Where Trump's Punishment Of Europe Should Lead To
On February 28 2022, five days after the operation to disarm Ukraine had started, I offered a prediction where it might lead to:
The U.S. and its proxies in the EU and elsewhere have put up very harsh sanctions on Russia to damage its economy.The final intent of this economic war is regime change in Russia.
The likely consequence will be regime change in many other countries.
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All energy consumption in the U.S. and EU will now come at a premium price. This will push the EU and the U.S. into a recession. As Russia will increase the prices for exports of goods in which it has market power - gas, oil, wheat, potassium, titanium, aluminum, palladium, neon etc - the rise in inflation all around the world will become significant.
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The shunning of economic relations with Russia and China means that Germany and its newbie chancellor Olaf Scholz have fallen for the U.S. scheme of creating a new Cold War. Germany's economy will now become one of its victims.On February 4 Russia and China declared a multipolar world in which they are two partnering poles that will counter the American one. Russia's move into the Ukraine is a demonstration of that.
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The Europeans should have acknowledged that instead of helping the U.S. to keep up its self-image of a unipolar power.It will take some time for the new economic realities to settle in. They will likely change the current view of Europe's real strategic interests.
Trump's re-election was the most important regime change caused by the war in Ukraine. On Sunday there will be elections in Germany. Following three years of a shrinking German economy they will lead to another regime change. Many are still to follow.
What I could not predict at that time was that Trump's punishment of Europe would become an accelerator of the process.
Mark Ames @MarkAmesExiled - 15:30 UTC · Feb 18, 2025The entire US/European media & political establishment are telling themselves (and us, repeatedly) that Trump "is being played by Putin" re: Ukraine. Because they cannot let themselves contemplate the other possibility: that Team Trump is deliberately punishing Ukraine & Europe.
I am not sure who is still claiming that Trump is 'being played by Putin'. Hasn't that play finished? But I am sure about the 'deliberately punishing' part.
Why would Trump want to punish Ukraine and Europe? Because they helped the Democrats and the Deep State to sabotage his first presidency.
Scott Ritter's wide ranging piece on the Munich Security Conference does well in explaining this:
[Trump's] victory in the 2016 presidential election sent a shockwave through the establishment, which spent the next four years undermining the Trump Revolution from within and without.And the next four years, under the auspices of its poster child, Joe Biden, the establishment used every tool in the establishment bag of dirty tricks, (including politically motivated prosecutions on multiple fronts and, possibly, assassination), to prevent a Trump resurrection.
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In Munich we see the classic adaptation of the OODA-loop by Trump to destroy his NATO and EU enemies.Now, at this juncture, some might ask, “Wait a minute. How did NATO and the EU become the enemy of Donald Trump?”
The answer is quite clear — because they are an extension of the very establishment elites Trump has declared war on in America today.
These are the European elites who conspired against Trump during his first term, who pined for former President Barack Obama while delaying enacting Trump-mandated reforms in the hope that the American electoral cycle would purge Trump from the American political stage.
These are the people and institutions that doubled down on American warmongering, allowing themselves to sucked into a Ukraine trap that was designed to destroy Russia for America’s exclusive benefit, destroying Europe in the process.
The Europeans, ever the compliant minions, were too blinded by their willingness to serve to see that they were as much the sacrificial lambs as was Ukraine.
And, when it looked as if Trump was going to emerge victorious, it was the Europeans — in NATO and the EU — who conspired with the Biden administration to “Trump proof” policies in hopes that they could, once again, simply ride out four years of Trumpism while the U.S. establishment contained and undermined Trump from within.
But Trump had learned his lesson.
The revolution began on Day One by destroying the [U.S.] establishment Europe was counting on to contain Trump.
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And then Trump turned his attention to Europe.Keep in mind that in the world of Donald Trump, the Europeans — especially their twin institutions, NATO and the EU — are not allies, but enemies.
Here is what Patrick Armstrong (Welcome back, Pat!) is chipping in:
What have we learned? Well, something that Moscow learned a long time ago: Washington is not reliable (the complicated Russia word is недоговороспособны which essentially means that you can’t make an agreement with it and even if you do, it won’t keep it). In a word, Washington caused the Ukraine disaster and, now that it’s gone irredeemably bad, is walking away from it and leaving it to Europe.
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In the simplest, bluntest and most brutal terms the fact that has just hit it in the face is that USA is over there and Russia is here. The USA can make a mess anywhere and walk away at any time; remember Vietnam? Afghanistan? Well now it’s you.So Europe, there’re four things you’d better do immediately: 1) figure out what your real interests are; 2) get yourself into a position to defend them; 3) make your peace with Moscow. (A European master of realpolitik told you years ago “The secret of politics? Make a good treaty with Russia“.) And fourth, read and meditate on the joint Russia-Chinese statement of three years ago. Why? Because that’s the future.
The joint Russia-Chinese statement Patrick mentions is the same one I had pointed to three years ago.
Seeing Europe's dilemma China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is keeping that door open. In his MSC statement he offered to help:
With a five-percent GDP growth last year, China contributed to nearly 30 percent of the world economic growth. It has served as an important engine for global economic growth, and shared with the world the benefit of its supersized market. China is willing to synergize high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, so as to empower each other and empower the entire world.Friends,
China has always seen in Europe an important pole in the multipolar world. The two sides are partners, not rivals. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic relations. Taking this opportunity, China is willing to work with the European side to deepen strategic communication and mutually beneficial cooperation, and steer the world to a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress.
As Trump will continue his war against Europe's bureaucracy it may only take a few months until we will see regime change in Brussels.
It could be the start of the long delayed move of Europe towards China.
Posted by b on February 18, 2025 at 17:28 UTC | Permalink
next page »I understand why the late Sr. Lucia of Fatima had one particular prayer of high priority: She prayed fervently for the preservation of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Europe...in that order, and finally adding "and the entire world."
Posted by: hispanidad | Feb 18 2025 17:43 utc | 2
"In the simplest, bluntest and most brutal terms the fact that has just hit it in the face is that USA is over there and Russia is here. The USA can make a mess anywhere and walk away at any time; remember Vietnam? Afghanistan? Well now it’s you."
Time was that Britain was oh so smug about having the luxury of "taking as much or as little of a European war as they wanted." Now through their own perversity they've shackled themselves most of all to this "Ukrainian" white elephant.
Meanwhile the US seems to be doing the best thing it can possibly do, drop the whole thing and walk away without doing further damage. Leave the Euroscum to complete their own collective suicide.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Feb 18 2025 17:49 utc | 3
It's an interesting take B.
The EU sided against Trump in the last election which he just won. Here, Starmer plays down one example:
"Sir Keir, who met Trump last month, said party staff going to the US to campaign for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris were volunteers "doing it in their spare time" and staying with other volunteers.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC the Labour Party had not funded or organised their trips, while Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also insisted the activists had been campaigning "in their own time"."
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62m2pde4p6o
Musks jabs at Starmer, Scholz could be interpreted as part of the campaign, something he seems to enjoy.
Posted by: Societal_Slumber | Feb 18 2025 17:56 utc | 4
I dont think it is about "punishing", it is that Europe (the EU) is an authoritarian project (for the purpose of forcing integration) and is also aligned with globalism (global fascism). This puts them on a path which creates friction with the U.S. and the U.S. may act to dissuade them from this path.
The US (under Trump) wants multi-polarity - which frees the U.S. to act on it's own interests - focusing on loacl interests rather than persuing a global agenda which is a drain (while making some very rich).
Posted by: jared | Feb 18 2025 17:58 utc | 5
b´s assessment from 2022, yeah!
Now? Hm.
Regime change by name only.
Neither Meloni, nor Le Pen, or AfD (as different as they all are as parties) will change anything.
Someone today pointed out in the post before those 700bn Euros hinted at by Baerbock.
That was no slip of tongue.
That was feudalistic suprematism of the kind Baerbock voiced 2 or 3 years ago alredy ("we do not care what out voters want"). To admit this 700bn plan 10 days before the election shows you they fear nobody. And it shows you neither do they regard AfD as a potential adversary on par.
Nope. AfD leadership knows about this plan. And CDU and AfD alignement happened on agreeing to some of these EU-plans.
Just because Weidel now says, tanks not for Ukraine but for Germany only - that doesn´t mean those tanks won´t be driving across Ukraine again in 4,6,8 or 10 years. May be long after Weidel is gone. Nobody will remember or care about what she said back now.
Harris and Trump might have been blue vs. red both in their veins the blod running is red.
p.s. I´ve always said only BSW with 40+% would change Germany for real. But before any such thing could happen they would assassinate a few people. If it were necessary. And since Germany is still too affluent in its entirety (at least 30-50% who support many of the rest on private and family basis) the people will only rise up if there is no cake left to eat and bread has become as expensive, which I guess will take another 30+years. Meaning: empty purses, ruined treasury. And by then it won´t matter what Europeans want anyhow.
Posted by: AG | Feb 18 2025 17:59 utc | 6
- Besides "messing around" in the Ukraine, the US also "messed around" in Libya, Syria, Yemen. The US itself didn't feel the impact of that "messing around" in those countries because it is safely located between 2 large bodies of water. It was Europe who paid a heavy price for those US "adventures" abroad. I.e. libyan, syrian & ukrainian refugees fleeing to Europe. I saw reports that even Germany is "not happy" with all those refugees.
- I think the "European elites" were too heavily focussed on the resources of the Ukraine to understand what kind of game here is being played. I think they thought they would be able to get away with it and achieve their own goals (plundering Ukraine's resources).
- Europe still has 2 problems: it's dependent on Russia and dependent on the US. I fear the US, even under the Trump administration, isn't willing to make Europe more independent (with or without quotation marks).
- Agree. The EU should pay a price as well for all their "wrong decisions" regarding the Ukraine and Russia.
- But as I have said many times before here on this blog with each time different words: don't think that China is a stable country either. I also forsee A LOT OF domestic turmoil in China in the next year or years.
- There were people already in the 1990s that warned that expansion of NATO eastwards was a foolish idea and that destroying the existing "security arrangement" in Europe would create A LOT OF "turmiol" for years / decades to come.
Posted by: WMG | Feb 18 2025 17:59 utc | 7
It came to me recently as a kind of revelation that Europe has been dead for roughly last 100 years.
For most of my life I regarded Europe as a legitimate power, one of the vital poles of a multipolar world.
Then I looked at the timeline:
1. World War I: Europeans try to wipe each other off the face of the earth.
2. World War II: They repeat the attempt again with more determination.
3. The Americans step in and buy the remains Europe for pennies on the dollar (aka "The Marshall Plan")
4. For the most part, the Europeans lose their colonial possessions, or surrender them to the Americans.
5. The EU is formed to scrape together the remaining bits of European Wealth into the hands of their oligarchs.
6. The Americans decide to use the entire European leadership as a wrecking ball against Russia and Europeans, by and large, passively accept.
7. After more than two years of losing the economic, diplomatic, technological and kinetic against the Russians and their BRICS allies, the Americans eventually concede, unceremoniously disposing of their failed emperor (Biden) and replacing him with a janitor tasked with cleaning up the mess: The first task being to tell Europe to shut up, sit down and obey like a good doggie. No seat at the table. Only grown ups allowed.
The trajectory is quite clear.
One failure led to another.
Europe died a long time ago.
We've been looking at an animated corpse all along.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:02 utc | 9
As Trump will continue his war against Europe's bureaucracy it may only take a few months until we will see regime change in Brussels.
Posted by b on February 18, 2025 at 17:28 UTC | Permalink
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I should like to see the Brussels project irrevocably smashed on the shore of its own conceit, unsalvageable for anything except scorn.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 18 2025 18:04 utc | 10
- What made Patrick Armstrong start writing again ? The acknowledgement of the canadian "government" that the war in the Ukraine was lost ?
- Patrick is a former canadian government worker who was forced to stop writing on his blog or otherwise lose his government pension.
Posted by: WMG | Feb 18 2025 18:06 utc | 11
Under the agenda of global domination, some agencies of the US government were developing their own interests (and financial means) and threatening the authorty of the US president and of the entire nominal government. Had to be ended.
Europe has already (or just about) lost it's sovereignty to the permanent bureaucracy.
Looks hopeless - everyone with their hand out.
Posted by: jared | Feb 18 2025 18:07 utc | 12
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Feb 18 2025 17:49 utc | 3
As I said in a previous thread, Vance’s speech was signalling to Europe that the US would no.longer uphold the EU’s status quo, but actively support their populations, against increasingly authoritarian leadership.
The US maybe able to walk away but it can’t avoid the socio-political and financial impacts that these conflicts cause. Ukraine just being the latest.
‘taking as much or as little of a European war as they wanted." Until the invention of the aeroplane, submarine, guided bomb and SRBM.
Posted by: Milites | Feb 18 2025 18:14 utc | 13
I see this as Trump’s revenge against the despicable individuals who work and reside inside the Washington Beltway area. From attempts on his life, to calling him a threat to democracy and the world, this would be more than enough to drive any man to seek a justification for the actions Trump is attempting now. And he’s got only two years to do this since the midterms are really “just around the corner”. And I’m sure those inside the Beltway will do everything possible to regain some semblance of control to undermine his remaining two years.
Posted by: Jose Garcia | Feb 18 2025 18:15 utc | 14
Russia can take Saudi Arabia's place by building a pipeline undersea through Alaska to the USA by selling oil to the USa and taking in exchange US Treasuries.
Posted by: snake | Feb 18 2025 18:18 utc | 15
"On Sunday there will be elections in Germany. Following three years of a shrinking German economy they will lead to another regime change."
Vielleicht Merz kommt keine Whoche früher in 2025.. aber doch kein Untershied.
Posted by: Rubiconned | Feb 18 2025 18:18 utc | 16
*****
This is big, BIG news and IMO- because it's a somewhat accurate picture of what is really happening currently with this massive situation. What is left out, what Patrick Lawrence didn't mention, for whatever reason, is that definitely and with certainty, the UK and in particular the City of London the Square Mile is directing and controlling this new phase. Why is the City allowing this scenario to happen??
I believe that there is a serious schism that has been developing between global elites, the Globalists and their Zionist partners are not in agreement with The Communists/fascists that make up the remainder of these ultra rich bankers/controllers. These two very influential entities are going in different directions.
If there is to be a Third World War this may be part of the reason why the initial Sabbatean-Frankists/Rothschild world haters are butting heads with a "newer" progressive Corporatist movement that HAS to have profits over ANYTHING!!!
My deux centimes....after reading a LOT at HenryMakow.com.
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 18 2025 18:18 utc | 17
The Ukraine-Democrat connection has been conveniently ignored in current discussion I've seen. Yet it may well explain Trump's behavior--revenge for opposing him.
Let's remember first of all that the current Ukrainian government owes its very existence to Joe Biden, who had the Ukraine portfolio under Obama.
Then there is "Politico’s investigation [which] found evidence of Ukrainian government involvement in the race that appears to strain diplomatic protocol dictating that governments refrain from engaging in one another’s elections...The Ukrainian antipathy for Trump’s team — and alignment with Clinton’s — can be traced back to late 2013."
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/ukraine-sabotage-trump-backfire-233446
And then there was Trump's impeachment in 2019, undertaken by Democrats as a result of Trump's alleged threat to withhold aid to Ukraine unless VP Biden's relations with Burisma were investigated for corruption. (It's not as if Hunter Biden's position on Burisma's board didn't reek of corruption! It's also curious that VP Biden didn't face any consequences for threatening to withhold aid if Ukraine's prosecutor general, Viktor Shokin, weren't fired for allegedly seeking to investigate Burisma!)
Beyond that, there are plenty of hints that Great Britain's GHCQ was involved in Democrats' attempt to undermine Trump in 2016.
Yet what's truly mind blowing is that ruling German politicians in general, and Scholz specifically, seem to harbor no ill feelings towards Biden and the Democrats for blowing up NordStream and tanking the German economy.
Posted by: JohnH | Feb 18 2025 18:18 utc | 18
@snake | Feb 18 2025 18:18 utc | 15
Russia can take Saudi Arabia's place by building a pipeline undersea through Alaska to the USA by selling oil to the USa and taking in exchange US Treasuries.So the next US regime can bomb it you mean?
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 18:21 utc | 19
It sure would be provocative to have some German politicians start asking why does the Pentagon keep 350 Atom Bombs in Germany ?
Posted by: exile | Feb 18 2025 18:23 utc | 20
The US of A has confirmed to Poland that american troops will not leave Europe. Now, the europeans are thrilled and have decided to provide Ukraine with additional ammunition. It is obvious the talks in the KSA is just a distraction for the masses and further away from resolving the middle east solution. Ursula is steadfast to the Ukranian cause and she wants her cake and eat it.
Posted by: pepe | Feb 18 2025 18:25 utc | 21
@pepe | Feb 18 2025 18:25 utc | 21
Is this from "people familiar with the subject"?
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 18:27 utc | 22
Snake @ 15
LOL there is NO way Russia will be taking any UST's as payment for oil and gas!! There is only Gold, the world's only sound money that will be accepted....
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 18 2025 18:30 utc | 23
Does anyone think the 300 Billion USD of frozen Russian money is going to be returned soon?
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:32 utc | 24
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 18:27 utc | 22
>>>
Maybe you are not in Norway. But Duda's minutes with Kellog is documented.
Posted by: pepe | Feb 18 2025 18:33 utc | 25
Russia can take Saudi Arabia's place by building a pipeline undersea through Alaska to the USA by selling oil to the USa and taking in exchange US Treasuries.
Posted by: snake | Feb 18 2025 18:18 utc | 15
I can't imagine the Saudis being happy about that.
Then again they'll find a willing market in China.
Meaning transfer of geopolitical power from the US.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:34 utc | 26
Who could have ever predicted that an operation that began with a 'f#ck the EU' would end with up with the EU actually getting f#cked... i mean, it's not like they were literally warned right?
Now imagine if European leaders' answer to this betrayal by the USA was to spill the beans on Nordstream and the true architects and motives behind NATO expansion and the Ukraine war, or the myriad of other nefarious and regime change operations conducted against Europeans' interest by the USA?
But that would require actual regime change here first, since Europe was sold out by its current rulers who, unlike Trump, cannot come clean and walk away from anything, since they were responsible for it every step of the way, believing they could gain from it, while all the downside risk was on their people and their livelihoods. Until now.
Posted by: Rubiconned | Feb 18 2025 18:36 utc | 27
EU idiots push on regardless.
"The EU has no plans to lift sanctions against Russia even if the US decides to do so, and is working on the next raft of measures, EU Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis has said.
The bloc has proposed a 16th round of sanctions on Russia to be imposed next week for the third anniversary of the start of the Russian military operation against Ukraine on February 24. Along with the US, the EU has slapped numerous rounds of sanctions on Russia since 2022 in a bid to isolate the country, cutting it off from the Western financial system and freezing its foreign reserves.
Asked if the EU would lift its sanctions on Russia if the US eases its restrictions in exchange for a potential ceasefire in Ukraine, Dombrovskis stated that Brussels would pursue an independent sanctions policy."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 18:36 utc | 28
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:02 utc | 9
Europe died on August 31st, 1914.
Posthumous spasms, contortions and tremulations won't lead anywhere ...
Look away.
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Feb 18 2025 18:37 utc | 29
Look away.
Posted by: Greg Galloway | Feb 18 2025 18:37 utc | 29
Can I have his boots, though?
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:38 utc | 30
Let's not count our chickens before they have hatched.
Color me skeptical, a wet blanket, whatever.
But let us do suppose that Germany and Russia make amends, thus setting the table for France and the rest of Europe to abandon their Russophobia for prudent and practical reasons. What will they discover? Cheap fuel as a building block for a healthy nation, for one. How shocking! "Those Russians are profiting from our increased-wellbeing!"
You may see an entire generation of mind-puppets who have worked unaware in the Jungian-shadow sense to undermine this very idea of a healthy nation built on cheap, readily-available fuel, come unraveled into the abyss. These are the trust-fund children of Russophobic parents who have gotten rich on keeping Russia out of Europe and have indoctrinated their children by saying stuff like "Russia hates gays."
A Venn-Diagram would help in illustrating this confluence of interests intersecting across the Atlantic. American elite. American industrialists. NeoCons. Neolibs. Globalists. Bank/City of London. Zionists. Empire poodle/vassals.
What is the common thread here that binds them all in their hatred of Russia and how will it stand once Europe has allowed Russia to sell it cheap fuel?
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I can only hope, as b hopes, that Europe will see to its own interests and drop on in for a good inward-look.
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Regarding what the states will do once European detente has been reached with Russia, I don't know.
The United States was finally able to pull itself out of the Great Depression with its entrance into WW2. Shortly before Pearl Harbor, Mr. Roosevelt's New Deal was showing chinks in the armor that made Roosevelt and co. need to get America involved to defibrilate its failing heart.
Russia thus takes the place of the United States when detente is reached and its back to the ol' western hemisphere for Uncle Sambo.
Question: is DJT fixing this to occur or is he acquiescing to the reality at hand and that it truly does seem to be either "Yankee go home" or we all burn?
Do some patrons think that Trump has the Midas touch and could somehow bring Russia back into European friendship and keep the U.S. from descending into the delayed collapse we have avoided since becoming involved in WW2?
To me, the only way forward is to nullify Yalta but that means lost decades for the U.S. a la the Soviet Union in the 90s (Patroklos alluded to this last open thread).
Fine by me, of course, but I would prefer that those that see this reality for what it is make sure to disclose their opinion on the matter so as not to blind the sheep into thinking DJT will improve the domestic situation in the U.S..
"I see a bad moon rising...
...Trouble on the way."
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Feb 18 2025 18:38 utc | 31
Rubiconned @ 16
Some German posters recently mentioned that the AfD is truly fascist and has the same thinking as the the CDU, CSU and SPD they just hide it really well. If that is the case, then I feel really horrible and incredibly sad for the people, culture and heart of all the wonderful folks and their homes that I had the pleasure of enjoying with my two years there in the early eighties.
This- ALL this since 1905 should never have happened. I blame the Brits and their handlers for all of it. I read years ago that the Brits and their bankers have coveted and were jealous of the German heart and their business and industry successes for decades before they came up with their Plan to destroy them. My heart goes out to rural Germany and the real German spirit.
Posted by: bisfugged | Feb 18 2025 18:39 utc | 32
Thank you b, spot on;
"It could be the start of the long delayed move of Europe towards China."
one of the characteristics of poodles is defined as 'Trainable, but stubborn'.
you are right, it'll be a long delayed move....
Posted by: Rd | Feb 18 2025 18:43 utc | 33
Good blog B,
I fully agree that Trump will make the British Empire Elites and their minions (MI6/CIA, UK, EU/NATO, Ukraine, Democrats/Deep State) pay for trying to take him out.
Posted by: dh-mtl | Feb 18 2025 18:43 utc | 34
[email protected] check, but I think Lancaster was involved with CICS, before moving into journalism.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Feb 18 2025 18:43 utc | 35
Excellent essay, b. It's already coming true, imo. I follow DW News on an almost daily basis and The German People seem to be fully aware that the German Economy has been in steep decline since the Yanks blew up NordStream.
The only quibble I have with your forecast(s) is that until the Christian Colonial West addresses its "Israel" Lobby problem, things will get worse before they get better.
And sincere thanks for setting it out so clearly and briefly!
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Feb 18 2025 18:46 utc | 36
Do some patrons think that Trump has the Midas touch and could somehow bring Russia back into European friendship and keep the U.S. from descending into the delayed collapse we have avoided since becoming involved in WW2?
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Feb 18 2025 18:38 utc | 31
Trump is the one who accelerated America's collapse.
Yes, Bush Junior kicked the whole thing off, and the faces that came after did their part, but Trump really got the ball rolling.
Basically, anything Trump touches turns to shit.
That should tell you it's all the way downhill from here ...
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:47 utc | 37
Basically, anything Trump touches turns to shit.
That should tell you it's all the way downhill from here ...
Posted by: Arch Bungle | February 18, 2025 at 18:47
May his rule be long.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:47 utc | 38
The Donald should just keep up the punishment, and the EUrocrats will just keep wrecking their own countries while the sheep wring their hands and do nothing...God helps those who help themselves...
The World is naturally dividing into three spheres of influence..America, China and Russia...there is nothing on the horizon to interrupt the process..The EU and Britain are being left in the dust, and apparently are fine with that...
Posted by: pyrrhus | Feb 18 2025 18:48 utc | 39
bullocks. russian and jewish international have made their deal. b forgot about assad regime change ... meet in ksa underlines the deal includes "abraham accords" and "buying" of Palestine. this tankee forum can't paper over this with bs about deep,state and one lousy guy. just tje other day the president of the "evil empire" was a puppet on a string and today magically he is a god that can do as he pleases. the question as always should be what is in it for the jews and b and tankees have all got amnesia.
Posted by: bullshit | Feb 18 2025 18:51 utc | 40
B: Following three years of a shrinking German economy they will lead to another regime change.
Wrong. There will be no regime change in Germany. Merz will come to power and he will deliver Taurus missiles to the ukronazis.
Posted by: Naive | Feb 18 2025 18:51 utc | 41
the question as always should be what is in it for the jews and b and tankees have all got amnesia.
Posted by: bullshit | Feb 18 2025 18:51 utc | 40
You forgot the reptilian overlords. You're either in league with them or you're as ignorant as the rest of the sheep until you mention reptilian overlords!
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:53 utc | 42
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:02 utc | 9
A strange revelation to be having. Europe has been going through the same process of unification and disintegration every century since its founding moment burned out in the 5th c. Why stop at WW1? Why not go back through Napoleon, to the Hapsburgs, to the Thirty Years War? To Charlemagne? To Justinian. Each time Europe tries to get the band back together; each time they squabble over who plays lead guitar, the successors of Rome (France and friends) or the upstart Holy Empire (Germany). Only a reversal of the schism can heal the break. Russia must become part of Europe. The failure of Catholicism plays its part here.
Posted by: Patroklos | Feb 18 2025 18:54 utc | 43
Three years ago, I tried in vain to impress upon people the vast importance of the 4 February 2022 Joint Declaration made by Russia and China just prior to the start of the Beijing Olympics, so I'm pleased that its importance is finally being recognized now that it's been reinforced by two additional joint declarations and China's four Global Initiatives.
As for the conflict between Trump and the EU, Trump seems to understand the Outlaw US Empire started a war of aggression against Russia with the 2014 Ukraine Coup and that under Nuremburg Law the Empire is guilty of all the crimes that ensued after the Coup. So, while suing for peace, Trump is also trying to focus blame on the EU even though it was told in no uncertain terms to "fuck off" as the Empire was running the show, which is a clear confession by Nuland made at the time. Prior to leaving for the negotiations, Lavrov explicitly stated:
"Everyone must be held accountable for their actions. When someone has been committing lawlessness for many years, violating their own rules of equality, fair competition, the presumption of innocence, the inviolability of property, freedom of expression and freedom of access to information, all this is trampled on without a twinge of conscience, what is "foreign" is being plundered in violation of all norms of international law, the Nazi regime is being encouraged and weapons are being pumped up in order to kill its own citizens. All this is being done in the hope that we will somehow "slip through" and "sit out" under the "nuclear umbrella." This will not happen anymore. We must be held accountable for our actions. This is already said in the Bible." [My Emphasis]
Week in and week out, Zakharova has tirelessly stated Russia will seek prosecution of all that are involved with the war crime that began in 2014--from Maidan to the Odessa burnings, all and especially those who directed it. Thus, one purpose of the litany of propaganda that Russia was losing was to reassure the guilty that they were unlikely to meet the Nazi fate at Nuremburg they merit. Frankly, I'm somewhat perplexed that Russia's negotiating with part of the criminal element that initiated and abetted the war--Rubio and Trump. Of course, after saying from the start that Russia was open to talks to refuse now would be a very poor choice. So, how will Russia attain justice for all those killed, maimed and displaced, or will the result be similar to WW2's end when so many Nazis were able to avoid justice thanks to the West's actions--not just escaping to the Western Hemisphere but having their sentences commuted?
Will seeing the EU/NATO dictatorship destroyed and the Empire's troops and weapons removed from Europe be enough justice since that ought to mean the end of the very long Crusade against Russia? If we get to that point, then I might have an answer.
As for the European empire - this is the right name - there will be no change either, for it is an... empire with corrupt people everywhere. And nobody is in the position to remove those corrupt people. In fact the Ee is corruption.
The only way to destroy the Ee is for individual countries to leave. And here too everything is locked.
Posted by: Naive | Feb 18 2025 18:56 utc | 45
@pepe | Feb 18 2025 18:33 utc | 25
Maybe you are not in Norway.But I am, where are you?
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 18:58 utc | 46
Meanwhile the empire through arte.tv is doubling down on its lies. This evening a propaganda "document" about the crimes in Butcha... committed by... the Russians. They learned their lessons from Goebbels.
Posted by: Naive | Feb 18 2025 19:03 utc | 47
@ pepe #21
"The US of A has confirmed to Poland that american troops will not leave Europe."
___________________________________
I figured it would be so. A relative, a very young man, is being deployed to Poland.
Posted by: hispanidad | Feb 18 2025 19:04 utc | 48
One failure led to another.
Europe died a long time ago.
We've been looking at an animated corpse all along.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 18:02 utc | 9
Very concise take on the reality of Europe.
Europe thrived when competing against each other.
The war's were the arrogance of competing royalty.
The EU has neutered that drive and competition.
While piling into self destruction against Russia.
Some things never change.
Posted by: jpc | Feb 18 2025 19:05 utc | 49
Gorbatchov told the East European communist dictators they were on their own. The Soviet Union would not send tanks next time. Now Trump is telling the West European liberal democracies they are on their own.
We are going towards a time when what were the good guys will be the bad guys, and what were the bad guys will be the good guys.
Posted by: Passerby | Feb 18 2025 19:05 utc | 50
Posted by: Patroklos | Feb 18 2025 18:54 utc | 43
You raise some interesting points.
I'll have to think about that a while.
The Ship of Theseus comes to mind ...
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 19:06 utc | 51
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 18:36 utc | 28
Great news! I hope they will be going on destroying their countries. More than 200 billions were sent to support the ukronazis by the Europeans countries. At the cost of the well being of their citizens and of course never asking their citizens.
They are all plutocratic oligarchies. Their destruction will be welcome by the rest of the world.
Posted by: Naive | Feb 18 2025 19:06 utc | 52
Arch Bungle | 42
You're either in league with them or you're as ignorant as the rest of the sheep until you mention reptilian overlords!
_______________________________________
Yes. And some others too,...
Posted by: NomNom | Feb 18 2025 19:06 utc | 53
Societal_Slumber | Feb 18 2025 17:56 utc | 4
"Sir Keir, who met Trump last month, said party staff going to the US to campaign for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris were volunteers "doing it in their spare time" and staying with other volunteers.
...the Labour Party had not funded or organised their trips, while Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also insisted the activists had been campaigning "in their own time"."
Uh huh. Just like the NATO "mercenaries" were "doing it on their own time."
And even if that were true, so what? Labour has no discipline over its members? One would think they wouldn't want to have organized elements of their Party systematically meddling in a foreign election. Oh wait, that's exactly what the Party and the UK government wanted to do, and exactly what they did, even if they did go through the charade of some fake technicality that these Party cadres were "on vacation" or something. Now it's payback time.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Feb 18 2025 19:10 utc | 54
This is an interesting twist:
🇰🇿🇷🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦 Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak reported (https://t.me/rian_ru/281499) that the recent AFU attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) oil pumping station was the so-called Ukraine's response to the preparation of negotiations with the USA.https://t.me/rybar_in_english/21473Such statements are fully justified: the Kyiv regime has long established itself as a collective monkey with a grenade, not disdaining either public cooperation (https://t.me/rybar/65932) with Al-Qaeda, or sabotage (https://t.me/rybar/65548) on international infrastructure.
The strike on the CPC, part of whose shares belong to Chevron and other US companies, fits well into this logic of the Ukrainian leadership. We won't be surprised if one of their goals was also to "punish Kazakhstan" for its ties with Russia, reducing the pumping of Kazakh oil.
So as negotiations become more active, we should expect new attacks on similar facilities: the further, the more the so-called Ukraine will increasingly behave like a rabid dog, biting even the feeding hand.
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 19:12 utc | 55
As Trump will continue his war against Europe's bureaucracy it may only take a few months until we will see regime change in Brussels.
Posted by b on February 18, 2025 at 17:28 UTC | Permalink
---
I should like to see the Brussels project irrevocably smashed on the shore of its own conceit, unsalvageable for anything except scorn.
Posted by: too scents | Feb 18 2025 18:04 utc | 10
Back to a trade federation between snd for European nations.
And absolutely nothing else!
Posted by: jpc | Feb 18 2025 19:15 utc | 56
Our host's confidence in his ability to read Trump's heart and soul is remarkable.
Any tendency to see the EU as a Satanic conspiracy to subvert humanity for pleasure in seeing humanity die from the disintegration of society due to the projected catastrophe of the dissolution of God-given [substitute evolutionary or historical as you will] human [substitute your preferred nation as you will] nature seems to me to be rooted in, well, nothing. Reactionaries have always shrieked about any change and their principles haven't changed in thousands of years, merely the targets. Aristophanes thought paying jurors was ruining society. Morality has been going down the drain for centuries yet somehow society usually keeps going on, barring genuine cataclysms like the fall of empires unleashing true anarchy.
Instead, it seems far more useful to think of the EU as a fiscal, monetary and economic arrangement. So-called Brussels is thus the Maastricht treaty, the European Central Bank, managed trade, subsidies to farmers, transfers to some member states. Law and Justice in Poland has a farmer constituency highly reliant as of now on the current system. Orban (aka Hungary) still gets and needs EU funds. And Schengen is still a popular arrangement with many Europeans. Changing so-called Brussels means devising new arrangements. The outcomes of the disputes on what to replace so-called Brussels with will tend to hinge on real power, including military power. In that sense, so-called Europe, the EU, can be viewed as a Franco-German condominium. The real power of that alliance underwrites the EU, not simply the US. A crusade against wokism in so-called Brussels is diversion into trivia.
As to the US, at this point there is very little or no evidence to think that the US is ready to allow a new sphere of interest to the Deutschmark or a new franc zone or even a new sterling bloc. Nor is there any good evidence that BRICS or even BRICS+ is even willing to attempt to replace the dollar. That demands not just a new clearing system, but a system to address inevitable long-run imbalances in currency holdings, lender of last resort, a guarantor of liquidity. And so far as military power is concerned, it is precisely so-called Brussels that is most able to deliver on the US demands for increased military spending by EU states with fewer/no guaranteed military benefits. It is so-called Brussels that is most capable of delivering on austerianism to pay for this. And there is no indication as yet that Germany can impose its own system on Europe without at least France's active cooperation, and at least tacit English acquiescence (an entente, to resurrect the word from the Belle Epoque.) A return to a pre-WWI planet is not feasible at all. And to my eyes it is not even clear that Trump the individual even wants to. It seems as plausible to me that Trump wants the globe to be the American sphere of influence, with select nations limited not just geographically but expects that even within their own playpens the US means to set the guidelines. So far, Trump means to set the EU nations' military budgets...but the notion he means NATO to be an independent force is refuted by his refusal to extend the nuclear umbrella. I believe at this point, any German or EU attempt to make their own umbrella will provoked a show of what true enmity is.
Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 18 2025 19:18 utc | 57
55 - This is again like the disruption tactics of Syngman Rhee. In the hope of frustrating negotiations in 1953, he arranged for the mass release of North Korean POWs, mostly South Koreans who had been impressed into the North Korean army before capture. The Americans at the Panmunjom negotiations denied that they had ordered the release or desired it, probably genuinely, and the Communist delegates believed them. Negotiations went on despite the attempt at disruption.
Posted by: Waldorf | Feb 18 2025 19:18 utc | 58
Rheinmetall CEO: EU deserves a table in the kids table, and all weapon stockpiles in Europe are empty.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger:Europe has been relegated to the “kids’ table” while the U.S. engages directly with Russia.
If the parents are dining, the children must sit at a different table. The U.S. is negotiating with Russia, and not a single European is at the table.
It has become absolutely clear—Europeans are the children.
Weapon stockpiles in both Europe and Ukraine are almost completely exhausted.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 18 2025 19:20 utc | 59
I hope the Russian negotiation team impressed upon their counterparts they are not due any reimbursement for provoking the whole thing. This seems to be lost. If the Russians did not have a handle on this militarily these same people would be pouring it on.
Posted by: chunga | Feb 18 2025 19:22 utc | 60
B: "It could be the start of the long delayed move of Europe towards China."
I would welcome that logical pivot. Basically it would be Eurasian integration where relations with Russia are also normalized. But it's unlikely and wouldn't happen without a lot of bloodshed. Maybe not a new hot war but surely in the form of terrorism confer Operation Gladio bis which US intelligence agencies have decades of experience with and which they never seized doing. Al Qaida and Daesh are just 2 of the many nihilists extremist entities that only affect US adversaries or those countries that don't sufficiently tow the US line. And probably before that Eurasian integration is even considered, Trump would have died first for his "sins" against the US hegemony.
Posted by: xor | Feb 18 2025 19:22 utc | 61
Remember NATO and EU claiming they were "not party to the conflict"?
Stoltenberg, 30. Sep 2022 NATO is not party to the conflict.
Borrell, 20. Jan 2023 The EU is not participating in the conflict in Ukraine
As they claim not to be party to the conflict, should they have a right to participate in negotiations?
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 19:25 utc | 62
The final intent of this economic war is regime change in Russia.The likely consequence will be regime change in many other countries.
Trump's re-election was the most important regime change caused by the war in Ukraine.
Brilliant.
This regime change has also been the most colorful: deranged media, imaginative lawfare, assassination attempts, Divine intervention, disillusionment and defeat, sudden defunding, diplomacy.
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | Feb 18 2025 19:27 utc | 63
Naive (52).
I've said it on a few occasions many European nations need revolutions to remove their leaders - who don't really care about their own citizens - Europe will continue to go into demise, until the EU breaks up.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 19:33 utc | 64
There goes the Wests plans - to flood Ukraine with European and US troops under the guise of peacekeeping.
"Moscow firmly rejects NATO troops being deployed in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Tuesday following high-level talks with US officials in Riyadh.
During the meeting in Saudi Arabia, Moscow and Washington agreed to initiate a process for resolving the conflict. Ukraine and the EU were absent at the meeting, with Kiev insisting it won’t recognize any outcome without its involvement.
Speaking to journalists after the talks, Lavrov emphasized that “the presence of armed forces from NATO countries, even under the EU flag or as part of national contingents, is completely unacceptable to us.”"
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 19:37 utc | 65
Posted by: steven t johnson | Feb 18 2025 19:18 utc | 57
I finally found a use for ChatGPT:
The passage critiques overblown fears about the European Union (EU) and highlights how reactionary views have historically resisted change without valid reasons. It suggests viewing the EU practically, as a fiscal, monetary, and economic framework involving trade and financial agreements, rather than as a threatening conspiracy. The EU relies on the stability provided by the Franco-German alliance. While there's fear of shifting global financial powers from the US to alternatives like BRICS, there’s little evidence to support this. The EU can meet US expectations of increased military spending, but a return to World War I-style geopolitics is unfeasible. It’s unclear if Trump desires a solely American sphere of influence, but he wants to influence global policies, including EU military budgets, without making NATO independent. Any attempt by Germany or the EU to act independently could lead to tensions.
Well, perhaps, except that the rest of Europe is certainly a threatening conspiracy. NATO being the best example fitting that description.
Posted by: Arch Bungle | Feb 18 2025 19:39 utc | 66
Meanwhile the minute the US and Russia bury the hatchet - (or at least lay it down for five minutes) over Ukraine - both countries will get together to carve up the Arctic.
"Russia and the US should work on all areas of economic cooperation, including projects in the Arctic region, Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), has said.
Dmitriev is a member of Russian delegation that flew to the Saudi capital of Riyadh for talks with US diplomats on Tuesday, as Moscow and Washington seek to restore bilateral ties and pave the way for a settlement of the Ukraine conflict.
The head of the RDIF, responsible for economic aspects of the high-level discussions, underscored the need for cooperation and economic opportunities that could contribute to both nations.
“We need to pursue joint projects, including, for example, in the Arctic and other areas,” the official told journalists.
Dmitriev revealed that the Russian side made several proposals along economic and investment lines, which the US team took time to think about. He expressed hope for progress on the issue within several months."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 19:40 utc | 67
It could be the start of the long delayed move of Europe towards China.Posted by b on February 18, 2025 at 17:28 UTC
I can see that happening on a piecemeal, nation-by-nation basis; individual EU members signing bilateral trading and policy agreements with China. Possible candidates: Hungary, Slovakia, maybe Greece?
I can’t honestly see the panoply of Brussels panjandrums deciding officially to move favourably towards China; it’s also not entirely clear what advantages there are for China in dealing with the EU as singular entity, rather than the member nations themselves.
At any rate I can see ructions developing if nations decide to increasingly pursue policies independent of the EU, with threats of expulsions/relegation to some kind of semi-detached membership status, eventually leading to the rupturing of the entire edifice.
Again, how many battle tank divisions does the EU directly command?
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Feb 18 2025 19:45 utc | 68
The Feudal Houses of Europe are completely insane, inbreeding will cause that. The Russians have picked up the pace, the Ukies are not putting up a huge fight, many flanked and surrendering.....and Germany just committed billions more to support the war against Russia. Totally fucking nuts. Best outcome US and Russia settle their differences giving the Russians free hand to bring the fighting part to an end.
Cheers M
Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Feb 18 2025 19:46 utc | 69
Trump's revenge could be much more powerful. In the previous thread, b commented on the questionnaire the European governments received like:
I am sure the questions above, as cited by Reuters, are not meant to really be answered.
They are supposed to induce some realist thinking.
Applying such one will come to the conclusion that nothing but a long term peace agreement, which does not necessitate 'guarantees', makes any sense.
But clever Trump may have found a way around the severe limitations that realist thinking reveals. Using Ukraine as a battering ram against Russia has failed, but what about a new try using Europe? If the war can be escalated beyond Ukraine, it would most likely turn into a missile war - no ground troops needed, manpower problem solved. According to Berliner Zeitung, Annalena Baerbock, in an interview with Bloomberg, prematurely revealed that the EU plans to spend 700 billion on rearmament, Eurobond-funded, mainly with American weapons. Given the russophobia and the general mood of many European leaders, that sounds credible. Funding problem solved (for the US). And they might buy the missiles which are already on European soil anyway. The US will completely have withdrawn from this war (no troops, no security garantee), they only sell (not even donate) weapons. They can claim to be no party to the war and be safe on the other side of the Atlantic while Europe and Russia reduce each other to rubble.
Posted by: GH | Feb 18 2025 19:46 utc | 70
Like most EU nations MIC's - the German one - wants to make more weapons to be purchased by the government using taxpayers cash - cash that should be spent on important things like schools, housing, hospitals etc - Western MIC's - and the media whores, in their countries - will big up Russia as the bad guy coming to invade your country - so in order to defend ourselves YOU must suffer greatly and give our MIC's all our public services earmarked cash, Europe, and Europeans still have a long way to fall, before they decide to rise up, if they rise up at all.
"The EU has depleted its arms stockpiles due to the Ukraine conflict, leaving it exposed to a potential Russian threat, Armin Papperger, the CEO of German arms manufacturing giant Rheinmetall, has stated.
The defense executive’s warning was voiced in an interview published by the Financial Times on Monday. It comes amid a renewed attempt at launching a US-Russia dialogue, with the sides on Tuesday holding their first meeting since the start of the Ukraine conflict.
Speaking to the FT on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Papperger, the head of one of the key Western firms supplying Kiev with military equipment, projected sustained high demand for arms in the region, even if peace talks lead to a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 19:48 utc | 71
With Le Petit's troops being kicked-out all over Africa - the French are clinging onto Morocco (taking their part) like a limpet stuck to a rock in hide tide - this, is also part of the plan to upset Algeria - which also if not laying claim to the Western Sahara - it certainly backs the Polisario Front group, which has expressed support for a self-determination referendum, which was initially proposed by the UN in 1991 - as part of a ceasefire agreement but has since stalled.
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 19:55 utc | 72
@Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 19:48 utc | 71
Speaking to the FT on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Papperger, the head of one of the key Western firms supplying Kiev with military equipment, projected sustained high demand for arms in the region, even if peace talks lead to a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire.That is like asking a Real estate agent about projected demand for houses 'in the region'.
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 19:56 utc | 73
Societal_Slumber | Feb 18 2025 17:56 utc | 4
"Sir Keir, who met Trump last month, said party staff going to the US to campaign for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris were volunteers "doing it in their spare time" and staying with other volunteers.
...the Labour Party had not funded or organised their trips, while Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also insisted the activists had been campaigning "in their own time"."
Uh huh. Just like the NATO "mercenaries" were "doing it on their own time."
And even if that were true, so what? Labour has no discipline over its members? One would think they wouldn't want to have organized elements of their Party systematically meddling in a foreign election. Oh wait, that's exactly what the Party and the UK government wanted to do, and exactly what they did, even if they did go through the charade of some fake technicality that these Party cadres were "on vacation" or something. Now it's payback time.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | Feb 18 2025 19:10 utc | 54
******************************************************
Makes you think of either the expression “plausible deniability” or, since we’re talking about the conduct of “Anglo-Saxons”, a certain “argument” from Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
Q:“Is this the right room for an argument?”
A:“I’ve told you once.”
While plenty of people rightly emphasize the remarks of Russian President Putin at the Munich Security Conference of 2007 as a kind of turning point, I think that around the same time, probably before Saakashvili’s brutal attack on Tskinvali, South Ossetia in August of 2008, the same Russian President drew attention to the foreign support/interference in Russian internal matters in Chechnia.
The Russian President made it very clear that he knew exactly which country was involved in stoking the fires of that conflict. (A member of the bar can find the appropriate quote.) Perhaps it is helpful to identify such a turning point by a kind of “Rumpelstiltskin moment” when the enemy is identified by name ... or when such a naming is pretty clear.
People forget that it was once only people like Fidel Castro, Malcolm X, Hugo Chavez, etc., who named the enemy. Now, every Tom, Dick and Harry does it. The Euro-chumps are just late to the party.
Posted by: NH | Feb 18 2025 19:57 utc | 74
Is this a heretical question: what would be the point of Europe (incl Britain) re-arming with weapon systems that have already been found wanting in their performance and capability?
And just to head off thoughts about the primary purpose being to line the MIC pockets, someone needs to point out the dichotomy: either there is a genuine threat from Russia (which I highly, highly doubt) in which case weapons are needed that actually work, or there is no genuine threat from Russia, in which case there is no need for massively expensive re-armament...
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Feb 18 2025 20:00 utc | 75
Posted by: GH | Feb 18 2025 19:46 utc | 70
But clever Trump may have found a way around the severe limitations that realist thinking reveals. Using Ukraine as a battering ram against Russia has failed, but what about a new try using Europe?
BINGO! the EU/UK are stupid enough to try it.
Posted by: Rich | Feb 18 2025 20:06 utc | 76
Patroklos@1854 Feb18
From several sources, I have ascertained that Pope Frank is frankly in a bad physical state and may not be popping for much longer. The Vatican bank is also being given a good look-over by various analysts, to the point where their stability may be coming into question. Meanwhile, in the R.U. Orthodoxy has achieved a second wind, so to speak. Thus, we are looking at a differentiated basis regarding the Great Chasm during the 11th Century.
Essential to any grand reconciliation of the various sects will be the Nag Hamadi texts, most tellingly the Gospel of the Disciple Thomas. That gospel was redacted by Constantine and his stooges due to the fact that reincarnation was generally accepted by the Jesusites in the first two A.D. centuries. Also, Jesus never referred to Yahweh per se. He spoke only of "the Father" and insisted that The Father is Within.
Thus, I embrace the Greater Schism; one in which the Old Testament would become merely referential in that it obviously is not the word of Creator (The Father) and most tellingly, that Jesus was the Great Spiritual Teacher and did NOT die on the cross to save us from our sins. The doctrine of "Original Sin" is itself the original sin in that it deviates from the spiritual messages of Jesus the Christed One and replaces it with a doctrine based on imposed FEAR.
Posted by: aristodemos | Feb 18 2025 20:08 utc | 77
I'm always amused to hear all the Westoids talking about defence in terms of money. There has long been a saying in military circles that amateurs talk tactics while professionals talk logistics. I would add to that "and idiots talk money".
If there's one lesson to be taken from the Ukraine war it is that Western weapons are very expensive and, at the same time, not very effective.
They have to get a lot of things sorted out before spending money gets them a real defence.
Posted by: Patrick Armstrong | Feb 18 2025 20:09 utc | 78
Pace our host, I don't think it's quite that simple, so to say, I think erstwhile political personages like Sarkozy may very well be something approaching veritable CIA agents, utterly mercenary, or otherwise suborned or personally blackmailed, but isn't it also possible not a few are honestly worried for their countries, its people, and infrastructure vis a vis "jihadist" dirty bombs, "patriotic Ukrainian militias," etc, and so must tread very carefully with respect to the US, regardless of who's in charge, lest everything hackable and technological start imploding on them, including their nuclear power plants? In which case they have little choice but to appease the beast, keep mum, and carry on as best they can, like Japan's been doing since the 80s?
Posted by: Ludovic | Feb 18 2025 20:11 utc | 79
Not only are the EU idiots to continue with sanctions against Russia - sanctions will also be placed on countries - that bypass EU sanctions on Russia.
Washington has trained its Atlanticists in Brussels well - these idiot MEPs will continue to make European citizens lives more difficult - in order to make themselves appear important and relevant - in the manner of, look the US might be doing a deal with Russia - but not us, we at Brussels have higher moral standards - yeah right.
"French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an interview with Franceinfo on Tuesday that the EU’s upcoming batch of measures will primarily target Russia’s energy sector.
Barrot claimed the new package aims to “force [Russian President] Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table,” adding that the EU will continue to “raise the cost of the war” for Moscow. The sanctions will also target countries that facilitate bypassing the restrictions, the minister said."
Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 20:11 utc | 80
Two other lessons from the war. Drones (as everybody knows)
But one that strikes me is this: I do not know of any protracted war in which the attacker has suffered fewer casualties than the defender. Russia's casualties are what? about a tenth of Ukraine's? The exchanges of the dead are horribly revealing of the exchange rate.
Posted by: Patrick Armstrong | Feb 18 2025 20:13 utc | 81
Barrot claimed the new package aims to “force [Russian President] Vladimir Putin to sit down at the negotiating table,”Posted by: Republicofscotland | Feb 18 2025 20:11 utc | 80
its funny, in a sad way for the eu that is, how russia is sitting at the table for adults.
barrot and the eu, over there at the childrens table, are just mad that nobody is paying attention to them. as unelected as they are, as unrecognized by [russian president] vladimir putin they should be.
and now the eu wants to "sanction" (in adult terms, unprovokingly attack) other nations that dont want to follow up on the eu's illegal sanctions regime?
thats like our local bully trying to lash out on an adult for refusing to join in on bullying his own son. the sooner the eu is disolved, the better for humanity.
Posted by: Justpassinby | Feb 18 2025 20:17 utc | 82
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 18 2025 19:20 utc | 59
And this clowns want to have something to say? Minsk III for instance?
They are insane. Europe became a psychiatric hospital with addicted compulsive liars at all stages.
Posted by: Naive | Feb 18 2025 20:18 utc | 83
China is a constrictor snake, where it passes it swallows everything and leaves nothing for the local populations except misery and poverty,
possible to compare them to predators,
whoever thinks that China is someone's partner, well! that someone doesn't know the Chinese.
Posted by: Cagliostro | Feb 18 2025 20:22 utc | 84
Trump and Musk are tools of the same ruling class that Biden and Gates are - they just play their parts so goddamn well and you’re all so desperate for a saviour…
Posted by: Rae | Feb 18 2025 20:23 utc | 85
...
They have to get a lot of things sorted out before spending money gets them a real defence.
Posted by: Patrick Armstrong | Feb 18 2025 20:09 utc | 78
They can't sort out anything because, like it or not, a working MIC can not be held privately so overrated and overcosting weapons are simply a result of capitalism.
RF and, I suppose China too, have quite complete control on weapons production and that is the only way to make it work.
Posted by: Mario | Feb 18 2025 20:30 utc | 86
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Feb 18 2025 19:45 utc | 68
Agree, and I can add that China demonstrably has ignored EU as an entity and, I think, explicitly stated that they deal with states, not organizations of states. Wasn't there something about humiliating (by ignoring) someone high up in the EU hierarchy coming to China not long ago?
Posted by: Avtonom | Feb 18 2025 20:32 utc | 87
Cagliostro best describes the US and its greatest ally. China has made its success on its own merits. At least the deals it makes with other nations provides some benefit in the form of infrastructure, railroads, and etc.
The US provides payola with its fake paper money to any leader it can persuade to take it in exchange for resource extraction or real estate. No improvements and Nothing to benefit the commons.
And when that doesn't work, b mobs away!
Posted by: Chaka Khagan | Feb 18 2025 20:35 utc | 88
How can people be so naive? Is NATO supposed to vanish? Aren't the EU and the US still busy unifying the internet under the Gafam rules? What has changed?
Technology means GRID and GREED!
https://modelnato.org/pages/about-grid/
Posted by: Tom | Feb 18 2025 20:38 utc | 89
Posted by: Rae | Feb 18 2025 20:23 utc | 85
############
Thank you for telling us the problem.
No one has ever done that before!! 🙄🙄🙄
Tell us what people should rationally, morally, and practically do in light of your revelations.
Anyone can point at a problem. Very few can propose a productive response.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 18 2025 20:39 utc | 90
Apparently Bank of England gold paper market is suffering technical difficulties i.e. collapsing. The delivery time has reached around 6 weeks, everyone is scrambling to move their gold out of BOE.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 18 2025 20:40 utc | 91
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 18 2025 20:40 utc | 91
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The West is long overdue for an old-fashioned bank run of some sort.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 18 2025 20:42 utc | 92
How can people be so naive? Is NATO supposed to vanish?
Posted by: Tom | Feb 18 2025 20:38 utc | 89
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I remember people pulling down the Berlin wall on TV as it was happening.
If the USSR can disappear almost overnight, NATO can disappear without much drama except for that weakling crying at the MSC last week.
After all, NATO is just a bunch of political and military bureaucrats circle-jerking themselves between 1st class flights.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 18 2025 20:45 utc | 93
More on today's event, "Lavrov's Post-talks Presser & Comments to Rossiya 1 TV & US Readout". At the end is a link to the interview given by the US team to a pair of CNN presstitutes.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Feb 18 2025 20:45 utc | 93
Looks like the western shit/clown show is over. The EU/Nato was so rotten to the core you could poke 5 inch shells through it without collapsing, because the core was so rotted out. They could literally ignore every case of hypocrisy or contradiction. The entire system is chock full of contradictions.
Finally the shit/clown show collapses into its own paradoxicality.
Posted by: unimperator | Feb 18 2025 20:54 utc | 95
@LoveDonbass | Feb 18 2025 20:45 utc | 93
Sputnik:
Riyadh Meeting May Be ‘Beginning of the End of NATO’
Russian and US officials held high-level talks in the Saudi capital Tuesday, outlining each side's position on bringing about a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine as the greatest security crisis in Europe since WWII nears its third anniversary. Sputnik reached out to a leading independent US international affairs observer for comment."The approach that the Europeans want and Ukrainians want" for ending the Ukrainian proxy conflict through victory on the battlefield against Russia has "just proven not to work, and they don't seem to be capable of defending themselves," Michael Maloof says, noting that the meeting in Riyadh signals a tectonic shift in global geopolitics.
"I envision that this is going to be the beginning of the end of NATO, that this is going to mean that ultimately you're going to see Europe maybe go into a series of defense alliances, regional alliances, rather than one cohesive entity of 32 countries," the former DoD senior security policy analyst noted.
Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 20:55 utc | 96
Posted by: Cagliostro | Feb 18 2025 20:22 utc | 84
> China is a constrictor snake, where it passes it swallows everything and leaves nothing for the local populations except misery and poverty,
Can you give some examples?
Posted by: hopehely | Feb 18 2025 20:56 utc | 97
As the EU's and Germany's economies plummet downward to disaster level, history will treat Scholz harshly with respect to his meeting with Old Joe immediately prior to the Nord Stream demolitions.
Posted by: chet380 | Feb 18 2025 21:07 utc | 99
@ Hoarsewhisperer 36
“….address the Israel lobby problem……”
That would be a cold day in hell.
Posted by: Alpi | Feb 18 2025 21:10 utc | 100
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Posted by: Norwegian | Feb 18 2025 17:42 utc | 1