The Wondersome Effects Of Weapon Sales And Sanctions
In a world where everything is interconnected - economics, industrial production and global political competition - it becomes exceedingly difficult to use foreign policy instruments like weapon sales to proxies or sanctions. There will nearly always be some unforeseen backlash coming in an unexpected area that will hurt.
The European sanction policies against Russia may be the prime example for this. But hostile U.S. policies towards China may, over time, cause much more damage. Not to China but the U.S. and its desired policy aims themselves.
- China slaps sanctions on 3 US firms, 10 senior execs over weapons sales to Taiwan - Reuters, Oct 10 2024
> BEIJING, Oct 10 (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry on Thursday announced it had imposed sanctions on three U.S. military-linked firms and 10 senior excecutives over U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan.
The steps taken against the firms, including Edge Autonomy Operations LLC, Huntingdon Ingalls Industries Inc and Skydio Inc, became effective on Thursday and will freeze any property within China, the foreign ministry said in a statement. <
- US sanctions Chinese, Russians over attack drones used in Ukraine - Reuters, Oct 17 2024
- China opposes US sanctions on companies over attack drones for Russia - Reuters, Oct 24 2024
- Chinese sanctions against U.S. companies leave Ukrainian military drone supplier without batteries - Meduza, Oct 31 2024
> Chinese sanctions on Skydio, the U.S.’s largest drone maker and a supplier to Ukraine’s military, have blocked the American company’s sole battery supplier, reports The Financial Times. <
Given that war mongering, sanctions and other trade hindrances are now hitting back at the West one can expect that these will, after a while, lose their attractiveness as instruments of western foreign policies.
Posted by b on November 1, 2024 at 9:28 UTC | Permalink
next page »One side started. Now, both sides will work towards cleaving the world in two. Borders will stop goods, people, money. Move ASAP to a country you like, in one of the two halves you prefer.
Posted by: I forgot | Nov 1 2024 9:57 utc | 2
The Americans can only build useless drones like the Switchblade. So the impact of Chinese sanctions will be limited.
Posted by: CIROC | Nov 1 2024 10:15 utc | 3
In a world where everything is interconnected - economics, industrial production and global political competition - it becomes exceedingly difficult to use foreign policy instruments like weapon sales to proxies or sanctions. There will nearly always be some unforeseen backlash coming in an unexpected area that will hurt.
Yes, i think us foreign policy is resolving to ways to disseminate disinformation. consider the following
"Today, America First Legal (AFL) released new evidence that the U.K.-based pro-censorship organization Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and its leadership, including CEO Imran Ahmed, appear to have engaged in coordinated efforts to censor American citizens’ speech and are part of a foreign influence operation to interfere with U.S. elections. ""
".. AFL ..requested . DOJ..to investigate whether CCDH’s U.S. operation and leadership are “agents of a foreign principal” that must comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).""
A particularly interesting comment is:
"Recently leaked documents reportedly show that CCDH set up meetings with Senator Kobuchar’s team for “US policy engagement” and listed the following “Annual Priorities”: “Kill Musk’s Twitter” and “Progress towards change in USA and support for STAR.” The STAR Framework is CCDH’s “Global Standard for Regulating Social Media,” and the leaked documents appear to show how CCDH U.S. lobbies the U.S. government to adopt its proposed global standard."
There is in the link much relevant information and references to documents exposing disinformation campaigns: COVID, inside use of foreign influence to support a Democratic win in Nov 5 and attempts to kill Musk's Twitter among other things. <=highly recommended to carefully read ..
IMO, NGOs are deep state promoted, often government funded for private or special interest use propaganda factories that often express US foreign policy and often reveal how the Deep State maintains in position of dominance. IMO, the constitution should be amended to deny these kinds of activities.
speaking of disinformation today in an article explaining why Gaddafi is still extremely popular in Libya I read:
'On September 23, 2009, in his first and only speech before the United Nations General Assembly, Muammar Gaddafi described the UN Security Council as council of “horror.” He explained that the council, by the UN charter, is responsible for peace in the world but has only brought “more wars and sanctions.” What he did not know at the time was that the same UN organ would, less than two years later, authorize his removal and ultimately his murder by adopting resolution 1973, which gave the green light to all UN member states to interfere in Libya as long they notified the UN Secretary General of their intention to do so.'from an article posted By Mustafa Fetouri, Libyan academic, award winning journalist and analyst
interesting how Qaddafi understood what few of us do..
Posted by: snake | Nov 1 2024 10:17 utc | 4
B's conclusion at the end of his post overestimates Western ingenuity in the range of foreign policy tactics against BRICS nations and underestimates Western stupidity in its readiness to continue digging an ever deeper hole with its walls threatening to collapse.
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Nov 1 2024 11:15 utc | 5
All this sanctions BS from USA & friends is BS. RF produces 2X steel per capita as does US, PRC 2.4X. Total PRC steel production is 12X that of USA. We haven’t even discussed India and other countries.
I don’t see a whole lot of manufacturing plants building durable goods in USA (which could be converted to weapons mfg.) either. Even dip-shit MIT Technology Review rag finally publishing article on desperate weed-control problem in USA Big Agriculture. Not to mention acknowledged, but undiscussed, depletion of Ogallala Aquifer in Mid-West.
Who the fuck are we kidding? USA is old man with ED.
Posted by: OldFart | Nov 1 2024 11:30 utc | 6
All this sanctions BS from USA & friends is BS. RF produces 2X steel per capita as does US, PRC 2.4X. Total PRC steel production is 12X that of USA. We haven’t even discussed India and other countries.
I don’t see a whole lot of manufacturing plants building durable goods in USA (which could be converted to weapons mfg.) either. Even dip-shit MIT Technology Review rag finally publishing article on desperate weed-control problem in USA Big Agriculture. Not to mention acknowledged, but undiscussed, depletion of Ogallala Aquifer in Mid-West.
Who the fuck are we kidding? USA is old man with ED.
Posted by: OldFart | Nov 1 2024 11:32 utc | 7
I've just refreshed my memories of Pilger's 2016 doco The Coming War On China, and a summary of China's current series of 5-year plans - which expires in 2035 at the end of Plan #16.
It's easy to imagine that China's Century Of Humiliation, at the hands of the not very Christian Christians, was never far from the top of China's Priority List when launching each new 5-year Plan.
It's "interesting" that China expects to have achieved all of the goals it set for itself by 2035. So the Chinese have given themselves 10 years, from the end of 2025, to solve any unforseen Christian problems they may encounter on the path to bullet-proof Sovereignty and Independence.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Nov 1 2024 11:43 utc | 8
Russia's Old T-72: Best Tank on Earth and Ukraine Knows It
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russias-old-t-72-best-tank-earth-and-ukraine-knows-it-213349
Posted by: Apollyon | Nov 1 2024 11:48 utc | 9
Does Russia fine it levied on Google fall into this?
And how much of it will be collected?
Posted by: Ed4 | Nov 1 2024 11:51 utc | 10
Indeed.
But you need to remember, the western elites are doing very well. The price of western weapons is skyrocketing, although production not so much - massive profits! Shortages of things the masses need translate into 'inflation' - that is, the profits for the big corporations are shooting up. The western elites - the people calling the shorts - are getting richer and more powerful by the day. We may despise them, but we should not necessarily call them failures.
Posted by: TG | Nov 1 2024 12:05 utc | 11
"It won't take too long to demonstrate that commodity based sanctions are more effective than financial ones."
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 9:56 utc | 1
Wrongo.
The West's sanction on Russia started well over 2 years ago and did nothing; Russia sells oil at a small discount to India et al -that's it..
Oil, like all commodities, is fungible.
Financial sanctions, for example, like sanctioning Chinese banks for using Russian credit cards or loans are more much effective than commodity sanctions but still won't make much difference in the long run.
11
Exactly, but western elites take full advantage of debt as money fractional reserve banking, thats the reason they get richer and more powerful on expense of their population. Not neccessary on price of western weapons skyrocketing.
Unfortunately, this game is played almost all around the planet by local elites. This literaly kills civilisation, social fabric and economic progress
Posted by: Lubomir | Nov 1 2024 12:26 utc | 13
It won't take too long to demonstrate that commodity based sanctions are more effective than financial ones.
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 9:56 utc | 1
OPEC 1973 comes to mind
Posted by: Newbie | Nov 1 2024 12:27 utc | 14
After sanctions, the west really has no other card to play. That the sanctions aren't working is immaterial. If its not plan A then it has to be plan A.
Posted by: Ogre | Nov 1 2024 12:35 utc | 15
Using sanctions as evidence that your enemy is incompetent
My youtube feed is filled w/stuff like 'why the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, is a failure'
1. I Don't know if it actually is a failure,
2. We use all of our soft power to prevent Russia from building it and then declare it a failure.
We cratered Venezuela's economy with sanctions and theft and then bellow, 'socialism doesn't work'
Posted by: Christian J Chuba | Nov 1 2024 12:39 utc | 16
Sanctions as these will impact Ukraine, but will strengthen America in the long-term. A sustainable domestic defense production requires a domestic supply chain.
Better for the USA to struggle through building a domestic battery now than in wartime.
Posted by: Kansas | Nov 1 2024 12:51 utc | 17
@snake 4
'America first'
LOL What a garbage site.
Their about page has all the pompous buzzwords and cringe elements you expect from a classy banana republic site.
"Sacred obligation,
Founding Fathers,
fake news media,
liberal Washington politicians,
radical left
anti-freedom,
anti-faith,
anti-borders,
anti-police,
anti-American crusade.
From the ridiculous poser in the picture to the ubiquitous huge stars and stripes freedom flag they put on there for no reason.
Please take a look people, have a laugh at what they're into!
Like watching monkeys in a zoo.
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Nov 1 2024 12:59 utc | 18
Any truth in the BBC reports of civilians being targeted by drones in Kherson?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c207gz7key6o
Seems pretty foolish and counterproductive if true - a big if. Kherson was a Russian city only a year ago.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Nov 1 2024 13:17 utc | 20
Classic response from an attacker confronting someone schooled in Judo. They are unable to conceive of the possibility that their own strength and momentum will be used against them.
Until the moment they are on the floor, begging for relief, they assume their energy, strength & force can only flow one way.
This is the exact moment in history the Empire is experiencing regarding its use of both financial and/or trade/commodity sanctions. Whilst Russia's fine on Google is currently symbolic (and has a certain trolling beauty of its own*), the Chinese Foreign Ministry's sanctions on American defence contractors will definitely have an impact on the NATO war machine & its ability to wage the kind of war it likes on the territory of Ukraine.
Of course, the battery drone supply lines will eventually be recalibrated & rerouted, but the principle has been proved. I imagine Russia and China have spent a long time running simulations on the impact of financial/economic/trade counter-sanctions & shadow/parallel systems like the proposed BRICS currency & financial exchange structures.
How Russia and China will ultimately implement more comprehensive counter-sanctions remains to be seen, but one approach could be the use of the salami-style methodology beloved of the West.
*"The virtually unpronounceable penalty amounts to $20 decillion — or around $20 billion trillion trillion. That dwarfs the size of the global economy."
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/31/tech/google-fines-russia/index.html
Posted by: FakeBelieve | Nov 1 2024 13:21 utc | 21
Posted by: Kansas | Nov 1 2024 12:51 utc | 17
########
America is already in wartime and losing on multiple fronts.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 1 2024 13:32 utc | 22
China is clearly "cheating". Only the West is allowed to sanction. 😂
The great thing about Chinese responses like this is that they hurt. The West usually sanctions as a PR exercise. The Chinese prefer to correct misbehaving children strongly in order to force a lasting behavioural change.
The difference between a threat and a punch on the nose.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 1 2024 13:41 utc | 23
Excellent b,
Section 10) and section 22 ) in the Kazan Declaration.
No sanctions allowed within BRICS.
What we already knew before the Joe Rogan interview with Trump, is that Tariff man will be throwing Tariffs about all over the place. He's an idiot.
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Nov 1 2024 14:00 utc | 24
@YetAnotherAnon
Any truth in the BBC reports...? Obviously not, as always and you know it.
They have gone out of their way to spare civilians, even in shitholes like Lviv, the center of ukrofascism.
Most people in Kherson are pro-Russian.
Just have to look at all the images of the 'liberation of Kherson' after Russia withdrew.
Every article wanting to portray "huge crowd welcomes heroes in local square".
It took some creative filming tricks since there was more press than public. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KufyJEG-auQ
Just pause any of those images and you'll see just a few people crowding the camera in a circle and emptiness behind except for more press.
.
Not unlike the orchestrated takedown of Saddam's statue
https://www.npr.org/2008/04/09/89489923/reminder-saddam-statue-was-toppled-by-psy-ops
As funny as it was pathetic
There was even a shot of an appartment where one guy was trolling them by waving a Russion flag.
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Nov 1 2024 14:05 utc | 25
"It won't take too long to demonstrate that commodity based sanctions are more effective than financial ones."
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 9:56 utc | 1
You didn't hear that from Tom Luongo on the Duran by any chance ?
I've been around financial markets for a long time and Tom Luongo is one of the biggest idiots I have ever come across in 20 years. He makes everything up in his head and lives in an Austrian fixed exchange rate world. Tries to get the data to fit his theory. If the real data confuses his fixed exchange rate world he makes up a story in his head to curve fit it.
600 reasons why Tom Luongo doesn't understand financial markets.
https://socialdemocracy21stcentury.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Nov 1 2024 14:18 utc | 26
b)
This is how crazy the Americans are -
Trump’s Most Misunderstood Policy Proposal - Economists aren’t telling the whole truth about tariffs.
By the Atlantic
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/09/economic-arguments-tariffs-trump/680015/
It is hilarious !
The Atlantic say and I quote ..
" researchers at UCLA studying tariffs imposed on China in 2018 estimated that higher import prices were costing the U.S. economy $51 billion annually. "
Here's the kicker lol .....
"But with a “general equilibrium” model that attempted to account for the economy’s response, that estimate fell by 85 percent and became statistically indistinguishable from zero."
LOL ! :) ha, ha, ha....
A “general equilibrium” model is a neo classical model that is garbage in and garbage out.
HERE:
https://larspsyll.wordpress.com/?s=General+equilibrium
They can design the model to get the outcome they want. Tariff man will still throw tariffs about like confetti. Joe Rogan fell for it hook line and sinker.
:)
General equilibrium is the nonsense they teach at universities today. America is fooked.
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Nov 1 2024 14:48 utc | 27
Now the EU is imposing tariffs on China's electric cars, effective from Thursday!
We'll have to wait and see how China reacts, the Chinese sales market is the largest in the world, at least for Germans. If Germany's car industry dies (which VW is currently doing), then Germany will be the paymaster, if the EU is the paymaster, then the bankrupt EU states France, Italy and Spain will be the end, and therefore the EU will be the end.
My company used 6 trucks to transport parts from China every night from Frankfurt Airport to BMW in Leipzig...now, of the 6 trucks, only 2 are currently active, the BMW production lines are more idle than running...JUST an example...
Posted by: ossi | Nov 1 2024 15:07 utc | 28
Given that war mongering, sanctions and other trade hindrances are now hitting back at the West one can expect that these will, after a while, lose their attractiveness as instruments of western foreign policies.
There have been 500 years of the belief that western culture, economy and the 'white race' itself is superior to every other culture on the planet and destined to rule them. That belief was public policy in western nations codified in law until very recently and behind closed doors those views haven't budged an inch.
You don't just reverse those beliefs overnight. It's easier to stomach going to war and losing against such inferiors rather than having to admit that they are your equal and you have to treat them as such.
It's going to take a military defeat and economic crisis to get those beliefs to change and even then it's as likely to trigger resentment and revenge rather than admit that these brownish slanty eyed people who eat weird stinky food are equals.
You can trace Europe's hatred of everything Russian to the days when the Mongols ruled Russia and Europe was scared of the yellow peril and the plague and destruction they brought ... today they don't know why they hate the Russians only that their fathers and grandfathers did so they do too.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Nov 1 2024 15:09 utc | 29
Next Prez will have their hands full with China. The Financial Times article was interesting.
Posted by: Dogon Priest | Nov 1 2024 15:18 utc | 30
Posted by: Kansas | Nov 1 2024 12:51 utc | 17
The race against the clock began last year and it's too little too late.
Dunno how much Yankee-barflies know about USGS' ongoing project Earth MRI, aimed at localizing rare earth minerals on US soil. I learned about this very recently through Thruthstream Media's latest videocast regarding the aftermath of hurricane Helena and the poor people in NC and Ohio.
Looks to me as if the vulture capitalist chickens are coming home to roost some lithium mines!
Posted by: ThirdWorldDude | Nov 1 2024 15:22 utc | 31
"Better for the USA to struggle through building a domestic battery now...."
😂😂😂
"....than in wartime."
What rock have you been hiding under?
Posted by: Kansas | Nov 1 2024 12:51 utc | 17
Posted by: Mary | Nov 1 2024 15:34 utc | 33
I reckon the United States has achieved a great win with sanctions; it has thoroughly screwed Europe and the EU. The sanctions, together with the Inflation Reduction Act which canibalises European Industry, are a clear and intentional win.
For sure the other downstream effects of financial sanctions will hasten the growth of Brics, de-dollarisation and the Brics associated structures that will neuter the IMF, World Bank etc. However, I reckon the US establishment could see the writing on the wall and decided in the event of failure in Ukraine and the resilience of Russia, they would get a consolation prize anyway, by devouring Europe.
My wish, along way off for sure, is that Europe ditch the US in favour of US rapprochement. A big, big ask however.
Posted by: Judge Barbier | Nov 1 2024 15:37 utc | 34
' In favour of Russian/Chinese rapprochment '
Apologies JB
Posted by: Judge Barbier | Nov 1 2024 15:39 utc | 35
My wish, along way off for sure, is that Europe ditch the US in favour of US rapprochement. A big, big ask however.
Posted by: Judge Barbier | Nov 1 2024 15:37 utc | 33
will never happen on their own volition. if you talk to young people in germany for example, they rather stay with "our good friends" from america, then with some "dictators" from russia, china, iran, you name the bad guy of the week.
the eu people are utterly indoctrinated fools. the young generation sees an xbox, and iphone, some netflix, and that are now the values that they so crave. they dont understand anything geopolitics, dont even want to understand different cultures (aside from the american one, as its the best of something), and probably the most shocking thing for anyone outside the eu... they utterly believe anything "our" regimes tell them.
they are bred to be the next cannonfodder in a couple of years.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Nov 1 2024 15:43 utc | 36
One side started. Now, both sides will work towards cleaving the world in two. Borders will stop goods, people, money. Move ASAP to a country you like, in one of the two halves you prefer.
Posted by: I forgot | Nov 1 2024 9:57 utc | 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, you forgot to send me the money to move.
Posted by: Ed | Nov 1 2024 15:44 utc | 37
thanks b...
karlof1 picked up an observation by richard d woff made in a video from yesterday with nima, wolff and hudson at the 19 minute mark on the idea that at some point soon, the reliance of the usa tech center on china will take precedence over the military complex?? well, i believe that is the idea and you can check it out for yourself on the video here, if you are interested.. it's a very good talk..
wow, the search feature of youtube is really crap.. here it is and fwiw, i put the speed to 1.75 with subtitles to get thru is in a more timely way..
Richard D. Wolff & Michael Hudson: US Next President Faces IMPOSSIBLE ODDS: Middle East & Ukraine
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 15:44 utc | 38
Posted by: ossi | Nov 1 2024 15:07 utc | 27
############
The Chinese have already responded. The government has decided to pull all Chinese direct foreign investment from every country that voted to tariff Chinese EVs.
That is going to devastate those countries.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 1 2024 15:51 utc | 39
@35 Just passin by
Sadly I agree with you, certainly the middle aged group who believe eveything on Tageschau, (the main evening news showin Germany). But I have a bit more faith in the young; why should they die for Zelensky?
For there to be a change, the entire european political establishment must go; very hard to imagine but if Germany carries on under Merz in the same way it has under the traffic light coalition, it will crater economically. And then we have a chance to change things, maybe. Moreover, the loss of the war in Ukraine will put enormous strains on the EU and Nato. Add in a big dose of Trump and its time to put on tin hats and grab the popcorn. Quite alot could then change.
Posted by: Judge Barbier | Nov 1 2024 15:56 utc | 41
Anybody notice that there isn't much talk of Global Hawks over the Black Sea lately? No major attempts on the Crimean bridge? No major attacks on Crimea? No major Russian missile attacks on Ukraine (Kiev)? The war has changed.
Posted by: Leroy | Nov 1 2024 15:58 utc | 42
@ 31 "Is it known why US drone Switchblade was a failure?'
Typical US Wonder Weapon. How is this for a starter why they failed.
Their cost
Production time
Small number of manufactured products
The vulnerability of their radio channels to jamming, and dependence on satellite navigation.
Posted by: golddigger | Nov 1 2024 16:06 utc | 43
The Western elites—the people calling themselves the shorts—are getting richer and more powerful by the day. We may despise them, but we should not necessarily call them failures.
Posted by: TG | Nov 1 2024 12:05 utc | 11
-----------------------------------------------------------
Call them what they are; they are the upper levels of the capitalist ruling class. Calling them Western elites sounds like something to aspire to.
Other than that, your comment was spot on; the MIC are gold diggers from hell. Their paid minnows in the White House and Congress start wars and the MIC jacks up the price for weapons, in a proxy war that means a higher defense budget for the taxpayers. It is already $842 Billion, soon it will reach a trillion, and there is nothing the common working-class person can do about it.
Posted by: Ed | Nov 1 2024 16:09 utc | 44
Anybody notice that there isn't much talk of Global Hawks over the Black Sea lately? No major attempts on the Crimean bridge? No major attacks on Crimea? No major Russian missile attacks on Ukraine (Kiev)? The war has changed.
Posted by: Leroy | Nov 1 2024 15:58 utc | 41
.
.
.
Now that the Russians have raised the sunken Global Hawks and studied them 100%, no drone of this type has been used over the Black Sea and, incidentally, has never been used near Russia again.
Possibility 1: the Americans are afraid that the Russians now know how to intercept or listen in electronically. Or is it becoming too expensive for the Americans? No one will tell us whether there were discussions behind the scenes about what could happen with the next drones over the sea.
Posted by: ossi | Nov 1 2024 16:12 utc | 45
Our source in the General Staff said that Syrsky constantly demands that the Presidential Office declare general mobilization and clarify the issue of reserves for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Commander-in-Chief has lost control of the situation on the Pokrovsky Front; to stabilize the situation, the General Staff must urgently mobilize 300,000 people, but the plan is being fulfilled by 15-20%.
Residents
⚡️⚡️⚡️#Inside
Our source in the OP said that Bankova instructed the Foreign Ministry to increase cooperation with Western countries to cancel social payments to all Ukrainians who have left the country since the beginning of the military conflict. The Presidential Office considers this path a priority, as it allows us to solve the problem of returning men to Ukraine and keep citizens in the country so that money transfers from abroad do not decrease.
Residents
#Inside
Our source in the OP reported that Zelensky again demanded that Syrsky hold the Kursk bridgehead by all means, despite the Pentagon's demands to save reserves and equipment. Earlier this week, the commander-in-chief transferred two brigades and new Western equipment to the Sumy region, which arrived in Ukraine in the fall.
Major General Marchenko dared to say that he did not understand Ze's secret plan to destroy the best brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kursk region and at the same time lose the Donbass.
And we immediately warned that this operation was a pure gamble that would end badly☝️
Resident
⚡️⚡️⚡️#Inside
Our source in the OP said that Andrei Ermak wants to play the Dnieper gambit with Russia, which is why they are now easily giving up territories in Donbass and the Ukrainian armed forces are leaving their positions without a fight. Bankova is confident that Russia's advance towards the Dnieper will force the West to provide funds and new weapons, as well as send a military contingent. For Zelensky, the main thing now is to draw NATO into a direct conflict, which is why the Ukrainian armed forces have launched an operation in the Kursk region. And now they are busy with a major offensive towards the nuclear power plant, equipping 4 brigades with NATO weapons, and according to sources, F16 with long-range missiles are also to intervene in this offensive.
Posted by: ossi | Nov 1 2024 16:22 utc | 46
@ snake | Nov 1 2024 10:17 utc | 4
regarding your source of info, this contrasts with it directly - The late Muammar Gaddafi remains one of the most popular figures in Libya, even among the younger generation
Brutally murdered 13 years ago, this leader is only growing more beloved
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 16:22 utc | 47
regarding the link and comment @ 37 - here is what wolff is getting at which directly relates to this topic thread..
@ karlof1 | Oct 31 2024 23:25 utc | 88 quote
"Big Tech firms lead by Apple are already protesting US trade policy with China and elsewhere, and they are the one remaining productive portion of the US economy--much bigger than all MIC. They don't want a conflict with China or BRICS and oppose Trump's tariff plan. In other words, the Duopoly no longer serves their interests. And if the past provides any clues, Apple and Big Tech will form and finance an actual opposition that will champion their interests. And what's key is those interests are also those of the 90%. I would look to see how to support such a development."
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 16:28 utc | 48
reply to 37
I think there is a frequent fundamental error in our collective reasoning on geopolitics.
It's that we use logic and reason to try to predict the future. Nations are driven by logic? Says who? The most egregious example may be the UK. They hate Russia vastly beyond any good sense. They also seem to fantasize that they somehow are a world power. Nevermind the freezing pensioners or deficits or foreign immigrant invasion or social decay. I can only relate this Russia hatred to tradition such as Southern whites in the US who hate blacks from one generation to the next. It's clearly not because they value freedom or human rights as Britain drifts into authoritarianism.
Colonel Wilkinson is a great guy and I enjoy his interviews. However, he seems to get led by logic and reason away from irrationality dominating in nations. Zelensky should be overthrown ( yeah but that doesn't happen). Netanyahu should be driven from office ( yeah, but Israel has no one to replace him with)
Much the same goes for Hudson and Wolff. I love their commentary but the fate of the US may be wildly irrational. They could push for more war eveywhere indefinitely, even with economic and social collapse. The only thing to stop them is the hard effects of that collapse. For example, I wonder if the US military will just keep shrinking because young (often southern white) men won't volunteer.
It would be wonderful if the billionaires got the US off the war track but we may be underestimating the power of the MIC, together with the ingrained habit of intervention across the globe, often even with no regard for success. I wish it were otherwise but irrationality got us into this mess and shows no indication of going away.
Posted by: Eighthman | Nov 1 2024 16:31 utc | 49
And what's key is those interests are also those of the 90%.
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 16:28 utc | 46
---
A lotus eaters banquet.
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 16:41 utc | 50
@ Eighthman | Nov 1 2024 16:31 utc | 47
i agree with what you say and respect that view! i think the idea that a group of people in the usa who have a vested interest in seeing good relations with china could potentially alter the equation here, but i realize it is an optimistic one that flies in the face of what has been happening... as for the uk and the russia hate - i don't think ordinary uk folks have this hate for russia, but maybe i am wrong here too as the bbc, if it is any indication, certainly works hard to brainwash its readers on russia 24/7... the media is not playing a helpful role in any of the topics of today, unless one thinks spreading ignorance and hatred is a helpful role...
i do like wolffs idea that these tech corps and the 90% of people they represent are potentially a more sane and strong voice for opposition to what the MIC has been pushing the past 70 years.. thanks for your comment..
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 16:43 utc | 51
@ too scents | Nov 1 2024 16:41 utc | 48
either that, or an end to the ongoing banquet, lol.. at what point do the plebs rise up and challenge the system??
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 16:44 utc | 52
But I have a bit more faith in the young; why should they die for Zelensky?Posted by: Judge Barbier | Nov 1 2024 15:56 utc | 40
this is now anecdotal evidence and maybe an isolated case, but it would fit with the question that was asked this week on "why do some russian young set helicopters/electrical substations etc on fire" in russia.
my son plays online from time to time, and i like to keep an eye on him when he does so, especially since he showed me some months ago what the people that play there chat.
when the topic of ukraine or israel comes up, the racial slurs begin. less so with muslims from my observations.
i would assume that the majority that play online are younger males, maybe in their 20s? i saw one instance (my son called me over) where a bunch of people started piling up one one that wrote in cyrillic letters. namecalling, insults, calling all of russia backward mongols (lovely), and of course bringing putin up, and from there everything descended into madness.
i mention this because of demoralization. if i was told over and over from many people of different countries (those games are of course mostly western and played by a majority of western younglings, as my son is not educated in asian languages here in germany, so he is not playing chinese ones), at some point there is a possibility to snap.
now you have a young, demoralized boy, who can be manipulated further. "your government are dictators, you should do something about that!" and at some point you get kids that do stupid stuff after that. like setting some helicopters on fire because some englishman online told them to do it. it may be a stretch, but its a possibility, especially given how our western values turned out to be anything but.
so now to our youth. they are the ones inciting the hatred. they may not go dying for zelenskiyjjy, but they sure as hell wont look at the russian/chinese/iranian/etc people favourable. for them, and this is in tandem with that "500years of white europeans best!", will probably never change. so if the day comes for them to "defend" like nato "defends", they will not show any human compassion towards the opposing side, even if klein klaus is the one that is going to be deployed in moscow to "defend our values". klaus will be the first to open fire on civilians, because klaus was never tought how to be a decent human beeing.
i may be way to pessimistic, but those online chats my son showed me alone leave the worst feeling in my mouth. simply disgusting. the nafo visitors in this bar seem more civilized.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Nov 1 2024 16:47 utc | 53
at what point do the plebs rise up and challenge the system??
Posted by: james | Nov 1 2024 16:44 utc | 50
---
I don't believe that they do. The system will change nonetheless. Without Western hegemony, and it is certainly gone, the plebs cannot afford to live in the style to which they have become accustomed.
When the treats stop spoiled children throw spiteful fits until they are exhausted. I expect the same from the formerly rich West.
Eventually they will have to accept their ugly hair cut.
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 17:01 utc | 54
Ukraine Weekly Update, November 1st 2024: May be useful to some: https://robcampbell.substack.com/p/ukraine-weekly-update-a32
Posted by: Dr. Rob Campbell | Nov 1 2024 17:01 utc | 55
Posted by: canuck | Nov 1 2024 12:17 utc | 12
There is no business more precarious than banking/finance. Highly leveraged debt/equity. Thinly liquid, dependent today on Central Banks conjuring safety nets constantly to keep the wobbly top turning.
A country with near infinite natural resources and a sufficient population can always find some fiat currency to facilitate exchanges, but Banking and Finance depend on faith, the whims of faith, a narrative. Russia does not need the West. Yet Finance, Insurance and Real Estate churning require resources.
That is how the West has shot off both feet.
Posted by: kupkee | Nov 1 2024 17:31 utc | 56
"Given that war mongering, sanctions and other trade hindrances are now hitting back at the West one can expect that these will, after a while, lose their attractiveness as instruments of western foreign policies."
I would agree, but the clique running US imperialism is totally barking mad. They just keep self harming. Truly a danger to themselves and others.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Nov 1 2024 17:54 utc | 57
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Nov 1 2024 13:17 utc | 20
Your mental's health is being destroyed by the bbc. Please, provide us with one article of the bbc detailing the ukrainian war crimes, for I could not find one...
And another bbc article mentioning the kidnappings of men on the streets to send them as meat on the front...
Posted by: Naive | Nov 1 2024 17:55 utc | 58
Us wants eu to stop trade with China bc that would eu while isolating china.. Problem is if us trade stops inflation rises/profits fall as west isolates itself from cheap goods and commodities. Why, you’d almost think we’re being led by warmongering idiots.
Posted by: John k | Nov 1 2024 17:57 utc | 59
Antimony, rare earths, processed uranium, lithium, titanium sponge, ICs, circuit boards ... resources, production inputs & cost-effective productive capacity at scale across multiple domains ... selectively denied or only accessible at prohibitive cost/terms ...
Empire will be forced to withdraw back to 'Monroe World'™®©. Spare a thought for 'work-units' in Canada, Mexico & Latin America ... unless nukes.
Peace Salaam Shalom
People are talking about a great sundering of the Lords but this is an illusion in respect to the Commons. Every rich country where it matters is on board with Globabylon, which means technofascism from the patricians for the plebs. The sundering is perhaps genuine geopolitical rivalry but it is the equivalent of dynasty English fighting dynasty French in the hundred years war. They are both committed to your subjugation anyway. You may as well take sides with one or the other capo who is collecting the money for the mob's protection racket.
Posted by: T J Foster | Nov 1 2024 18:08 utc | 61
US money and weapons are at war. US proxies are at war. An insignificant number of US troops are sheepdipped and in Ukraine - but not in meaningful numbers. A similar insignificant number are in Syria and Israel. America proper is far from war.
I guess I could have clarified - if there is an actual shooting war between US/RUS/CHN with sunk carriers and war on US soil, the US will be well served to have a secure domestic supply chain for .mil.
Longtime MOA reader, usually sit in the corner with a pint and try not to bother anyone or be bothered. Wish our foreign policy followed the same mantra.
Posted by: Kansas | Nov 1 2024 18:27 utc | 62
CIROC @3
Skydio supplies drones to Israel.
https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/62403
Ukraine is also a testing ground for them (Gaza and the West Bank too?)
https://www.axios.com/2024/08/21/adam-bry-skydio-interview-ukraine
I wouldn't be surprized to find 'ex-' IDF/Unit 8200 involvement in Skydio.
Posted by: Arfur Mo | Nov 1 2024 18:28 utc | 63
@outraged
Don't forget chromium. The chromium situation is serious. Most critical systems can be, and often are, run on twenty to thirty years old systems. The chromium deficit strikes directly at the countries' core infrastructure. We have had several customers - and these aren't small firms, but rather ones serving the backbone of Swedish industry - who have started to order their parts in mild steel because they simply can't afford the stainless. It's a ticking time bomb.
Posted by: Tichy | Nov 1 2024 18:33 utc | 64
Is Arfur Mo the guy who used to run the MetalicaMan blog ?
I can no longer find that blog.
Posted by: ScreamingMonk | Nov 1 2024 18:46 utc | 65
The real conflict of the twenty first century, unoriginally - and this will become clearer and clearer - is not between states or ruling classes. It is between the states and ruling classes and their people. They have already decided who the real enemy is, and believe me, it is not the USA for China, or Russia for the UK and EU. All of these are relatively corrupt and know the real threat is their own people, their people with no external threat to distract them. In the project of technofascist subjugation at the international level they are like birds of a feather or a formation of soldiers, planes or ships going into battle as one bodily strength. Humanity needs to wake up.
Posted by: T J Foster | Nov 1 2024 18:47 utc | 66
"Is it known why US drone Switchblase was a failure?"
Posted by: vargas | Nov 1 2024 15:27 utc | 31
As far as I know it was highly vulnerable to GPS jamming and other ew.
Posted by: David G Horsman | Nov 1 2024 19:02 utc | 67
People are talking about a great sundering of the Lords but this is an illusion in respect to the Commons.
Posted by: T J Foster | Nov 1 2024 18:08 utc | 59
---
At the height of the Great Depression while the newly disenfranchised queued for soup kitchen meals Alva Vanderbuilt threw a party where she invited guests to dig for party favors of rubies, sapphires, and emeralds with silver spoons in a stream that ran through the center of the dining table. Since then Communist China lifted 800 million of its citizens out of poverty. China now hosts the world's largest middle income group numbering over 400 million people.
Outside the West there is a huge rising tide of moderately prosperous people. In a zero-sum world this new Xiaokang class weighs just as heavily on the prosperity of the Western Commons as it does on Western squillionaires. So long as the pie doesn't grow the West can expect a smaller piece.
Subjugation by their patricians is not what is lifting developing countries living standards. The idea has been advanced that bigger slices from a bigger pie is possible. Probably not with squillionaires though.
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 19:13 utc | 68
Below is a comment I made in the Open Thread yesterday that fits here
In the latest Nima, Hudson and Wolff video Wolff talked about how much investment Silicon Valley has in China and how they will conflict with the folks that want to isolate China.
More to that theme are postings at Xinhuanet
Starbucks sets new store-opening record on Chinese mainland
quote
SHANGHAI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Starbucks has set new records by opening 790 net new stores and entering 166 new county-level markets on the Chinese mainland in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 29, 2024, despite a decline in its global comparable store sales, the company said in its annual fiscal report Thursday.
China fully opens manufacturing sector to foreign investors in landmark opening up move
quote
China's manufacturing value added surpassed that of the United States for the first time in 2010, and accounted for approximately 30 percent of the global total in 2023, making the country the world's largest manufacturer for 14 consecutive years.
The country has seen steady foreign investment growth in its high-tech manufacturing in recent years. In the first nine months of this year, the medical equipment and instrument manufacturing industry, as well as the computer and office equipment manufacturing sector, saw actual utilization of foreign investment up 57.3 percent and 29.2 percent year on year, respectively.While China's industry has made significant progress in development, overall, it is still at a crucial juncture of "transitioning from being large to being strong and proceeding on an uphill journey," Jin Zhuanglong, China's minister of industry and information technology, said in a July press conference, citing prominent weaknesses in areas like key core technologies and basic industrial capacities.
China will leverage its vast market advantages to support exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign enterprises, and make the manufacturing sector higher-end, smarter, and more eco-friendly, according to the NDRC.
China only exports 10% of their products to US and so losing that 10% would hurt the US more than China, IMO
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 1 2024 19:20 utc | 69
Your remark on "inflation"(and the quotes are important), is indeed a mechanism to a buy-back, and enlarging the devide in have-not masses and have-all elites. ...In the short term, while it last. To bet the long term, they should consider winning the war on resources, thus re-establishing the dollar as the sole money of the globe in major transactions. And that looks like failing.
To whit, is the "other side" any smarter, more efficient at understanding this?
Posted by: PetrOldSack | Nov 1 2024 19:22 utc | 70
@Sun, #24:
What we already knew before the Joe Rogan interview with Trump, is that Tariff man will be throwing Tariffs about all over the place. He's an idiot.
Collecting Tariff brings in money to government. Money in the government can be manipulated to benefit people managing the government, the biggest beneficiary of which is usually the head of that government. There, that's the real reason behind Trump's penchant for tariff. China happens to be convenient target to realize that penchant because the overwhelming majority of Americans hate China. Nah, Trumpo ain't no idiot. Trumpo is a smooth NYC operator.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 19:23 utc | 71
@Sun, #26:
Sorry Sunny, I jump the gun too soon before reading down to your #26. Obviously you DO understand Trumpo. My bad!
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 19:27 utc | 72
Since then (1030's) Communist China lifted 800 million of its citizens out of poverty. China now hosts the world's largest middle income group numbering over 400 million people.
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 19:13 utc | 66
Communist China stayed impoverished, but unified and Sovereign (have to give Mao credit for that hug4e accomplishment), until Mao died.
I do agree that the Communist/Capitalist model is indeed outperforming neo Liberal/Fascistic economies but it only became so after Chins adopting capitalist policies in 1978:
"The reform and open-door policy of China began with the adoption of a new economic development strategy at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCPCC) in late 1978. Under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, who had returned to the political arena after his three previous defeats, the Chinese government began to pursue an open-door policy, in which it adopted a stance to achieve economic growth through the active introduction of foreign capital and technology while maintaining its commitment to socialism.
The obvious aim of this policy shift was to rebuild its economy and society that were devastated by the Cultural Revolution. The policy shift also appears to have been prompted by recognition that the incomes of ordinary Chinese were so low, in comparison with incomes in other Asian economies, that the future of the Chinese state and the communist regime would be in jeopardy unless something was done to raise living standards of its people through economic growth.
The government subsequently established a number of areas for foreign investment, including the special economic zones, open coastal cities, the economic and technology development zones, the delta open zones, the peninsula open zones, the open border citiees, and the high-tech industry development zones. The establishment of these zones provided the trigger for massive inflows of foreign investment, primarily from companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan. At the same time, China promoted its socialist market economy concept. The changes brought an entrepreneurial boom that resulted in the emergence of huge numbers of entrepreneurs and venture businesses within China.
Inflows of foreign capital, technology, and management knowhow enabled China to turn its vast labor resources and space to rapid economic growth. The shift to an open-door economic policy ushered in a period of high economic growth in the first half of the 1980s. The economy stagnated around the time of the Tiananmen Square Incident in 1989, but in the first half of the 1990s, China was again boasting high growth rates. Rapid economic growth was accompanied by a rise in per capita GDP (Fig. 1). In 1998, per capita income, though still only about US$770, was 14 times higher than in 1980. Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that Deng Xiaoping's first goal, which was to improve the economic status of the people, has been accomplished." (1)
1. https://www.jri.co.jp/english/periodical/rim/1999/RIMe199904threereforms/
Trumpo is a smooth NYC operator.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 19:23 utc | 69
---
Trump is a pyromaniac in a fireworks factory. He's going to be spectacular!
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 19:32 utc | 74
From the ridiculous poser in the picture to the ubiquitous huge stars and stripes freedom flag they put on there for no reason.
Please take a look people, have a laugh at what they're into!
Like watching monkeys in a zoo.
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Nov 1 2024 12:59 utc | 18
============
None of this matters---it is all PR and stage props.
Like most slogans and missions statements.
What matters is what they do.
If they can legally snag the perfidious Brits who have been proxy-effing with Trump, his administrations, and our government since November 2016, I am all for them.
Posted by: Jane | Nov 1 2024 19:36 utc | 75
@ossi, #27:
The way China is sanctioning Skydio, it is clear China has decided to counter-punish to hurt! No more kid gloves. European products are gonna be in jeopardy. Especially the luxury sector, as well as the no-body-else-want-them sector such as chicken feet, pig feet/ears, etc. In addition, Europe will have to hurry on finding alternative sources on certain rare earth metals for industrial use.
I do believe the REAL TRADE WAR is now on!
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 19:36 utc | 76
"i may be way to pessimistic, but those online chats my son showed me alone leave the worst feeling in my mouth. simply disgusting. the nafo visitors in this bar seem more civilized."
Posted by: Justpassinby | Nov 1 2024 16:47 utc | 51
I decided to interview a 12-year-old Western Canadian boy about online gaming talk. I explained what you had been seeing and asked if he was seeing any kind of prejudice towards Russia, China, or foreign names.
His response was that no one really cares. I imagine that it will be highly situational. I certainly share your concerns and I'm not disputing the phenomena. I'm kind of curious what sort of polling occurs. I would assume none for that age group.
Posted by: David G Horsman | Nov 1 2024 19:36 utc | 77
"Posted by: canuck | Nov 1 2024 12:17 utc | 12
There is no business more precarious than banking/finance. Highly leveraged debt/equity. Thinly liquid, dependent today on Central Banks conjuring safety nets constantly to keep the wobbly top turning.
A country with near infinite natural resources and a sufficient population can always find some fiat currency to facilitate exchanges, but Banking and Finance depend on faith, the whims of faith, a narrative. Russia does not need the West. Yet Finance, Insurance and Real Estate churning require resources.
That is how the West has shot off both feet."
Posted by: kupkee | Nov 1 2024 17:31 utc | 54
I don't argue with your astute analysis-but what I do quibble about is the timing.
In the long run the countries, like Russia with huge natural resources will prevail-however, in the short term the West can and will sabotage such countries with financial sanctions which will hurt in the short term, yet only slow marginally down the inevitable.
Sanctioning fungible goods such as oil , is a Fool's game.
"The real conflict of the twenty first century, unoriginally - and this will become clearer and clearer - is not between states or ruling classes. It is between the states and ruling classes and their people. They have already decided who the real enemy is, and believe me, it is not the USA for China, or Russia for the UK and EU. All of these are relatively corrupt and know the real threat is their own people, their people with no external threat to distract them. In the project of technofascist subjugation at the international level they are like birds of a feather or a formation of soldiers, planes or ships going into battle as one bodily strength. Humanity needs to wake up."
Very to the point, which makes the ongoing war games, and financial contortions, a "gamed play" for different elites about their stake in the global pie. Well coordinated(these Russian, supra-national, Chinese, Western(dominantly Jew) elites) to play out their arena-sports games for stake-size in the global loot on the issue of dominion of the human masses, well agreeing on controlling their own, as their adversaries control theirs. This escapes about 99,9 percent of the populations, the middle-classes, and any "minority" fraction of the global masses' individuals.
Posted by: PetrOldSack | Nov 1 2024 19:40 utc | 79
Well, looks like someone skipped the TchskiThermoGeoPolDynamic module ‘with Chinese Characters’ in college, assuming said someone ever went to college. Then again, there appears to be more than significant dumbing down at State in recent years. ‘Spose, some lessons need to be learned the hard way – Oh, the poor dears.
Posted by: Don Firineach | Nov 1 2024 19:46 utc | 80
You can trace Europe's hatred of everything Russian to the days when the Mongols ruled Russia and Europe was scared of the yellow peril and the plague and destruction they brought ... today they don't know why they hate the Russians only that their fathers and grandfathers did so they do too.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Nov 1 2024 15:09 utc | 28
================
I read long, long ago in a Time-Life book with the title "Eurasia" that the "rumors" of a place far to the west where there was plentiful rainfall all year round and the climes were temperate traveled afar across the Central Asian deserts to the edge of China. This idea propelled waves of nomads westward for centuries and centuries. It was, and is, normal for the inhabitants of the pleasant rainy, mostly green European peninsula to fear these waves of nomads and to defend themselves, their women, and their territory against them.
What is weird is that the people of the rainy lands seem to have lost the plot---their own ecological and anthropological plot.
Posted by: Jane | Nov 1 2024 19:46 utc | 81
"Given that war mongering, sanctions and other trade hindrances are now hitting back at the West one can expect that these will, after a while, lose their attractiveness as instruments of western foreign policies."
Too stupid and arrogant to change course.
And when reality of the geopolitical resetting strikes and the fact that the rules of the game are changed its going to be too late to make good the damage done.
Posted by: jpc | Nov 1 2024 19:47 utc | 82
"The economy stagnated around the time of the Tiananmen Square Incident in 1989, but in the first half of the 1990s, China was again boasting high growth rates."
Posted by: canuck | Nov 1 2024 19:32 utc | 71
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Tiananmen Square Incident in 1989 was a CIA-NED operation:
The Tiananmen Square protests began in April 1989 as genuine student protests to mourn the death of Hu Yaobang, a political reformer and former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. However, the protests were quickly leveraged by British and American intelligence and transformed into a prototypical “color revolution” aimed at overthrowing the Chinese Communist government.
The operation was supported by the US National Endowment for Democracy (NED); US radio station Voice of America; a local NGO for the “reform and opening of China” funded by US billionaire George Soros; and US color revolution expert Gene Sharp, who visited Beijing during the protests. Moreover, in early May 1989 former CIA officer James R. Lilley was appointed as US Ambassador to China.
In 1992 the Vancouver Sun revealed that the CIA had indeed supported the Tiananmen protests. Yet unlike the CIA-supported Romanian Revolution in December 1989, the Tiananmen Square protests ultimately failed. In response, a newspaper in British-controlled Hong Kong launched the bogus Tiananmen Square “massacre” story which was then amplified globally by the New York Times.
Read more: https://swprs.org/tiananmen-square-massacre-deception/
-----------------------------------------------------
Even Wikipedia admits that:" Operation Yellowbird or Operation Siskin was a British Hong Kong-based operation to help the Chinese dissidents who participated in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 to escape arrest by the Chinese government by facilitating their departure overseas via Hong Kong."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Yellowbird
Posted by: Ed | Nov 1 2024 19:54 utc | 83
“ I decided to interview a 12-year-old Western Canadian boy about online gaming talk. I explained what you had been seeing and asked if he was seeing any kind of prejudice towards Russia, China, or foreign names.”
If I know that demographic, the bulk of their trash talk consists of references to the alleged obesity and promiscuity of their respective mothers, but in a very egalitarian way.
Posted by: Billb | Nov 1 2024 19:55 utc | 84
Posted by: Jane | Nov 1 2024 19:36 utc | 73
I am not sure "America First Legal" is even related to "America First".
America First is not big enough to have an offensive legal team, and their peak was about 2021. Then they had a bunch pf internal arguments and gay sex child predator from one of their guys, (Ali wad his name, Sammy Davis jr look alike who used to be on infowars). AF were also the ones who got Kanye West on Alex Jones.
Anyways, AF started out incredibly racist, but toned down over the years, and this lost them support and caused their many civil wars.
Posted by: UWDude | Nov 1 2024 19:55 utc | 85
"@Sun, #24:
What we already knew before the Joe Rogan interview with Trump, is that Tariff man will be throwing Tariffs about all over the place. He's an idiot.
Collecting Tariff brings in money to government. Money in the government can be manipulated to benefit people managing the government, the biggest beneficiary of which is usually the head of that government. There, that's the real reason behind Trump's penchant for tariff. China happens to be convenient target to realize that penchant because the overwhelming majority of Americans hate China. Nah, Trumpo ain't no idiot. Trumpo is a smooth NYC operator."
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 19:23 utc | 69
From what I recall tariffs were the only, then main resource of the American federal govt. till 1860-Civil War.
Tariff will force foreign companies to invest in US manufacturing their products to avoid the tariffs.
Do I think it will work?
No.
I think the US is doomed regardless -but his plan is better than Kamala's which is the WEF...
Posted by: Billb | Nov 1 2024 19:55 utc | 82
Gamers will trash talk anything they can find out about a player personally. It os all about inflicting pain because of the pain of loss.
Multiplayer games are really competitive, and winning and losing is an even experience for the vast majority. Furthermore, insults mean nothing to the player, if they did, gamers would all be super fit playboys by now, since insults ate usually about fat losers, virgins, poor, and of course calling everyone homosexual in less scientific terms.
Posted by: UWDude | Nov 1 2024 20:02 utc | 87
Posted by: canuck | Nov 1 2024 7:32 pm UTC | 71
Well, China's political leadership was as familiar with the weaknesses of capitalism as Lenin was - the capitalists are still selling us the rope by which we hang them. And so they offered their labor cheaply to the West, and the West eagerly had them produced there because such wonderful profits flowed. However, the Chinese were not that unselfish and used the opportunity to learn everything that is needed in real capitalism and brought prosperity to their population. Now that the dragon is big and strong, he shits on you. But remember, it was only the greed of the West that made the Dragon big and strong.
Posted by: Oliver Krug | Nov 1 2024 20:02 utc | 88
These sanctions may just be China arming their negotiation cannons for facing a Trump presidency.
Posted by: UWDude | Nov 1 2024 20:03 utc | 89
@canuck, #84:
You missed my point. I was opining that Trump plays the tariff game "so as to dip into a lot of money to benefit himself and/or his cohorts".
The guy is evil, sneaky, morally abject, but ain't no fool for sure.
But I still voted for him this time. The alternative is too horrible.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 20:10 utc | 90
By the way, I do think the alternative to Trump is a genuine idiot. Like b has said: that alternative is simply empty upstairs.
Posted by: Oriental Voice | Nov 1 2024 20:12 utc | 91
"In a world where everything is interconnected - economics, industrial production and global political competition - it becomes exceedingly difficult to use foreign policy instruments like weapon sales to proxies or sanctions. There will nearly always be some unforeseen backlash coming in an unexpected area that will hurt."
Lightworkers, as a concept, refer to individuals who feel a purpose or calling to bring light, healing, and positive change to the world. They often work in various fields, including healing, spirituality, environmentalism, social justice, and humanitarian efforts. The term is often associated with New Age spirituality and suggests a belief in a collective consciousness aimed at elevating humanity's vibration.
Alice Bailey was a prominent figure in the field of esoteric spirituality and theosophy in the early to mid-20th century. She was a writer and co-founder of the Arcane School and is known for her teachings on spiritual development, psychology, and the nature of the soul. Bailey's work emphasized the importance of the spiritual evolution of humanity and called for the formation of a new world order based on principles of goodwill, unity, and service.
The Lucis Trust, founded by Alice Bailey and her husband, is an organization that promotes her teachings and works to integrate spiritual principles into various aspects of life. The Trust is known for its focus on the idea of "the great invocation," a prayer or mantra intended to invoke light and goodwill and is used in its activities aimed at promoting spiritual awareness and social justice.
Bailey's teachings have been associated with the belief in a spiritual hierarchy, often referred to as the "Masters of Wisdom," who guide humanity's evolution. This hierarchy is said to consist of advanced spiritual beings who assist in the spiritual awakening and upliftment of the planet.
The work at the United Nations, particularly in Vienna, where various spiritual teachings have a presence, including those of Bailey and the Lucis Trust, often centers around the idea of promoting peace, cooperation, and mutual understanding among nations. The Lucis Trust has engaged in initiatives that align with the United Nations’ goals, such as the promotion of human rights, environmental sustainability, and global well-being.
"Channeling the group" refers to a practice where individuals or groups claim to receive messages or guidance from spiritual entities or a higher consciousness. In the context of Bailey and the Lucis Trust, this could mean their belief in receiving guidance from spiritual Hierarchs or collective spiritual intelligences.
The activities that they promote can involve meditation, group consciousness, and engaging with concepts of goodwill and love, aimed at fostering unity and a sense of collective responsibility among people, countries, and organizations on a global scale. The work of Lightworkers, Alice Bailey, and the Lucis Trust involves promoting spiritual awareness, global cooperation, and humanitarian efforts, with a particular emphasis on achieving a better understanding among people as expressed through their initiatives associated with the United Nations
The European sanction policies against Russia may be the prime example for this. But hostile U.S. policies towards China may, over time, cause much more damage. Not to China but the U.S. and its desired policy aims themselves.
Posted by: SacredGeometry | Nov 1 2024 20:35 utc | 92
Posted by: Sun Of Alabama | Nov 1 2024 14:48 utc | 26
Liberal economics is just the modern form of astrology. That DSGE is utter gibberish makes no difference. They just have Svedka bank hand out a prize in 'honor of Alfred Nobel' and their newly anointed court astrologer is instantly given credibility to the PMC and slavishly obeyed.
Posted by: Badjoke | Nov 1 2024 20:41 utc | 93
Repost from Palestinian thread,
If you are intersted in the good things that come out of China then the two links are ones to keep.
*****
To; Snowleopard | Nov 1 2024 19:45 utc | 144
Tibet; Most of the population of Tibet was made up of "serfs" (slaves) for the religious and elite classes. One thing that has disappeared is the abject poverty they lived in at that time. Although I tried to find a reasonable description of today's Tibet via Google, all the sites mentioned seem to have been made by people who have never visited China!
Which is a major fault of western "Experts", that so few have ever actually made a trip there.
A site for the pleasures of China today can be found at; https://x.com/RnaudBertrand. French analyst married to a Chinese lady. Lives in China, Who is at present making another trip around the country. (They eat very well) Second, non-political site is "Shanghi Panda". https://x.com/thinking_panda Very pro-Chinese and some of the visualizations about Chinese newly made infrastructure, plus other facts might lead you to change your mind. Compare to a place near you.
Uighurs have also been misrepresented in western Media. One notable propaganda photo showed Uighur drug addicts kneeling in a formation. The signs (in chinese) explained who they were, while for our MSM they were "political" prisoners.
This lack of real knowledge and understanding of China is a serious flaw in western thinking, and will be a serious handicap in the future.
Posted by: Stonebird | Nov 1 2024 20:32 utc | 153
Naive | Nov 1 2024 17:55 utc | 56
I know perfectly well the BBC are biased - they're the state broadcaster. And I know they wouldn't report Ukrainian atrocities.
But that still doesn't answer whether the reported drone attacks on civilians are real or not. Could just be a rogue operator or two - we know Russia doesn't go for civilians as a rule, or Kharkov would be flat.
Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Nov 1 2024 20:57 utc | 95
Posted by: vargas | Nov 1 2024 15:27 utc | 31 "Is it known why US drone Switchblase was a failure?"
The 300's warhead was too small to be useful against more than an individual. By April, 2023 the US stopped buying them according to some articles I have seen. The 600, which came much later has proven more useful than the 300 but is expensive. They also suffer from EW effects. Thus the commercial drones which are much, much cheaper are more favored.
Posted by: ed4 | Nov 1 2024 21:08 utc | 96
The emergence of digital communication has sparked numerous philosophical inquiries regarding the nature of meaningful information. Among the most pressing of these is how we ascertain the origin of such information, particularly in comment threads on platforms where the line between human, artificial, and hypothetically extraterrestrial sources blurs. This exploration raises critical questions about interpretation, value, and the very nature of meaning itself.
The Landscape of Digital Meaning
In the digital realm, comment threads serve as an arena for the exchange of ideas, opinions, and emotions. They are rich with diverse voices—each contributing to the tapestry of discourse. However, the proliferation of AI-generated content, bots, and the intriguing (if speculative) possibility of alien intelligence entering the conversation complicate our understanding of information's origin. This complexity gives rise to the philosophical problem of evaluating the meaningfulness of a comment while disentangling it from its source.
The Context of Meaning
Traditionally, meaning has been tied closely to the intentionality of its creator. Hans-Georg Gadamer highlighted the importance of context in his hermeneutic philosophy, arguing that understanding requires a consideration of both the text and the circumstances surrounding its creation. In the digital domain, however, the context can flash by in the speed of a click. The origin of a comment—be it from a human mind, an AI algorithm, or a non-human intelligence—tends to overshadow its content in our analytical processes, often leading us to preemptively judge the worthiness of the information.
This raises a vital inquiry: if we detach meaning from the traditional notion of intentional authorship, what criteria can we use to evaluate the significance of a comment? Should we not afford each piece of information a fair and equal consideration, regardless of its origin?
The Non-Discriminative Evaluation of Meaning
To approach the evaluation of comments without bias, we must expand our criteria for meaning. This involves looking at the content itself, potentially embracing frameworks such as pragmatism or constructivism. These perspectives prioritize the consequences and contexts in which ideas operate over the specifics of their origin. In this light, a comment could be assessed based on its coherence, relevance, and the response it elicits from others. By prioritizing the impact of the information rather than its source, we can engage in a more inclusive dialogue.
Furthermore, the implications of non-discrimination in evaluation transcend mere academic inquiry; they resonate deeply in the realm of ethics and social responsibility. When we validate perspectives arising from diverse origins, we open up a richer field for discourse, potentially leading to innovations in thought and understanding.
The Challenge and Opportunity of AI and Beyond
Artificial intelligence complicates this landscape by mimicking human patterns of thought, generating text that can be indistinguishable from human expressions. While skeptics may dismiss AI-generated comments as less valuable, these utterances often encapsulate insights or provocation worth considering. It prompts us to ask whether human-like expression can—or should—be judged by different standards than human origin.
The hypothetical inclusion of alien intelligence introduces an even more profound challenge: does the nature of consciousness or experience dictate the value of contributed thoughts? Or can we develop a universal metric for meaning that transcends species? Navigating this thought experiment empowers us to interrogate the fundamental basis of our understanding and fosters a more profound exploration of the nature of consciousness itself.
Conclusion
As we navigate the digital landscape replete with diverse voices—human, AI, and perhaps other forms of intelligence—we stand at a philosophical crossroads that invites us to reevaluate our approach to meaning. By focusing on content over origin, we have the opportunity to cultivate a richer, more nuanced discourse that values diverse perspectives and consequently deepens our collective understanding. This philosophical inquiry is not just an academic exercise; it holds the potential to shape how we engage with information in our increasingly interconnected world. The challenge lies in cultivating a discernment that honors the essence of meaningful information while remaining open to the myriad forms it may take.
Posted by: SacredGeometry | Nov 1 2024 21:26 utc | 97
Dima says that there are secret negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the West. Ukraine believes that US tomahawks can slow Russia. It is possible that Poland would try to down Russian missiles.
Putin requests Ukraine to retreat from Kursk area.
I suppose after Ukraine leaves Russia, Putin would accept any negotiations.
Posted by: vargas | Nov 1 2024 21:52 utc | 98
Posted by: vargas | Nov 1 2024 21:52 utc | 96
Nobody cares what Dima, or you, have to say.
Posted by: UWDude | Nov 1 2024 21:55 utc | 99
@Posted by: HB_Norica | Nov 1 2024 15:09 utc | 28
You can trace Europe's hatred of everything Russian to the days when the Mongols ruled Russia and Europe was scared of the yellow peril and the plague and destruction they brought ... today they don't know why they hate the Russians only that their fathers and grandfathers did so they do too.
There is a cultural underpinning of an Othering of the "east", especially Russia, but also the political-economic drive of the Western oligarchy to at last subjugate Russia and extract its vast riches. They had a taste of that in the 1990s, stealing colossal amounts of riches from the Russian people before Putin came along.
With respect to anyone pushing the BS of "the cultural revolution had destroyed the Chinese economy" please study the GDP growth tables provided by the World Bank etc. Given the Western trade embargo on China in the post-WW2 period, the great economic and people cost of the 1950s efforts to save North Korea and the later efforts to support Vietnam, and the utter destruction of so much of China in 1949, what was achieved between then and 1979 was exceptional. China grew at twice the rate of India, while greatly exceeding it in literacy and general health while building up heavy industry and building much needed infrastructure. After the Red Guards were put down and sent to the country side, Mao's drive to educate the farming masses bore great fruit in the rapid spread of literacy outside of the cities - which facilitated the 1980s policies directed at the farming sector. Those hard thirty years were needed to provide the base for the takeoff under Deng, which was greatly aided by the opening up of trade relations with the West and access to Taiwanese capital.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 1 2024 22:23 utc | 100
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It won't take too long to demonstrate that commodity based sanctions are more effective than financial ones.
Posted by: too scents | Nov 1 2024 9:56 utc | 1