The news surrounding the Ukrainian conflict has been slow owing to a kind of ‘planning’ doldrums phase where all sides have retreated to strategize on the next novel idea on how to politically out-maneuver the other.
There is public “support” and then there is Men & Materials! What the everlovin fhaak are they gonna fight it with?! serious question. Someone walk us through a NATO staging process, or are we going to skip all that and go with “limited” nuclear strikes?
So what unites us as a band of 50 plusers to articles by Simplicius?
1-Simpliticus is a top-notch forensic analyst who gives us the most up-to-date, detailed sitrep of the Ukrainian conflict. He really thinks things out. He's a great writer and thinker, as was also shown in his Dark Futura work.
2-We all sympathize with Russia, knowing Western governments are bent on destroying it for their own profit.
3-We have varying views about how Russia should deal with Ukraine, leading to good debates with minimal name-calling.
4-Dh has a one-track mind about you know who. lol (just a side note)
5-Victor + ? = King of firsts.
6-Anyone here under 40 human years? No lying now. (just curious)
Over the hill former military human checking in. Paid subscriber, too. Throw Simplicius a couple of bucks so he can keep the lights on and maybe buy a nice bottle of something.
"without something radical or drastic taking place."
This is the only thing that matters. Russia has no reason to stop doing the slow roll and drain program to seek any change. Until that changes this is all a waste of time
Hi from NWT. I see your point, but for the advancement of all worldwide societies, the US/NATO declining is not a waste of time.
It seems a lot of us are pretty disgusted with our Western path. Just as an ex- military guy this is a no brainer, which side would you wanna fight on?
All the more significant as an ex fast attack ping pussy I know in that arena we had some good shit. With women on board US subs now, all bets are off. Actually if it was all women, they would probably kick ass and take names.
Never mind fighting the Russkies, we'd a been fighting each other, for the women. Recently read that todays 20 year old, has the amount of testosterone of a 70 year old back in the 70's.
What's astonishing to me is how unwilling the coalition of the willing is, in combination with how all these countries are borrowing money to fight a war with no inspiring cause.
Zionist Nazis? No not against them, we are supporting them!
OMG I love your all women sub. You know they would all sync up for that time of the month like an all girls school does. Once a month they would be terrible.
Canadian navy has fast attack? Cool Ehh
I am in PNW with plenty of Canadian family. Yes I am a hockey coach dad and so is my family and worked allot in some parts of canada you can guess.
Right now what is happening in Ukraine is leaps and bounds outside what western equipement was made for. This is Japan watching the Europeans introduce tank, TNT and machine guns. Game changing.
We just had the largest US Naval engagement since WW2 with $20B spent against Yemen. US Navy could not get Air superiority over Yemen. Fleet was chased away by the ever increasing number of rockets tossed at them with Drones.
Yemen? WTF Tel Aviv was finally overwhelmed by Iran??? Drones and rockets are taking out so much equipment in mass.
Thousands of drones light up the night sky. Can you imagine what we can do with 10,000 attack drones?
First half of life in the US. In Canada since 90'.
For me it comes down to motivation now. We got the whole world pissed off at the West, yet we keep acting like Hollywood movies and US news are excellent sources of hard data.
Doubling down on all the dismissive stereotypes, except the ones about US!
The lesson has been learned, trying to get along with the West is futile. Those in charge, cannot be appeased.
Perhaps the reality of what they have done, keeps them from backing off. It seems increasingly likely they will have nothing but violence as a solution.
"It seemed to him that in exquisite raiment, and to the delicate sound of flutes, the sins of the world were passing in dumb show before him. Things of which he had dimly dreamed of were suddenly made real to him...
He fell into a form of reverie, a malady of dreaming that made him unconscious of the falling day and creeping shadows...
He read on until he could read no more...
...until he could read no more..."
----
~ 'Bookburner', by Severed Heads, with (modified) quotes from 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', by Oscar Wilde
I'm old enough to remember comedian Moms Mabley (dob 1894), remarking on a talk show that she was, "older than dirt". I'm old enough (73) to have a maternal grandmother (dob 1890) OLDER than Moms Mabley. Politically marinated, since my late teens, by the lying liars and their lies about the Vietnam business. Some things never change. And to my friends in Euro-Silly...when you next see Mark Rutte, will you please give him a vigorous slap in the face and tell him I say, "hi"?
If ever there was a candidate for a full blooded slap in the face, an atomic wedgie, a bogwash, a super hard kick in the backside (by the world heavyweight backside-kicking champ, using steel toed DM boots) and then, pour finir, getting picked up, wrists and ankles, by two 300lb Olympic shot-putters, swung gracefully - ‘One... Two... Three…’ - and ('WAHAAAY!!') flung 20’ though the air into a deep, open cesspit, then that weird, grinning, besuited marionette would be the one.
And then, the other six dwarves to follow:
‘Can you still hear us down there, Mr Rutte? Watch out then: here comes Sir Kweir!'
‘No, please, stop, please. Oh, ugh, the stench! You can’t do this! I’m the Prime Minister!! No!! Noooooo!!!! Pleeease!!!! Waaaaaargh….!!’
SPLUTTT!!!!
’Which one’s next, chaps? Aha! Guten Tag, Frau von der Leyen….'
Thanks Peter, you're a poet. Your description here reminds me of the Kinglsey Amis description of a hangover in his classic novel, Lucky Jim"
Dixon was alive again. Consciousness was upon him before he could get out of the way; not for him the slow, gracious wandering from the halls of sleep, but a summary, forcible ejection. He lay sprawled, too wicked to move, spewed up like a broken spider-crab on the tarry shingle of the morning. The light did him harm, but not as much as looking at things did; he resolved, having done it once, never to move his eyeballs again. A dusty thudding in his head made the scene before him beat like a pulse. His mouth has been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum. During the night, too, he’d somehow been on a cross-country run and then been expertly beaten up by a secret police. He felt bad. p.61
That’s kind of you, but I’m hardly in Kingsley Amis’s league.
That really is fine writing. Unbeatable. Amis clearly knew a thing or two about hangovers: that must be the best description of one in any language, ever.
It’s about 25 years since I read Lucky Jim. It was the sequel to that hangover that made me laugh out loud and somehow most stuck in my mind: when he rings Welch a few days later, only to find an indignant Mrs Welch on the line, who recognises his voice and questions him about the burned, cut bedsheets; so, quick, he tries adopting a fictional persona and fake accent: ’No, no, it’s Forteskyaw here, Forteskyaw, FORTESKYAW!’
Again, you get the sense Amis had at times found himself in Dixon’s shoes.
72 here. Recently on another site I mentioned the depredations of the Banderites in Volyn "a couple of generations ago". I'd forgotten that in most families, generations are a lot shorter than in mine. My father was born in 1899.
On another site someone mentioned the exploits of one of Mertz's ancestors in WW2, and assumed that it must have been his grandfather or great grandfather, his father obviously being too young. I pointed out that Mertz is only a couple of years older than me, and that my father didn't fight in WW2 not because he was too young, but too old. (However he was just old enough for the Macedonia campaign in WW1.)
It doesn't matter, it's global warming that will kill us, in a century or two. Let's hope we can discover the stone wheel before then, I would love to see it.
So he would have something in common with the green goblin. 50 would be the average age of his mobilized men at the front and would be the average age of Simpli's mobilized men on this thread.
On the wrong side of 60 . The last 10 years have been an education in identification of deception . My BS filter has had a massive upgrade since "climate change , covid and WW3" started . I became a subscriber because of Simplicius's analysis getting through the filter . Most of what is generated by the legacy media no longer does .
Me too. The 2003 Gulf War started the process, but it’s the grab bag of deranged globalist policies since c. 2010 - the barmy ongoing Afghan occupation, continued mass third world immigration and wholesale population replacement, the Great Net Zero Scam, the corrupt undermining of Trump’s 2017-20 Presidency, the Great Covid and ‘Vaccines’ Megafraud and now, the NATO Pact/ EUSSR Ukraine Proxy War on Russia, all driven by our corrupt western Deep States and their rotten MSM mouthpieces - that have truly opened my eyes to the appalling reality.
The big question is who benefits - We have never in the history of mankind had it as good and yet we are destroying civilisation (again?). We are all in the same boat and when the collapse comes no one will be safe. The four horsemen don't discriminate.
Well, quite. Cui bono? Mainly the big league Wall Street shyster-barons, though plenty of parasitic clergy class apparatchiks in the military, think tanks, MSM, Big Outsource, politics and governmental service have built their careers greasing the wheels.
If there’s one thing the treatment of Europe, Canada, Australia and NZ since 2008 by the Uniparty political cartels ruling them reminds me of, it is Tony Soprano’s takeover of Davey Scatino's successful and well established sporting goods store. To recover a gambling debt of $50,000 or so, Tony and his crew seize control of the business and use every scam imaginable to suck every last cent out of the business’s name - mainly by ordering millions of dollars of goods on credit, to be sold on on the black market - leaving nothing but a dark, empty, foreclosed building. Scatino’s business, reputation, family and future are destroyed.
Tony saw the opportunity and, being a psychopath, took it - and took it all the way to its logical conclusion.
For Scatino’s gambling addiction, read the EU and UK’s idiotic welfare, energy and geopolitical policies. For Davey Scatino’s family, read the populations of the EU., Yookay and Anglosphere. For Tony Soprano, read George Soros, Larry Fink, Jamie Dimon et al.
And to add supplementary detail, from a Sopranos fan site:
'The tenth episode of “The Sopranos” Season 2, “Bust Out,” is a stark portrayal of the destructive nature of Tony’s business dealings and their devastating effects on individuals and families.
A key scene in the episode is the moment Tony and his crew begin the ‘bust out’ of Davey Scatino’s store. They systematically exploit the store’s credit line, purchasing luxury items for resale. This scene is crucial as it showcases not only Tony’s strategic criminal mind but also his indifference to the financial and emotional ruin of Davey and his family.
Davey Scatino’s tragic trajectory reaches a climax when he confronts Tony at the store, realizing the full extent of his downfall. This emotionally charged scene is a powerful depiction of Davey’s despair and Tony’s cold pragmatism, highlighting the human cost of Tony’s business practices.'
When Kurt Cobain died, he was only 26 or 27, so, in a way, he was in his 80's, give or take. (I think even Elvis died quite young, too-- 44? David Bowie, maybe late 60's, yes?)
That's what I told a young woman when we were discussing being young and the related idea of 'having our whole lives ahead of us' and sometimes acting as if we're immortal or at least having our whole lives ahead of us being of a significant number of years.
(Certainly I did when I used to wheelie my motorcycle and ride it at crazy speeds with only shorts and a t on. Don't tell Mom.)
We didn't discuss the sociocultural aspects of growing old in particular cultures, though, such as the 'no-future' ones that might be in the throes of decline/collapse, but I suppose one can still make a go of a culture like that. No sense in sobbing and curling up in a fetal position on the floor beside one's bed, is there? At least not forever.
Yeah, I’m over 50, I was a history student so have some understanding of the deep issues, political and geopolitical. And I have a keen interest in military matters. Simplicius is my ‘go to’ analyst, pretty much the first thing I read on waking up, the only commentator who talks sense. I accept it’s not ‘neutral’ but there are enough pro Ukrainian propaganda outlets for balance, in fact the entire western media. He’s more considered than Ritter and MacGregor who are a bit too gung ho. And then there’s the hyberbole of George Galloway. I like Weeb Union for front line assessments on You Tube. But what do young people think? I don’t know.
Spot on. Ritter and MacGregor are good but a little too enthusiastic and optimistic. Ritter is good when he sticks to detailed analysis of technology as he did recently when discussing the INF treaty. Galloway has his heart in the right place but has been known to inadvertently repeat fake news
Ritter is an excellent analyst, but a bit too emotional for my tastes. I like MacGregor - he is usually spot on. I like Galloway because he eloquently speaks truth to power. I also like Col Wilkerson - he, too, is usually spot on except when he talks about Israel being a vassal of the US - boy, does he have that wrong!
Ritter - I used to like his commentary, but when he attacked Gonzalo Lira so unprovoked and so wrong, whatever he had to say, being even true, dropped in value for me.
MacGregor - would make an excellent ambassador to Germany, knows language has his head/heart in the right place, but he was wrong so many times with his 'big beautiful arrows" of Russian attacks "any day now" since the start of SMO.
Wow! I am surprised that there are any readers who are under 50. I must admit that until I reached about 55 I was like most of my fellow Americans. I just was not interested in anything outside of the US. Of course, I realize now that has allowed the most evil and corrupt Govt. to operate basically unopposed and it has cost the average American dearly (not as much as the rest of the world that we terrorized)
For the record, I am 61 and I loathe my government.
Nor any mention of the ongoing strikes into Russia including the high civilian toll and the regular destruction of the oil and gas facilities but every strike in Ukraine is front and centre.here even when the facilities whereabouts were know in advance but are only destroyed after some large provocative action by the hohols, why not years ago, and the story about the bridges over the Dneiper still bringing in forces to be attrited is out there with the pixies whilst huge huge losses are sustained daily by the RF forces for years but this is being framed as an ongoing attritional victory up there with the best of them.
How is this not a war a positive victory to be admired from afar by us all?
The more desperate Ukraine becomes, the more likely they are going to attack Russian nuclear and oil and gas installations. Ukraine knows it's losing the conflict with Russia, so it will push to incapacitate Russia one way or another. Attacking Nuclear and oil, and gas sites is no minor misdemeanour. Russia needs to send a clear signal that if Ukraine keeps hitting its nuclear and oil, and gas installations, something really bad will happen to them because, right now, Ukraine has no fear of repercussions. They know Russia keeps holding back, and until that changes, Ukraine will keep on attacking its vital industries.
The US has been in direct war with Russia since April 2022 the latest.
A war in which only one side is fighting, while the elites of the other want to be allowed to surrender on acceptable to those elites terms (the general population be damned).
Our comrade Putin obviously has other priorities. And we have been beyond that scope for long now. Even if the Ukrainian lines crumbles as butter in the sun it seems as there are no will to take ”Ukraine” and secure the SMO:s objectives of de-nazifying and de-militarisation.
Could be that Putin change his mind if Trump screws him.
I agree fully that Odessa is important. If Ukraine exists in the future without a seaport there will be more wars - it is essential for Ukraine. And if Russia leaves Odessa in the hands of Ukraine and the UK hidden hand they will never be safe in Black Sea.
The SMO is a failure as of now. I predict that the ”negotiations” will turn sour and that Russia and NATO goes into full conventional War. Then perhaps Russia change their strategy although I think it is a mistake to take over a hostile country, especially now after 1 million dead&maimed.
Its all f***ed up and there will not be any good end to this. Putin and Lavrov wont live for-ever and in Ukraine we can expect the psychopath Zaluchny to be installed by UK&City of London cabals.
It's not Ukraine doing these strikes, it's the US reminding Putin who is the top dog and who is the bitch here.
GM is right here.
Even confirmed by Trump, as in Trump's mind everything is now.
One wanders what would be an appropriate answer?
To Ukrainians - Ten times. Destroy targets in Ukraine at least ten times the worth, amount, of corresponding attacks .
Destroying Ukraine completely - a brotherly nation, a pain in the ass nation in its current iteration, but still Slavic and Orthodox, - destroying Ukraine completely would be welcomed by the West, especially Great Britain.
Destroying Poland, quite reserved at the moment, or Romania doesn't make much sense.
Destroying England, is absolutely OK. Not the moment now, but one should always be prepared to destroy England. As long as England exists, Russia will not be safe. Be prepared, and do not miss when the opportunity arises.
The only good answer is winning on the battlefield, taking Donbas by force of arms, and offering terms of summer 2024.
maybe Syrsky can ask the born again napoleon - macron - to take a train to ukraine to help out?? i dig this salvani fellow in italy who speaks his mind, a rare trait in a politician..
Macron's recent statement that in 3 years Russia conquered 1% of Ukraine, missed the fact that on this 1% of Ukraine Russia destroyed 80-90% of Ukrainian military force
Majority of France’s power is nuclear. One of Macron’s promises from the start was energy stability, which is obviously a problem in Europe. He is failing. Russia is beating France in Africa/ Kazakstan and Tajikistan. And if basic needs are not met, eventually discord will grow within the country. Macron is probably aware... that France is losing.
Iirc French Nuclear power generation was largely supplied by very cheap Uranium from Niger. Now this has ended, I imagine the French population will be seeing a big hike in the cost of their electricity.
Macron doesn't understand - nor does hardly anyone else - that Russia has conquered none of Ukraine and doesn't want to. Russia has helped the Donbas Ukrainians throw the kiev ukrainians out of the Donbas is what they've done.
And they've done it without any all out war.
It has been and is a very different thing. A multifaceted and multilevel thing, as much political, economic, ideological as military. More in fact.
Putin has effectively been at war with the whole West and at an ideological level or whatever you might call it.
He has exposed the west as a filthy nest of liars and thieves.
Who amongst us in the west doesn't know this?
Who amongst us any longer has any faith in their govt. pride in their country?
We have seen the usa totally exposed for what it is and has been.
All respectability stripped from it. Like a horror movie. The smiling urbane exterior stripped away to reveal a filthy scabrous horror beneath.
And the west IS the usa, the usa IS the west.
All our nations all our leaders all our big businesses lackeys of the usa.
Are you suggesting that they are all valiant, ready for sacrifice, for death by nuclear fire? No, they will all submit, even without freezing. They are no different from the green goblin who sacrifices +1000 people for 1 extra day of life. Whether it is Macron, Starmer and all the others, they would cry and announce on TV "I don't want to die", believe me.
3 reasons to consider why Russia Cannot Win This War — and Putin’s Strategy is a Failure.
More than four years into the full-scale war in Ukraine, one truth is unavoidable: Russia is not winning. Vladimir Putin’s strategy has failed, and the belief that Moscow is somehow on the verge of victory is pure delusion.
1. Four years of war, zero strategic success.
Russia set out to de-militarize, de-nazify the Ukraine, halt NATO expansion, and cement itself as Europe’s dominant power. After years of bloodshed, it has achieved none of those objectives. Instead, Russia is stuck in a grinding war of attrition, bleeding men and resources at catastrophic levels. Independent estimates suggest more than 120,000 Russian have been killed, with total losses far higher. Ukraine, has paid a much higher terrible price—but the war that was supposed to end in weeks is very much a quagmire for Moscow.
Instead of breaking Ukraine’s will, Putin has forged a stronger Ukrainian national identity and hardened NATO’s resolve.
2. The West is not collapsing—it’s quadrupling down.
Russian propaganda insists the West is on the brink of economic and political collapse. Reality tells a different story. NATO continues to arm Ukraine with increasingly advanced systems, while Ukraine strikes deep into Russian territory with regularity. The West is even using Russia’s own frozen assets—hundreds of billions of dollars—to bankroll Ukraine’s defense. In effect, Russia is funding the war against itself.
And the supposed “unrest” in the U.S. or Europe? It doesn’t exist. There are no mass uprisings against supporting Ukraine, no economic collapse in Western capitals. On the contrary, no one gives a shit for Putin.
3. Western resolve is long-term—Russia is stuck with its own long-term agenda.
For years, Russian voices have promised the West will “get tired” of Ukraine. But that hope is as empty now as it was in 2022. The U.S. and Europe are scaling up joint weapons production with Ukraine, planning for years of support. Public opinion in most NATO states remains unscathed, with little to no objections being raised by its populace
Even if American politics brings theatre and uncertainty, the strategic consensus is clear: containing Russia is now a Western project measured in decades, not election cycles. The playbook has been in place for generations ( since 1917) —and it is not changing.
The Bottom Line
Putin has trapped Russia in a war it doesn't want to win. Instead of restoring Russia’s greatness, he has exposed its weaknesses, isolated it globally from the west, and sacrificed a generation of its people. The West is not retreating, NATO is not collapsing, and Ukraine is not surrendering.
Russia is bogged down, outmatched, and running out of options, other than empty threats of industrializing Orsheniks. The longer this war drags on, the clearer it becomes: Putin’s strategy is a failure.
>For years, Russian voices have promised the West will “get tired” of Ukraine.
What is there to get tired of? Zero cost for them, they get to strike Russia, Russia does not strike back. What is there not to like?
>Russia is bogged down, outmatched, and running out of options, other than empty threats of industrializing Orsheniks.
Well, there is the option of actually striking at the enemy. Here is where we disagree.
I am a broken record on this, but Russia can safely physically eliminate everything between itself and France and all the nuclear powers in NATO will be able to do in response is dissolve the alliance. If it does not do that, it will get nuclear armed Ukraine and perhaps Poland and Germany too, maybe even Sweden, and then it will be checkmate. But as things stand, that is the winning move. For Russia, but not for the Russian oligarchy...
Russia isn't bogged down - its hardening, advancing and evolving. Russia isn't outmatched - its innovating, improving and adapting. Russia isn't running out of options - its hardly used the myriad available to it. Focusing soley on Oreshnik misses an entire spectrum of defensive and offensive options at Russia's disposal. Russia has tons of moves it hasn't even used.
GM may be right that Putin won't (or cant) use them effectively, but dismissing them as unavailable is myopic cope.
The delusional western-spun narrative that the SMO would take weeks is armchair general BS, as is the suggestion that the West must collapse on schedule for you. $35 trillion in US debt, BRICS, NATO/EU fracturing and political elite infighting are taking their increasing toll - Putins strategy and grand gamble is that Ukraine will be the Big Domino that brings it all down.
Ya can't win if ya don't play - Putin had to make this move.
I do block people using derogatory language or can't put 2 coherent thoughts together. Life it too short, there are tons of normal people here to discuss things, even if I don't have to agree to their point of view but they argue their point well.
Be assured I won't spend a minute on whoever brands her/him @candyarse.
Hmm I'll have to start watching my potty mouth! Wouldn't wanna get blocked by Queen Angeleen!! I picked up a rather pernicious cursing habit working with some extremely tough but not so cerebral fellows in my youth. I can still rapid fire George Carlin's Seven Words You Cannot Say On Television, though...
LOL- I'm not a shrinking violet and not above abstract profanities, but I do block commentators who call here women "c*ts" in discussions, or clearly have an agenda
Total strategic success both on the battlefield and wider strategy. Donbas reclaimed, fact instilled into western consciousness. Russian army brought up from terrible state with much rottenness to a good machine of high level. The nation consolidated and proud of itself. The filthy west fully exposed for what it is to where even west loving oligarchs now return to Russia for preference... and on and on...
2. The West is not collapsing—it’s quadrupling down.
Check with these economists:
Mainstream/Institutional Economists:
Kenneth Rogoff
Lawrence H. Summers
Nouriel Roubini
David Rosenberg
Lacy Hunt
Geopolitical Strategist:
Peter Zeihan
Global Economist/Author:
Dambisa Moyo
Heterodox/Critical Economists:
Michael Hudson
Steve Keen
Yanis Varoufakis
Richard Wolff
3.Western resolve is long-term—Russia is stuck with its own long-term agenda
There is no 'western resolve'. There is a pirate ship and gang of pirates called the usa and a tattered second rate bunch of old pirates in convoy called the uk and then a flock of penniless and clueless politicians all busy licking ass and looking for safety.
Their only 'resolve' is to get through the next election.
'Resolve' resides with the nations that see themselves as having suffered for decades from western merciless hegemony. Their resolve is to be free of it. And they represent virtually all the people on the planet, all the manufacturing ability, all the agricultural production and all the mineral wealth.
Just think to yourself. Do 'the lords' severally and collectively 'resolve' to keep the people as slaves? No. For they are all too selfish aren't they? Notoriously, greedy, lavish lifestyle Lords. Eager to stab each other in the back. The one doesn't much care what happens to the other. They're all too busy having parties. Their very business is 'having parties', not 'keeping the slaves down'. See? Ironically it is 'the slaves' who 'keep the slaves down' as usual. Hired help. Right? That's how it goes.
But the resolve within the hearts and minds of the slaves? Different kettle of fish isn't it?
You have no more numbered points.
But you say, in 'dot point' form:
. 'A war it cannot win'. It has won it. It went there militarily to free Donbas and the job is done.
.'Restoring Russia's greatness' you deny. The building of Russia since '91 is a historical fact of staggering proportions. He did a mighty job but was still far short come '14 and even in '22. But now the world - not your myopic tiny corner wherever that is - but the wider, complete, whole world as represented perhaps by brics, sees it clearly.
'Isolate globally' is looking from the wrong angle. It is now 'free' of the west, as declared publicly by Putin. Free of the west's hegemonic strangulations and thieveries and free of pathetic, useless, constantly keeping faith with a lying conniving treacherous 'partner'
The scales have fallen from the eyes of Russia and they are thankful for it.
And now the west and Russia and everyone sees very clearly who depends upon who and it is the west that depends upon Russia's cheap energy and this very day in the west they are finding ways to circumvent the american strictures that have destroyed Germany by the blow to its industry engineered by America's destruction of the nordstream.
.'Ukaine is not surrendering'. You don't mean 'ukraine' of course. The 40 million people that were and who by kiev and washington and nato insistence stall are 'ukraine'.
Because you do not include, you do not mean the 10 million donbas ukrainians you are all doing your best to kill. You literally mean 'kiev' will not cease its intent to subjugate Donbas.
So by 'ukraine' you really mean 'kiev ukraine'.
And when we see the press ganged people sent to the front we see you don't even mean that 'ukraine the people'. For its clear they are gaining nothing. So what do you mean? You mean 'the kiev regime of course'. Another bunch of pirates like the american equivalent.
They are not surrendering and probably never will for they will 'fight to the last ukrainian' because that is not them. They will be happy to be a 'government in exile' if necessary.
But it does not matter. It is of no relevance. Russia has rescued sane, sensible Donbas Ukraine and that's all that matters. What that rump does Russia does not really care. Russia does not want it. Not in the least. You have everything upside down of course. Kiev ukraine is not under attack. Russia is not trying to conquer kiev ukraine. Russia is protecting Donbas Ukraine.
. nato is not collapsing. Yes it is. It is farcical and a mockery and an insanity. Just another example of the total stupidity of the western masses and the total greed and inhumanity of their 'masters' A 'defensive alliance' against who/what? There is no enemy. They are the enemy. They pretend it is Russia. Utter madness. Russia even asked to join nato. What better way to defend than to include? They denied it.
It is a farcical ludicrous haven for charlatans and sinecurists and it will collapse.
. Russia is bogged down. You mistake rolling smoothly along good new tracks with 'bogged'. "bogged" is the american mindset, nato, the western model, western political thinking. the 'bog' IS the west.
. Putin's strategy is a failure. Putin's strategy is to save Russians, Russian culture, be of value to the world and he's having global success to an astonishing extent.
The need for Putin's strategy is made apparent by your post which we might say exemplifies the utter, complete and total inability of the west to see straight or think straight.
The west at all levels is replete with such as yourself who would say things such as you have said, would print them, would believe them. And that's what's wrong with the west.
In short: the west is f***ed and we can all see it. Thanks for your demonstration of just how true it is.
What power the West retains (if any, beyond economic and info-warfare) is what remains of their colonial history which enabled them to live far beyond their means for centuries off the backs of an oppressed world. That is now coming to an end as Africa, the Global south and others break free of the colonial chains and expose the West for what it really is - a region of the world with resource shortages, insufficient energy of its own, limited manufacturing capability, unpayable debt obligations, an aging, fast decomposing military and an incompetent, selfish, politically compromised leadership.
"Russia is bogged down, outmatched, and running out of options, other than empty threats of industrializing Orsheniks. The longer this war drags on, the clearer it becomes: Putin’s strategy is a failure."
"...out of options"?! Patience...I think Putin might change the insane minds of the collective west if the Russians were to erase the ports at Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg, for example. Maybe wipe out a few critical Tube junctures in London...for good measure. Just for starters. I think Putin is hoping the Euro-galoots get the message and stop acting like junk-yard dogs. Maybe battlefield nukes by Christmas, 2025? "And an Oreshnik in a Pear Tree...for New Years? Napoleon retreated from Moscow, Oct 19, 1812 after waiting, waiting, waiting for Alexander 1 to sign the terms of surrender that NEVER got signed. Bedraggled and retreating from the Russian misadventure, while grilling their horses for dinner. Building snow forts against the sniping, following Russian troops. Some lessons need repeating...bigly sad.
"The U.S. and Europe are scaling up joint weapons production with Ukraine, planning for years of support." Ahahahahahahaha! NATO is flat ass BROKE. In debt up to their eyeballs and led by the most incompetent buffoons on the planet. Chip
>It’s clear that Russia and NATO disagrees on what type of force would be appropriate for this occasion, particularly given that Russia has backed proposals for Chinese involvement in this regard.
Why is this even a conversation the Kremlin is engaged in?
Anyone in the Kremlin doing that should be lined up against the big wall on the Red Square and shot immediately for treason.
The only forces allowed in Ukraine should be Russian and Belarusian. Anyone else is to be immediately and with great prejudice exterminated, together with the whole country they came from.
And why is almost nobody getting extremely upset about the Kremlin engaging in such discussions? Have the bounds of the acceptable and unthinkable really shifted that much already?
>But as a general comment, on the now critical Pokrovsk front, some reports state that Syrsky is urgently pulling more units from other sectors to put out fires here:
>We’ll hold off the full front updates until next time, due to the fact that there is a particularly foggy information blackout at the moment about a few key positions
What isn't at all foggy is that:
1) There was no Russian summer offensive whatsoever
2) In fact no even mid-sized city has been taken in the last 9 months (Toretsk and Chasov Yar were years-long grinds and most of them have been taken for a very long time, those don't really count). Yes, nine months since Selidovo and Kurakhovo.
3) The AFU is still resisting very effectively and there is no collapse of the front. We keep waiting for it, but it keeps not happening.
If they moved units from other sectors to plug the holes around Pokrovsk, then why have other sectors not collapsed? Because they indeed haven't -- the Pokrovsk holes were so far successfully plugged, but elsewhere it is the same positional grind as always, no meaningful change.
Oooooh, what a surprise, ain’t they the nicest people money can buy! I would love to donate to every one of these fearless leaders a free parachute, a peanut butter sandwich with jelly, a pair of black boots and a big bottle of Coca-Cola Classic. And I would also encourage them to jump out of a perfectly good airplane right over Central Moscow.
I was mingling with a very large group of people today in the morning, examining their facial expressions, their body language I came to the conclusion that none of them showed a desire to be burned alive with their children in a nuclear war. These war games are going on since 1914, constantly reloaded in different shapes, taking out and destroying larger and larger chunks of the Western World. After some shaking, baking and reloading we are looking at the same old thing again: (((America))) was able to set up a new conflict where war crazed Europeans are ready to jump into the frying pan. The US is planning to be the laughing third party but it is an impossible act this time. This planet became way too small for this strategy.
The only solution is: A giant Tsunami, a wave of Populism has to sweep the Western World and wash the political clowns out to the oceans. The New Order has to contain an uncompromisable, non-negotiable group of fundamental constitutional guarantees where even a single individual can trigger an instant political act based on a blockchain system that would override/change the complete political leadership and dig them out of their positions if necessary. I am NOT talking democracy here. I am talking a very large group of preselected voters who gain the right to participate based on their lifelong performance in society and normal behavior. The majority of the present day clown-class and village idiots would not even qualify as voters in this new structure.
There is no right solution to the problem of governance of human societies. That is why there has been constant change since the city of Ur to our days. It is trial and error, or thesis and antithesis. In fact, while pursuing the government of the one designed by the gods or by fate, Führerprinzip, or pursuing the government by the people, like the force of gravity, there is a law ingrained in the genetic code that produces oligarchies.
"A giant Tsunami, a wave of Populism has to sweep the Western World and wash the political clowns out to the oceans"
Not that difficult:
'Politicians' should be selected from the eligible registered voting population by means of a ballot - just as in many countries, juries are selected -and appointed for a 3 or 4 year term. One term only.
Pay them very well - no perks of office - guarantee their careers after service and impose lengthy prison terms, no option, for any breach of trust.
Ban from the ballot all previous politicians at any level - and I personally would ban lawyers but that's just me.
It wasn't long ago that jurors were responsible for making just decisions that meant life or death for the accused, and for the most part they, ordinary citizens, fulfilled that most onerous obligation honorably.
This would largely end the corruption of the current system & do away with 'career politicians'
(Not new. It's bee tried before, I think ancient Greece and Italy? Plato also said something similar; this is just a more modern application. You're welcome)
Well of course, the current crop of corrupt politicians are hardly likely to agree to their own demise, are they?
This will only occur after a revolution. But that revolution is closer than you think; eg world financial collapse and/or ww111 - either or both highly likely in the immediate future.
First I was told Santa was real. And then I learned. Then they said the Easter Bunny was real. And then I learned. Then they preached "democracy, democracy, democracy". And then I learned...it was all a malodorous, steaming mountain of bullshit.
Various outlets are declaring that Zoomers (especially men) are joining the Republican party. They report it as if there's something wrong with these guys. They refuse to acknowledge the corruption in the Democratic Party.
The arrogant Democrats thought they were so smart and sexy that they didn't have to explain why "President" Vegetable Lasagna was AWOL during his residency. Then VP, Joe-inna-skirt, couldn't even pretend to offer a wedge of cheese to the American voter. Could not fake a platform. A female neighbor surmised that Kamala lost because...wait for it...the American voters were both rassist and misogynistic. SMH. A woman friend whose daughter moved to Chicago recently couldn't find any appealing young men to date because they are all Trumpers!!
'I personally would ban lawyers but that's just me.'
You have my unconditional support on this one. In contemporary America lawyers became the foot soldiers, the enforcers of the lawless deep state structure.
Interesting how a rather blunt line from a literary genius is twisted in modern days. The very Shakespearian insult from Henry VI, Part 2, Act 4, Scene 2 is explained as follows: ‘The line "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" was spoken by the character Jack Cade in William Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 2. While a memorable quote, it was spoken in the context of a rebellion against the government and symbolized a desire for anarchy rather than a genuine sentiment against the legal profession. In fact, the line is sometimes seen as a compliment to lawyers, as their removal would be the first step toward removing the checks and balances of a free society, according to the Florida Bar Journal.’
Hitler went rather soft on the lawyer class compared to Shakespeare:
‘In twentieth century Europe, Adolf Hitler, the quintessential despot, asserted’ "I shall not rest until every German sees that it is a shameful thing to be a lawyer."
You've also heard that a dedicated prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a "ham sandwich".
Random selection of people for office is totally going to fail.
I find this article on how China selects its leaders to be "interesting". One gets on to the first "rung" through local elections where people have a chance to actually interact with you. From there on, you move up because you obtain the respect of your colleagues. (and real respect, not bribes.)
Otherwise we have to just depend on luck, like Russia did when the CIA positioned Putin in line to ascend to the Presidency.
Or depend on a "good man" just taking control like Burkina Faso did when Ibrahim Traore staged a coup. He seems to have persuaded people to follow him.
Everyone, including me, laughs at Dh because he only knows how to say "Jew". But he isn't totally wrong.
Aaron Good had a number of in-depth articles that discuss the rise of Meyer Lansky. IN this one, they review Lansky's involvement in the murder of JFK.
And here, Scott Horton interviews Matt Wolfson (an ex-[I didn't know] -Zionist) on the "Jewish Supremacists" who inherited their power from Lansky. The anchor point is the "Jewish Supremacists" who are gunning for Thomas Massie.
The US is run by a Deep State that includes very high-ranking members of organized crime.
America's problem is, we haven't a clue who the "bad guys" are. Even when names like Soros and Adelson are presented to us multiple times a day, we still just don't get it.
That "pedophile" accusation is just about to lose any meaning at all. It is used so often without context and without evidence.
Ritter was paroled without confessing his crime -- because the parol board found he had committed no crime. Biden hated Ritter and was persecuting him for exposing the WMD lies about Iraq. It is called "lawfare". Trump just used it on the member of the Fed.
"America's problem is, we haven't a clue who the "bad guys" are. Even when names like Soros and Adelson are presented to us multiple times a day, we still just don't get it."
Americans don't read history. BORING! Americans generally are not hot prospects for the MENSA society.
Your proposal to repair it will not fix that. "better" would be very subjective.
i.e. Someone "randomly" selected will be approached by members of the "Deep State" (or Oligarchy if you wish) and one of these things will happen: 1) he will accept an enormous bribe; 2) he will be accused of crimes he may or may not have committed; 3) his family will be threatened; 4) he will be assassinated.
This is what happens to members of Congress now. Do remember Paul Wellstone. "airplane crash" wasn't an accident.
Athens was the first example of a State trying to organise itself according to so-called democratic ideas.
In fact an oligarchy of the very rich merchants with elements of mob rule under the influx of professional demagogs, who were sometimes paid by rival merchant clans.
It became very aggresive and defied Sparta to be utterly defeated. Athens never recovered the disaster of the Peloponesian war.
The whole experiment lasted two generations.
The classical philosophs, not only Plato, where very critical of Athenian democracy.
Well Angelina, I do tend to the big picture & let others fill in the details. My wife would agree.
But, let's say, an accountant, or train driver or shop assistant are called to serve their country for 4 years in a political role (and it is 'service'- possibly personally disruptive - & not necessarily welcome..)
As well as being very well remunerated, the government would ensure they do not 'lose out', job or career wise, as a result. There are myriad ways to do this, but I agree, it's picky & difficult - so I'll leave it to those with the necessary picky skills to sort it out.
BTW I floated this concept on ZH some 10,12 years ago.. when ZH was relevant, and the response was pretty much nil to negative. Not much has changed.
It's hard being a voice in the wilderness and the crappy thing is that when this does eventuate, after the revolution. I'll be long gone & some other schmuck will take the credit.
But then, there are no accidents in the Universe. It is what it is.
Simplicius must be extending his broadcast reach and consistently over the target. The "why Russia can't win" brigade starts firing as soon as a new post is created, with texts that are obviously prepared in advance (by Langley?).
Maybe Langley, but I would be very surprised to learn that the British Army's 77th Brigade aren't infesting these pages. They're a Psychological warfare outfit and it's what they're paid to do. During the Covid operation they were dubbed the "facebook warriors" by General Sir Nick Carter iirc. He boasted that he had 4000 of them deployed around the clock to combat disinformation.
Every single European country proposing to send troops to Ukraine has a caveat that their deployment needs to be "backstopped" by American forces. Which means they'll commit next to no actual troops, but when they inevitably get hit, they'll try to force the US into a direct war with Russia.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a good number of signs that the neocon faction in the administration WILL prevail on Trump to provide this "backstop", claiming the US will only provide air cover but no "boots on the ground".
But we know that once the Europeans start screeching, Trump will inevitably fold and put US troops into Ukraine.
>Which means they'll commit next to no actual troops, but when they inevitably get hit, they'll try to force the US into a direct war with Russia.
There will be no direct USA-Russia war unless the US has achieved sufficient technological dominance to think it can ride it out with acceptable damage. "Acceptable damage" here may well include losing something like Omaha, NE, but likely not NYC.
The plan is to use the proxies as cannon fodder to trigger a Russian internal collapse like in 1989-1991 and then come and pick up the pieces.
Thus all the cards, except one, are indeed in Russia's hands -- the proxies can be just outright physically eliminated before they have been used as cannon fodder for that purpose.
The US holds the trump card though -- which is that the interests of much of the Russian capitalist elites are most closely aligned with those of Western capitalist elites than they are with the interests of their own country. So that "radical" solution is not on the table, and won't be until Russia clears house internally. But that cannot happen without a coup or a revolution...
The only problem with the last remark is that the sanctions have pushed the oligarchs back to the safety of mother Russia. They know they cannot trust the West which despises their money and the way they made it. So, even if they would prefer to live in Chelsea or Miami, they know that Rublyovka is much safer for them and their children in the long run.
Spot on. They are the ones demanding Putin does NOT make rapprochements with the US that would bring back in all that tatty US competition for a new wealth base they have worked hard in the last few years to build.
There are some oligarchs who have realized it is in their interest for Russia to go its own way.
Their existence is the reason the SMO happened at all.
They are by no means all oligarchs, and not even the most important ones.
The resource extraction and banking ones are pro-Western, and their wealth and power depends on the continuation of the post-1991 relationship with the West.
The more patriotic ones have to do with the internal economy. But they are not the stronger faction.
The SMO was started because of a group of oligarchs who did not like Western competition ? GM, this is an interesting new angle. And do they want to nuke everyone to make sure their markets remain well protected ?
It is hard to take this comment (GM's) seriously. Western intelligence gave up on turning the oligarchs some time ago and admits now that their independent wealth such as it has not been seized, has been very helpful indeed in shoring up the Russian economy and the war effort, most recently in helping fund the Rubicon. And what a wonder weapon that is turning out to be! I forget the latest head out of valuable western assets now in Russian hands. We have middle class Russian techie youngsters who want to play their part in the new patriotic war teeming up with hardened Russian criminal hackers all within a disciplined militaristic shell, all in the supreme righteous cause of the motherland.
Russians are Russians, GM, like the writing in rock. Attack Russia and you soon find you hit this patriotic wall. But you should know that, shouldn't you?
The West despises the way they made their money? As far as the most important ones, the West was a necessary complicit in the operation that made them rich.
How exactly does the US hold a trump card over Russia, because of the capitalists? Your belief in money trumps your belief in reality. The fact that the Russian military has been unleashed, demonstrates one thing, that it's the men with guns having the control over life and death dictates power. The state has the monopoly on violence once the government still controls the military. So with that said a very small man can cast a very large shadow over a country. It's strange, the belief that the Russian oligarchs that were treated like fugitives and ridiculed as their possessions were seized would just forget that humiliation in 2022 and run back into the arms of their western detractors. My belief is the oligarchs want their money back much more than to forgive and forget.
>How exactly does the US hold a trump card over Russia, because of the capitalists? Your belief in money trumps your belief in reality. The fact that the Russian military has been unleashed, demonstrates one thing, that it's the men with guns having the control over life and death dictates power
But that's the thing, the Russian military has been anything but unleashed. Exactly the opposite in fact, it has been on a very tight leash and fighting with one and a half hands tied behind its back.
The war would have been long over, with a decisive total Russian victory, if the military was actually unleashed. We have been through it many times, with the exact list of targets to be hit that would quickly win the war and that continue to be off limits for the Russian military. Because it is still shackled.
As an example, why was Surovikin removed? Remember that it happened long before the Wagner rebellion. Surovikin was commander of the SMO for less than three months, in which he had to take the PR hit for abandoning Kherson, but also did so far the only somewhat sustained campaign to take out dual-use infrastructure, yet then was quickly removed from the position of SMO commander, after which the strikes stopped.
More generally, the Russian capitalists have been directly sabotaging the SMO from the start. But most of that is in the negative, i.e. in what is not being done, so if you are not paying attention, it is easy to miss it. But let's review some examples.
One example that was not in the negative was the Istanbul negotiations. What was Abramovich doing there as quite an influential factor? Nobody has given an explanation more than three years later, but from the outside it looked like he was representing the oligarchs with serious ties to the West (which he is one of himself). And what were the terms in Istanbul? Effectively Brest-Litovsk V.2. Total capitulation. The damage has still not been repaired, BTW, because today we talk of Istanbul+ as if that is somehow a win for Russia. The admissible frame of debate was determined already back then.
Second example -- why did Russia lose control of the Black Sea? In large part because of the infamous grain deal that was in place for the first year of the SMO, which allowed the Ukro-NATO-Nazis to build up Odessa as an untouchable base of operations, instead of it being smashed to pieces or even outright taken by Russia. The cascading downstream effects are well-known -- Russia has been totally kicked out of the western Black Sea, and effectively pretty much from the central area too. The BSF is huddled in Novorossiysk for protection.
But why was that so unfavorable to Russia deal made? Because it wasn't just a grain deal, it was a grain and ammonia deal. Since Soviet times the pipeline ran from Togliatti to Odessa, because it had to go through to all the major grain producing areas in between, and ammonia export actually happened out of Odessa. And you may want to look up who owns TogliattiAzot -- it is an oligarch clan of Ukrainian descent, with the main owner residing in the US, in possession of an US passport, and even having changed his name to an English one. Look it up. You can also add to the picture the fact that the Minister of Agriculture, and thus the nexus of all grain-related corruption in Russia, is Patrushev's son. At the time Patrushev still headed the Security Council. Something stinks here, doesn't it? And it's not just the ammonia...
Then we come to one of the biggest mysteries of the SMOs, which has only been uncovered recently, which is how it was possible for Ukraine to have absolutely no fuel problems for three and a half years, except for a brief period in late 2022 when Surovikin was hitting them hard. Ukraine had several refineries, which were practically off limits for serious strikes. We saw how Iran took out the Haifa one with a couple missiles, and it is still not operational. So how were the big Kremenchug refinery and the several smaller ones not touched all this time? Well, Kremenchug was hit several times, but that was apparently always non-critical targets within it, which just made a big mushroom cloud (fuel explosions will do that) but it was back in operation quickly after that.
It took the whole Azerbaijan fiasco for the truth to come out -- once Aliyev took an openly hostile to Russia position, clearly orders were issued that lifted the veto on a list of objects that have now been hit in the last few weeks, and it turned out that all those objects were Azeri property. But still not everything has been taken out.
Which immediately raises the question how many thousands of Russian soldiers died because the Kremlin determined that the interests of the Azeri lobby in Moscow are more important than making sure that the AFU does not have fuel for its tanks.
Etc. etc. etc.
This is how that phenomenon manifests itself.
Also, I have noted this previously here, but let's do it again. The most important moment of the SMO was on February 24 2022, when Putin gathered the oligarchs to explain himself in front of them, and some video of that meeting was released. In retrospect, alarm bells should have been ringing that very moment, but we were all too euphoric that Russia is back, because who would be so insane to launch that war without intending to win it decisively given what the consequences of not winning it would be? Right? Right? So there was no doubt the Kremlin, having crossed the Rubicon, would press full speed ahead in the only direction possible once that had been done. But Putin felt he had to gather oligarchs and apologetically tell them that "what is happening now was a desperate measure, they left us no choice" yet "nothing will fundamentally change in our relationship to the world system". That last part was the key. But also, the very fact that he gathered them was extremely ominous -- why would the president gather a bunch of businessmen to give explanations of his actions? What official position do those people hold that makes them so important to warrant such a meeting? None. They are just regular businessmen, not in any position of official power. What business do they have there? And yet that was the first thing Putin did. It was very telling of what was to come...
P.S. TogliattiAzot is also important because it illustrates how the rot spread in the USSR due to its increased interactions with the West. Togliatti was also where AvtoVAZ is centered and was originally set up, and that was a collaboration with Fiat. But at the time Italy had a very strong communist movement, so it was kind of acceptable. TogliattiAzot, on the other hand, was an outright joint venture with US interests. Yeah, it was Armand Hammer, who passed for a communist-sympathizer, but what communist are you when you run a major oil company in the US? And more importantly, that didn't really matter anyway, the key thing is that this is how connections were established between the people in the USSR in control of (but not owners of) the largest amount of real wealth on the planet and the capitalists in the West who wanted to get their hands on that real wealth. It was a short step from there to the people controlling that wealth realizing they could own much of it if they became capitalists too, and the USSR was no more within less than two decades.
North Korea is the only one to have gotten this right -- the West is the devil and interactions with it should be strictly limited to the absolutely essential, preferably outright eliminated. If you don't do that, you will get subverted and defeated from within.
My question as related to the origins of my commitment is, who controls the leash of the Russian military, the capitalists? For the remainder of you ramble I cannot debate assertions, assumptions and hearsay based on nothing at all. As to have any solid facts on your presumptions one would need to be highly placed in STAVKA. Oh another thing, if Russia lost control of the black sea, which other nation now has the vessels to control the black sea? Oh and I don't subscribe to the western hive mindset of believing destroying specific targets can end a conflict. Russian doctrine as layed out in the book The Russian way of War, "If the state is attacked and the army survives the the conflict will never end. If the army is destroyed then the state cannot survive." Demilitarisation means the destruction of Ukraines military potential which may extend to Europe if they persist in meddling in what should not concern them. At some point the West must accept that the conflict in Ukraine is not a war of "public opinion" but potentially a war with all the accompanying destruction.
I think the overall goal is to recreate the conditions of the American century. Namely, 60 - 90% of the world economy comprising of smoldering ruins and the graves of 60+ million people.
Then they can force as many of those nations as possible to be dependent on US consumer goods and manufacturing.
Were Trump serious about peace (he's not), he need only tell the europeans loudly and publicly that if they persist in provoking Russia, the United States will not again ride to their rescue.
Of course, the europeans would squeal like piglets, and would doubtless retaliate by pulling their support from Israel, which is something Trump cares very much about.
Here's an opportunity for Dh to step up and name the long list of neocons who are Jews. Bill Kristol, Victoria Nuland, Robert Kagan, Paul Wolfowitz, Robert Sullivan...
On the other side is the Israeli Doctor at the end of this podcast -- Daniel Solomon, who volunteered to attend the autopsy and report on what happened to the Soccer star Walid Khalid Abdullah Ahmad.
The Iraq War nearly broke the US Army at ~43 KIA per week. The US military that comprises of ~40% of NATO. The US military the only NATO member that has any wherewithal to fight at all.
I'd love to see the Euro armies try to handle dozens of KIA per day. I'd love to see the surprise Pikachu face of Euro generals as their combat power trends to zero within weeks.
Nobody cares what europeans think or want. Freeze the bank accounts of those europeans who resist. Try living in europe without a bank account, insurance, etc..
The idea that having lots of consumers is of itself a value let alone a grand value making you geopolitically powerful, is risable. Look at Africa, mainly dirt poor, and that's with all its natural resources (which are of course, mainly not its own at all- that's its problem). Lots of people though, and they all want out.
Lots of people makes you ripe for becoming a colony and dumping ground for the colonial master's goods and services, a source of cheap labour and military manpower- although that is a hard sell given what we know about europeans- and of course, a grand asset strip if you have anything worth plundering.
? When I last looked they were still a teeming dirt poor vast populace, but if they get out from under the old western colonial boot, there is great hope for Africa's future.
lol. Stop feeding and providing western medication to Africans and their population will decrease back to what it was before when few merely roamed as hunter gatherers
I believe a better example would be China in the early 19th century - lots of consumers and structural trade surpluses in its dealings with the West, but a weak state with no armed forces capable of defending it. Result? The opium wars waged by the European powers to force it to legalize opium, grant market access and concessions etc.
It took the near-death experience of foreign interventions and the unequal treaties, civil war and Japanese invasions, a ruthless communist revolution and a not less ruthless mix of capitalism and communism to Make China Great Again (MCGA - admittedly a bit more of a mouthful than MAGA) which have now restored China's sovereignty and might, if not yet its self assurance.
And then it took the Ukraine proxy war to convince them that if Russia will go down the drain, they are next.
As Rick said to Captain Renault at the end of Casablanca, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
Tenenbaum is 39 but did he ever do military service ? France is losing quite a few officers in recent weeks - a few were cremated in Sumy the other day and others near Odessa. By all means commit French forces - Russia can impose defence cuts in-situ.
France has no protection. As for Black Sea - Treaty of Montreux governs warships entering in times of conflict as does Bastion
The more troops France commits to Ukraine the fewer it has to retain control of France when uprising comes.
It is frankly ridiculous how these children with PhD act like journalists
General Syrsky following his plan to perfection. Helping the Russians attrit thousands of Ukrainians per day. Bravo General. Knew your Russian heritage would come in handy.
There is public “support” and then there is Men & Materials! What the everlovin fhaak are they gonna fight it with?! serious question. Someone walk us through a NATO staging process, or are we going to skip all that and go with “limited” nuclear strikes?
What chatty diplomats are those?
So what unites us as a band of 50 plusers to articles by Simplicius?
1-Simpliticus is a top-notch forensic analyst who gives us the most up-to-date, detailed sitrep of the Ukrainian conflict. He really thinks things out. He's a great writer and thinker, as was also shown in his Dark Futura work.
2-We all sympathize with Russia, knowing Western governments are bent on destroying it for their own profit.
3-We have varying views about how Russia should deal with Ukraine, leading to good debates with minimal name-calling.
4-Dh has a one-track mind about you know who. lol (just a side note)
5-Victor + ? = King of firsts.
6-Anyone here under 40 human years? No lying now. (just curious)
And now, on with the show, fellow simplicians...
Over the hill former military human checking in. Paid subscriber, too. Throw Simplicius a couple of bucks so he can keep the lights on and maybe buy a nice bottle of something.
So am I.
Early 20s ser
You are likely the youngest here, ser. Best wishes.
In my 20s, with my synth, I once composed a song called, 'Live How We Dictate'.
"One should never trust a woman who tells one her real age. A woman who would tell one that would tell one anything" - Oscar Wilde
And was also , likely, a nonce.
@Galina - it was a sarcastic remark:-)
I misses the sarcasm.
Ooops, sorry.
Lol, Angelina.
"without something radical or drastic taking place."
This is the only thing that matters. Russia has no reason to stop doing the slow roll and drain program to seek any change. Until that changes this is all a waste of time
Hi from NWT. I see your point, but for the advancement of all worldwide societies, the US/NATO declining is not a waste of time.
It seems a lot of us are pretty disgusted with our Western path. Just as an ex- military guy this is a no brainer, which side would you wanna fight on?
All the more significant as an ex fast attack ping pussy I know in that arena we had some good shit. With women on board US subs now, all bets are off. Actually if it was all women, they would probably kick ass and take names.
Never mind fighting the Russkies, we'd a been fighting each other, for the women. Recently read that todays 20 year old, has the amount of testosterone of a 70 year old back in the 70's.
What's astonishing to me is how unwilling the coalition of the willing is, in combination with how all these countries are borrowing money to fight a war with no inspiring cause.
Zionist Nazis? No not against them, we are supporting them!
OMG I love your all women sub. You know they would all sync up for that time of the month like an all girls school does. Once a month they would be terrible.
Canadian navy has fast attack? Cool Ehh
I am in PNW with plenty of Canadian family. Yes I am a hockey coach dad and so is my family and worked allot in some parts of canada you can guess.
Right now what is happening in Ukraine is leaps and bounds outside what western equipement was made for. This is Japan watching the Europeans introduce tank, TNT and machine guns. Game changing.
We just had the largest US Naval engagement since WW2 with $20B spent against Yemen. US Navy could not get Air superiority over Yemen. Fleet was chased away by the ever increasing number of rockets tossed at them with Drones.
Yemen? WTF Tel Aviv was finally overwhelmed by Iran??? Drones and rockets are taking out so much equipment in mass.
Thousands of drones light up the night sky. Can you imagine what we can do with 10,000 attack drones?
https://youtu.be/LpaSXwpKzGk?si=vNHfhrF-t7U-Pz2h
First half of life in the US. In Canada since 90'.
For me it comes down to motivation now. We got the whole world pissed off at the West, yet we keep acting like Hollywood movies and US news are excellent sources of hard data.
Doubling down on all the dismissive stereotypes, except the ones about US!
The lesson has been learned, trying to get along with the West is futile. Those in charge, cannot be appeased.
Perhaps the reality of what they have done, keeps them from backing off. It seems increasingly likely they will have nothing but violence as a solution.
Oscar Wilde, on his deathbed, said "my only regret is that I was SO well behaved" lol #lifegoals #bucketlist
Must be in delirium:-)
~ The Sins of The World, Passing In Dumb Show ~
____
"It seemed to him that in exquisite raiment, and to the delicate sound of flutes, the sins of the world were passing in dumb show before him. Things of which he had dimly dreamed of were suddenly made real to him...
He fell into a form of reverie, a malady of dreaming that made him unconscious of the falling day and creeping shadows...
He read on until he could read no more...
...until he could read no more..."
----
~ 'Bookburner', by Severed Heads, with (modified) quotes from 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', by Oscar Wilde
https://severedheads.bandcamp.com/track/book-burner
Hint: I am so old that when God was contemplating what colour dirt should be, he asked me.
I'm old enough to remember comedian Moms Mabley (dob 1894), remarking on a talk show that she was, "older than dirt". I'm old enough (73) to have a maternal grandmother (dob 1890) OLDER than Moms Mabley. Politically marinated, since my late teens, by the lying liars and their lies about the Vietnam business. Some things never change. And to my friends in Euro-Silly...when you next see Mark Rutte, will you please give him a vigorous slap in the face and tell him I say, "hi"?
If ever there was a candidate for a full blooded slap in the face, an atomic wedgie, a bogwash, a super hard kick in the backside (by the world heavyweight backside-kicking champ, using steel toed DM boots) and then, pour finir, getting picked up, wrists and ankles, by two 300lb Olympic shot-putters, swung gracefully - ‘One... Two... Three…’ - and ('WAHAAAY!!') flung 20’ though the air into a deep, open cesspit, then that weird, grinning, besuited marionette would be the one.
And then, the other six dwarves to follow:
‘Can you still hear us down there, Mr Rutte? Watch out then: here comes Sir Kweir!'
‘No, please, stop, please. Oh, ugh, the stench! You can’t do this! I’m the Prime Minister!! No!! Noooooo!!!! Pleeease!!!! Waaaaaargh….!!’
SPLUTTT!!!!
’Which one’s next, chaps? Aha! Guten Tag, Frau von der Leyen….'
Thanks Peter, you're a poet. Your description here reminds me of the Kinglsey Amis description of a hangover in his classic novel, Lucky Jim"
Dixon was alive again. Consciousness was upon him before he could get out of the way; not for him the slow, gracious wandering from the halls of sleep, but a summary, forcible ejection. He lay sprawled, too wicked to move, spewed up like a broken spider-crab on the tarry shingle of the morning. The light did him harm, but not as much as looking at things did; he resolved, having done it once, never to move his eyeballs again. A dusty thudding in his head made the scene before him beat like a pulse. His mouth has been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum. During the night, too, he’d somehow been on a cross-country run and then been expertly beaten up by a secret police. He felt bad. p.61
That’s kind of you, but I’m hardly in Kingsley Amis’s league.
That really is fine writing. Unbeatable. Amis clearly knew a thing or two about hangovers: that must be the best description of one in any language, ever.
It’s about 25 years since I read Lucky Jim. It was the sequel to that hangover that made me laugh out loud and somehow most stuck in my mind: when he rings Welch a few days later, only to find an indignant Mrs Welch on the line, who recognises his voice and questions him about the burned, cut bedsheets; so, quick, he tries adopting a fictional persona and fake accent: ’No, no, it’s Forteskyaw here, Forteskyaw, FORTESKYAW!’
Again, you get the sense Amis had at times found himself in Dixon’s shoes.
72 here. Recently on another site I mentioned the depredations of the Banderites in Volyn "a couple of generations ago". I'd forgotten that in most families, generations are a lot shorter than in mine. My father was born in 1899.
On another site someone mentioned the exploits of one of Mertz's ancestors in WW2, and assumed that it must have been his grandfather or great grandfather, his father obviously being too young. I pointed out that Mertz is only a couple of years older than me, and that my father didn't fight in WW2 not because he was too young, but too old. (However he was just old enough for the Macedonia campaign in WW1.)
Nice story, kg.
Reminds me of another saying - "He's so old, he named dirt"!
You always know your classics, compliment-again.
Maybe Simplicius can do a reader age poll.
He already did. The average age was much older than I expected back then. I'm sure it was over 50.
And getting older every day...
It doesn't matter, it's global warming that will kill us, in a century or two. Let's hope we can discover the stone wheel before then, I would love to see it.
Of cause, and co² because it's quite lethal. You know it is definitely not essential for live and all that
To avoid exhaling CO2, you must first stop inhaling O2. Try it, then tell me if CO2 is essential to life. You can also ask a plant what it thinks.
So he would have something in common with the green goblin. 50 would be the average age of his mobilized men at the front and would be the average age of Simpli's mobilized men on this thread.
Dennis,
On the wrong side of 60 . The last 10 years have been an education in identification of deception . My BS filter has had a massive upgrade since "climate change , covid and WW3" started . I became a subscriber because of Simplicius's analysis getting through the filter . Most of what is generated by the legacy media no longer does .
Moi aussi, 63 now.
Tu es mobilisable à kiev selon la nouvelle directive, tu sais ça? Restes avec nous le TCK ne te trouvera pas.
do you see the jew problem?
European and American compradors are no better. They are thriving on treachery and profiteering against western civilization and humanity at large
Me too. The 2003 Gulf War started the process, but it’s the grab bag of deranged globalist policies since c. 2010 - the barmy ongoing Afghan occupation, continued mass third world immigration and wholesale population replacement, the Great Net Zero Scam, the corrupt undermining of Trump’s 2017-20 Presidency, the Great Covid and ‘Vaccines’ Megafraud and now, the NATO Pact/ EUSSR Ukraine Proxy War on Russia, all driven by our corrupt western Deep States and their rotten MSM mouthpieces - that have truly opened my eyes to the appalling reality.
And I’m just 56.
Peter,
The big question is who benefits - We have never in the history of mankind had it as good and yet we are destroying civilisation (again?). We are all in the same boat and when the collapse comes no one will be safe. The four horsemen don't discriminate.
Well, quite. Cui bono? Mainly the big league Wall Street shyster-barons, though plenty of parasitic clergy class apparatchiks in the military, think tanks, MSM, Big Outsource, politics and governmental service have built their careers greasing the wheels.
If there’s one thing the treatment of Europe, Canada, Australia and NZ since 2008 by the Uniparty political cartels ruling them reminds me of, it is Tony Soprano’s takeover of Davey Scatino's successful and well established sporting goods store. To recover a gambling debt of $50,000 or so, Tony and his crew seize control of the business and use every scam imaginable to suck every last cent out of the business’s name - mainly by ordering millions of dollars of goods on credit, to be sold on on the black market - leaving nothing but a dark, empty, foreclosed building. Scatino’s business, reputation, family and future are destroyed.
Tony saw the opportunity and, being a psychopath, took it - and took it all the way to its logical conclusion.
For Scatino’s gambling addiction, read the EU and UK’s idiotic welfare, energy and geopolitical policies. For Davey Scatino’s family, read the populations of the EU., Yookay and Anglosphere. For Tony Soprano, read George Soros, Larry Fink, Jamie Dimon et al.
And to add supplementary detail, from a Sopranos fan site:
'The tenth episode of “The Sopranos” Season 2, “Bust Out,” is a stark portrayal of the destructive nature of Tony’s business dealings and their devastating effects on individuals and families.
A key scene in the episode is the moment Tony and his crew begin the ‘bust out’ of Davey Scatino’s store. They systematically exploit the store’s credit line, purchasing luxury items for resale. This scene is crucial as it showcases not only Tony’s strategic criminal mind but also his indifference to the financial and emotional ruin of Davey and his family.
Davey Scatino’s tragic trajectory reaches a climax when he confronts Tony at the store, realizing the full extent of his downfall. This emotionally charged scene is a powerful depiction of Davey’s despair and Tony’s cold pragmatism, highlighting the human cost of Tony’s business practices.'
Peter, Good analogy . The puppet masters are hidden and only their servants are visible . Follow the money (and cryptocurrency).
If these 4 riders are European, we will see them arriving on their donkeys and falling from the saddle every 10 meters.
No, all of them put the coin in the kyiv, NATO and EURSS laundering machines. The latter two having been created for this sole purpose.
Ditto!
Anarchism/Anarchy is a large portion of the red pill.
I’m 34!
That won’t last - trust me, I am a lawyer.
When Kurt Cobain died, he was only 26 or 27, so, in a way, he was in his 80's, give or take. (I think even Elvis died quite young, too-- 44? David Bowie, maybe late 60's, yes?)
That's what I told a young woman when we were discussing being young and the related idea of 'having our whole lives ahead of us' and sometimes acting as if we're immortal or at least having our whole lives ahead of us being of a significant number of years.
(Certainly I did when I used to wheelie my motorcycle and ride it at crazy speeds with only shorts and a t on. Don't tell Mom.)
We didn't discuss the sociocultural aspects of growing old in particular cultures, though, such as the 'no-future' ones that might be in the throes of decline/collapse, but I suppose one can still make a go of a culture like that. No sense in sobbing and curling up in a fetal position on the floor beside one's bed, is there? At least not forever.
The TCK will come looking for you. Stay hidden.
In southern Europe! Let’s hope they never come here lol
lol..... 😉
44
I'm 49, but I usually prefer to read rather than comment.
I'm old enough to get aches where I used to get urges.
Under the 40 human years for some years to go still. Although it feels like the last 5 years aged me so much that I should be around 60 now.
Yeah, I’m over 50, I was a history student so have some understanding of the deep issues, political and geopolitical. And I have a keen interest in military matters. Simplicius is my ‘go to’ analyst, pretty much the first thing I read on waking up, the only commentator who talks sense. I accept it’s not ‘neutral’ but there are enough pro Ukrainian propaganda outlets for balance, in fact the entire western media. He’s more considered than Ritter and MacGregor who are a bit too gung ho. And then there’s the hyberbole of George Galloway. I like Weeb Union for front line assessments on You Tube. But what do young people think? I don’t know.
"But what do young people think?"
Do young people think? I sometimes wonder
they see the jew problem... hate "israel" and the jew genocide of Palestine..
Young people are waking up to reality - that can only be good.
You probably don't see many young people like that.
They are eager to know about the new handbag collection.
Spot on. Ritter and MacGregor are good but a little too enthusiastic and optimistic. Ritter is good when he sticks to detailed analysis of technology as he did recently when discussing the INF treaty. Galloway has his heart in the right place but has been known to inadvertently repeat fake news
Ritter is an excellent analyst, but a bit too emotional for my tastes. I like MacGregor - he is usually spot on. I like Galloway because he eloquently speaks truth to power. I also like Col Wilkerson - he, too, is usually spot on except when he talks about Israel being a vassal of the US - boy, does he have that wrong!
Ritter - I used to like his commentary, but when he attacked Gonzalo Lira so unprovoked and so wrong, whatever he had to say, being even true, dropped in value for me.
MacGregor - would make an excellent ambassador to Germany, knows language has his head/heart in the right place, but he was wrong so many times with his 'big beautiful arrows" of Russian attacks "any day now" since the start of SMO.
It is good for health if the Garden of Knowledge is organic... avoiding synthetic methods, right?
There are those who remember history of the 1960s counter-culture and its synthetic creation.
From Huxley’s "Island" and "The Doors" to Plato’s cave... and "The Devil at Woodstock"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP6rr0nrJmI
You are Lorenzo St DuBois and I claim my £50. ;O)
Thanks for sharing the link
Wow! I am surprised that there are any readers who are under 50. I must admit that until I reached about 55 I was like most of my fellow Americans. I just was not interested in anything outside of the US. Of course, I realize now that has allowed the most evil and corrupt Govt. to operate basically unopposed and it has cost the average American dearly (not as much as the rest of the world that we terrorized)
For the record, I am 61 and I loathe my government.
I am well below 50
I am 45 years old
I read the fine articles written by Simplicius, and I won't lie... I'm 65 years old 😉
Me too. 65 also... Chip
65 young here too.
No, just above 50. Even the olders have the right to think in a better future where this idiotic EU is anything else than an old rumor.
39, former journalist. From a Russian-adjacent family. (Polish). Live in Scandinavia.
Ukraine keeps pressing its luck by attacking Russian nuclear sites.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/moscow-blames-ukraine-drone-attack-for-nuclear-power-plant-fire/ar-AA1L71Ut?ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&cvid=25bf5155c136472e9f6fec85979ae68e&ei=75
Now imagine that strike but with an FP-5 missile with a 1-ton warhead. How much damage are we talking about?
Plus the usual -- why are those responsible for this strike still alive and not puree on some charred wall or better yet, turned into plasma?
Nor any mention of the ongoing strikes into Russia including the high civilian toll and the regular destruction of the oil and gas facilities but every strike in Ukraine is front and centre.here even when the facilities whereabouts were know in advance but are only destroyed after some large provocative action by the hohols, why not years ago, and the story about the bridges over the Dneiper still bringing in forces to be attrited is out there with the pixies whilst huge huge losses are sustained daily by the RF forces for years but this is being framed as an ongoing attritional victory up there with the best of them.
How is this not a war a positive victory to be admired from afar by us all?
No one likes puree…:-). You are a gem GM.
The more desperate Ukraine becomes, the more likely they are going to attack Russian nuclear and oil and gas installations. Ukraine knows it's losing the conflict with Russia, so it will push to incapacitate Russia one way or another. Attacking Nuclear and oil, and gas sites is no minor misdemeanour. Russia needs to send a clear signal that if Ukraine keeps hitting its nuclear and oil, and gas installations, something really bad will happen to them because, right now, Ukraine has no fear of repercussions. They know Russia keeps holding back, and until that changes, Ukraine will keep on attacking its vital industries.
It's not Ukraine doing these strikes, it's the US reminding Putin who is the top dog and who is the bitch here.
Wouldn't that constitute an act of war against Russia by NATO if the US is doing these strikes?
Yes, of course.
The US has been in direct war with Russia since April 2022 the latest.
A war in which only one side is fighting, while the elites of the other want to be allowed to surrender on acceptable to those elites terms (the general population be damned).
Such a war can have only one outcome...
make that '45
how long before Russia takes Odessa?
Will not happen. (((Odessa)))
Russia needs to take odessa to really rub the ‘west’s’ nose in the defeat. Hope VVP follows through.
Our comrade Putin obviously has other priorities. And we have been beyond that scope for long now. Even if the Ukrainian lines crumbles as butter in the sun it seems as there are no will to take ”Ukraine” and secure the SMO:s objectives of de-nazifying and de-militarisation.
Could be that Putin change his mind if Trump screws him.
I agree fully that Odessa is important. If Ukraine exists in the future without a seaport there will be more wars - it is essential for Ukraine. And if Russia leaves Odessa in the hands of Ukraine and the UK hidden hand they will never be safe in Black Sea.
The SMO is a failure as of now. I predict that the ”negotiations” will turn sour and that Russia and NATO goes into full conventional War. Then perhaps Russia change their strategy although I think it is a mistake to take over a hostile country, especially now after 1 million dead&maimed.
Its all f***ed up and there will not be any good end to this. Putin and Lavrov wont live for-ever and in Ukraine we can expect the psychopath Zaluchny to be installed by UK&City of London cabals.
With current policity, until the total heat death of the universe
Hope that changes.
It's not Ukraine doing these strikes, it's the US reminding Putin who is the top dog and who is the bitch here.
GM is right here.
Even confirmed by Trump, as in Trump's mind everything is now.
One wanders what would be an appropriate answer?
To Ukrainians - Ten times. Destroy targets in Ukraine at least ten times the worth, amount, of corresponding attacks .
Destroying Ukraine completely - a brotherly nation, a pain in the ass nation in its current iteration, but still Slavic and Orthodox, - destroying Ukraine completely would be welcomed by the West, especially Great Britain.
Destroying Poland, quite reserved at the moment, or Romania doesn't make much sense.
Destroying England, is absolutely OK. Not the moment now, but one should always be prepared to destroy England. As long as England exists, Russia will not be safe. Be prepared, and do not miss when the opportunity arises.
The only good answer is winning on the battlefield, taking Donbas by force of arms, and offering terms of summer 2024.
And destroying England.
more demonstration of just what total lunatics they are.
maybe Syrsky can ask the born again napoleon - macron - to take a train to ukraine to help out?? i dig this salvani fellow in italy who speaks his mind, a rare trait in a politician..
Macron's recent statement that in 3 years Russia conquered 1% of Ukraine, missed the fact that on this 1% of Ukraine Russia destroyed 80-90% of Ukrainian military force
I thought Russia has taken around 20% of Ukraine territory.
Macron said "1%" was beating him with his "stats." :-)
Russia indeed captured 20% of Ukraine, Macron seems unaware:-)
Not sure, but I think Macron might have meant that since Russia's initial entry into Ukraine, they have only gained an additional 1% territory.
They've already got the valuable part.
Majority of France’s power is nuclear. One of Macron’s promises from the start was energy stability, which is obviously a problem in Europe. He is failing. Russia is beating France in Africa/ Kazakstan and Tajikistan. And if basic needs are not met, eventually discord will grow within the country. Macron is probably aware... that France is losing.
Iirc French Nuclear power generation was largely supplied by very cheap Uranium from Niger. Now this has ended, I imagine the French population will be seeing a big hike in the cost of their electricity.
Macron doesn't understand - nor does hardly anyone else - that Russia has conquered none of Ukraine and doesn't want to. Russia has helped the Donbas Ukrainians throw the kiev ukrainians out of the Donbas is what they've done.
And they've done it without any all out war.
It has been and is a very different thing. A multifaceted and multilevel thing, as much political, economic, ideological as military. More in fact.
Putin has effectively been at war with the whole West and at an ideological level or whatever you might call it.
He has exposed the west as a filthy nest of liars and thieves.
Who amongst us in the west doesn't know this?
Who amongst us any longer has any faith in their govt. pride in their country?
We have seen the usa totally exposed for what it is and has been.
All respectability stripped from it. Like a horror movie. The smiling urbane exterior stripped away to reveal a filthy scabrous horror beneath.
And the west IS the usa, the usa IS the west.
All our nations all our leaders all our big businesses lackeys of the usa.
Well it's coming to an end.
Courtesy of Putin.
Are you seriously suggesting that this could be done without nukes?
O my!
Are you suggesting that they are all valiant, ready for sacrifice, for death by nuclear fire? No, they will all submit, even without freezing. They are no different from the green goblin who sacrifices +1000 people for 1 extra day of life. Whether it is Macron, Starmer and all the others, they would cry and announce on TV "I don't want to die", believe me.
combined w/efforts at de-dollarisation (and the BRICS+).
With surgical precision Arthur! As most of the times. Good to see you around.
Salvini's words were good BUT he is a narcissist. Just loves the limelight.
3 reasons to consider why Russia Cannot Win This War — and Putin’s Strategy is a Failure.
More than four years into the full-scale war in Ukraine, one truth is unavoidable: Russia is not winning. Vladimir Putin’s strategy has failed, and the belief that Moscow is somehow on the verge of victory is pure delusion.
1. Four years of war, zero strategic success.
Russia set out to de-militarize, de-nazify the Ukraine, halt NATO expansion, and cement itself as Europe’s dominant power. After years of bloodshed, it has achieved none of those objectives. Instead, Russia is stuck in a grinding war of attrition, bleeding men and resources at catastrophic levels. Independent estimates suggest more than 120,000 Russian have been killed, with total losses far higher. Ukraine, has paid a much higher terrible price—but the war that was supposed to end in weeks is very much a quagmire for Moscow.
Instead of breaking Ukraine’s will, Putin has forged a stronger Ukrainian national identity and hardened NATO’s resolve.
2. The West is not collapsing—it’s quadrupling down.
Russian propaganda insists the West is on the brink of economic and political collapse. Reality tells a different story. NATO continues to arm Ukraine with increasingly advanced systems, while Ukraine strikes deep into Russian territory with regularity. The West is even using Russia’s own frozen assets—hundreds of billions of dollars—to bankroll Ukraine’s defense. In effect, Russia is funding the war against itself.
And the supposed “unrest” in the U.S. or Europe? It doesn’t exist. There are no mass uprisings against supporting Ukraine, no economic collapse in Western capitals. On the contrary, no one gives a shit for Putin.
3. Western resolve is long-term—Russia is stuck with its own long-term agenda.
For years, Russian voices have promised the West will “get tired” of Ukraine. But that hope is as empty now as it was in 2022. The U.S. and Europe are scaling up joint weapons production with Ukraine, planning for years of support. Public opinion in most NATO states remains unscathed, with little to no objections being raised by its populace
Even if American politics brings theatre and uncertainty, the strategic consensus is clear: containing Russia is now a Western project measured in decades, not election cycles. The playbook has been in place for generations ( since 1917) —and it is not changing.
The Bottom Line
Putin has trapped Russia in a war it doesn't want to win. Instead of restoring Russia’s greatness, he has exposed its weaknesses, isolated it globally from the west, and sacrificed a generation of its people. The West is not retreating, NATO is not collapsing, and Ukraine is not surrendering.
Russia is bogged down, outmatched, and running out of options, other than empty threats of industrializing Orsheniks. The longer this war drags on, the clearer it becomes: Putin’s strategy is a failure.
Mostly facts.
>For years, Russian voices have promised the West will “get tired” of Ukraine.
What is there to get tired of? Zero cost for them, they get to strike Russia, Russia does not strike back. What is there not to like?
>Russia is bogged down, outmatched, and running out of options, other than empty threats of industrializing Orsheniks.
Well, there is the option of actually striking at the enemy. Here is where we disagree.
I am a broken record on this, but Russia can safely physically eliminate everything between itself and France and all the nuclear powers in NATO will be able to do in response is dissolve the alliance. If it does not do that, it will get nuclear armed Ukraine and perhaps Poland and Germany too, maybe even Sweden, and then it will be checkmate. But as things stand, that is the winning move. For Russia, but not for the Russian oligarchy...
Spelling correction : mostly fuckts
Rubbish.
Russia isn't bogged down - its hardening, advancing and evolving. Russia isn't outmatched - its innovating, improving and adapting. Russia isn't running out of options - its hardly used the myriad available to it. Focusing soley on Oreshnik misses an entire spectrum of defensive and offensive options at Russia's disposal. Russia has tons of moves it hasn't even used.
GM may be right that Putin won't (or cant) use them effectively, but dismissing them as unavailable is myopic cope.
The delusional western-spun narrative that the SMO would take weeks is armchair general BS, as is the suggestion that the West must collapse on schedule for you. $35 trillion in US debt, BRICS, NATO/EU fracturing and political elite infighting are taking their increasing toll - Putins strategy and grand gamble is that Ukraine will be the Big Domino that brings it all down.
Ya can't win if ya don't play - Putin had to make this move.
@Vinny - you are wasting a serous discussion on
ReynMeLo
@candyarse
You block doomers, you don't argue with them.
I do block people using derogatory language or can't put 2 coherent thoughts together. Life it too short, there are tons of normal people here to discuss things, even if I don't have to agree to their point of view but they argue their point well.
Be assured I won't spend a minute on whoever brands her/him @candyarse.
Normalcy is not optional!
Hmm I'll have to start watching my potty mouth! Wouldn't wanna get blocked by Queen Angeleen!! I picked up a rather pernicious cursing habit working with some extremely tough but not so cerebral fellows in my youth. I can still rapid fire George Carlin's Seven Words You Cannot Say On Television, though...
LOL- I'm not a shrinking violet and not above abstract profanities, but I do block commentators who call here women "c*ts" in discussions, or clearly have an agenda
1. Four years of war, zero strategic success.
Total strategic success both on the battlefield and wider strategy. Donbas reclaimed, fact instilled into western consciousness. Russian army brought up from terrible state with much rottenness to a good machine of high level. The nation consolidated and proud of itself. The filthy west fully exposed for what it is to where even west loving oligarchs now return to Russia for preference... and on and on...
2. The West is not collapsing—it’s quadrupling down.
Check with these economists:
Mainstream/Institutional Economists:
Kenneth Rogoff
Lawrence H. Summers
Nouriel Roubini
David Rosenberg
Lacy Hunt
Geopolitical Strategist:
Peter Zeihan
Global Economist/Author:
Dambisa Moyo
Heterodox/Critical Economists:
Michael Hudson
Steve Keen
Yanis Varoufakis
Richard Wolff
3.Western resolve is long-term—Russia is stuck with its own long-term agenda
There is no 'western resolve'. There is a pirate ship and gang of pirates called the usa and a tattered second rate bunch of old pirates in convoy called the uk and then a flock of penniless and clueless politicians all busy licking ass and looking for safety.
Their only 'resolve' is to get through the next election.
'Resolve' resides with the nations that see themselves as having suffered for decades from western merciless hegemony. Their resolve is to be free of it. And they represent virtually all the people on the planet, all the manufacturing ability, all the agricultural production and all the mineral wealth.
Just think to yourself. Do 'the lords' severally and collectively 'resolve' to keep the people as slaves? No. For they are all too selfish aren't they? Notoriously, greedy, lavish lifestyle Lords. Eager to stab each other in the back. The one doesn't much care what happens to the other. They're all too busy having parties. Their very business is 'having parties', not 'keeping the slaves down'. See? Ironically it is 'the slaves' who 'keep the slaves down' as usual. Hired help. Right? That's how it goes.
But the resolve within the hearts and minds of the slaves? Different kettle of fish isn't it?
You have no more numbered points.
But you say, in 'dot point' form:
. 'A war it cannot win'. It has won it. It went there militarily to free Donbas and the job is done.
.'Restoring Russia's greatness' you deny. The building of Russia since '91 is a historical fact of staggering proportions. He did a mighty job but was still far short come '14 and even in '22. But now the world - not your myopic tiny corner wherever that is - but the wider, complete, whole world as represented perhaps by brics, sees it clearly.
'Isolate globally' is looking from the wrong angle. It is now 'free' of the west, as declared publicly by Putin. Free of the west's hegemonic strangulations and thieveries and free of pathetic, useless, constantly keeping faith with a lying conniving treacherous 'partner'
The scales have fallen from the eyes of Russia and they are thankful for it.
And now the west and Russia and everyone sees very clearly who depends upon who and it is the west that depends upon Russia's cheap energy and this very day in the west they are finding ways to circumvent the american strictures that have destroyed Germany by the blow to its industry engineered by America's destruction of the nordstream.
.'Ukaine is not surrendering'. You don't mean 'ukraine' of course. The 40 million people that were and who by kiev and washington and nato insistence stall are 'ukraine'.
Because you do not include, you do not mean the 10 million donbas ukrainians you are all doing your best to kill. You literally mean 'kiev' will not cease its intent to subjugate Donbas.
So by 'ukraine' you really mean 'kiev ukraine'.
And when we see the press ganged people sent to the front we see you don't even mean that 'ukraine the people'. For its clear they are gaining nothing. So what do you mean? You mean 'the kiev regime of course'. Another bunch of pirates like the american equivalent.
They are not surrendering and probably never will for they will 'fight to the last ukrainian' because that is not them. They will be happy to be a 'government in exile' if necessary.
But it does not matter. It is of no relevance. Russia has rescued sane, sensible Donbas Ukraine and that's all that matters. What that rump does Russia does not really care. Russia does not want it. Not in the least. You have everything upside down of course. Kiev ukraine is not under attack. Russia is not trying to conquer kiev ukraine. Russia is protecting Donbas Ukraine.
. nato is not collapsing. Yes it is. It is farcical and a mockery and an insanity. Just another example of the total stupidity of the western masses and the total greed and inhumanity of their 'masters' A 'defensive alliance' against who/what? There is no enemy. They are the enemy. They pretend it is Russia. Utter madness. Russia even asked to join nato. What better way to defend than to include? They denied it.
It is a farcical ludicrous haven for charlatans and sinecurists and it will collapse.
. Russia is bogged down. You mistake rolling smoothly along good new tracks with 'bogged'. "bogged" is the american mindset, nato, the western model, western political thinking. the 'bog' IS the west.
. Putin's strategy is a failure. Putin's strategy is to save Russians, Russian culture, be of value to the world and he's having global success to an astonishing extent.
The need for Putin's strategy is made apparent by your post which we might say exemplifies the utter, complete and total inability of the west to see straight or think straight.
The west at all levels is replete with such as yourself who would say things such as you have said, would print them, would believe them. And that's what's wrong with the west.
In short: the west is f***ed and we can all see it. Thanks for your demonstration of just how true it is.
Fuck me, if this isn’t the Bastard son of GM on Zelensky’s special medication (rant formula)
Trying to be funny?
Yes, rather…
Very trying!
brilliant
Top shelf comment!
What power the West retains (if any, beyond economic and info-warfare) is what remains of their colonial history which enabled them to live far beyond their means for centuries off the backs of an oppressed world. That is now coming to an end as Africa, the Global south and others break free of the colonial chains and expose the West for what it really is - a region of the world with resource shortages, insufficient energy of its own, limited manufacturing capability, unpayable debt obligations, an aging, fast decomposing military and an incompetent, selfish, politically compromised leadership.
The future lies not with the West, but elsewhere.
And a very good counter-perspective!
Thanks for that! Excellent rebuttals !
The SMO started in February 2022. How is that more than 4 years?
Nice satire
You can crap nonsense more than tovarish GM. You must be his superior.
Which AI did you use to generate that?
Heaven forbid. Humour doesn’t exist amongst deadly serious all knowing pontificators on this site. I was addressing t’others
Sept 10th. France. I think you will see what the people want and it's not war.
Yawn. These copy and paste Telegraph articles are so boring. If you're going to invent fantasies, at least make them interesting 🤡
"Russia is bogged down, outmatched, and running out of options, other than empty threats of industrializing Orsheniks. The longer this war drags on, the clearer it becomes: Putin’s strategy is a failure."
"...out of options"?! Patience...I think Putin might change the insane minds of the collective west if the Russians were to erase the ports at Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg, for example. Maybe wipe out a few critical Tube junctures in London...for good measure. Just for starters. I think Putin is hoping the Euro-galoots get the message and stop acting like junk-yard dogs. Maybe battlefield nukes by Christmas, 2025? "And an Oreshnik in a Pear Tree...for New Years? Napoleon retreated from Moscow, Oct 19, 1812 after waiting, waiting, waiting for Alexander 1 to sign the terms of surrender that NEVER got signed. Bedraggled and retreating from the Russian misadventure, while grilling their horses for dinner. Building snow forts against the sniping, following Russian troops. Some lessons need repeating...bigly sad.
shut up jew ReynMeLo
"The U.S. and Europe are scaling up joint weapons production with Ukraine, planning for years of support." Ahahahahahahaha! NATO is flat ass BROKE. In debt up to their eyeballs and led by the most incompetent buffoons on the planet. Chip
Important perspective and hard to digest for pro-russians.
But everyone need to think about it in those terms. Irrespective of what one wish as outcome.
You are literally a cookie cutter troll.
Getting the duration of the war wrong by one year doesn't exactly give one confidence in your analysis...
>It’s clear that Russia and NATO disagrees on what type of force would be appropriate for this occasion, particularly given that Russia has backed proposals for Chinese involvement in this regard.
Why is this even a conversation the Kremlin is engaged in?
Anyone in the Kremlin doing that should be lined up against the big wall on the Red Square and shot immediately for treason.
The only forces allowed in Ukraine should be Russian and Belarusian. Anyone else is to be immediately and with great prejudice exterminated, together with the whole country they came from.
And why is almost nobody getting extremely upset about the Kremlin engaging in such discussions? Have the bounds of the acceptable and unthinkable really shifted that much already?
>But as a general comment, on the now critical Pokrovsk front, some reports state that Syrsky is urgently pulling more units from other sectors to put out fires here:
>We’ll hold off the full front updates until next time, due to the fact that there is a particularly foggy information blackout at the moment about a few key positions
What isn't at all foggy is that:
1) There was no Russian summer offensive whatsoever
2) In fact no even mid-sized city has been taken in the last 9 months (Toretsk and Chasov Yar were years-long grinds and most of them have been taken for a very long time, those don't really count). Yes, nine months since Selidovo and Kurakhovo.
3) The AFU is still resisting very effectively and there is no collapse of the front. We keep waiting for it, but it keeps not happening.
If they moved units from other sectors to plug the holes around Pokrovsk, then why have other sectors not collapsed? Because they indeed haven't -- the Pokrovsk holes were so far successfully plugged, but elsewhere it is the same positional grind as always, no meaningful change.
Oooooh, what a surprise, ain’t they the nicest people money can buy! I would love to donate to every one of these fearless leaders a free parachute, a peanut butter sandwich with jelly, a pair of black boots and a big bottle of Coca-Cola Classic. And I would also encourage them to jump out of a perfectly good airplane right over Central Moscow.
I was mingling with a very large group of people today in the morning, examining their facial expressions, their body language I came to the conclusion that none of them showed a desire to be burned alive with their children in a nuclear war. These war games are going on since 1914, constantly reloaded in different shapes, taking out and destroying larger and larger chunks of the Western World. After some shaking, baking and reloading we are looking at the same old thing again: (((America))) was able to set up a new conflict where war crazed Europeans are ready to jump into the frying pan. The US is planning to be the laughing third party but it is an impossible act this time. This planet became way too small for this strategy.
The only solution is: A giant Tsunami, a wave of Populism has to sweep the Western World and wash the political clowns out to the oceans. The New Order has to contain an uncompromisable, non-negotiable group of fundamental constitutional guarantees where even a single individual can trigger an instant political act based on a blockchain system that would override/change the complete political leadership and dig them out of their positions if necessary. I am NOT talking democracy here. I am talking a very large group of preselected voters who gain the right to participate based on their lifelong performance in society and normal behavior. The majority of the present day clown-class and village idiots would not even qualify as voters in this new structure.
Would you qualify for a vote?
I am willing to struggle for this system, without any considerations of self-interests.
So what are you doing to bring it about?
naming the jew. unlike you "john osman"
Plato thought about similar lines many centuries ago.
Didn't make him right either.
There is no right solution to the problem of governance of human societies. That is why there has been constant change since the city of Ur to our days. It is trial and error, or thesis and antithesis. In fact, while pursuing the government of the one designed by the gods or by fate, Führerprinzip, or pursuing the government by the people, like the force of gravity, there is a law ingrained in the genetic code that produces oligarchies.
"A giant Tsunami, a wave of Populism has to sweep the Western World and wash the political clowns out to the oceans"
Not that difficult:
'Politicians' should be selected from the eligible registered voting population by means of a ballot - just as in many countries, juries are selected -and appointed for a 3 or 4 year term. One term only.
Pay them very well - no perks of office - guarantee their careers after service and impose lengthy prison terms, no option, for any breach of trust.
Ban from the ballot all previous politicians at any level - and I personally would ban lawyers but that's just me.
It wasn't long ago that jurors were responsible for making just decisions that meant life or death for the accused, and for the most part they, ordinary citizens, fulfilled that most onerous obligation honorably.
This would largely end the corruption of the current system & do away with 'career politicians'
(Not new. It's bee tried before, I think ancient Greece and Italy? Plato also said something similar; this is just a more modern application. You're welcome)
"Not that difficult:"
Well of course, the current crop of corrupt politicians are hardly likely to agree to their own demise, are they?
This will only occur after a revolution. But that revolution is closer than you think; eg world financial collapse and/or ww111 - either or both highly likely in the immediate future.
Who are the "we" that is going to "revolt" and who will the targets be?
MacGregor speaks of the coming guillotines, but he isn't clear on who is going to lose his head.
Did I say 'we'? Anyway, how about thee & me?
First I was told Santa was real. And then I learned. Then they said the Easter Bunny was real. And then I learned. Then they preached "democracy, democracy, democracy". And then I learned...it was all a malodorous, steaming mountain of bullshit.
Yes, but "why"?
Various outlets are declaring that Zoomers (especially men) are joining the Republican party. They report it as if there's something wrong with these guys. They refuse to acknowledge the corruption in the Democratic Party.
The arrogant Democrats thought they were so smart and sexy that they didn't have to explain why "President" Vegetable Lasagna was AWOL during his residency. Then VP, Joe-inna-skirt, couldn't even pretend to offer a wedge of cheese to the American voter. Could not fake a platform. A female neighbor surmised that Kamala lost because...wait for it...the American voters were both rassist and misogynistic. SMH. A woman friend whose daughter moved to Chicago recently couldn't find any appealing young men to date because they are all Trumpers!!
'I personally would ban lawyers but that's just me.'
You have my unconditional support on this one. In contemporary America lawyers became the foot soldiers, the enforcers of the lawless deep state structure.
Interesting how a rather blunt line from a literary genius is twisted in modern days. The very Shakespearian insult from Henry VI, Part 2, Act 4, Scene 2 is explained as follows: ‘The line "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers" was spoken by the character Jack Cade in William Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 2. While a memorable quote, it was spoken in the context of a rebellion against the government and symbolized a desire for anarchy rather than a genuine sentiment against the legal profession. In fact, the line is sometimes seen as a compliment to lawyers, as their removal would be the first step toward removing the checks and balances of a free society, according to the Florida Bar Journal.’
Hitler went rather soft on the lawyer class compared to Shakespeare:
‘In twentieth century Europe, Adolf Hitler, the quintessential despot, asserted’ "I shall not rest until every German sees that it is a shameful thing to be a lawyer."
https://www.howardnations.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Shakespeare.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVBiM5bgL4
I think you need to read more John Grisham.
You've also heard that a dedicated prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a "ham sandwich".
Random selection of people for office is totally going to fail.
I find this article on how China selects its leaders to be "interesting". One gets on to the first "rung" through local elections where people have a chance to actually interact with you. From there on, you move up because you obtain the respect of your colleagues. (and real respect, not bribes.)
https://www.noemamag.com/what-the-west-misunderstands-about-power-in-china/
Otherwise we have to just depend on luck, like Russia did when the CIA positioned Putin in line to ascend to the Presidency.
Or depend on a "good man" just taking control like Burkina Faso did when Ibrahim Traore staged a coup. He seems to have persuaded people to follow him.
Everyone, including me, laughs at Dh because he only knows how to say "Jew". But he isn't totally wrong.
Aaron Good had a number of in-depth articles that discuss the rise of Meyer Lansky. IN this one, they review Lansky's involvement in the murder of JFK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK2XwsHSvEk
And here, Scott Horton interviews Matt Wolfson (an ex-[I didn't know] -Zionist) on the "Jewish Supremacists" who inherited their power from Lansky. The anchor point is the "Jewish Supremacists" who are gunning for Thomas Massie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wquu-EPLrTw
The US is run by a Deep State that includes very high-ranking members of organized crime.
America's problem is, we haven't a clue who the "bad guys" are. Even when names like Soros and Adelson are presented to us multiple times a day, we still just don't get it.
That "pedophile" accusation is just about to lose any meaning at all. It is used so often without context and without evidence.
Ritter was paroled without confessing his crime -- because the parol board found he had committed no crime. Biden hated Ritter and was persecuting him for exposing the WMD lies about Iraq. It is called "lawfare". Trump just used it on the member of the Fed.
You do know that Ritter isn't Horton -- right?
"America's problem is, we haven't a clue who the "bad guys" are. Even when names like Soros and Adelson are presented to us multiple times a day, we still just don't get it."
Americans don't read history. BORING! Americans generally are not hot prospects for the MENSA society.
"Random selection of people for office is totally going to fail."
OK so let's just continue as we are?
Random Selection may not be perfect but surely better than the status quo
That is a logical fallacy.
The current system is corrupt.
Your proposal to repair it will not fix that. "better" would be very subjective.
i.e. Someone "randomly" selected will be approached by members of the "Deep State" (or Oligarchy if you wish) and one of these things will happen: 1) he will accept an enormous bribe; 2) he will be accused of crimes he may or may not have committed; 3) his family will be threatened; 4) he will be assassinated.
This is what happens to members of Congress now. Do remember Paul Wellstone. "airplane crash" wasn't an accident.
There have to be other, better options.
Athens was the first example of a State trying to organise itself according to so-called democratic ideas.
In fact an oligarchy of the very rich merchants with elements of mob rule under the influx of professional demagogs, who were sometimes paid by rival merchant clans.
It became very aggresive and defied Sparta to be utterly defeated. Athens never recovered the disaster of the Peloponesian war.
The whole experiment lasted two generations.
The classical philosophs, not only Plato, where very critical of Athenian democracy.
You may appreciate this Sachs Bookclub review about Plato and the Tyrants.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-club-with-jeffrey-sachs/id1555300202?i=1000716271154
How can you "guarantee their career" even if RFKJr was shrinking from not suing pharma/whatever for just 4 years after he leaves the office.
Well Angelina, I do tend to the big picture & let others fill in the details. My wife would agree.
But, let's say, an accountant, or train driver or shop assistant are called to serve their country for 4 years in a political role (and it is 'service'- possibly personally disruptive - & not necessarily welcome..)
As well as being very well remunerated, the government would ensure they do not 'lose out', job or career wise, as a result. There are myriad ways to do this, but I agree, it's picky & difficult - so I'll leave it to those with the necessary picky skills to sort it out.
BTW I floated this concept on ZH some 10,12 years ago.. when ZH was relevant, and the response was pretty much nil to negative. Not much has changed.
It's hard being a voice in the wilderness and the crappy thing is that when this does eventuate, after the revolution. I'll be long gone & some other schmuck will take the credit.
But then, there are no accidents in the Universe. It is what it is.
"...the government would ensure..."
did you see what I did there?
All just have to see the jew problem; name the jew. that is what they fear....
@Kennewick Man
I would not join any such group which would accept ME as a member, my standards are far too high.
Simplicius must be extending his broadcast reach and consistently over the target. The "why Russia can't win" brigade starts firing as soon as a new post is created, with texts that are obviously prepared in advance (by Langley?).
Yep, all spooks, bots and AI - not a skin job to be seen!
Maybe Langley, but I would be very surprised to learn that the British Army's 77th Brigade aren't infesting these pages. They're a Psychological warfare outfit and it's what they're paid to do. During the Covid operation they were dubbed the "facebook warriors" by General Sir Nick Carter iirc. He boasted that he had 4000 of them deployed around the clock to combat disinformation.
To combat disinformation? They were supplying disinformation!
DoubleSpeak
Every single European country proposing to send troops to Ukraine has a caveat that their deployment needs to be "backstopped" by American forces. Which means they'll commit next to no actual troops, but when they inevitably get hit, they'll try to force the US into a direct war with Russia.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a good number of signs that the neocon faction in the administration WILL prevail on Trump to provide this "backstop", claiming the US will only provide air cover but no "boots on the ground".
But we know that once the Europeans start screeching, Trump will inevitably fold and put US troops into Ukraine.
>Which means they'll commit next to no actual troops, but when they inevitably get hit, they'll try to force the US into a direct war with Russia.
There will be no direct USA-Russia war unless the US has achieved sufficient technological dominance to think it can ride it out with acceptable damage. "Acceptable damage" here may well include losing something like Omaha, NE, but likely not NYC.
The plan is to use the proxies as cannon fodder to trigger a Russian internal collapse like in 1989-1991 and then come and pick up the pieces.
Thus all the cards, except one, are indeed in Russia's hands -- the proxies can be just outright physically eliminated before they have been used as cannon fodder for that purpose.
The US holds the trump card though -- which is that the interests of much of the Russian capitalist elites are most closely aligned with those of Western capitalist elites than they are with the interests of their own country. So that "radical" solution is not on the table, and won't be until Russia clears house internally. But that cannot happen without a coup or a revolution...
Hey ho, I agree with all that except that last para. I would love to watch the US have a punt at realising the value of that assumption.
The only problem with the last remark is that the sanctions have pushed the oligarchs back to the safety of mother Russia. They know they cannot trust the West which despises their money and the way they made it. So, even if they would prefer to live in Chelsea or Miami, they know that Rublyovka is much safer for them and their children in the long run.
Spot on. They are the ones demanding Putin does NOT make rapprochements with the US that would bring back in all that tatty US competition for a new wealth base they have worked hard in the last few years to build.
Incorrect.
There are some oligarchs who have realized it is in their interest for Russia to go its own way.
Their existence is the reason the SMO happened at all.
They are by no means all oligarchs, and not even the most important ones.
The resource extraction and banking ones are pro-Western, and their wealth and power depends on the continuation of the post-1991 relationship with the West.
The more patriotic ones have to do with the internal economy. But they are not the stronger faction.
The SMO was started because of a group of oligarchs who did not like Western competition ? GM, this is an interesting new angle. And do they want to nuke everyone to make sure their markets remain well protected ?
It is hard to take this comment (GM's) seriously. Western intelligence gave up on turning the oligarchs some time ago and admits now that their independent wealth such as it has not been seized, has been very helpful indeed in shoring up the Russian economy and the war effort, most recently in helping fund the Rubicon. And what a wonder weapon that is turning out to be! I forget the latest head out of valuable western assets now in Russian hands. We have middle class Russian techie youngsters who want to play their part in the new patriotic war teeming up with hardened Russian criminal hackers all within a disciplined militaristic shell, all in the supreme righteous cause of the motherland.
Russians are Russians, GM, like the writing in rock. Attack Russia and you soon find you hit this patriotic wall. But you should know that, shouldn't you?
The West despises the way they made their money? As far as the most important ones, the West was a necessary complicit in the operation that made them rich.
And the only reason the West despises their money is because they are no longer getting their cut of it.
One does not exclude the other.
How exactly does the US hold a trump card over Russia, because of the capitalists? Your belief in money trumps your belief in reality. The fact that the Russian military has been unleashed, demonstrates one thing, that it's the men with guns having the control over life and death dictates power. The state has the monopoly on violence once the government still controls the military. So with that said a very small man can cast a very large shadow over a country. It's strange, the belief that the Russian oligarchs that were treated like fugitives and ridiculed as their possessions were seized would just forget that humiliation in 2022 and run back into the arms of their western detractors. My belief is the oligarchs want their money back much more than to forgive and forget.
>How exactly does the US hold a trump card over Russia, because of the capitalists? Your belief in money trumps your belief in reality. The fact that the Russian military has been unleashed, demonstrates one thing, that it's the men with guns having the control over life and death dictates power
But that's the thing, the Russian military has been anything but unleashed. Exactly the opposite in fact, it has been on a very tight leash and fighting with one and a half hands tied behind its back.
The war would have been long over, with a decisive total Russian victory, if the military was actually unleashed. We have been through it many times, with the exact list of targets to be hit that would quickly win the war and that continue to be off limits for the Russian military. Because it is still shackled.
As an example, why was Surovikin removed? Remember that it happened long before the Wagner rebellion. Surovikin was commander of the SMO for less than three months, in which he had to take the PR hit for abandoning Kherson, but also did so far the only somewhat sustained campaign to take out dual-use infrastructure, yet then was quickly removed from the position of SMO commander, after which the strikes stopped.
More generally, the Russian capitalists have been directly sabotaging the SMO from the start. But most of that is in the negative, i.e. in what is not being done, so if you are not paying attention, it is easy to miss it. But let's review some examples.
One example that was not in the negative was the Istanbul negotiations. What was Abramovich doing there as quite an influential factor? Nobody has given an explanation more than three years later, but from the outside it looked like he was representing the oligarchs with serious ties to the West (which he is one of himself). And what were the terms in Istanbul? Effectively Brest-Litovsk V.2. Total capitulation. The damage has still not been repaired, BTW, because today we talk of Istanbul+ as if that is somehow a win for Russia. The admissible frame of debate was determined already back then.
Second example -- why did Russia lose control of the Black Sea? In large part because of the infamous grain deal that was in place for the first year of the SMO, which allowed the Ukro-NATO-Nazis to build up Odessa as an untouchable base of operations, instead of it being smashed to pieces or even outright taken by Russia. The cascading downstream effects are well-known -- Russia has been totally kicked out of the western Black Sea, and effectively pretty much from the central area too. The BSF is huddled in Novorossiysk for protection.
But why was that so unfavorable to Russia deal made? Because it wasn't just a grain deal, it was a grain and ammonia deal. Since Soviet times the pipeline ran from Togliatti to Odessa, because it had to go through to all the major grain producing areas in between, and ammonia export actually happened out of Odessa. And you may want to look up who owns TogliattiAzot -- it is an oligarch clan of Ukrainian descent, with the main owner residing in the US, in possession of an US passport, and even having changed his name to an English one. Look it up. You can also add to the picture the fact that the Minister of Agriculture, and thus the nexus of all grain-related corruption in Russia, is Patrushev's son. At the time Patrushev still headed the Security Council. Something stinks here, doesn't it? And it's not just the ammonia...
Then we come to one of the biggest mysteries of the SMOs, which has only been uncovered recently, which is how it was possible for Ukraine to have absolutely no fuel problems for three and a half years, except for a brief period in late 2022 when Surovikin was hitting them hard. Ukraine had several refineries, which were practically off limits for serious strikes. We saw how Iran took out the Haifa one with a couple missiles, and it is still not operational. So how were the big Kremenchug refinery and the several smaller ones not touched all this time? Well, Kremenchug was hit several times, but that was apparently always non-critical targets within it, which just made a big mushroom cloud (fuel explosions will do that) but it was back in operation quickly after that.
It took the whole Azerbaijan fiasco for the truth to come out -- once Aliyev took an openly hostile to Russia position, clearly orders were issued that lifted the veto on a list of objects that have now been hit in the last few weeks, and it turned out that all those objects were Azeri property. But still not everything has been taken out.
Which immediately raises the question how many thousands of Russian soldiers died because the Kremlin determined that the interests of the Azeri lobby in Moscow are more important than making sure that the AFU does not have fuel for its tanks.
Etc. etc. etc.
This is how that phenomenon manifests itself.
Also, I have noted this previously here, but let's do it again. The most important moment of the SMO was on February 24 2022, when Putin gathered the oligarchs to explain himself in front of them, and some video of that meeting was released. In retrospect, alarm bells should have been ringing that very moment, but we were all too euphoric that Russia is back, because who would be so insane to launch that war without intending to win it decisively given what the consequences of not winning it would be? Right? Right? So there was no doubt the Kremlin, having crossed the Rubicon, would press full speed ahead in the only direction possible once that had been done. But Putin felt he had to gather oligarchs and apologetically tell them that "what is happening now was a desperate measure, they left us no choice" yet "nothing will fundamentally change in our relationship to the world system". That last part was the key. But also, the very fact that he gathered them was extremely ominous -- why would the president gather a bunch of businessmen to give explanations of his actions? What official position do those people hold that makes them so important to warrant such a meeting? None. They are just regular businessmen, not in any position of official power. What business do they have there? And yet that was the first thing Putin did. It was very telling of what was to come...
P.S. TogliattiAzot is also important because it illustrates how the rot spread in the USSR due to its increased interactions with the West. Togliatti was also where AvtoVAZ is centered and was originally set up, and that was a collaboration with Fiat. But at the time Italy had a very strong communist movement, so it was kind of acceptable. TogliattiAzot, on the other hand, was an outright joint venture with US interests. Yeah, it was Armand Hammer, who passed for a communist-sympathizer, but what communist are you when you run a major oil company in the US? And more importantly, that didn't really matter anyway, the key thing is that this is how connections were established between the people in the USSR in control of (but not owners of) the largest amount of real wealth on the planet and the capitalists in the West who wanted to get their hands on that real wealth. It was a short step from there to the people controlling that wealth realizing they could own much of it if they became capitalists too, and the USSR was no more within less than two decades.
North Korea is the only one to have gotten this right -- the West is the devil and interactions with it should be strictly limited to the absolutely essential, preferably outright eliminated. If you don't do that, you will get subverted and defeated from within.
My question as related to the origins of my commitment is, who controls the leash of the Russian military, the capitalists? For the remainder of you ramble I cannot debate assertions, assumptions and hearsay based on nothing at all. As to have any solid facts on your presumptions one would need to be highly placed in STAVKA. Oh another thing, if Russia lost control of the black sea, which other nation now has the vessels to control the black sea? Oh and I don't subscribe to the western hive mindset of believing destroying specific targets can end a conflict. Russian doctrine as layed out in the book The Russian way of War, "If the state is attacked and the army survives the the conflict will never end. If the army is destroyed then the state cannot survive." Demilitarisation means the destruction of Ukraines military potential which may extend to Europe if they persist in meddling in what should not concern them. At some point the West must accept that the conflict in Ukraine is not a war of "public opinion" but potentially a war with all the accompanying destruction.
I think the overall goal is to recreate the conditions of the American century. Namely, 60 - 90% of the world economy comprising of smoldering ruins and the graves of 60+ million people.
Then they can force as many of those nations as possible to be dependent on US consumer goods and manufacturing.
They don’t hold any trump cards.
Just because Putin lets Demitriev talk doesn’t mean he has any power.
Why does he have to let him talk if he doesn’t have any power?
It is having a very negative effect on internal morale.
Of course that was always the plan.
Were Trump serious about peace (he's not), he need only tell the europeans loudly and publicly that if they persist in provoking Russia, the United States will not again ride to their rescue.
Of course, the europeans would squeal like piglets, and would doubtless retaliate by pulling their support from Israel, which is something Trump cares very much about.
So Trump is mousetrapped.
Here's an opportunity for Dh to step up and name the long list of neocons who are Jews. Bill Kristol, Victoria Nuland, Robert Kagan, Paul Wolfowitz, Robert Sullivan...
On the other side is the Israeli Doctor at the end of this podcast -- Daniel Solomon, who volunteered to attend the autopsy and report on what happened to the Soccer star Walid Khalid Abdullah Ahmad.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-american-life/id201671138?i=1000723209663
Will Solomon pay for the crimes of Netanyahu? Should he?
Will American's pay for the crimes being committed now by Trump?
I'd love to see Euro armies on the ground.
The Iraq War nearly broke the US Army at ~43 KIA per week. The US military that comprises of ~40% of NATO. The US military the only NATO member that has any wherewithal to fight at all.
I'd love to see the Euro armies try to handle dozens of KIA per day. I'd love to see the surprise Pikachu face of Euro generals as their combat power trends to zero within weeks.
Actually, Turkey has the largest army in NATO outside of the US.
Then the Azeris if they join soon.
There is no will in Europe to fight. I’d love to see the faces on Euroscum
Politicians when they ask for volunteers to “protect Europe and Ukraine from the evil Russians” and young people tell them to go kick rocks.
protect Europe from the jew first and all other problems will go away.
Nobody cares what europeans think or want. Freeze the bank accounts of those europeans who resist. Try living in europe without a bank account, insurance, etc..
They'll fold.
There are 400.000 Ukrainians living in basements, without bank accounts because they’re deserters and are in hiding.
Once the first body bags start arriving, Eurocuck leaders will surprise to see what lengths people are willing to go to, to survive.
Shit, surveys in Germany shows that over half wouldn’t fight to defend the country even if it got invaded.
Even taking that as given, Ukraine is a cash economy, one which largely operates on the gray market.
Very unlike europe.
Europeans may be demoralized, but not so much that you can just send them off to die for globohomo willingly.
Europeans are globohomo, and try living in europe without a bank account.
They'll be forced to bend over soon enough. Hell, they fantasize about that sort of thing.
Desperate Euro-Elites Suggest Targets-on-Ground Even "Before Ceasefire"
Excellent, there is no shortage of FABs or Iskanders, they can die at their temporary points of deployment.
The idea that having lots of consumers is of itself a value let alone a grand value making you geopolitically powerful, is risable. Look at Africa, mainly dirt poor, and that's with all its natural resources (which are of course, mainly not its own at all- that's its problem). Lots of people though, and they all want out.
Lots of people makes you ripe for becoming a colony and dumping ground for the colonial master's goods and services, a source of cheap labour and military manpower- although that is a hard sell given what we know about europeans- and of course, a grand asset strip if you have anything worth plundering.
That is rapidly changing now. They have already gone the colonial route and are now extricating themselves from it.
there are few people in africa - mostly africans
? When I last looked they were still a teeming dirt poor vast populace, but if they get out from under the old western colonial boot, there is great hope for Africa's future.
Africans are not people.
lol. Stop feeding and providing western medication to Africans and their population will decrease back to what it was before when few merely roamed as hunter gatherers
There were hunter gatherers but they were a minority among the African peoples. Most of them practiced agricultural.
lol. Citation needed
I believe a better example would be China in the early 19th century - lots of consumers and structural trade surpluses in its dealings with the West, but a weak state with no armed forces capable of defending it. Result? The opium wars waged by the European powers to force it to legalize opium, grant market access and concessions etc.
It took the near-death experience of foreign interventions and the unequal treaties, civil war and Japanese invasions, a ruthless communist revolution and a not less ruthless mix of capitalism and communism to Make China Great Again (MCGA - admittedly a bit more of a mouthful than MAGA) which have now restored China's sovereignty and might, if not yet its self assurance.
And then it took the Ukraine proxy war to convince them that if Russia will go down the drain, they are next.
As Rick said to Captain Renault at the end of Casablanca, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
Cool.
The Delanors (frank roosevelt) were complicit in the opium trade.
The Opium War was waged by the British, not by all European powers.
What do we know about Europeans ?
Tenenbaum is 39 but did he ever do military service ? France is losing quite a few officers in recent weeks - a few were cremated in Sumy the other day and others near Odessa. By all means commit French forces - Russia can impose defence cuts in-situ.
France has no protection. As for Black Sea - Treaty of Montreux governs warships entering in times of conflict as does Bastion
The more troops France commits to Ukraine the fewer it has to retain control of France when uprising comes.
It is frankly ridiculous how these children with PhD act like journalists
~ The Generational Memory-Hole ~
"Tenenbaum is 39...
It is frankly ridiculous how these children with PhD act like journalists" ~ Peter Williamson
____
As I've said before some time ago, 'With each new generation, the reset button gets pressed.'.
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"Crucified from above
Despite it all we never learn..."
~ Conscience, by Front Line Assembly
youtu.be/8cmgFLF3Hm4?si=ZzOtte-W8L18486i&t=111
General Syrsky following his plan to perfection. Helping the Russians attrit thousands of Ukrainians per day. Bravo General. Knew your Russian heritage would come in handy.
Rashkans just saved his father, gotta show some gratitude ;)