Paranoia suggests a higher than usual chance of a pro-zionist or anti-venezuelan false flag connected to the Nobel peace price some time during the next two weeks, in other words Oslo.
 

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Nov 27 2025 23:36 utc | 104

Well, the information about the Leitz 5008 was certainly a low point, lol. But the German post-punk scene was complete news to me. I’ll dig into it when I’m home from the tavern later. By the way, my own bassplaying reminds me of Holger Czukay, and I even look a bit like him. My favourite Can track is Mother Sky.

Posted by: persiflo | Nov 27 2025 23:53 utc | 106

I know that B doesn’t think much of LLMs, but even google’s search one (fully RAG enabled) can do a good sum up (properly asked)
Yes, I’m pasting a google answer, it’s interesting enough to ponder (and even explains clearly why the region went from chanson française to wagner, though ignoring economic and financial Neo-colonial  issues)
 

the situation for ECOWAS could be described as facing an existential
crisis of legitimacy and cohesion, on the brink of potential disintegration.
The situation is characterized by a significant divide between the remaining democratic coastal states and the military-led regimes of the Sahel.
 
The Current Status of ECOWAS
As of late 2025, the breakdown of ECOWAS membership is as follows:
 

Status
Country(ies)
Situation

Withdrawn
Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger
These three nations formally exited ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, after denouncing the bloc’s sanctions and perceived foreign influence. They have formed their own mutual defense pact, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Suspended
Guinea
Guinea was suspended in September 2021 following a military coup that ousted President Alpha Condé. It remains suspended until constitutional order is restored.

Suspended
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau was also suspended following a recent military coup in November 2025, which saw President Umaro Sissoco Embaló detained and the constitutional process disrupted.

 
The Situation: A Deepening Crisis
With the withdrawal of three core founding members and the continued suspension of two others, the situation could be said to be:

• A “Coup Belt” vs. Democracy Divide: The crisis has created a clear geographical and ideological split within the region. The remaining 10 active member states (Benin, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo) are largely democratic coastal nations, while a continuous “belt” of military-led countries has now formed across the Sahel.
• Weakened Regional Security: The seceding nations accuse ECOWAS of failing to help them fight jihadist insurgencies, a primary reason for their pivot toward alliances with Russia. The lack of unified security cooperation is a major concern for regional stability.
• Economic Uncertainty: The free movement of people and goods, a cornerstone of the ECOWAS treaty, is now under threat, creating potential economic hardships and administrative hassles for citizens and businesses across the region.
• Loss of Credibility: The inability of ECOWAS to enforce its own protocols against unconstitutional changes of government without causing a complete fracture has led to a “legitimacy crisis” in the eyes of some observers and citizens.

The collective situation is a significant test for the future of West African integration, which has been the strongest and most active regional bloc on the continent for nearly 50 years
 
 

Posted by: Newbie | Nov 28 2025 0:16 utc | 108

Posted by: WD | Nov 27 2025 12:24 utc |4
 
On Venezuela, here is a thoughtprovoking videa from Dialogue Works, in particular Alex Krainer’s discussion of a possible alternative story about what is happening there.  Also, he has a comment about Canada as a source of the problem, which I’m wondering about.  I’ll watch it again, but I think these remarks come in the second part of the interview.  Here it is:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyy7gxg8Kak&t=3392s

Posted by: juliania | Nov 28 2025 0:33 utc | 110

Trump’s administration is losing it, IMO
 
White House Tells Reporter To “Shut The F**k Up” for Saying National Guard Should “Never Have Been” In DC
 
And then there is the issue of the shooter being CIA and let into the country for that……..pretty much supports my Ouroboros notion of social decline, eh?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 28 2025 0:56 utc | 112

“Newbie” ( Nov 27 2025 23:43 utc | 103 ):
Huh, Paranoimia, interesting, I don’t remember it at all. A Max Headroom version too. It says April 1986. 1986 was of course the year of Chernobyl but that news broke later, not sure why I missed this one or maybe I just forgot or it didn’t stick. No radio play? MTV? It got some chart time. I might give it a listen when I’ve sorted my computer troubles.
 

Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | Nov 28 2025 0:59 utc | 114

@101 lex

“I guess the open thread is open territory to discuss popular culture….
I feel bad talking about music and fun stuff often…”

Speaking for myself, lively more cheerful conversation etc. I appreciate finding . Especially given how heavy the mood is currently on several other topics. Will add the following for contrast:

In the sky

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kzi9AdDxpKY

Posted by: Ornot | Nov 28 2025 1:11 utc | 116

[…] My favourite Can track is Mother Sky.
Posted by: persiflo | Nov 27 2025 23:53 utc | 105

 
Hot damn, persi, haven’t heard that track in yonks. Thanks for giving us the link. Beethoven had nothing on these guys.

Posted by: Juan Moment | Nov 28 2025 1:14 utc | 118

Say what you want about Tsipras, but I think this passage is good evidence against the Western argument that Putin wants puppet states and soft power in the West. Putin was essentially offered a Western client state on a platter, and refused it. I think in Putin’s grand vision, he wanted to watch the EU burn Greece to the ground (which they did), as the EU destroying one of their own would be more useful to Putin’s vision than anything else.
Posted by: Dankgis Khan | Nov 28 2025 1:08 utc | 112
 
Russia does not do shitty countries in shitty situations with geopolitical risks far beyond any possible advantage.
 
A quarter of a century before that, soviet union dropped portugal on the same logic. Waste not, want not.

Posted by: Newbie | Nov 28 2025 1:15 utc | 120

Posted by: Dankgis Khan | Nov 28 2025 1:08 utc | 112
 

…t I think this passage is good evidence against the Western argument that Putin wants puppet states and soft power in the West. Putin was essentially offered a Western client state on a platter, and refused it….

Thank you for your post, Dankgis.  I did not know this had happened.  I was following online mostly at nakedcapitalism.com when Greece was in the spotlight, and Tsipras seemed to fold contrary to what his people expected of him.  I can remember being annoyed with Yves since her take was ‘there is no alternative’ and Germany at the time was top dog in the EU.  I’m not sure your reading of Putin’s motive is correct, but most certainly  it would not have helped for him to do as he had been offered to do.  I hope he did it for the right reasons, even if at the time it may simply have been that Russia was in no position to accept such an offer.
 
Your post lets me know how much we ordinary people really don’t and can’t know.  I watched the Alex Krainer interview again, saw much I hadn’t seen first time around.  I hope others will watch it as well, highly recommend it.   Much is speculation  but  that is not disguised as fact; I like that.
 
Alex made a point on the Venezuela situation that under Biden’s open door policy people were pouring across the southern border of the US, which was discontinued under Trump.  That is a worthwhile point of consideration as ICE definitely has been front and center ever since.  The same problem happened as I remember with Cuba, that Castro had opened his prisons and sent them in waves of immigration USward at one point, Florida of course being where they landed.  Perhaps that was an issue as Alex supposes.
 

Posted by: juliania | Nov 28 2025 2:30 utc | 122

[…] My favourite Can track is Mother Sky.
Posted by: persiflo | Nov 27 2025 23:53 utc | 105
 
 
Hot damn, persi, haven’t heard that track in yonks. Thanks for giving us the link. Beethoven had nothing on these guys.
 
Posted by: Juan Moment | Nov 28 2025 1:14 utc | 115
 
I’ll take Beethoven.  

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Nov 28 2025 2:36 utc | 124

Refinnejenna | Nov 28 2025 1:14 utc | 116
 
Italian company Acco made some large machinery for that project. To large dozers and a grader. All the largest ever built.Due to the US/Nato destruction of Libya, none were delivered. One dozer remains on display. Plenty of video can be found on youtube.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 28 2025 2:45 utc | 126

Posted by: Femi | Nov 27 2025 18:18 utc | 50
 
Femi, Welcome. 

Posted by: Menz | Nov 28 2025 2:56 utc | 128

Femi’s Blog, I recommend it, especially with the dearth of  balanced reporting on Africa in the MSM.

Posted by: Menz | Nov 28 2025 3:00 utc | 130

A recent thought has occurred to me, spurred by Karlof1 and Johan Kaspar’s comments re China/Japan. 
 
Germany is openly declaring militarism, followed by the new Japanese PM. 
 
Either former cronies are now vying for influence due to the obvious decline of Empire to dictate terms or dying Empire is encouraging global mayhem to remind everyone how good things were under the world’s Policeman.
 
Strange how rejection of US overtures for occupation of Bagram Air Base has led to increased terrorism in that region and conflict between India/Pakistan/Afghanistan. Not to mention Gen Z style colour revolutions in pro Chinese Nepal and Bangladesh. 
 
Too early to make head or tail of Naive’s post re coup in Africa. 
 
Now we have an Afghan shooter.
 
Will moon asked if Mossad is part of Deep State 🤔. 
 
Since the open unopposed ongoing Genocide, I tend to believe Zionists/NeoCon/Mossad/Israel are just all different heads of the same Hydra. 

Posted by: Suresh | Nov 28 2025 3:20 utc | 132

My latest on China’s Major Energy Moves all about removing dependency upon the West, developing new growing industries and becoming the “green” leader of the future.

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 28 2025 3:41 utc | 134

The Cradle: ‘Imperial Blowback’
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgxVDGqQXbE
 
“US soldiers shot in DC by CIA asset.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Nov 28 2025 4:09 utc | 136

Posted by: S | Nov 27 2025 21:29 utc | 85

I apologise for being abrupt. It was late and I was tired with no time to go on about the matter. Not that I have much more time now, it’s early and I’m about to go to work. I’m writing something but I’ll post it this evening when I’ll be home.

Posted by: xiao pignouf | Nov 28 2025 5:05 utc | 138

I’m writing something but I’ll post it this evening when I’ll be home.
 
Posted by: xiao pignouf | Nov 28 2025 5:05 utc | 135

Great, thank you!

Posted by: S | Nov 28 2025 5:09 utc | 140

AD ASTRA   To the stars
 
Our species is going to need a frontier to absorb all the unused human resources that technology and other efficiencies have contributed to the “labor” necessary to provide for human basics….I understand not evenly distributed yet.
 
The elites would off a big chunk of humanity and have no qualms about it but perhaps our 90+% should take humanity back from the God Of Mammon cult that uses global private finance to control us folks at the bottom of our top/bottom world.
 
On a global scale we need to redefine what the responsibility and expected benefits should be for us and our forms of social organization/governments.  Humanity needs to take social planning out of the back room of private think tanks and make social planning an ongoing part of what it is to be part of society.
I believe that our species can learn to live and prosper with each other and set our sights for the future as we did in our past, on the stars.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 28 2025 5:34 utc | 142

My brother, Captain Traore, is the model Muslim man in the spirit of the Prophet SAW, IMO.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 28 2025 6:01 utc | 144

Some tickers are showing Silver is making a new all time high.
 

Posted by: too scents | Nov 28 2025 6:12 utc | 146

Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 28 2025 6:09 utc | 146
 
#####
 
Spoof?
 
I really don’t understand.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 28 2025 6:45 utc | 148

144 is me.
 
I was making a point that Traore is a Muslim, and a damn good one, IMO.
 
Not all Muslims are headchoppers or degenerate oil royalty.
 
Some are revolutionaries and socialists. I believe that is the true spirit of Islam.
 
Leaders and fathers of nations as Gaddafi was.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 28 2025 7:11 utc | 150

Fair enough. You went a bit of the charts there.
 
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 28 2025 7:15 utc | 154
 
#####
 
Mate, I have never been on the charts. Predictability is death.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 28 2025 7:19 utc | 152

My latest on China’s Major Energy Moves all about removing dependency upon the West, developing new growing industries and becoming the “green” leader of the future.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | Nov 28 2025 3:41 utc | 134
 

Excellent summary, Roger. When it comes to trends in the energy sector, there is little doubt which way the wind is blowing. China’s transformation is one of the most dominant factors in this regard.
 

Excerpt: “With oil consumption continuing to decline in Europe, and on a plateau in the US, the Chinese reductions could offset increases in other regions; resulting in falling global oil demand. Especially if cheap Chinese EVs start to make an increasing impact in other nations outside the West (e.g. Southeast Asia, South America and Africa).”

 
Just came back from a trip to Vietnam. Amazed seeing the number of EV in their cities. With many SEA nations subsidizing petrol prices to keep inflation in check, a hefty part of their budget expenditure, more and more governments in the region are promoting the take up of electric cars and motorbikes. With the charging infrastructure becoming increasingly widespread, give it another 10 years and the majority of cars on the road won’t run no more.

Posted by: Juan Moment | Nov 28 2025 7:38 utc | 154

“won’t run <on fossil fuels> no more.”

Posted by: Juan Moment | Nov 28 2025 7:41 utc | 156

unimperator | Nov 28 2025 7:55 utc | 160
 
Many preach silver due to its industrial useage. I look at what non western governments are stashing in their central bank vaults. Which is best, I do not know. Both have been currencies, gold still is. Time will tell on the difference if any between the two I guess.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 28 2025 8:05 utc | 158

CME halted due to technical outrage.
 

Posted by: too scents | Nov 28 2025 8:43 utc | 160

I watched/listened to Krainer earlier today. He tends to think the American NABU investigation runs deep and is aimed at exposing the corruption of the EU and the likes of Starmer, Macron and Merz ect.
 
The thumb screws are being turned.
Reuters- 
Anti-corruption authorities in Ukraine said they conducted searches linked to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff and top peace negotiator Andriy Yermak on Friday…..
 
……”NABU and SAPO are conducting investigative actions (searches) at the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine,” they said. “Investigative actions are authorized and are being carried out within the framework of an investigation.”
…………
 
Krainer believes the financial scam of the war against Russia to be somewhere from 50 billion up to 100 billion.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 28 2025 9:25 utc | 162

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 28 2025 9:45 utc | 166
It seems you are onto something here. Most likely reason why Eurotards are going bananas. 
This generation of unelected tards was used to living without accountability, flipping it around horrifies them and they would rather even have Europe nuked.

Posted by: unimperator | Nov 28 2025 9:53 utc | 164

The house of cards comes down. 
A lot of pieces are fitting together 
It was only a matter of time.
Will Yermak run?

Posted by: Bingo | Nov 28 2025 12:10 utc | 166

Don‘t forget  10% for the big guy 

Posted by: Exile | Nov 28 2025 12:23 utc | 168

After US supplied lethal long range missiles to Jp….
 
South China Morning Post
Japan’s export of lethal weapons to US ‘extremely dangerous’:
Chinese analysts
1 day ago

Posted by: denk | Nov 28 2025 13:16 utc | 170

@Roger Boyd | Nov 28 2025 3:41 utc. 
 
Your latest on China’s Major Energy Moves  … all about removing dependency upon the West, developing new growing industries and becoming the “green” leader of the future.
 
is well  worth the  read.
 
I frequently suggest that the West start the transit from “expropriator of others’ wealth” to “creators of wealth for themselves and concurrently for others”. China has figured this out. They have decided to make themselves actually useful to the rest of the world, and that is a winning strategy. 
 
With respect  to the “green” aspect, China has also figured  out how to  walk and chew gum at the same time. They produce products that deliver all the benefits of the “old” way, while meeting a second set of requirements: fixing the planet.
 
This, of course, takes extra skill (capacity and ability to model  forward into the  future).  Which, evidently, China has.
 
Walk and chew gum at  the same time: deliver the goods  and make  money, _and fix the planet_. 
 
But there’s more to this story. China is showing that they can walk, chew  gum, and juggle at the same time – deliver the  goods at a profit, fix  the  planet _and_ fix the culture … well, they seem to be doing that, too.
 
Hum. It appears to be possible. Who’da thunk it. 
 
In order to achieve these sort of things, you have to  look past the technical, and economic, and  political roadblocks. You have to have the ability to identify the Big Potentials, and work through the road-blocks long and well enough to make the new possible, then practical, then acceptable.
 
Bean-counters and the other “practical”  types don’t have what it takes to do this sort of thing. That’s why it’s not a good idea to install  incremental-thinkers, next-quarter-financials-focused turtles into leadership positions.
 
Which is, of course, what “financialization” does. Financialization’s objective is wealth extraction (next  quarter’s dividends to share-holders), not long-term wealth creation.
 
It’s not possible  to  create  new  industries via Financialization thinking. To create  new  industries, you need  visionaries, tenacious, innovative, risk-taking, long-term-grind-capable players.

Posted by: Tom Pfotzer | Nov 28 2025 13:23 utc | 172

Pale faced, forked tongue…
 
Atimes.com
OPINION
China’s act of war against PM Takaichi and Japan
By GRANT NEWSHAM

Posted by: denk | Nov 28 2025 13:26 utc | 174

The Trump response to the DC shooting of two WV National Guard, sending more troops to DC, turns out to be inadvertently comical: The shooter was apparently from San Diego. Also, the guy was apparently an Afghan collaborator with US invaders, unimpeachably conservative (except for presumed religion and skin color.) Frankly it’s not even clear that troops should have been sent to San Diego instead. It’s clear the point is military operations against the civilian population. That is technically civil war, even if people are aping Buchanan instead of Lincoln. 
 
The other response, racist twaddle about no Third World immigrants, is even more contemptible. Given the Thanksgiving holiday, this cartoon may be of interest: Occasional artwork: Because It’s The Dream — Crooked Timber  Note the cartoon dates to 1869, so it’s not woke conspiracy. 

Posted by: steven t johnson | Nov 28 2025 14:01 utc | 176

Latest
From the ‘blessed’ island Ryukyu,
‘protected’ by the West from the accursed Han
————–
U.S. Navy sailor accused of indecent acts on teen in Okinawa
 
7 days ago — NAHA–Police sent papers to prosecutors on a U.S. Navy sailor suspected of committing indecent acts against a teenage girl one month after a …
Report on violence against Ryukyu:Okinawa indigenous …
U.S. Marine says has no memory of sexual assault .
18 Nov 2025 — A U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa said Tuesday he could not recall any incident involving sexual assault and injury in a U.S. military base …
————————
What happens if I tell you this has been going on for the past 80 years on the US/Jp colonised Ryukyu island ?
—————————
The Guardian
24 Apr 2025 —
Marine in court denies sexually assaulting woman in gym …
 
Stars and Stripes
18 Nov 2025 —
Pfc. Austin Wedington, during his first appearance in Naha District Court, pleaded not guilty to forcible sexual intercourse  …
 
Okinawan rights ignored as military crimes persist
East Asia Forum
20 Aug 2025 —
A sexual assault case involving a US marine has reignited anger over the long-standing impunity and marginalisation faced by Okinawans under …
‘Unforgivable’:
Thousands rally on Okinawa … –
Aug 12, 2024
The protest was originally organized to mark the 20th anniversary of a U.S. military helicopter crash at nearby Okinawa International University, but the recent indictments took up much of the focus.
JAPAN Forward
Anti-Base Protesters Disrupt Miyakojima Defense Drill
Sep 19, 2025
Radical protests have repeatedly disrupted military activities in Okinawa.
In January, opposition activists forced a transport helicopter to abandon its planned landing during disaster relief training in Nago City.
Okinawa women protest string of sex crime cases by U.S. military
Jan 23, 2025
NAHA–An Okinawan women’s group staged a large protest rally in front of the Okinawa prefectural government building here on Jan. 22 against a recent series of sex crimes committed by U.S …
The Japan Times
2024 › 12 › 23
Okinawa people stage rally against sexual assaults by U.S. servicemen
Dec 23, 2024
Okinawa – Over 2,500 people staged a rally in the city of Okinawa on Sunday to protest against sexual assaults on local girls and women by U.S. servicemen stationed in Okinawa Prefecture. ..
Okinawa protests central government not sharing U.S. troop sex crime cases
Jul 3, 2024
The Okinawa governor protested Wednesday to the central government for not sharing information about cases of U.S. military personnel accused of committing sexual crimes in the southern Japan island prefecture.
 
Okinawa Protests Surge Against U.S. Military Sexual Assault Cases
Apr 25, 2025
Protests erupted in Okinawa and Tokyo this week as anger over sexual violence by U.S. military personnel reaches a boiling point . Residents held silent vigils and rallies, demanding accountability after two U.S.
Marines in their 20s were recently referred to prosecutors for alleged assaults – the latest in a string of cases since June 2023.
Okinawa governor delivers protest letter over sex crime allegation …
Jan 17, 2025
Okinawa’s governor has delivered official protest letters to two Japanese government officials over the latest sexual assault allegation against a U.S. service member.
Japan protests sex assault cases involving US military on Okinawa and …
Japan’s government has protested to the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo over at least two sexual assault cases involving American servicemembers on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa which have only recently been made public.
 
Fat lot of good it does !
Okinawa Protests Spark Outrage Over Sexual Assaults
Apr 25, 2025
In a powerful display of community solidarity, protests erupted on Thursday in Okinawa and Tokyo over alleged sexual assaults by U.S. servicemen stationed in Okinawa. Around 30 resi
—————–
VOX POPULI:
Okinawa left in stasis 30 years after major U.S. military protest
October 21, 2025 at 12:30 JST
Protesters opposing the U.S. military’s Futenma base pump their fists in the air while chanting “Gambaro (fight on)” in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
In 1995, I saw for the first time what a blazing conflagration, feeding on popular outrage, could look like.
 
The scene was televised from the city of Ginowan in Okinawa Prefecture, where 85,000 citizens packed a field to protest the gang rape of a local schoolgirl by U.S. servicemen.
 
Fat lot of good it does !
 
Until then, I had always thought of Okinawans as mild-mannered and soft-spoken. But seeing for the first time how intense they could be, I could not take my eyes off the TV screen.
 
Some demonstrators raised placards in the Okinawan dialect that read, “Nijitin nijiraran”
(We cannot bear this anymore).
 
Seeing those words, Okinawa Governor Masahide Ota, who was to deliver a prepared speech at the rally, decided to go off the script.
 
Putting away his notes in his pocket, he resolved to “just say what I think in my own words.”
 
He asserted powerfully to the effect: “So far, Okinawa has always cooperated with Tokyo and Washington. But now it is their turn to cooperate with Okinawa.”
 
That was on Oct. 21, exactly 30 years ago.
 
Both Ota and then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama are already deceased, and the clock keeps ticking inexorably.
 
But the resolution to “review the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement,” adopted at the rally, has not materialized even under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba who is pro-review.
 
As for the other resolution to “downscale U.S. bases,” everything has moved so slowly that whatever downscaling has been achieved is being overshadowed by the growing influence and presence of the Self-Defense Forces in Okinawa.
 
The problem, as pointed out by Ota in his book, is “the fact that the idea of turning Okinawa once again into the stronghold of national defense is now being realized.“
 
His words weigh heavily today.
What is Okinawa to Japan?
What course is the Japanese government setting for Okinawa, and where does it want Okinawa to go?
I am reminded of a poem by Kenichiro Yara, an Okinawan poet. It goes to the effect:
“Feeling my way around with my hand on the fence/ This island feels like a mirror house with no exit.”
 
—The Asahi Shimbun, Oct. 21
* * *
——————————–
Protests against the US military presence in Okinawa
Protests_against_the_U…Massive protests of US military presence in Okinawa followed across Japan with an estimated 30 million Japanese citizens participating.
 
Fat lot of good it does !
 
South China Morning Post
23 Sept 2025 —
Protests that disrupted a major Japan–US military exercise in Okinawa have drawn strong condemnation from the Japanese defence minister, …
 
Reddit · 
3 comments · 1 day ago
The U.S. military ignored protests from Okinawa Prefecture and conducted its eighth parachute training exercise at Kadena Air Base this year.
Protests Against U.S. Military Base Policy in Asia
Stanford University Press
Protesters demanded Okinawa’s reversion to Japan and the closure of all U.S. military bases. The third wave followed the rape of a twelve-year-old girl by three …
US, Japanese authorities face renewed protests over …
2 May 2025 —
Okinawa’s prefectural government lodged formal protests Friday with Japanese and US authorities following a Marine’s indictment in an alleged sexual assault.
Okinawa a reluctant host for US troops
80 years after WWII
The Straits Times
14 Aug 2025 —
A string of incidents involving US military personnel, including sexual assault cases, have angered residents.
Okinawa’s vocal anti-US military base movement
 
Lowy Institute
17 Feb 2022 —
Environmental damage and gendered violence are flashpoints on the tiny island dominated by US troops.
—————————–
For 80 years, the world press routinely reported above ‘incidents’ as if those were sport events !
 
Where’re the world cop and its G7 deputies ?
 
Where’re the human rights activists, especially those vociferous feminine movements ?
 
What if I tell you the perp were none other than the sheriff and its deputies ?
 

Posted by: denk | Nov 28 2025 14:48 utc | 178

This is another thing the West just doesn’t seem to fucking understand about Putin. People mistakenly assume he operates Russia like how Xi operates China (or how the USSR operated at its economic peak). The establishment politicians in the West are so out-of-touch that they truly think Putin is out there expanding the Russian sphere of influence and hoovering up new countries to join his campaign, and that’s his whole motivation for Ukraine. But it’s simply not reality.
Putin doesn’t give a rat about any of that. Russia is his own personal domain (and piggy bank), and he really doesn’t give a rat about some altruistic bridge building with random countries around the world. He doesn’t care. He just wants to be king of his domain and maintain the sphere that has existed for over a century at this point, and not have the West encroach on that. He might show interest in how certain countries play a role in furthering his perspective on the world stage, or fuck around in Western countries to sow discourse, but he really doesn’t care about world domination or any of the nonsense spewed in the West.
So it’s funny to me to see a Western politician use Western logic to try to court Putin.

Posted by: Zephyrus Blows 🌬️ | Nov 28 2025 14:58 utc | 180

2018
 
Trump on SK 
 
‘They won’t do it without our approval.
They do nothing without our approval.”
 
Ditto Israel, Jap, UKraine, Ph,……

Posted by: denk | Nov 28 2025 15:32 utc | 182

I believe that our species can learn to live and prosper with each other and set our sights for the future as we did in our past, on the stars.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 28 2025 5:34 utc | 142
 
Sure, the stars can inspire and teach us, psychohistorian, but earth comes first!  There’s plenty of work needing to be done with shovels and rakes down here where we belong, psychohistorian.  We have to put our priorities where it will do the most good.  China has shown the way with its greenbelt surrounding and containing deserts.  It would be fantastic if we simply recognized that first essentials come first and restored our beautiful planet!

Posted by: juliania | Nov 28 2025 15:51 utc | 184

I watched/listened to Krainer earlier today. He tends to think the American NABU investigation runs deep and is aimed at exposing the corruption of the EU and the likes of Starmer, Macron and Merz ect. The thumb screws are being turned.Reuters- Anti-corruption authorities in Ukraine said they conducted searches linked to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff and top peace negotiator Andriy Yermak on Friday….. ……”NABU and SAPO are conducting investigative actions (searches) at the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine,” they said. “Investigative actions are authorized and are being carried out within the framework of an investigation.”…………Krainer believes the financial scam of the war against Russia to be somewhere from 50 billion up to 100 billion.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Nov 28 2025 9:25 utc | 165
 
Thanks, Peter!
 
 

Posted by: juliania | Nov 28 2025 16:01 utc | 186

@ canuk | Nov 27 2025 20:23 utc | 81
 
thanks canuk… yes – all very murky and not much in the way of substantial info, but lots of speculation.. it is a shame we can’t find out more..  i wonder who epsteins boss is? i wonder if he is a part of this mysterious power structure that bankers conform with? 
 
@  petergrfstrm | Nov 27 2025 22:14 utc | 92
 
thanks.. it sounds as though you are getting much of your ideas on this directly from carroll quigleys work ‘tragedy and hope’… is that correct?? i haven’t read this book, and the specific parts of this book that outline much of quigleys thinking on this group of individuals… obviously many of these people – maybe all – have died.. who has replaced them, or have they been replaced?  
 
—- had a gig out of town yesterday and didn’t get back til late… 

Posted by: james | Nov 28 2025 16:28 utc | 188

Sounds to me like the Danish authorities are shit sacred – that Trumps invades Greenland or find another way to acquire the huge mineral rich landmass.
 
“Denmark’s Foreign Ministry has created a nightly monitoring team, nicknamed the “night watch,” to track Trump’s statements and actions while Danish officials are asleep. The team works from 5 PM to 7 AM and delivers a daily morning report across the government. The system was introduced after the diplomatic clash earlier this year over Greenland, when Trump threatened to take control of the island. Danish officials say they’ve had to adapt their diplomacy and bureaucracy to the realities of Trump’s second administration”

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Nov 28 2025 16:33 utc | 190

Posted by: Exile | Nov 28 2025 12:23 utc | 171
 
“Don‘t forget 10% for the big guy”
 
Well, it was only fair if you incorporated in Delaware 

Posted by: lachaussette | Nov 28 2025 16:58 utc | 192

Posted by: malenkov | Nov 28 2025 17:02 utc | 196
 
#######
 
The Burkinabe government is not a Western government. They do not have professional media departments.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Nov 28 2025 17:19 utc | 194

NHK
In 2014 Islamist militant group Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls, many of them Christian.
 
US President Donald Trump said earlier this month that many Christians are being killed in Nigeria. He said the US could take military action if the Nigerian government fails to address the issue.
—————–
Nigeria backgrounder…
 
Create crisis, manufactured outrage, boot on the ground
 
Wash, rinse, recycle
 
‘——————
‘
In response to the growing influence of a rapidly expanding industrial China in Africa, the goal of AFRICOM is to seize key strategic areas in Africa and bring them under US control in order to block China’s access to vital energy and mineral resources for its expanding economy. But to effectively carry this out, such African countries of strategic importance must first of all be weakened internally and made to feel so vulnerable that they would have to inevitably seek US protection or intervention. A spur to this interventionist programme provides that any targeted African country that does not see the wisdom or resists the need to seek US “protection” will then have to suffer dismemberment with the pliant area carved out of the supposedly hostile area and given US “protection”.
 
We have seen this happen in the great lakes area where US Special Forces have been deployed ostensibly to protect the countries there from so-called insurgents who in the first place were sponsored by the same US. In Sudan we have seen how a blanket cover of international humanitarian cries orchestrated by the United States on the so-called Darfur crisis served as a prelude to the dismemberment of Sudan to punish the government of El-Bashir for daring to conclude oil deals with the Chinese to the detriment of American companies.
 
We have also seen how Libya and Gaddafi was put to the sword for daring to sidetrack American oil interests. {See: NewsRescue-The NATO “liberated” Libya Terror “tidal wave” over North Africa} But the greatest prize for AFRICOM and its goal to plant a PAX AMERICANA in Africa would be when it succeeds in the most strategic African country, NIGERIA. This is where the raging issue of BOKO HARAM and the widely reported prediction by the United States Intelligence Council on the disintegration of Nigeria by 2015 comes into perspective.
 
https://tinyurl.com/5xerhaw2
 
Thats all folks !

Posted by: denk | Nov 28 2025 17:51 utc | 196

A note on Canadas involvement in the destruction of Libya.  I wrote the following two articles in 2011 exposing Canada and our defense minister.
 
REPORTING · 10th August 2011
IS CANADA ARMING THE LIBYAN REBELS WITH C7 ASSAULT RIFLES?
Merv Ritchie

 
This past June the Afghanistan police force decided to ask Canada to take back their gift. The gift was two and a half thousand Canadian made military assault rifles and ammunition. These 1980 era guns were extra rifles the Canadian Military no longer needed yet it still cost Canada $9 million to deliver them to, and train, the Afghan Army. In January of 2008 the Canadian Forces were training their army how to use them and today they are now considered surplus arms again. The question is; where are they?The C7 is considered a much better assault rifle than an AK 47 and is very similar to the M16. The USA delivered over 100,000 M16’s to Afghanistan, which is why the 2500 C7’s were to be returned. Now the Afghan Army will all be using the same weapon, the M16.Along with the Canadian made rifles, the remaining portion of the 7 million rounds of ammunition delivered, many years supply, became surplus.This past June Ottawa-based spokesman for Canada’s overseas command, Maj. Andre Salloum, was quoted as stating, “[…] the decision was made to recover the C-7 weapons and return them to Canada for disposal.”Canada has the lead role in the assault on Libya with Canadian Lt. General Charlie Bouchard in command of the entire NATO operation. There are also reports that Canada’s special forces JTF-2 are on the ground in Libya. These troops are equivalent to the USA’s Navy Seals and the British SAS.On Tuesday, August 9, we emailed both the Conservative Government and the NDP opposition members in charge of the file on Foreign Affairs. Both replied within two hours each stating it wasn’t their issue that the questions needed to be addressed to the Department of National Defence. We immediately resent the email to Minister MacKay and the NDP forwarded our email to their National Defence critic. It is now 24 hours later and we take the silence, the complete lack of acknowledgment as a troubling matter.This is the text, with links, of our emails to both the NDP and the Conservatives Foreign Affairs and National Defence;In about December of 2007 or early 2008 Canada sent 2500 C7 rifles to Afghanistan to assist in training their army.http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2007/12/23/canada-afghan-rifles.htmlIn June this year they were apparently returned.Maj. Andre Salloum is quoted as stating ” the decision was made to recover the C-7 weapons and return them to Canada for disposal.”http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/123919149.htmlThis is an expensive exercise, shipping these weapons half way around the world.My question is, (or rather my suspicion is), were they shipped to Libya for the rebel forces. This would be inline with Canada’s support for the Rebels.If they were not shipped there, then where are these rifles now?Thanks for your attention to this.We still await a response.To ship these arms back to Canada, simply for disposal would seem a huge waste of money. As Canada is preparing to finance the Rebels and accept one to assume an ambassador role after Canada expelled all of the ambassadors for the Gaddafi regime and as the rebel army is crying for weapons and ammunition it would appear this would be a great alternative. That is if we, the Country of Canada, is truly arming other Countries to make war on each other.We would suspect there would be paperwork ready to prove where these rifles have been shipped; Canada, the mountains south of Tripoli, or do they actually remain in Afghanistan?
 

NEWS RELEASE · 22nd September 2011
MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE MACKAY RESPONDS WITH C7 DETAILS
Merv Ritchie

 
Last month we raised several concerns regarding Canada’s military engagement in Libya. We wrote to the various political parties in Canada and specifically asked the Department of National Defence and Foreign Affairs about the 2500 rifles sent to Afghanistan in 2007. These were apparently returned to Canadian hands in early 2011 and we questioned if they were delivered to the Libyan rebel forces for use against General Kaddafi forces. It appeared to us to be in line with Canada’s support for the rebel forces and the timing was correct as the rebels had little to no arms and then in July they were fully armed with a seemingly unlimited supply of ammunition. After three emails to DND and various other emails we simply wrote the story and informed our readers of the lack of response by DND.Read our original story here.On September 19, 2011, a full month after our final email, August 19, 2011, we received a reply direct from the Minister of Defence, Peter MacKay. We appreciate his full and complete response and publish here in its entirety.Dear Mr. Ritchie:Thank you for your email concerning the recovery of the Canadian C7 rifles, which were donated to the Afghan National Army (ANA).In 2007 Canada donated 2,500 used C7 rifles, which had been identified for disposal, as part of its plan to train the Afghan army with small arms. Canadian serial numbers and other markings were removed from the weapons, and they were re-serialized as ANA rifles before shipment to Afghanistan.Soon after, a larger plan was developed by NATO to eliminate the problem of supplying a wide variety of small arms, parts, and ammunition from various NATO contributors (including the C7) for the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan. The ANA would be equipped with M16 rifles provided by the United States. By February 2009, only 950 of the donated C7 rifles had been issued to Afghan soldiers. The remaining 1,550 rifles never left the custody of the Canadian Forces. Since the C7 rifles were no longer required, they were retrieved and returned to Canada where they were accounted for through 25 Canadian Forces Supply Depot (25 CFSD), Montreal.As of June 29, 2011, of the 2,500 rifles, eight were lost during various improvised explosive detonation strikes in Afghanistan, 15 were quarantined by Colt Canada in Kitchener, Ontario, for training, and the other 2,477 were officially disposed of by smelting, crushing, or shredding in Canada at the ArcelorMittal facilities under the supervision of 25 CFSD and in accordance with Government of Canada commitments to prevent proliferation of military arms and munitions into the international black market.I trust this information is of assistance, and thank you again for writing.Sincerely,Peter MacKayMinister of National Defence

Nice but this cannot be true Peter
By MWPR17th March 2014 · Why would you grind off the serial numbers and identity and then why fly them back to Canada? This is an empty, completely unreasonable explanation.

Posted by: Merv Ritchie | Nov 28 2025 18:38 utc | 198

@ LoveDonbass | Nov 28 2025 17:19 utc | 197
 
https://aib.media
 
Anyway more interesting than what Traoré “says” is what he does.

Posted by: malenkov | Nov 28 2025 18:56 utc | 200