has not!
sliding the way of the soviets.
Posted by: paddy | May 25 2023 17:47 utc | 68
Posted by: nook | May 25 2023 15:52 utc | 33
Sounds plausible to me, but I think it was the Emerald City and ruby slippers on Dorothy's feet. I'm from Kansas. ;)
Posted by: Henry Moon Pie | May 25 2023 18:00 utc | 69
I dunno if it's just me, but I think the Chinese military is "World Class" right now, never mind 2050. It's got a huge navy, advanced missiles and aircraft, and a lot of men under arms.
Aljazeera: Chinese Military strength
Posted by: JulianJ | May 25 2023 18:08 utc | 70
Su-34 fighter-bombers attacked hangars with APU equipment in Novoberislav in the Kherson direction with Fabs (UMPC).
https://t.me/CyberspecNews/31525
The tribe of ancient Ukrovs stood in the parking lot, leaving their war-carts in an open field.
The war gods would not tolerate such disrespect and unleashed their wrath on the lepers.
https://t.me/remylind21/2559
Posted by: unimperator | May 25 2023 18:08 utc | 71
Posted by: unimperator | May 25 2023 18:08 utc | 71
Sorry, wrong thread.
Posted by: unimperator | May 25 2023 18:09 utc | 72
Wendy? The same Wendy Sherman that said, cheating is in Iranian DNA? I don't think I'll miss her. Good riddance.
Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | May 25 2023 18:13 utc | 73
@Biswapriya "Bevin @5 is correct in that China is not eager to invade Taiwan, but fish, for heaven's sake, rot from the intestine like all other vertebrates...because that's where the bacteria live that begin the decomposition process."
And if you have your head up your ....?
There is little difference.
Posted by: ian | May 25 2023 18:32 utc | 74
Biden is an extreme neocon himself. However much or little he may really be in charge, power is organized around him on the terms he signifies. They are on a roll. War and more war. Even disaster has not stopped them.
Posted by: Mark Thomason | May 25 2023 18:38 utc | 75
An optimistic variant of rat analogy:
Insane asylum releases fully recovered patients.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | May 25 2023 18:47 utc | 76
@bevin @5
"China has not the slightest intention of invading Taiwan. It feels no need to do so- the apple is ripening and will fall into its lap sooner or later."
Exactly correct. The people of Taiwan are overwhelmingly Chinese. Upon the resumption of direct flights between the two, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) reported the expected traffic between the two would offer 209 flights per week, with the majority flying from Taiwan to China.
Mainland China is by far Taiwan's top trading partner, with a bit more than a quarter of all exports going to the mainland in 2022; the USA was a distant second with 15.7%. More importantly, a full 70% of its total exports go to Asian partners - flirtations with western partnership could not go beyond foreplay unless non-Chinese partners pledged to continue business full-throttle after a major break with China, and even at that Taiwan would lose 25% of its trade opportunities.
The west, and most especially Washington, loves the divide-and-conquer model where it promotes bold independence movements among nationalist groups, but this has zero chance of achieving success in a Chinese neighbour whose ethnic makeup is dominated by Chinese. This is assuming Taiwan is populated and led by and with sensible people who can see the potential for prosperity associated with being on the doorstep of a powerful and hostile neighbour while your chief ally who buys only 16% of your exports is thousands of miles away, routinely demonizes the ethnicity which makes up the overwhelming majority of your own population and has a history of stirring up shit and then abandoning its alliances with demurrals that irresponsible media figures inflated the extent of the commitment. I can think of another nation which is on the cusp of learning that very lesson.
Conversations between Nuland and the other Kaganite neocons with Old Joe prior to his inauguration--
"Mr.President, we all feel that your 2024 re-election position would be greatly enhanced if you 'came out of the chute' as an unequivocal stalwart 'war president' with implacable determination to stand behind Ukraine to the end. no matter the circumstances"
Old Joe: "That suits me fine -- being Russia's determined, unwavering opponent never hurt any president"
Present day: " These guys are getting shit-kicked and the counter offensive hasn't even started and when it does, it will be a catastrophe with a major Russian win ... what the f*uck can we do?
Posted by: chet380 | May 25 2023 19:02 utc | 79
I don't think that there is anything the US can do to make China invade Taiwan.
I think they'll skip right over that part and go directly to attacking US assets in the South China Sea.
Why make the Taiwanese suffer like the Ukrainians, when they already know nothing will stop the US but a direct loss to themselves, instead of their puppets?
Posted by: wagelaborer | May 25 2023 19:05 utc | 80
I assume they are leaving a sinking ship in order to enter a more profitable corporate life, as most do.
However, who really cares what some minor functionaries in the state do? What matters is the decision makers - and none of them are going anywhere until at least January, 2025. Plenty of time for them to start WWIII. And their corporate owners aren't going anywhere at all - ever - unless someone shoots them.
Posted by: Richard Steven Hack | May 25 2023 19:06 utc | 81
Posted by: Sentient | May 25 2023 17:20 utc | 63:
If the people leaving think Biden is endangering the American citizenry, they should have the decency to say so publicly.
Bwahahahahaha!!!! If you think any USA government cadres beyond the grade of a section head has any decency of character to speak of, you're as naive as a elementary school kid.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | May 25 2023 19:10 utc | 82
Posted by: JulianJ | May 25 2023 18:08 utc | 70:
I dunno if it's just me, but I think the Chinese military is "World Class" right now, never mind 2050.....
I agreed. In fact, except for the nuke arsenal, they may have already equaled or exceeded anyone else in modernity of their weaponry. Nuke arsenal is one sector in which they have not been transparent, so we don't really know if they are indeed lagging behind the BIG TWO. They, however, choose to stay strategically ambiguous and said they have enough to counter any nuclear threat.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | May 25 2023 19:23 utc | 83
Roger @15:
I suspect Bobby Kennedy is not what he seems. I have already heard rumours of him being somehow connected to CIA. (Maybe his daughter? Can't remember or search now, but I'm sure it can be dug up.)
My guess he is there to shepherd the anti-war vote; if he wins he will just turn around. Kind of like Lenín Moreno end Ecuador.
Posted by: Palm & Needle | May 25 2023 19:28 utc | 84
@65
The austrian NEOS started out as the party of one of the Austrian billionairs which was promoted (or so it was told to us) as an economically liberal party.
Now i know some of the partyleaders of this party personally. They are partially naive people who went directly from university to parliament, got their mp seat due to the fact that they fucked one of the party-leaders or are total sellouts. They are 100% mouthpieces of whatever the global political level agenda of the day is.
Posted by: Orgel | May 25 2023 19:31 utc | 85
[84]
Of course Robert Kennedy Jr. has a connection to the CIA !!
He has accused the CIA of murdering his uncle and his father
Posted by: Paul Greenwood | May 25 2023 19:34 utc | 86
Wendy Sherman is 73 years old and must have enough years for a comfortable retirement. I saw her earlier this year on the News Hour and thought she looked tired, or how they used to say, she looked drawn.
Posted by: Bart Hansen | May 25 2023 19:38 utc | 87
Posted by: wagelaborer | May 25 2023 19:05 utc | 80:
I don't think that there is anything the US can do to make China invade Taiwan.
I think you're absolutely right! You used the wrong word "invade", however. You should have used "Take over".
If war breaks out across the Taiwan Strait, it would not be Left hand side Chinese killing Right hand side Chinese. It would be Left hand side Chinese fighting the Empire and it's cronies (Japanese, some NATO-ers, Aussies, whoever else stupid enough to jump on that disintegrating bandwagon). China, under the present leadership would not fall for the divide/conquer trap. China will fight the dividers.
There might be some killing of Right hand side Chinese though. Those above certain ranks within the Right hand side government may want to keep an eye on their own head.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | May 25 2023 19:46 utc | 89
If the people leaving think Biden is endangering the American citizenry, they should have the decency to say so publicly.
Posted by: Sentient | May 25 2023 17:20 utc | 63
Do you really think they could do that?
Posted by: PalmaSailor | May 25 2023 19:48 utc | 90
I'd like to think maybe it's the start of a colour revolution, financially backed by Russia.
Posted by: Mark2 | May 25 2023 20:12 utc | 91
@Palm & Needle 84 "I suspect Bobby Kennedy is not what he seems."
RFK jr. bios show that he has been an environmental lawyer and organizer for decades. Started several environmental groups, mostly to reduce river pollution. Not much opportunity for CIA work. Suspects CIA involved in JFK assassination, maybe in RFK sr assassination.
Posted by: Sam F | May 25 2023 20:13 utc | 92
Wokechoke@64
I'm happy to take your word for it. Too late to apologise to the innocent old monk now, though.
Posted by: bevin | May 25 2023 20:18 utc | 93
Posted by: Not Ewe | May 25 2023 18:52 utc | 77
Moving to Guyana soon...
Gonna be a dental floss tycoon…
Posted by: Peedee | May 25 2023 20:23 utc | 94
Wendy Sherman is 73 years old and must have enough years for a comfortable retirement. I saw her earlier this year on the News Hour and thought she looked tired, or how they used to say, she looked drawn.
Posted by: Bart Hansen | May 25 2023 19:38 utc | 87
Yes, I was wondering the reason for her dedication to duty when well past 70.
The other quitters, not so much.
Posted by: Bemildred | May 25 2023 20:26 utc | 95
It's all Hollywod anyway way, so if the vegetable resins as well.
I'd like to suggest...
...Russell Crow ...
Now that boy's got presence !
As we know when it comes to politics the US loves a film star.
We could call it Gladiator 2.
With their empire in a state of collapse it would be very apt.
Plus he'd deffo get the women's vote.
Posted by: Mark2 | May 25 2023 20:29 utc | 96
we need look no further than the horror of Biden vs Trump
Posted by: Eighthman | May 25 2023 14:56 utc | 16
Kamala vs Tucker Carlson?
Posted by: Passerby | May 25 2023 20:45 utc | 97
@ 98
Born in New Zealand. All the better.
Did I say something to upset you ?
Posted by: Mark2 | May 25 2023 20:53 utc | 98
Just reading that Analena Bareback, German FM, presented the Saudi Prince with a book on feminist history ;-)
Talk about making friends and influencing people
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | May 25 2023 21:03 utc | 99
"Analena Bareback, German FM, presented the Saudi Prince with a book on feminist history"
Probably received with bemusement, like a pet dog carrying her own poop bag.
Posted by: BillB | May 25 2023 21:14 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
It is possible that these individuals are jumping off what's a clearly sinking ship.
I don't know if there will be a free and fair election in Amerikastan next year, but I doubt it. Either way, Bidet will be totally illegitimicised even if they manage to fraud him to another "win".
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | May 25 2023 14:21 utc | 1