It seems every news cycle there is now some major new development surrounding Ukraine, which threatens to plunge the war into some elevated state of risk and threat.
Not to be technical, Victor, but does a happy face qualify as first? If not, that would mean the next man up who comments and says "first" is the legitimate first. I was just thinking out loud. lol
Actually, it is a "wink", but I take your point. However, the psychological impact on the person who posts "first" after the wink has to leave one somewhat unsettled, don't you think?
You know if you are first and you don't get at least 10 likes that means you have squandered an opportunity. The most banal comment will usually get a whole load of likes. That you get so few speaks to a lack of quality.
Interesting contradiction. Reading the news of Russian and US astronauts riding a Soyuz to the ISS. Spend months closely confined together but coexist in the world? Hell no!
Congratulations to Simpiticus for being mentioned by Alexander Mercouris last night on his 300,000-subscriber show. I commented "Simplicius rocks". lol Accurate reporting and sound analysis of the Ukraine conflict are in huge demand. Simplicius is in good company with Mercouris.
It sort of irked me when I first saw it, but then as I have nerve damage and sometimes odd twitches, I can understand some of the reactions I occasionally get.
His content and observations are well appriciated though.
I Listen but don't watch when he twitches. just scroll the screen up to the comments. And I always watch at 2X speed. he is perfectly clear at that rate.
TBH I listen to Judge Nap, McGregor, and all the others at 2X also.
The only guy who talks too fast for 2X is garland Nixon. Then I go down to 1.5...
I usually play guitar while watching it, so it's time well spent. I can't imagine watching it straight. A couple of days ago he devoted the first 7 minutes to apologising for mispronouncing a German politician's name. FFS!
His show is always split into two parts: daily military advances and daily politics. The order is sometimes different but you can cut the watch time in half if you're not interested in hearing the names Chasov Yar or Pokrovsk or whatever for the umpteenth time (nothing happens fast in wars). If something new and interesting on the battlefield happens, he starts the segment with that, so in 5-10 minutes you can be sure whether to skip or not.
Comparing an analyst to Alexander Mercouris, a grifter who plagiarizes other sources to make up a daily regurgitation of mostly hogwash for the sake of monetization, is not a compliment but an affront. The number of followers is a shallow and poor gauge of substance and content. I say all this without prejudice as I too followed Mercouris for over a year until his biased and inaccurate accounts on Palestine, Hamas and Gaza made me realize what a colossal waste of time listening to him was.
How does he plagiarize? I listen to him often and he always says where he is getting his info. I'll admit his shows are repetitive. I like to listen to them at night before bed
Those, myself included, who read other sources and various telegram channels where he gets most of his material, don't have any difficulty recognizing that he often uses their content without acknowledgement. In another words, he plagiarizes.
He is a disbarred lawyer who in late middle age needed to find a new career, so he did he the wise thing and followed up his obvious interest in geopolitics. It sounds like his family background, like Alex's, is in Greek politics and diplomacy.
But that said, most of his content is aggregated. He does a lot of reading and listening--just like most of the people here, and like Simplicius. Yet he not inadvertantly comes across as an "expert". That is his intention.
And THAT said, he is a lovely, erudite kind of fellow and I like him immensely.
If I had infinite time, I would still follow The Duran. But life is short. I now follow Judge NAp, Dialogue Works, and Danny Davis Deep Dive. Why? Because they bring on amazing honest-to-goodness EXPERTS. People with long careers in the military, diplomacy, intelligence, etc. Their insights are genuine.
And by the way, some of these guys have long LONG experience. Ray McGovern and Larry Wilkerson and Chas Freeman will casually mention a chat they had with JFK or Regan or Colin Powell or whoever. These are INSIDERS. But they are no longer servants of the Empire. They are trying to fight back against the current evil.
It really pisses me off when a low life who has never accomplished anything in their own life criticizes someone who has. Perhaps if you were not such a loser, you would have better manors...... LOSER>>
That is too often the experience in chat. I think you meant manners but either way, interestingly, your comment makes sense.
Many, lets call them freedom fighters, face malicious danger from the MSM cultist followers, never mind Nazi enforcers, yet how many times do we see the first 20 posts dedicated to the insanity of Biden honestly winning anything but a game of who filled the bedpan the quickest. Yet here we are ripping heroes like the Duran.
Perfectionism is a leading contributor to the divide and conquer paradigm that is killing our chances of survival.
Mercouris might be difficult to follow to many, with his slow speech, twitches and dwelling into details that sometimes aren't of any interest, but all his actions show he's an honest commentator tying to sum up a lot of information EVERY DAY, without saying the information is original.
in fact, your description makes me bet that you are a Zionist lover that has a butt hurt from his lack of support for Israel actions.
Basic question of Simplicious and commentators- is the US Global American Empire interests in maintaining global hegemony advanced by a major European war? This is a serious question. IF a major, destructive war in Europe would advance or entrench US GAE hegemony for many more decades we should understand the implications in the continued conflict in Ukraine. Support for this thesis are the world wars of the 20th century, both of which greatly advanced the US GAE at the expense of Europe and East Asia powers. American elites have subscribed to an effort for a 'new American Century'. Global trade financialization will no longer produce these results, nor will economic sanctions and exclusion, nor tarrufs, trade barriers and limits on technology transfer. what then is left?
There is another irritating problem with Alexander Mercouris' reporting: He never offers any documentary material, such as videos, pictures, headlines, etc. The viewer has to constantly watch a close-up view of Mercouris' face, not so attractive any more, as Mercouris has aged quite a bit recently. Anyhow, who wants to watch any face, let alone Mercouris', for over an hour! Elderly men's faces are never beautiful to watch. Doesn't Mercouris have friends to tell him to stop doing that! Alex Christophorou, Mercouris' close friend and colleague, does a better job by interspersing his presentation with videos and pictures, even though he also exposes a close-up view of his face too much to my comfort. Simplicius, needless to say, is incomparable in the amount of evidentiary material he offers every time he post his commentary.
In answer to your 1st q.: There is always first, intention (and plans, etc.) . Then there is actual events and outcomes (which may or may not go according to plan). The Ukraine conflict was initiated / triggered quite deliberately by the U.S.; following pretty precisely the script of the 2019 Rand Corp. memo on the subject which spelled out the objective: to "overextend" (and thus 'bleed' ) Russia by baiting it into a quagmire that would reduce its standing in the world, force it to spend mightily and, in the loss of its soldiers' lives and in other ways, lead the population to restlessness and a willingness to support the regime change sought. All that, of course, to weaken Russia and keep it from arising to 'peer competitor' status.
That was the plan. Further to it, the allies (vassals?) in Europe would be persuaded both that they were threatened by the 'imperialist bully' in Moscow, and that it would be to their own further economic advantage to keep Russia under NATO's thumb.
But while such allies and vassals are important to the managers of the Empire, in Washington and Wall Street, that's always conditional. Just as Ukraine itself (and its people) can be used as cannon fodder in fulfillment of the Rand Plan, so, too, are EU allies also expendable. Why, otherwise, would the U.S. persuade Finland (and Sweden) to join NATO, upsetting a long period of relatively and mutually benign relations between them (esp. Finland) and Russia? Having recently entered NATO, which exists solely in hostile opposition to Russia's interests, these Scandinavian states are now at once both a buffer and sacrifice zone for the Empire. They will be (and apparently already are being) used for military bases from which to surveil , sabotage and otherwise threaten Russia; and so will be included in Russia's retaliatory targeting.
This brings me to the second point. While the U.S. centered Empire does not necessarily wish to write off its allies (other than the friend of convenience, Ukraine), it will readily do so it if serves a bigger purpose. The latter would likely include continuing to bog Russia down, but it would certainly include the desire to forestall or at least delay as long as possible Russia's further emergence as a global financial competitor and the de-dollarization movement that it and China are effectively leading.
I admit: it would seem self-contradicting to suggest that the U.S. would sell out any of its European partners by escalating a war that leads to threats of their own survival when they are functioning. willing parties to the Empire. And yet, look what the U.S. did (or at a minimum, approved) with the sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines. As a result, Germany has experienced serious economic losses, as well as political upheaval that may eventually bring about a renewed fascist nationalism; as the growth in popularity of Germany's right wing AfD is strongly related to the economic hits that follow from that sabotage.
And, that situation is about to get a whole lot worse. As Simplicious' fine article points out, possibly 70% of the energy grid is already destroyed, and a (typically) cold winter may well see a new refugee flood into those nations where the right wing is already capitalizing on anti-immigrant sentiment.
No... this wouldn't (IMO) on the net advance U.S.' hegemonic goals; for such ultra-nationalism, whatever its other dangers, would be at odds with the current Empire's neoliberal and imperialist agenda, for it engenders a "Our people first" ethos that would question and challenge the emerging globalist neoliberalism that is represented by the current leadership throughout most of Europe.
But that's what I was pointing to when I observed that intentions and strategies don't always work according to plan.. And this is especially true when the people who make them are acting arrogantly, irrationally and without any real understanding of nor proper respect for their adversaries.
I agree with all of this excellent analysis, apart from the idea that the AfD is somehow Fascist. The fascists are already in power, the AfD is trying to get rid of them.
Thanks for your thoughts. Perhaps I was unclear about AfD. I wouldn't call them fascist (and didn't, though I'm not intimately familiar with its leadership and partisans); and I think the label is thrown around too carelessly as it is. As you suggest, many of those in the (neoliberal) establishments of EU states and in the U.S. who label others as fascist are themselves showing an aspect of fascism in the authoritarianism apparent in the accelerating suppression of speech and information that contradicts official policy.
In fact, it's that neoliberalism, coupled with the neoconservatives' foreign policy debacles such as I mentioned with Nord Stream, which is creating space for, and giving opportunity to ultra-nationalism (and racism) which are also characteristics of fascism.
We watch all these events and try to piece it together rationally. How do Russian and US astronauts successfully working on and traveling together to the ISS help us make sense?
This rather blatant contradiction came up suddenly on me recently. Meanwhile it is our sons that are called up to be drone bait like mice in some evil experiment that will surely be lethal.
Not to mention the green agenda. We have to give up meat to save the planet but these maniacs can't forego their wars of profit, as they surely do not want front line veterans marching in protest, never mind breathing the oligarch's air.
Is it just me or is anyone else afraid for his "sources" that keep him updated via email, as he frequently points out, on military happenings in Ukraine/Russia? What's stopping any UK government agent of getting ahold of that info, possibly to someone's detriment. But maybe it's just all bluster for click baits.
Mr Putin has stated repeatably that Russia does not want conflict and certainly does not want war.
All of this crap world-wide is mostly due to Yankee communist warmongering.
Yankeeland is shit scared of a united Europe and has actively worked for well over a hundred years to ensure that will not happen.
Many globally are hoping that the financial strife, the uncontrolled invasion by low I.Q. alien degenerates and the political shambles of the upcoming presidential selection in Yankeeland will cause the pending implosion of excrement to finally happen.
So Russia will escalate by arming Houthis with the really fun stuff then pretend they had nothing to do with it the same way US pretends it had nothing to do with ATACMS.
So Russia will escalate by arming Houthis with the really fun stuff then pretend they had nothing to do with it the same way US pretends it had nothing to do with ATACMS."
In common parlance: Tit-for-tat. Ageless strategy. FAFO.
That's right. And when the Houthis employee Zircon hypersonics to sink a US carrier in the Mediterranean, 5000 US sailors drown, I'd like to know what Biden's Plan B is.
>First the US apparently wants Ukraine to demonstrate a tangible plan for how it would utilize these ‘deep strikes’ to actually win, rather than merely using them for some vague psychological effect.
This is ridiculous "analysis", especially given the previous paragraph:
>But first let’s clear up the nuances to this report. Some believe the decision has already been made and the media is merely trotting out its regular theater to warm up the public. But the other missed detail is two-fold:
The "decision" was made some time in the 1990s when the whole plan was first carefully laid out. They have been working up to this moment all this time, and that was the whole purpose of the Ukrainian exercise -- to cook the Russian frog sufficiently to the point where it would allow missiles strikes into Russia.
The next step has also been planned -- start with a few missiles first, then gradually increase the size of the salvos, and eventually one day swap the conventional warheads for nukes (by that point Russian defenses will have been accustomed to not seeing these as launch-on-warning threats, as they absolutely should be; and also likely degraded by direct missile strikes too), and do a first-strike decapitation.
Thus it is just retarded to talk about Ukraine "demonstrating that it has a plan". Zelensky has no role whatsoever in this, it is a US plan dating back decades.
To make this seem as if Ukraine has agency on this matter... I don't know what to say.
I am increasingly getting the suspicion that a lot of the "alternative" voices on the topic of the war are CIA plants whose role is to sleepwalk everyone who might be in opposition into not protesting too vigorously over what is happening.
This is the only way I can make sense of the consistent downplaying of existential dangers.
It's either that, or serious intellectual deficiencies...
For once I find myself somewhat in agreement. A NATO (US/UK) plan has existed since the early 2000s when Russia under Putin emerged as a potential threat to US interests in global domination. The Ukraine plan was likely put into action at that time, investing billions into developing what was ultimately to become the theatre of war, and using Ukraine as the spearpoint to a gradual escalation that would drain Russia of resources and ultimately the will to effectively fight. But this has not come without internal strife in the US, as there has always been divided opinion on nuclear war within the elite councils, a division that still exists. It does appear, however, that the war hawks are gaining the upper hand. God help us because these people still truly believe that Russia is as weak as they were in the 90s and cannot effectively respond to a first-strike decapitation effort.
Given publicly available books like, The Grand Chessboard (1997) describing Ukraine as a key to Russian power and prosperity, US involvement in manipulating Russian elections to put Yeltsin in power in 1996, CIA backing for both Chechen Wars, US efforts in Georgia from the 1990s to the present, dismantling Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and the 2005 Biolab treaty with Ukraine, is there really any doubt of US intention for Russia, East Europe, or Ukraine? This is the tip of the iceberg related to Ukraine. US intent for Russia is clear. The US is working to dismantle Russia. It is willing to walk over millions of bodies to do it.
I think more important than the "Grand Chessboard" is the WOLFOWITZ DOCTRINE: The US will not Russia or any other nation (China) threaten its hegemony. That is how the security state works. For years now the security people around here have been predicting nuclear war. So has Martin Armstrong who points out this is essentially a FINANCIAL WAR just like WWII. This war is EXISTENTIAL FOR NATO. They will not allow the BRIC meeting in October. And how is BRICS doing with Brazil under US, India afraid of US sanctions, Turkey saying Russia must give back Crimea and Saudi Arabia doing nothing to help the Gazans. I think that not only will the Ukraine will be without electricity, so will the US (EMP). Prepare.
NATO is owned and ruled by the US. The US congress is owned by aipac (plutocrats and City\FedReserve). Thus, NATO is owned by aipac
As for the Straussian pupil Wolfowitz, his doctrine stinks of unbounded hatred of “amaleks” or all “others.” Look at the settlers in the jewish fascist state and their behavior impervious to reason and humanness. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a local sample of the doctrine in action
Mr Putin is a master tactician. He started work on an international free trade system around the start of Glasnost, which has grown into BRICS+.
The ONLY reason that the Petrodollar still exists is that BRICS+ are propping it up while smaller countries transition into a true free trade environment and to allow these countries to try, (usually without success), to recover their Gold reserves from Yankeeland.
BRICS+ is now big enough, strong enough and influential enough that the kikes running Yankeeland are panicking.
They will not surrender gracefully and may cause unforeseen tragedy because of their insanity.
Another few months and we will know. Western Europe is buggered financially, energy deficient, Winter coming. Daddy Yankland is on the verge of financial collapse : https://usdebtclock.org/ getting worse every day. It is overextended globally, being told to bugger off globally, massive internal strife across ALL states and an extremely volatile and acerbic ''election'' looming.
Tactician, While well intended I’m sure, diminishes the strategic, patient and thorough manner by which VVP conducts Russia’s policy. What’s the word I’m looking for…?
Yes. Even when they are clearly losing, it's actually part of the Master Plan, which is guaranteed winning a bit down the road, just over the horizon. All setbacks and wrong turns have been carefully planned.
I don’t believe that the US/UK will officially allow Kiev to attack deep Russia. All the statements about the possibility of lifting restrictions for Kiev are just an attempt to psychologically influence Moscow. They want Russia to escalate which would allow them to present Russia as the aggressor in the eyes of the global South. However, despite the West’s attempts Russia will not change course.
Even ATACMS have flown to targets in the Rostov region (and potentially a few other places, but it has not been verified yet), it's just that the cowards in the Kremlin hushed it up in order to not place themselves in a position to have to repond.
HIMARS have been hitting Belgorod and Kursk for months. And ER HIMARS shells can hit quite deep.
Which seems to have already pushed back Russian air defense after multiple S-300/S-400 systems were destroyed on Russian territory -- how is it that planes are flying to launch guided bombs up to the very border and they are not getting shot down?
Meanwhile Patriot SAMs are firing all day at Russian planes on Russian territory. Let that sink in for a second...
This is why everybody who has been closely followed the situation fears that Putin just issued yet another bluff that will be immediately called.
What is on the table now is missile strikes on Moscow, on the MIC infrastructure in places like Tula, Voronezh, Nizny Novgorod, etc., and on the military bases.
But the situation is graver than most people realize. You are right that the sinister plans and scenarios is playing out according to longtime strategies.
The Zaporitzia Nuclear Plant cant be restarted without a new cooling tower. So Ukraine practically made the plant useless. What if they destroy a couple of cooling towers in Nuclear plants inside Russia?. I dont think Putin can sit idle then. Imaging US/Nato destroying assets in a big scale inside Russia…and Kreml does not respond. Unthinkable.
And whoever thought that Trump will bring ”peace” must have a Monkey-brain. Of course he will threaten Russia with an escalation never seen before. Thats why Putin is ”endorsing” Kamala.
Sikorskis interview (when will they ever learn?) is nothing new. Of course Europe dont want a War directly with Russia. Of course it was US that blew Nordstream. ”Strategic ambiguity” is not a desperate move from West, as Simplicius wrote. It is a normal ingridient in the Perception War that is rolling beside, or rather inside, the War on ground.
The gem in the interview was Sikorskis worry about Russia reaching Dnieper and/or taking Odessa. That is why I have advocating a Russian thrust reaching Dnieper as fast as possible.
This slow advance, although succesful in incrementals, is also slowly boiling the Russians in a false state of comfort. Think of it. Russia is reacting to Ukrainian (and secret US/Nato) initiatives. Time after time.
If it is true that a Ukrainian drone left Ivalo in Finland and was helped by Nato/Sweden forces and then attacked base in Murmansk - what is else left to say? Russia is already accepting direct involvement in the War from US/Europe threatening strategic bases/assets in Russia.
The future has never been in such a danger as now.
This is also the reason Western Ukraine will end up under Poland. Many people here argued with me on this, but now Sikorski basically announced an expeditionary force to deter Russia if Odessa is threatened, which it inevitably will be.
I agree that whatever is West of the Dnieper River will be carved up, primarily by Poland, Belarus, Hungary and Romania, all of which have historical claim to lands.
All the Russian Federation has ever wanted is a buffer zone between itself and Western aggression led by Yankee controlled NATO.
Odessa, like Crimea, IS Russian. No doubt about it.
Russia has "historical claim" to everything East of Curzon Line for that matter. And now that extended range weapons had been introduced, this buffer has inevitably to include all of former Ukraine bar three westernmost regions.
Mr Putin ''endorsed'' Khlarmydia Harrass as satire. Perhaps in 2020 he and Trump could have sorted a lot of things out, but that time is past. Trump is 100% a kike puppet.
Wholly owned and controlled by those who rule Yankland.
The reality is that those who own Yankland have got what they could and are now destroying it.
Have a look at some history and in particular quotes from Bibi the Butcher Netanyahu on this subject.
Americans are gradually awakening to the reality of being squeezed, squashed, and destroyed. The lunacy of supremacism (supported by the nonstop profitable squealing about incomparable victimhood) has destroyed the republic. Ford and Butler both warned the citizenry but to no avail
This is a BIG escalation actually, showing NATO surrounds Russia and is attacking Russia from other NATO countries. Putin is going to have to do SOMETHING scary.
What should Russia do? I have been thinking about it allot. A response is needed, but some things to consider as a powerful response is not as easy as it might look...
1. The most successful play might be an all out nuclear first strike by Russia, but is this winning?
2. Maybe a single nuke on Lvov or something? Make sure you short every stock index in the world as that might crash everything by 40% - does it help Russia to bankrupt BRICS now? will they accept the fallout of drastic Russian action?
3. Hypersonic some soft military target in the west - like the factory where storm shadows are made (easier than Jassm fact in Alabama), would NATO risk nuke war over a factory. Would this open a tit-for-tat war, as every country has vulnerable things to hit?
4. Take out ISR assets (satellite, drone, other). But is shooting an AWACS going to do anything other than open up a civilian airliner to attack?
5. I personally think Russia will not respond till one of these cruise missiles is launched they maybe respond on similar target tit-for-tat (which for the record i feel is stupid).
I think the strategy of NATO (USA) has some merit as they seem to have cornered Russia into not responding. Anyone else have any good ideas if you were in Vlad's shoes?
Most alternatives will lead to even more problems. Russia must take the Initiative in the War. On the Global level and long time strategy they have managed to take the lead in a number of fields. Some are proactive measures, like enlarging and deepening the importance of BRICS and new trade agreements. Some are more of reactions, although very fast, like re-alignment gas and oiltrade, the work with de-dollarization and independence from Swift and other western shackles.
On the Battlefield they are slowly gaining ground and attriting the AFU. But 2,5 years War has also attritied the Black Sea fleet, the Airforce and the manpower/AFV:s. They are ahead in some fields and is enjoying 5:1 or 10:1 on some points at the Contact Line. But they as easy as the Uki:s whenever they dont pay attention. IF Russia has the capacity to scale up the ground war - they should do it now. If not, which is more propable, we can expect this War sleepwalking into a Nuke exchange.
I dont believe in asymetrical response, like the Houthis-scenario. What matters is a striking blow on Ukraines forces. And sadly, I am thinking Russia lacks capacity and/or guts to deliver any. It could be West is aware of Russias predicament and is turning on the Heat one click by another. 5-10 more Poltavas would shatter Ukraine. Destroying the energy supply/energy grid is not an option when thinking of the Civilian perspective.
Nothing would delight NATO more tham if Russia were to resort to nuclear weapons.
Russian impotence would be on full display, and any Russian claims to moral superiority would evaporate. There would be hude pressure on India and China to distance themselves from Russia.
Not only that but the US would take this as a green light to use nuclear weapons in its upcoming war on Iran. Not fair? No, but fair has nothing to do with it.
I’m not ex government anything, just a guy in the US. VVP looks to be creating an intertwined web. we might be witnessing the build of the broadest, most coordinated anti-west alternative having economic, military and population on par with the west. Far more detrimental and lasting than a few missiles into nato. We may see Russian military bases in central/south americas. They are already popping up in Africa and the East. Countries are eager for an alternative to the West. He’s gotta get BRICS members to toughen up and 100%commit. They seem to be less than 100% at present. (Reference to India and China in article)
Aligning with Iran, Syria, Houthies is needed to dilute us/UK/Israel influence.
Sounds obvious to you all, but this I see as his long game. I hope he succeeds.
Ah, yes, the multdimensional chess, "you just wait and it will all be revealed", "argument".
Which is on the same level as all the prophecies of the coming apocalypse that various religious sects have come up with over the millenia, then did not come true, and the reaction was to just move the date to some other time in the future.
The solution is not just one thing - but its an equal escalation in places where the US would hurt. What do I mean? Ukraine gets permission to strike deep in Russia? Houthi's get anti-ship missiles and permission to sink US cruisers. Or Palestine gets some missiles smuggled into strike Israel deeply. Or Mexican cartels get serious weapons in their hand and are told to increase the violence over the US border. There's many things that can be done, one just needs the balls to do it.
I see what your saying but arming thugs in other places seems petty and fought with blowback. If you give stuff to the Houthis maybe the next leader hands them over to the us, or aims them at the Saudis. I would not trust some faction or head chopping cartel with any high tech stuff. (even Turkey hangs out the 'ill hand over your s400's to the usa') Tricky business, which is why I prefer the Russian armed forces apply the tag in this case.
While I agree, no side can really be trusted, that's why you give stuff you aren't afraid to potentially lose. And besides I am pretty sure the US has exposure to most Russian tech already from captured trophies (and vice versa). That is inevitable in war.
If there was a plan things have not gone to plan but it seems the powers mentioned don't have a contingency. The issue is, where this is headed conscription or the draft should have already been implement in the west and civilian industry should have already been converted to wartime production. The fact that this has not been done leaves the west grossly unprepared for what they are endeavoring to achieve. Well it is still the same sleep walking to disaster by misinterpreting the situation to suit their overconfidence and bluster.
When your government has undergone a careful weeding out of patriotic citizens, then there are no one to organize anything practical and useful for the country. American patriots have not been welcome by US government since Henry Ford.
I doubt it goes back decades - I think the US was caught somewhat off guard by the SMO, but broadly I agree.
But acting like Ukraine won't strike targets that are on US "no go" list is ridiculous. They know full well the US won't do anything to punish them if they do, so they'll strike anything with reckless abandon regardless of whether its "on the list" or not.
It's been kicked out from Africa, the middle east, not to mention the Afghanistan disaster, the dollar is about to become confetti, how exactly is there any real expansion? Sweeden and Finland were already part of the west anyway, if that is the expansion you are referring to.
Economic power derives from military power, not the other way around. The dollar will be the world's currency and US debt will continue to grow with absolutely no intention of it ever being repaid as long as everyone else is sufficiently afraid of what is going to happen to them if they try to get out of that arrangement.
Thus that US missiles will soon be pointed towards Moscow from Finland and are already pointed to it from Ukraine is much more significant than what is happening in Burkina Faso.
Are you people even listening to yourself?
Yeah, the US is about to start missile strikes on Moscow, and Putin will just take it. But see, Burkina Faso is solidly in the Russian camp, so the US grip on power over the world is collapsing.
Read that very carefully again. Because that is the argument being made here...
Military power. Exactly. Once upon a time, the world was afraid of the US aircraft carrier groups. Today they are simply sitting ducks. The only true value they have is that their sailors still have some cash and buy souvenirs from the ports they occasionally visit. Ask the Houthis... Dear God where do you get your information from? The US president visits Saudi Arabia and is greeted at the airport by the mayor of Riyadh and you see the empire expanding...
Right here in the present the largest nuclear power in the world is allowing its soldiers and civilians to be slaughtered daily without firing back, and is now going to allow missile strikes on its capital too, without responding.
What does that tell us about the level of fear of the US?
As usual, these alleged plans started decades ago have gone completely awry, because the planners thought very highly of themselves, and their iron-clad logic and motives. In effect, they thought the future was something they could predict. They thought the Russians would be long defeated by the sanctions by now. Wrong. Way wrong. They also apparently didn't see their allies in Israel deciding to self-desruct at precisely the wrong time. You think these imbeciles have any kind of workable plan? See President Jake Sullivan's remarks right before Hamas changed the game, and remember that Biden said "the ruble will be rubble" what, 26 months ago? What was that, some clever CIA misdirection, part of the Meta-Plan? Sounds like typical Permanent-State stupidities and grandiose hubris to me.
Baldrick regularly came up with far more cunning plans than any of these window-licking chode-chompers.
Speaking of window-lickers, the Fat Orange Retard continues to make himself into a pathetic laughingstock, and he's going to get steamrolled in a little less than two months by the brain-dead chucklefuck known as Willie Brown's Mattress, but is anyone really surprised by this? Just look at the doughy closet case he picked for VP this time.
But the saddest and stupidest spectacle of all is all these gooberines that apparently really believe that any one of the Clown World "elite" is going to risk putting themselves in danger to save the them. The US goes through "allies" like an American career women goes through Tinder "dates".
I was running my number up so high with desperate 45-55 types I had to institute firm (ha) standards. The number was causing me some degree of shame. Wish it had been so easy at 20.
Well said. lol What tomfoolery the US elections are. Two parties opposite to each other are more alike than not led by buffoons on a societal doom loop path to self-destruction all by design. Rough seas on the horizon, mate.
When discussing American politics, I find myself constantly quoting one trenchant observation from Chesterton: "The business of the Progressive is to keep making mistakes. The business of the Conservative is to keep those mistakes from being corrected."
Hmm, I find this to be a more accurate assessment of American politics; often attributed to Churchill but no proof he actually uttered it: “The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
They do not. See the oligarchic rule in the US. Democracy means feedback to ensure healthy homeostatic processes. Otherwise, any living organism (and any society) is doomed.
Average voter does not think of such things and does not know enough about Churchill to know this quote. You are vastly overestimating what the average voter is.
But the vast majority of voters are ignorant enough to believe that they do. The rest of them are already dead and not much different from those casting their ballots.
Well, you have to bear in mind that Mr Trump, being essentially a one-man band, has to concentrate in his own person an amount of stupidity, ignorance, and folly similar to that of the entire Democratic Party. Which is astronomical in quantity...
It doesn't really matter what Europe would want in the way of war or peace as it is the US/UK that will drive this issue, dragging Europe, either willingly or no, into war with Russia. Everything depends on the arrangement made between the US and the UK as to how to proceed in the face of an imminent Ukrainian defeat.
Porton Down would be a great target for Russia to level to send a message if the Brits decide to get too frisky with their missiles. Easily done from a stealth sub in the English Channel.
Then Putin could say; "That was for the Skriptal/Novichok hoax, payback for striking Russian territory soon to follow."
I'd like to see Russian intelligence use thier Middle East contacts to flood places like UK/Europe with suicide bombers, like the West does to other countries. But make the attacks targeted and meaningful-no need for rock concerts and the like
"no need for rock concerts and the like" , not the average Joe but still plenty of targets, politicians , industry big wigs, insider acedemics , policy infuencers , 'though leaders'....long list but no point in supermarkets and such.
Imagine that ten years from now you're dying in a radioactive ditch but then miraculously get thrown back in time to this moment. What would you actually do, knowing your demise? Because "we had nothing to do with it" doesn't cut it anymore.
The whole Sikorski story is a nice insight in how those blob people think. One lie after another, with little sprinkles of truth mixed in, with a whole lot of delusion on top. We are so fucked with people like that on top, I wasn't quite sure about the hyperinflation thing, because Western economies are of an enormous magnitude compared to the last hyperinflation phase in the 1920-1930, but to see that kind of incompetence and simple stupidity is astonishing and makes me wonder if we are not far away from it. They will tear apart their own economies even more, because of how stupid they are.
So I wouldn't be so sure, that those blob people have a plan for any of this. They will try to change the narrative again, the thousandth time. I guess they try to vilify Russia more on the world stage, which failed over and over again, and that's basically it. Multi polarity will go forth and the West looses more and more importance similar to the UK after WWII.
Nah, Sikorski is part of the blob, they all are, the blob are members of political parties, NGOs, Think Tanks, parts of the Pentagon, big companies, worldwide etc etc. That's what it makes it a blob, a large corrupt f.cked up network with group think and loops of lies and bs they can't escape now anymore.
>The most obvious immediate Russian response would likely be to arm the Houthis with advanced anti-ship missiles which would straightaway endanger the entire US fleet.
This is absolutely stupid too.
Can the Houthis strike the mainland US with whatever Russia could realistically give them? No, nothing has the range other than ICBMs, Burevestnik and the semi-secret new ultra-long-range ALCMs. But none of that can be given to the Houthis, even if for purely technical and logistical reasons.
So what kind of a threat is this when the US is meanwhile directly striking mainland Russia?
Furthermore, the only thing that can re-enforce deterrence is not even striking the US mainland, but striking the US mainland **where it matters**. Which is the oligarchy's enclaves. Not military bases, not infrastructure objects, they don't care. You have to hit them directly.
But you don't even need missiles for that, all you need is a few GRU agents with drones infiltrating the key localities. Plus the balls to actually do it. The latter is what is in most severe deficit currently...
America projects its military power through its naval fleets. Were the Houthis to sink those in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean, the empire would shortly fold.
Yes. I suspect Russia that by "war" Russia means they will go after naval, air and space assets of the US. The heart of US power is its naval and air forces along with its vast ISR capabilities. If I really wanted to seriously hit the US, I would first go for their ISR capability, thus potentially blinding them.
BTW, it would take years to rebuild such ISR capabilities, and in the meantime, America would be severely limited in its ability to plan and execute war.
The US would first have to measure missile bubble ranges out to maximum range of the antiship assets. This is a similar problem to what was faced in the GIUK gap during the Cold War. My suspicion is that the bubbles would deny most of the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and even the Eastern Med to the USN. This would require several carriers to overcome - probably 4 minimum. Then, the US would have to confront the reality that its carrier force is outdated and vulnerable. This is known, but not spoken of.
This is not an outcome that will please anyone in the West.
After Ukraine receives permission to use American missiles to attack Russia, I think that in response Russia will sever diplomatic relations with the USA. One can only guess what economic shocks this event will cause.
thanks so much - I'm able now to follow most of the content - and have even looked at a few of the videos you offer, watching December1991 on bitchute. I hope that Trump does the second thing you suggest and I agree that it would be stupid for Russia to take the deal - for US to drop their sanctions in exchange for a permanent ceasefire for a couple of years. The election is hopeless, for the ME as well...Would love an analysis of what's going on there. Thank you
Most of the U.S. sanctions are not of the Executive Order type which a new president coming into office can undo by fiat. The Speaker Emerita *Trump-proofed* the sanctions by arranging for legislation which requires Congressional approval to lift them.
Some will be w/ DJT if he wins & some will be against--but the same is true, perhaps even in equal measure [ though different representatives ] if KH wins. Overturning a law would require a majority vote
You didn't mention the new MSM narrative about some Iranian missiles supplied to Russia. It seems to be a new Powell’s test tube to justify strikes on the territory of “old” Russia with the long-range NATO missiles.
So satisfying to see the bark stripped from the fake NYC grifter so many want to see in power. Like every other program he's ever brandished, the end the war in 24 hours claim is just more utter bullshit.
So much fiction has flooded the infosphere, dominated by clandestine insights into VVP's thought processes & other mind-reading escapades regarding Russia's red-lines, it's conceivable that Blinken/Lammy could share a "secret handshake" w/ the Kiev regime, making it seem to Kiev that Russia has actually agreed to the "indulgence" of allowing Ukraine to blast its territory w/ ATACMS--and then when it happens, the U.S. can publicly chide Kiev & tsk-tsk, while privately giving a nice pat on the back & an "Atta-boy."
Sort of like, according to Sikorski, the U.S. knew about plans for the NordStream sabotage & allowed it
If it happens this is the most likely way, but this time it’s different because it will require direct involvement of the strike at all steps by the US or NATO.
They can hide behind that the drones are Ukrainian or they didn’t know about Kursk.
*Ukraine* launched drones from Finland toward Murmansk w/ the intent of striking the Olenya strategic base.
*Ukraine* commandeered a Swedish Piper Cub from Sweden w/ the intent of attacking Olenya.
Of course, neither Finland nor Sweden knew anything about this, and certainly OTAN did not either, because these things happened after a drunken night when UAF drone operators were sitting around, playing cards & decided to wander on up to Finland & try their luck in attacking Olenya. "Hey," they told themselves, "Finland won't mind. I mean, we're Ukraine."
Or while still hung over after a drunken night of poker, UAF fighter pilots dared each other to steal a Swedish plane from the tarmac in Sweden in order to execute the attack on Olenya.
Kind of like three guys & a gal, after a drunken night, rented a yacht & loaded up their diving equipment & then sabotaged the NordStream pipeline.
Their equipment included a decompression chamber, since the pipeline lay @ a depth of 80 meters--but hey, their money was green when they rented the yacht i@ the marina n Poland: Who's gonna complain about lugging a decompression chamber aboard--?
Every time I rent a yacht, I make sure my decompression chamber is right there w/ me. What companion animals are to some passengers on commercial airplanes, my decompression chamber is for me on a yacht.
Don't forget the explosives necessary to break a steel pipe 1.6 inches thick and covered by 4.3 inches of concrete each section of which weighs in at 24 metric tonnes. Be sure to rent a big one.
Last time I was in Turks & Caicos I didn't have any trouble sneaking several kilos of explosives aboard my rented yacht--the lower deck near the exterior swimming platform was the perfect spot for stashing explosives, right next to the guest towels. I certainly cleaned everything up afterward because I needed that security deposit back.
Or the diving robots very probably also used in that stint. In my humble opinion, only armies like the US, France or the UK can even do something like that. Neither Poland, Ukraine or other NATO powers have the necessary equipment for doing that. Probably the US with help from the UK.
So the US military and Intelligence people are the sane ones in DC? I think, as Simplicius suggests, that implementation of this lunatic plan may be very very slow, and maybe non-existent..
When this is all done, I suspect that the Ukrainians will hate the West for using them as a tool and battering ram against the Russians. It's possible a rapprochement on the scale of what happened with the Chechens may occur with the Russians.
"I suspect that the Ukrainians will hate the West for using them as a tool..."
Think of the hatred the Nulands, Blinkens, et al of this stripe will experience when the damaged everywhere catch on to the fact that the key players in this blood bath are NOT Lutherans.
They won’t enter Ukraine EVEN if the AFU collapses and more so if they lose Odessa (which actually are not mutually exclusive).
If they aren’t even willing to shoot down Russian missiles from their own territory because they don’t want to be in a direct conflict with Russia, then how much more will they be willing to sacrifice their men and equipment for it?
They won’t and he knows it, so they’ll eat the loss and spin it as a win with “we prevented Putin from taking all of Ukraine” or if they lose all Ukrainian territory with support of some government in exile.
You could be right…but I think that Poles, Europeans and US is steadfast in the principle: Let them do something stupid that we can answer. Nonetheless they are ”constructing” provocations as ”answers” of Russias aggression. Remember 1914 - who moved first? (Russia mobilized before the Germans), Germany was the guilty. Pearl Harbour 1941, japs attacked after years of sanctions/strangulation from US. Ukraine 2022, Russia moved first after ever increasing threats from West.
But with every passing day this probability decreases NOT increases.
Even Mearsheimer - who I respect as a realist but he doesn’t seem to be able to disentangle it from his American imperialism - accepts that the reason for scuttling the Istanbul agreement was because they thought they can weaken Russia enough to cause regime change. He admits that is impossible now and Russia is stronger than ever.
;-)
Not to be technical, Victor, but does a happy face qualify as first? If not, that would mean the next man up who comments and says "first" is the legitimate first. I was just thinking out loud. lol
Actually, it is a "wink", but I take your point. However, the psychological impact on the person who posts "first" after the wink has to leave one somewhat unsettled, don't you think?
"Wink" is not a comment, Denis is the winner!
I wouldn't dream of contesting.
You already have.
You know if you are first and you don't get at least 10 likes that means you have squandered an opportunity. The most banal comment will usually get a whole load of likes. That you get so few speaks to a lack of quality.
Interesting contradiction. Reading the news of Russian and US astronauts riding a Soyuz to the ISS. Spend months closely confined together but coexist in the world? Hell no!
All in fun, Victor. Well done.
That's a Victor's grin , same look your daddy had on his face.........
lol, Billy. Sneaky he is.
Congratulations to Simpiticus for being mentioned by Alexander Mercouris last night on his 300,000-subscriber show. I commented "Simplicius rocks". lol Accurate reporting and sound analysis of the Ukraine conflict are in huge demand. Simplicius is in good company with Mercouris.
As an elder, bat woman, yup. Love me some bright, bulbs. Thanks, so much💙🇷🇺❤️🐈⬛
What is a bat woman, ma'am?
Mercouris and his legendary ‘Gooday’
Just saying!! That's his moniker!!
I like Mercouris but sometimes it is difficult to concentrate on what he is saying due to all his nervous fidgeting.
I can't abide it, and never watch. It's as if he has a monstrous cocaine addiction, twitching away while wiping his nose.
It sort of irked me when I first saw it, but then as I have nerve damage and sometimes odd twitches, I can understand some of the reactions I occasionally get.
His content and observations are well appriciated though.
What's the point in watching him? He doesn't show anything on the screen apart from his face. I usually just listen to his videos.
I Listen but don't watch when he twitches. just scroll the screen up to the comments. And I always watch at 2X speed. he is perfectly clear at that rate.
TBH I listen to Judge Nap, McGregor, and all the others at 2X also.
The only guy who talks too fast for 2X is garland Nixon. Then I go down to 1.5...
And he rambles a lot too.
He speaks for an hour and half, I much more prefer his colleague Alex
His impersonations of Elensky turning to Podolyak for clarifications always make me laugh.
wattabout the Elensky No.5 perfume, Macron's fave? that's the best one to me
Pro Tip: Run Mercouris at 1.5x speed or higher.
I watched The Duran regularly back when they had like 12k subs. But no more. Far better alternatives now.
like what?
Nonsense. Now, I never watch as I listen to podcasts mostly while doing chores etc
I think he has a neurological condition, perhaps RLS.
just watch all his videos at 2x playback speed. works like a charm.
e mentions Simplicius all the time, you are obviously a new viewer
Or maybe a viewer who fast-forwards a lot. lol
Alexander was better when he ran the show at 45 Mins. The David Lean running times are tiresome.
So dip in and out selectively. Essential on the Web, I find.
I usually play guitar while watching it, so it's time well spent. I can't imagine watching it straight. A couple of days ago he devoted the first 7 minutes to apologising for mispronouncing a German politician's name. FFS!
I have to run him at double speed due to his slow speech, but even then it's too long a show. Tedious.
His show is always split into two parts: daily military advances and daily politics. The order is sometimes different but you can cut the watch time in half if you're not interested in hearing the names Chasov Yar or Pokrovsk or whatever for the umpteenth time (nothing happens fast in wars). If something new and interesting on the battlefield happens, he starts the segment with that, so in 5-10 minutes you can be sure whether to skip or not.
Comparing an analyst to Alexander Mercouris, a grifter who plagiarizes other sources to make up a daily regurgitation of mostly hogwash for the sake of monetization, is not a compliment but an affront. The number of followers is a shallow and poor gauge of substance and content. I say all this without prejudice as I too followed Mercouris for over a year until his biased and inaccurate accounts on Palestine, Hamas and Gaza made me realize what a colossal waste of time listening to him was.
How does he plagiarize? I listen to him often and he always says where he is getting his info. I'll admit his shows are repetitive. I like to listen to them at night before bed
Those, myself included, who read other sources and various telegram channels where he gets most of his material, don't have any difficulty recognizing that he often uses their content without acknowledgement. In another words, he plagiarizes.
He is a disbarred lawyer who in late middle age needed to find a new career, so he did he the wise thing and followed up his obvious interest in geopolitics. It sounds like his family background, like Alex's, is in Greek politics and diplomacy.
But that said, most of his content is aggregated. He does a lot of reading and listening--just like most of the people here, and like Simplicius. Yet he not inadvertantly comes across as an "expert". That is his intention.
And THAT said, he is a lovely, erudite kind of fellow and I like him immensely.
If I had infinite time, I would still follow The Duran. But life is short. I now follow Judge NAp, Dialogue Works, and Danny Davis Deep Dive. Why? Because they bring on amazing honest-to-goodness EXPERTS. People with long careers in the military, diplomacy, intelligence, etc. Their insights are genuine.
And by the way, some of these guys have long LONG experience. Ray McGovern and Larry Wilkerson and Chas Freeman will casually mention a chat they had with JFK or Regan or Colin Powell or whoever. These are INSIDERS. But they are no longer servants of the Empire. They are trying to fight back against the current evil.
It really pisses me off when a low life who has never accomplished anything in their own life criticizes someone who has. Perhaps if you were not such a loser, you would have better manors...... LOSER>>
That is too often the experience in chat. I think you meant manners but either way, interestingly, your comment makes sense.
Many, lets call them freedom fighters, face malicious danger from the MSM cultist followers, never mind Nazi enforcers, yet how many times do we see the first 20 posts dedicated to the insanity of Biden honestly winning anything but a game of who filled the bedpan the quickest. Yet here we are ripping heroes like the Duran.
Perfectionism is a leading contributor to the divide and conquer paradigm that is killing our chances of survival.
that's completely unfair and untrue.
Mercouris might be difficult to follow to many, with his slow speech, twitches and dwelling into details that sometimes aren't of any interest, but all his actions show he's an honest commentator tying to sum up a lot of information EVERY DAY, without saying the information is original.
in fact, your description makes me bet that you are a Zionist lover that has a butt hurt from his lack of support for Israel actions.
Basic question of Simplicious and commentators- is the US Global American Empire interests in maintaining global hegemony advanced by a major European war? This is a serious question. IF a major, destructive war in Europe would advance or entrench US GAE hegemony for many more decades we should understand the implications in the continued conflict in Ukraine. Support for this thesis are the world wars of the 20th century, both of which greatly advanced the US GAE at the expense of Europe and East Asia powers. American elites have subscribed to an effort for a 'new American Century'. Global trade financialization will no longer produce these results, nor will economic sanctions and exclusion, nor tarrufs, trade barriers and limits on technology transfer. what then is left?
There is another irritating problem with Alexander Mercouris' reporting: He never offers any documentary material, such as videos, pictures, headlines, etc. The viewer has to constantly watch a close-up view of Mercouris' face, not so attractive any more, as Mercouris has aged quite a bit recently. Anyhow, who wants to watch any face, let alone Mercouris', for over an hour! Elderly men's faces are never beautiful to watch. Doesn't Mercouris have friends to tell him to stop doing that! Alex Christophorou, Mercouris' close friend and colleague, does a better job by interspersing his presentation with videos and pictures, even though he also exposes a close-up view of his face too much to my comfort. Simplicius, needless to say, is incomparable in the amount of evidentiary material he offers every time he post his commentary.
In answer to your 1st q.: There is always first, intention (and plans, etc.) . Then there is actual events and outcomes (which may or may not go according to plan). The Ukraine conflict was initiated / triggered quite deliberately by the U.S.; following pretty precisely the script of the 2019 Rand Corp. memo on the subject which spelled out the objective: to "overextend" (and thus 'bleed' ) Russia by baiting it into a quagmire that would reduce its standing in the world, force it to spend mightily and, in the loss of its soldiers' lives and in other ways, lead the population to restlessness and a willingness to support the regime change sought. All that, of course, to weaken Russia and keep it from arising to 'peer competitor' status.
That was the plan. Further to it, the allies (vassals?) in Europe would be persuaded both that they were threatened by the 'imperialist bully' in Moscow, and that it would be to their own further economic advantage to keep Russia under NATO's thumb.
But while such allies and vassals are important to the managers of the Empire, in Washington and Wall Street, that's always conditional. Just as Ukraine itself (and its people) can be used as cannon fodder in fulfillment of the Rand Plan, so, too, are EU allies also expendable. Why, otherwise, would the U.S. persuade Finland (and Sweden) to join NATO, upsetting a long period of relatively and mutually benign relations between them (esp. Finland) and Russia? Having recently entered NATO, which exists solely in hostile opposition to Russia's interests, these Scandinavian states are now at once both a buffer and sacrifice zone for the Empire. They will be (and apparently already are being) used for military bases from which to surveil , sabotage and otherwise threaten Russia; and so will be included in Russia's retaliatory targeting.
This brings me to the second point. While the U.S. centered Empire does not necessarily wish to write off its allies (other than the friend of convenience, Ukraine), it will readily do so it if serves a bigger purpose. The latter would likely include continuing to bog Russia down, but it would certainly include the desire to forestall or at least delay as long as possible Russia's further emergence as a global financial competitor and the de-dollarization movement that it and China are effectively leading.
I admit: it would seem self-contradicting to suggest that the U.S. would sell out any of its European partners by escalating a war that leads to threats of their own survival when they are functioning. willing parties to the Empire. And yet, look what the U.S. did (or at a minimum, approved) with the sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines. As a result, Germany has experienced serious economic losses, as well as political upheaval that may eventually bring about a renewed fascist nationalism; as the growth in popularity of Germany's right wing AfD is strongly related to the economic hits that follow from that sabotage.
And, that situation is about to get a whole lot worse. As Simplicious' fine article points out, possibly 70% of the energy grid is already destroyed, and a (typically) cold winter may well see a new refugee flood into those nations where the right wing is already capitalizing on anti-immigrant sentiment.
No... this wouldn't (IMO) on the net advance U.S.' hegemonic goals; for such ultra-nationalism, whatever its other dangers, would be at odds with the current Empire's neoliberal and imperialist agenda, for it engenders a "Our people first" ethos that would question and challenge the emerging globalist neoliberalism that is represented by the current leadership throughout most of Europe.
But that's what I was pointing to when I observed that intentions and strategies don't always work according to plan.. And this is especially true when the people who make them are acting arrogantly, irrationally and without any real understanding of nor proper respect for their adversaries.
I agree with all of this excellent analysis, apart from the idea that the AfD is somehow Fascist. The fascists are already in power, the AfD is trying to get rid of them.
Thanks for your thoughts. Perhaps I was unclear about AfD. I wouldn't call them fascist (and didn't, though I'm not intimately familiar with its leadership and partisans); and I think the label is thrown around too carelessly as it is. As you suggest, many of those in the (neoliberal) establishments of EU states and in the U.S. who label others as fascist are themselves showing an aspect of fascism in the authoritarianism apparent in the accelerating suppression of speech and information that contradicts official policy.
In fact, it's that neoliberalism, coupled with the neoconservatives' foreign policy debacles such as I mentioned with Nord Stream, which is creating space for, and giving opportunity to ultra-nationalism (and racism) which are also characteristics of fascism.
We watch all these events and try to piece it together rationally. How do Russian and US astronauts successfully working on and traveling together to the ISS help us make sense?
This rather blatant contradiction came up suddenly on me recently. Meanwhile it is our sons that are called up to be drone bait like mice in some evil experiment that will surely be lethal.
Not to mention the green agenda. We have to give up meat to save the planet but these maniacs can't forego their wars of profit, as they surely do not want front line veterans marching in protest, never mind breathing the oligarch's air.
I often think that he gets his info from Simplicius.
Is it just me or is anyone else afraid for his "sources" that keep him updated via email, as he frequently points out, on military happenings in Ukraine/Russia? What's stopping any UK government agent of getting ahold of that info, possibly to someone's detriment. But maybe it's just all bluster for click baits.
He has mentioned him for a long time
Harden your heart, oh Putin, send those US carrier groups to the bottom of the sea.
Mr Putin has stated repeatably that Russia does not want conflict and certainly does not want war.
All of this crap world-wide is mostly due to Yankee communist warmongering.
Yankeeland is shit scared of a united Europe and has actively worked for well over a hundred years to ensure that will not happen.
Many globally are hoping that the financial strife, the uncontrolled invasion by low I.Q. alien degenerates and the political shambles of the upcoming presidential selection in Yankeeland will cause the pending implosion of excrement to finally happen.
So Russia will escalate by arming Houthis with the really fun stuff then pretend they had nothing to do with it the same way US pretends it had nothing to do with ATACMS.
All is fair in love and.........
....SMOs.....
:-)
Houthis do as they want!
"
So Russia will escalate by arming Houthis with the really fun stuff then pretend they had nothing to do with it the same way US pretends it had nothing to do with ATACMS."
In common parlance: Tit-for-tat. Ageless strategy. FAFO.
That's right. And when the Houthis employee Zircon hypersonics to sink a US carrier in the Mediterranean, 5000 US sailors drown, I'd like to know what Biden's Plan B is.
Laugh at the muttoids
Interesting to think how the British tried to do the same thing during the US civil war, but sadly failed to usher in two nations for that continent.
I wonder how much of a role britain played in fostering the conflict in the first place?
What zelenski thinks would happen to Kiev and his bunkers should he succeeded in attacking the Kremlin?
>First the US apparently wants Ukraine to demonstrate a tangible plan for how it would utilize these ‘deep strikes’ to actually win, rather than merely using them for some vague psychological effect.
This is ridiculous "analysis", especially given the previous paragraph:
>But first let’s clear up the nuances to this report. Some believe the decision has already been made and the media is merely trotting out its regular theater to warm up the public. But the other missed detail is two-fold:
The "decision" was made some time in the 1990s when the whole plan was first carefully laid out. They have been working up to this moment all this time, and that was the whole purpose of the Ukrainian exercise -- to cook the Russian frog sufficiently to the point where it would allow missiles strikes into Russia.
The next step has also been planned -- start with a few missiles first, then gradually increase the size of the salvos, and eventually one day swap the conventional warheads for nukes (by that point Russian defenses will have been accustomed to not seeing these as launch-on-warning threats, as they absolutely should be; and also likely degraded by direct missile strikes too), and do a first-strike decapitation.
Thus it is just retarded to talk about Ukraine "demonstrating that it has a plan". Zelensky has no role whatsoever in this, it is a US plan dating back decades.
To make this seem as if Ukraine has agency on this matter... I don't know what to say.
I am increasingly getting the suspicion that a lot of the "alternative" voices on the topic of the war are CIA plants whose role is to sleepwalk everyone who might be in opposition into not protesting too vigorously over what is happening.
This is the only way I can make sense of the consistent downplaying of existential dangers.
It's either that, or serious intellectual deficiencies...
For once I find myself somewhat in agreement. A NATO (US/UK) plan has existed since the early 2000s when Russia under Putin emerged as a potential threat to US interests in global domination. The Ukraine plan was likely put into action at that time, investing billions into developing what was ultimately to become the theatre of war, and using Ukraine as the spearpoint to a gradual escalation that would drain Russia of resources and ultimately the will to effectively fight. But this has not come without internal strife in the US, as there has always been divided opinion on nuclear war within the elite councils, a division that still exists. It does appear, however, that the war hawks are gaining the upper hand. God help us because these people still truly believe that Russia is as weak as they were in the 90s and cannot effectively respond to a first-strike decapitation effort.
Given publicly available books like, The Grand Chessboard (1997) describing Ukraine as a key to Russian power and prosperity, US involvement in manipulating Russian elections to put Yeltsin in power in 1996, CIA backing for both Chechen Wars, US efforts in Georgia from the 1990s to the present, dismantling Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and the 2005 Biolab treaty with Ukraine, is there really any doubt of US intention for Russia, East Europe, or Ukraine? This is the tip of the iceberg related to Ukraine. US intent for Russia is clear. The US is working to dismantle Russia. It is willing to walk over millions of bodies to do it.
Absolutely.
> .... is there really any doubt of US intention for Russia, East Europe, or Ukraine?
You left out the rest of Europe. Imposing economic suicide on Germany highlights a U.S. plan for Western Europe too, and that one is actually working.
Looters need to Loot. The City and BlackRock are on autopilot while squealing “shoah!”
I think more important than the "Grand Chessboard" is the WOLFOWITZ DOCTRINE: The US will not Russia or any other nation (China) threaten its hegemony. That is how the security state works. For years now the security people around here have been predicting nuclear war. So has Martin Armstrong who points out this is essentially a FINANCIAL WAR just like WWII. This war is EXISTENTIAL FOR NATO. They will not allow the BRIC meeting in October. And how is BRICS doing with Brazil under US, India afraid of US sanctions, Turkey saying Russia must give back Crimea and Saudi Arabia doing nothing to help the Gazans. I think that not only will the Ukraine will be without electricity, so will the US (EMP). Prepare.
NATO is owned and ruled by the US. The US congress is owned by aipac (plutocrats and City\FedReserve). Thus, NATO is owned by aipac
As for the Straussian pupil Wolfowitz, his doctrine stinks of unbounded hatred of “amaleks” or all “others.” Look at the settlers in the jewish fascist state and their behavior impervious to reason and humanness. The ongoing genocide in Gaza is a local sample of the doctrine in action
How many bodies will be American bodies? Take a wild guess...
Mr Putin is a master tactician. He started work on an international free trade system around the start of Glasnost, which has grown into BRICS+.
The ONLY reason that the Petrodollar still exists is that BRICS+ are propping it up while smaller countries transition into a true free trade environment and to allow these countries to try, (usually without success), to recover their Gold reserves from Yankeeland.
BRICS+ is now big enough, strong enough and influential enough that the kikes running Yankeeland are panicking.
They will not surrender gracefully and may cause unforeseen tragedy because of their insanity.
Another few months and we will know. Western Europe is buggered financially, energy deficient, Winter coming. Daddy Yankland is on the verge of financial collapse : https://usdebtclock.org/ getting worse every day. It is overextended globally, being told to bugger off globally, massive internal strife across ALL states and an extremely volatile and acerbic ''election'' looming.
I'm stocking up on beer and dry white now.
Don't forget the popcorn 🤣
This is tragedy. A lot of people are going to suffer and die this winter.
The real question is - when should we max out all our credit cards lol?
Greed and supremacist lunacy always lead to genocidal wars.
Tactician, While well intended I’m sure, diminishes the strategic, patient and thorough manner by which VVP conducts Russia’s policy. What’s the word I’m looking for…?
Finally some sensible comment
I see. Now the west is winning, eh, just very slowly! Nice try.
Yes. Even when they are clearly losing, it's actually part of the Master Plan, which is guaranteed winning a bit down the road, just over the horizon. All setbacks and wrong turns have been carefully planned.
I don’t believe that the US/UK will officially allow Kiev to attack deep Russia. All the statements about the possibility of lifting restrictions for Kiev are just an attempt to psychologically influence Moscow. They want Russia to escalate which would allow them to present Russia as the aggressor in the eyes of the global South. However, despite the West’s attempts Russia will not change course.
The Global South, like everyone else, will side with whoever they think is stronger.
Everyone knows Russia isn't as strong as NATO/ EU. They can also see NATO/ EU brazen one sided behaviour w.r.t Russia and Palestine
Kiev/NATO already is doing it.
Including with Western weapons.
Even ATACMS have flown to targets in the Rostov region (and potentially a few other places, but it has not been verified yet), it's just that the cowards in the Kremlin hushed it up in order to not place themselves in a position to have to repond.
HIMARS have been hitting Belgorod and Kursk for months. And ER HIMARS shells can hit quite deep.
Which seems to have already pushed back Russian air defense after multiple S-300/S-400 systems were destroyed on Russian territory -- how is it that planes are flying to launch guided bombs up to the very border and they are not getting shot down?
Meanwhile Patriot SAMs are firing all day at Russian planes on Russian territory. Let that sink in for a second...
This is why everybody who has been closely followed the situation fears that Putin just issued yet another bluff that will be immediately called.
What is on the table now is missile strikes on Moscow, on the MIC infrastructure in places like Tula, Voronezh, Nizny Novgorod, etc., and on the military bases.
You are a bit harsch to Simplicius, GM…
But the situation is graver than most people realize. You are right that the sinister plans and scenarios is playing out according to longtime strategies.
The Zaporitzia Nuclear Plant cant be restarted without a new cooling tower. So Ukraine practically made the plant useless. What if they destroy a couple of cooling towers in Nuclear plants inside Russia?. I dont think Putin can sit idle then. Imaging US/Nato destroying assets in a big scale inside Russia…and Kreml does not respond. Unthinkable.
And whoever thought that Trump will bring ”peace” must have a Monkey-brain. Of course he will threaten Russia with an escalation never seen before. Thats why Putin is ”endorsing” Kamala.
Sikorskis interview (when will they ever learn?) is nothing new. Of course Europe dont want a War directly with Russia. Of course it was US that blew Nordstream. ”Strategic ambiguity” is not a desperate move from West, as Simplicius wrote. It is a normal ingridient in the Perception War that is rolling beside, or rather inside, the War on ground.
The gem in the interview was Sikorskis worry about Russia reaching Dnieper and/or taking Odessa. That is why I have advocating a Russian thrust reaching Dnieper as fast as possible.
This slow advance, although succesful in incrementals, is also slowly boiling the Russians in a false state of comfort. Think of it. Russia is reacting to Ukrainian (and secret US/Nato) initiatives. Time after time.
If it is true that a Ukrainian drone left Ivalo in Finland and was helped by Nato/Sweden forces and then attacked base in Murmansk - what is else left to say? Russia is already accepting direct involvement in the War from US/Europe threatening strategic bases/assets in Russia.
The future has never been in such a danger as now.
This is also the reason Western Ukraine will end up under Poland. Many people here argued with me on this, but now Sikorski basically announced an expeditionary force to deter Russia if Odessa is threatened, which it inevitably will be.
I agree that whatever is West of the Dnieper River will be carved up, primarily by Poland, Belarus, Hungary and Romania, all of which have historical claim to lands.
All the Russian Federation has ever wanted is a buffer zone between itself and Western aggression led by Yankee controlled NATO.
Odessa, like Crimea, IS Russian. No doubt about it.
Russia has "historical claim" to everything East of Curzon Line for that matter. And now that extended range weapons had been introduced, this buffer has inevitably to include all of former Ukraine bar three westernmost regions.
Mr Putin ''endorsed'' Khlarmydia Harrass as satire. Perhaps in 2020 he and Trump could have sorted a lot of things out, but that time is past. Trump is 100% a kike puppet.
Wholly owned and controlled by those who rule Yankland.
The reality is that those who own Yankland have got what they could and are now destroying it.
Have a look at some history and in particular quotes from Bibi the Butcher Netanyahu on this subject.
Americans are gradually awakening to the reality of being squeezed, squashed, and destroyed. The lunacy of supremacism (supported by the nonstop profitable squealing about incomparable victimhood) has destroyed the republic. Ford and Butler both warned the citizenry but to no avail
This is a BIG escalation actually, showing NATO surrounds Russia and is attacking Russia from other NATO countries. Putin is going to have to do SOMETHING scary.
Bridges have started falling in Germany. The Looters (bankers and mega corporations) can only destroy but impotent to build strong states.
What should Russia do? I have been thinking about it allot. A response is needed, but some things to consider as a powerful response is not as easy as it might look...
1. The most successful play might be an all out nuclear first strike by Russia, but is this winning?
2. Maybe a single nuke on Lvov or something? Make sure you short every stock index in the world as that might crash everything by 40% - does it help Russia to bankrupt BRICS now? will they accept the fallout of drastic Russian action?
3. Hypersonic some soft military target in the west - like the factory where storm shadows are made (easier than Jassm fact in Alabama), would NATO risk nuke war over a factory. Would this open a tit-for-tat war, as every country has vulnerable things to hit?
4. Take out ISR assets (satellite, drone, other). But is shooting an AWACS going to do anything other than open up a civilian airliner to attack?
5. I personally think Russia will not respond till one of these cruise missiles is launched they maybe respond on similar target tit-for-tat (which for the record i feel is stupid).
I think the strategy of NATO (USA) has some merit as they seem to have cornered Russia into not responding. Anyone else have any good ideas if you were in Vlad's shoes?
Most alternatives will lead to even more problems. Russia must take the Initiative in the War. On the Global level and long time strategy they have managed to take the lead in a number of fields. Some are proactive measures, like enlarging and deepening the importance of BRICS and new trade agreements. Some are more of reactions, although very fast, like re-alignment gas and oiltrade, the work with de-dollarization and independence from Swift and other western shackles.
On the Battlefield they are slowly gaining ground and attriting the AFU. But 2,5 years War has also attritied the Black Sea fleet, the Airforce and the manpower/AFV:s. They are ahead in some fields and is enjoying 5:1 or 10:1 on some points at the Contact Line. But they as easy as the Uki:s whenever they dont pay attention. IF Russia has the capacity to scale up the ground war - they should do it now. If not, which is more propable, we can expect this War sleepwalking into a Nuke exchange.
I dont believe in asymetrical response, like the Houthis-scenario. What matters is a striking blow on Ukraines forces. And sadly, I am thinking Russia lacks capacity and/or guts to deliver any. It could be West is aware of Russias predicament and is turning on the Heat one click by another. 5-10 more Poltavas would shatter Ukraine. Destroying the energy supply/energy grid is not an option when thinking of the Civilian perspective.
Nothing would delight NATO more tham if Russia were to resort to nuclear weapons.
Russian impotence would be on full display, and any Russian claims to moral superiority would evaporate. There would be hude pressure on India and China to distance themselves from Russia.
Not only that but the US would take this as a green light to use nuclear weapons in its upcoming war on Iran. Not fair? No, but fair has nothing to do with it.
I’m not ex government anything, just a guy in the US. VVP looks to be creating an intertwined web. we might be witnessing the build of the broadest, most coordinated anti-west alternative having economic, military and population on par with the west. Far more detrimental and lasting than a few missiles into nato. We may see Russian military bases in central/south americas. They are already popping up in Africa and the East. Countries are eager for an alternative to the West. He’s gotta get BRICS members to toughen up and 100%commit. They seem to be less than 100% at present. (Reference to India and China in article)
Aligning with Iran, Syria, Houthies is needed to dilute us/UK/Israel influence.
Sounds obvious to you all, but this I see as his long game. I hope he succeeds.
Ah, yes, the multdimensional chess, "you just wait and it will all be revealed", "argument".
Which is on the same level as all the prophecies of the coming apocalypse that various religious sects have come up with over the millenia, then did not come true, and the reaction was to just move the date to some other time in the future.
What can Russia do?
The solution is not just one thing - but its an equal escalation in places where the US would hurt. What do I mean? Ukraine gets permission to strike deep in Russia? Houthi's get anti-ship missiles and permission to sink US cruisers. Or Palestine gets some missiles smuggled into strike Israel deeply. Or Mexican cartels get serious weapons in their hand and are told to increase the violence over the US border. There's many things that can be done, one just needs the balls to do it.
I see what your saying but arming thugs in other places seems petty and fought with blowback. If you give stuff to the Houthis maybe the next leader hands them over to the us, or aims them at the Saudis. I would not trust some faction or head chopping cartel with any high tech stuff. (even Turkey hangs out the 'ill hand over your s400's to the usa') Tricky business, which is why I prefer the Russian armed forces apply the tag in this case.
While I agree, no side can really be trusted, that's why you give stuff you aren't afraid to potentially lose. And besides I am pretty sure the US has exposure to most Russian tech already from captured trophies (and vice versa). That is inevitable in war.
If there was a plan things have not gone to plan but it seems the powers mentioned don't have a contingency. The issue is, where this is headed conscription or the draft should have already been implement in the west and civilian industry should have already been converted to wartime production. The fact that this has not been done leaves the west grossly unprepared for what they are endeavoring to achieve. Well it is still the same sleep walking to disaster by misinterpreting the situation to suit their overconfidence and bluster.
When your government has undergone a careful weeding out of patriotic citizens, then there are no one to organize anything practical and useful for the country. American patriots have not been welcome by US government since Henry Ford.
Clancy's "last book" was about a tank war in Ukraine.
Of course the decision already has been made. The "debate" is theater for public consumption.
I doubt it goes back decades - I think the US was caught somewhat off guard by the SMO, but broadly I agree.
But acting like Ukraine won't strike targets that are on US "no go" list is ridiculous. They know full well the US won't do anything to punish them if they do, so they'll strike anything with reckless abandon regardless of whether its "on the list" or not.
So, in your opinion the American empire is not collapsing and everything is going according to the plan? Dear God, some people are just amazing!
How is it collapsing when it's expanding?
It's been kicked out from Africa, the middle east, not to mention the Afghanistan disaster, the dollar is about to become confetti, how exactly is there any real expansion? Sweeden and Finland were already part of the west anyway, if that is the expansion you are referring to.
Economic power derives from military power, not the other way around. The dollar will be the world's currency and US debt will continue to grow with absolutely no intention of it ever being repaid as long as everyone else is sufficiently afraid of what is going to happen to them if they try to get out of that arrangement.
Thus that US missiles will soon be pointed towards Moscow from Finland and are already pointed to it from Ukraine is much more significant than what is happening in Burkina Faso.
Are you people even listening to yourself?
Yeah, the US is about to start missile strikes on Moscow, and Putin will just take it. But see, Burkina Faso is solidly in the Russian camp, so the US grip on power over the world is collapsing.
Read that very carefully again. Because that is the argument being made here...
Military power. Exactly. Once upon a time, the world was afraid of the US aircraft carrier groups. Today they are simply sitting ducks. The only true value they have is that their sailors still have some cash and buy souvenirs from the ports they occasionally visit. Ask the Houthis... Dear God where do you get your information from? The US president visits Saudi Arabia and is greeted at the airport by the mayor of Riyadh and you see the empire expanding...
Again, are you people even listening to yourself?
Afraid "once upon a time"?
Right here in the present the largest nuclear power in the world is allowing its soldiers and civilians to be slaughtered daily without firing back, and is now going to allow missile strikes on its capital too, without responding.
What does that tell us about the level of fear of the US?
As usual, these alleged plans started decades ago have gone completely awry, because the planners thought very highly of themselves, and their iron-clad logic and motives. In effect, they thought the future was something they could predict. They thought the Russians would be long defeated by the sanctions by now. Wrong. Way wrong. They also apparently didn't see their allies in Israel deciding to self-desruct at precisely the wrong time. You think these imbeciles have any kind of workable plan? See President Jake Sullivan's remarks right before Hamas changed the game, and remember that Biden said "the ruble will be rubble" what, 26 months ago? What was that, some clever CIA misdirection, part of the Meta-Plan? Sounds like typical Permanent-State stupidities and grandiose hubris to me.
Baldrick regularly came up with far more cunning plans than any of these window-licking chode-chompers.
Speaking of window-lickers, the Fat Orange Retard continues to make himself into a pathetic laughingstock, and he's going to get steamrolled in a little less than two months by the brain-dead chucklefuck known as Willie Brown's Mattress, but is anyone really surprised by this? Just look at the doughy closet case he picked for VP this time.
But the saddest and stupidest spectacle of all is all these gooberines that apparently really believe that any one of the Clown World "elite" is going to risk putting themselves in danger to save the them. The US goes through "allies" like an American career women goes through Tinder "dates".
I was running my number up so high with desperate 45-55 types I had to institute firm (ha) standards. The number was causing me some degree of shame. Wish it had been so easy at 20.
Well said. lol What tomfoolery the US elections are. Two parties opposite to each other are more alike than not led by buffoons on a societal doom loop path to self-destruction all by design. Rough seas on the horizon, mate.
When discussing American politics, I find myself constantly quoting one trenchant observation from Chesterton: "The business of the Progressive is to keep making mistakes. The business of the Conservative is to keep those mistakes from being corrected."
Hmm, I find this to be a more accurate assessment of American politics; often attributed to Churchill but no proof he actually uttered it: “The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
Which is precisely why the financial and corporate elite support democracy.
They do not. See the oligarchic rule in the US. Democracy means feedback to ensure healthy homeostatic processes. Otherwise, any living organism (and any society) is doomed.
Funny thing: people who quote such remarks never consider themselves the average voter.
They might not be.
Average voter does not think of such things and does not know enough about Churchill to know this quote. You are vastly overestimating what the average voter is.
If one is following this Substack they are likely several standard deviations from "average".
I am amazed by the ignorance of my friends, family, and neighbors who watch TV. What a brain-washing device they have developed!
"Television, the drug of the Nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation
On Television "
https://genius.com/Disposable-heroes-of-hiphoprisy-television-the-drug-of-the-nation-lyrics
It would be more accurate, if "voters" ever decided fuck all in American politics. But they don't, so it's not.
True.
But the vast majority of voters are ignorant enough to believe that they do. The rest of them are already dead and not much different from those casting their ballots.
with big mama Harris a fine example of said 'dates'.
Well, you have to bear in mind that Mr Trump, being essentially a one-man band, has to concentrate in his own person an amount of stupidity, ignorance, and folly similar to that of the entire Democratic Party. Which is astronomical in quantity...
Kamala Harris, chucklefuck. Love it!
I looked at your handle and Kevin Bloody Wilson came to mind. Are you one of them ex-Aussie Navy fuckers, are you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a6EOyaMdqY&ab_channel=KevinBloodyWilson
BTW, I'm not an Ocker, but my sister is married to one & my brother now lives there after he bought a gold mine.
I've never even been in an Outback Steakhouse.
It doesn't really matter what Europe would want in the way of war or peace as it is the US/UK that will drive this issue, dragging Europe, either willingly or no, into war with Russia. Everything depends on the arrangement made between the US and the UK as to how to proceed in the face of an imminent Ukrainian defeat.
Porton Down would be a great target for Russia to level to send a message if the Brits decide to get too frisky with their missiles. Easily done from a stealth sub in the English Channel.
Then Putin could say; "That was for the Skriptal/Novichok hoax, payback for striking Russian territory soon to follow."
Personally, I would prefer MI6 Headquarters. It would make a grand show.
I'd like to see Russian intelligence use thier Middle East contacts to flood places like UK/Europe with suicide bombers, like the West does to other countries. But make the attacks targeted and meaningful-no need for rock concerts and the like
Thanks. Do you realise most of us in this part of the world do not support our governments and do not deserve to die in a terror attack?
Well leave. I did. And came to Australia. Yes, I know....
"no need for rock concerts and the like" , not the average Joe but still plenty of targets, politicians , industry big wigs, insider acedemics , policy infuencers , 'though leaders'....long list but no point in supermarkets and such.
Imagine that ten years from now you're dying in a radioactive ditch but then miraculously get thrown back in time to this moment. What would you actually do, knowing your demise? Because "we had nothing to do with it" doesn't cut it anymore.
Nuland-Kagan, Clintons, Cheney. And the upper hands at the City of London.
I am sure that all mission-critical elements are distributed, precisely to minimize the impact of such an event.
The problem is that the Russian leadership lacks the stomach for this.
The whole Sikorski story is a nice insight in how those blob people think. One lie after another, with little sprinkles of truth mixed in, with a whole lot of delusion on top. We are so fucked with people like that on top, I wasn't quite sure about the hyperinflation thing, because Western economies are of an enormous magnitude compared to the last hyperinflation phase in the 1920-1930, but to see that kind of incompetence and simple stupidity is astonishing and makes me wonder if we are not far away from it. They will tear apart their own economies even more, because of how stupid they are.
So I wouldn't be so sure, that those blob people have a plan for any of this. They will try to change the narrative again, the thousandth time. I guess they try to vilify Russia more on the world stage, which failed over and over again, and that's basically it. Multi polarity will go forth and the West looses more and more importance similar to the UK after WWII.
Sikorsky is a stooge, when Larry talks about the blob, he means more the forces behind.
Nah, Sikorski is part of the blob, they all are, the blob are members of political parties, NGOs, Think Tanks, parts of the Pentagon, big companies, worldwide etc etc. That's what it makes it a blob, a large corrupt f.cked up network with group think and loops of lies and bs they can't escape now anymore.
>The most obvious immediate Russian response would likely be to arm the Houthis with advanced anti-ship missiles which would straightaway endanger the entire US fleet.
This is absolutely stupid too.
Can the Houthis strike the mainland US with whatever Russia could realistically give them? No, nothing has the range other than ICBMs, Burevestnik and the semi-secret new ultra-long-range ALCMs. But none of that can be given to the Houthis, even if for purely technical and logistical reasons.
So what kind of a threat is this when the US is meanwhile directly striking mainland Russia?
Furthermore, the only thing that can re-enforce deterrence is not even striking the US mainland, but striking the US mainland **where it matters**. Which is the oligarchy's enclaves. Not military bases, not infrastructure objects, they don't care. You have to hit them directly.
But you don't even need missiles for that, all you need is a few GRU agents with drones infiltrating the key localities. Plus the balls to actually do it. The latter is what is in most severe deficit currently...
America projects its military power through its naval fleets. Were the Houthis to sink those in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean, the empire would shortly fold.
Yes. I suspect Russia that by "war" Russia means they will go after naval, air and space assets of the US. The heart of US power is its naval and air forces along with its vast ISR capabilities. If I really wanted to seriously hit the US, I would first go for their ISR capability, thus potentially blinding them.
BTW, it would take years to rebuild such ISR capabilities, and in the meantime, America would be severely limited in its ability to plan and execute war.
Russia should first defend ,attack Ukraine more ,mobilise and finish off Ukraine. Or Russia should blow up bases in Syria and Iraq.
No Yemen would be finished off by USA
The US would first have to measure missile bubble ranges out to maximum range of the antiship assets. This is a similar problem to what was faced in the GIUK gap during the Cold War. My suspicion is that the bubbles would deny most of the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and even the Eastern Med to the USN. This would require several carriers to overcome - probably 4 minimum. Then, the US would have to confront the reality that its carrier force is outdated and vulnerable. This is known, but not spoken of.
This is not an outcome that will please anyone in the West.
I agree about the emptiness of the "arm the Houthis" threat. Mega yawn.
a couple of Mid East 'wet backs' with special backpacks focussed on specific targets-NOT Walmart and the like.
Bunkers and mansions.
After Ukraine receives permission to use American missiles to attack Russia, I think that in response Russia will sever diplomatic relations with the USA. One can only guess what economic shocks this event will cause.
thanks so much - I'm able now to follow most of the content - and have even looked at a few of the videos you offer, watching December1991 on bitchute. I hope that Trump does the second thing you suggest and I agree that it would be stupid for Russia to take the deal - for US to drop their sanctions in exchange for a permanent ceasefire for a couple of years. The election is hopeless, for the ME as well...Would love an analysis of what's going on there. Thank you
Most of the U.S. sanctions are not of the Executive Order type which a new president coming into office can undo by fiat. The Speaker Emerita *Trump-proofed* the sanctions by arranging for legislation which requires Congressional approval to lift them.
how awful...and it figures. Will Congress be against Trump if he wins ?
Some will be w/ DJT if he wins & some will be against--but the same is true, perhaps even in equal measure [ though different representatives ] if KH wins. Overturning a law would require a majority vote
Even if Trump wins the Senate, which is critical when it comes to sanctions, there are enough RINOs to prevent him from prevailing.
Like during his first term
Exactly. Huff and puff by Trump with little real impact.
You didn't mention the new MSM narrative about some Iranian missiles supplied to Russia. It seems to be a new Powell’s test tube to justify strikes on the territory of “old” Russia with the long-range NATO missiles.
So satisfying to see the bark stripped from the fake NYC grifter so many want to see in power. Like every other program he's ever brandished, the end the war in 24 hours claim is just more utter bullshit.
Every time Trump open his pie hole, something stupid comes out.
That's because Trumptards only understand stupidity (and no, I am not for the "other side").
There will NOT be any “secret handshake” on targets within Russia.
None.
Why? Because Russia has nothing to gain and there is nothing to lose by not doing it.
As far as Putin is concerned this is a problem between Ukraine and NATO. Russia has nothing to do with it.
… and if they resolve it the wrong way there will be consequences.
So much fiction has flooded the infosphere, dominated by clandestine insights into VVP's thought processes & other mind-reading escapades regarding Russia's red-lines, it's conceivable that Blinken/Lammy could share a "secret handshake" w/ the Kiev regime, making it seem to Kiev that Russia has actually agreed to the "indulgence" of allowing Ukraine to blast its territory w/ ATACMS--and then when it happens, the U.S. can publicly chide Kiev & tsk-tsk, while privately giving a nice pat on the back & an "Atta-boy."
Sort of like, according to Sikorski, the U.S. knew about plans for the NordStream sabotage & allowed it
A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse
If it happens this is the most likely way, but this time it’s different because it will require direct involvement of the strike at all steps by the US or NATO.
They can hide behind that the drones are Ukrainian or they didn’t know about Kursk.
This … they can not hide.
*Ukraine* launched drones from Finland toward Murmansk w/ the intent of striking the Olenya strategic base.
*Ukraine* commandeered a Swedish Piper Cub from Sweden w/ the intent of attacking Olenya.
Of course, neither Finland nor Sweden knew anything about this, and certainly OTAN did not either, because these things happened after a drunken night when UAF drone operators were sitting around, playing cards & decided to wander on up to Finland & try their luck in attacking Olenya. "Hey," they told themselves, "Finland won't mind. I mean, we're Ukraine."
Or while still hung over after a drunken night of poker, UAF fighter pilots dared each other to steal a Swedish plane from the tarmac in Sweden in order to execute the attack on Olenya.
Kind of like three guys & a gal, after a drunken night, rented a yacht & loaded up their diving equipment & then sabotaged the NordStream pipeline.
Their equipment included a decompression chamber, since the pipeline lay @ a depth of 80 meters--but hey, their money was green when they rented the yacht i@ the marina n Poland: Who's gonna complain about lugging a decompression chamber aboard--?
Every time I rent a yacht, I make sure my decompression chamber is right there w/ me. What companion animals are to some passengers on commercial airplanes, my decompression chamber is for me on a yacht.
Don't forget the explosives necessary to break a steel pipe 1.6 inches thick and covered by 4.3 inches of concrete each section of which weighs in at 24 metric tonnes. Be sure to rent a big one.
Looking @ my budget for this.
Last time I was in Turks & Caicos I didn't have any trouble sneaking several kilos of explosives aboard my rented yacht--the lower deck near the exterior swimming platform was the perfect spot for stashing explosives, right next to the guest towels. I certainly cleaned everything up afterward because I needed that security deposit back.
Or the diving robots very probably also used in that stint. In my humble opinion, only armies like the US, France or the UK can even do something like that. Neither Poland, Ukraine or other NATO powers have the necessary equipment for doing that. Probably the US with help from the UK.
There were literally US/UK naval excercises with diving a month or so before the explosion in the adjacent part of the sea, so the culprit is obvious.
Simplicus is too soft on USA. Is he American?
So the US military and Intelligence people are the sane ones in DC? I think, as Simplicius suggests, that implementation of this lunatic plan may be very very slow, and maybe non-existent..
When this is all done, I suspect that the Ukrainians will hate the West for using them as a tool and battering ram against the Russians. It's possible a rapprochement on the scale of what happened with the Chechens may occur with the Russians.
I'm personally hoping for revenge attacks against the West by Ukrainian terrorists.
I dunno, how many times has the United States sold out the Kurds? Six is it? Seven?
But they keep on coming back for more.
Russia can stop such games if US tries
"I suspect that the Ukrainians will hate the West for using them as a tool..."
Think of the hatred the Nulands, Blinkens, et al of this stripe will experience when the damaged everywhere catch on to the fact that the key players in this blood bath are NOT Lutherans.
Hope so 🙏🏼
Sikorsky is bluffing “Poroshenko”.
They won’t enter Ukraine EVEN if the AFU collapses and more so if they lose Odessa (which actually are not mutually exclusive).
If they aren’t even willing to shoot down Russian missiles from their own territory because they don’t want to be in a direct conflict with Russia, then how much more will they be willing to sacrifice their men and equipment for it?
They won’t and he knows it, so they’ll eat the loss and spin it as a win with “we prevented Putin from taking all of Ukraine” or if they lose all Ukrainian territory with support of some government in exile.
You could be right…but I think that Poles, Europeans and US is steadfast in the principle: Let them do something stupid that we can answer. Nonetheless they are ”constructing” provocations as ”answers” of Russias aggression. Remember 1914 - who moved first? (Russia mobilized before the Germans), Germany was the guilty. Pearl Harbour 1941, japs attacked after years of sanctions/strangulation from US. Ukraine 2022, Russia moved first after ever increasing threats from West.
Correct. That is their MO.
And that was true in the beginning of the war.
But with every passing day this probability decreases NOT increases.
Even Mearsheimer - who I respect as a realist but he doesn’t seem to be able to disentangle it from his American imperialism - accepts that the reason for scuttling the Istanbul agreement was because they thought they can weaken Russia enough to cause regime change. He admits that is impossible now and Russia is stronger than ever.