Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Mod Note: Put source of image in post. Image has been removed.
Last edited by Rakesh on 02 Aug 2022 20:34, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Post Edited
Reason: Post Edited
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
US Used Drone Carrying Knife Missile to Kill Al-Qaeda Chief. The R9X Hellfire missile ditches the explosive payload for six blades to enable a precise kill. The missile also carries a crown of six blades that can deploy and shred the target during the impact. It appears the US used a missile carrying six blades to kill al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri during a Saturday drone strike. But surprisingly, none of al-Zawahiri’s family members or any nearby civilians were hurt in the attack.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/us-used-dron ... aeda-chief
// don't know how true this report states that MeriCans have 'flying ginsu' missile.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/us-used-dron ... aeda-chief
// don't know how true this report states that MeriCans have 'flying ginsu' missile.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
This is apparently used by CIA exclusively for its fleet of Predators . No explosives except a detonator and used sheer kinetic energy hit to kill.bala wrote:US Used Drone Carrying Knife Missile to Kill Al-Qaeda Chief. The R9X Hellfire missile ditches the explosive payload for six blades to enable a precise kill. The missile also carries a crown of six blades that can deploy and shred the target during the impact. It appears the US used a missile carrying six blades to kill al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri during a Saturday drone strike. But surprisingly, none of al-Zawahiri’s family members or any nearby civilians were hurt in the attack.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/us-used-dron ... aeda-chief
// don't know how true this report states that MeriCans have 'flying ginsu' missile.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/secret-u-s ... 1557403411
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Interesting dynamics playing out Azerbaijan is taking advantage of the conflict and launched an offensive. If you recall Putin was able to get Armenian to concede in previous conflict promising his Russian deployment will prevent any future Azerbaijan attacks but I doubt he can do much with his forces tied up in Ukraine.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kr ... 022-08-04/
Some footage of drone strikes launched by Azerbaijan they claim it is response to an attack but IMO seems preplanned offensive to chip away Armenian separatist defenses
https://twitter.com/zaidzamanhamid/stat ... PY-2jBl6zQ
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kr ... 022-08-04/
Some footage of drone strikes launched by Azerbaijan they claim it is response to an attack but IMO seems preplanned offensive to chip away Armenian separatist defenses
https://twitter.com/zaidzamanhamid/stat ... PY-2jBl6zQ
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Grumble between Z & local mayors over billions of $$ pouring in , Z bypassing all regional control (mayos) and deputing own men in key position to control every penny https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... ky-mayors/
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Amnesty International accuses Ukraine of endangering civilians and violating humanitarian law
Human rights group says Kyiv's use of schools and hospitals as military bases is putting civilians in harm's way
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/ ... civilians/
Human rights group says Kyiv's use of schools and hospitals as military bases is putting civilians in harm's way
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/ ... civilians/
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Z is asking europa to instantly delver billions or else... https://twitter.com/kyivindependent/sta ... zdNAI06dhA
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s speech to the AUF summer camp
Aug 4, 2022. Transcript of his speech.
Aug 4, 2022. Transcript of his speech.
...............
In this conflict, NATO has two tasks.
Support Ukraine.
And prevent the conflict from spreading into a full-scale war between NATO and Russia.
...............
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
I wonder when this stupid war is going to end. The entire world's economy is being held hostage to these warring white factions. Stupidity of the highest degree.
Irony of it all is that Asians and Africans are continuously demonized as uncivilized and unsophisticated heathens, when it is the Western world that has been the source of most of the ugliest wars and weaponry.
Irony of it all is that Asians and Africans are continuously demonized as uncivilized and unsophisticated heathens, when it is the Western world that has been the source of most of the ugliest wars and weaponry.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
https://twitter.com/DagnyTaggart369/sta ... 9684418561
Dagny Taggart - Zelensky is in big trouble, first Amnesty International, now the German mainstream media publishes evidence of a huge corruption and his direct involvement. In my opinion his days are numbered, from “ hero “ to zero .
https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus24013023 ... enten.html
Dagny Taggart - Zelensky is in big trouble, first Amnesty International, now the German mainstream media publishes evidence of a huge corruption and his direct involvement. In my opinion his days are numbered, from “ hero “ to zero .
https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus24013023 ... enten.html
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Tbh the war isn't the reason for inflation it is being blamed on it just for politicians to avoid the blame. But IMO it started even before the conflict due to:Raja wrote:I wonder when this stupid war is going to end. The entire world's economy is being held hostage to these warring white factions. Stupidity of the highest degree.
Irony of it all is that Asians and Africans are continuously demonized as uncivilized and unsophisticated heathens, when it is the Western world that has been the source of most of the ugliest wars and weaponry.
- Ramped up demand post Covid (travel, spending etc).
- Ramped up government spending even before Covid by not just western nation but also other countries ( see Sri lanka).
- Low interest rates and policy makers acting like that has no impact.
- Idiotic stimulus programs by western nation especially US which added trillions that was unneeded and inflation isn't going to curb till that $$ is spend.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
that reads as support to Ukraine is set at a certain threshold., idiotsky is there to somehow sell it to his people and get rid of people around him who say the truth. This war will not end in a year or two.NRao wrote:NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s speech to the AUF summer camp
Aug 4, 2022. Transcript of his speech.
...............
In this conflict, NATO has two tasks.
Support Ukraine.
And prevent the conflict from spreading into a full-scale war between NATO and Russia.
...............
The smaller countries will default , economies crumble. , a new world order coming up
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
It is called an off-ramp.skumar wrote:https://twitter.com/DagnyTaggart369/sta ... 9684418561
Dagny Taggart - Zelensky is in big trouble, first Amnesty International, now the German mainstream media publishes evidence of a huge corruption and his direct involvement. In my opinion his days are numbered, from “ hero “ to zero .
https://www.welt.de/kultur/plus24013023 ... enten.html
A few on YT (Duran, etc) have been calling this out for a few weeks now.
Aug 5, 2022, CBS News:
https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1555701550319898625
I doubt that even that much makes it to the front.The new CBS Reports documentary, "Arming Ukraine," explores why much of the billions of dollars of military aid that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine doesn't make it to the front lines: "Like 30% of it reaches its final destination."
Stream now: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/arming-uk ... =176116167
There are reports that some of the arms have reached Syria!!
What a waste of lives, monies, and time. No idea what was achieved by anyone.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Uke war is a gold mine for western especially American arms manufacturers. And idiotsky is probably the biggest arms dealer in the world. Will Russia meet its objectives?.. yes its becoming more clear as NATO avoids the final countdown!... poor and smaller countries will become more poor as an incredible amount of wealth moves to America
Way out ? Only one. Reduce dependence on American dollar. It should no longer be the defacto trading and reserve currency.
Way out ? Only one. Reduce dependence on American dollar. It should no longer be the defacto trading and reserve currency.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Agree. The west has realised Ukraine is a losing game now, Dem's coffers are full now for the time being and Ukr is producing no newsworthy story after snake island. Gradual shift of tone in western MSM from eulogies to St elensly to accusations of corruption and war crimes etc is indicative of his expiry date drawing near. His biggest buddy BoJo is all but gone. No wonder elensly has gone Vogue and started demanding Xi to interfere and mediate now.
Putin is the only one who can come to his rescue - out of gratitude - since thanks to this war, Russia which was on the verge of being a has been nation is once again relevant and a force to reckon with in international politics.
Putin is the only one who can come to his rescue - out of gratitude - since thanks to this war, Russia which was on the verge of being a has been nation is once again relevant and a force to reckon with in international politics.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Jury is very much out on where Russia ends up as a consequence of this war. Temporary strength (or weakness) of rubble does not make (or break) a superpower. We will only see the full impact over the next decade(s).
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
May be, but it's already very clear that Russia will end up better positioned than it was before, isn't it? The west has thrown everything at them short of actually getting into direct war and so far haven't dented Russia much, au contraire exposed their own inadequacies and hypocrisy, not to mention poor leadership on the world stage. The Global South has become something discernable thanks to this and has been expressing it's discontent with the west quite openly and several initiatives have been launched to get out of the dollar hegemony yoke. Who could have imagined a few years ago a G20 like the last one ?!
How much Russia will capitalise on its new found or should we say rediscovered mojo indeed remains to be seen. It has some heavy structural negatives like demographics, few warm water sea ports, a too large territory and "desirable image deficit" to deal with.
But the trust and goodwill erosion the west is going through at the moment is more impactful than whatever Putin could have dreamt of inflicting by himself.
How much Russia will capitalise on its new found or should we say rediscovered mojo indeed remains to be seen. It has some heavy structural negatives like demographics, few warm water sea ports, a too large territory and "desirable image deficit" to deal with.
But the trust and goodwill erosion the west is going through at the moment is more impactful than whatever Putin could have dreamt of inflicting by himself.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Jury is and will be out for a while on the outcome of this conflict, and perhaps take even longer on a decisive outcome.Raja wrote:Jury is very much out on where Russia ends up as a consequence of this war. Temporary strength (or weakness) of rubble does not make (or break) a superpower. We will only see the full impact over the next decade(s).
Meanwhile, we can say with a good deal of certainty that Russia has the upper hand in this conflict, that the sanctions have failed, and just related to "Russia" we have the Armenian, Serbian, Syrian, and Iranian conflicts simmering at a much higher temperatures than just a few months ago.
The Ruble certainly is not posing an immediate threat to the USD, and may not do so in the future either. But, cannot recall so many nations making side deals in their own currencies. This is a declared threat to the various institutions built around "United States of America" - IMF, WB, UN, ......
The sanctions have created open cracks within the EU - there in plain sight.
NATO is pivoting East - to the Pacific!!!
Take China into account and we have a even more unpredictable future. S. Korea just made an unsolicited offer, to Australia, for submarines, just after completely ignoring the Speaker of the US Congress.
Iran and Argentina have applied for a spot in BRICS.
Finally, Tom Friedman, of the NYT, has stated (and rightly so IMO) we could be headed for the FIRST world war, the other two were quarrels between Europeans and their colonies - so they did not count as "World war"s.
The only thing remaining, IMO, is for the poles to switch.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
The video has been removed within 2 days with an "explanation" from CBS.NRao wrote: ..
Aug 5, 2022, CBS News:
https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1555701550319898625
...The new CBS Reports documentary, "Arming Ukraine," explores why much of the billions of dollars of military aid that the U.S. is sending to Ukraine doesn't make it to the front lines: "Like 30% of it reaches its final destination."
Stream now: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/arming-uk ... =176116167
https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1556444605012385793
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
skumar wrote:The video has been removed within 2 days with an "explanation" from CBS.
https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1556444605012385793
Originals (as you said, have removed the originals):
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/arming-uk ... =176116167
Tweet asking if anyone has downloaded the vid.Arming Ukraine | CBS Reports
Flooding a country with advanced weapons can have grave consequences, even when done with the best of intentions. This CBS Reports documentary goes inside Ukraine to get a firsthand look at how military aid gets from the border to frontline soldiers, and explores the difficulties of getting the aid to the fighters who need it.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
The weapons supplied to Ukra-een had traceability problems since the beginning and it was acknowledged by US officials. They even said usual tracking mechanisms like RFID etc were disabled/removed.
There were also acknowledgement of the fact that AFU force structures, units, batallions were loosely defined, there were phantom units and off the record militias - the whole structure very nebulous.
Highly problematic given the huge number of weapons, vehicles, arms and ammunition from NATO and ex Soviet reserves that were supplied. Not to speak of aid funding that poured in to pay the salaries of the entire Ukr govt and administration from top to bottom AND all of its armed forces and militias of which there are many. There have been comments that elensly regime is fudging casualty figures to keep funds flowing. Which suited the west for a while since that also hides the reality of combat losses.
Interpol officers have already expressed concerns couple of months ago about this massive and unaccounted flow of arms into Ukra-een and the security risks it will create for Europe.
In fact Ukrainien born US senator Victoria Spartz has been running from pillar to post on all these issues but no one in Biden administration seems to care. Heck they left behind 40 or 80 B$ of stuff (or some such obscene number equivalent to a small county's GDP) in Afghanistan didn't they?
There were also acknowledgement of the fact that AFU force structures, units, batallions were loosely defined, there were phantom units and off the record militias - the whole structure very nebulous.
Highly problematic given the huge number of weapons, vehicles, arms and ammunition from NATO and ex Soviet reserves that were supplied. Not to speak of aid funding that poured in to pay the salaries of the entire Ukr govt and administration from top to bottom AND all of its armed forces and militias of which there are many. There have been comments that elensly regime is fudging casualty figures to keep funds flowing. Which suited the west for a while since that also hides the reality of combat losses.
Interpol officers have already expressed concerns couple of months ago about this massive and unaccounted flow of arms into Ukra-een and the security risks it will create for Europe.
In fact Ukrainien born US senator Victoria Spartz has been running from pillar to post on all these issues but no one in Biden administration seems to care. Heck they left behind 40 or 80 B$ of stuff (or some such obscene number equivalent to a small county's GDP) in Afghanistan didn't they?
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
A very interesting 2 hour discussion on all things Russian/Ukrainian, with Gonzalo Lira (a Chilean, married to an Ukrainian, living in Kharkov), Dima (of Military Summary fame on YT), Alex (of History Legends fame on YT), and Mark Sleboda (Ex-US military Intel, married to a women from Crimea, living in Russia as a Russian citizen)
They discuss everything from HIMARS, M777, post conflict, gov in exile, potential flipping of UKR armed forces (!! caught me by surprise), US/Polish intervention (Not NATO), ..............
120+ minutes long
They discuss everything from HIMARS, M777, post conflict, gov in exile, potential flipping of UKR armed forces (!! caught me by surprise), US/Polish intervention (Not NATO), ..............
120+ minutes long
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Yes.NRao wrote:
--
Originals (as you said, have removed the originals):
---
Tweet asking if anyone has downloaded the vid.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Titles suffice:
Zelensky aide explains Ukraine's ‘information warfare’
Is Ukraine’s PR Machine Sputtering?
Zelensky aide explains Ukraine's ‘information warfare’
Is Ukraine’s PR Machine Sputtering?
U.S. Refused Ukraine F-16s Over Zelensky 'Scandals': Russian Military ExpertCan Ukraine Keep Winning the PR War?
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
The best entertainment money can buy:
Poland threatens to turn ‘all our cannon’ on EU in rule-of-law row
Poland threatens to turn ‘all our cannon’ on EU in rule-of-law row
Ruling party steps up rhetoric by suggesting it could unseat European Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen
Poland’s national-conservative government has significantly toughened its rhetoric in its rule-of-law standoff with Brussels, threatening to turn “all our cannon” on the European Commission and if necessary build a coalition to unseat its president.
............
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
F-16 not being transferred have little to do with any scandal and everything to do with their high cost, high risk (east for Russia to strike them) and long time & investment required to train and support. Given that ACs from both sides are simply flying lo and lobbing rockets due to lack of proper SEAD not sure what F-16 can do to change that. Given a squadron will cost over 3 bill+ It’s not best bang for the $$.NRao wrote:Titles suffice:
U.S. Refused Ukraine F-16s Over Zelensky 'Scandals': Russian Military Expert
It is same reason why larger US drones haven’t been transferred as well. Currently what Ukraine needs is apart from artillery and MRLs is SAM so they can extend the air defense coverage to all parts.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Yes, blockading Taiwan is China's only hope. It's the only strategy that might work. Invading is suicidal and doomed to failure. Air and missile strikes ultimately achieve nothing. Cutting Taiwan off from the world and keeping the US at bay until they all give up and accept reunification. It might work, if China can demonstrate that its "area denial" weapons aren't just vaporware.NRao wrote:A very similar scenario seems to be building WRT Taiwan/China. Instead of Harris, it is Pelosi. And, no matter what Pelosi says, China is likely to conclude that the US cannot be relied on and prepare for an invasion of Taiwan much earlier than preferred.
However, Yves Smith (Naked Capitalisms) observed that Taiwan is so reliant on China that China could cut off Taiwan - just as Russia is cutting off EU using energy - and achieve a knock out punch, and the US can do nothing. Interesting.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Below copy/pasted from the Russians with Attitude Telegram channel. It is well worth a read, to get an idea of the "state of mind" of the mid-level Russian bureaucracy, and I believe, above as well.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A dialogue between Ukrainian propagandist Dmitry Gordon and Adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine Alexey Arestovich
- Is the West tired of us?
- This is another narrative that people like to throw at us. No one is tired of anything. Reznikov [Minister of Defence in Ukraine since 2021] specifically told me to pass this on. I even asked him: Are you sure? He said: Lyosha, tell people about it. We shook hands all over Ramstein. And they said: please finish off this Vermin [Russia]. The Swedes added - "for Poltava", the French said - "for Borodino". [Russian victories over Sweden in XVIII and France in XIX]
- Were the Germans silent?
- The Germans were silent, but they winked at us, as it were. "You must finally destroy them, once and for all. Let's do it all together!" Of course, politicians won't say it out loud, but they do it in private settings. It's not just some people, but defense ministers and their colleagues.
Ukrainians are notorious for spreading misinformation. Well, every side does it but Ukrainians — and specifically Arestivich — don't seem to believe in the concept of "truth" at all. As Alyosha said himself recently, he filters out any information that can harm morale of "an average person without a coherent worldview and stable mind". That's why when AFU got obliterated in Peski, Ukrainian public was cheerful and claiming peremoga after peremoga. [ukrainian term for victory]
Yet this tale about European ministers dripping blood from their fangs and egging Ukrainians on to avenge their military defeats that happened centuries ago sounds very believable to me. It fits. Europeans are wolves in sheep's clothing, perfect predators. Every inch of European soil is soaked in blood. They invented and perfected various systems of genocide around the world. The world that they've managed to colonize. They never spared neighbours or their own schismatics either.
It's not that the rest of the world are peaceloving noble savages - far from it. But no other part of the world was ever capable of such a meticulously organized system of violence. An egregore that can bury the whole world. Although, i believe there's an important difference. Petty violence like raping a cat with a wooden stick is awful and despicable. Destroying Carthage is poetic. There's no true art without violence that can be terrible and beautiful at the same time.
United Europe under Hitler has ventured too far on this path and after 1945 core European countries got neutered, or they thoroughly pretended to neuter themselves. They are no longer allowed to do what they knew and loved for so long. Well, at least in the confines of the European Economic Community that later on morphed into EU. Post WWII European leaders and hereditary aristocracy now act like "ethical vampires" who abandoned the practice of feeding on people and now sip animal blood with non-plastic straws. The urge does not go away, though.
They started sublimating their natural genocidal impulses into weird bureaucratic procedures. Ruthlessly destroying all bent cucumbers that don't meet EU purity tests. Killing millions of healthy mink during the pandemic. You could see post-war Europeans itching for great war. They eagerly bombed Serbia, involved themselves in Iraq, Afganistan and African conflicts. But that was not enough. Ancestral memory told them to push Eastward - as they always did. EU started gaining ground and taking in frankly unnecessary, economically burdensome countries to the "european family". Now, just look at Ursula Von Der Leyen, an hereditary Eurocrat from a noble family. She looks splendid for her age. Her cheeks are rosy, she's glowing. Especially so when she talks about Ukrainians "willing to die for European Perspective". It's exhilarating and rejuvenating. Moreover, ageing Europeans don't even have to fight themselves anymore. It's a cruel blood sport that pits a vicious trained dog against the bull, as the gentlemen place bets.
But isn't Russia also European? Of course it is, but with a twist. Russians, Americans, Canadians, Boers, Australians, White South Americans are all "Frontier Europeans". We came out from the same source but the spirit of the Frontier has changed us. Europeans like to point out our supposed racial differences but it's mostly war propaganda for their fighting dogs. That's why genetically indistinguishable Ukrainians are going crazy with racialism, calling Russians "moksha" and foaming at mouth with a bizarre anti-finnougric sentiment. What unites Frontier Europeans is the common past of conquering vast native lands and the constant search for worlds beyond. It's not a coincidence that US and Russia are the only space superpowers to this day. We are "nouveau riche", have no manners and defy rules. We like driving big cars and venturing to the woods. We will never be present at European balls, their oldest societies and lodges. And above everyone else, Europeans hate us and wish for our destruction. Russia is the most accepted enemy that caused them a lot of grief in the past so they do it openly. In other cases it's much more, ahem, byzantine. So i totally believe Ukrainian propagandists on this one.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A dialogue between Ukrainian propagandist Dmitry Gordon and Adviser to the Office of the President of Ukraine Alexey Arestovich
- Is the West tired of us?
- This is another narrative that people like to throw at us. No one is tired of anything. Reznikov [Minister of Defence in Ukraine since 2021] specifically told me to pass this on. I even asked him: Are you sure? He said: Lyosha, tell people about it. We shook hands all over Ramstein. And they said: please finish off this Vermin [Russia]. The Swedes added - "for Poltava", the French said - "for Borodino". [Russian victories over Sweden in XVIII and France in XIX]
- Were the Germans silent?
- The Germans were silent, but they winked at us, as it were. "You must finally destroy them, once and for all. Let's do it all together!" Of course, politicians won't say it out loud, but they do it in private settings. It's not just some people, but defense ministers and their colleagues.
Ukrainians are notorious for spreading misinformation. Well, every side does it but Ukrainians — and specifically Arestivich — don't seem to believe in the concept of "truth" at all. As Alyosha said himself recently, he filters out any information that can harm morale of "an average person without a coherent worldview and stable mind". That's why when AFU got obliterated in Peski, Ukrainian public was cheerful and claiming peremoga after peremoga. [ukrainian term for victory]
Yet this tale about European ministers dripping blood from their fangs and egging Ukrainians on to avenge their military defeats that happened centuries ago sounds very believable to me. It fits. Europeans are wolves in sheep's clothing, perfect predators. Every inch of European soil is soaked in blood. They invented and perfected various systems of genocide around the world. The world that they've managed to colonize. They never spared neighbours or their own schismatics either.
It's not that the rest of the world are peaceloving noble savages - far from it. But no other part of the world was ever capable of such a meticulously organized system of violence. An egregore that can bury the whole world. Although, i believe there's an important difference. Petty violence like raping a cat with a wooden stick is awful and despicable. Destroying Carthage is poetic. There's no true art without violence that can be terrible and beautiful at the same time.
United Europe under Hitler has ventured too far on this path and after 1945 core European countries got neutered, or they thoroughly pretended to neuter themselves. They are no longer allowed to do what they knew and loved for so long. Well, at least in the confines of the European Economic Community that later on morphed into EU. Post WWII European leaders and hereditary aristocracy now act like "ethical vampires" who abandoned the practice of feeding on people and now sip animal blood with non-plastic straws. The urge does not go away, though.
They started sublimating their natural genocidal impulses into weird bureaucratic procedures. Ruthlessly destroying all bent cucumbers that don't meet EU purity tests. Killing millions of healthy mink during the pandemic. You could see post-war Europeans itching for great war. They eagerly bombed Serbia, involved themselves in Iraq, Afganistan and African conflicts. But that was not enough. Ancestral memory told them to push Eastward - as they always did. EU started gaining ground and taking in frankly unnecessary, economically burdensome countries to the "european family". Now, just look at Ursula Von Der Leyen, an hereditary Eurocrat from a noble family. She looks splendid for her age. Her cheeks are rosy, she's glowing. Especially so when she talks about Ukrainians "willing to die for European Perspective". It's exhilarating and rejuvenating. Moreover, ageing Europeans don't even have to fight themselves anymore. It's a cruel blood sport that pits a vicious trained dog against the bull, as the gentlemen place bets.
But isn't Russia also European? Of course it is, but with a twist. Russians, Americans, Canadians, Boers, Australians, White South Americans are all "Frontier Europeans". We came out from the same source but the spirit of the Frontier has changed us. Europeans like to point out our supposed racial differences but it's mostly war propaganda for their fighting dogs. That's why genetically indistinguishable Ukrainians are going crazy with racialism, calling Russians "moksha" and foaming at mouth with a bizarre anti-finnougric sentiment. What unites Frontier Europeans is the common past of conquering vast native lands and the constant search for worlds beyond. It's not a coincidence that US and Russia are the only space superpowers to this day. We are "nouveau riche", have no manners and defy rules. We like driving big cars and venturing to the woods. We will never be present at European balls, their oldest societies and lodges. And above everyone else, Europeans hate us and wish for our destruction. Russia is the most accepted enemy that caused them a lot of grief in the past so they do it openly. In other cases it's much more, ahem, byzantine. So i totally believe Ukrainian propagandists on this one.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Saw that, hard to distinguish sarcasm/humour from reality in that writeup.
Meanwhile Alex C has come up with a rather plausible reason for Ukra-een attacking Zaphoriziye Nuclear Plant with American supplied missiles. Quite an ingenious offramp face saver for the west I'd say. The only problem is, there is no compelling factor un Russia to agree.
Meanwhile Alex C has come up with a rather plausible reason for Ukra-een attacking Zaphoriziye Nuclear Plant with American supplied missiles. Quite an ingenious offramp face saver for the west I'd say. The only problem is, there is no compelling factor un Russia to agree.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Pelosi trip part of efforts to contain China
China Daily :: Andrey Denisov, Russian ambassador to China, strongly criticized US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, saying it's a serious violation of the one-China principle. Following is the full text of his interview with China Daily:
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Henry Kissinger Is Worried About ‘Disequilibrium’
We are at the edge of war with Russia and China on issues which we partly created, without any concept of how this is going to end or what it’s supposed to lead to.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
US says India hid Russian origin of fuel shipped to US
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wor ... 541967.cms
13 Aug 2022
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wor ... 541967.cms
13 Aug 2022
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Rakesh wrote:US says India hid Russian origin of fuel shipped to US
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wor ... 541967.cms
13 Aug 2022
So we have made money hand over first.
Nice.
What do the Yanks want. India stop shipping to the US?
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
As Putin’s war spreads panic across Europe, Ukrainians must fear a stab in the back
Simon Tisdall
Simon Tisdall
Locking up Putin is the only hope of a resolution. It’s a strategic aim the West should energetically pursue
The west’s strategic aims in Ukraine – to repulse Russia’s invasion, restore national sovereignty and score a victory for global democracy over “the forces of darkness” – were clearly set out by US president Joe Biden in Warsaw in March and subsequently endorsed by UK and European leaders.
What has always been less clear is whether they honestly expect to achieve these aims, given Nato’s less than heroic refusal to get directly involved. An uncomfortable, even distressing question now arises: should Ukrainians prepare for a stab in the back this winter?
Nearly six months into the war, the widening gap between rhetoric and reality grows potentially fatal. Public outrage over the invasion is giving way to concern, bordering on panic, about its alarming knock-on effects on energy and food prices and the cost of living.
That in turn is feeding doubts about western staying power. How long before Europe’s already shaky unity crumbles, if and when Russia’s gas tap is finally turned off?
Biden framed the war as part of a universal struggle between good and evil. “We stand with you,” he told Ukrainians. “Swift and punishing costs are the only things that are going to get Russia to change course.”
Much of his speech was familiar feelgood flannel. Unprecedented sanctions notwithstanding, Russia hasn’t changed course.
Channelling Biden that same month, Boris Johnson portentously pronounced that “Vladimir Putin’s act of aggression must fail and be seen to fail.” But Johnson was vague about the longer term, and overstated British leverage. “We cannot allow the Kremlin to bite off chunks of an independent country and inflict immense human suffering,” he declared. Yet that’s exactly what’s been happening ever since.
Liz Truss indulged in more delusional over-promising in April. Britain’s foreign secretary and possible next prime minister demanded Russia vacate Crimea and withdraw to pre-2014 borders. Sounding like a demented generalissimo, Truss vowed: “We are going to keep going further and faster to push Russia out of the whole of Ukraine.” Who is “we”? You and whose army?
This, of course, is the point. The US pledged another $1bn in military aid last week, taking its total under Biden to $9.8bn. The equivalent UK figure exceeds £2.3bn. EU countries have also greatly increased arms supplies. Without this help, Ukraine would have faced defeat.
But Biden’s cautious determination to avoid head-on confrontation at all costs means that while Russia may not ultimately win, it is unlikely to definitively lose. The war resembles a simmering saucepan that never quite comes to the boil.
It might have been very different, had western politicians found the courage to actively take Ukraine’s side in February-March. The chaotic initial Russian drive for Kyiv left large troop convoys vulnerable to air attack. A convincing display of Pentagon-style “shock and awe”, just as Putin was anticipating quick, easy victory, could have stopped the entire invasion in its tracks.
Might-have-been moments, viewed in hindsight, don’t win wars. But for the record, other early opportunities were squandered, including the idea of Nato-protected cities and safe havens for civilians inside Ukraine.
Prompt action by western navies could have foiled Russia’s reckless, still globally harmful Black Sea food blockade. Many innocent lives might have been spared.
It may be too late now, though Biden is not solely to blame. For all his bombastic, gung-ho talk, Johnson was content to hide behind Washington’s refusal to fight. So were France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Olaf Scholz.
Ukraine faces a brutal, years-long war of attrition – as does the west
Such unanimity reinforces suspicions that, in their hearts, they do not really believe that the west’s aim of humbling Russia is attainable or even desirable.
In the likely absence of a pathway to outright military victory, Kyiv’s available choices are all more or less repellent. Despite its expected southern offensive, its doughty defence of Donetsk and last week’s Crimea explosions, Ukraine faces a brutal, years-long war of attrition – as does the west.
Parallel pressure will consequently increase for a ceasefire or some kind of doubtless temporary peace deal, to relieve Europe’s economic pain. Rightwing populist parties in Italy and elsewhere are poised to take advantage. Leaderless Britain is focused on the home front.
In Germany, polling suggests up to 50% favour territorial concessions to Russia. The sharp divide between those seeking “justice” for Ukraine and those seeking “peace” is reflected across Europe – and is tilting against Kyiv.
Most troubling, ironically, is the last remaining war scenario – so-called “catastrophic success” for Ukraine’s forces that, confounding all predictions, presages regime-threatening defeat for Russia.
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This possibility totally terrifies western politicians. In such a scenario, described by General Sir Richard Barrons, a desperate Putin resorts to low-yield tactical nuclear weapons to stave off collapse.
“This is not unthinkable – it is only unpalatable,” Barrons, a former British commander, chillingly warned.
How to respond? Might such a taboo-breaking atrocity result in Ukraine joining Nato and all-out war with Russia proper? In some respects, the west, through its timidity and half-measures, would have brought such a cataclysm on itself. Barrons has no ready answers. No one does.
Except, except… perhaps an exasperated, emotional Biden unintentionally hit on the best idea when he concluded his Warsaw speech with an ad lib about Putin, addressed to Russians as much as anyone else. “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” he growled.
Biden’s right. Putin is a foul ogre, a war criminal, a monstrous throwback from a bygone age. As previously argued here, he is unfit to rule.
With him gone, the crisis he single-handedly engineered would not disappear – but would be more easily resolved. In fact, this may be Ukrainians’ (and Russians’) only hope of a happy ending.
Get Putin. Take him down. Lock him up. That’s a strategic aim all could and should energetically pursue.
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
https://www.newsweek.com/latvia-russian ... in-1733712
Latvia wants to ban Russian language. Apparently 25% of the population is Russian speaking…
Latvia wants to ban Russian language. Apparently 25% of the population is Russian speaking…
Re: Russian-Ukranian War: Geopolitical Fallout
Germans to pay energy tax on gas consumption.
No replacement for Russian gas. Yet.
Canada seems to be ready to supply hydrogen!!! As an alternative?
Winter is going to be challenging.
No replacement for Russian gas. Yet.
Canada seems to be ready to supply hydrogen!!! As an alternative?
Winter is going to be challenging.