Some have asked for my thoughts on Ukraine. Since 2014, the Ukraine has been experiencing a quiet civil war, between the Ukrainian majority in the west, and a Russian minority concentrated in the east. The ethnic Ukrainian side in this conflict has been co-opted by the supranational global imperial monolith. This is the cadre of western elites that determines political, medical and cultural orthodoxy across the world. They control not only all major political parties in most western countries, but also global international consortia from the United Nations to the World Economic Forum to the European Union to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Their goal is to further squeeze Russia by turning Ukraine – including the Russian-speaking eastern regions – into another political constituent of American globalism.
What I find annoying and irritating is how the entire Western media-state machine has uniformly sided with Ukraine and painted them as some kind of freedom loving vanguards defending their homes and livelihoods against Russian aggression
The harsh reality is that Ukraine is a complicated place that is a big mess. They are supremely corrupt, and have significant armed elements that are actual, literal Nazis (hello, Azov battalion?), and the factional problems in the east/Crimea are not new. Everyone forgets that the Ukrainian army in the Crimea basically joined the Russian side. This has also happened to some extent in Donbas etc in the east
Putin cannot and will never be able to occupy and pacify western ukraine. But I don't think it was about that. The two nations have longstanding differences that date back to 1989.
Now, that doesn't make what Russia has done right. War is never the answer. But these sanctions are insane - they will not solve anything; name one sanctions regime that actually resulted in regime change or behavioral change; and the cost will be borne by common folk both in and outside of Russia. It is almost like the covid folk were told "Russia economic lockdown - go!" and proceeded to go to town. Meanwhile, social media and news is absolutely ablaze with every armchair warrior imaginable saying the Russians should be fought down to the last Ukrainian. Just give them Javelins and F-16s, that will do it!
My hope is that Putin & Zelensky come to an accord - let the Eastern regions be autonomous/Russian, declare Ukraine as neutral with a nonaggression pact from Russia, no more Nato expansion, and end the war. The world has enough to deal with.
I think you're missing a couple of important points. In the early 2000s France, Germany and Russia were great mates and Russia was feeling quite European. Putin even asked Clinton about joining Nato. However in 2003 France, Germany and Russia issued a joint declaration condemning the plan to invade Iraq. Together those 3 countries represented a huge power block which the US wanted to be dismantled. The US created the friction in Georgia and has been trying to destabilize Russia ever since. They want Putin gone and some corrupt President installed in his place who will make all of Russia natural resources available to Western exploitation. Don't forget Russia is the largest country in the world which also possesses the greatest amount of resources.
"After they finish throwing their tantrum, they’ll go pick another proxy fight somewhere else, and ruin some other country."
And according to the insane words of Secretary of War Blinken on Sunday, they're now trying to use Poland as their next proxy sheep despite Poland's protestations.
I'm not angered at all, instead, saddened because just like with covid, I have friends who rather see Putin as a crazy lunatic ravaging innocent Ukraine instead of doing just a little bit of research outside of CNN/CBC. In fact, one of my friends made the comment 'how can someone just decide one day to invade another country'. I forwarded her quite a few enlightening, non disputable articles & videos including the one of John Mearsheimer mentioned here. I haven't heard from her since.
For a longer analysis, here's a summary by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano which I haven't read all the way through yet.
In one thing only do you err, E.: in assuming we, your readers, would be among those so infected by the power of narrative as to be angered by such a dispassionate, reasoned and articulate analysis!
Why do you think you have angered people? Not many people who read this are in a media bubble, I presume. FWIW, I am ethnically Russian living in the US and married to an American
with a degree in poliscience who has been involved in certain things. My mother and friends and other family members still live in Russia. From our joint point of view (and we are a group of people with very different experiences and perspectives) what you wrote is essentially correct.
What a refreshing read. Makes me realize how crazy the MSM tries to make me feel - gaslighting us from all sides. My soul knows when it is reading something that feels more measured.
Ukraine's application for NATO membership dates back to 2008 and was never approved. There was no indication recently that this could change. This is not the reason for the timing of this war. On the other hand, I can't help but notice that it comes at an ideal moment to avoid holding accountable those responsible for the disaster of the last two years.
I was really hoping Ukraine would get a break and have a good life when they left the Soviet Union due to the democide that Stalin & Lysenko did, but 2 decades of corruption was all they got. Then they elected an ethnic Russian who cut a sweetheart deal with Russia for discounted gas, increased transit fees and a 4 billion dollar interest free loan. The US didn't like that and staged the Maidan Coup.
The US then promptly lost Crimea without a shot being fired and two provinces in the east. Now they lose at least up to the river and probably the Odessa region. Land locked rump of Galacia might be all that is left. Keep fighting and you'll lose that too.
There was an old saying about the British Empire that applies to Empire USA: "The only thing worse than being their enemy is being their ally".
The USA has 2 choices in this situation. Go nuclear or go home and nobody is going nuclear over Ukraine. Anyone who thought they would is just plain wrong.
Brilliantly correct. At least I know that when Putin says something, he does something consistent with what he has said, and it is relevant and useful, at least to his ideals. If I have to listen much longer to Trudeau and Freeland mention democracy, equality and rights, as they create legislation to freeze the bank accounts of everyone who disagrees with their group think, I shall have to move to Russia where at least I know there is some logic and purpose to the things I dislike.
eugyppius - Recently you wrote that you don't expect the Bundestag to pass the vaccine mandate. Is that still your opinion, or do you think the Bundestag will approve the vaccine mandate? There was an article on TheLocal.de yesterday that said the measure will be voted on the first part of April and more MPs are backing it.
How old is "system", as you've constructed it above?
People make reference to the mercantile empires of the great East and West Indies Companies (English, Dutch, etc.) of centuries ago - they seem like a version of this.
To what extent was the Roman empire a mercantile-economic "system" as much as it was a political-military state?
That's all the time I have today, folks, for pondering the deeper questions of history.
Ukraine and the Global American Empire
This is one the most objective analysis I've read, so far. Kinda what we used to read👏👏👏
What I find annoying and irritating is how the entire Western media-state machine has uniformly sided with Ukraine and painted them as some kind of freedom loving vanguards defending their homes and livelihoods against Russian aggression
The harsh reality is that Ukraine is a complicated place that is a big mess. They are supremely corrupt, and have significant armed elements that are actual, literal Nazis (hello, Azov battalion?), and the factional problems in the east/Crimea are not new. Everyone forgets that the Ukrainian army in the Crimea basically joined the Russian side. This has also happened to some extent in Donbas etc in the east
Putin cannot and will never be able to occupy and pacify western ukraine. But I don't think it was about that. The two nations have longstanding differences that date back to 1989.
Now, that doesn't make what Russia has done right. War is never the answer. But these sanctions are insane - they will not solve anything; name one sanctions regime that actually resulted in regime change or behavioral change; and the cost will be borne by common folk both in and outside of Russia. It is almost like the covid folk were told "Russia economic lockdown - go!" and proceeded to go to town. Meanwhile, social media and news is absolutely ablaze with every armchair warrior imaginable saying the Russians should be fought down to the last Ukrainian. Just give them Javelins and F-16s, that will do it!
My hope is that Putin & Zelensky come to an accord - let the Eastern regions be autonomous/Russian, declare Ukraine as neutral with a nonaggression pact from Russia, no more Nato expansion, and end the war. The world has enough to deal with.
I think you're missing a couple of important points. In the early 2000s France, Germany and Russia were great mates and Russia was feeling quite European. Putin even asked Clinton about joining Nato. However in 2003 France, Germany and Russia issued a joint declaration condemning the plan to invade Iraq. Together those 3 countries represented a huge power block which the US wanted to be dismantled. The US created the friction in Georgia and has been trying to destabilize Russia ever since. They want Putin gone and some corrupt President installed in his place who will make all of Russia natural resources available to Western exploitation. Don't forget Russia is the largest country in the world which also possesses the greatest amount of resources.
"After they finish throwing their tantrum, they’ll go pick another proxy fight somewhere else, and ruin some other country."
And according to the insane words of Secretary of War Blinken on Sunday, they're now trying to use Poland as their next proxy sheep despite Poland's protestations.
https://thegoodcitizen.substack.com/p/does-tucker-carlson-read-the-good?s=w
You didn't anger me. This is all sombre, sane, analysis.
I'm not angered at all, instead, saddened because just like with covid, I have friends who rather see Putin as a crazy lunatic ravaging innocent Ukraine instead of doing just a little bit of research outside of CNN/CBC. In fact, one of my friends made the comment 'how can someone just decide one day to invade another country'. I forwarded her quite a few enlightening, non disputable articles & videos including the one of John Mearsheimer mentioned here. I haven't heard from her since.
For a longer analysis, here's a summary by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano which I haven't read all the way through yet.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/abp-vigano-globalists-have-fomented-war-in-ukraine-to-establish-the-tyranny-of-the-new-world-order/
In one thing only do you err, E.: in assuming we, your readers, would be among those so infected by the power of narrative as to be angered by such a dispassionate, reasoned and articulate analysis!
Why do you think you have angered people? Not many people who read this are in a media bubble, I presume. FWIW, I am ethnically Russian living in the US and married to an American
with a degree in poliscience who has been involved in certain things. My mother and friends and other family members still live in Russia. From our joint point of view (and we are a group of people with very different experiences and perspectives) what you wrote is essentially correct.
What a refreshing read. Makes me realize how crazy the MSM tries to make me feel - gaslighting us from all sides. My soul knows when it is reading something that feels more measured.
Ukraine's application for NATO membership dates back to 2008 and was never approved. There was no indication recently that this could change. This is not the reason for the timing of this war. On the other hand, I can't help but notice that it comes at an ideal moment to avoid holding accountable those responsible for the disaster of the last two years.
Great article. I really appreciate your thinking and skillful writing.
I was really hoping Ukraine would get a break and have a good life when they left the Soviet Union due to the democide that Stalin & Lysenko did, but 2 decades of corruption was all they got. Then they elected an ethnic Russian who cut a sweetheart deal with Russia for discounted gas, increased transit fees and a 4 billion dollar interest free loan. The US didn't like that and staged the Maidan Coup.
The US then promptly lost Crimea without a shot being fired and two provinces in the east. Now they lose at least up to the river and probably the Odessa region. Land locked rump of Galacia might be all that is left. Keep fighting and you'll lose that too.
There was an old saying about the British Empire that applies to Empire USA: "The only thing worse than being their enemy is being their ally".
The USA has 2 choices in this situation. Go nuclear or go home and nobody is going nuclear over Ukraine. Anyone who thought they would is just plain wrong.
Brilliantly correct. At least I know that when Putin says something, he does something consistent with what he has said, and it is relevant and useful, at least to his ideals. If I have to listen much longer to Trudeau and Freeland mention democracy, equality and rights, as they create legislation to freeze the bank accounts of everyone who disagrees with their group think, I shall have to move to Russia where at least I know there is some logic and purpose to the things I dislike.
eugyppius - Recently you wrote that you don't expect the Bundestag to pass the vaccine mandate. Is that still your opinion, or do you think the Bundestag will approve the vaccine mandate? There was an article on TheLocal.de yesterday that said the measure will be voted on the first part of April and more MPs are backing it.
How old is "system", as you've constructed it above?
People make reference to the mercantile empires of the great East and West Indies Companies (English, Dutch, etc.) of centuries ago - they seem like a version of this.
To what extent was the Roman empire a mercantile-economic "system" as much as it was a political-military state?
That's all the time I have today, folks, for pondering the deeper questions of history.
You nailed it!
Are you surprised by the lack of reader outrage?