The main narrative line of interest today comes by way of the tensions which have come to a boil over the US and Zelensky’s disagreement on lowering the age of mobilization.
In 2019, the Trump administration imposed crippling sanctions on Syria, exacerbating an already dire situation caused by the nation's long civil war. These sanctions severed Syria's access to banks, plunging the country into hyperinflation, a liquidity crisis, and rendering its currency virtually worthless. The government struggled to acquire foreign currency to pay for essential expenses, as dealing with the Assad regime was heavily penalized under the sanction regime. Even rebuilding efforts were hindered by the lack of construction materials.The Syrian Army and government employees, including intelligence apparatus, suffered from the sanctions, with rank-and-file soldiers earning just $22 per month and air force pilots making $140. This financial strain extended to the intelligence community, with only a few exceptions for the highest-ranking officials.Syria's pre-war economy was further devastated by the denial of essential resources, including 40% of its oil and the majority of its water, cotton, barley, and wheat, which were located in territories occupied by US-backed Kurdish forces. The loss of these crops led to food shortages and significant economic challenges, as cotton was one of Syria's primary cash crops. What has been done to Syria is disgusting, now they have to contend with headchoppers & real psychopaths in shinny new uniforms killing POW where ever found or other non Sunnis.
Thanks for this report ,on the evidently on going US campaign against Modi and the BJP class
It is unlikely to get very far - the kid Soros is incapable of doing anything, so that the the old man is likely to leave little behind him
The really extravagant display of incompetence paranoia and political suicide on display in SK deserves more attention as salutary self imposed régime collapse
Which the US, for all their so called presence in Seoul, were incapable of preventing or guiding in any way: SK the most servile of all the slaves proves to be out of control
How the US hopes to have any allies of any use in these circumstances is hard to see, when and because they are all as fragile as SK or almost as
These are the contradictions of capitalism
As we have seen the EU countries are all as fragile as NATO, see the lastest resolution, Dec 5? as a declaration of defeat
It's the summary of all that NATO has always said that it will do and all that it has always not done laid out in somewhat cheesey aw gosh language - a definitive summary so that everyone knows that everyone knows, and that's that
MR has just to go around repeating these never dones never can do's in rote
While keeping a clean shirt
It's over
The next stage is the SK stage, some Lit imploding in front of the China Embassy somewhere
This history of South Korean coups since WWII makes interesting reading- Yoon did not follow the coup SCRIPT fundamental to S. Korean political culture. He disregarded the mid levels, insulting the many military and civilian leaders he failed to "onboard" for his project.
Not sure, Rutte is of the same material as the other warmonger criminals.
As a history teacher he blamed the Russians for the 2 Ukrainian buk anti-air missiles ending up in poland cause russia invadid unprovoked and was engaging in a brutal war.
He just to be our prime minister for 12 years and wasn’t much of a fan of him, but now getting feelings of repulsion when I hear him tell the lies and spread the disinformation. Really disgusting. Oh yeah, MH17, where they used a buk missile like those ended up in poland. His role was also questionable to me. A true Russophobe
Agree, but with a minor comment regarding "offering as it did an opportunity to disengage".
Russia disengaged from Syria years ago, at least in the sense of being willing to use significant military power to prop up the Assad regime. Things changed when the conflict in Ukraine became the top priority, and it became clear that being a player in the middle east by propping up Syria wasn't worth the effort.
Although you didn't mention it, I'll take this opportunity to toss in a side comment, that I don't think Russia's air bases and the port in Syria are in any way important to Russia. The air bases were useful up through 2016 and, besides the geopolitical experiment of supporting Assad against the US's "moderate" terrorists, helped Russia get hands-on experience in running an air war. But now that Russia has plenty of live experience in Ukraine those bases are no longer necessary.
A port in the Med is also not that useful. What Ukraine has taught is that ships are easily killed with modern, smart and remotely operated munitions. Having up to eleven ships in a port in Syria is not enough to do anything but is more than enough to create a useful target for anybody who wants to brag about sinking a Russian ship. It's a money hole. In terms of supply to Africa the land/sea route through the Caspian to the Indian Ocean is a more durable approach.
Agree with your view. With the EU psycopathically hostile to not only the current RF government, but Russian people and culture, they need to consolidate their attention to Eurasia.
Europe is committing economic and societal suicide, the markets and industries going forward are in Asia.
If Hungary, Romania and Slovakia somehow manage to disentangle from the EU tentacles, all the better for their people.
Point being Russia is better off concentrating on mercy killing the Ukraine as the brief, failed and cancerous construct of a theoretical independent state it is and looking east and south.
Iran makes sense to support as it forms the underbelly of the Eurasian landmass, while the distal Mid East Arab states are too treacherous and fickle to waste resources on.
"My thoughts: the ‘loss’ of Assad’s Syria sounds more & more like an inadvertent & unintended ‘lucky’ occurrence for VVP, offering as it did an opportunity to disengage w/ an increasingly untenable calculus in supporting Assad, trusting Assad, hoping Assad would be motivated to step up, so the whole affair offered VVP a way to withdraw from an unsustainably chaotic region, which promises unceasing chaos for the near- and longterm future. The chance to detach now was fortuitous."
Putin and company "cut bait" and moved on. Smart. Bigger fish to fry in Europe where Macron and other western lackeys have not noticed that they're losing in Ukraine. Putin plays chess and for the West it's NFL football with air force overflight. The knuckle-dragging West can't buy a clue. FAFO. Hey Macron, nice cathedral you've got there. It'd be too bad if it got reduced to dust. Bigly sad...
CS, did you happen to catch Dhillon's interview on the TCN (Tucker Carlson Network)? She did a sweet job of deconstructing Kamala's rise in California.
Spoiler alert: Not a flattering revisit of Kamala's performance in CA. Harris literally "worked under" (wink) political heavy, Willie Brown. (That interview with Tucker is two months old.) Tucker's interviews are much more entertaining than anything on Netflix or Prime. Carlson is one of the premier journalists working today. None of his work is complimentary of the deep state.
Whether they do not comprehend certain things or are just doing what they accuse e.g. Russians of doing i.e. spinning/propaganda - how do we know? They just produce pieces of propaganda. Whether they believe in what they write and say is not so relevant and so it is not relevant whether they comprehend anything. Fact is that their analysis is not correct. Plus I wonder what would they now say about the disaster in Afghanistan - after 20y of nation building (or were only Gender Schools in Kabul built?).
I was born under communism and lived under it till I finished the university. The Western media remind me of the media under commies. It is remarkable that almost all produce the same tune and this across the borders.
In the west, so many articles were pre-written, before the HTS attack, originally to describe how "Russia is overwhelmed amidst well organized and well armed opponent, not able to save Assad". Now, because Russia didn't engage militarily as they had hoped for, they have to re-write the articles a little, but not stray too far away from the "message".
The same way as all the pre-written articles about Russias "fullscale invasion" of Ukraine. Even pro-western people are asking journalists what "fullscale invasion" really means, and in what way 20% of a territory could count as "fullscale".
But as usual, they can't let go of a catchy tunes (just like they chose the town of Bucha for their Hollywood spectacle, because it would make catchy headlines: "the Bucha butchering").
Haha, I didn't read this post before I replied to your previous post, and we happened to say the exact thing about "fullscale invasion". I feel a little bit silly now, replying before I read your next post....=(
I like your comment and not just this particular one. This person is not addressing you, but the sheep that have been propagandized since birth. It is also impossible to discuss with these sheep as they never doubted or challenged the narrative. Say something often enough and many see it as the ultimate truth. One of the bigger flaws of mankind imho: emotion and lack of critical thinking
A minor defeat, more like the cost of doing business.
People who talk about Russia playing chess while Western leaders flail around mindlessly are missing a key point. It's not chess, and Russia knows that very well. Chess is a totally determinative game. There's no element of chance to it. There's no rolling of the dice as a result of which pawns or other pieces might be able to move or not move depending on chance. They always stay exactly where you put them and they always can move or not move exactly as the rules allow.
Geopolitics is a process more like backgammon where the element of chance plays a key role. Skill is very important, but the element of chance is an integral part of the game. No matter how good you are, you might lose to a player with far less skill than you.
I learned to play backgammon from a friend who was a professional, high-stakes poker and backgammon player. After he taught me the basics of the game we played some games. I won 21 games in a row despite barely knowing the rules. That didn't bother my friend in the least. He just shrugged it off as one of the statistical anomalies that happens when you play enough games.
Professional players know that losses are inevitable and are a cost of doing business. When writing this post I looked up my friend to see whatever happened with him and ran across an online archive of a backgammon magazine that reported news of professional tournaments, where a columnist had published the "Ten commandments" of professional play. One of those was:
"Thou shalt not fear losing
One of the primary lessons to be learned about backgammon is that no one wins every game. While losing should be avoided whenever possible, realize that it happens to everyone, it statistically has to occur and that it is a built in ingredient of the game.
To their detriment, many players perceive their losses as a diminution of self worth and feel greatly invalidated when losing. This type of response to losing is simply incorrect. "
That sums up a practical approach to geopolitics. If you fear the occasional loss, you're not a real player. In Russia's case the experimental play in Syria was worth it despite the likelihood that sooner or later Syria would disintegrate. That's one reason that Russia, to use a backgammon term, didn't use the doubling cube by sending in ground troops.
So yeah, sure, Russia's play in Syria stuck Russia with a dangling presence that wouldn't look good when Syria sooner or later went down, but given it was a contained, limited presence it's just at most table stakes that's been lost. In fact, given the new warlords now occupying much of Syria have already stated an interest in working with Russia there might not even be the loss of table stakes.
In the meantime, by betting bigger stakes in situations where wins are more likely than losses (like Ukraine) while limiting its bets in situations where losses are more likely than wins (like Syria), Russia continues to play the odds well in a world where chance plays a big role.
As Cervantes put it, "Anyone who does not know how to make the most of his luck has no right to complain if it passes him by."
Absolutely. It’s a bit like discussing one of our periodic school shootings and debating whether the victims were more girls or boys. Completely monstrous.
Not to mention losing Niger, BF, Mali, and now even Senegal is threatening the CFA. Hell, even Gabon is barely playing ball anymore. All of France's colonial income streams are drying up.
Au revoir, cheap uranium from Africa. It's so nice to know France is dependent on nuclear power. Maybe they can get down on their knees and buy their fuel from Russia.
Some moments I guess France is a colony too, Macron is a banker working for the Rotchilds, and he has been on a visit to Saoudi Arabia and Marocco lately. Many companies, buildings, wine yards, soccer games, monuments (Notre Dame?), industries are sold to foreign oligarchs and elites, which many reside on the French Riviera.
yes, Prof Marandi says it better than I've ever heard it before in this video - about the
US morality -https://youtu.be/b5Gw5ZRTf9U See also this interesting video from a friend of a high command of Division 4 - Syrian Arab Army - Christian - they had phone calls during the whole take-over - President Assad betrayed his army and his people - it was him who called for the withdrawals. https://youtu.be/BgjelyQPt_c
We the people have to stick to authoritarian leaders (even if they were elected!!! So claims the western doxa)the same manner as we have to stick democratic recycled ones even if they get to power after been defeated at the voting booth. Just look to the coup that the EU is making in less than a month in two western democratic countries.
I feel I should point out it wasn't ASSAD who started the Syrian Conflict, and it sure as hell wasn't Assad who imposed the genocidal sanctions that prevented Syrian rebuilding.
Apparently what we saw in Syria was a remake of a genocidal policy carried out by another Blinken family member, by the name of Madeleine Albright. She felt that 500k kids were collateral damage of a « “greater good”. Blinken is only at 50k for now, but it’s cumulating at fast rate.
Apparently what we saw in Syria was a remake of a genocidal policy carried out by another Blinken family member, by the name of Madeleine Albright. She felt that 500k kids were a acceptable collateral damage of a « “greater good”. Blinken is only at 50k for now, but it’s cumulating at fast rate. She’s now in Hell and has reserved a nice cozy place for Mr B. When he joins.
It actually shocking how all of them are connected. Thant whole cabal starting with Zbig, then Madeleine then her little pupil Blinken. They have their agenda and they executie it. So we shouldnt be worried at all that Madeleine's friend and fellow Zbig disciple Salome Zourabichvili of Georgia
Who knows if it was him. Some say communications were hacked and AI was used to give fake orders, some say some top Generals were sold out and kept Assad in dark. I've also heard that Assad had recorded a public message to explain his decision, to be broadcast but those he depended on didn't play it. It's all murky and hearsay. The truth will take years to be clarified.
listen to the second video - the whole video - 20 minutes is worth listening to but both the communicant in the video - a commander in Division 4 SAA - which didn't withdraw and also the Syrian Ambassador to Russia - was he the FM before ? Maybe - called Assad a traitor - face it. I don't really give a fuck about his poor situation - he left his people to this and he refused help from Hezbollah and Iran - they have all said so. Its the truth. Why the fuck do we have to watch this endless drama of assholes spending our money to destroy us ?
Yes, an unwilling man that took upon his shoulders the brant responsibility to maintain the status quo of a long putrid situation. He’s demise was similar of Portugal revolution in 74, every one was tired of the regime, starting by the ruler himself. Both left their countries, an army in total disaray with no more inner strength to carry on. Now the Syrian will have the chance to really show how resilient they are and rebuild or destroy what is left.
The truth also is that many of us try, and soon wind up dead - in "accidents"; "suicides"; "Street robberies"; "Random cop stops" (In the US); or many other ways, quietly.
Ways not spoken of in "polite" company. But they happen nonetheless, in our "Managed Democracies".
Tried very hard with the tiny bit of money that was left to Syria to buy yet another Ferrari... alas, in the end he had to contend with just the 150 or so he already had... The poor, poor man... wonder if he was able to export at least a meager portion of them to Russia... although judging by the videos of the car park underneath his palace, maybe not...
A vintage Ferrari is a better investment than US Treasuries, certain to hold or gain in value over time while T bills are looking very questionable of late. Have you noticed our oligarchs feverishly converting 1s and 0s of investment banker computer memories into PHYSICAL rather than FINANCIAL investments? Art, collectibles (Ferraris!), land...
He had little "materiel" or money, hence no better "material" end result was likely from accepting obviously enemy dictated conditions of engagement.
Assad/Russian advisors saved at least some still loyal troops by telling them to withdraw, better than throwing their lives away and still losing, they may fight another day.
Maybe this time he learned his lessons and get out of the eternal war games for the covid dollar, the war dollar yes also the Zion dollar, and join the Chinese party who has been playing Mahjong all the time and paying with bricks dollars, lol.
American way of live will never change even caught with pants down, are you aware that this is already the case….33 trillion of debts and counting. It seems they are accustomed to live with their pants down and broke. MAGA why should they, they look great with pants down.
Trump is weak, stupid and easily manipulated. Moreover, even if Trump were to present a reasonable peace deal, what assurances do we have that he would keep his word? For that matter, even if he did that, his successors might not be so upstanding.
Strength is the only language that the sociopaths of the West understand.
This is a very big problem. When doing business, if someone betrays you for a second or even third time, you just break the ties - problem solved. Russian politicians would be complete idiots if they believed the promises of the other side for even a second. Remember all the promises and agreements that were intentionally broken, like Minsk agreement. But how to find diplomatic solutions, if one side knows, the very moment the other side has the slightest opportunity for doing bad things, they will do bad things.
If Ukraine’s territorial integrity is unlikely to remain intact, as the realities on the ground suggest, then the conflict moves into a different paradigm—one where the emphasis must shift from total military victory to negotiating the most advantageous settlement possible for Ukraine's future. This requires Zelensky and his allies to prioritize preserving a functional and sustainable Ukrainian state, even if that means painful territorial concessions.
This recognition opens up critical questions about the West’s strategic endgame. If territorial loss is inevitable, how does continued military aid and pressure to mobilize more troops serve Ukraine's long-term interests? Rather than pursuing maximalist goals that are increasingly detached from on-the-ground realities, the West must consider pivoting toward facilitating a controlled de-escalation that minimizes further human and economic costs.
The lack of a realistic roadmap for peace not only prolongs the suffering but also risks undermining Ukraine’s post-war recovery. A fractured and depopulated Ukraine, burdened by massive war debts and reliant on external support, would struggle to rebuild itself into a sovereign, viable state. This is a moment for both Ukraine and its allies to confront hard truths: the territorial map of Ukraine may change, but the focus must remain on securing the country’s long-term stability, sovereignty, and ability to rebuild as a cohesive nation.
The West must recalibrate its support to reflect these realities, shifting resources toward rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced populations, and creating the economic conditions for a resilient Ukrainian state—even within altered borders. This shift from a purely military focus to a comprehensive strategy for Ukraine’s survival would mark a more pragmatic and ultimately more sustainable approach to supporting the country in the face of an uncertain future.
The"West" had only two aims in Ukraine - bleeding Russia dry; and bleeding the Slavic population of Ukraine dry. If the first had succeeded so well the West had retained control of the natural resources under Ukraine's soil, all well and good.
They don't give a flying monkey's about the people's of Ukraine, never have - just like they don't their own.
I always thought there is some great plan, some great strategy behind the brutal wars of the West against Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, etc etc. Now I know for a fact, that they don't have a plan, they favor chaos and death before freedom and peace if it fits their narrative, which is preserving as much power for their 'system' which is an international corrupt network of Elites as possible.
If you really think, there will be some grand strategy, some live saving effort, you are greatly mistaken. Its the old divide and conquer game, divide et impera, of the Elites, internally in their own habitats (LGBQT++, BLM, etc.) and externally (Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, etc), if they can't have Ukraine, they want as much chaos, death and destruction as possible, to weaken Russia.
Alex Kraimer put his finger smack down on the button. Start at 30:25, listen for about 5 mins, or longer if you get fascinated by his argument. Or start from the beginning. :) He explains one of the most vital aspects of the Boom/Bust; Colonialism so simply, so elegantly. It's the kind of insight your best teachers would have quietly told you after class if you were their star pupil.
I propose the South Korea, West Germany, Iraq solution for ceasefire where US stationed itself permanently and controls the country politically. Russia should do the same with rest of Ukraine...in its national security interest.
Impossible to trust the west. They will one day attack AGAIN… they hate Russians, in general you could say they hate everybody that they can’t control that don’t bow to their whishes.
The swedes, the finns, the poles, the danes, the french, the germans, nato, the mongols, …. They all wanted to destroy the Russians for a loooong time.
The US demands to lower the conscription age in Ukraine was a dead giveaway, might as well come right out and admit that it's always been their war against Russia'' but we already knew that .
Amazing that they're no longer trying to hide it.
Still waiting till they admit who are really pulling the strings.
I've read about Kiev as another or a second Jerusalem - do you really believe that the Zionist are planning to relocate and colonize? [history doesn't repeat but it rhymes]
It's becoming absolutely crucial to get religion out of politics, or any fictional character for that matter.
And why did Ukraine, and Russia, for that matter, have a precipitous decline in birthrate in the 1990s? Because of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the overthrow of socialism. What followed was imperialist and domestic capitalist plunder, and a dizzying fall
in life expectancy along with a heady rise in alcoholism, depression and general societal despair.
The writer shouldn't soliciting for attention. He or she should be eloquent, captivating, and awaken curiosity in the readers. Has to have talent to draw attention.
In 2019, the Trump administration imposed crippling sanctions on Syria, exacerbating an already dire situation caused by the nation's long civil war. These sanctions severed Syria's access to banks, plunging the country into hyperinflation, a liquidity crisis, and rendering its currency virtually worthless. The government struggled to acquire foreign currency to pay for essential expenses, as dealing with the Assad regime was heavily penalized under the sanction regime. Even rebuilding efforts were hindered by the lack of construction materials.The Syrian Army and government employees, including intelligence apparatus, suffered from the sanctions, with rank-and-file soldiers earning just $22 per month and air force pilots making $140. This financial strain extended to the intelligence community, with only a few exceptions for the highest-ranking officials.Syria's pre-war economy was further devastated by the denial of essential resources, including 40% of its oil and the majority of its water, cotton, barley, and wheat, which were located in territories occupied by US-backed Kurdish forces. The loss of these crops led to food shortages and significant economic challenges, as cotton was one of Syria's primary cash crops. What has been done to Syria is disgusting, now they have to contend with headchoppers & real psychopaths in shinny new uniforms killing POW where ever found or other non Sunnis.
Thanks for this report ,on the evidently on going US campaign against Modi and the BJP class
It is unlikely to get very far - the kid Soros is incapable of doing anything, so that the the old man is likely to leave little behind him
The really extravagant display of incompetence paranoia and political suicide on display in SK deserves more attention as salutary self imposed régime collapse
Which the US, for all their so called presence in Seoul, were incapable of preventing or guiding in any way: SK the most servile of all the slaves proves to be out of control
How the US hopes to have any allies of any use in these circumstances is hard to see, when and because they are all as fragile as SK or almost as
These are the contradictions of capitalism
As we have seen the EU countries are all as fragile as NATO, see the lastest resolution, Dec 5? as a declaration of defeat
It's Resolution 492
It's the summary of all that NATO has always said that it will do and all that it has always not done laid out in somewhat cheesey aw gosh language - a definitive summary so that everyone knows that everyone knows, and that's that
MR has just to go around repeating these never dones never can do's in rote
While keeping a clean shirt
It's over
The next stage is the SK stage, some Lit imploding in front of the China Embassy somewhere
The long expected F-35 crashes on take off
A brit sub awol
Wedding bells!? I was surprised that Obama didn't offer up one of his girls.
https://www.vogue.com/article/huma-abedin-and-alex-soros-are-engaged
Aha so you did ! I knew you would
It is here in SK that the whole US Asia Pacific thing breaks down
Kim has also his word to say -I mean has also said and done things which have struck horror for the SK
For Kim the breath of life given by recent treaties with Russia must have frightened the tits off of the corrupt SK leadership
It is probable that Taiwan is just as fragile
@cheetosSpring
This history of South Korean coups since WWII makes interesting reading- Yoon did not follow the coup SCRIPT fundamental to S. Korean political culture. He disregarded the mid levels, insulting the many military and civilian leaders he failed to "onboard" for his project.
https://sharpfocusafrica.substack.com/p/events-in-south-korea-an-end-to-a?utm_medium=reader2&triedRedirect=true
Any mention you come across shfting the port to Iran?
One more oreshnik will wake them up
Thanks CS - VVP is keeping calm, as are the Iranians
As are you!
I read at the beginning of the SyriaSyria fluff that the RF best bet was to move their port of Iran outside the straights
Indeed, why not? Where better?
The oreshnik I meant for Ukraine
Thanks for another report on parts of the world forgotten in the fashionable rush to display moral expertise on Syria
Speculation is even more hysterical than usual
No one has mentioned Mark Rutte - let us count our blessings-he is sweeping up the remains at HQ
And KK is redrawn by Breughel as our favourite nightmare
Right, poor diet - Bear meat is tough, or else too much of a good thing
But what choice has she got, she's pretty much locked in the basement
Not sure, Rutte is of the same material as the other warmonger criminals.
As a history teacher he blamed the Russians for the 2 Ukrainian buk anti-air missiles ending up in poland cause russia invadid unprovoked and was engaging in a brutal war.
He just to be our prime minister for 12 years and wasn’t much of a fan of him, but now getting feelings of repulsion when I hear him tell the lies and spread the disinformation. Really disgusting. Oh yeah, MH17, where they used a buk missile like those ended up in poland. His role was also questionable to me. A true Russophobe
Straight out of the CIA playbook.
The french transplant Zourabitch is running out of time.
Agree, but with a minor comment regarding "offering as it did an opportunity to disengage".
Russia disengaged from Syria years ago, at least in the sense of being willing to use significant military power to prop up the Assad regime. Things changed when the conflict in Ukraine became the top priority, and it became clear that being a player in the middle east by propping up Syria wasn't worth the effort.
Although you didn't mention it, I'll take this opportunity to toss in a side comment, that I don't think Russia's air bases and the port in Syria are in any way important to Russia. The air bases were useful up through 2016 and, besides the geopolitical experiment of supporting Assad against the US's "moderate" terrorists, helped Russia get hands-on experience in running an air war. But now that Russia has plenty of live experience in Ukraine those bases are no longer necessary.
A port in the Med is also not that useful. What Ukraine has taught is that ships are easily killed with modern, smart and remotely operated munitions. Having up to eleven ships in a port in Syria is not enough to do anything but is more than enough to create a useful target for anybody who wants to brag about sinking a Russian ship. It's a money hole. In terms of supply to Africa the land/sea route through the Caspian to the Indian Ocean is a more durable approach.
Agree with your view. With the EU psycopathically hostile to not only the current RF government, but Russian people and culture, they need to consolidate their attention to Eurasia.
Europe is committing economic and societal suicide, the markets and industries going forward are in Asia.
If Hungary, Romania and Slovakia somehow manage to disentangle from the EU tentacles, all the better for their people.
Point being Russia is better off concentrating on mercy killing the Ukraine as the brief, failed and cancerous construct of a theoretical independent state it is and looking east and south.
Iran makes sense to support as it forms the underbelly of the Eurasian landmass, while the distal Mid East Arab states are too treacherous and fickle to waste resources on.
"My thoughts: the ‘loss’ of Assad’s Syria sounds more & more like an inadvertent & unintended ‘lucky’ occurrence for VVP, offering as it did an opportunity to disengage w/ an increasingly untenable calculus in supporting Assad, trusting Assad, hoping Assad would be motivated to step up, so the whole affair offered VVP a way to withdraw from an unsustainably chaotic region, which promises unceasing chaos for the near- and longterm future. The chance to detach now was fortuitous."
Putin and company "cut bait" and moved on. Smart. Bigger fish to fry in Europe where Macron and other western lackeys have not noticed that they're losing in Ukraine. Putin plays chess and for the West it's NFL football with air force overflight. The knuckle-dragging West can't buy a clue. FAFO. Hey Macron, nice cathedral you've got there. It'd be too bad if it got reduced to dust. Bigly sad...
CS, did you happen to catch Dhillon's interview on the TCN (Tucker Carlson Network)? She did a sweet job of deconstructing Kamala's rise in California.
Spoiler alert: Not a flattering revisit of Kamala's performance in CA. Harris literally "worked under" (wink) political heavy, Willie Brown. (That interview with Tucker is two months old.) Tucker's interviews are much more entertaining than anything on Netflix or Prime. Carlson is one of the premier journalists working today. None of his work is complimentary of the deep state.
Noo please, just got rebuild😀
All the sins of empire were expunged with a few "Hail Marys" in that cathedral.
Expecting, presently, an increase in Syrian restaurants in Paris now that Syria has become unglued. Bigly sad.
Whether they do not comprehend certain things or are just doing what they accuse e.g. Russians of doing i.e. spinning/propaganda - how do we know? They just produce pieces of propaganda. Whether they believe in what they write and say is not so relevant and so it is not relevant whether they comprehend anything. Fact is that their analysis is not correct. Plus I wonder what would they now say about the disaster in Afghanistan - after 20y of nation building (or were only Gender Schools in Kabul built?).
I was born under communism and lived under it till I finished the university. The Western media remind me of the media under commies. It is remarkable that almost all produce the same tune and this across the borders.
In the west, so many articles were pre-written, before the HTS attack, originally to describe how "Russia is overwhelmed amidst well organized and well armed opponent, not able to save Assad". Now, because Russia didn't engage militarily as they had hoped for, they have to re-write the articles a little, but not stray too far away from the "message".
The same way as all the pre-written articles about Russias "fullscale invasion" of Ukraine. Even pro-western people are asking journalists what "fullscale invasion" really means, and in what way 20% of a territory could count as "fullscale".
But as usual, they can't let go of a catchy tunes (just like they chose the town of Bucha for their Hollywood spectacle, because it would make catchy headlines: "the Bucha butchering").
Haha, I didn't read this post before I replied to your previous post, and we happened to say the exact thing about "fullscale invasion". I feel a little bit silly now, replying before I read your next post....=(
ops, I put this reply in the wrong place, don't know how to delete it...
"auguring" ?
in auguring
Augury is never a verb. ;O)
Hey, it's English in the 21st century, not exactly a high bar. Verbing a word is always legal, especially on social media. :-)
As the Applefied US school system has taught a generation of students, "Think different."
It isn't English, it's American and you can keep it.
Oreshniks and Kindzhals may break their bones, but words (and giggles) can never hurt me.
I like your comment and not just this particular one. This person is not addressing you, but the sheep that have been propagandized since birth. It is also impossible to discuss with these sheep as they never doubted or challenged the narrative. Say something often enough and many see it as the ultimate truth. One of the bigger flaws of mankind imho: emotion and lack of critical thinking
It was a defeat for Russia and Putin. Anything elsse is just cope.
A minor defeat, more like the cost of doing business.
People who talk about Russia playing chess while Western leaders flail around mindlessly are missing a key point. It's not chess, and Russia knows that very well. Chess is a totally determinative game. There's no element of chance to it. There's no rolling of the dice as a result of which pawns or other pieces might be able to move or not move depending on chance. They always stay exactly where you put them and they always can move or not move exactly as the rules allow.
Geopolitics is a process more like backgammon where the element of chance plays a key role. Skill is very important, but the element of chance is an integral part of the game. No matter how good you are, you might lose to a player with far less skill than you.
I learned to play backgammon from a friend who was a professional, high-stakes poker and backgammon player. After he taught me the basics of the game we played some games. I won 21 games in a row despite barely knowing the rules. That didn't bother my friend in the least. He just shrugged it off as one of the statistical anomalies that happens when you play enough games.
Professional players know that losses are inevitable and are a cost of doing business. When writing this post I looked up my friend to see whatever happened with him and ran across an online archive of a backgammon magazine that reported news of professional tournaments, where a columnist had published the "Ten commandments" of professional play. One of those was:
"Thou shalt not fear losing
One of the primary lessons to be learned about backgammon is that no one wins every game. While losing should be avoided whenever possible, realize that it happens to everyone, it statistically has to occur and that it is a built in ingredient of the game.
To their detriment, many players perceive their losses as a diminution of self worth and feel greatly invalidated when losing. This type of response to losing is simply incorrect. "
That sums up a practical approach to geopolitics. If you fear the occasional loss, you're not a real player. In Russia's case the experimental play in Syria was worth it despite the likelihood that sooner or later Syria would disintegrate. That's one reason that Russia, to use a backgammon term, didn't use the doubling cube by sending in ground troops.
So yeah, sure, Russia's play in Syria stuck Russia with a dangling presence that wouldn't look good when Syria sooner or later went down, but given it was a contained, limited presence it's just at most table stakes that's been lost. In fact, given the new warlords now occupying much of Syria have already stated an interest in working with Russia there might not even be the loss of table stakes.
In the meantime, by betting bigger stakes in situations where wins are more likely than losses (like Ukraine) while limiting its bets in situations where losses are more likely than wins (like Syria), Russia continues to play the odds well in a world where chance plays a big role.
As Cervantes put it, "Anyone who does not know how to make the most of his luck has no right to complain if it passes him by."
A much simpler explanation - those who were going to enlist as a result of signup bonuses (and who were enlistable) have already enlisted.
Your reply is not related to the comment you replied to. Where did you intend to post it?
I agree but do post a link to the article to which you were replying!
it is within the body of this article.
Absolutely. It’s a bit like discussing one of our periodic school shootings and debating whether the victims were more girls or boys. Completely monstrous.
"LOC slaughter"?
"Line Of Contact"
Because nobody of influence and authority cares.
Because they are all psychopaths.
Yessss?
Nooo, Zelensky! We need total Ukrainian death!
Maybe Macron will be so kind as to sacrifice his nation's people on the altar of FABs and Lancets instead.
Honestly, Agent Z should be focusing on his escape strategy instead.
Macron sacrificing his own people? You mean the 66 thousand companies who got broke under his reign accusing his rival Le Pen.
Not to mention losing Niger, BF, Mali, and now even Senegal is threatening the CFA. Hell, even Gabon is barely playing ball anymore. All of France's colonial income streams are drying up.
Au revoir, cheap uranium from Africa. It's so nice to know France is dependent on nuclear power. Maybe they can get down on their knees and buy their fuel from Russia.
Some moments I guess France is a colony too, Macron is a banker working for the Rotchilds, and he has been on a visit to Saoudi Arabia and Marocco lately. Many companies, buildings, wine yards, soccer games, monuments (Notre Dame?), industries are sold to foreign oligarchs and elites, which many reside on the French Riviera.
yes, Prof Marandi says it better than I've ever heard it before in this video - about the
US morality -https://youtu.be/b5Gw5ZRTf9U See also this interesting video from a friend of a high command of Division 4 - Syrian Arab Army - Christian - they had phone calls during the whole take-over - President Assad betrayed his army and his people - it was him who called for the withdrawals. https://youtu.be/BgjelyQPt_c
Assad has had enough of this conflict.
Syria was strangled to defeat by been robbed by the gringos of their own natural resources.
The west will taste again the return of the stick. Never saw how a terrorist was rehabilitated by western journalism in so short notice.
you can stick up for him all you want but this - - Its like us, the people, are watching a play or a drama
of these ' world leaders ' all fighting with each other, using our money -
and the populations are held ramson and always the victims.
We the people have to stick to authoritarian leaders (even if they were elected!!! So claims the western doxa)the same manner as we have to stick democratic recycled ones even if they get to power after been defeated at the voting booth. Just look to the coup that the EU is making in less than a month in two western democratic countries.
I feel I should point out it wasn't ASSAD who started the Syrian Conflict, and it sure as hell wasn't Assad who imposed the genocidal sanctions that prevented Syrian rebuilding.
right - but it is NOW Assad that left Syria to this and read my comment below.
Oh, I see. So he should have stayed and been beheaded, and then you'd be "happy".
What, exactly, would that have achieved?
You remind me of the women of Ukraine saying boys should be conscripted.
Why don't you go join the Kurdish women defending Rojave?
Everybody should know that Syria was victim of America/israel power games in the middle East.
Apparently what we saw in Syria was a remake of a genocidal policy carried out by another Blinken family member, by the name of Madeleine Albright. She felt that 500k kids were collateral damage of a « “greater good”. Blinken is only at 50k for now, but it’s cumulating at fast rate.
Apparently what we saw in Syria was a remake of a genocidal policy carried out by another Blinken family member, by the name of Madeleine Albright. She felt that 500k kids were a acceptable collateral damage of a « “greater good”. Blinken is only at 50k for now, but it’s cumulating at fast rate. She’s now in Hell and has reserved a nice cozy place for Mr B. When he joins.
It actually shocking how all of them are connected. Thant whole cabal starting with Zbig, then Madeleine then her little pupil Blinken. They have their agenda and they executie it. So we shouldnt be worried at all that Madeleine's friend and fellow Zbig disciple Salome Zourabichvili of Georgia
attending her funeral.
I also suspect his inability to change the endemic corruption and nepotism made him realise that his was a loosing hand.
IF NOT FOR SYRIA, FOR PALESTINE!
Well we did not had to wait for long.
Almost 100 causalités in Germany, one in norway and one in sweden. All the same day.
Cherchez la femme. They Will be classified as mentally disturbed, as if the victims would less victims.
The culprits are the Young leaders of Europe.
Who knows if it was him. Some say communications were hacked and AI was used to give fake orders, some say some top Generals were sold out and kept Assad in dark. I've also heard that Assad had recorded a public message to explain his decision, to be broadcast but those he depended on didn't play it. It's all murky and hearsay. The truth will take years to be clarified.
listen to the second video - the whole video - 20 minutes is worth listening to but both the communicant in the video - a commander in Division 4 SAA - which didn't withdraw and also the Syrian Ambassador to Russia - was he the FM before ? Maybe - called Assad a traitor - face it. I don't really give a fuck about his poor situation - he left his people to this and he refused help from Hezbollah and Iran - they have all said so. Its the truth. Why the fuck do we have to watch this endless drama of assholes spending our money to destroy us ?
Syria had no food, no oil/energy, no currency, 1/3rd of the country was occupied by hostile forces, the US had no mercy whatsoever.
It was an utterly hopeless situation.
He'd just wanted to be an optician in London, a quiet family man.
How would YOU like to move to Syria, with your family, and take over in such circumstances?
Perhaps if he was a psychopath he would have enjoyed it. Perhaps you would.
Instead, watching his people starve, and completely unable to help, broke his mind, heart, and over 14 years, his will.
He TRIED. Give him a break.
got yer popcorn there I see. Lets forget it.
YOU are the one eating "popcorn". Presumably get an extra large pack to watch him and his family being beheaded?
Yes, an unwilling man that took upon his shoulders the brant responsibility to maintain the status quo of a long putrid situation. He’s demise was similar of Portugal revolution in 74, every one was tired of the regime, starting by the ruler himself. Both left their countries, an army in total disaray with no more inner strength to carry on. Now the Syrian will have the chance to really show how resilient they are and rebuild or destroy what is left.
Yep. He tried. Who didn't try was us. All the western masses. We never try.
We say 'what's the point. they won't listen to us anyway'.
That's our excuse for doing nothing.
While our lords and masters lay waste to the planet: kill, kill, kill.
Well we could have a voice and begin to use it..
https://abrogard.com/blog/2023/12/25/dont-write-to-congress/
This is still not the way because it still belongs to govt. not the people and is still used only every few years -
but shows it could be done right NOW
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_voting_system
a little more in depth:
https://abrogard.com/blog/2024/10/14/how-about-this-to-bring-truth-to-the-elections/
I cannot disagree.
The truth also is that many of us try, and soon wind up dead - in "accidents"; "suicides"; "Street robberies"; "Random cop stops" (In the US); or many other ways, quietly.
Ways not spoken of in "polite" company. But they happen nonetheless, in our "Managed Democracies".
They do, too, don't they?
I pin a lot of hope on 'the app'. I reckon sooner or later it has to put on an appearance and people will go for it.
:)
Tried very hard with the tiny bit of money that was left to Syria to buy yet another Ferrari... alas, in the end he had to contend with just the 150 or so he already had... The poor, poor man... wonder if he was able to export at least a meager portion of them to Russia... although judging by the videos of the car park underneath his palace, maybe not...
@Soulminkey
A vintage Ferrari is a better investment than US Treasuries, certain to hold or gain in value over time while T bills are looking very questionable of late. Have you noticed our oligarchs feverishly converting 1s and 0s of investment banker computer memories into PHYSICAL rather than FINANCIAL investments? Art, collectibles (Ferraris!), land...
Got any photos of him DRIVING any of these assets? You know, getting personal pleasure?
He tried, but the only that that matters are results.
Not moral victories, not good faith attempts, but concrete, material results.
@Feral Finster
He had little "materiel" or money, hence no better "material" end result was likely from accepting obviously enemy dictated conditions of engagement.
Assad/Russian advisors saved at least some still loyal troops by telling them to withdraw, better than throwing their lives away and still losing, they may fight another day.
Plus, no bayonet sodomy.
Sounds like cope.
And others argue that it was intent that truly matters.
Meh.
Try and use good intentions to stop an armed robber.
Trump will present inacceptable peace plan to Russian Federation.
Putin has already been con by the west several times, if he accepts this new one, it will be the last one for Russia.
Maybe this time he learned his lessons and get out of the eternal war games for the covid dollar, the war dollar yes also the Zion dollar, and join the Chinese party who has been playing Mahjong all the time and paying with bricks dollars, lol.
Bricks?, what is that?, a threat? By who?
Brasil? RSA? On what they constitue a threat? Even China.
Anyhow your American way of life on the back of the entire planet has to end one day, accept it and get prepared instead of being caught pants down.
American way of live will never change even caught with pants down, are you aware that this is already the case….33 trillion of debts and counting. It seems they are accustomed to live with their pants down and broke. MAGA why should they, they look great with pants down.
Trump is weak, stupid and easily manipulated. Moreover, even if Trump were to present a reasonable peace deal, what assurances do we have that he would keep his word? For that matter, even if he did that, his successors might not be so upstanding.
Strength is the only language that the sociopaths of the West understand.
This is a very big problem. When doing business, if someone betrays you for a second or even third time, you just break the ties - problem solved. Russian politicians would be complete idiots if they believed the promises of the other side for even a second. Remember all the promises and agreements that were intentionally broken, like Minsk agreement. But how to find diplomatic solutions, if one side knows, the very moment the other side has the slightest opportunity for doing bad things, they will do bad things.
Russians are far smarter than the West.They will not accept anything other than what they want.
The unexplainable hatred towards the Russians, blind their rational and logical thinking.
The problem is not Russia, the problem is us, the west. We want total surrender of the Russians. Hence with some bad luck the whole world loses
If Ukraine’s territorial integrity is unlikely to remain intact, as the realities on the ground suggest, then the conflict moves into a different paradigm—one where the emphasis must shift from total military victory to negotiating the most advantageous settlement possible for Ukraine's future. This requires Zelensky and his allies to prioritize preserving a functional and sustainable Ukrainian state, even if that means painful territorial concessions.
This recognition opens up critical questions about the West’s strategic endgame. If territorial loss is inevitable, how does continued military aid and pressure to mobilize more troops serve Ukraine's long-term interests? Rather than pursuing maximalist goals that are increasingly detached from on-the-ground realities, the West must consider pivoting toward facilitating a controlled de-escalation that minimizes further human and economic costs.
The lack of a realistic roadmap for peace not only prolongs the suffering but also risks undermining Ukraine’s post-war recovery. A fractured and depopulated Ukraine, burdened by massive war debts and reliant on external support, would struggle to rebuild itself into a sovereign, viable state. This is a moment for both Ukraine and its allies to confront hard truths: the territorial map of Ukraine may change, but the focus must remain on securing the country’s long-term stability, sovereignty, and ability to rebuild as a cohesive nation.
The West must recalibrate its support to reflect these realities, shifting resources toward rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced populations, and creating the economic conditions for a resilient Ukrainian state—even within altered borders. This shift from a purely military focus to a comprehensive strategy for Ukraine’s survival would mark a more pragmatic and ultimately more sustainable approach to supporting the country in the face of an uncertain future.
The"West" had only two aims in Ukraine - bleeding Russia dry; and bleeding the Slavic population of Ukraine dry. If the first had succeeded so well the West had retained control of the natural resources under Ukraine's soil, all well and good.
They don't give a flying monkey's about the people's of Ukraine, never have - just like they don't their own.
You got it all wrong Amigo.
The focus is not helping Ukraine or anybody, but the opposite, death and misery just like long ago on the Apache territories.
When did the US ever rebuild..........they prefer chaos in other countries!
But that makes sense! Can’t have that. The west would rather huff and puff and blow the house down!
I always thought there is some great plan, some great strategy behind the brutal wars of the West against Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, etc etc. Now I know for a fact, that they don't have a plan, they favor chaos and death before freedom and peace if it fits their narrative, which is preserving as much power for their 'system' which is an international corrupt network of Elites as possible.
If you really think, there will be some grand strategy, some live saving effort, you are greatly mistaken. Its the old divide and conquer game, divide et impera, of the Elites, internally in their own habitats (LGBQT++, BLM, etc.) and externally (Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, etc), if they can't have Ukraine, they want as much chaos, death and destruction as possible, to weaken Russia.
Alex Kraimer put his finger smack down on the button. Start at 30:25, listen for about 5 mins, or longer if you get fascinated by his argument. Or start from the beginning. :) He explains one of the most vital aspects of the Boom/Bust; Colonialism so simply, so elegantly. It's the kind of insight your best teachers would have quietly told you after class if you were their star pupil.
https://substack.com/home/post/p-150438277
You'll see what I mean instantly when you hear his actual argument.
I suspect that Trump will offer peacekeeping forces with certain conditions and together, he and Putin will clean out the mess.
Since US treaties and promises are worthless, that won't be allowed to happen....
Great salesman and troll, though. I can see where that would be handy here.
So import official mercenary 'peace keepers' I don't think so. Look at Yugoslavia.
I propose the South Korea, West Germany, Iraq solution for ceasefire where US stationed itself permanently and controls the country politically. Russia should do the same with rest of Ukraine...in its national security interest.
The Russians will never agree! US troops in Sumy region? Look at a map!
I'm saying Russia should do the same in Ukraine as US did in Iraq.
Impossible to trust the west. They will one day attack AGAIN… they hate Russians, in general you could say they hate everybody that they can’t control that don’t bow to their whishes.
The swedes, the finns, the poles, the danes, the french, the germans, nato, the mongols, …. They all wanted to destroy the Russians for a loooong time.
Naah, you (NATO) created a brainwashed Nazi citizenry, you can baby sit them till the cows come home. What's left of them after war crime's tribunals.
The US demands to lower the conscription age in Ukraine was a dead giveaway, might as well come right out and admit that it's always been their war against Russia'' but we already knew that .
Amazing that they're no longer trying to hide it.
Still waiting till they admit who are really pulling the strings.
It was always the genocide of Ukraine's indigenous population to make room for Big Israel.
I've read about Kiev as another or a second Jerusalem - do you really believe that the Zionist are planning to relocate and colonize? [history doesn't repeat but it rhymes]
It's becoming absolutely crucial to get religion out of politics, or any fictional character for that matter.
And why did Ukraine, and Russia, for that matter, have a precipitous decline in birthrate in the 1990s? Because of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the overthrow of socialism. What followed was imperialist and domestic capitalist plunder, and a dizzying fall
in life expectancy along with a heady rise in alcoholism, depression and general societal despair.
I recently wrote all about this:
https://open.substack.com/pub/kayej/p/deadly-democracy-lancet-study-confirmed?r=2t45z&utm_medium=ios
Please don't write anymore; it is not for you, and nobody will be interested.
Wrong. Good article all in all.
I think it fits you perfectly, and that's good for you.
Every body happy now?
What do you think? Worth the read? Still working for a living and not having enough time to read everything I come across
I think you look pretty good considering
Yawn Yawn
Maybe you can help other readers by giving your argument why not to read?
The writer shouldn't soliciting for attention. He or she should be eloquent, captivating, and awaken curiosity in the readers. Has to have talent to draw attention.
@sandor
It is at least related to the topic. Why not complain about actual serial spam posters such as this one:
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-121124-zelensky-draws-line/comment/81214374
I am not complaining or attacking anyone, but I am a reader and please impress me with your talent. Don't solicit attention, earn it.