LoveDonbass | Aug 30 2025 5:24 utc | 182
*** Really illustrative of the insane level of systemic sophistication that China has achieved. For one thing, most countries can’t even manage to have trains run on time.***
Seemed impressively sophisticated … or was, till spotted the “KFC” bag.

Posted by: Cynic | Aug 30 2025 12:06 utc | 203

Why do westerners keep asking such infantile question ?

If china really loves peace , why is it developing its military so vigorously ?

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 12:42 utc | 205

The Green Cold War
Transatlantic parliamentary alliance launched against China – with substantial involvement of a German Green politician.
10
JUN
2020
BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Own report) – Politicians from the German Green Party are playing a leading role in a new transatlantic anti-China alliance of legislators. Anti-Chinese hardliners, Marco Rubio and Bob Menendez, are considered the driving forces in the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), launched last Friday, currently involving members of twelve parliaments. Officially, the organization seeks to forge a common western policy toward China. A concrete aim appears to be the implementation also in Europe of the US sanctions policy against Beijing. IPAC is mobilizing legislators, there where national governments are still rejecting the sanctions. In the wings of the Munich Security Conference, last February, Reinhard Bütikofer, a Green Party member of the EU parliament had already proposed the creation of such a legislator pressure group. He is now acting as IPAC co-chairman. The alliance, which is calling for the development of “security strategies” against China, has an Ex-CIA specialist on its advisory board
—————–
Courtesy
GERMAN-FOREIGN-POLICY.com

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 13:10 utc | 207

US Federal Appeals Court Rules Most of Trump’s Tariffs on Canada & Other Countries Illegal
https://nationalnewswatch.com/2025/08/29/u-s-federal-appeals-court-rules-some-of-trumps-tariffs-illegal
“…The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit found that Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs and his fentanyl-related duties exceeded the powers of the national security statute he used to impose the levies.
‘It seems unlikely that the Congress intended to…grant the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs’, the judges wrote in a 7-4 ruling…”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Aug 30 2025 13:20 utc | 209

‘Typical Western Double Standards (I)
IPAC explicitly aims at promoting a “coherent response” to China’s rise.[2] The new alliance – comprising transatlantic states and close allies, Japan and Australia – is demanding that China abide by standards that western powers have repeatedly violated: The People’s Republic of China must be held to the “standards of the international legal order.”

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 13:47 utc | 211

The Great Lie of Branding Venezuela a ‘Narco-State’
https://orinocotribune.com/the-greatest-lie-of-branding-venezuela-a-narco-state/
“During my tenure as director of UNODC, the UN agency against drugs and crime, I was in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, but I never visited Venezuela. There was simply no need.
The cooperation of the Venezuelan government in the fight against drug trafficking was one of the best in South America; it cna only be compared to the impeccable record of Cuba.
In light of this, Trump’s delirious narrative of the ‘Venezuelan narco-state’ seems a geopolitically motivated slander…”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Aug 30 2025 13:50 utc | 213

Lying comes as natural as breathing for
the ‘Five Liars’, its in their culture.

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 13:56 utc | 215

There is a great confluence happening that unites the Not-Fit-For-Purpose UN, Gaza, Iran and Ukraine.
Lets start with the SCO and the 80th Anniversary of the defeat of fascism in the East’s aginst the proxy Japanese.
‘ @SprinterExpres0
2h
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview to the Chinese news agency Xinhua. Key points:
🟦Moscow highly values Xi Jinping’s sincere desire to comprehensively develop relations with Russia;
🟦The President said he plans to discuss current regional and international issues with Xi Jinping;
🟦Russia and China strongly condemn any attempt to distort the history of World War II, glorify Nazis, militarists, and their followers;
🟦The use of the financial sector for neocolonial purposes must be stopped;
🟦Russia and China advocate for UN reform, including the inclusion of Global South countries in the UN Security Council;
🟦The Russian side expects the SCO to increase its capacity to respond to modern challenges and threats after the summit in China;
🟦Economic relations between Moscow and Beijing have reached an unprecedented high level, China is the undisputed leader for Russia in terms of bilateral trade volume;
🟦Russia is grateful to China for carefully preserving the monuments to the soldiers of the Red Army;
🟦The peoples of the USSR and China bore the greatest burden of World War II.
Aug 30, 2025 · 8:11 AM UTC ‘

Posted by: DunGroanin | Aug 30 2025 14:14 utc | 217

And with many of France’s ex-colonial countries kicking them out, they won’t have their assets to rely on, such as Mali’s which has many gold mines but has no gold of its own, whilst France has no gold mines but has plenty of gold bullion, read yesterday that France and Britain my ask the IMF for a loan, the IMF is of course a USA playbook.
“France has saddled the younger generations with debts they’ll be paying off their entire lives, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has said. Paris continuously borrows in the interest of “boomers” and “certain political parties,” he added.
On Monday, Bayrou said he urged President Emmanuel Macron to reconvene parliament by September 8 for a confidence vote to gauge support for his €43.8 billion ($50.9 billion) austerity measures plan. The prime minister has long sounded the alarm over the country’s spiraling budget deficit, which hit 5.8% of GDP last year – almost double the EU 3% ceiling.
The primary victims of the government debt will be the “youngest French people,” Bayrou said in an interview with French broadcaster TF1 on Wednesday.
“They’re the victims; they’re the ones who will have to pay the debt for the rest of their lives,” he said, adding that Paris is trying to convince them that more borrowing is needed.”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 30 2025 14:26 utc | 219

Merz has totally bought the “Russia bad” narrative – hook, line and sinker, and I don’t think it would take much pushing to get Merz to round up the troops and send them into Ukraine.
“Germany is “already in a conflict” with Russia, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said. He claimed that Moscow is “destabilizing” Germany through cyber attacks and disinformation, and suggested that Russia could attack the EU to reclaim former Soviet territories – which the Kremlin has dismissed as “nonsense.”
In an interview with French broadcaster LCI on Friday, Merz said he agrees with French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent description of Russian President Vladimir Putin as “an ogre who always wants to eat more.”
“That’s how I see Putin. He destabilizes large parts of our country. He is interfering everywhere, particularly on social media,” Merz said, claiming that German intelligence regularly reports Russian cyber attacks and efforts to sway public opinion, without providing any evidence.
“So we are already in a conflict with Russia,” he said, adding that Moscow’s campaign targets the entire EU with the aim of “destabilizing our democracies.””

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 30 2025 14:35 utc | 221

It is ridiculous that the primary focus of the top US envoy in Panama is to ruin its relations with another country.
————————–
https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/618790
Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 12:57 utc | 206
Par for the course !
CHINA BUILDS, USAss DESTROY.
Envoys from Hell.
Exhibit A
US ambassador to Solomon Islands , urging people to ‘choose’ the US over China
George Bush sent to Bolivia his Ambassador of Ethnic Cleansing
From Pristina to La Paz, Expelled US Ambassador to Bolivia had been in charge of Kosovo Secession
U.S. Ambassador Huntsman Accused of Instigating Anti-Gov’t Protesters in China
purloined memo from U.S. ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Stephen Young
former Nepalese Ambassador

India, US planned 2001 Nepal palace massacre’

US Ambassador overzealously initiated actions Sri Lanka does not want FBI
US Ambassador initiated actions that Sri Lanka does not want FBI and their assistance
US ambassador to Australia

China was becoming more aggressive and authoritarian.

nEW Zealand
US ambassador rebuked Bill English failing to endorse President Donald Trump’s threats to annihilate North Korea.
New Zealand
US ambassador pressure more openly align and integrate with Washington
US ambassador to New Zealand, urged New Zealanders not to trust China.
hUAWEI
New Zealand Ardern’s coalition government was installed public intervention by the US ambassador Scott Brown
New Zealand
the coalition was formed following the intervention of US Ambassador Scott Brown
Tiananmen,
Ambassador Lilley handed out more than 200 visas to Intellectuals,
Tiananmen,
Why did President H. W. Bush replace Winston Lord as ambassador, with a former CIA agent, lilley
head of Australia’s intelligence services and a former Ambassador to China who has worked on China
Appointment of the hawkish Harris as ambassador to Australia should be a horrifying sign
Myanmar,
U.S. government officials, including U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley,, have called for immediate action
Who is Ambassador Robert Stephen Ford The Architect of US Sponsored Terrorism in Syria _ Global Research – Centre for Research on Globalization
Why doesn’t the stupid Government of Sri Lanka pack up this anti-Sri-Lankan anti-Sinhala Canadian Ambassador sri lanka
Encouraged to kill Park Chung He by a former US ambassador. Kim was executed before he could make public his knowledge, KCIA, assassination.
Bolivia , US ambassador , uSAID protected by Diplomatic Immunity and spirited him away.
Robert S. Ford appointed US ambassador in Cairo
Jasmine protests in China expose America’s tactics to destabilize the country BY US Ambassador
Clintons and Celebs Celebrate the New Slavery in Haiti – The U.S. ambassador put pressure on Haiti’s president,
The Central Role of US Ambassador Robert S. Ford
Syria,
Ambassador Ford, and an Ongoing Crusade unesco olympics dilpomat
AP Exclusive US ambassador says China’s rights situation worsens, while overall ties grow – The Washington Post
US ambassador to China calls on Beijing to improve its human rights record – The Washington Post
Syria Amnesty International, Regime Change and an Ambassador Dissident Voice
COLOR REVOLUTIONS AND GEOPOLITICS
Michael McFaul, the New US Ambassador to Russia Color Revolutions Expert
Land Destroyer
Agitator Nominated for Next US “Ambassador” to Russia
U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman caught on video teased by Chinese at “Jasmine Revolution” rally at Wangfujing Hidden Harmonies China Blog
U.S. Ambassador to India David Mulford was meeting with the Dalai Lama
AFP US ready to help Turkey against Kurd rebels ambassador
The US ambassador has been one of the main villains
Paul Wolfowitz, former US Ambassador to Indonesia
zombies acting under the instructions of the Indian ambassador
US Ambassador in Nicaragua
…..
———————————
This is by no mean exhaustive
tIP of an iceberg !

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 14:45 utc | 223

‘Typical Western Double Standards (I)
IPAC explicitly aims at promoting a “coherent response” to China’s rise.[2] The new alliance – comprising transatlantic states and close allies, Japan and Australia – is demanding that China abide by standards that western powers have repeatedly violated
Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 13:47 utc | 211
——————-
They wanna ride the high horse, yet demanding China to show the way !
Talk about having their cake and eat it !
https://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/news/detail/8302

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 14:58 utc | 225

Envoy from Hell ?
HOw could we miss out the Coup Master, ?
Marshall Green, the author of CIA’s greatest hit , 1965 genocide of ethnic Chinese in Indonesia !
—————
The Chinese Indonesians must be trembling right now, the dark hand behind 1965, 1998 genocides might strike again !
Thats all folks !

Posted by: denk | Aug 30 2025 15:10 utc | 227

Lukashenko interview on China.
Luka’s son, IIRC, studies in China and is totally fluent in Chinese.
2-minute video with subtitles
https://x.com/RT_com/status/1961480168427372683
That the Yanks think they can divide these two superpowers (Russia and China) is hubris and conceit.
Belarus is Russia in all but name.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 30 2025 15:35 utc | 229

▶️ Mass protests erupted in Indonesia after a motorcycle taxi driver was killed by police, leading to violence and injuries in several cities.
▶️ Indonesian protestors surround and raid the house of, Ahmad Sahroni, vandalizing his vehicle and looting valuable items, including TVs, a piano and a Labubu.

I was with the Indonesian protesters until this shocking atrocity against the revered labubu cultural artifact.

Posted by: Arch Bungle | Aug 30 2025 16:49 utc | 231

Arch Bungle (231).
Yes the Wests leaders – could do with a taste of this medicine.
“The Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) has been burned down by protesters on Lombok Island, Indonesia.”
Watch the building go up in flames.
https://nitter.poast.org/MonitorX99800/status/1961786555745628273#m

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 30 2025 18:13 utc | 233

Peter AU1 | Aug 30 2025 18:16 utc |234
Thanks for this challenging read, Peter. I was coming here this morning, to post my own thoughts about Putin and Trump at Anchorage in contrast to those who have recently composed articles on Jungean archetype themes. Mine were humbler, having in mind Scriptural heroes, each being of a Christian type east or west. But I’ll come back to that. Here is the concluding paragraph in the link you gave, with which, by the way, I do not agree:

… So of course the Russians are only advancing in the most leisurely way possible. Their goal is to place the Ukrainian government into a militarily untenable situation so as to force a flamboyantly humiliating peace treaty upon them that includes large territorial concessions beyond the line of control – the ultimate Ukrainian taboo – so as to discredit Ukrainian nationalism by the hands of the very ultranationalists who took their nation to war in the first place…

I wonder what the author considers to be “Ukrainian nationalism”? And who exactly are those he describes as “ultranationalists”? Who, indeed, are responsible for the enormous losses Ukrainian soldiers have undergone?
As I understand what has been disclosed concerning the horrific losses on the Ukraine side, it is actually the Russians who are seeking to make those losses properly understood by Trump in the face of his recent statements to the effect that it is Russia that has such lopsided casualties. (See yesterday’s post by Alexander Mercouris on this.)
It is the Russians who have given every opportunity for a permanent solution to the crisis from the first day of the Special Military Operation, and it is the opposing, illegal entity which has refused and/or reneged on every one of those opportunities. Russia’s goals are those that have been stated again and again by them since the SMO column stood outside Kiev while the world watched and waited.
It all could have ended then.

Posted by: juliania | Aug 30 2025 19:26 utc | 235

@Republicofscotland | Sat, 30 Aug 2025 14:35:00 GMT | 221

“Germany is “already in a conflict” with Russia, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said.

This looks like narrative shaping to me. German media Tagesschau reported (including on facebook) that the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz is now eyeing Russia because of “cyber attacks”. But considering that counter-espionage is part of the BfV portfolio anyway, it likely amounts to not much.
By the way, the Russian Embassy in Berlin has also launched a facebook page, where they are posting regularly with quotes from the foreign ministry. The comment threads are bonkers, featuring armies of voluntary trolls with little brains yet lots of conviction.

Posted by: persiflo | Aug 30 2025 22:06 utc | 237

juliania | Aug 30 2025 19:26 utc
But, your Christian application to be inoccent and humble is a human falsified illusion.
First, you must be honest insight. How can the best of the humans, Jesús, be an hypocritical jerk?
Sorry.
Jesus is the best expression of ourselves. When we do bad things, we are proclaiming our importance, we try to be better.
The bad things are inside. We decide our decisions and our food for ourselves.
Nobody gonna stablish our destiny?
I really think that I must make my destiny.
I think that this Jesus was a guy who was an intelligent man who was an example.
Even all the things, the evidence try to tell us, we are nabuco.
Juliania, I believe in Jesus, I believe in Christianity.
Hey, I’m believe in th trinity of God

Posted by: Esophagus | Aug 30 2025 22:45 utc | 239

Posted by: All Under Heaven | Aug 29 2025 23:57 utc | 171 NOTE TO ONLOOKERS: There are actually some points of interest to leftists in this comment.
Any remarks I made to the effect that Communism ruined America, are in fact sarcasm. It is Trumper trash who believe that Democrats et al. are cultural Marxists and Communists. All that is deranged Fascist propaganda aimed at keeping the faithful in rage, pumping up the blood list. So that’s wrong.
Also wrong is any notion that I’ve speeded up the descent into fascism. Despite my comments the vast majority of MoA commentariat worships Trump. And I’ve had even less influence in real life. Near as I can tell, my personal example of being an evolutionist has driven the Godly into Trumpery for protection?
I’ve never hinted at the nonsense about PRC being imperialist (or even capitalist) and any such insinuation is false.
Re PRC not devoting much to foreign aid, PRC is one of the largest economies in the world, period. Compared to its resources, PRC does not give much in foreign aid. That is a fact. And pretending that PRC purchase of Venezuelan oil is foreign aid doesn’t make it foreign aid, not unless PRC gives the oil to Cuba to break part of the US blockade…which it doesn’t. Further, most of the loans from PRC to Venezuela are formally backed by Venezuelan oil as I understand it. Even more to the point, PRC cut off loans to Venezuela back in 2015. (I am unclear as to whether PRC credit line to CELAC go to Venezuela in the end.] It simply is a fact that PRC doesn’t devote much to foreign aid. Given my belief PRC is still at best a medium rich country, despite being such an enormous economy, it would be merely malice to pretend that is a serious criticism of PRC.
But is odd that you quote my conclusive point, that PRC pursues multi-polarity and win-win relations. Personally I think multi-polarity may not be possible till the US is defeated. And I tend to believe that win-win deals are like taking a job in capitalism, where you are paid a fair price for your labor power…but the capitalist gets the surplus value created. But those are issues you aren’t even interested in. As is, multi-polarity and win-win are not, not, not “Death to America!” And your apparent belief you are the true Marxist as found in PRC is ridiculous.

I have been consistently anti-intervention, which means that the socialist revolution must come from among the American rank and file.

Until that glorious day, I for one am pro-intervention by socialists everywhere against imperialism. You will not however find me making many criticisms of PRC for giving more aid ($2 billion to stabilize Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves in 2018 plus very large infrastructure investments—on better terms than the imperialists!—for the CPEC. Nor do I often criticize Filipino socialists who don’t advocate armed struggle against American imperialists occupying their country. I am well aware of the balance of forces. But pretending there aren’t real issues, that any hint of criticism is a hostile act, is BS.
I do find it remarkable how many people think it would be easier to fight American imperialism right in its home country rather than at the end of thousands-mile long supply chain. But yes, I do think outside forces swooping in to force their will can be a good thing. The Soviet liberation of central Europe was a good thing and the overthrow of socialism was not. In reality, the distinction between inside and outside is like all life, the interpenetration of opposites that presume each other. So yeah, the “conquest” of America could be a good thing. You ask, rhetorically I presume, whether I understand what you mean by “Death to America!” You are so dogmatic and confused, no, I do not know for sure what you mean. You apparently think every person in American is a labor aristocrat. If you think that, sure you think every American should die. You think, my son should die. (And me too, just for completeness sake I suppose.) Dude, I should be awarded a free drink for my patience with you!
As for your effort to dispose of my supposed attempt to absolve America? I’ll answer, just as soon as you sketch out which indigenous peoples will pay for their assaults on the people we now call Cahokians, and how much, and which lands should be assigned to whom? Or, if you insist, how much the so-called Cahokians must pay in reparations, and to whom, and which of their stolen lands they must return?
And, not only do I still not believe in collective guilt, much less collective hereditary guilt, I say believing in such tripe is idealist, also anti-Marxist. I must note that you seem to have very peculiar ideas of what is past and what is current and ongoing in regards to the Middle East.
Lastly, it appears part of your persona (we all have personas, relax) is that you are more Chinese characteristic with socialism than anybody else. Well, that’s all fine and good, until you post this:

For Vietnam, I’ve written before about how deeply China believed in socialist brotherhood that China gave away a piece of its territory—which was undisputed—to Vietnam with no strings attached. China backed Vietnam’s war against American aggression with massive amounts of arms, economic aid and military training. The DPRK exists due in large part to the PVA fighting alongside North Korean soldiers to push back Americans to the 38th parallel, despite the PVA being outclassed by the extreme advantage in war materiel (tanks, air support etc) enjoyed by the Americans. The PVA was the force that was meant to retake Taiwan from the KMT, and using up the PVA on Korea meant that China’s reunification has been indefinitely delayed. This is a selfless sacrifice on the part of China that steven t johnson as an American would surely take perverse enjoyment in because America gets to use the unresolved civil war to continually stoke division in Chinese society.
During the Sino-Soviet split, both the DPRK and Vietnam chose to side with the Soviet Union and rebuffed China, and they both reaped the rewards of their alliance when the Soviet Union collapsed, but even then China remains magnanimous. Thanks to China, aid still flows into the DPRK despite sanctions. Vietnam likes to use China only as a bargaining chip to obtain better offers from others, a role which China plays along with even though China doesn’t like it. China is even willing to clean up the mess when Vietnam’s schemes with other partners don’t work out. Vietnam’s effort to construct metro systems in its cities is instructive, with China being able to at least get a working system while Japan’s project is not only languishing but has resulted in a lawsuit being filed by Hitachi against Vietnam metro.

The first paragraph isn’t too bad. The USSR helped Vietnam too, despite the Sino-Soviet split. The Soviet Union also backed the Koreans, especially with Soviet MiGs and pilots. And PRC intervention in Korea was prompted by self-preservation, as MacArthur neared China itself. Personally I don’t think that takes one bit of sacrifice away from the Chinese people or the Korean people. Given your fetish for moral purity of personified nations, I suppose you would. I will say that the democratic right of self-determination of nations includes the right to national unity, hence Taiwan is part of China and reunification is a good thing. And me believing that China probably didn’t have the navy to reunify Taiwan in 1950 (which is why they didn’t chase Chiang in 1949) doesn’t change that, even if you think China sacrificed their chances.
You get even wilder.

China asserted on Monday that it “strictly” implements U.N. sanctions on North Korea, reacting to a letter from the Group of Seven, European Union and others that urged Beijing to stop Pyongyang from evading the measures by using Chinese waters.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-g7-eu-we-strictly-implement-un-sanctions-north-korea-2023-07-24/ Yes, imperialist propaganda against PRC says that they are backing the mad dog Kim Jong-un. Don’t believe everything the imperialists say. To be fair, PRC has formally moved in the Security Council that sanctions might be eased, to bring the north to denuclearize the peninsula. (I see that as intervention, aimed to disarm the DPRK. But I don’t necessarily see that as a betrayal of socialism, because, necessity, because nuclear war is anti-Marxist—there is no radioactive mode of production, because I am not always right.) And making a big deal about the metro system in Vietnam after forgetting the Chinese invasion of 1979? Do you really take yourself seriously as an analyst? Or just as a malicious apologist who’ll say anything? It is by the way rich thinking that China is oh-so-generous for ignoring the betrayal of Vietnam siding with the USSR in the split, when even China continued to aid the Vietnamese against American imperialism at the time. You’re like those ultra-montane Catholics, who take more offense than the pope. That’s even more peculiar, given that the current leadership of the PRC is very much Dengist. At this point in time it is not at all clear that the Dengists (Liu was senior to Deng but they were very much the same side) don’t reject Mao as much as the Soviets did. So far as I can tell, the issues of the Sino-Soviet split and the internal issues between Mao and (Liu/)Deng have yet to be understood. That’s party because so much of Mao’s writings are still not published, as I understand it? But again, that gets into serious issues of socialism you wouldn’t be interested in.
Again, to onlookers, although this is partly a quarrel between two commenters, important issues are touched up. On my part it’s not just moronic insults.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Aug 30 2025 23:31 utc | 241

OMG, the MAGA pedos are all about Q-Anon right now.
Trump messaged on Truth Social,
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115119962578158249

“The World Will Soon Understand”
“Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming”

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Aug 30 2025 23:52 utc | 243

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 30 2025 18:16 utc | 234
I want to say further to my post above, Peter, that I am sympathetic to the wish to understand Putin as a way to understand, as you say, the ‘shape of the conflict’. So, I will add to your example of Putin answering the girl about having stood in the rain without an umbrella, that I immediately remembered what was happening in the huge Russian stadium as Putin was presenting the cup to the team from Croatia that had won the final match — it began to pour with rain. It actually seemed to delight him that this was happening. Again, Putin’s responses to the girl had to involve some amusement on his part, but also would have been a teaching moment as well. He is very open to that, with everyone, but especially children.
The conflict, though, has the shape that it has, not because of Putin himself, but because of the decisions of those who have entered into the conflict at its beginnings. So, I think it would be better to ask why they have pursued to their own countries’ destruction, this course. For Putin it is simple; he is defending Russia.
First and foremost.
Which brings me finally to the subject I wanted to raise when I first came and saw your post. Next comment!

Posted by: juliania | Aug 31 2025 1:20 utc | 245

As I said earlier, when others made comparisons of Putin and Trump to Jungean archetypes, or to Greek gods, my thoughts were quite different. I’ve said a lot about karlof’s substack on Putin’s meeting with Trump in Alaska, so this follows on from that. If archetypes are to be selected, my thought is to go – not to visions from mythology but to Scripture. It’s said that the difference between eastern Christianity and western is in Scriptural understanding, that eastern is Saint John, and western Saint Peter. So I will be bold and say that an icon for each would be Saint John for Putin and Saint Peter for Trump. This is because it was Saint Peter who had to deal with having denied Christ three times.
I go to the final scene in St. John’s Gospel for the friendship between the two and a meeting with the risen Christ – they’ve just been out fishing and caught a lot of fish, but they see him, and John says it is him they see. Peter jumps out of the boat and beats it to shore. It’s his first encounter since he had denied that he knew him. So, Christ asks him three times now, “Do you love me?” And Peter answers, finally “You know everything, Lord; you know that I love you!” And meanwhile to each response Christ has said, “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.”
Remember, this is John’s telling.(And I haven’t revisited it for a while, so apologies if I got it wrong.) Now, I am not saying that our Putin and our Trump are those saints in all respects — no, of course not. Just that their characters resemble those saints in that almost iconic landscape- Anchorage, Alaska.
Feed my lambs! Feed my sheep! It’s Peter that now is to do this. It is John that is his friend, who understands the task ahead. For both of them.

Posted by: juliania | Aug 31 2025 1:46 utc | 247

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 31 2025 1:23 utc | 246
I am not in disagreement about your assessment of the militant group which you describe, Peter. But that is by no means all that Ukraine is as a nation. It has, I do agree, been taken over by force (root causes we all know about or should) and having been aided and abetted by outside influences has changed the previous neutrality of an admittedly imperfect nation into what then became a threat to Russia, if not to the world as well.
I don’t question your integrity, Peter, and either or both of us may be very wrong, but you knew better than I how other influences had so degraded the country as to the biolabs, and we know the leaders have also used nuclear threats from the initial confrontations. I think we both want peace for the people of Ukraine; that’s the bottom line for me. Peace for them, and for Russia. And for the world.
Thanks very much for your response.

Posted by: juliania | Aug 31 2025 2:57 utc | 249

persiflo | Aug 31 2025 2:11 utc | 248
Interesting that they are taking Russian/Putin view on this.
Hitler easily conquered all of Europe then launched his Grande Armée on Russia/Soviet Union, his main target. Rus homeland was to be Germany’s living space.
Russia had neo-nazis but they went to Ukraine in 2022 to fight alongside the neo-nazis there.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 31 2025 4:10 utc | 251

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 31 2025 1:23 utc | 246
Of course, Peter, the other alternative is:-
We might both be right.
😉

Posted by: juliania | Aug 31 2025 8:08 utc | 253

After writing so many emails to my sister, speaking to her on the phone about what is occurring in the world as she was genuinely interested, I mentioned the new breed in the alternative media world that are now emerging. She said ‘Oh no. I only trust the mainstream media.
Fools do not deserve to die because they are fools. But because they are fools, they will die when they could have avoided death if they had not been fools.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 31 2025 3:36 utc | 250
It was beyond her grasp, Peter. But still you love her and that is what is important. We all die, and the wisdom of God is far beyond human understanding. It has to be, if God exists. And if he does, it stands to reason that we can only grasp the foolishness of God, which is wiser by far than the wisdom of men. It was foolish of him to make us; we cause him heartache. We are all foolish in God’s eyes but he, in his wisdom, loves us.
Some things are beyond the grasp of a human mind. I think it’s what Mary sings when she sings ‘My soul magnifies the Lord.’ It’s all a human person can do but she does it exceptionally well. Not all can do it, but she says ‘for he has regarded the humility of his handmaid’ – that final paragraph you gave that I was disagreeing with has humility in it – I don’t think we all can knowingly reach that level, but there it is.
When we are foolish we are quite lovable, though. As children are; it’s easy to love them. That’s the key; that’s how we connect with greater minds and they with us. At least she did ask; that was as far as she could go.

Posted by: juliania | Aug 31 2025 9:05 utc | 255

Anto-immigration demonstrators in Sydney seen having a Yum Cha lunch before heading to the march:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sydney/comments/1n4mdlt/when_youre_antiimmigration_but_proyum_cha/
Funnee

Posted by: Menz | Aug 31 2025 9:42 utc | 257

At what price?
Kobold metals wins lithium exploration rights in Dr Congo
29/08 – 06:55
US-based mining startup KoBold Metals, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, has been granted seven permits to explore for lithium in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials announced this week. The permits cover a 4,500-square-kilometer area in Manono, a region already home to one of the world’s richest lithium deposits. Congo, which supplies about 70% of the world’s cobalt, is positioning it…
The permits cover a 4,500-square-kilometer area in Manono, a region already home to one of the world’s richest lithium deposits. Congo, which supplies about 70% of the world’s cobalt, is positioning itself as a key player in the global clean energy transition, with lithium critical for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage.
KoBold, which uses AI-driven exploration technology, said it will begin geological surveys immediately. The company is already developing the world’s largest cobalt-copper project at Kolwezi in southern Congo.
Lithium demand is expected to quadruple by 2035, and Congo hopes to expand beyond cobalt to become a major supplier. But campaigners warn that new mining ventures must ensure transparency, community benefits, and environmental safeguards in a country long plagued by corruption and resource-driven conflict.
Officials say the move could help Congo attract more investment and strengthen its role in the global green economy.
https://www.africanews.com/2025/08/28/kobold-metals-wins-lithium-exploration-rights-in-dr-congo/

Posted by: Menz | Aug 31 2025 9:48 utc | 259

….. The deal involved restoring “security” to Haiti and collecting border taxes while keeping a percentage……
Imagine the opportunities for graft, insider discounts, and extortion in that little sentance.

Posted by: Exile | Aug 31 2025 11:43 utc | 261

The Brits are coming up with a new bill that would make anyone owning a parcel or a place responsible for any speech held on the premices.
Heard it here, at 58′
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stQgDvMIqYw
Orwell and Huxley were luminaries.

Posted by: Tom | Aug 31 2025 12:26 utc | 263

A step in the right direction for the people of Germany, though more Germans need to participate, as usual the jackbooted Polizei get heavy handed.
“An initially peaceful anti-war march in Cologne descended into violence on Saturday after activists clashed with police. Protesters were rallying against Berlin’s plans to boost military spending and aid for Ukraine and Israel.
The rally, which reportedly drew nearly 3,000 people, was organized by the anti-war group Disarm Rheinmetall, a reference to Germany’s top defense supplier. The group staged multiple demonstrations this week, including blocking access to a Bundeswehr building on Wednesday and protesting outside Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger’s home in Meerbusch, near Dusseldorf.
The activists said they were opposing the government’s plans to increase defense spending, expand the army through conscription, and provide military support to Ukraine and Israel.
Footage from Saturday’s protest showed banners reading “lay down your arms” and “We won’t die in your wars.” One protester told the video agency Ruptly that German militarization and NATO’s role in the Ukraine conflict marked “a significant step towards World War III.” Another criticized the government for channeling funds into the arms industry instead of social needs and education.”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 31 2025 13:14 utc | 265

Trump trying to get Modi of India to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.
“The New York Times: Trump hinted in a call with the Indian Prime Minister that he should nominate him for the Nobel Prize, as Pakistan did.
The New York Times, citing sources: Modi told Trump that the ceasefire was arranged directly with Pakistan and that U.S. intervention had no role in it”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 31 2025 13:34 utc | 267

Complete list of confirmed assassinations from the August 28th Israeli strike against Sana’a:
-Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi
-Minister of Information Hashem Sharaf al-Din
-Minister of Justice Ahmed Abdullah Ali
-Minister of Electricity Ali Saif Mohammed
-Minister of Foreign Affairs Jamal bin Amer
-Minister of Youth and Sports Mohammed al-Mawlid
-Minister of Local Administration Mohammed al-Madani

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 31 2025 13:38 utc | 269

juliania | Aug 31 2025 9:05 utc | 255
I used my sisters mindset more to illustrate the mindset of the moderates that choose to fight for the ideals of extremists.
They will not survive.
Now there is forced conscription in Ukraine. Those being kidnapped off the streets had eight years to leave. Now they cannot leave. The borders are fenced, mined, covered in surveillance and patrolled to prevent them escaping. They will eventually all be caught, sent to the frontlines and killed.
As Putin said to the \young teens at Sirius, he is not made of sugar. I have long thought that if need be, Putin is capable of being every bit as ruthless as Stalin.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Aug 31 2025 14:55 utc | 271

To their credit, Somalis who are in harms way from American bombs have a greater willingness to take to the streets and condemn Bushism than American citizens do

From some wag, Some years ago,

There wont be any rev in USAss,period.
Those couch potatoes wouldnt lift their sad ass until one day bombs start falling on their heads !

For centuries, the gringo were content to watch bombs falling on other peoples head, thats why no credible antiwar movements to reign in the war pigs.
Other than a pitiful few heroines like Kathy Kelly etc.

Posted by: denk | Aug 31 2025 15:57 utc | 273

Peter AU1 (270).
After a bit of research I think you could be right.
https://siannyrooney.substack.com/p/the-enigmatic-western-backed-colour
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Prabowo_Subianto

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Aug 31 2025 17:00 utc | 275

Just a comment on the title: Isn’t that applicable to many international organisations? E.g. there are contradictions within NATO and EU too, but in every photo op they all look glued.

Posted by: anders hansson | Sep 1 2025 7:47 utc | 277

Sure Yeltsin russia wasn’t perfect but if we included them then
maybe we could have enough influence to shape them a bit towards not attacking there neighbors
or maybe they would be a worse turkey

Posted by: BATIRONSHARK | Sep 1 2025 9:02 utc | 279

Tit-for-tat.
” The United States and its NATO ally Norway staged a show of force with naval ships and aircraft on Russia’s doorstep in the contested Arctic region
Russia Sends Warships Near Alaska on ‘Patriotic’ Mission.
The Russian naval deployment is part of the military’s effort to highlight what it described as “heroism” during the special military operation, Moscow’s term for the invasion of Ukraine.”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Sep 1 2025 14:31 utc | 281

And here it is the false flag that we’ve been waiting for to give the Yanks the green light to illegally invade or attack Venezuela.
“Guyana says shots fired from Venezuela at boat carrying election materials — AFP”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Sep 1 2025 14:41 utc | 283

No. Not even close to being comparable!
China is waging an economic war on Russia, destroying Russias businesses at an insane rate! Putin also did get a pretty boring reception. Everyone else got the full show, Putin just got a handshake!
Modi tried to approach China in 2018, but fell out quickly with China again! There is also a big portion of India that is raging that Modi showed up!
Xi is also in its own league! India and Russia are Middle Powers!

Posted by: North Protection | Sep 1 2025 18:20 utc | 285

Russia economically integrated with Europe and experienced tremendous growth in the 00s and early 10s Incomes were ~4x in 2013 as they were in 1991 when the USSR collapsed, so about 6.5% YoY increase. That’s despite the fall in the 90s which meant the 00s were an even bigger boom (5x increase from 98 to 2013; ~11.3% YoY growth)….then invaded Crimea, requiring years to recover in GDP PPP per capita and never recovering in nominal terms.
They have growth still since the war, but all war economies do. They’ve revised the annual budget from 0.5% deficit to 1.7% but in 7 months already blew past it at 2.2% so year end will be 3.5-4% depending how payments are structured and if they adjust things. Yes, their debt to GDP ratio is low. Problem is, their 10 year bonds are 14% and will likely rise as interest rate hikes are the only way to stem inflation. Oh and that ~20% of GDP cannot be reduced and has to be refinanced and most of it was at ~6% rates. The problem will worsen as expenditure grew at 20%+ while revenues grew at <3% and with unemployment as it is, there's no real slack left. Even if the war ends, they will have a million+ wounded men to deal with along with mustering out payments. Those who fled aren't likely to return either...
So they were on a fairly solid economic path thanks to integrating with Europe. They leveraged massive natural resources from oil to gas to coal to timber to diamonds to give the desperate infusion of physical capital they need. Most Russian manufacturing was hand to mouth already and needs access to countries like Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Japan who are all notable machine tools exporters as well as western markets overall to finance it. They threw it all away to get modest gains in a country filled with people who hate them at the cost of most military reserve stockpiles, and at least 1.1 million casualties and counting. I doubt ascension to NATO would have changed this path.

Posted by: God Given Talent | Sep 1 2025 23:04 utc | 287

@ malenkov | Sep 2 2025 2:59 utc | 288
looks like a bunch of different posters, but they might all be the same person.. same message either way, lol..

Posted by: james | Sep 2 2025 4:17 utc | 289

looks like a bunch of different posters, but they might all be the same person..
Posted by: james | Sep 2 2025 4:17 utc | 289
______
Entirely possible, james!

Posted by: malenkov | Sep 2 2025 12:03 utc | 291