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.
It is heartless to examine demographics relative to the paltry number of 18-24 year olds in Ukraine as a means of arguing *against* dropping the age of conscription. A focus on the data keeps everyone's attention sufficiently distracted so that the inclination to probe the rationale, or barbarity, of a *powerful* country coercing an *impoverished* vassalized country to mobilize teenagers to a LOC slaughter just never arises.
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.
Leave it to Mediazona to make a crisis out of an accounting 'technicality.' Sounds like they employ Janet Yellen's bookkeepers, who engage in 'creative financialization' in order to tap the interest on Russia's frozen assets
Wait 'til the tax cattle in the US get a big ol' face full of Grandma Yoda Math in January. Sure, retards will find a way to blame it on Trump, but they'll do that about everything.
Exactly, no agreements are possible are possible with the agreement-incapable, and Trump isn't just incapable, he's terribly forgetful and easily distracted.
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.
In “Putin Just Suffered A Huge Defeat,” nytimes guest essayist Hannah Notte dunks on VVP, seeing the fall of Damascus as a humiliation dished up personally for him: “In Russia, where Mr. al-Assad has fled, the collapse of his government amounts to a devastating loss.” A loss, yes, for Assad, for West Asia, for Iran quite pointedly—but Hannah Notte, in Target Fixation mode, really means specifically for VVP. The loss amounts to “decades of Russian military and political investment to carve out a foothold in the Mediterranean”—all gone as Assad fled.
Notte equates these losses w/ the precariousness of Russia maintaining an air base in Hmeimim, “critical to Russia’s military operations in Libya, the Central African Republic and the Sahel—a new frontier for Russian power projection.”
Notte seems not to know that VVP has just inaugurated its ITSC transport corridor—spanning a route from Saint Petersburg to a port on the Indian Ocean—which gives Russia access to Africa & beyond. Or Russia’s work to establish bases in Libya, Ethiopia and Somalia. More than anything, however, Notte wants to hammer home the point that VVP has lost stature in the eyes of a multi-nodal world beyond the West on account of failing to come to Assad’s aid as HTS threatened: “No amount of rhetorical gymnastics by Russia’s spin doctors can distract from the fact that abandonment of Mr. Al-Assad is the clearest sign, since Mr. Putin invaded Ukraine, that there are new limits on Russian power projection.”
Of course Notte herself puts the most catastrophic spin on Assad’s fall as a personal/professional humiliation for VVP because she relies on a static, eggs-in-one-basket view of Russia’s diplomacy throughout the world—not comprehending the dynamism of VVP’s outreach in Libya, Ethiopia and Somalia, where Russia is auguring to secure military bases.
Notte, trapped in a changeless stationary past, can’t see VVP’s work in many regions. Her only way of measuring Russia’s success is by invoking one-dimensional tropes about the war in Ukraine & the fall of Damascus, both as withering indictments of VVP’s resolve, marking the barometric low of her mostly low-point essay.
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.
The fall of Syria is a disaster for the Arab world. More immediately, it creates a strategic dilemma for Iran. But Russia can walk away from the bedlam, unscathed—unless and until a guest essayist in the nytimes forces Russia to accept rhetorical blame, a ludicrous mission.
VVP stood powerfully w/ Assad during the critical period—2013 through 2016—just after Gaddafi was murdered in Libya and the U.S. was salivating to treat Assad to the same. Once the critical period passed, Russia’s r’ship w/ Syria continued shifting, naturally: geopolitics are not static.
Something guest essayist Notte can’t comprehend, what with her Target Fixation on condemning VVP.
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.
Yeah, Tucker's sit-down w/ Harmeet was phenomenal. Toward the end, they discussed Harmeet's being a practicing Sikh and how her brother was harassed after 9/11 because once the Patriot Act came into force everybody in the U.S. thought he was an Islamic terrorist [people misread the turban.]
Bhadrakumar raises issues right now about Harmeet's Sikh faith & what he interprets as her support of the Sikh diaspora in both Canada & the U.S. and how this might impact Modi potentially somewhere down the line. Not saying this is valid, but Bhadrakumar's concerns track toward regime change
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'm not some over-promoted slash with a no-work sinecure that lets me blather about bullshit for pay, but I can read a map, and it's clearly a long, long way from Damascus to Moscow.
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."
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.
How utterly depraved that the empire wants to liquidate the youngest men in Ukraine by using them as cannon fodder. As if enough men haven't already been killed in that stupid and unnecessary war. It just goes to show that Washington DC is run by sociopaths and outright psychopaths. Disgusting!
The U.S. does not count the dead, whether in Ukraine or Gaza. It exhibits a peculiar capacity for mass murder. Europe goes along, not uttering a peep. During OTAN's foreign ministers' conference the other day, Blinken stood @ the podium & told his assembled cohort that Ukraine just had to simply mobilize more men--and of course no one questioned this. The dead-eyed trance had fallen on the room.
What would you expect from a country that has not known war in it's modern history, empathy? War is always something far away in the words of their most revered general "It was a helluva war" but for victims of the expeditionary forces sent far away to defend the vague terms "Democrazy & Freedumb" war is "merely hell".
A socialist, green utopia depends on subjugated productive countries to support it. How else will the Western Eloi be able to spend debt on trinkets and live in obscene luxury, while the Eastern Morlocks slave away to provide us everything?
If COVID taught us anything it was that the slightest hiccup to Chinese logistics and microchips causes massive problems for the West. Not just for consumer electronics, but also for strategic purposes. It simply won't do.
The subjugation of the Eastern factory-nations using Russian energy is paramount for the realisation of the Western dream - to destroy its own productive industry in the name of the cult of global warming, replace it all with debt - of which the banks have an endless supply, and spend it on the production from the East which is then wholly owned by the Western oligarchs - achieving the ultimate goal of revelling in their own sense of satisfaction and entitlement in their luxurious, green, socialist utopia.
The obliteration of a strange little country full of corrupt people, from using it to beat against Russia, is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of achieving this goal.
If successful, then Taiwan and probably a Pacific Coalition, is next. All is collateral damage to create the Green Utopia.
Russia has won the war in Ukraine but will it settle for enough to win the peace?
One decisive Russian advance would shatter AFU defensive lines, pierce through blitzkrieg, surround Kyiv, and force the surrender of thousands of AFU troops who couldn't retreat fast enough. Russia needs to make a big move sometime before the near-peace agreements.
Maybe the Oligarchs who want to resume business with the West are forcing Putin to make a deal to spare what remains of Ukrainian forces.
We are at a decisive moment in this conflict.
Russia can pierce through those newly recruited weak AFU positions but it's holding back. Why?
The well-trained United Rebels demonstrated convincingly in Syria that even a smaller force on the offensive with a good plan can defeat a larger force of poorly trained soldiers.
Russia needs to assert itself with a big victory to neutralize Ukraine and improve its land position and optics to compensate for the fiasco in Syria that it abandoned. Ukraine must be brought to its knees. If not, I think Russia won its SMO but failed epically to win the peace because some insiders are in a hurry to resume business with the West.
By the time Trump is ready to "Apply maximum pressure", Russia will be entering Odessa, and the war will be over anyway.
Unless Trumpy has been offered the best hotel in Odessa as "Ukie Trump Towers", he's really not going to give a shit.
The people - like Sir Kid Starver in the UK - who will be screaming about it, are entirely inauthentic, and he despises them anyway; will likely enjoy telling them where to stick it. I sure as fuck would.
Arestovich should consider becoming Trump's Viceroy in the far-west in Lvov.
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.
It is heartless to examine demographics relative to the paltry number of 18-24 year olds in Ukraine as a means of arguing *against* dropping the age of conscription. A focus on the data keeps everyone's attention sufficiently distracted so that the inclination to probe the rationale, or barbarity, of a *powerful* country coercing an *impoverished* vassalized country to mobilize teenagers to a LOC slaughter just never arises.
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.
What do you call a negotiation where only one side shows up?
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.
Leave it to Mediazona to make a crisis out of an accounting 'technicality.' Sounds like they employ Janet Yellen's bookkeepers, who engage in 'creative financialization' in order to tap the interest on Russia's frozen assets
Wait 'til the tax cattle in the US get a big ol' face full of Grandma Yoda Math in January. Sure, retards will find a way to blame it on Trump, but they'll do that about everything.
A much simpler explanation - those who were going to enlist as a result of signup bonuses (and who were enlistable) have already enlisted.
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....
Exactly, no agreements are possible are possible with the agreement-incapable, and Trump isn't just incapable, he's terribly forgetful and easily distracted.
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.
In “Putin Just Suffered A Huge Defeat,” nytimes guest essayist Hannah Notte dunks on VVP, seeing the fall of Damascus as a humiliation dished up personally for him: “In Russia, where Mr. al-Assad has fled, the collapse of his government amounts to a devastating loss.” A loss, yes, for Assad, for West Asia, for Iran quite pointedly—but Hannah Notte, in Target Fixation mode, really means specifically for VVP. The loss amounts to “decades of Russian military and political investment to carve out a foothold in the Mediterranean”—all gone as Assad fled.
Notte equates these losses w/ the precariousness of Russia maintaining an air base in Hmeimim, “critical to Russia’s military operations in Libya, the Central African Republic and the Sahel—a new frontier for Russian power projection.”
Notte seems not to know that VVP has just inaugurated its ITSC transport corridor—spanning a route from Saint Petersburg to a port on the Indian Ocean—which gives Russia access to Africa & beyond. Or Russia’s work to establish bases in Libya, Ethiopia and Somalia. More than anything, however, Notte wants to hammer home the point that VVP has lost stature in the eyes of a multi-nodal world beyond the West on account of failing to come to Assad’s aid as HTS threatened: “No amount of rhetorical gymnastics by Russia’s spin doctors can distract from the fact that abandonment of Mr. Al-Assad is the clearest sign, since Mr. Putin invaded Ukraine, that there are new limits on Russian power projection.”
Of course Notte herself puts the most catastrophic spin on Assad’s fall as a personal/professional humiliation for VVP because she relies on a static, eggs-in-one-basket view of Russia’s diplomacy throughout the world—not comprehending the dynamism of VVP’s outreach in Libya, Ethiopia and Somalia, where Russia is auguring to secure military bases.
Notte, trapped in a changeless stationary past, can’t see VVP’s work in many regions. Her only way of measuring Russia’s success is by invoking one-dimensional tropes about the war in Ukraine & the fall of Damascus, both as withering indictments of VVP’s resolve, marking the barometric low of her mostly low-point essay.
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.
The fall of Syria is a disaster for the Arab world. More immediately, it creates a strategic dilemma for Iran. But Russia can walk away from the bedlam, unscathed—unless and until a guest essayist in the nytimes forces Russia to accept rhetorical blame, a ludicrous mission.
VVP stood powerfully w/ Assad during the critical period—2013 through 2016—just after Gaddafi was murdered in Libya and the U.S. was salivating to treat Assad to the same. Once the critical period passed, Russia’s r’ship w/ Syria continued shifting, naturally: geopolitics are not static.
Something guest essayist Notte can’t comprehend, what with her Target Fixation on condemning VVP.
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...
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.
BTW: different topic but you probably noticed that DJT tapped Harmeet Dhillon for assistant AG of civil rights @ the DOJ
Mr. Trump has an eye for quality
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.
Yeah, Tucker's sit-down w/ Harmeet was phenomenal. Toward the end, they discussed Harmeet's being a practicing Sikh and how her brother was harassed after 9/11 because once the Patriot Act came into force everybody in the U.S. thought he was an Islamic terrorist [people misread the turban.]
Bhadrakumar raises issues right now about Harmeet's Sikh faith & what he interprets as her support of the Sikh diaspora in both Canada & the U.S. and how this might impact Modi potentially somewhere down the line. Not saying this is valid, but Bhadrakumar's concerns track toward regime change
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...
I'm not some over-promoted slash with a no-work sinecure that lets me blather about bullshit for pay, but I can read a map, and it's clearly a long, long way from Damascus to Moscow.
"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
Surrendering one's ability to think critically contributes massively to the propagandist's war-chest.
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."
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.
How utterly depraved that the empire wants to liquidate the youngest men in Ukraine by using them as cannon fodder. As if enough men haven't already been killed in that stupid and unnecessary war. It just goes to show that Washington DC is run by sociopaths and outright psychopaths. Disgusting!
The U.S. does not count the dead, whether in Ukraine or Gaza. It exhibits a peculiar capacity for mass murder. Europe goes along, not uttering a peep. During OTAN's foreign ministers' conference the other day, Blinken stood @ the podium & told his assembled cohort that Ukraine just had to simply mobilize more men--and of course no one questioned this. The dead-eyed trance had fallen on the room.
What would you expect from a country that has not known war in it's modern history, empathy? War is always something far away in the words of their most revered general "It was a helluva war" but for victims of the expeditionary forces sent far away to defend the vague terms "Democrazy & Freedumb" war is "merely hell".
Dead eyes is apt. Blinken himself has such dark dead eyes that he surely must be a spawn of Satan.
I assumed that such Ukrainians of that age that exist have been outside Ukraine for the last twenty years.
Yes.
So what does anyone propose to do about it?
Nothing you’d agree to or not criticize, or deny was real.
A socialist, green utopia depends on subjugated productive countries to support it. How else will the Western Eloi be able to spend debt on trinkets and live in obscene luxury, while the Eastern Morlocks slave away to provide us everything?
If COVID taught us anything it was that the slightest hiccup to Chinese logistics and microchips causes massive problems for the West. Not just for consumer electronics, but also for strategic purposes. It simply won't do.
The subjugation of the Eastern factory-nations using Russian energy is paramount for the realisation of the Western dream - to destroy its own productive industry in the name of the cult of global warming, replace it all with debt - of which the banks have an endless supply, and spend it on the production from the East which is then wholly owned by the Western oligarchs - achieving the ultimate goal of revelling in their own sense of satisfaction and entitlement in their luxurious, green, socialist utopia.
The obliteration of a strange little country full of corrupt people, from using it to beat against Russia, is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of achieving this goal.
If successful, then Taiwan and probably a Pacific Coalition, is next. All is collateral damage to create the Green Utopia.
Here, have some bugs. They're super tasty.
.
Russia has won the war in Ukraine but will it settle for enough to win the peace?
One decisive Russian advance would shatter AFU defensive lines, pierce through blitzkrieg, surround Kyiv, and force the surrender of thousands of AFU troops who couldn't retreat fast enough. Russia needs to make a big move sometime before the near-peace agreements.
Maybe the Oligarchs who want to resume business with the West are forcing Putin to make a deal to spare what remains of Ukrainian forces.
We are at a decisive moment in this conflict.
Russia can pierce through those newly recruited weak AFU positions but it's holding back. Why?
The well-trained United Rebels demonstrated convincingly in Syria that even a smaller force on the offensive with a good plan can defeat a larger force of poorly trained soldiers.
Russia needs to assert itself with a big victory to neutralize Ukraine and improve its land position and optics to compensate for the fiasco in Syria that it abandoned. Ukraine must be brought to its knees. If not, I think Russia won its SMO but failed epically to win the peace because some insiders are in a hurry to resume business with the West.
Peace is near, can you smell it? lol
Hey Denis, you forgot to say your piece. You might as well.
I want to mark a like button.
Hmmm, it appears below the dot. lol
Apples and oranges.
Until the ukrainians are truly broken they will be able to deploy reserves and halt or slow any advance.
Even when surprise is achieved or no positions are prepared any advance turns into a slog after the first few days.
It will look more like the fall of 1918 for the central powers rather than Bagration.
I suspect that the Russian leadership is not as decisive as we may wish, nor Ukraine as weakened.
By the time Trump is ready to "Apply maximum pressure", Russia will be entering Odessa, and the war will be over anyway.
Unless Trumpy has been offered the best hotel in Odessa as "Ukie Trump Towers", he's really not going to give a shit.
The people - like Sir Kid Starver in the UK - who will be screaming about it, are entirely inauthentic, and he despises them anyway; will likely enjoy telling them where to stick it. I sure as fuck would.
Arestovich should consider becoming Trump's Viceroy in the far-west in Lvov.
Nothing American in that MSM video. Man foreigners are very annoying and cannot wait to rid them from my Country.