I don’t understand why anyone is talking about Odessa as a near-term goal. It’s not feasible in a weeks-or-months timescale without a big-arrow ground offensive force that does not exist and cannot be conjured without further Russian militarization. The other way to get to Odessa is a general collapse of the Ukrainian armed forces’ capability to fight. If that’s what you demand then talk plainly about a AFU collapse, your primary objective, rather than confuse the matter by focusing on goals like Odessa that can only become clear after the primary objective is met

Posted by: a stone | Jun 24 2024 21:03 utc | 503

9. I’m a little intrigued by Napoleon and Micron. Maybe we should found a forum of people with a clue and interesting discussion. It’ not even them being similar to me (though they are). But of them being truth seeking.
Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 24 2024 19:29 utc | 493
Maybe you should. Reluctantly we’d have to part with you and them (and offer quite a few as a bonus)
Good luck ;D

Posted by: Newbie | Jun 24 2024 21:25 utc | 505

@Posted by: grunzt | Jun 24 2024 20:36 utc | 499
The best retaliation against these terrorist attacks is to (i) massively increase the kill rate of Ukrainian army soldiers (ii) take out the remaining electricity infrastructure, including the lines from Europe together with any remaining gas storage (iii) start killing the senior members of the Ukie state who have repeatedly shown themselves to be war criminals (iv) “accidentally” kill a senior Western politician visiting Ukraine, “he/she shouldn’t have been so bloody stupid” would be an apt response (v) make the Black Sea a no go for Western reconnaissance drones and aircraft (vi) arm the ethnic Russians around Narva in Estonia and encourage them to declare an independent republic (vii) mass troops on the Belarus/Ukraine border right next to Poland (viii) make sure that some of those “surplus” Western ATGMs get deniably into the hands of people who can target a US LNG export terminal (payback for NS2). An escalation would be to shoot down all Israeli planes that illegally target Syria and Lebanon.
No need to attack the US/Europe and provide them with a casus beli to force their citizens into further escalations.

Posted by: Roger | Jun 24 2024 21:35 utc | 507

In response to
”
Any ideas for an appropriate response, if possible even without losing the moral high ground?
Posted by: grunzt | Jun 24 2024 20:36 utc | 499
”
I think Roger @ 505 above covers the ground fairly well…thanks
The ultimate response is, IMO, to create a value based money in a totally sovereign, not private, global system of finance……its coming I believe…but when?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jun 24 2024 22:01 utc | 509

The west would escalate because it can.
Russia wont escalate because it can not.
Very simple.

Posted by: vargas | Jun 24 2024 22:16 utc | 511

One of those was a rare referendum that was voted on. The other two were not even an issue that got someone elected. Bush was proved to have lied about his illegal reason for invading Iraq and Americans re-elected him.
Posted by: Cheney | Jun 24 2024 20:32 utc | 498
It’s not a perfect metric. But the Brexit referendum was an election – the fate of the UK in the EU was on the ballot. The people voted to exit, and the peoples’ will was honored by the government. It just proves that those who think all elections are meaningless aren’t correct.
As for Vietnam, as I said before Nixon campaigned on a secret plan to end the war, and he was elected. You cannot say with any kind of certainty that the 1968 election didn’t turn on that issue. Humphrey was Johnson’s Vice-president and so represented the administration’s policy on Vietnam. Nixon had been out of politics for eight years. At any rate, Nixon followed through on his campaign promise, after escalating briefly in Cambodia and Laos, he began reducing American troops in Vietnam, and signed a peace deal.
Bush was reelected but his opponent was not opposed to the Iraq war. And the Iraq war may have not been unpopular, it wasn’t really on the ballot. The point I was trying to make is that politicians when elected should follow through on their campaign promises, or at least the will of the voter is heard, as in the Brexit referendum. This builds confidence in the political system, and avoids armed revolutions.
I get that it isn’t always the case where this happens, but it is also not true that it is never the case. It does happen where the voters’ will is honored. In other words, I reject the pervasive cynicism on elections, since it doesn’t match with reality.

Posted by: James M. | Jun 24 2024 22:52 utc | 513

JamesM actually has a good point (as he does…very occasionally) that perhaps the metric should be rate versus 4 oblasts, not UKR overall. Of course that is still…going to take OVER a decade (perhaps after Putin’s lifetime, given rate of advance). And it’s NOT going to satisfy the Odessa, Lviv, etc. fantasists (who we do hear often hear, unless beaten down).
Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 24 2024 20:09 utc | 497
Gee, thanks for the backhanded compliment, it means so much coming from someone called Anonymous…
At any rate, see my other post on Odessa. As for those four oblasts. I already did the calculations on them and Russia controls 58 percent of that territory. It would take a little over two years at “current rate of advances” but the current rate of advance is not static. That means Russia will probably escalate their advances in the Donbas at least. Even if they don’t, two years is a mighty short span of time in Russian strategic thinking.

Posted by: James M. | Jun 24 2024 23:05 utc | 515

I get that it isn’t always the case where this happens, but it is also not true that it is never the case. It does happen where the voters’ will is honored. I reject the pervasive cynicism on elections, since it doesn’t match with reality.

I lost track of the argument here, but this wording allows me to chime right in:
Elections may provide (at times) the means to decide upon important issues, while at the same other big issues are not (or never) on the menu.
The latter could take up existential dimension, like “Should the US have a fleet of aircraft carriers?” or “Should Canada be in NATO?” or “Should Germany rapproche with Russia?” If the truly important things are withheld from voter scrutiny by the MSM, which is absolutely the case in the west, then the political system can maintain course even if all of the above are in principle up for vote. Add to that 3LA techniques to “process” parties (splitting, hijacking, astro-turfing) and you have a situation where voters are screwed.
If the game is rigged against you, there’s no point in playing, as an old barfly liked to say.

Posted by: persiflo | Jun 24 2024 23:28 utc | 517

On Crimea beach attack deaths and injuries ….. Vladimir Zelensky’s adviser Mikhail Podoliak defended the strike – and not for the first time – by claiming there are no civilians in Crimea, only Russian “occupiers.”
People do go insane. Killing your own citizens, those people you declare you want to save from Russia’s awful occupation and instead labelling those you just killed as Occupiers.
This is not going to be solved anytime soon and will only escalate continually from here on.
—————-
…… or you can play the game better than them.
Posted by: James M. | Jun 24 2024 23:49 utc | 516
Seriously? It’s me against the entire western outlaw empire and Billion$ spent of censorship and propaganda, and I and anyone else in the west, or the entire world, can beat them at their own game.
imho, this is not a rational objective appraisal of ‘what is’ / reality especially when 90% of your neighbours believe the US/Ukraine are fighting the ‘evil’ second coming of Hitler and that Israel has a right to defend itself against ‘terrorism’ from Hamas and strike Syria and Iran with impunity.
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in a made up story. He’s not real either. The Hasbara are. The global media are. The US Military are.

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 0:12 utc | 519

on retaliation – Posted by: Roger | Jun 24 2024 21:35 utc | 505
wow, I didn’t know you had it in you to go that far and hard.
What I am wondering is how will we know if what Russia does in response was their response?
what was their response to NS pipelines being blown up? the kremlin being targeted by drones? Crocus town hall massacre in moscow?

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 0:27 utc | 521

Oh have some cheese with your whine. Do you think you’re seriously alone, with your martyr complex?
Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 0:33 utc | 520
Fuck off then. You’re an abusive blathering fool. Not going to read another word of your endless spam. Blocked

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 0:52 utc | 523

James M.@520 “How did he win in 2016? Trump had the entire establishment and media against him?” Answer to second question first, Trump did not have the entire establishment against him. Anti-establishment candidates do not have the financing detailed here: https://www.opensecrets.org/pres16/candidate?id=n00023864 Clinton had more money but the establishment favored Trump with millions. Nor did Trump have the entire media against him, he got billions in free publicity. The right-wing media are still part of the mainstream but they were not against Trump, especially not in the general. It was Sanders who had the entire media against him and didn’t get publicity, even though his winning primaries should have led to hyping the horse race with an underdog story. The facts are against you.
Answer to first question second, Trump did not win the vote. Trump got lucky and won the Electoral College, a stupid gimmick that was causing ire as early as 1792. There was an election dispute, aka constitutional crisis from it, in 1800, prompting a partial fix with the Twelfth Amendment. Trump didn’t game the system, he fluked out. Again, the facts are against you.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jun 25 2024 1:18 utc | 525

Fuck off then. You’re an abusive blathering fool. Not going to read another word of your endless spam. Blocked
Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 0:52 utc | 521
Oh dear, whatever shall I do…

Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 2:02 utc | 527

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 1:33 utc | 524
Sorry Lavrov but you are talking through your hat. Too many yanks see things in Australia as if it is the or was the same as the USA.
Timeline of protests for 1964
March – CND march Dandenong to Melbourne against French nuclear tests
April 5 – CICD launches national petition against French nuclear tests in Pacific and underground nuclear tests
June 6 – Defence Minister Paltridge announces doubling (30 to 60) of Australian military ‘advisors’ in South Vietnam
July 6 – Warrant Officer Kevin Conway from Brisbane becomes first Australian serviceman to be killed in South Vietnam fighting
August 5 – ‘Gulf of Tonkin incident’. U.S forces strike at North Vietnam for first time after deceitful report of clash between torpedo boats of North Vietnam and units of U.S Seventh Fleet
August 6 – 2000 demonstrators at U.S Consulate in Prahran condemn U.S air attacks on North Vietnam and call for re-convening of Geneva Conference
August 8-9 – CICD Hiroshima Day March starts Frankston
October – Defence Minister Senator Paltridge introduces amended Defence Act enabling citizen military forces to be sent overseas
October 25 – 7000 people attend opening Sydney rally of Peace Congress addressed by Professor Linus Pauling and Mayor of Hiroshima
November 10 – Prime Minister Menzies announces plan to conscript 20-year-old men for overseas service.
So my patronising friend as I said late 1964. I was still at primary school. The CND and anti nuclear protests quickly morphed into anti Vietnam war protests. I recall writing a poem I assume about November 1964 just after Menzies made his announcement. The first student/union protest at the Sydney Cenotarph was I think on a Thursday probably in November or possibly October. I did not attend that one but I most certainly did the next ones and I recall being collected from school and bizarrely wearing (very badly) stockings and garters, my best dress and probably high heels.
After that protests were a regular feature of my life. There were other kids my age including one whom I still regard as one of my very best friends, even though we have lived in different cities for 50 years.

Posted by: watcher | Jun 25 2024 2:34 utc | 529

Also, the Crimean attack is being covered in the West and I think many are seeing the terroristic nature of Ukraine and its sponsors for the first time.
I think that from now on the narrative will rapidly change.
Posted by: Technophobe | Jun 25 2024 2:06 utc | 526
Yes, exactly. This was my point in my response to unimperator:
Either way, the attack with the assumed target failed and caused a tragedy. Obviously the tragedy is a secondary bonus for Nato.
Posted by: unimperator | Jun 23 2024 22:25 utc | 402
I don’t think so. At some point public opinion in NATO member countries will turn on Ukraine the more they conduct these types of attacks. And despite what you might think about deep state control or whatever, no public support means no funding or other support for the war will be forthcoming.
Posted by: James M. | Jun 23 2024 22:35 utc | 405
We’ll see how this plays out with the elections over the next few weeks.

Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 3:41 utc | 531

Attrition math:
Losses per month: 30-60K
Troops left July 2023: 600K
Months before losing entire army: 10-20
Hence the frantic mobilization efforts and Macron’s floating of the wildly unpopular idea of French troops joining the fight.
One more year of this rate of attrition would completely destroy the Ukrainian army. Something has to give

Posted by: HughBahlz | Jun 25 2024 4:10 utc | 533

9. I’m a little intrigued by Napoleon and Micron. Maybe we should found a forum of people with a clue and interesting discussion. It’ not even them being similar to me (though they are). But of them being truth seeking.
Posted by: Anonymous | Jun 24 2024 19:29 utc | 493
With pleasure ;-). Although, keep in mind that according to many people here we are one and the same person (together with shadowbanned) using different aliases. So do I even exist at all ?
In the eventuality that I do, I have the morning shift at Langley, so we can meet at the cafeteria at 2 pm, what d you think ? Bob of the Taiwanese departement as well as Jerry of the Tibetan affairs can join us ;-).
In all seriousness : the funniest part is that people here see me as some kind of NAFO bot when I’m hardcore pro-Russian but have been massively disappointed, even horrified, by they way the Russian establishment has conducted this war. I have followed Rolo Slavsky (now going by the ridiculous handle of Rurik Skywalker) from Z-enthusiast to being thorougly gutted by the level of ineffectiveness and weakness displayed by the Russians. It’s not even about corruption ; I mean, you can be corrupt and deliver results, in the end that’s all that counts. No, it’s this kind of… Potemkian nature of the whole. Like Russia is happy doing it in half-hearted way and just hoping in the end to cut a deal with the West.
The most plausible theory I have seen in this regard is the one of Rurik ; Russia *could* win this but *won’t*, because to win it would have to reorganize itself in a nationalistic/state-planned way which would run counter to the LLC-mode of management Putin and his affiliated oligarchs have put in place. In other words it’s better to leave the Russian army in its sorry state and steal everything not bolted to the wall, than risking the emergence of strong, patriotic Russians (with an emphasis of “Russian” by opposition to other tribes, if y see what I mean..)

Posted by: Micron | Jun 25 2024 5:30 utc | 535

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 4:13 utc | 532
Sort of true.
Of course in 1964, Australia was only a half hearted lapdog for the USA, the other half heart was lapdog to the UK.
Today it is full on all the way with the USA.
What you say about Australian media today is true sadly. Of course back in 1964, there was a genuine left in the Australian media. Some worked at the ABC, but others worked for Packer, for the Melbourne Herald and even the Women’s weekly. By genuine left I do not mean the ramashackle bunch of opportunists who call themselves left now, but those who were committed to socialism, equality, justice and free speech.

Posted by: watcher | Jun 25 2024 5:44 utc | 537

@Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 6:12 utc | 536
You also have to take into account Ukraine’s horrendous demographics due to the collapse in the birth rate from 1990 onwards (not a lot of people in the 18-34 cohort) and the mass emigration of the most able (i.e. the young and single) prior to 2022 and then the mass emigration since then. The population within actual Ukrainian control may also be as low as 20 million, given the post 2022 emigration both east and west and the populations within Russian controlled areas. Then add the widespread refusal to be conscripted, leading to the press-gang style of “recruitment”.
I did some analyses last year looking at the demographics and migration etc. last September, Ukraine: A Country Of Old And Damaged Men.

The above graph [wikipedia Ukraine demographics] is based on an assumed population of 40 million, so we need to halve the population numbers with that halving falling much more on to the 18-30 segment. So instead of about 500,000 males aged 21-25, we can assume at best 200,000, for 26-30 instead of about 750,000 at best 300,000. Including 18-20 year-olds, probably at best about 600,000 prime military age 18-30 year olds. Up to now that has been further limited by those in reserved occupations and those with enough resources and/or luck to be successfully dodging the draft; the latter factor probably becoming greater as the mass graves continued to grow at a fast rate and the reality of the front-line filtered back to the civilian population. This is why the Russian army is increasingly seeing Ukrainian men in their 40s, 50s and even 60s at the front line.

The 30-40 year old male population in Ukraine controlled territory is probably in the region of 1.25 million. Then add in the 40-50 year olds and we get perhaps another 2 million. So in total about 3.85 million possible male recruits (I have discounted the 50-60 year age group given issues of health in that age group, and also probable health issues in the 40-50 year olds). Losses are quite possibly at close to 1 million, given deaths, missing in action, irretrievably wounded (both physically and mentally), and taken prisoner. Many months ago there were already reports of 50,000 soldiers that required artificial limbs. Reports from the ground already point to major male labor shortages, the definition of “healthy and fit” being significantly reduced, and the widespread need to press gang new conscripts.
One of the biggest complaints about the new conscription law is that the provision for de-conscription after 3 years had been removed. The reality is that a significant chunk of the Ukrainian army’s most experienced troops have not had a significant break from the fighting since Feb 2022. There have been reports of experienced troops, even the Azov, refusing to enter directly into battle – as witnessed during the battle for Avdiivka. Their battle capability will be severely reduced after such lengthy stints in the front lines. I would give the Ukrainian army 6 months at best before severe issues start developing within the ranks and the ability to forestall Russian advances becomes severely curtailed.
There are several hundred thousand military age Ukrainians that managed to get out of Ukraine to Europe, but forcing them back to Ukraine will both break European and international laws, and cause severe public order issues.

Posted by: Roger | Jun 25 2024 6:57 utc | 539

a good review with extra info from simplicius
Also, an attack occurred on the Abkhazia border with multiple dead as well. Keep in mind this is just days after an ISIS cell staged an attack in a Rostov prison, though fortunately the only victims there were the jihadis themselves.
The newly activated spree is clearly meant to provoke religious strife and ethnic tensions within Russia at its vulnerable Caucasian flanks.
and
Thus is the mechanism behind the simplistic information attack: Destabilize Russia under the scheme of exaggerated panic in order to sow social unrest and dissatisfaction with the leadership’s responses. Make it seem like Putin is “losing grip” on the situation, and that the brewing ‘instability’ is a result of society rising up, a narrative that will naturally be chained along and amplified by the Western corporate press. It’s a very run-of-the-mill psyop technology package.
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-62324-coordinated-terror-attacks

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 7:42 utc | 541

@Roger | Tue, 25 Jun 2024 06:57:00 GMT | 537

The population within actual Ukrainian control may also be as low as 20 million, given the post 2022 emigration both east and west and the populations within Russian controlled areas.

Yes, I considered that. But if Ukraine’s mobilization is based on a population of 20 million total than they can probably only mobilize 3 million, or maybe 4 million, which they are pretty close to already. And 600,000 to 800,000 KIA is the probable maximum they can endure. If Russia’s numbers are accurate, then half a million dead already, plus another million wounded and/or discharged, plus 50,000 KIA a month. That would mean, at the very latest, assuming maximal mobilization and maximum casualty infliction by the Russians, October this was is over.

Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 8:02 utc | 543

Posted by: Jan Sobieski | Jun 25 2024 6:59 utc | 538
Well sure, while those things can be seen and are meaningful overall in the broader picture/dynamics of the war, that wasn’t what I was getting at, asking about. But that’s ok. I still think the biggest ‘tell of all’ is how increasingly desperate/extreme and rash UKR/Nato’s actions are becoming. Similarly with Israel the entire last 9 months…. every escalation fails (more or less) and then they have to up the ante again and again.

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 8:33 utc | 545

This war on memory, as Guy Mettan terms it, is in our view a pernicious, quite significant dimension of ethnic cleansing. In Part 2 of his “Report from Donbas,” Mettan takes us to some of the places where this war is waged to show us how the people of Donetsk and Lugansk, once again Russian by choice, defend their sites of memory as a matter of defending themselves.
https://thefloutist.substack.com/p/in-ukraine-a-war-for-memory

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Jun 25 2024 9:17 utc | 547

That would mean, at the very latest, assuming maximal mobilization and maximum casualty infliction by the Russians, October this was is over.
Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 8:02 utc | 541
Which is EXACTLY why all the talk about NATO nations sending troops as Ukraine’s already scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Posted by: TJandTheBear | Jun 25 2024 10:00 utc | 549

According to Military Summary, Ukraine reported they were able to mobilize 5000 people in a single day, more than replace losses according to RU MOD report. This is most likely due to the intensive preparation for the next offensive in Zaporozhye and perhaps Kharkov region, which is demanded by Ukraine’s western sponsors.

Posted by: unimperator | Jun 25 2024 10:35 utc | 551

Posted by: unimperator | Jun 25 2024 10:35 utc | 549
One thing is getting some, more or less random, people and send them to the Frontline. In order to make an effective mobilization training is needed and proper equipment must be provided. That 5000 are going to survive a few days if not a few hours.
Western client could ask whatever they want but another counteroffensive is only in Msm or Zelensky minds.

Posted by: Mario | Jun 25 2024 10:54 utc | 553

It is clear that Ukraine has green light to commit any atrocity of any magnitude in Russia. Europeans, rich or poor would even love that to happen as everybody hates Russia there.
So, Russia is isolated in the western world.
Putin’s dream about “human war”, “Slavic brothers” and “partners” has terribly failed.
If Russia is unable to launch a total and bloody response it shall be destroyed. The politics is a question of power, of force. There is no low among the countries. Just brutal force. Hitler was also defeated buy the merciless Soviet attack, not by culture or humanism.

Posted by: vargas | Jun 25 2024 11:27 utc | 555

@554,
It’s funny “how fast” ICC is working when it comes to other countries other than United States & vassals. The fact that there are still BRICS nations in ICC tells everything you need to know.

Posted by: JamesBond | Jun 25 2024 11:39 utc | 557

The west is getting more erratic and frustrated, so they escalate wherever possible, like with those meaningless icc warrants.
They are completely afraid of russias slow and steady dismanteling of their “values“.

Posted by: Justpassinby | Jun 25 2024 12:55 utc | 559

@ grunzt, §501:
No-fly zone over the Ukraine and NE Black Sea (northeast of a line from the Danube delta to the Caucasus).
That would remove all targeting info. from American planes and satellites from reaching the Ukraine.
It´s clearly defensive, not aggressive.
And, after the attacks on Sevastopol´s beaches, the Russians would be fully justified in the eyes of the world in taking out all this expensive American spyware.

Posted by: John Marks | Jun 25 2024 16:32 utc | 561

@Roger | Tue, 25 Jun 2024 17:54:00 GMT | 562

The numbers from mercenaries / sheep dipped Western soldiers are not large though (30-40,000?),

The number is probably even far less than that. I would guess less than 10,000 in total, and maybe closer to 5,000 or less. Their presence has always been exaggerated.

Posted by: James M. | Jun 25 2024 22:16 utc | 563

Constantine@530 finally cites evidence of my multitudinous sins. I quote myself@419 first: “I would just emphasize that’s because all factions of the MSM, not just the right wingers in Fox and Sinclair et al., but all turned against him. And being me I would add that Trump never faced universal hostility from the MSM, despite the persecution mania of Trumpers (who I still believe have their own version of Trump Derangement Syndrome, where Trump=God and Biden=Devil, instead of the other way round.”
Constantine has two problems, this happens all to be true but, none of it is a defense of imperialism etc.
The deceit starts with something about “Rep mouthpieces” changing what I was talking about, the MSM, to the partisan duopoly a different topic! Asie from that, to suddenly equate the right-wing MSM with the Republican Party (currently, that “party” is Trump by the way,) instead of their owners is in a way making excuses for billionaires. Fox for example is a mouthpiece of the Murdochs, not the Republican Party. But Constantine must kneel before the wealthy it seems.
Then Constantine performs a corresponding fraud by turning the liberal MSM in the Democratic Party. The liberal MSM however is resolutely “bipartisan.” That means in practice, resolute commitment to national myths like American exceptionalism, religiously re-writing government press releases and retailing gossip from sufficiently high ranking and committed to the status quo insiders manipulating the press. There is no left-wing MSM, if it’s left it’s suppressed by many methods to not be big enough to be mainstream. This safely limited liberalism, bipartisanship is also the desire of the wealthy who own parts of it (and are also parts of the MSM customers, a powerful lever of control) still committed to the method of duopoly, and selling anodyne compromise, all getting along, everything’s fundamentally okay, except for foreign enemies and so forth. That, so long as it lasts, is what makes them liberal, instead of right-wingers.
The resounding conclusion is a brain fart: “Considering how the poster has consistently championed the cause of the identity-politics parade, it is no surprise that he defends the DNC as something different from the Reps, presumably as a centrist (or even leftist party) vs the Republican ‘right-wingers’.” None of what I wrote even mentions the DNC, that’s made up by Constantine. I don’t ever comment on the DNC for the simple reason that I don’t think the DNC is some nefarious cabal running an organized political party to advance their nefarious agenda. The DNC, like the RNC, is a claque of political operatives largely chosen by the current top dog, especially the president or presidential candidate. Neither party is some sort of party of principles, where the membership chooses a leadership that seeks to carry out their will. These are not Leninist democratic centralists! Both parties are essentially advertising agencies, selling a brand to franchises, that is, to individual would-be officeholders who use by and large big bucks, their own or wealthy sponsors, to run essentially independent campaigns with only a tenuous relationship at best to the professed ideals of the brand. Buying into the DNC is the villain hype covers up for the owners of the various pols. But of course this kind of thinking smacks of Marxism, which is left and Constantine has no problem with.
Then there’s some malignant idiocy where I’m dubbed cryptofascist. This is supported by some made up imperialist grooming without of course a shred of evidence. Nobody groomed by imperialism is going to waste their time on MoA, flattering to the vanity that may be. Given the number of posters who regularly spout cryptofascist (verging on blatant fascism in a few) finding it in my comments. So far from derailing this blog, very few commenters ever respond. Perhaps I should spout identity politics, it would at least attract attention. Candidly, I direct most attention to those who pretend to be leftist, with the occasional swipe at the madly reactionary when the BS stinks too much. But I don’t. The true observation that most homosexuals are working class because most people are working class I recently may have prompted this nonsense? Truth hurts…but it’s still not identity politics. Straights of all classes uniting in “defense” of heterosexuality is identity politics, though. I have defended Biden on withdrawing from Afghanistan, though and I am not ashamed of that. It’s the people who want to join with the universal MSM condemnation of Biden for a perceived defeat of imperialism, who resent the actual end (knock on wood) of a forever war after four years of rhetoric.
Absent an insanely detailed historical analysis of reams of comments there’s no courtroom acceptable way to refute this though. “…few here are actual Trumpers…” I think this is either amnesia or the inability to understand the actual meanings. My position is, if you lie about what Trump actually did, if you exercise a double standard to excuse Trump and attack Biden, if you deny that Biden continues many Trump policies, you really are defending Trump, no matter if you clothe naked Trump worship with a verbal fig leaf. Someone may disagree and claim a special privilege to do these things and still claim to be independent thinkers…but if you do, award me the same privileges! Somehow then turning this into cryptofascism is more of the true TDS. “…those who are stronger detractors do so in a good fashion that makes the bar attractive.” I don’t think Constantine believes this at all. Anyone who did would start by giving an example of attractive criticism of Trump. But again Constantine has two problems: Trump is pretty much indefensible and the alleged attractive severe criticism of Trump is pretty much nonexistent. Last and least, “(or whatever pronoun this woketard favors)” Apparently Constantine wants me to refer to myself in the third person? Or maybe doesn’t because of a desire to insinuate I’m trans? Maybe Constantine wants an email attachment of a pic of my genitals?

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jun 26 2024 4:27 utc | 565

Hitler was also defeated buy the merciless Soviet attack, not by culture or humanism.
Posted by: vargas | Jun 25 2024 11:27 utc | 555
The German Empire could only have survived with Russia as a reliable partner against the power of the Anglo-Saxons. Bismarck knew this, of course, but unfortunately many others did not, and after his happy victory over France, the Führer should have made a pilgrimage to Moscow on his knees instead of celebrating.

Posted by: Oliver Krug | Jun 26 2024 15:36 utc | 567

No way – the Führer was an anglophile and about as russophobic as can be
Posted by: grunzt | Jun 26 2024 16:19 utc | 568
Of course he was, but this was about the continued existence of a great nation as a nation state – he should have put his personal sensitivities aside – if there was no other way.

Posted by: Oliver Krug | Jun 26 2024 16:48 utc | 569