Ukraine: Financing The War About Hegemony
First some news bits about Ukraine. We will then come to the real issue the war is fought about.
Headlines Politico:
Ukraine is ‘freaking out’ as McCarthy chaos threatens US aid
In Kyiv, officials are at a loss as to what might happen next. Their staunchest military ally suddenly looks unreliable, despite assurances from President Biden and others the U.S. will remain steadfast until Ukraine’s invaders are defeated.“We are freaking out. For us it is a disaster,” said Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a senior Ukrainian MP who chairs the committee on the country’s integration with the European Union.
...
The Ukrainian government heavily relies on foreign financial and military aid to keep the economy running and expects to receive $42.8 billion from international donors in the coming year. A big chunk of that would come from the United States.
...
“Unfortunately, some [U.S.] lawmakers found it possible to seek trade offs while further aid to Ukraine is in the air,” Vladyslav Faraponov, head of the board of the Institute of American Studies, told POLITICO. “The key message that Kyiv needs to deliver is that we can win together and do it as soon as possible to save a lot of good men and women.”
So the real problem is that Kiev has no chance to win. See for example The Times which talked with (archived) Ukrainian mortar crews near Robotyne, where the Ukrainian counteroffensive is stuck:
The KAB [glide bombs], as well as mines, underground fortifications and a deluge of suicide drones, have pinned down Ukraine’s assault brigades. It is why last month’s penetration of Russian fortifications failed to lead to a full breakdown in their defences.All over the Robotyne-Verbove line, Ukrainian forces are bogged down.
The U.S. public is no longer convinced that the gargantuan spending on Joe Biden's private war makes any sense:
The two-day poll, which concluded on Oct. 4, revealed that only 41% of respondents agreed with the statement that Washington "should provide weapons to Ukraine," while 35% disagreed, and the remainder were uncertain.
...
Support for U.S. weapon shipments is down from May, when a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed 46% of Americans backed sending arms, while 29% were opposed and the rest unsure.
A few more month and a majority will reject any new money or weapon shipment. But don't fear. Congress critters will find ways to dump more money into a hole:
On Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said it would take about “$60 or $70 billion” to get Ukraine through 2024, not the $24 billion.Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), chair of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, said the package they’re considering would fund the war for 15 months, bringing it into 2025. The package would help the Biden administration’s plans to continue supporting an open-ended conflict.
David Ignatius, the CIA's unofficial spokesperson at the Washington Post, reports of two opinions in Kiev:
The conflict is bleeding the country out. Ukrainians I spoke with during a four-day visit know they can’t keep fighting forever seeking what might be an unachievable victory. But they won’t stop, either.
...
Oleksiy Goncharenko, an opposition member from embattled Odessa on the Black Sea, presses members of the ruling party of President Volodymyr Zelensky. “I am very concerned,” he says. “Why? Take a look at the front. It doesn’t change. For a year it doesn’t change. But it was paid for by a huge amount of lives. … Ukraine can’t fight ‘as long as it takes.’ That will be a catastrophe.”
For Ukraine it already IS a catastrophe.
But if Ukraine seriously questions whether it can survive a fight that might take many years, then it needs to think about a way to freeze this conflict on its own terms — with a security guarantee from the United States as part of that deal.
The Ukraine can not freeze the conflict on its own terms. The U.S. can not give Ukraine any reasonable security guarantee.
A security guaranteed would leave the U.S. at the grace of lunatics in Kiev. They would be enabled to launch, at any time, a new conflict with Russia. A conflict the U.S., with nuclear weapons, would then be obliged to join. No Senate will ever approve such a treaty.
Ukraine won’t sue for peace. As many people have told me this week, it’s too personal. As a superpower, the United States can try to steer this conflict toward a settlement that protects Ukraine and doesn’t reward Russian aggression. But don’t ask Ukrainians to give up their cause. They won’t do it.
If the U.S. stops financing Ukraine its people will have no choice.
But the war is about more than Ukraine and the U.S. will finance it because its neoconservative leaders believe in its larger cause.
The war in Ukraine is a proxy-act for the U.S. in support of its quest for global hegemony.
For Russia, China, and much of the rest of the world, the war is thus about the elimination of that quest.
As President Putin explained in his recent Valdai speech in Sochi:
The Ukraine crisis is not a territorial conflict, and I want to make that clear. Russia is the world’s largest country in terms of land area, and we have no interest in conquering additional territory. We still have much to do to properly develop Siberia, Eastern Siberia, and the Russian Far East. This is not a territorial conflict and not an attempt to establish regional geopolitical balance. The issue is much broader and more fundamental and is about the principles underlying the new international order.Lasting peace will only be possible when everyone feels safe and secure, understands that their opinions are respected, and that there is a balance in the world where no one can unilaterally force or compel others to live or behave as a hegemon pleases even when it contradicts the sovereignty, genuine interests, traditions, or customs of peoples and countries. In such an arrangement, the very concept of sovereignty is simply denied and, sorry, is thrown in the garbage.
That is why the war is going to be a long one.
Putin though has no doubt who will win:
Russia was, is and will be one of the foundations of this new world system, ready for constructive interaction with everyone who strives for peace and prosperity, but ready for tough opposition against those who profess the principles of dictatorship and violence. We believe that pragmatism and common sense will prevail, and a multipolar world will be established.
Will it? I certainly hope so but there is doubt that it will be during the next five or ten years.
Posted by b on October 6, 2023 at 14:46 UTC | Permalink
next page »Biswapriya Purkayast | Oct 6 2023 15:02 utc | 1
To be fair the story said another unit occupied the trenches they'd taken. Who knows the truth?
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Oct 6 2023 15:13 utc | 3
Wapo article archived here
The conflict is bleeding the country out. Ukrainians I spoke with during a four-day visit know they can’t keep fighting forever seeking what might be an unachievable victory. But they won’t stop, either.
"If you stop, nothing makes sense,” says Mariia Mezentseva, a member of parliament from Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, near the Russian border. “We attended so many funerals in the last 18 months. At every one, I say with tears in my eyes: I will not stop until we reach our goal” of expelling Russians from all occupied territory.
“We have to be honest. People are tired,” says Pavlo Klimkin, a former foreign minister, during a dinner at a restaurant here. “Last year, it was confidence, maybe overconfidence. Now, people feel it’s a classic attrition war. … Nearly every family has someone killed. I would not try to sell the people an option that falls short of victory. Because it’s personal.”
That's absolutely tragic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Knight_(Monty_Python)
Although supremely skilled in swordplay, the Black Knight suffers from unchecked overconfidence and a staunch refusal ever to give up... as the scene progresses and Arthur becomes increasingly annoyed, his dialogue lapses from medieval ("You are indeed brave, Sir Knight, but the fight is mine.") to modern ("Look, you stupid bastard, you've got no arms left!"), and finally to just plain sarcastic ("What are you gonna do, bleed on me?"), while the Black Knight remains just as defiant ("I'm invincible!" he yells with only one leg left, to which Arthur simply replies "You're a loony.")
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Oct 6 2023 15:22 utc | 4
Maybe, it's Ukraine financing the USA? LOL, I read somewhere on TG that Ukraine is buying US treasuries, flip a coin if it's real or fake. Ouroboros? Self licking ice cream cone? Actually best is the Human Centipede. Only way left to sell US bonds, scam them through your Ukrainian subsidiary? The entire neoliberal economy is a Ponzi, so why not? Does the Big Guy still get 10%? Yikes!
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Oct 6 2023 15:23 utc | 5
@2 annie
Au contraire my disillusioned barfly. It is one of the most scariest times because of all the real dangers to humanity on our very doorstep. All those sad end of the world sci-fi movies will come into play for real as economic collapse, nuclear war and pandemic realities could end for billions just as we should be seeing a true renaissance for Man. The insidious banking cabal octopus entangling our world will see us falter but I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that something good comes out in the next few years!!
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 15:25 utc | 6
The US/UK/Zio three-headed monster that is financing country 404 cannot keep this up for much longer. The support for this corrupted and evil country HAS to be throttled back quickly so their plans and goals do not come to fruition. People NEED to stand up and be heard and stop this madness. Hope it comes together...
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 15:30 utc | 7
Thanks for the posting b
You wrote
"
The war in Ukraine is a proxy-act for the U.S. in support of its quest for global hegemony.
For Russia, China, and much of the rest of the world, the war is thus about the elimination of that quest.
"
My only clarification is that America is a proxy act in support of the God Of Mammon elite just like the rest of the Western nations....all corrupted under control of the global money mafia.
Humanity is in a civilization war over public/private finance
Posted by: psychohistorian | Oct 6 2023 15:34 utc | 8
Oh boy. This is the satirical peak of US colonizational capitalism.
BlackRock and other US companies who apparently own 1/3 of arable land in Ukraine, complain that too much of that land is reserved for cemetery use and diminishing potential investment returns.
https://twitter.com/Ramy_Sawma/status/1709830333665849563
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 9
@4 Yetanotheranon
How the fug do these people feel they can continue with their utterly insane and stupid ideas when the actual sad picture is continually punching them in the fucking mouth?? The brainwashing or whatever is real deep in these losers.
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 10
The goosestepping folks in Kiev are doing what freaks everywhere and at all times do naturally, i.e. freaking out. Don't know about all of you, but I'm enjoying their pain immensely.
Posted by: Jack Gordon | Oct 6 2023 15:40 utc | 11
@9 Unimperator
OMG! That would be so ridiculously hilarious if it wasn't so goddamn sad.
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 15:41 utc | 12
On the US imperialist political front I can already see how this is going to play out.
Ukraine's horrid losses despite the massive amount of money and arms it received, will be cast as solely attributable to the "fascist" (a term so abused as to be meaningless in the US, at this point) anti Ukraine war Republicans and their supporters in the population.
The line will be something like Ukraine was winning untill the hard right in the US became a 5th column for Putin. Ukraine was doing great, but now, with funding stopped for a month they are suddenly on the verge of losing the war!
The losses of the last year will finally make the paper but only to shame the faithless traitors in the US, all brainwashed by Putin.
B is right. Ousting Putin and breaking up Russia for exploitation by US oligarchs is seen as an essential power boost to a dying western imperialism. That boost is seen as essential to effectively applying pressure to and subordinating China and thereby restoring western imperial hegemony over the world for another century.
It is an insane plan that cannot work but that's the nature of moribund imperialism. It doesn't just sleepwalk into world war repeatedly to offset it's decline, rather like a madman it runs headlong into world war in hopes of retaining and expanding it's diminishing power.
"Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad"
An international anti war movement against western imperialism is the first step to killing the beast. A civil war against the ruling class of every western nation is required to bring this beast down, but that can only be done by winning over western workers who suffer the most under the world war policies of their RC.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 15:42 utc | 14
The only reason for the US billions to Kiev was the intention, combined with significant economic sanctions, to damage Russia so much that it comes to the brink of collapse, the leadership loses popular support and US puppets take power in the Kremlin. We owe today's mountains of corpses to these childishly stupid ideas about Russia, which are essentially favored by Blinken and his friends.
But if there's one thing Americans can do, it's finding the right time when investments are no longer worth it. The EU can then do the rest - as it will certainly not survive the enormous demands for investment. (Google Trans)
Posted by: Oliver Krug | Oct 6 2023 15:45 utc | 15
"If you stop, nothing makes sense,” says Mariia Mezentseva, a member of parliament from Kharkiv ….. ….I will not stop until we reach our goal” of expelling Russians from all occupied territory.
Please Note - This MP is calling for the ethnic cleansing of nearly 10 million people. She is 33 years old and she is a fanatical zealot.
Posted by: Exile | Oct 6 2023 15:46 utc | 16
This citation from Politico provided above makes a extremely key admission:
"In Kyiv, officials are at a loss as to what might happen next. Their staunchest military ally suddenly looks unreliable, despite assurances from President Biden and others the U.S. will remain steadfast until Ukraine’s invaders are defeated."
The writer(s) perhaps unknowingly admit an alliance exists, that the Outlaw US Empire is indeed a belligerent, which has long been the key fact in the matter. The Establishment Narrative's insistence on pushing the BigLie that this affair is "Russian aggression" is no longer believed by the global majority and Putin was keen to give a huge pushback against that at Valdai--The war began with the 2014 Coup. Russia is already making limited offensive moves along the front where the Ukies have no more reserves to commit. The changing weather may or may not help the Ukies as it looks to be a mixed bag of increasing dampness in the North versus drier in the South. The overcast will mask both sides satellites, but Russia has the clear advantage with its drones so that might not affect its operations, while the masking affect helps.
I note it seems to be the women who are calling for war to the uttermost. I'm trying to remember where I read a miner's leader during a strike saying once the wives were involved, it was win or be utterly defeated.
Was it Zola's Germinal, or was it the 1980s UK miner's strike?
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Oct 6 2023 15:49 utc | 18
A bit of context regarding NATO countries funding to Kiev:
$65 billion RF defense budget 2021
~165€ billion EU funds for Kiev last 20 months
~$100 billion USA funds for Kiev last 20 months
Posted by: Exile | Oct 6 2023 15:50 utc | 19
Thanks b for that overlook. Sure the anglo-saxons are trying to preserve their hegemonic system - what for the first time since hundreds of years is really in danger. Thanks to their mistakes, they themselves made and on the other hand, countries that are ruled by clear-minded men. The anglo-saxons are aware of this danger and one of the actions are scored earth - to destroy europe as much as possible. They do not want to have a competition inside the western bloc of the future. Look of what happens to germany - the whole government is corrupt and under full control of the US and/or (much worser) the NGOs. They are destroying the land systematically and on most relevant topics. BUT: the people across the EU are starting to realize that something is wrong with their government, media and justice system.. so the cronies become nervous.
Accompanied with that is the statement of Lynn Forester Rothschild, that the attempt to get power due "climate" and "stakeholder value" was to brutal and short-termed, what leads to unrest among the citizens and unwanted results. So she declares to step back a little to buy time for a better plan. First results are Sunnaks moves and others.
.... from b: Will it? I certainly hope so but there is doubt that it will be during the next five or ten years.
That is a pessimistic lookout. What happens now indicates a time frame of 1 to 3 years.
Posted by: Ableman | Oct 6 2023 15:52 utc | 20
There's seems to be a sense of relief that the counteroffensive is over, foreign aid is decreasing and Ukraine's defeat comes closer... But the worse is yet to come. There is no way lunatics like Budanov would just anti-climatically surrender the war. At the breaking point when Ukraine will be about to collapse they might do something extreme like blowing up nuclear plants (EVEN the ones on their own territory) or make one last massive missile attack against Moscow or Mariuopol, this time hitting everything.
Posted by: T6 | Oct 6 2023 15:55 utc | 21
Ahenobarbus @ 14
I mostly don't talk about Ukraine at all in meatspace any longer. All the angles you cover have been thrown at me verbally by the local loyal progressive Democrats. Which is the whole population in this enclave. Most of them will still also claim that my defeatism is not real world, Ukraine is winning and Russia is bleeding out. The one Republican I knew reasonably well no longer talks politics in public, just causes trouble.
Posted by: oldhippie | Oct 6 2023 16:00 utc | 22
@2 annie
Au contraire my disillusioned barfly. It is one of the most scariest times because of all the real dangers to humanity on our very doorstep. All those sad end of the world sci-fi movies will come into play for real as economic collapse, nuclear war and pandemic realities could end for billions just as we should be seeing a true renaissance for Man. The insidious banking cabal octopus entangling our world will see us falter but I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that something good comes out in the next few years!!
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 15:25 utc | 6
####################
Why become consumed by fear about things beyond your control? Where is the profit in that?
annie @2 is correct. As an observer, this is an exciting time. We're in uncharted territory and the news is coming fast.
If you have no influence on it, enjoy the show.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Oct 6 2023 16:01 utc | 23
.... from b: Will it? I certainly hope so but there is doubt that it will be during the next five or ten years.
That is a pessimistic lookout. What happens now indicates a time frame of 1 to 3 years.
Posted by: Ableman | Oct 6 2023 15:52 utc | 20
"Yes, the avalanche has started, the pebbles no longer get to vote."
This Winter should be epic. You never know exactly when the friction will give out, but once it does, you are in a slide.
Posted by: Bemildred | Oct 6 2023 16:03 utc | 24
"the anglo-saxons"
Posted by: Ableman | Oct 6 2023 15:52 utc | 20
...that's a funny term for western imperialism, ableman.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 16:05 utc | 25
Posted by: Exile | Oct 6 2023 15:50 utc | 19
################
And of the two, the money the Russians are paying is much more real than the money the West is printing out of thin air.
Which may explain the straight numerical disparity. Easy for the West to supply billions and billions that are created on a FED computer in minutes.
The Russians have to actually invest time, intelligence, and labor into their government spending.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Oct 6 2023 16:06 utc | 26
If Mr. Selensky can find time in his schedule, he should take a trip to Syria. Talk with the Kurdish fighters there. The ones that took care of ISIS, stopped the terror attacks all over Europe.
To then be thrown under the bus, when the US had decided ISIS was no longer a threat, and they could improve their relationship with Erdogan by letting him kill the Kurdish population in Syria.
Posted by: Marvin | Oct 6 2023 16:06 utc | 27
ladies and gentlemen
welcome to the sunk cost fallacy in action
Posted by: earl | Oct 6 2023 16:08 utc | 28
@Ableman | Oct 6 2023 15:52 utc | 20
BUT: the people across the EU are starting to realize that something is wrong with their government, media and justice system..Starting to realize? This is far too late, and I am not even convinced it is happening. If they were starting to realize it 22 years ago it would not have been too soon.
Posted by: Norwegian | Oct 6 2023 16:09 utc | 29
Was reading about grenade shrapnel being found in the bodies of those on Prigozhin's plane here on MoA. But now I'm reading elsewhere about how Putin was speculating that Prigozhin and co were drunk and high and playing with hand grenades during the flight.
Only in Russia ....
Posted by: gT | Oct 6 2023 16:12 utc | 30
Your "facts" are all fine and good b, but you are trying to reach people in the west with profound psychological blinders. It is deeply sad to think about the destruction and chaos that our rampaging empire has sewn all over the world. For me, this conflict awakens in myself the feeling that long-espoused positions and narratives of my country have been the oil that greases the gears of empire. But now it is a dirty sludge and my anger reaches into me in such a way that I see no recourse or available means to reach my fellow man in their shared delusion.
Crawling out of Plato's cave is not for the faint-of-heart. And yet it is the only measure of a man we know and can be sure of: the desire for peace is only found inward and can not be won on the borders of countries.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Oct 6 2023 16:13 utc | 31
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 9
Near the bottom of this post by simplicius76 from a few days ago is a commercial that was on TV station 1+1 in 404.
"The future of Ukraine can be created now, not only by the living.
Ukrainian ecologists suggested to bury part of the soldiers,
fallen in the war against the aggressor in special biodegradable capsule bags.
In time they'll dissolve into fruitful substances and will make the land more fruitful.
In the future at the resting place of our heroes parks, squares and even agricultural grounds."
I think they came up with a win win solution.
Posted by: lex talionis | Oct 6 2023 16:13 utc | 32
@24 LD
Okay so you got your popcorn and lazyboy and you're watching the festivities with zeal I get it but have you meticulously planned and stocked up properly for the shitshow that's going to crush your family's future shortly? I'm a firm believer in being prepared.
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 16:16 utc | 33
LoveDonbass@26
True, but remember that probably RF could produce a similar weapon at a fraction of the cost needed to produce it in the west. ;)
Posted by: Mario | Oct 6 2023 16:16 utc | 34
Looks like Ankara has responded wildly to the downing of their ANSI drone in Syria yesterday. There is massive damage to oil infrastructure of US-controlled assets to kill any revenues for Mammon. Nato attacking Nato?? Should be good theatre from here on out!!
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 16:21 utc | 35
Vladyslav Faraponov, head of the board of the Institute of American Studies does not appear to have studied the recent history of US involvement in internacional conflicts.
Posted by: c | Oct 6 2023 16:22 utc | 36
Posted by: Mario | Oct 6 2023 16:16 utc | 34
################
I was wondering if there is some connection between easy money and lower-quality production. If the money is easy to obtain (via bribes, kickbacks, embezzlement), then the incentives to compete and produce the best goods, with time, surely disappear.
Incentives across every domain are everything, IMO.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Oct 6 2023 16:23 utc | 37
I have been absolutely appalled at the lies, mendacity, gaslighting, and ulterior motives of our government (USA) policies in Ukraine.
If they really thought that we could collapse Russia with sanctions and military aid to Ukraine, they were incompetent, just as they were strategically incompetent since Vietnam except for one bright spot in 1991. On the other hand, if they didn’t believe it would work, that’s not incompetence, it’s malevolent evil.
What’s worse is that it is now clear that the US and NATO are not only strategically incompetent, they are tactically and operationally incompetent in modern war, too. For the most obvious example, the “west” equipped and trained the Ukrainians to penetrate a Russian defense that they didn’t understand, and got completely mauled. I marvel at Petraeus’ worlds in a news clip in the early part of the couner-offensive about the Russians are brittle and have poor morale. Was he merely incompetent, out of touch, or knowingly lying? No one can trust Austin, Petraeus, Blinken, Kirby, or any other Biden administration figure on any topic. I’m on the fence about Milley, but I cannot fathom why he didn’t come up with a logical plan to withdraw from Afghanistan in logical phases. Either he offered it to Biden and Biden didn’t take it, or he didn’t have a logical plan; either way I’m astonished he didn’t resign.
While this long-running foreign debacle runs on, large swaths of America have descended into 3rd-world status, where illegal immigrants, street thugs and criminals, and homeless addicts create unlivable cities.
We are truly our own worst enemy. Any politician who spends a dollar on Ukraine while our country is being destroyed within is a traitor.
Posted by: A A Ron | Oct 6 2023 16:31 utc | 38
please educate me ...
I thought a pin had to be pulled for a grenade to explode. Is it possible that one or more exploded on impact?
The only other thing I can imagine is a suicide bomber. No?
Also -I wonder about a cockpit voice recorder - maybe asking stew to report on a party on board?
Seems to me much is being made of Putyin's comments which do not say what folks are imputing
Posted by: ms idaho | Oct 6 2023 16:37 utc | 39
If Mr. Selensky can find time in his schedule, he should take a trip to Syria. Talk with the Kurdish fighters there. The ones that took care of ISIS, stopped the terror attacks all over Europe.
To then be thrown under the bus, when the US had decided ISIS was no longer a threat, and they could improve their relationship with Erdogan by letting him kill the Kurdish population in Syria.
Allegedly ISIS is part of the Alphabit, just like the White Helments.
Posted by: steve | Oct 6 2023 16:37 utc | 40
Breaking: Ukraine's intelligence SBU may be behind attack on AFD leaders in Germany who are on the Mirotvorets hitlist.
The SBU may be behind the attack on the leader of the Alternative for Germany, - Deutschland-Kurier ▪️Today, Tino Khrupalla was attacked with a syringe with an unknown liquid at an election rally in Bavaria; he was hospitalized with anaphylactic shock. ▪️The former head of the German secret service anonymously told Deutschland-Kurier that if Tino Khrupalla was attacked by lethal injection, then Ukraine had a motive for this, including his name. included in the list of the Ukrainian website “Peacemaker”. ▪️After the injection, no traces of poison were found in the blood, the source claims. Only intelligence services have access to substances that cannot be detected, he said. ▪️The party said that due to the growing influence of the AfD, many of its members are receiving serious threats. Party co-chair Alice Weidel even had to go into hiding due to threats. https://t.me/NovichokRossiya/39553
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 16:40 utc | 41
@A A Ron | Oct 6 2023 16:31 utc | 42
What’s worse is that it is now clear that the US and NATO are not only strategically incompetent, they are tactically and operationally incompetent in modern war, too.I consider that to be the good news. Consider the alternative!
Posted by: Norwegian | Oct 6 2023 16:45 utc | 42
Developments that received little attention in the current atmosphere;
US will establish diplomatic ties with the Cook Islands and Niue as Biden hosts Pacific leaders.
Cook Islands have a population of approx 17,000, Niue has about 1,700 so it's not likely economy related interest, but there's more:
"Power last month travelled to Fiji to open a new USAID mission that will manage agency programs in nine Pacific Island countries:
Also;
US is building a military base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Micronesian residents have questions.
Saw another similar article recently about same activity on tiny islands southwest of Saipan but cant find it now.
Not a very stealthy way of doing things but perhaps it isn't intended to be. So is 'Just In Time' being revised / updated to 'Just In Case'? .
Posted by: bubbles | Oct 6 2023 16:51 utc | 44
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Oct 6 2023 16:23 utc | 37
Not shure about that but, from my limited understanding, bigger costs on bigger weapons provide much more space for legit and illegit profit.
If you look at Iran drones, they produced them under sanctions, with limited cost and great efficacy.
Something like that is happening in China. They have a research small carrier, unmanned, that can carry aerial and naval drones. No doubt they can adapt to military use, probably it's by design.
So, China can and will produce, a lot of disposable carriers, probably very fast and with risible costs.
US big nuclear carriers require years to be produced and a shitload of money and resources.
Posted by: Mario | Oct 6 2023 16:52 utc | 45
For months I've been driving a road thrice weekly, bringing back hay from inland since coastal crop was so poor.
Each drive takes me past an old, ramshackle, peeling grey barn with a huge red,white,blue JOEMENTUM painted painted down its side.
I've been thinking of painting a porcelain white bowl beside it, with a brown poop headed down the crapper.
This past Monday, I did a double-take.
JOEMENTUM has disappeared. Completely. Not painted over. Apparently carefully scraped off. All just a wall of peeling gray, with not a hint it ever contained its message.
Posted by: Mary | Oct 6 2023 16:54 utc | 46
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 9
BlackRock and other US companies who apparently own 1/3 of arable land in Ukraine, complain that too much of that land is reserved for cemetery use and diminishing potential investment returns.
Not a problem. Plant over the cemeteries. That way Ukrainian heroes continue to be useful after death. /S
But seriously, I doubt Fink said what Il Libanese Ramy_Sawma claim. It's just too stupid.
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Oct 6 2023 17:03 utc | 47
Thank you for this text and again for your work and your open forums b !
Hoping that you and yours are doing well in these interesting times.
Some interesting texts on JD Sachs's blog, including this one recently published :
Beyond the Neocon Debacle to Peace in Ukraine
https://www.jeffsachs.org/newspaper-articles/towards-peace-in-ukraine
And still this german private initiative as negociation proposal :
https://www.berliner-zeitung.de/politik-gesellschaft/ending-the-war-by-a-negotiated-peace-li.417902
free access here :
https://zeitgeschehen-im-fokus.ch/en/newspaper-ausgabe-en/article-translated-in-english.html#article_1565
FR : ces textes sont publiés et traduits en français sur https://www.activista.be
(these texts are published and translated into French on www.activista.be)
Posted by: act | Oct 6 2023 17:08 utc | 48
To the Manichaeans, who are quiet numerous here : reality is often gray,
https://www.reuters.com/world/cuba-arrests-17-trafficking-young-men-fight-russia-ukraine-2023-09-08/
fortunately Cubans are aware of this and are acting fast
https://www.granma.cu/cuba/2023-09-04/cuba-enfrenta-operaciones-de-trata-de-personas-con-fines-de-reclutamiento-militar-04-09-2023-20-09-24
Posted by: Tak-Tik | Oct 6 2023 17:23 utc | 49
Posted by: A A Ron | Oct 6 2023 16:31 utc | 42
Agree 100%. Even simple things - they had a plan for years to send Ukraine to war and no one thought to ramp up production of shells and drones? Unbelievable! Especially since the MIC would make money from it and would be all too happy to oblige.
Posted by: Exile | Oct 6 2023 15:50 utc | 19
True but a small caveat - things cost less in Russia. Russian 2022 GDP using nominal exchange rates is ~$2 trillion, but at PPP it was as high as $5.3 trillion (IMF data), so for an apples-to-apples comparison we should gross up those numbers by 150% or so.
Still, your point is well taken, Russia is being far outspent by the US/NATO.
Posted by: Sudsie76 | Oct 6 2023 17:23 utc | 50
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 16:21 utc | 35
Not that significant. Turkiye was attacking the PKK/YPG over the PKK suicide bombing in Ankara October 1. The drone downing was not that important, just needs better coordination with US about operations. I have not heard of any "massive damage to oil infrastructure", although maybe there has been some given the apparent wide spread attacks on the Kurds.
Posted by: Blue Dotterel | Oct 6 2023 17:27 utc | 51
How much USD have the US already spent for their ukronazis project?
The vietnam adventure cost usa around 80 billions usd if i remember well
Posted by: SlowSoft | Oct 6 2023 17:31 utc | 52
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Oct 6 2023 15:22 utc | 4
The scene with the Black Knight gives even more.
The black knight ("Ukraine") also attacks the ground ("Civilians, Infrastructure"), so the opponent ("RF") must also block these blows.
The opponent also does not try to kill the black knight, but only to incapacitate him. After the black knight is completely de-militarized, the opponent moves on.
The black knight then asks, completely out of touch with reality, if a 'draw' can be agreed upon.
Posted by: 600w | Oct 6 2023 17:33 utc | 53
The future is unpredictable but- we don't know what the bulk of the Ukrainian population really thinks. Symapthy for Russia is currently criminalized, so any voices making it to the west will necessarily be zealous advocates of fighting to the bitter end. Any other opinions or narratives are disallowed. However, there is interchange between civilians across the front lines and Russia is busy rebuilding their new territory where it is safe to do so. There are many prisoners of war who have returned from the Russian side. Russia allows visits from relatives. As the conflict drags on through the winter the Ukrainians will continue to suffer. If government workers, soldiers, and pensioners cannot be paid there will be a crisis.
There were a significant number of politicians in government who were sympathetic to Russia and in favor of cooperation. While they may have been purged or gone to exile, they represented a fair block of the population.
I would not give up hope that, as time goes on, a viable opposition could form and take power. The formal US position has always been that "Ukrainians must decide their future". Perhaps they will in unexpected ways.
Posted by: the pessimist | Oct 6 2023 17:36 utc | 54
Posted by: the pessimist | Oct 6 2023 17:36 utc | 64
The attitude can be seen in the thousands surrendering every month. The Ukrainian's who are in EU don't want to go back (they may yet be forced back, though), and those who went to Russia are not going back to the state controlled by the Kiev regime.
Ukraine has no future, it is only a paper entity still pretended to be a state in western media.
The most likely scenario is there will be a Lwow oblast Ukraine consisting perhaps 2 million in the west and under control of Nato. On the other hand Lwow may be Poland.
There can be a neutral buffer in the middle. This would be consistent with the objective of a neutral Ukraine.
There will be Russia in the east.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 17:43 utc | 55
The impression I'm getting lately is that the air is coming out of this thing. America is now seen as "The Big Bad Wolf" confined to blowing down houses made only of sticks and straw.
The Empire of Lies is on borrowed time while Russia's military is warmed up at idle speed and ready.
Posted by: chunga | Oct 6 2023 17:48 utc | 56
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 9
Glad they had to become less dishonest.
Posted by: Colin | Oct 6 2023 17:56 utc | 57
I agree with Alexander Mercouris. Ukraine is not going to run out of money because the US can always print more and figure out ways to give it to the grifters of its choice.
What Ukraine is running out of are bodies for the meat grinder and weapons. You can have all the money in the world, but if you don’t have soldiers are weapons, your army collapses. When the military collapses, which could happen any time, what happens next in Ukraine?
With or without a Russian offensive, the long knives will come out, looking for scapegoats to blame for the defeat. Zelensky is low-hanging fruit, and he is a fruit that may indeed hang low. Or high. I’m not sure which.
So once the military is gone and the government has collapsed, what happens next? Put your money on mass migration of neo-Nazis, their kin, and the desperate into western Europe, where all the Poles, Slovaks, and German AfD members are ready to welcome them with open arms. Arms as in “armaments.”
And what will that do? Could there possibly be a political/societal implosion? Naw. Couldn’t be, because we read nothing about that possibility in the MSM, and we can certainly trust it.
Russia will give the oblasts of Ukraine the opportunity to vote for independent but neutral status under Russian-affiliated caretaker governments, or re-absorption into the motherland. Those oblasts that are either smart or desperate will vote for the latter, because there is no economic future whatsoever for those post-Ukrainian oblasts that separate themselves from Russia. Why? Do you think that the US or the EU will send them money? Why? For what purpose? Because they are altruistic democracies? Perhaps as bribes to keep them from mass migration to Europe? At that point it will be too late for that. The barbarians will have already crashed the gates and spoiled the dinner party that has been a non-stop consumption binge since 1950.
Posted by: Joseph Dillard | Oct 6 2023 17:56 utc | 58
Prigozhin & Co. getting drunk and playing with a hand granade? Why not. They had their good reasons for suicide. Prigoputsch didn't achieve anything, they lost badly and trip to Africa few days before the plane crash wasn't likely success either. That was the only way to wash part of the dirt away from their names. And for Prigo it was also the way to pass remnants of his empire and assets to his son.
Posted by: J_Schneider | Oct 6 2023 17:58 utc | 59
Posted by: Exile | Oct 6 2023 15:46 utc | 16
“This MP is calling for the ethnic cleansing of nearly 10 million people. She is 33 years old and she is a fanatical zealot.”
No, She is NOT calling for the ethnic cleansing of the 10 million Ukrainians who live there. She is calling for the expulsion of the russian invaders & rapists, AKA russian imperial army.
Posted by: Membrum Virile | Oct 6 2023 16:59 utc | 52
Only problem.... There are no Ukrainians..... The Russians did not invade.... The Imperial Russian Army
ended with the October revolution, when the Bolchevisks took power...
For centuries the area now called Ukraine was part of the Russian empire, and later of the Soviet Union..
The current folks in power in Kiev were put there by the US Dept of State's Vickoria Nuland and Geoffrey Piatt, against the will of the citizens of Ukraine...
She and you need dynamic reorganization of the type following detonation of a 1 megaton hydrogen bomb...
I will gladly fly the mission which drops it...
INDY
Posted by: Dr. George W Oprisko | Oct 6 2023 17:59 utc | 60
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Oct 6 2023 16:23 utc | 37
In fact, even worse than the easy money that can be made with a low-quality product is the fact that the incentives are directed at making an even worse product.
1. Worse products
2. More maintenance costs and shorter lifespan
3. More maintenance sales and more sales of the product
4. Profits
It's not just about the military: cars, computers and cell phones have similar problems.
It's called planned obsolescence.
Capitalist propaganda tends to decry the stylistic obsolescence of Eastern Bloc cars, but this is only because in a planned economy the designers had no profit incentive to increase unnecessary obsolescence and consumption by changing the styling.
Design ... is an attempt to make a contribution through change. When no contribution is made or can be made, the only process available for giving the illusion of change is "styling"!
- Industrial designer George Nelson
Posted by: Colin | Oct 6 2023 18:04 utc | 61
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Oct 6 2023 16:01 utc | 23
The fact is that we have some control, namely educating young people on how to avoid military service and war.
At the very least, if more people fled to the relative safety of the southern hemisphere, they would have fewer people at home to directly enslave.
This will not only help yourself but also the people you value.
What's more, it's better to see danger from a safe place.
Posted by: Colin | Oct 6 2023 18:07 utc | 62
I got challenged by reader Zach who asked me to explain why Putin in the text quoted seemingly offered a new aim of the war.
I thought the war was about denazification, demilitarization, and neutral status for the Ukrainian government?I responded:
Hi Zach,
there are tactical, operational and strategic levels in policies and wars.
Denazification, demilitarization, and neutral status for the Ukrainian government is an operational aim. Note: "Special Military OPERATION".
The broader issue is the high strategic level. The end of U.S. hegemony. The hundred years change is what Xi and Putin talked about.
A video of Xi’s departure on Wednesday was filmed with translators speaking for both men.
“Right now there are changes – the likes of which we haven’t seen for 100 years – and we are the ones driving these changes together,” Xi told Putin as he stood at the door of the Kremlin to bid him farewell.
The Russian president responded: “I agree.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/22/xi-tells-putin-of-changes-not-seen-for-100
re: The war in Ukraine is a proxy-act for the U.S. in support of its quest for global hegemony.
Yes, but it's not a quest but a continuance according to the US National Security Strategy . . .
. . .Russia poses an immediate threat to the free and open international system, recklessly flouting the basic laws of the international order today, as its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has shown.
. . .Russia joined the G8 and G20 and recovered economically in the 2000s. And yet, they concluded that the success of a free and open rules-based international order posed a threat to their regimes and stifled their ambitions. In their own ways, they now seek to remake the international order to create a world conducive to their highly personalized and repressive type of autocracy.
. . . This is a critical difference between our vision, which aims to preserve the autonomy and rights of less powerful states, and that of our rivals, which does not. [disinformation] . . .here
The US will never willingly endanger its global hegemony.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Oct 6 2023 18:10 utc | 64
I would not give up hope that, as time goes on, a viable opposition could form and take power. The formal US position has always been that "Ukrainians must decide their future". Perhaps they will in unexpected ways.
Posted by: the pessimist | Oct 6 2023 17:36 utc | 64
Do you know the history of the opposition in Ukraine since 2014?
Now there is martial law there. What kind of opposition could be formed under these circumstances?
It is a surveillance state. It was built by the coup government together with the institutions and organizations that, infiltrated and controlled from abroad, organized the coup.
Their actual task would have been the defense against internal and external dangers. System hijackers, however, do not target the majority of the population, but seek direct quite undemocratic influence in the legislative, judicial and executive branches.
Ukraine can only be changed from the outside.
Currently, it is only a corrupt military dictatorship based on the South American model, i.e. on the US design for geo-political toys.
Posted by: 600w | Oct 6 2023 18:12 utc | 65
"the anglo-saxons"
Posted by: Ableman | Oct 6 2023 15:52 utc | 20
...that's a funny term for western imperialism, ableman.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 16:05 utc | 25
What I heard on the internet was that the CIA was formed in 1946 with some assist from the British. Also, that part of the personnel picked up in the new agency where former Nazis, not calling them Nazis here because that organization was dissolved. I have never been bothered by bringing in German scientists, but it would seem a bit much to bring in former Nazis in a new secret intelligence agency. If there is a confirmation concerning this, I would be interested in being informed.
The second thing that comes to mind is that the British surely used elements of subversion in retaining parts of their empire. If covert, of course it would be very hard to document. And there is evidence that we have been using covert methods to retain control in the non communist world. That puts a link between us and the British in our methods. And in recent years, the British have been our strongest supporters. Using the label Anglo-Saxon would be a sensible way to link us with the British even if not true in a detailed way.
Posted by: Jmaas | Oct 6 2023 18:18 utc | 66
Posted by: Colin | Oct 6 2023 18:04 utc | 72
‘Capitalist propaganda tends to decry the stylistic obsolescence of Eastern Bloc cars’,
I take you don’t drive.
Posted by: Milites | Oct 6 2023 18:19 utc | 67
"Joe Biden's private war"? Really b? This conflict is a product of Joe Biden's personal agenda?
I mean, sure, the guy may have had interests in the past, but this is way bigger than a senile, corrupt gerontocrat. NATO expansion and global domination involves the entire political class of the US and the Anglosphere in general and has been going on before he even became Vice-President.
Nor can the entirety of the conflict be attributed to the Dems. They form one faction of the Uniparty that serves the oligarchy. And in the end, this is where one should focus, along with the neocon cabal that runs the foreign policy and isn't beholden to any one of these two factions of the Uniparty.
All in all, a rather poorly conceived remark on Bernhardt's part.
Posted by: Constantine | Oct 6 2023 18:20 utc | 68
Putin said at Valdai:
"If EU wants to accept the 19 million Ukrainians with its current status of economy into itself, all power to their elbow. They will have to feed it."
It is a game of hot potatoes. The real game is who gets to feed the 19 million remaining people.
Already before SMO 90% of Ukrainians were making under 500 euro equivalents per month. Now it is significantly worse.
The US could potentially pull the rug from under Ukraine. Meanwhile, EU (Borrell) pledged that they will increase funds to Ukraine regardless of what US does.
This is what Putin means. The chance is high EU will be left as the bag holder. Let them.
Meanwhile the game for Nato is to kill off as much of the useless people as possible in Ukraine in order to decrease later upkeep costs. People are starting to realize it, which is why surrenders occur (in addition to mini collapses of assaults daily all over the front). People in Ukraine may be getting the drift how the game works.
All these negotiations of Ukraine joining Nato or EU are moot. Any discussion of security guarantees are hypothetical and moot. If they don't want to negotiate with Russia, Ukraine will forever be in a state of flux and deterioration, there won't be anything solid to build on. Any western "investor" planning to build weapon factories will learn it soon enough.
Tried to set up a grain processing facility, it got bombed? Too bad.
Your component factory got bombed? Tough luck.
They are trying to unilaterally agree things concerning the territory of 2021 Ukraine without Russia is doomed to end in failure, massive loss of investment, and security guarantees simply will never happen.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 18:29 utc | 69
*********Attention Bernard*********
BLINKEN (actually Blinkin) is currently scrambling to GIFT the (unlawfully) seized Bank Reserves of Russia ($300 Billion) to Ukraine.
It’s about $300 billion, and most of it actually in Europe, not in the United States. So we’re looking at what legal authorities we may have, the Europeans may have, to actually use those assets for Ukraine. My own view is you broke it, you bought it. And so the Russians having broken it, they ought to pay for it.
Archived State Department Transcript Oct 4
Posted by: The Archivist | Oct 6 2023 18:29 utc | 70
@8 for the win.
"Humanity is in a civilization war over public/private finance."
May humanity win.
Posted by: LindaJ | Oct 6 2023 18:31 utc | 71
Oh boy. This is the satirical peak of US colonizational capitalism.
BlackRock and other US companies who apparently own 1/3 of arable land in Ukraine, complain that too much of that land is reserved for cemetery use and diminishing potential investment returns.
https://twitter.com/Ramy_Sawma/status/1709830333665849563
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 9
------------------------------------------------------------
Never, ever, underestimate Wall Street, the post WWII sponsors of the CIA.
If Wall Street is calling for an end to the war, like NYT (somewhat hesitantly, for DoS) and WaPo (also hesitantly, for CIA) there are changes afoot, slowly, but surely.
I have been looking out for cracks for some time, s some of you know. If BlackRock is on a mission, look out. It looks like they are writing Ukraine off. That, dear bar flies, is the beginning of the end. There will be no shortage of protestations, pros and cons, fights in Congress, everyone trying to preserve virtue, but in the end . . . .
Posted by: Acco Hengst | Oct 6 2023 18:54 utc | 72
Comment #1 The "Maliy" story...
Coincidentally, sufficient to divert the scabs of Wallace's father still in hiding. Mate told me he's the bloody butcher of Malay?
Posted by: Echo Chamber | Oct 6 2023 18:58 utc | 73
It’s about $300 billion, and most of it actually in Europe, not in the United States.
Archived State Department Transcript Oct 4
Posted by: The Archivist | Oct 6 2023 18:29 utc | 70
------------------------------------------------------------
Kay Bailey Hutchinson planted for the questions to Blinken.
Blinken standing grand. It takes a very special person to lie in multiple directions all at once.
Posted by: Acco Hengst | Oct 6 2023 19:17 utc | 74
I wish I could share the enthusiasm, but if you think that the US will throw up its hands, say "I guess we lost fair and square" and go do something else, then you are grossly mistaken. The sunk costs of supporting Ukraine are too great for the West to reverse course now.
If they run out of Ukrainians, they'll Send In The Poles, send in the Tomahawks, ATACMS, Taurus, detonate a dirty bomb, whatever it takes.
If Congress for whatever reason isn't cooperating at the moment, they'll use blackmail, emergency powers, whatever it takes.
If voters aren't voting the way they're supposed to, they'll cheat, cancel elections, blackmail the winners, whatever it takes.
Posted by: Feral Finster | Oct 6 2023 19:24 utc | 75
If Blinken and the War Party really do steal Moscow‘s bank reserves and other assets located in NATOland, the blowback effects will be staggering:
1) Moscow will retaliate and sequester assets located inside the RF owned by NATOland entities. The value of these assets greatly exceeds $300 billion
2) BRIC+ central banks will accelerate repatriation of reserves away from NATOland
3) BRIC+ private individuals and companies will also accelerate exiting investments held inside NATOland.
Note - stealing assets is unheard of even during a vicious declared war. For example, during the 1850s Crimean War . Russian assets held in England and France were untouched. ditto for English/French assets held inside Russia. Interest Payments were paid to ‚enemy‘ bomdholders on both sides. A second example, Japanese manufacturers paid their licensing royalties to U.S. companies during WWIIi.
What Blinken proposes is a barbaric lawless practice that only the child of a black market tax cheating drug dealing pimp could dream up.
Posted by: Exile | Oct 6 2023 19:24 utc | 76
And in recent years, the British have been our strongest supporters. Using the label Anglo-Saxon would be a sensible way to link us with the British even if not true in a detailed way.
Posted by: Jmaas | Oct 6 2023 18:18 utc | 66
Respectfully disagree. Calling western imperialism by the name of a single ethnic group, obscures the diversity of ethnicities with leading roles and interests in the current imperialist project.
Such terminology would be more appropriate, but still unclear, even during the apex of British imperialism.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 19:25 utc | 77
On the topic of financing and own goals: EU members be to fightin'..among themselves.
The Third Rail of EU Politics Is Threatening to Wreck All the Bloc’s Plans
"The European Union’s longstanding failure to agree on how to deal with migration threatens to disrupt the rest of its business.
At a summit in Granada, Spain, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni triggered a diplomatic spat when they agreed to an impromptu huddle on the issue with Rishi Sunak of the UK."
Who's paying the bills?
Sunak Stealth Raid Will Be Biggest UK Tax Rise Ever, Study Shows
https://news.yahoo.com/sunak-stealth-raid-biggest-uk-131653554.html
Actually searching that headline produces similar results going back many months, so it's not the first raid by Sunak on tax payers.
‘There’s no way people will be able to live here’: London father faces £17,000 bill to keep family in UK
"A London father living in temporary accommodation with his wife and four children will have to pay more than £17,000 to keep his family in the UK after the Government’s planned visa fee hike for those on the 10-year route to settlement."
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/no-way-people-able-live-125721502.html
Seems the nobles have caused a spot of trouble what with their swashbuckling here and there where they had no business going.
Germany in recession, Britain deploying slight of hand techniques to grab even more tax money to keep the wolf from the door, France dancing about like a hen with no head and various others circling each other like wrestlers in a ring.
Quite the Garden they got there. If you don't mind the bugs. Consequences of overthrowing Gaddafi should have taught them something, yes? And he did warn them.
Posted by: bubbles | Oct 6 2023 19:26 utc | 78
BLINKEN (actually Blinkin) is currently scrambling to GIFT the (unlawfully) seized Bank Reserves of Russia ($300 Billion) to Ukraine.
Posted by: The Archivist | Oct 6 2023 18:29 utc | 70
———————-
No surprise, coming from a country that engages in piracy on the high seas.
Posted by: Cato the Uncensored | Oct 6 2023 19:29 utc | 79
Ahenobarbus @ 14
I mostly don't talk about Ukraine at all in meatspace any longer. All the angles you cover have been thrown at me verbally by the local loyal progressive Democrats. Which is the whole population in this enclave. Most of them will still also claim that my defeatism is not real world, Ukraine is winning and Russia is bleeding out. The one Republican I knew reasonably well no longer talks politics in public, just causes trouble.
Posted by: oldhippie | Oct 6 2023 16:00 utc | 22
Really Dems that are anti US imperialism (they want Russia to win) and pro class conflict (they want workers to unite on a class basis against the war on Russia)?
I don't see many like that in California. You must have some pretty awesome Dems wherever your at, Old.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 19:30 utc | 80
How the fug do these people feel they can continue with their utterly insane and stupid ideas when the actual sad picture is continually punching them in the fucking mouth?? The brainwashing or whatever is real deep in these losers.
Posted by: bisfugged | Oct 6 2023 15:36 utc | 10
The word is "fuck". You're not in church or with the kids.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 19:31 utc | 81
It should be clear to everyone that Russia is playing not to lose. A stalemate until NATO decides to either negotiate or escalate.
Posted by: Bismarck | Oct 6 2023 19:32 utc | 82
Posted by: Joseph Dillard | Oct 6 2023 17:56 utc | 58
This is a plausible scenario. When will this happen is difficult to predict. Perhaps during the next year when it becomes obvious that Democrats will loose elections and financing finally dries up.
Posted by: Milos | Oct 6 2023 19:35 utc | 83
"A London father living in temporary accommodation with his wife and four children will have to pay more than £17,000 to keep his family in the UK after the Government’s planned visa fee hike for those on the 10-year route to settlement."
Posted by: bubbles | Oct 6 2023 19:26 utc | 78
——————-
So, the foreigner occupation government of the UK is fleecing the foreigners who come to the UK legally to subsidise those who come illlegally. Where else have we seen that ???
Posted by: Cato the Uncensored | Oct 6 2023 19:36 utc | 84
The EU Audit Chamber is sounding the alarm, not understanding where to get money to help Ukraine - Le Figaro▪️The countries of the European Union are already suffering from a difficult economic situation, and at the same time they promised Kyiv multibillion-dollar loans, payments for which Ukraine will not begin soon, the newspaper writes.
▪️Therefore, the Accounts Chamber of the European Union is trying to warn the European Commission and draw its attention to the sharp increase in EU debt obligations.
EU Audit chamber doesn't know where money in Ukraine is actually going, EU commission has racked up the debt in massive amounts for project-Ukropistan and German industry is nearing life support conditions and dragging down the rest of EU with it.
That's what happens when people who have no business running a hot dog stand are running the EU and micromanaging all vassal states finances. It's hard to see EU surviving this. Absorbing the Ukro Trojan horse will pretty much seal the deal.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 19:37 utc | 85
Ahenobarbus @ 80
Try reading the second and third paragraph of your #14.
Jump on me harder for agreeing with you.
The Demshave already internalized all the excuses. They will never have to accept the error of their ways. They have been perfect every step of the way. In their imagination/
Posted by: oldhippie | Oct 6 2023 19:39 utc | 86
“What top opinion makers think about the changing world order” is explained on
In essence, the American proposals for reform of the UN are meeting resistance. The world majority is backing China and Europe is left out.
Posted by: Paul-Robert | Oct 6 2023 20:07 utc | 87
ms idaho | Oct 6 2023 16:37 utc | 39--
Grenades have two safeties--the pin and a latch that's secured to the grenade by the pin: The pin gets pulled, the latch is still secured by your hand holding the grenade, then it falls away once the grenade is released and explodes in whatever time is preset for the device. At least, that's how the US grenades I trained on operated. They don't look too much different today. I suspect the fragments were bits of shrapnel from whatever explosive device was used.
Where else have we seen that ???
Posted by: Cato the Uncensored | Oct 6 2023 19:36 utc | 84
The US but not quite as obvious?
When it comes to British Lords and the misc. nobles, they enjoy outsized ownership of property in UK and that of course offers the opportunity for outsized influence. Not convinced the latest bunch are nearly as crafty as their ancestors tho. Bojo wasn't such a surprise given the political environment in the West now, but Truss? Alluding to Thatcher ongoing must be like 2 glasses of expensive cognac at bedtime to the old codgers who run the Conservative party. Sending them right off to sleep while listening to Rule, Britannia
Posted by: bubbles | Oct 6 2023 20:18 utc | 89
The EU Audit Chamber is sounding the alarm, not understanding where to get money to help Ukraine - Le Figaro
▪️The countries of the European Union are already suffering from a difficult economic situation, and at the same time they promised Kyiv multibillion-dollar loans, payments for which Ukraine will not begin soon, the newspaper writes.
▪️Therefore, the Accounts Chamber of the European Union is trying to warn the European Commission and draw its attention to the sharp increase in EU debt obligations.
https://t.me/NovichokRossiya/39561
EU Audit chamber doesn't know where money in Ukraine is actually going, EU commission has racked up the debt in massive amounts for project-Ukropistan and German industry is nearing life support conditions and dragging down the rest of EU with it.
That's what happens when people who have no business running a hot dog stand are running the EU and micromanaging all vassal states finances. It's hard to see EU surviving this. Absorbing the Ukro Trojan horse will pretty much seal the deal.
Posted by: unimperator | Oct 6 2023 19:37 utc | 85
They'll print the money or forgive the obligations if they have to, law and EU agreements be damned.
Posted by: Feral Finster | Oct 6 2023 20:22 utc | 90
Perhaps now is the time for Ukraine and US to contemplate whether skimming 60% of foreign aide off the top was such a good idea. Especially when the result was more losses to Ukraine than than the much larger US had during WWII in 4 years of of fighting in both theaters.
I don't see this as a long war. The west cannot sustain it. they don't have the infrastructure or the financial resources to do so. All ready allies are beginning to peel off. My guess is a lot more Americans are against the war than the polls show. The lies are crumbling. The N word is emerging and used more frequently.
Russia isn't going to let that happen. They have the means to reduce Ukraine to an impoverished rump state, unable to make war on anyone. It's doubtful that Biden will even run, let alone win in 2024. Hillary couldn't get elected as dog catcher. The callow, unstable Newsome is a hard sell. All the rest of the candidates are for ending Biden's vanity war.
Posted by: Carol Davidek-Waller | Oct 6 2023 20:23 utc | 91
The Demshave already internalized all the excuses. They will never have to accept the error of their ways. They have been perfect every step of the way. In their imagination/
Posted by: oldhippie | Oct 6 2023 19:39 utc | 86
I don't share your confidence in Dem impunity. Especially not in these times.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 20:25 utc | 92
Jmaas @ 66:
You are correct, the CIA was formed from an earlier US intel agency (Office of Strategic Services) which was an espionage extension of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US military, with the assistance of Miles Copeland who had done work for UK intel while he was with another US intel agency during WWII. Copeland's contacts and US/UK cooperation during the war led to British influence in the CIA's structure and culture, to say nothing of its worldview.
After the war, both MI6 and CIA used former Ukrainian collaborators with the Nazis, including the notorious Stepan Bandera, as agents to penetrate Soviet Ukraine (and possibly other parts of the USSR in Europe) to carry out targeted assassinations. I believe the CIA had qualms about using these people because of the violence they used and stopped using them. MI6 seemed to have no problems with continuing to use them.
You probably know that Copeland had some involvement in overthrowing Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953 for nationalising the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (forerunner of BP) while he and his family were stationed in Beirut.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Oct 6 2023 20:29 utc | 93
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Oct 6 2023 19:30 utc | 80
i don't know what you're talking about. the democrats he was talking about are not pro Russia, nor do they want to unite with the workers in a class conflict. they are the opposite.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Oct 6 2023 20:32 utc | 94
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Oct 6 2023 20:29 utc | 93
plus that whole spy network run by Reinhardt Gehlen.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Oct 6 2023 20:40 utc | 95
Posted by: karlof1 | Oct 6 2023 20:13 utc | 88
Thank you. Translation fun and games. Putin spoke in Russian and several somebodies made up what they wanted to believe.
My image of drunk or high souls playing catch with a live grenade did not seem likely :)
Posted by: ms idaho | Oct 6 2023 20:48 utc | 96
I think that the Democrats/ Biden s might try to hang the "loss of the SMO" on the Republicans for not funding the Ukraine bill of $6 or $24 billion I couldn't keep up.
Easy off ramp.
However, they can't , won't turn the magic tap off: both parties and their owners need constant graft so they turn to War with China and fund various MIC GET CHINA schemes.
I remember a Mad Men episode where Raytheon (bomb makers inter alia) wanted to start advertising (1967 height of Vietnam war) and had an initial meeting at the ad agency. After The Raytheon guys had told them a bit about their business a young ad exec pithily remarked:
"Its the greatest product ever: costs a fortune only used once"
@J_Schneider #59
It takes a special kind of stupid to believe that Prigozhin, Utkin and Chekalov—the top three people in the Wagner Group—would kill themselves by blowing up a private plane they were flying on, along with another four Wagner Group employees and three members of the plane crew. It goes against everything we know about Prigozhin’s and Utkin’s personalities. Now, someone onboard suiciding themselves to bring down the Wagner Group’s leadership—that could be a possibility. However, I still think a bomb hidden inside the cargo is more likely.
Posted by: S | Oct 6 2023 20:49 utc | 98
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Oct 6 2023 20:29 utc | 93
Indeed. And the CIA created the EU. Bill Donovan began the process.
United States of Europe: EU was created by the CIA
Posted by: lex talionis | Oct 6 2023 20:50 utc | 99
It irritates me that RT continues to quote a low-ball $46B US "support" artifact. That figure values DOD equipment from FYE 2022. Why do it? Did research simply give up itemizing supplemental bills? US media sure didn't, when the deadbeat D.C. scrimmage ended in May. Stoltenberg doesn't even quote that figure. Kiel accountants nearly tripled total NATO cost in July! Meet the Ukraine Support Tracker.
Posted by: sln2002 | Oct 6 2023 20:51 utc | 100
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The Times article desperately tries to cope and yet shows its own lies. The "Maliy" story for example: the rest of his unit captured the Russian trenches and yet only discovered he was missing even they pulled back? Riiiiiight.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Oct 6 2023 15:02 utc | 1