News & views (notr related to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine) …
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June 23, 2024
Open (Neither Ukraine Nor Palestine) Thread 2024-149
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Ahenobarbus@68 wrote “However, it matters to Imperialism. They thinks it’s really the most important thing. They want us to talk about it instead of say war, poverty, class, genocide, etc.” Here in context “it” must mean homosexuality. I vaguely recall Ahenobarbus spouting some Trotskyist rhetoric, but maybe of the variety where anti-Stalinism is code for anti-Communist and pro-imperialist. But claiming imperialists are driven by a cultural agenda instead of material factors, like the need for profits, is blatantly anti-Marxist (if not anti-common sense.) Most homosexuals (gays or queers if you want to be more contemporary) are working class (in the Marxist sense) for the irrefutable sense most people are working class. Wanting to drive homosexuals away because their bad thoughts matter more than class is divisive. And solidarity within the working class, straight, homsosexual and the forgotten bisexual, is merely divisive from the other side. Solidarity with the capitalists and imperialists who are properly anit-homsexuals is class treason in my view.
bevin@15 Good article. Being a compulsive quibbler I would emphasize that gold is not a panacea because no financial fixes exist. History proves this and for those who care, the primacy of production is an elementary tenet of Marxism. The dollar must decline because the relative weight of US production is declining in world economy. Still there is a lot of ruin in a country (a line from Gibbon?) and the death of US production is somewhat exaggerated, paging Prof. Chomsky.
Also, world economy is highly socialized, as in the inextricably interrelated way, which means credit/debt play an increasingly important role. Financialization is an immanent tendency of capitalism, especially in capitalist crisis, an imperative for capitalism. Yes, it’s both functional and dysfunctional but capitalism’s irrationality increases, hence such a contradiction. The thing is, this means banking is a part of world economy. To replace the dollar also means replacing central banking. Especially since the crisis of 2009, the Federal Reserve serves as the world lender of last resort. And US government debt is the fountain of credit/debt liquidity still. This is all the more true, since the solidity of US treasuries is a comparative thing. In the short run, US government debt is founded on blood, the ultimate guarantor, in conjunction with the domestic power of US capitalists to extract surplus value from the US working class. True de-dollarization will taking control of world trade by essentially replacing the Fed.
Not replacing the world role of the Fed/Treasury/US military power/the role of the US as the ultimate safe haven for capital would mean dividing up world economy. This is not likely to be fair and worse, end up in a net reduction in world production, more poverty ultimately. That’s part of the losses John Ross spoke of. We had a multipolar financial world in the interwar period, with sterling bloc and franc bloc and so on. Those were not good times for workers. Depression is good for growing fascism.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Jun 24 2024 0:35 utc | 101
ZH has a posting up with the title
Biden Admin Asked Amazon To Hide Vaccine-Critical Books During Pandemic
the quote
The Biden Administration pressured Amazon to hide books for sale on its platform that were critical of vaccines during the pandemic, it has been revealed.
The findings were presented by the House Judiciary Committee and Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government in documents that show Amazon reduced the visibility of titles that the government deemed overly critical of big pharma shots.
The documents show that some books were simply generally critical of vaccines, with several written by medical professionals. Some were even just reviews of scientific studies.
The Federal government compiled a “Do Not Promote” list, to which more than 40 titles were added.
In a series of X posts, Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Jim Jordan explained how internal emails from Amazon contain employees revealed that “the impetus for this request is criticism from the Biden Administration.”
I keep waiting for more Covid lies to be revealed as part of the crash of the West.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jun 24 2024 0:35 utc | 102
It creates a dynamic where potential new commentators who may have something novel and important to say are unwilling to open themselves up to ridicule or insult and makes for a cliquish and boorish whiskey bar.
Yes, that’s true. I was lurking, regularly and fairly fascinated, for 10+ years until I started posting. When it happened, I was still not prepared for the full-on negativity I got.
However, I’m neither much of a snowflake nor vengeful myself, and it soon became fun. Though I do try to hone my arguments, I also know the bar is forgiving on instances of human passion and fallibility.
Posted by: persiflo | Jun 24 2024 0:42 utc | 103
As a straight man, I’ve thought about it, and I’d rather give a handjob to a clean penis, than eat a stinky pussy.
Posted by: Featherless | Jun 24 2024 0:43 utc | 104
I keep waiting for more Covid lies to be revealed as part of the crash of the West.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jun 24 2024 0:35 utc | 101
____
Few among those regarding themselves as informed will hear about this, so the crash will have to be accomplished by other means — economic ones, most likely, although I can’t discount military ones.
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 0:45 utc | 105
@ Featherless | Jun 24 2024 0:43 utc | 103
Well fwiw I would rather provide manual and even oral stimulation to a hygienic woman that go down on a guy who reeked of German department store Untergeschoß —but I’m not sure that proves anything.
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 0:56 utc | 106
Volt Europa just reeks with the fetid stench of Sorosian Zionazi ideology. They hide it under the Woke umbrella, but with an aroma so distinct the visage need not be seen to be sensed.
One of the founders of Volt, one of the Talmudic priestly caste, is vociferously anti-Russian despite claiming to wish to unite the world’s peoples. This founder also calls for the dissolution of national borders, from which of course follows the dissolution of distinct cultures.
Making matters worse, this founder is running a campaign to be elected UN Secretary-General, which, if successful, would ensure the continuity of the long line of Secretaries-General beholden to the Zionazi axis.
Lastly, the founder is deeply involved in Atlas, an organization that in my reading is dedicated to the extermination of the peoples and expropriation of the resources of the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea…which just so happen to situate into a neat and tidy group known as the enemies of the United States and its satraps.
At the risk of repeating myself, Atlas stinks as badly as Volt Europa.
Posted by: Matthew | Jun 24 2024 1:08 utc | 107
@malenkov
it proves that we can agree on things in principle, despite our fundamental differences, which is pretty cool.
Posted by: Featherless | Jun 24 2024 1:08 utc | 108
Putinist Russia has been relegated to a developing country that couldn’t even deal with a failed state like Ukraine. Soviet Russia used to conquer space. Putinist Russia is now conquering villages that tsars built in Novorossiya. Soviet Russia was the world’s most educated and cultured major state, at the forefront of engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, medicine, military science, literature and cinema. Soviet Russia was a beacon of hope for hundreds of millions of people, enabled the victory of dozens of national-liberation movements against colonial slavery on every continent. Soviet Russia annually built more tanks in the city of Nizhny Tagil than USA currently has in active service. Putinist Russia has to import missiles and artillery shells from North Korea, one of the poorest countries.
Posted by: Qara | Jun 24 2024 1:09 utc | 109
@ Qara | Jun 24 2024 1:09 utc | 108
Thanks for playing, we have lovely parting gifts.
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 1:15 utc | 110
@98 persiflo
Of course, it is ok for you to assume that, from my post, that sex is merely a function for reproduction. Of course, this is a bastardization of the Church’s view on sex and reproduction and, indeed, speaks more to the capitalist take on the consumer or the communist view on the worker-producer-owner. Both of these seek to render the individual down to animalization/atomization.
The Church’s stance on sex in marriage is so much more nuanced and careful than even your take about trust and understanding of the other’s kinks, or gently allowing them to be exorcised within a safe environment.
Trust, openness, giving-ness to the other, not withholding sex as a weapon if you are the female in the relationship: these are all part and parcel of the Church’s thinking on sexuality. But, at bottom, union between opposites MUST have at its very core an openness to life. And this is why it is so important for marriage to proceed from one woman and one man: it must give to the child an understanding of this union of opposites to better allow the child to understand the Logos as it proceeds into the age of reason.
With regards to same-sex attraction and sexual gratification between two men or two women: this is easy and anyone can see how gratification can be accomplished. But is is responsible? Is it careful? Is it thinking about the other or thinking about gratification of the self?
I would always argue the latter. But I see no reason why to single out same-sex attracted people as it they were any more diseased than any of us: we all have our hang-ups and addictions. We all struggle to align ourselves with the Logos, especially in an age where so many influences are seeking to destroy the idea of self-giving attunement to universal reason.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jun 24 2024 1:15 utc | 111
…at least a two beer convo…well that offer got my attention.
Ok John BREWster / 16:52 utc | 5
you say: …The corporate media always has an agenda… … a hit piece by someone for someone. My question to the bar is: who is gunning for this guy and why?…
Dunno. I’m tempted to think legacy corp media is so sclerotic it don’t much matter.
But I’ll buy you a beer for your percipient take.
——
I see “they” have come for Matt Gaetz. As Chuck Schumer sagely stateth, the intel agencies have six ways to Sunday to with mess you/ anyone ….
Posted by: Melaleuca | Jun 24 2024 1:42 utc | 112
Malaysia joins BRICS. Malacca Straits, 200 million. Big. No doubt Indonesia soon too. I believe Thailand is on track, probably Vietnam too given it’s already a major manufacturing hub for Chinese goods sanctioned out of China.
As the USD is left behind, US will have to pay the piper and I suspect quite rapidly, like UK in the 1950’s, learn how to devolve from Empire to Normal Nation.
Which could be a very good thing indeed, though doubtless not easy.
I am just wondering what the US would do if Russia flies out drones or planes just off the Southern US, just like the US are doing in the Black Sea. A few drones flying from Cuba with electronic warfare capability would send the US into screaming blue murder and probably shooting the drones down. Would be worth Russia trying this frequently to establish the right to shoot down US drones in the Black Sea.
Posted by: Bill R | Jun 24 2024 1:57 utc | 114
Adding to my previous [number 113] – I am sure there are lots of juicy economic and military targets along the Southern US coastline – just think of all the oil refineries and …
Posted by: Bill R | Jun 24 2024 2:03 utc | 115
Seems the thread has turned to matters gay and homosexual.
I feel this then is the right time, place and thread focus to come out.
Come out and confess I spent waaay too much time channeling my inner teen fangirrl and clicking on anything (and everything, including BBCCNN – and even Mika-Joe) that had vid of VVP and KjU.
Carpool karaoke. Top Gear: DPRK.
But perhaps even more than the sight of the Duo of Dastardly Defiance – Dictators Doing Donuts in the Senat Aurus…… was my uncontained delight seeing the pursed lips and dowager disapproval from western languishing legacy media.
Added bonus was multiple comments in the legacy media YT ….” North Korea looks like *that????
…>”huh. Poverty stricken NK, and there’s not a homeless camp in sight.”
…>can we have some NK style poverty in Portland, please?
Posted by: Melaleuca | Jun 24 2024 2:06 utc | 116
@ Melaleuca | Jun 24 2024 2:06 utc | 115
There may be real poverty in DPRK; in any case it won’t be in the parts of Pyongyang that Kim showed Putin. Be that as it may, however, the fact that there are two bricks standing in the country and some people with full bellies is testament to the will and determination of the people of DPRK — little or no thanks to the rest of the world, mind you.
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 2:12 utc | 117
North Korea, one of the poorest countries.
Posted by: Qara | Jun 24 2024 1:09 utc | 108
With its estimated 10-12trillion in as yet untouched mineral resources.
Take the cheap Russian gas (that Germany once enjoyed), add some BRICS and see how “poor” NK is in a decade.
@malenkov…. Let the country without poverty cast the first stone…
as you say. The US killed 25% of the NK population a generation ago. Le May admitted there were no two bricks standing on top of each other and thus there were no more targets to bomb…
Pyongyang looks modern … (and much cleaner) than many major US and European cities.
Posted by: Melaleuca | Jun 24 2024 2:19 utc | 118
I know a person who went to the Hamburg Uni library and read the texts written by Kim Il-Sung on theory, society and politics. The norks had made sure there was a proper translation into German – the heir, Jong-Un, even studied at a swiss school – but apparently no one before him had ever opened the book since the 1970ies.
My colleague came away not just impressed, but intruiged. He ended up visiting a Matinée at the North Korean Embassy in Berlin and befriended the communist party, all the while himself being as far from a Marxist as you can get.
Posted by: persiflo | Jun 24 2024 2:37 utc | 119
Posted by: Scorpion | Jun 24 2024 1:53 utc | 112
Malaysia has decided to apply to join BRICS, not joined yet.
What is 200 million? Do you mean the population of Malaysia? It’s 34.6 million.
Perhaps you are thinking of Indonesia, 279 million.
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 2:47 utc | 120
@71 makenkov and anyone else worried about fags.
Keep you and your habits with your dick private. It’s not relevant to anything
Happy pride month and fuck off with it. I wouldn’t say how like my dick in vaginas.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Jun 24 2024 3:33 utc | 121
@Neofeudalfuture
it sounds like you’re upset to the point of being flustered. Don’t worry, this is a safe space❤️
Posted by: Featherless | Jun 24 2024 3:57 utc | 122
No. It’s a matter of manners. Sex isn’t a topic for public discussion. Keep it to yourself.
Posted by: Neofeudalfuture | Jun 24 2024 4:00 utc | 123
Posted by: Melaleuca | Jun 24 2024 1:42 utc | 111
Dunno. I’m tempted to think legacy corp media is so sclerotic it don’t much matter.
—-
Thanks, mate. Better a late response than none.
Its true that the media are nothing but stenographers and propagandists, but this is Bezos’s paper, and he’s the one feeding the stenographers. Jeff had to break silence – bet he’s pissed about that.
This is getting a lot of coverage in the CM – CNN, NPR, AP, Newsweek, etc. That says someone wants this story out there. That’s why I think there is some fighting under the blankets, but I can’t figure out what they are fighting about.
——
I see “they” have come for Matt Gaetz.
That may be just another front in the war on Trump.
Posted by: john brewster | Jun 24 2024 5:06 utc | 124
About the difference between 99.9% and 100%.
Once upon a time there was a little pig that said “The farmer is my best friend. He gives me good food to eat. Soft straw to sleep on. A roof above my head. The farmer wishes me well.”
The pig’s statement was correct 99.9% of the time. The statement was incorrect only once, and that was the day the farmer slaughtered the pig.
Posted by: Passerby | Jun 24 2024 7:59 utc | 125
@ Posted by: malenkov | Jun 23 2024 23:42 utc | 90
I see from your conversations that perhaps you are overwrought so won’t be ‘provocative’, but I am always willing to dance if anyone insists. 😉
In what way is Corbyns behaviour ‘underwhelming’ ?
Do define it and provide clear examples, thanks.
If you actually believe the Crown Deep State had anything on him do you suppose they would have not used it to oust him from his miraculous leadeship – as they tried from day one off to get him to step down? When they launched the kitchen sink AS/terrorist lover bullshit massed media at him?
As they say pull the other one – it’s got bells on it
Gorgeous George says all the right things in the correct stentorian manner. As Churchill trained his own oration method. Over the years before his WW2 blathering.
He uses the rhythms of speechifying.
Still like Winnie the giantest poo ever, GG is hot winded blathered cat in a hat who loves the sound of his own voice. He’s highest viewership was actual on a tv celebrity show where he actually pretended to be a cat!
Horrific !! Once seen, never forgotten. Please ,please, spare yourself don’t search it out.
The type that led to BrexShit perceived as a good idea – based on xenophobia and overt racism against immigrants and a few asylum seekers.
The daily ever more sickly looking toad Fartage has been deployed at this late stage to split the Tory vote this time! Because they have blue walls too!
Why?
It is imperative that The Great Knight Dope is installed with an overwhelming majority to push Britain over the edge into the Rump Unipolar Empire and an Endless War against the majority of multipolar humanity.
That expected easy majority must be being perceived as threatened by the multiple ‘Independent’ candidates and a higher than expected turnout intention.
Such polling is conducted by the.Cabinet Office and is far more superior and confidential than published ‘polling’ (which is more of a Nudge exercise and Narrative Building for the Fix !)
Gorgeous George and Fartage are the Left-Right Bridgers that usher in Fascism. They prime the masses for upheaval, sacrifice and wars.
Posted by: DunGroanin | Jun 24 2024 8:11 utc | 126
@ Posted by: Red | Jun 24 2024 0:17 utc | 97
Re Yaxley-Lenin (sic)
“..have you heard of this? Odd ..”
Hello Red, It was odd when he was put in Blemarsh some years ago for a few weeks, just as Assange had been isolated there .. to see if he could get close enough to get Julian to spill some beans.. having failed he was released to carry on musterin the yob English League petty fascists wherever they are desired as part of the DS narrative control.
I guess most of what you seek as an answer is in my comment above to Malenkov just now.
Here is another from a genuine human rights warrior and polymath from a while back, I’ll just post an old comment … follow the yellow brick road to the Wizards and their hoary old shapeshifting masters.
‘From Murdoch , to Blair and Bullingdon to Yaxley Lenon & Jordan Peters, to Shapiro , (Douglas) Murray and the whole DS 5+1 Eyed construct.
All the dots of the shapeshifters current shape detailed in 10 minutes- it takes an artiste to do that. Taken me years and I had most of the dots especially that total turd Murdoch and his stable.
Woke is their weapons as is anti-woke
Please do watch. Enjoy. Support. This is the future of alternative news space we need.
Double Down News
@DoubleDownNews
Dec 22
Lowkey EXPOSES Piers Morgan, Ben Shapiro & Douglas Murray 🔥 @Lowkey0nlin
https://nitter.net/DoubleDownNews/status/1738131230686580870#m
That should answer your question and raise many more. Narrative constructors must be understood first before they can be deconstructed and defeated.
Posted by: DunGroanin | Jun 24 2024 8:28 utc | 127
Neofeudalfuture @ 122
No. It’s a matter of manners. Sex isn’t a topic for public discussion. Keep it to yourself.
What internet have you been using? Already a decade ago I saw a stat that 25% of USA internet traffic was Netflix, my IT friend replied, the other 75% was porn.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jun 24 2024 8:41 utc | 128
Posted by: DunGroanin | Jun 24 2024 8:28 utc | 126
https://nitter.net/DoubleDownNews/status/1738131230686580870#m
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Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 8:53 utc | 129
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 8:53 utc | 128
there’s nothing to it …. just Musk (his acolytes) trying to shut down all alt twitter X mirrors. that’s all … you won’t die or get hacked to death. 🙂
Try https://nitter.poast.org/DoubleDownNews/status/1738131230686580870#m
instead …
Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 24 2024 9:00 utc | 130
Re @ Posted by: Red | Jun 24 2024 0:17 utc | 97
Re Yaxley-Lenin (sic)
Just above , sorry the nitter link doesn’t work anymore since the King of Mars Elon broke it, you can still get to it via twatter and any other nitter instance available or go directly to the double down web site
https://www.doubledown.news/
There it will be, along with a lot more, including as I just noticed, the latest concert featuring Roger Waters and Yousouf Islam (afka Cat Stevens) in Camden- the safe seat of the Great Knight Dope , fuehrer herr, Sir Starmztrooper, the soon to be installed war time dictator of the Collective Waste
Posted by: DunGroanin | Jun 24 2024 9:02 utc | 131
The chances of a large cataclysmic world war in the next few weeks/months is extremely high. Make your peace with God
Posted by: stale face | Jun 24 2024 9:26 utc | 132
Posted by: Walt | Jun 23 2024 22:07 utc | 61
——————-
Scott Ritter…
We’d fight China to the last Philippino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Vgmd-8rEo
Posted by: denk | Jun 24 2024 9:35 utc | 133
“Posted by: Exile | Jun 23 2024 18:20 utc | 23
All profits from the federal reserve are credited to the treasury not the primary dealer banks. It is privately run by those member banks but still owned by the USG. They make their money by rigging the system through the management of the Fed not from owning it.”
Posted by: badjoke | Jun 23 2024 20:08 utc | 46
No, that’s not right-the Fed gives 94% of its profits to the US treasury, 6% is kept for running the bank.
The real power of the Fed for the private banks is not the profit of the Fed but knowing what the Fed is going to do before the public is made aware-that’s wher4e the big profit comes for the private member banks-so you are right there
The problem is not homosexuality. And for all of you angry folks perceiving attack, you should hold still for a moment. The problem is queer theory. And just like with COVID measures, the consciousness of society is rebalancing this attempt of destabilisation.
It’s important to be aware of the hill you choose to make your stand. The godfather of queer theory was Foucault. Paedophile. Then we have Gayle Rubin. Wrote the document of queer theory. Compared the urge to screw small boys with the urge of hot and spicy foods (yeah…) And then we have Pat Califia. Yandex tells all.
I have my personal theories as to what’s going on which isn’t helped with articles with titles such as:
Injustice:How the sex offenders registry destroys LGBT rights.
It’s not going to end well when you sing “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children”
Posted by: Some Random Passerby | Jun 24 2024 9:50 utc | 135
Scott Ritter…
We’d fight China to the last Philippino
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Vgmd-8rEo
Posted by: denk | Jun 24 2024 9:35 utc | 132
Thanks for that!
I actually saw it a few nights ago, it was shown in full on the news on Chinese TV.
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 9:50 utc | 136
Red | Jun 24 2024 0:17 utc
Twitter 8:40pm 13 March 2017
Tim
Why was that Luton Town supporting racist c*** Tommy Robinson at Tottenham Millwall Yesterday?
@TRobinsonNewEra
I’m Jewish mate
Posted by: Some Random Passerby | Jun 24 2024 10:04 utc | 137
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 9:50 utc | 135
——————-
Duterte knew the score…
If Washington wants the Philippines to fight China, the US military should come and fire the first shot,
“There is always America pushing us, egging us … making me the bait. What do you think Filipinos are, earthworms?”
“Now I say, you bring your planes, your boats to South China Sea. Fire the first shot and we are just here behind you. Go ahead, let’s fight,”
Posted by: denk | Jun 24 2024 10:05 utc | 138
Donald Trump:…”We will build a huge Iron Dome over our country. A dome the likes of which has never been seen before. A state-of-the-art missile defense shield that will be built entirely in America and will create jobs, jobs, jobs…”
“>https://t.me/myLordBebo/35076
Someone just watched the Simpsons movie.
And maybe, “Marge vs. The Monorail” but flimflam man Trump probably wrote that episode.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jun 24 2024 11:21 utc | 139
/cheep cheep
Save the friendly fire for paintball day. 🙂 Just by being here many of you share more in common interest than most strangers you meet during the day. Have a care to find some mercy for each other. ^.^
/cheep
/flutters off
Posted by: titmouse | Jun 24 2024 11:31 utc | 140
Vietnam
This is a good interview of a Vietnamese academic explaining Vietnam’s attempt to forge good international relations while insisting on neutrality- hard to do but they are doing it. He digs into Vietnam’s deep appreciation for Russia, tension with China, reason for improving ties with US, and finally, explains the different categories of relations. Only 3 nations have the most trusted category: Laos, Cambodia and… Cuba. Cuba. That’s a big deal, IMO.
” already talked about the huge changes that the new security treaty with Pyongyang indicates (https://youtu.be/kZH9bwutArQ?si=NlpnE…) so today I want to discuss the other event that is a bit harder to interpret, the relationship between Russia and Vietnam. Or in general, Vietnamese foreign policy in the new multipolar world.
To help with this I’ve got the great pleasure of talking to a Vietnamese colleague from Academia, Dr. Nguyen Khac Giang.
Dr. Nguyen is a Visiting Fellow at Singapore’s Yusof Ishak Institute. He used to work as a Journalist in Hanoi and got his PhD in Political Science from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Dr. Nguyen also recently published a very insightful essay in a book about post-1989 neutrality, in which I also have a chapter, his essay has the beautiful title “Bamboo in the Wind: Vietnam’s Quest for Neutrality”. No better timing than discussing this now, because a lot of wing going on it seems.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JDHSUPeqg0&t=1924s
Posted by: migueljose | Jun 24 2024 11:48 utc | 141
Not reading all these comments, would like to see more on the attacks on Synagogues and Russian Orthodox Churches in Dagestan
Posted by: Scottindallas | Jun 24 2024 11:49 utc | 142
Posted by: Scottindallas | Jun 24 2024 11:49 utc | 141
https://www.rt.com/russia/599852-dagestan-terrorist-attacks-recap/
https://www.rt.com/russia/599862-watch-russian-counterterrorism-work/
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 12:06 utc | 143
In what way is Corbyns behaviour ‘underwhelming’ ?
Do define it and provide clear examples, thanks.
_____
I suppose one could start with his response to the absurd charges of antisemitism in Labour — which was to purge his Party of “antisemites”. And of course he stuck with Labour long after it was clear to everyone on the planet save himself that he was no longer welcome there.
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 12:21 utc | 144
@Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 9:50 utc | 135
Scott sounds like he is very much alarmed as he sees the Philippino administration being transformed into a Washington patsy. It looks like Washington soft power machinery is very well staffed and trained to take over foreign elites and put them in power and then remote control them. This has been Washington modus operandi for generations. Is there an antidote or is there a Chinese way to neutralize the snake itself?
Posted by: Richard L | Jun 24 2024 12:27 utc | 145
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 12:21 utc | 143
I’m not sure what to say to someone who hasn’t already worked out Corbyn was a dumb as door post…. in how he failed to counter the fake anti-semitism charges … even accepting how unfair and unrelenting the attacks were. A great man nevertheless who re-inspired the entire Labour movement single-handedly. Brilliant. And that why they targeted him and brought him (and Labour) to it’s knees.
Less than sharp over Brexit too .. though hard to know how much was seriously flawed backroom marketing, or how much his own intuitive responses were blocked by disagreement within the party. Anyway, no biggy, not his fault, he’s just another victim of the mega wealthy that rule the world. They do this all the time. When they can’t fix people like Corbyn in this way they shoot ’em dead instead.
That he is still alive maybe suggests he wasn’t that ‘dumb’ afterall. 🙂
A damn fine fellow when all is said and done imo. Not that my opinion (or feelings) matters in the least.
Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 24 2024 12:48 utc | 146
Not sure if it should be here or the ukraine thread, but you can’t make this one up.
After ignoring nordstream, now (against the opinion of the police, and of the insurance company) the WSJ is trying to pin things on RF and make up a an article 5 on that (glad they did mention it, once NS is leaked maybe someone will remind them). Also nice to mention terrorists for hire after Crocus and the recent attacks on RF civilians.
Shameless is the first word that comes to mind… the second is brainless
“Russia is testing the limits of Article 5 to stir up uncertainty,” Roderich Kiesewetter, a politician from Germany’s Christian Democrats, told POLITICO, referring to the obligation of each NATO member country to come to each other’s defense if they are attacked.
“It has long been clear that Russia is waging a hybrid war against European countries, including Germany,” he added.
German police said the investigation was still ongoing and that, “At this stage, a technical defect is assumed to be the cause of the fire.”
Thomas Hör, CEO of Diehl Metal Applications, told Berlin broadcaster RBB last week that a fire insurance company had come to the same conclusion.
But according to the WSJ, experienced professionals were behind the fire. Russia is increasingly recruiting civilians, predominantly criminals, via Telegram to carry out such attacks, a security official was cited as saying. These people are paid in cryptocurrency and some might not even be aware they are working for Russia, the report said.
“This is like the gig economy for sabotage and terror — perpetrators get recruited like Uber drivers, but the effect is often the same as with using professionals,” the WSJ cited an unnamed senior Western security official as saying.
Posted by: Newbie | Jun 24 2024 12:52 utc | 147
“I’m not sure what to say to someone who hasn’t already worked out Corbyn was a dumb as door post…. in how he failed to counter the fake anti-semitism charges … even accepting how unfair and unrelenting the attacks were..”
Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 24 2024 12:48 utc | 145
You are quite naïve-the Jewish lobby was after Corbyn-they whom control the media, the guv and et al-once the Zionists set their sites on the poor fellow any ‘counter’ would be entirely futile.
A damn fine fellow when all is said and done imo. Not that my opinion (or feelings) matters in the least.
Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 24 2024 12:48 utc | 145
_____
I don’t understand your response. I’d never argue, nir fid I, that Corbyn was anything other than a “damn fine fellow”, only that his performance was, if I may quote myself, “underwhelming”. Given his repeated attempts to appease the Blairite half of the party that ultimately expelled him, I don’t see how my critique is wide of the mark, let alone offensive.
Posted by: malenkov | Jun 24 2024 13:08 utc | 149
Malaysia has decided to apply to join BRICS, not joined yet.
What is 200 million? Do you mean the population of Malaysia? It’s 34.6 million.
Perhaps you are thinking of Indonesia, 279 million.
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 2:47 utc | 119
,……………………,
Good corrections. Should have checked before posting. Was reacting to a headline.
@ migueljose | Jun 24 2024 11:48 utc | 140
re:Vietnam’s deep appreciation for Russia, tension with China, reason for improving ties with US
from the web–
Many of the manufacturers moving away from China are considering Vietnam as a lower-cost, reliable and quality source of parts, materials and manufactured components. Let’s explore why this shift is happening and the reasons why you should consider moving your manufacturing supply base from China to Vietnam.
Why Should You Move Manufacturing from China to Vietnam?
Vietnam has established a solid position to compete for additional business as companies close factories in China and look to develop supplier relationships elsewhere. Vietnam’s hard work at building out infrastructure, establishing business-friendly policies and improving market access have created a modern and dynamic country seeking to become a dominant regional business center.
For supply chain managers considering manufacturing moving from China to Vietnam, below are seven reasons to pick Vietnam:. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 13:36 utc | 152
What a strange and horrific time to be living in !
We witness two heavily armed nations facing ruin – because they have leaders who face possible death or prison IF they stop a war. That outcome must have a powerful ability to focus the mind. Unless Zelensky and Netanyahu fall over dead, war MUST continue. It’s a matter of personal survival. Hey, sorry about those IDF and AFU losses. Tough luck…
Posted by: Eighthman | Jun 24 2024 13:43 utc | 153
…referring to the obligation of each NATO member country to come to each other’s defense if they are attacked.
The Great Article 5 Fallacy.
There is no such *obligation*.
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_110496.htm
Posted by: Melaleuca | Jun 24 2024 13:50 utc | 154
As the USD is left behind, US will have to pay the piper and I suspect quite rapidly, like UK in the 1950’s, learn how to devolve from Empire to Normal Nation.
Posted by: Scorpion | Jun 24 2024 1:53 utc | 112
Britain devolved from Empire to Rabid Imperialist Attack Dog. My hope is that there is no credible successor to the US Empire for the US to become an angry minion of. The problem is that the fall of Empire always puts a lot of well trained minions out of work, and they gravitate toward the next center of international psychopathy, eager to do its bidding- 4x: Ukrainian Nazis in Britain, US, Canada. On the plus side, the US is crippling its own minions so thoroughly that none of them are good candidates for New Hegemon.
Posted by: Honzo | Jun 24 2024 13:55 utc | 155
Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Jun 23 2024 17:21 utc | 9
*** Still a long shot, but I’d love to see the anointed Heir Apparent to 10 Downing Street get kicked out of his constituency seat: https://skwawkbox.org/2024/06/23/hundreds-sign-up-for-feinsteins-insurgent-campaign-as-starmers-odds-lengthen/ ***
See that Craig Murrays’s campaign in Blackburn has had problems with a fake “moslem” candidate run by the former constituency agent for Jack Straw (who as Blair’s “Labour” Foreign Secretary played a lead role in bringing about the military destruction of Iraq).
Clearly an MI5 or zio-bought puppet who is trying to play a “Pakistani” ID race-card.
Which, given the long record of dubious politics in Pakistani immigrant areas, might well succeed in marginalising the Murray campaign — which appeared in any case to be vulnerable since in terms of *what the general public would see or hear of it* was being overly concentrated on “Gaza”, and too little about British internal problems.
Posted by: Cynic | Jun 24 2024 13:56 utc | 156
Republicofscotland | Jun 23 2024 17:55 utc | 18
*** Meanwhile the UK government spends £12,000 quid a minute on nuclear weapons, when its NHS, schools, roads and general infrastructure is in a terrible state not to mention the cost-of-living-crisis that sees children going hungry on a daily basis and people unable to put their heating on because its far too expensive.
https://www.declassifieduk.org/britain-spends-12000-a-minute-on-nuclear-weapons/ ***
Which the quislings at Westminster would have to get US permission to use anyway, so they are effectively US weapons — what for … to punish people who use the wrong pronouns, or don’t worship the divinity of zionism? — but paid for by the UK public.
Posted by: Cynic | Jun 24 2024 14:09 utc | 157
@101 psychohistorian
Another recent on Fauci from RT (making it up as he went along):
https://www.rt.com/news/599343-fauci-covid-vaccine-pandemic/
This re personal experience (still stuns me) on the psyop manipulations front (aka the “we’re expected to believe” dumbing down brain washing as phrased by Jonathan Cook):
I was visiting a beach town Northwest US which at both ends of town had billboards stating “Masks Required Here”, when I took a walk on bluffs above the ocean on a blustery, wintry day to find a throng of people out there all wearing masks. Common sense would tell a person that microbes we were expected to believe were terribly deadly and could cause us “to drop like flies” would have difficulty getting at us in these weather conditions but the crowd obediently wore their masks and looked angrily at myself for not wearing one.
This on top of being fed vague statistics. In a county of 100,000 forty three had died of what has turned out to be a bad cold deadly to only weaker people in the population. The public was primed to be frightened and obedient (continuing). We have been set up through decades of dumbness conditioning to stop thinking and obey automatically.
BTW: MOA’s absence became a stupefying hole in information. Excellent that Bernhardt is back and doing well.
Posted by: botete | Jun 24 2024 14:11 utc | 158
There’s a Bloomberg article about the manufacturer of Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, and Vauxhall cars.
Stellantis has moved to recruiting a majority of its engineering workforce in countries like Morocco, India and Brazil, as carmakers contend with lower-cost competition and slowing demand.
and comments.
Obviously this reduces the value of an engineering degree to North American or European students.
I see three cases where obtaining an engineering degree might remain interesting:
– you are the heir of a family business
– you are looking for a career in the arms business
– you see your engineering degree as a ticket to emigrating to a country of your choice
Over time, the value of an engineering degree from a Western country will drop, because those who teach it will lack industry experience in mass production.
Posted by: Passerby | Jun 24 2024 14:21 utc | 159
The US has a holiday coming up, the “4th of July.” It is NEVER referred to as Independence Day (from UK) — it is ALWAYS 4th of July in the media.
…from the web:
What does Independence Day celebrate?
Also called the Fourth of July, Independence Day marks the historic date in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. The written declaration stated that the American colonies were tired of being ruled by Great Britain.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 14:54 utc | 160
On the weekend I listened to Alexander Mercouris explaining in his careful way the importance of WW2 to the Russians, and that has made me think about its importance to China. For, as for my tiny homeland New Zealand, it was for China the relationship with Japan which was a threat, an early and ongoing threat to that nation.
As a consequence, how WW2 may be viewed as influencing the present affinity or non-affinity of China can be as carefully deconstructed as Mercouris did for Russia. And so how things from that distant past for the young people of today ought to be as carefully considered as we have been considering Ukraine and Palestine, at least if the United States is to have any hope of regeneration.
For, that is the tie between the US and China, what happened during the second front of that war. It is something that the west puts in jeopardy, its own existence, in considering China its greatest threat. That is crazy.
I have a Chinese soninlaw and two part Chinese grandsons, all of whom I love deeply. And there are Chinatowns all over the United States, immigrant families building their own multipolar communities from the ground up.
The salvation of the United States rests with China. Even our indigenous peoples have ancestry from Asian roots. And during that part of the war, we were friends. We saved their bacon and China is still saving ours.
China remembers this; the US government has forgotten it. We the people must remind them of it.
I love China. In different ways from how I love Russia; but we must love them both.
Posted by: juliania | Jun 24 2024 14:54 utc | 161
US debt warnings grow louder.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/06/24/rios-j24.html
“In its report last week, the CBO said the budget deficit for 2024 was $400 billion (27 percent) larger than it had projected back in February and “the cumulative deficit over the 2025‒2034 period is larger by $2.1 trillion (10 percent).”
Not only are the amounts significant but so is their relationship to US gross domestic product (GDP). The CBO forecast that debt would rise from near 100 percent of GDP this year to 122 percent over the next decade, surpassing the 106 percent it reached in 1946 at the end of the Second World War.
Over the following years, the US was able to reduce its debt because of the post-war boom, and the vast expansion of US industry. That is not a prospect today because the US is no longer an industrial powerhouse, but the world centre of financial speculation and parasitism.”
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jun 24 2024 14:55 utc | 162
James / 13
So the Skripal’s can’t be allowed to speak even by video link because the Russians still want to kill them for no apparent reason and their location could be given away even by being on video. What an embarrassment both Novichok stories are to everyone’s intelligence. I found it interesting that when Navalny died not a single person in the western press considered that since he had been poisoned by “one of the most deadly poisons known to man” that he may have suffered damage to his organs, which could have presumably lead to his early death. It’s almost like every one reporting on his death kept silent on the possibility of having been damaged by the novichok exposure because everyone secretly knows it didn’t happen. He, like Yulia seemed to be in perfect health after they apparently received an antidote. What on earth could be an antidote to a nerve agent that makes the patient totally healthy with no damage instantly? Maybe a couple MRNA boosters? Here in America people die everyday at the park from a tiny amount of fentanyl. One would think that the FSB or Putin would have ordered the attempted killer of Navalny to use a little piece of a single fentanyl pill to kill him since Novichok, while being extremely dangerous to carry around, did no damage whatsoever to the Scripals. This whole story is so nonsensical and dumb that it’s almost as if the writers are experimenting with what they can get away with at this point, so they used an unused Steven Seagal script to see if people would believe it. I remember Helmer saying something about how more than half of UK citizens don’t believe the Skripal story, yet in the US I’ll bet close to 99% of people believe both Novichok stories without any question. For the US populous when it comes to Russians it seems any comic book level story is sufficient to be believed; blowing up their own pipeline, shelling their own nuclear plant, and repeatedly using a very nasty, rare nerve agent for assassinations that does zero damage to the targets.
Posted by: james C | Jun 24 2024 15:00 utc | 163
united states assistant secretary for european and eurasian affairs james o’brien to china:
“What we’re asking is that China use its leverage to bring Russia … back to a negotiating table to resolve this conflict in accordance with the UN Charter,”
first orchestrate a terrorattack, and then pretend that you are the ones seeking a peacefull resolution… oh and “in accordance with the un charter” means of course only with those parts of the charter that the west wants.
hypocrites.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Jun 24 2024 15:12 utc | 164
@juliania | Jun 24 2024 14:54 utc | 160
I love China too, lived there, but the US has long felt a need to hate China. It started with the Chinese Exclusion Act which was passed by Congress and signed by President Chester A. Arthur. This act provided an absolute 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the United States.
Chinese laborers were essential to the US railroads expanding to the west but who cares.
There are those in the US Congress today who won’t even admit that China exists. In the House — “The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party is committed to working on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and develop a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy, and our values.”
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 15:15 utc | 165
Posted by: Honzo | Jun 24 2024 13:55 utc | 154
Britain devolved from Empire to Rabid Imperialist Attack Dog.
Sure, but for people living in the UK, it has been a long time since they thought of themselves as sitting atop the rest of the world as they felt until some time in the 1950’s. Of course such attitudes persisted institutionally, especially in the schools which take a couple of generations to catch up to reality, but they haven’t really had much clout since the war. No?
The US will be the same. Able to cause trouble but no longer controlling the world through the skeins of private finance. Unless, of course, we are being played – more than likely – and Big Finance is just shifting headquarters – not for the first time.
Not reading all these comments, would like to see more on the attacks on Synagogues and Russian Orthodox Churches in Dagestan
Posted by: Scottindallas | Jun 24 2024 11:49 utc | 141
Could you provide that, Scottindallas? I am reading backwards here this morning, and would connect my thoughts on such news to earlier occurrences following the disruption of the Boston marathon years back. As I remember, Russia offered helpful information at the time but was rebuffed.
Posted by: juliania | Jun 24 2024 15:19 utc | 167
Posted by: juliania | Jun 24 2024 14:54 utc | 160
Nice sentiments about Chinese etc.
It seems almost axiomatic that all power systems of any longevity tend towards serving the interests of their upper echelons over those of their general population. Usually when we talk about ‘China’ or ‘Russia’ we are talking about their ruling classes not the people, though all too often we tend to overlook this. Language is often as much of a hindrance as a help.
Posted by: james C | Jun 24 2024 15:00 utc | 162 re Salisbury / “novichok” / Skripals …..
What sticks in my mind most of all is the TV coverage of men (presumably from the nearby bio-warfare labs at Porton Down) in moon-suits — full bio-warfare protection gear — checking the roads square inch by square inch … while policemen in their shirt sleeves stood right beside them chatting.
Yet the mass-media and most of the public seemed oblivious of such a glaringly obvious visual demolition of the official narrative.
Likewise of days of shirt-sleeved policemen standing next to the allegedly fatal instant-death door knob of Skripal’s house. And plenty more…..
Sure, the establishment mass-media unquestioningly relays political/military establishment lies.
Not even meticulously constructed propaganda — just absolute drivel pimped out …. but why are the general public so stupid as to forever believe and trust them (as would be shown later in the long-running pandemic/Pfizer-Moderna episode)?
Posted by: Cynic | Jun 24 2024 15:29 utc | 169
Re: demand for U S Treasuries
Yes there is still big demand for 2 year notes, demand for 10 year notes has declined precipitously.
Posted by: morongobill | Jun 24 2024 15:41 utc | 170
@ james C | Jun 24 2024 15:00 utc | 162
i pretty much agree with everything you say here…. a better way to see it is as an intel agency game where they see how many lies they can get away with, without anyone challenging the nonsense.. either way it is a large propaganda exercise and the general public are the guinea pigs… i too find the whole thing completely absurb from top to bottom… this is like a monty python skit in real time.. the brits seem to excel at this sort of thing, but trying to pass it off as real is way over the top…
Posted by: james | Jun 24 2024 16:36 utc | 171
Yea the world is huge but ME is the biggest of them all. All the rest are side shows. It is not Ukraine, nor the far east, nor the far west or south. Unfortunately it is about ME and it will ALWAYS be as the west and their zionist bitch boys are and want to dominate the region and show that their God is the right one.
No other topics matter than ME. It is the centre of the world. Centre of 2 biggest faiths in the world.live There is NOTHING else to talk about as ALL of us are affected.
Please start livestreaming, Rumble, Bitchute are great.
Posted by: Khan | Jun 24 2024 16:42 utc | 172
EU asks China to end rights violations after delegation visit to Tibet
YOu mean Beijing allow the G7 human wrong freaks to visit Tibet and …expect a fair report card ?
FFS
Fact is the last thing on their mind.
These sanctimonious pricks /cunts are , as the Chinese saying goes, trying to pick bones outta an egg.
LIke the corporal who bellow at a recruit’s face during arms inspection….
There’s an elephant in your rifle soldier, now drop fifty
even when the barrel was spotless clean. !
When will the CHinese ever learn ?
Appeasement is Not AN option !
Dont get mad, get even .
Posted by: denk | Jun 24 2024 16:52 utc | 173
Posted by: jimbo | Jun 23 2024 18:48 utc | 27
You are absolutely correct.
‘Leftism’ in the US – there are practically NO ‘leftists in the US nowadays . Maybe 0.001% of the population. What US commentators call ‘leftists’ are in fact what the rest of the world calls ‘Liberals’ The ‘Left’ in the US was basically almost wiped out by successful US government and big-money action, which led to the destruction of the IWW union and others.
Liberalism is a pernicious and usually hypocritical political and moral philosophy based on the ‘rights of the individual’, ‘consent of the governed’, ‘political equality’ and ‘equality before the law’ (in practice, rights honoured more in the breach than the observance). Liberals espouse various views depending on their understanding of the ways of exploiting these principles. However, they almost universally support the capitalist system, private property and inherited wealth, ‘free’ market economies, unfettered capitalist markets and social and economic inequality. So Liberals are NOT in any shape or form ‘Leftists’.
Conservatism is also a pro-capitalist movement, but tends not to emphasise such Liberal fetishes as individual freedom, preferring patriarchal, religious and hierarchical control, the consolidation of inherited wealth and privilege, and the perpetuation of inherited social and religious customs above all else, but including support for the capitalist system.
Both Liberals and Conservatives are united in trying to keep themselves at the top of the heap through support for the Military Industrial Complex, the FIRE and other similar share income and money producing parts of the economy – i.e. Capitalism, and limiting power and wealth to themselves and denying both to anyone else. The equation of ‘leftists’ and ‘Liberals’ – aka Democrats is just part of the 100 year old ongoing smear of the left by US rightists and the US establishment to discourage the population from investigating the ideas of socialism and communism.
US Conservatives and Liberals differ mainly in their approach to cultural matters which are basically irrelevant to the foundations of any economy, but which are perceived by both as being culturally ’significant’ and important. Thus Democrats and Republicans may argue fanatically as to whether women should have ‘abortion on demand’ or not, but will heartily agree that ‘China must not become more powerful than the USA’. What are often described as ‘woke’ topics, such as gay rights, are within the left generally thought to be subordinate to, and often caused by, the main issue of social and economic inequality. However, such issues are often leveraged by Liberals merely as weapons against their supposed enemies, in a short-sighted way which has no insight into or curiosity as to why these discriminations exist. Most of those pushing a ‘woke’ agenda are Liberals – not ‘leftists’.
Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social and economic fairness, equality and egalitarianism for all races, peoples and countries, in opposition to social division, hierarchy and rule by the rich and privileged through their entrenchment at the top of the capitalist system. Leftist movements wish to remove the capitalist system, and replace it with one which is broadly economically fair to all and as non-hierarchical as possible. (“From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs”). Therefore leftism is opposed to both Liberalism and Conservatism. Leftism includes the labour movement, socialism, communism, Marxism, anarchism and syndicalism and generally, strengthening individual workers power through collective action. These are not Liberal causes. The left does NOT include Liberalism which has always been first and foremost an extremely pro-Capitalist movement. Leftists are not Liberals, Liberals are not leftists. (There is very little significant ‘left’ politics in the US, and certainly not at the level of the ‘party-political’ system for voters).
So a very rough and basic diagram of political thought would be a triangle with each of the movements described above opposed to each other at each vertex. This is how these terms are generally understood throughout the ‘civilised’ world, with the exception of the US (which along with the rest of the ‘west’ may arguably not be part of the civilised world). It may be convenient for US conservatives to conflate those (Liberal and Left) different (and basically opposed) movements so as to be able to attack both their supposed enemies at once, but it ultimately won’t help anyone to rely on such a confused and inaccurate analysis.
Of course this will be completely ignored by those punting the slur.
Posted by: Jams O’Donnell | Jun 24 2024 17:07 utc | 174
re: 172 EU asks China to . . .
The EU has no authority to ask anything.
UN Charter — Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.
–The Organization is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 17:10 utc | 175
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 17:10 utc | 174
—————-
The 8NA, er, G7 is a ruse based order,.
We’d follow the UN charter if it suit us fine, else we’d just do our stuff regardless.
Posted by: denk | Jun 24 2024 17:18 utc | 176
Vietnam: who do you like better?
I know very little about Vietnam but I think they are a “role model country” similar to Cuba and appear to be emerging as influencers geopolitically: Putin’s visit was the latest that caused curious heads to turn.
This gal is a Vietnamese native, full blown commie, very good teacher with lots of style. She covers lots of topics, including covid, Kmer Rouge, China relations, US relations, Russia.
Here’s her explaining their system of categorizing Vietnam’s relationships with other countries which explains why they “upgraded” with the US. Bottom line, they wanted something: more people to people interaction (business, family and study), get US to clean up the poison they left and in return, agreed to work through the UN on enforcing international laws. She explains Vietnam signed the same agreement with China in 2008.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ndytFy5-vc
Here’s one on the Vietnamese diaspora, great old news footage, color commentary by Luna Oi, digging to the “liberation not “fall” of Saigon”. She reminds everyone that most of the vietnamese who got out in the 70s were working with the US invaders. Like the Cubans in Miami. and Ukrainians in Canada and US.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWZaeH2bQ5M&t=404s
Posted by: migueljose | Jun 24 2024 17:20 utc | 177
Imagine a BRICS country as a neighbor!
Posted by: migueljose | Jun 23 2024 19:44 utc | 41
I like it! Thanks, migueljose!
Posted by: juliania | Jun 24 2024 17:29 utc | 178
Posted by: stale face | Jun 24 2024 9:26 utc | 131
#########
I am a believer, and so making peace (at all times) is fundamental like breathing. For those who do not believe, it is always a good time to spread love and care, particularly with those closest to us.
If we were an intelligent species, being good to one another would be a norm, rather than the exception that it is today.
Don’t wait until Armageddon to tell mother that you love her.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jun 24 2024 18:04 utc | 179
Posted by: migueljose | Jun 24 2024 17:20 utc | 176
Luna Oi has at times leaned on anarchism (her husband being a US American anrchist) and used pejorative language on Stalin by trying to disassociate Uncle Ho from the Soviet leader, all in a manner reminiscent of western anarcho-leftoids or liberals with socialist pretensions. I mean, there is a ton of stuff to criticize Stalin about, but little in the subjects she was dealing, particularly the anti-colonial struggle of the Vietnamese people.
She has also avoided taking a stance on the colflict of Russia with NATO in Ukraine. And it is one thing for Vietnamese diplomats to keep a neutral position (although it is increasingly necessary for countriesto declare their opposition to the Anglo-American regime at least on its overt criminality) and another for an individual socialist to talk such balderdash on such a critical issue.
There are some good stuff in her videos, of course, and she is undaunted when dealing with cases of anti-socialism based on blatant falsehoods and downright imbecillity.
Posted by: Constantine | Jun 24 2024 18:05 utc | 180
For the US populous when it comes to Russians it seems any comic book level story is sufficient to be believed; blowing up their own pipeline, shelling their own nuclear plant, and repeatedly using a very nasty, rare nerve agent for assassinations that does zero damage to the targets.
Posted by: james C | Jun 24 2024 15:00 utc | 162
The bigger the lie, the more the crowd will believe it. — A. Hitler
Posted by: Zet | Jun 24 2024 18:10 utc | 181
Oh, and another quote re lies…
We will know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false. — CIA Director William Casey, 1981
🙂
Posted by: Zet | Jun 24 2024 18:14 utc | 182
For those who don’t know, Foucault was a committed anti-Marxist. And I believe he openly supported in later life a number of rather conservative initiatives. Anyone claiming Foucault as cultural Marxist or leader or some such is either misinformed or misleading in my judgment.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Jun 24 2024 18:18 utc | 183
@Posted by: steven t johnson | Jun 24 2024 18:18 utc | 182
For those who don’t know, Foucault was a committed anti-Marxist. And I believe he openly supported in later life a number of rather conservative initiatives. Anyone claiming Foucault as cultural Marxist or leader or some such is either misinformed or misleading in my judgment.
As many of the Frankfurt and French schools were, all part of a non-Marxist “critical” theory fully supported by Western governments and the foundations (e.g. Ford, Rockefeller) to build an academy and “left” politics devoid of historical materialism and class analysis. They succeeded beyond their dreams with the likes of the recent “critical” scholars and “left” politicians (e.g. AOC) who are all focused on culture and issues of “identity” while staying far away from discussions of the dominance of the capitalist ruling class. All useful idiots and careerist tools.
@ migueljose | Jun 24 2024 17:20 utc | 176
thanks migueljose! i was wondering how to find that video i had watched many months ago via someone else sharing it here at moa previously.. that’s it!! yes – i like her presentation and think she hits the ball out of the park… cheers james
Posted by: james | Jun 24 2024 19:03 utc | 185
The US will be the same. Able to cause trouble but no longer controlling the world through the skeins of private finance. Unless, of course, we are being played – more than likely – and Big Finance is just shifting headquarters – not for the first time.
Posted by: Scorpion | Jun 24 2024 15:18 utc | 165
Well, that’s crux, isn’t it? Is there ‘somewhere else’ available to be new HQ? The US has been very effective at keeping its own minions down, and using them to keep the rest of the world down, so the available successors to US hegemony are either too weak, or extremely well disguised. A lot people on the right seem to believe that ‘leftwingers’ are conspiring to make China the new hegemon, but I think these people are deliberately lying or are ignorant of Chinese history, culture and current policies. Others insist that the war in Ukraine is just the Russian Oligarchs trying to join the west on their own term. I don’t buy either idea, I think they are the result of not being able to imagine any other system of leadership than that currently ruling the US, or any other economic system than capitalism.
I don’t think the role of the US as HQ of global finance capitalism is going away any time soon, but I do think that the areas where it can operate in the old ways are rapidly shrinking. Every attempt will be made to shift these operations to the western hemisphere as more and more of the Old World becomes immunized to military and economic threats, but the US will still be the big frog- just in a smaller pond.
Without US power to install and protect it, western capitalism will eventually give way to other models- from socialist to state capitalist- as conditions in particular countries and regions permit. I believe that the only practical course in Asia will be to adopt, first, a people-oriented state capitalism, and then a ‘socialism with Country X characteristics’ model of socialism. There’s no reason that Russia or China would tolerate the growth of a new corporate capitalist entity in their back yards.
Posted by: Honzo | Jun 24 2024 19:31 utc | 186
To stale face ( Jun 24 2024 9:26 utc | 131 ):
It’s a wonder we’ve made it this far.
I’m guessing that if we reach October or November we should be good until next spring.
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Xabana bananas :p
Ignoring all the horrors to write this partially as comedic relief and partially in seriousness concerning chasing “ghosts”/your own tail.
An ending snippet (emphasis added by me) from the July edition of Fortean Times (heh) which has a decent (and properly Fortean) page following up on the “Havana syndrome” AHI (Anomalous Health Incident):
“…it does seem increasingly likely that Bartholemew will be proved right, and that key senior operatives in sensitive posts crucial to US defence have been falling victim to a mass psychogenic illness.”
Laughs aside I want to point out that the alternative is just as bad if not worse; that someone or something can easily induce effects indistinguishable from mass psychogenic illness 🙂
Now let’s just do some free thinking; what if these people (a very round 1000 US and Canadian “diplomats” and spooks according to the same article) are only the cases where something went wrong and thus caused pains etc. while successful cases cause no discomfort and the people continue along thinking they’re perfectly fine but absolutely are not? 😀
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Jun 24 2024 20:18 utc | 187
Iran will have a tough time squaring the Starmer circle: Written in Farsi, sir Keir, is read as “tip of the penis.”
Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Jun 24 2024 20:21 utc | 188
I saw this on another TG channel with authorities saying it was an accident, I thought OK. Sometimes I’m asleep at the switch, may have been an accident but given the times we’re living in:
A possible assassination attempt on Hungarian PM Victor Orbán was commited in Stuttgart, Germany.
“>https://t.me/thearcangel/108921
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jun 24 2024 20:26 utc | 189
Leftism’ in the US – there are practically NO ‘leftists in the US nowadays . Maybe 0.001% of the population. What US commentators call ‘leftists’ are in fact what the rest of the world calls ‘Liberals’ The ‘Left’ in the US was basically almost wiped out by successful US government and big-money action, which led to the destruction of the IWW union and others.
Posted by: Jams O’Donnell | Jun 24 2024 17:07 utc | 173
I wouldn’t go that far. There are no left parties in the west, sure, but there are many millions who are anti war, anti genocide, anti billionaire, anti Imperialist. They are lefts, but without a party. It’s a political vein that is untapped, ignored, covered over and brimming with potential.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jun 24 2024 20:41 utc | 190
Way too funny, Russians want the Houthis to shoot down NATO and US drones over the Black Sea. Figures. Just another pin prick poke in the eye. Unfortunately more Ukrainians and Russians will die…..while in Whitehall and Washington Satan sets his feast.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Jun 24 2024 20:52 utc | 191
Subject: Space-based .vs. airborne ISR systems: what is the difference, and how is ISR changing over time?
ISR: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. More explanation is here.
I did a little research on the airborne .vs. space based ISR game. You may find this info interesting in light of Russia’s decision-making about whether to permit foreign ISR over the Black Sea, and the related ISR activities in all the rest of the hot-spots, including the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, China Sea … you name it, ISR is a big deal now.
If you have background in ISR and find errors in this, or can add more detail, please let rip.
The main points of the discussions on ISR that I read run like this:
a. These ISR systems process signals – e.g. electro-magnetic radiation including light, infrared (heat), radio communications, radar (more radio waves) and so forth. ISR sensors only see what’s traveling toward them … like a flashlight. So space-based sensors see radiation (imagery, transmissions, etc.) that is radiating toward the satellite. Airborne sensor can see radiation that’s not traveling (more or less) vertically – those sensors can see radiation that’s traveling along the (relatively speaking) surface of the planet. So space-based and airborne systems see different things. An airborne ISR system can see enemy radar installations scanning some section of the atmosphere, while a space-based system would not be able to sense that radar installation so readily.
b. Space-based systems have to deal with more of the atmospheric interference of those signals than airborne systems do
c. Space-based systems are typically “parked” at a location in space, and are moving predictably with respect to a point on the Earth. People know where the satellite is, and what it can see, and when it can see it. Airborne systems can move around – see different things, at different times, on-command. Satellites have a lot less flexibility – they can still move, but the movement takes time and costs longevity – moving a satellite takes propellant (thruster fuel), and there’s only so much aboard a satellite.
d. The sensors all of these systems use are improving rapidly. They can handle wider ranges of the electro-magnetic spectrum, do more on-board processing, including sensing motion from very, very far away, or sensing unusual juxtapositions of chemical compounds via spectral analysis. The “on-board processing” makes this possible, and shortens response-time to triggering actions.
It’s getting rapidly much more difficult to hide anything! And to make things even more fun, the platforms and sensors these systems use are shrinking rapidly in size and cost, and how much energy it takes to keep them aloft, either in space or the atmosphere.
e. Following on point D, what used to be the province of the Rich Countries is now more or less available to everyone that can muster a few hundred thousand dollars.
Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | Jun 24 2024 21:12 utc | 192
“Some analysis of foreign holders of US debt here: https://wolfstreet.com/2024/06/19/the-foreign-holders-of-the-ballooning-us-debt/
Foreign investors have continued to add to their holdings of Treasury securities over the years, but the US debt has grown far faster, and so the share of the debt that is held by foreign entities has been declining for many years. In 2014-2016, foreign investors held over 33% of the debt. Their share is now down to 22.9%
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Jun 23 2024 16:28 utc | 2 ”
When Wolfe puffs himself up into his Teutonic best to pontificate on the “benign” implications of the U.S. Debt Bomb he fails to clarify important points:
1. As pointed out earlier, the Almighty Hegemon, the Mighty (they claim) purveyor of the great and the good, with unlimited repayment options for debt to include printing money and stealing the assets of others, both Public and Private, still must pay higher interest than all other nations, and many corporations, to attract buyers.
2. In the opaque “Foreign Buyers” category there is plenty of room for American Governments, Public Agencies, Private Agencies and U.S. Government backed Foreign Banks to help create the illusion of Demand for Uncle Slam’s endless addiction to borrowed bucks.
3. The Federal Reserve Bank, Privately owned, but Publicly guaranteed, holds $ Trillions of U.S. Government direct Debt and Private mortgages, packaged to appear as investments. All of which are printed/conjured/counterfeited since the Federal Reserve is bankrupt and has no equity.
4. The bell weather 10 year note is orchestrated to be bid heavily to keep the other U.S. interest rates, public and private from rising. This financial game is important to keep the illusion of Demand. Invariably the 7 year and 20 year (suspiciously) pay more interest than the 10 year.
5. Wolf, curiously avoids the Black Hole in U.S. Debt where the U.S. Government takes and spends current and past dollars, including the Social Security Fund and leaves an “IOU” in the cash box instead of cash or other interest/profit earning investments. In other words future taxpayers must pay for the money spent by past Governments. So “we owe it to ourselves” is a cute (and criminal) way of saying “We spent it on our friends” – why don’t you go take a hike.
Posted by: kupkee | Jun 24 2024 21:28 utc | 193
Esto tampoco tiene nada que ver…
https://textosandroides.blogspot.com/2022/11/democrazzia.html
Back to work with two new efforts: “Ben Rhodes Begs for Pragmatism in Foreign Affairs Magazine: My Take,” https://karlof1.substack.com/p/ben-rhodes-begs-for-pragmatism-in
“A Crooke & More Monday,” https://karlof1.substack.com/p/a-crooke-and-more-monday
Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the US government that allows him to go free.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/julian-assange-reached-plea-deal-us-allowing-go-free-rcna158695
Ransomware group alleges they’ve hacked the Fed.
https://www.dailydot.com/debug/lockbit-ransomware-group-federal-reserve-hack-claim/
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jun 24 2024 23:23 utc | 196
Apparently CNN’s Jake Tapper will moderate the Biden-Trump debate this Thursday.
I still have memories of Obama’s farewell speech on January 10, 2017. It was full of “look what I did.” The TV channels analyzed all that. Except CNN. Jake Tapper on CNN had no interest in Obama any more, and so Tapper bored us with an analysis of a document given to him called the ‘dossier.’ It was full of chatter concerning Russia’s efforts to determine Obama’s replacement, Donald Trump, which explained his unexpected Hillary take-down. The fabricated document would later be proven a Dem Hillary investment, but at the time it was a big deal, as it was designed to be. A hoax, courtesy of Jake Tapper, CNN.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 23:26 utc | 197
to migueljose thanks! Any thoughts on poor crushed ecuador? and the seeming heroism of Petro in colombia? To Walt thanks very much for on the ground info. To malenkov I love you for yourself. No worries man. It didn’t slow Trajan down. To quote a very Perfidious Albionista: “If it don’t frighten the horses, who cares.” So maybe some of you other kids should back off.
To Blessed Bernhard… Please rest!!!! Cheers
Posted by: Formerly Miss Lacy | Jun 24 2024 23:29 utc | 198
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jun 24 2024 14:54 utc | 159
I remember when I first heard of UKIP – the UK Independence Party – “Mmm, independence from the USA, that would be a good idea…”
But of course that was not what they had in mind.
…………………………………..
Just picking up on this from ICH this morning:
Sunak’s Tories fear UK election betting scandal may expand and bury them.
Rishi Sunak’s chances of avoiding a landslide defeat in the UK general election dwindled further as his governing Conservative Party struggled to contain revelations that several of the prime minister’s close aides placed bets on the date of the vote. A report in the Sunday Times that a senior Conservative official made dozens of bets with bookmakers that Sunak would call a July election means four prominent Tories have now been accused of trying to profit by gambling on its timing.
There are serious concerns at the top of the Tory party that other prominent figures may be drawn into the affair, with just 10 days to go until the election, people with knowledge of the matter said.
The scandal – dubbed Gamble-gate in the British media – is threatening to dominate the remainder of the campaign at a time when Sunak’s Tories badly need to make up ground.
[Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is on course to become Britain’s next prime minister. Photo: PA via AP]
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is on course to become Britain’s next prime minister. Photo: PA via AP
Opinion polls show Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is firmly on course for a historic victory in the July 4 vote, while internal Tory polling suggests the opposition party could win a parliamentary majority as high as 200 seats.
Two weeks ago, Craig Williams, a Tory candidate who acted as Sunak’s parliamentary aide, admitted to betting on the election date shortly before the premier announced it.
Since then, another candidate and two staff members at Conservative headquarters have been named in the media as having bet on the date. A police officer who worked in Sunak’s close protection team was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct.
Sunak said last week that he was “incredibly angry” at the developments, but he’s facing criticism because he hasn’t suspended any of the accused Tories from their positions.
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 23:32 utc | 199
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 23:32 utc | 198
Same story: this ending tells you all you need to know about UK politics and its two main parties.
The Tory campaign will also hope to capitalise on a row over fresh comments made by Nigel Farage, the Brexit campaigner whose right-wing Reform UK party’s surge in the polls is a key factor in predictions of a dire Tory election result.
In a BBC interview on June 21, Farage said the West had “provoked” Russia’s war in Ukraine due to the eastward expansion of Nato. In remarks to be aired on ITV on Monday evening, the Reform leader repeated the claim and called for negotiations to end the war.
Both major parties condemned Farage’s comments over the weekend. Sunak said they were “completely wrong” and warned they played into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Starmer said Farage’s words were “disgraceful”.
Labour will replace Tories with full MSM backing but nothing will change. I don’t have a vote there any more but if I had, I wouldn’t bother any more. The UK is not a democracy, if it ever was.
Posted by: Walt | Jun 24 2024 23:48 utc | 200