Bear-baiting was very popular from the 12th until the 19th century.[4] From the 16th century, many bears were maintained for baiting. In its best-known form, arenas for this purpose were called bear-gardens, consisting of a circular high fenced area, the “pit“, and raised seating for spectators. A post would be set in the ground towards the edge of the pit and the bear chained to it, either by the leg or neck. Several well-trained fighting or baiting dogs, usually Old English Bulldogs, would then be set on it, being replaced as they got tired or were wounded or killed. In some cases the bear was let loose, allowing it to chase after animals or people. – From Wikipedia.
In what way does the Wests behavior towards Russia differ from Bear Baiting? In my opinion there is very little difference.
The risks to the spectators are the same; occasionally the Bear would get loose.
Walrus.
What are the russians doing in Tartus,Syria.
What are the russians doing in Sudan
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/africa-file-may-31-2024-russian-red-sea-logistics-center-sudan
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/07/assessing-russian-plans-military-regeneration/05-russias-navy-and-naval-platforms
The Russians are in Syria at the invitation of the Syrian government and have been for decades and have a warm water port in Tartus. There is a book “Alas Babylon” by Pat Frank written in 1959 it is about an American pilot who during a tense period during the cold war mistakenly bombs the Russian port at Tartus which starts a nuclear war. It is not inconceivable that a mistake could cause a nuclear war with our baiting of the bear.
It’s clear that neither side is going to launch intentionally. That has always been clear.
The Russians don’t need to. We know they’d use tactical if they were overmatched (Trukhan) but they’re not overmatched.
And the notion they’d launch even were the US to permit deep strikes is far-fetched. Apart from the asymmetric responses at their disposal, one of their unstoppable missiles even on an empty field somewhere in Europe would sober the Europeans up (the Poles already having second thoughts, according to recent statements) and would lead to a cessation of those deep strikes.
That we or the French would launch is a nonsensical idea. Haven’t seen that suggested anywhere, not even by the chest-beaters in London or Paris.
Nor the US. I’ve seen suggestions that there’s a faction in Washington that would like it to go as far as that. I simply don’t believe it. There may be a faction in Washington that would like to threaten nuclear, for domestic PR purposes, but threats is as far as that would go.
This is a grubby little war that we in the West hope will serve to damage or weaken Russia but we won’t take it further than that. The Russians will plod on with their “demilitarisation and denazification”, however they choose to define that, and when they’re done they’ll be done. They won’t need to launch and the Americans won’t launch either.
I still believe this is a most dangerous time. The chances of accidental nuclear must be greater than at any time in the past. One hopes very much that the back channels are working 24/7 just in case.
In this case, the bear is firmly chained to the post by its neck..
It cannot get loose and survive and it will not be let loose. Few attacking bulldogs might get caught in its claws but that’s the extent of it.
The bear is fucked.
Napoleon thought that. As did Hitler.
Absolutely. Hitler even lost half of Germany to the Commies, only to be regained due to the magnanimity of the Russians who let them to reunite. How do the Germans pay back? By arming the Ukranians to the teeth and funding them for the war. Now that the Bear is wide awake after nice winter hibernation fully energiged and hungry the fools who think that the Bear is easy picking forgetting that they have Supersonics and Sarmat etc will find they are toast and probably take the rest of the humanity with them. Thanks
“In this case, the bear is firmly chained to the post by its neck”
A brave assumption, I would suggest.
Indeed, brave to the point of idiocy.
The West has demonstrably underestimated the strength and resilience of its chains (“Turn the Ruble to Rubble!” “In tatters! Tatters, I tell you!”), and it has demonstrably underestimated the capabilities of the Russian economy to ramp up the productions of weapons and military equipment.
But, still, go ahead and assume that those chains are made of adamantium, and the yoke is firmly attached.
Walrus,
No, this is Europe desperate to get the US involved directly so they can get more of our money and arms as they are broke. We should tell them to make peace; tell Zelensky what country he can retire too with whatever amount of money he’s stolen we are willing to let him keep; then tell the rest of NATO to go screw themselves.
On a bright note the Ukrainians are not eating the cats or dogs.
Fred. It’s bad not to think, but not to think.
F&L,
Perhaps the recipient of <19,000 votes in the UK, 2-Tier Kier, should take a look at the size of the UK armed forces before deciding that yet another attack with special ops in the RF will, to paraphrase Kamala, achieve some unrealized battlefield gains.
Why paraphrase?
On the perils of climate change:
“We will work together, and continue to work together, to address these issues…and to work together as we continue to work, operating from the new norms, rules, and agreements, that we will convene to work together…we will work on this together.”
On the Highland Park shooting:
“We got to take this stuff seriously, as seriously as you are because you have been forced to have taken this seriously,”
On Covid-19:
“It is time for us to do what we have been doing. And that time is every day.”
TTG – filter objects so some of the language I used. Re-submitted with a term for the neocons/’Europoodles omitted.
EO,
I actually agree with you that neither side has any reasonable means for significant escalation beyond going nuclear. No one wants to do that. It’s bluster and posturing. The idea of a NATO or US imposed no fly zone would put US forces in direct combat with Russian forces. No one wants that, either.
For all the bluster, I doubt the Kremlin has the stomach to invite NATO air assets into joining the fight. They’re having trouble dealing with Ukrainian drones and their logistic systems are teetering on collapse. Any escalating moves outside the theater could invide retaliation against Russia’s ghost fleet of tankers.
TTG – I got it wrong about the filter. Apologies. Would it be possible to delete the redundant comment?
Have been wondering about their logistics too. They seem to pause every now and again to allow logistics to catch up – how it seems, anyway. And from the Two Majors site and elsewhere it could well be the case that the Russians haven’t finished getting shot of their weaker or more venal commanders. An article by “Simplicius” a while back indicated much the same.
It does seem clear, however, that neither the RF nor the US want this to escalate much further. Your air assets, which I believe are formidable, would surely have to be based in Europe in any case? The European politicians would rapidly simmer down if air bases in Europe started to get attacked.
EO,
Do you want the first comment or the second to stand?
Fred – I don’t believe the European politicians genuinely want to get the Americans to escalate. It’s just posturing. Posturing is what the Europoodles are good at. World class. But behind the posturing they know that significant escalation has never been on the cards:-
1, In this theatre the Americans have nothing much to escalate with.
2, If the Americans did escalate to such degree as they could – attempted “no fly Zones” or serious deep strikes or insertion of tripwire forces – then they would inevitably have to escalate from bases in Europe. That would mean Europe itself would become a war zone. No Europoodles, including us, have the stomach for that. You do realise the politicians are all talk and as little do as they can get away with? Our job is to cheer on the proxies into the killing fields, not to go there ourselves!
3. The Americans do of course have nuclear but they will not escalate to that level.
So the posturing we’re seeing at the moment from the Europeans is just that. Posturing. Calling for escalation, knowing very well they won’t get it and they’d run a mile from it if they did.
Why this posturing?
Blame game. That’s been apparent since the failure of the sanctions war. The various sets of European politician will need their various Dolchstoßlegenden. Yours will too. Your people tend to blame the Ukrainians for screwing up. Rather than confess they screwed up themselves. That’s your get-out. In our case I’ve already seen press articles on the lines of “The Americans wimped out and let us down”. That’s ours.
Take no notice of any of it. 1,2,and 3 above apply and the politicians know it.
Not a very good analogy, to the point of being ridiculous. The West’s reactions to Russia are due to their threatening behavior. Your buddy Putin has even stated that he wants an empire back. If Russia withdraws from Ukraine, they would soon find themselves treated differently. Besides, Russia is not nearly as strong as they want others to believe and nuclear weapons are not military weapons. They are political ones and if you try to use them, you commit suicide.
Lars and Walrus,
A better analogy would be sending the dogs in when a bear gets into the chicken coop, Something my brother had to do up in New Hampshire. The dogs scared the bear away from the chickens.
Lars,
If NATO allows Russia to join they’ll have nothing to fear, so why not move it all the way east and include all the former USSR republics all at once.
“nuclear weapons are not military weapons”
They worked rather well on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and thus curtailed US losses from any invasion of the Japanese home islands.
Fred,
Putin asked and NATO offered membership. Putin was incensed that Russia would have to adhere to an accession plan just like every other country in Eastern Europe.
TTG,
That’s just like the offer made to restructure the Russian economy. Shock therapy that made corrupt people rich, impoverished a couple generations, and set the stage for Putin. No surprise he didn’t take that bait. How has the billions in our monet shipped into Eastern Europe helped the US?
Fred,
It was the same shock therapy that was applied across Eastern Europe and in East Germany as well. It was far from perfect, but it ended up working in most those places. I had a front row seat to how that happened in Poland and East Germany. Ukraine, Belarus and Russia were the exceptions. The oligarchs hosed those countries up. I watched that up close, as well.
TTG,
It absolutely was NOT the same shock therapy that was applied across Eastern Europe and East Germany. Go over to the Unz Review and read the latest article by Professor Jeffery Sachs. The shock therapy applied to Eastern Europe was stabilized by huge support and money to prop it up and support it to allow it to transition safely to western market forces. They refused to support Russia at all. In the long run, it worked out for Russia, after over a decade of intense hardship for the Russian people, who saw their life expectancy dive to the level of that of Bangladesh. It also allowed the Russian Jewish Oligarchs to rob the industrial base of Russia, buying up state owned industries for pennies on the dollar. Another positive outcome of the whole FUBAR project was that the Chinese studied it closely and made the correct conclusions about avoiding such shock therapy in their own economic changes, deciding to introduce market reforms while continuing to hold on to central planning and refusing all foreign debt. They could clearly see that inviting “International Finance” into your nation is a great recipe for losing control.
frankie p,
The US and other Western donors gave billions to Russia. Unfortunately it was two years too late and to the wrong people. By the time this aid started flowing, The oligarchs and rebranded communist nomenklatura reasserted themselves in the Kremlin and that aid only reinforced the damage done by Russia’s new leaders.
TTG,
“Ukraine, Belarus and Russia” That accounts for a majority of the population of the former USSR. Great job! Brilliant work. Looks of Western groups got rich off that too.
Fred,
So you do expect the US to save the entire world. We pretty much saved Eastern Europe and the Baltics. Ukraine is a work in progress. Belarus and Russia were hosed by Lukashenko, Yeltsin and Putin, their crooked nomenklatura and their oligarchs.
TTG,
No. You should stop projecting. “We” didn’t save s@$&. Getting rich off destroying a society only filled some coffers and only temporarily. It was the same moral leadership we saw with the UN and the Clinton Global Initiative and their fundamental transformation of Haiti. That worked out great too.
TTG,
It was not at all the same shock therapy that was applied across Eastern Europe. It was a completely different plan. Sachs details this here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWYZpF2ngnc&t=427s
TTG,
As for the oligarchs messing up economic reform in Russian in the 90s – those oligarchs were working hand-in-glove with the US government as is detailed in Paul Klebnikov’s book ‘Godfather of the Kremlin’.
The US wanted to save Poland and it wanted to destroy Russia. It had a plan to do both and both plan’s worked brilliantly until Putin thwarted what the US was doing in Russia.
TTG: “Putin asked and NATO offered membership.”
I suspect you are referring to the reminiscing’s of George Robinson for that claim.
The conversation is related by His Lordship as this:
“Putin said: ‘When are you going to invite us to join Nato?”
Robinson claimed he replied with:
“Well, we don’t invite people to join Nato, they apply to join Nato.
To which Putin is claimed to have said:
“Well, we’re not standing in line with a lot of countries that don’t matter.”
Quite apart from this being a very thin reed indeed – I don’t know of any other witness – I would suggest that Robinson’s paraphrasing doesn’t support your claim.
1) Putin definitely didn’t ask for membership, he asked why membership wasn’t on offer.
2) Robinson very definitely says that membership ISN’T offered. Not ever.
Taken together they make the third sentence a dismissive one, not a rejection born out of “incense”.
Yeah, Right,
That’s a better description of what happened. Putin was not going to stand in line or jump through hoops like other countries that don’t matter to him. The Guardian describes another conversation with Putin after the Robinson-Putin exchange.
NATO and Russia did establish a Partnership for Peace program, a NATO-Russia Founding Act, a NATO-Russia Council and the NATO Russia Founding Act in the early years. The Orange Revolution started souring Putin on Western intentions and Russia’s invasion of Georgia, and the occupation of Crimea put an end to it all.
That early Robinson-Putin conversation also puts the rest the oft repeated claim that NATO aggressively expanded eastward. It was those Eastern European countries that requested to join NATO and were willing to jump through those hoops to become full members. The conversation also points out Putin’s attitude towards those countries. They are countries that don’t matter. No wonder he doesn’t think that Ukraine is not a country.
YR/TTG,
Maybe this is a stupid question, but what is the point of NATO existing if Russia joins it?
Eric Newhill,
Not stupid at all. If Russia was a member state of NATO, NATO’s original mission would be totally obsolete. That was the problem for NATO after the breakup of the USSR. It was pretty much an organization in search of a mission. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine breathed new life in NATO and brought about more nations joining the alliance against a newly aggressive Kremlin.
TTG,
Right. So a couple of points;
1. NATO was determined to continue existing past its purpose for 30 years between the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ill advised invasion of Ukraine. That’s along time and a lot of money. The bureaucratic survival instinct is strong with that one. One can almost imagine NATO architecting situations that would provide the excuse to be perpetually necessary.
2. Russia asking to join NATO could have been merely a strategy on Russia’s part to dissolve NATO, at which point Russia could begin imperial projects.
Yes, I’m that cynical – and I’m usually right. There are no good guys in the real world. There are only power plays by those with the toughness, resources, connections and brains to implement them.
Eric, a NATO that has Russia as a member state would have no reason to exist.
If anything, Russia as a member state of NATO would be a Hungary-on-Steroids attempting to put a dead hand on NATO military adventurism.
Only – unlike the commendable efforts of Viktor Orban – the dead hand of the Kremlin wouldn’t be able to be ignored.
As for TTG answer to you, I’d like to point out that there were five expansions of NATO prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “breathing new life in NATO”.
So I would suggest that TTG is engaging in a very arguable chicken-and-egg exercise, because it is equally arguable that it was the bringing about of more nations joining the alliance that is the explanation for the new aggressiveness emanating from the Kremlin.
I’m not alone in that view: there were many US diplomats starting from James Baker down to Bill Burns who were warning that the eastward expansion of NATO will lead to a predictable increase in Russian aggressiveness westward.
“We pretty much saved Eastern Europe and the Baltics.
Ukraine is a work in progress.”
Let me suggest to my fellow Americans:
Just stay out of these squabbles within Eastern Europe.
They have a long, well-documented history of squabbling among themselves.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZlQy6FlDBO1ypReq5m5OKOo_pcScdtDe
Why on earth should America get involved in their squabbles?
Please spare America from this forever envolvement with Europe’s squabbles.
Did Biden really say this — I can’t quite make out the dialogue though subtitles are provided. If he did we need to invoke the 25th amendment.
https://x.com/kyivpost/status/1834826545665364194
Biden dismisses Putin’s most recent threats.
“I don’t accept the idea that using Storm Shadow missiles to bomb targets in Russia would be tantamount to NATO starting a war with Moscow” – Biden.
Yes, a bit of editing. He clearly does not consider Putin worth of a serious response. Causing quite a bit of verbal stir in the background. Unfortunately the camera moves towards the ‘rabble/pack/’journalists’ too late for us curious nitwits to take a closer look.
A journalist’s question: What do you think of Vladimir Putin’s threat of war, Mr. President.
Answer Biden: I don’t think much about Vladimir Putin.
https://youtu.be/89ov9dkyb7M?t=110
What’s strange is that my sympathy/pity for verbally humbled Putin has completely gone. Not a tiny bit left, curiously enough. …
I’m sure Putin cares about your pity/sympathy about as much as he cares about the so-called verbal humiliation you refer to.
It’s not even a blip on the radar screen for him.
Putin is well accustomed to the blathering of western politicians who understand little or nothing of the current situation in Ukraine, geopolitical politics and the shifting global order.
Putin is a realist, and unlike Biden, he lives in and confronts a world of reality. He doesn’t ignore parts of the reality that don’t conform to his worldview, as that would be dangerous to his nation. He leaves that ignorance to the western politicians like Biden and his pack of European poodles, who seem to ignore the fact that the belligerence of the US has formed a resistance of nations who are now closely allied, and these nations have the economic, manufacturing and political power to say “No” and challenge and ridicule the “rules-based international order.” Anyone who uses logic and understanding of international relations join them in ridiculing this “Rules-based international order”, for it does not refer to international law underpinned by the United Nations, rather an American invented facade that was never voted on or approved by the nations of the world. And so the world begins to splinter into a number of camps. The failing west and its allies in Asia, Japan and South Korea in one camp, and Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea in the other camp. The third camp consists of countries who do not want to join either camp, but want to continue trade relations with both. Many of these countries are more closely aligned with the Russia/China group, and some are more closely aligned (through debt) to the western group.
What really boggles my mind is the Western policy makers can’t think ahead and plan their moves as if the adversary is totally incompetent and can be subdued. Take the case of Iran after 50 odd years of sanctions and isolation it is the king maker in the middle east. Hell they got sandal wearing Huthis effectively blockading the international water ways and our navy is just powerless. Now the word is the Huthi guys are sending soldiers to Syria I wonder why? In my opinion when Bush Jr back stabbed him after taking his help in Afganistan by encouraging Georgia to alunch an attack, Putin started to plan for this inevitable war and in 2014 when Obama/Merkel/Hollande pulled a fast one in Ukraine Putin worked hard to build ties to China, India and Iran for the inevitable war that was coming. He gave a good deal to Modi for oil (India imports the cheap oil and refines and sells to Europe at a good mark up! How dumb those western guys get?) Now compare this to the planning of the west these guys are running out of ammunition, how are they supposed to fight with meagre ammunition? What about ramp up of production you might say. Now China says it will not export the key ingredient (I think it is antimony, I could be wrong) Now they want to keep poking the bear. GOOD LUCK
“What really boggles my mind is the Western policy makers can’t think ahead and plan their moves as if the adversary is totally incompetent and can be subdued.”
More than that, I would suggest.
They plan their moves as if their adversaries don’t even get a turn.
Neocon: We’ll do [this]!
Neocon: Then we’ll to [that]!
Neocon: Then we’ll pounce [here]!
Neocon: Then Mission Accomplished!
It is akin to watching a chess master making a move, and then being utterly astonished when the other side takes a turn.
Yeah, Right,
Can’t argue that point, but the same goes for the Kremlin. They invaded Ukraine without thinking it through.
TTG: “They invaded Ukraine without thinking it through.”
On the contrary, I think they gamed it through very thoroughly.
It was the Biden administration and its perfumed poodles in Europe who didn’t game it through: they all assumed that the economic sanctions would “turn the ruble to rubble” and the Russian economy would be “In tatters! Tatters, I tell you!”
That was the western game-plan, and it failed miserably. And there was no Plan B after that except the pointless and futile immiseration of the Ukrainian people and the self-immolation of a generation of able-bodied Ukrainian men.
Putin’s game-plan – his Plan A – was no secret.
It was a mad dash to the outskirts of Kiev to spook the Zelensky regime into agreeing to terms. Which was a worthwhile gambit that almost paid off: it is now generally agreed that Zelensky had pen in hand when Bonkers Boris Johnson waddled into Kiev and told him to fight to the last Ukrainian soldier.
OK. Fine. Putin would have preferred a deal that brought an end to the SMO in March 2022, but if it was going to be a steady annihilation of the Ukrainian army then they’d already Plan B’ed that and, heck, grind away, chaps.
The Russians HAVE shown an ability and a willingness to switch their entire military strategy. They clearly know what they are doing.
The Ukrainians? The west?
Well, them, not so much.
It’s trench warfare. A dogmatic refusal to entertain diplomacy and a dogged insistence of fighting it out until the last Ukrainian soldier is dead or the last American military warehouse is empty.
Whichever comes first.
This war’s end is pre-determined, TTG. It always was, though the US State Department and the White House are still in denial.
But the only question that remains is the one I posed above: Does the Ukrainian Army run out of warm bodies before the USA run out of weapons to send them?
The latter is my guess, but either ends with the same result.
Biden read that statement. Who prepared that statement? Who is running the government? This same obscure power is behind Kamala, and this is extremely disconcerting.
“Not a very good analogy, to the point of being ridiculous.” (the only part of Lars’ comment above that I agree with).
Russia is not a wild animal, captured and [ab]used for entertainment (and presumably profit); it is a Regional Power with Nukes, so it has way more freedom of action than the baited bear. US/NATO policy since the collapse of the USSR seems to indicate a desire to “capture” Russia – politically and financially, as befits our version of Empire – to control and exploit its vast resources (and more recently, to prevent China from using those resources).
The “spectators” in this are presumably the rest of the world, who are not amused or entertained by the war in Ukraine or the possibility that it is the first stage of WWIII.
OTOH, trying to follow Walrus’ analogy, presumably the European States are the “spectators”, sending their own dogs (weapons) into the pit, assuming that the ring-master (USA) has ultimate control of the situation? If so, they have way more faith in US politics and Foreign Policy than I do.
I doubt there were many efforts to “control” Russia after they moved on from communism. It was more that many Russians wanted the goods and services that were widely available in the West. They used to travel to Stockholm by the thousands to shop at IKEA. Eventually, there was an effort to bring IKEA to Russia, but the first attempt failed due to the prevailing corruption that IKEA refused to submit to. But after that, a concentrated effort by the Russian government to eliminate that corruption was made and they started to get their stores. Now they have blue and yellow imitations providing copies of IKEA furniture.
What happened was that the ruling class in Russia was losing control of these developments and started to take more internal control and like so many other dictatorships, they used the West as an excuse for increased repression. Then they expanded their aims and invaded Ukraine and now the race is on. The reality is that Russia does not have what it takes to fulfill their ambitions and that is showing more and more every day.
Walrus, it feels you ultimately have panem et circenses in mind. Bear baiting or the Bear Garden and Shakespeare’s Globe were close neighbors in the entertainment district of London’s Southwark.
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:q524n387k
Bear baiting has thus left traces in Shakespeare’s plays but also in the dairies of the famous Restoration theater visitor Samuel Pepy’s:
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1667/05/27/
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1667/09/09/
Not quite his scene:
So to my chamber, and there did some little business, and then abroad, and stopped at the Bear-garden-stairs, there to see a prize fought. But the house so full there was no getting in there, so forced to go through an alehouse into the pit, where the bears are baited; and upon a stool did see them fight, which they did very furiously, a butcher and a waterman. The former had the better all along, till by and by the latter dropped his sword out of his hand, and the butcher, whether not seeing his sword dropped I know not, but did give him a cut over the wrist, so as he was disabled to fight any longer. But, Lord! to see how in a minute the whole stage was full of watermen to revenge the foul play, and the butchers to defend their fellow, though most blamed him; and there they all fell to it to knocking down and cutting many on each side. It was pleasant to see, but that I stood in the pit, and feared that in the tumult I might get some hurt. At last the rabble broke up, and so I away to White Hall 😉
***************************
I am admittedly reminded of your clashes with the late Colonel, which surprised me at the time. … Approach to China?
Walrus –
Definitely a bad analogy. Putin is not a baited bear. He invaded his neighbor to start this war and the Russian people are now paying the penalty for his idiocy. Nobody snookered him into doing that. He is not sweet little Winnie-the-Pooh. He’s more like Uncle Remus’s burly, oafish, I’m-gonna-knock-your-head-clean-off Br’er Bear. He is now stuck in a Ukraine tar baby of his own making. He can unglue himself by withdrawing back behind his pre-2014 borders. That is all it takes. He should be taking care of the Russian people instead of murdering his neighbors. If after that he wants to regain his international reputation why not do an outreach beyond his borders with Russian culture – literature, art, film, etc. I recall watching Kuzukov’s ‘Masha and the Bear’ cartoons with my youngest granddaughter years ago. Great programming I thought, and it was popular throughout the planet.
As long as we’re doing anthropomorphism, it’s the Panda we need to beware of, not the Bear.
Sir kindly excuse me for this stupid question “would the Russian Sarmat kill us any less than the US Abombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima?” Oh by the way from what I read those damn Rooskies have modernized their nuclear weapons and have lot more than us and the Panda you are worried about. Just wondering. Thanks
Mr Rao –
Sarmat? I’m more nervous about mass poisonings by Putin using huge doses of radioactive polonium or similar substances in reservoirs. That suits his Lucretia Borgia style.
Modernizing nukes? I’ve read that Putin’s nuclear modernization effort is stalled: https://carnegieendowment.org/russia-eurasia/politika/2024/01/russias-nuclear-modernization-drive-is-only-a-success-on-paper?lang=en
Please post links to any sources you have that contradict that.
Mr. Leith taking your proposition that Putin will resort to massive poising of our reservoirs how does it change the situation? Remember the Covid Pandemic/China Wuhan Virus and all the associated stories? How did it work out for our economy? Why no real scientific evidence is produced by our trillion dollar agencies who is the real culprit after all these years ? No matter how we see it rational thinking of our long lost primacy and may be, just may be different strategy to regain that status. There was an article in Asia times about how the much hyped Chips act near dooming our star chip company Intel and then how the Inflation Reduction act is dooming remnants of our solar power industry. The problem I see is when you migrate your best talent to Finance rather than Industrial Engineering what else can we expect? I remember when I was a Grad student at an Engineering College all I could hear was my friends were more intrested in going into Corporate law (because they pay was much higher), stupid me was always wondered how come these guys spent all these years learning all these complicated sciences now want to become lawyers. Sir we reap what we sow. Sorry for the long dissertation of law fare, after all my friends were right they are rich and I am getting by. Thanks https://asiatimes.com/2024/09/the-tragedy-of-american-wealth/
Mr Rao –
I note that your link is to Asia Times, a news group under the control of the Chinese Communist Party.
The author of the article on your link uses the pen name or pseudonym of Han Feizi, a 2200 year old Chinese Machiavelli.
Try harder.
Although well meant to show the dangerous of the current situation and the escalation policy by the borg, the analogy is not adequate. It is from a Western point of view where the Westerners organize the circus, find the bulldogs, torture the bear and ultimately kill him.
From the Russian point of view this is just another attempt at destroying Russia and Russians. Another Napolen, Hitler, another Battle on the ice, etc, etc.
Watched some Victoria Nuland interviews. Quite long ones. Well worth doing. Made everything so much clearer, better defined.
That lady is a rock. A fortress of adamant. Like Brzezinski, the patron saint of the current administration, like Albright, like so many in the State Department who hail from Eastern Europe, solid all the way through. Russia delenda est engraved deep in the genes.
There is no arguing with that, I recognised at once. Facts bounce off her like tennis balls off a tank. By definition, all that Putin does is evil and all Russians sinister save the renegades. End of story. Russia delenda est.
So for many in the West well outside the State Department. The McGoverns, the Bauds, can analyse and argue till they’re blue in the face. If it’s fact versus gut Russophobia then gut Russophobia comes out ahead every time. Because there are no facts that do not admit of interpretation and whatever the fact is, the interpretation must show the Russians to be in the wrong.
Did I not know this before I saw the interviews with Mrs Nuland? I suppose I did – why else would I have been arguing for so long that we’re heading inevitably for Cold War II. But there was always a hope that other arguments would be considered. No longer, I knew, after listening to those interviews. For Mrs Nuland merely comes straight out with the Russia hatred that is better concealed but there in full measure in the Sullivans and Blinkens, the Merz’s and the Baerbocks and the von der Leyens, and it is that gut Russophobia that will determine the future of the West.
EO,
What make you think that crazy Vicki’s word on anything, let alone Russia policy, is the final word?
Maybe she is, at best, an occasionally useful Pitbull for driving hard bargains, but, otherwise, everyone – on both sides – laugh at her behind her back.
Mr. Eric Newhill your comment “Maybe she is, at best, an occasionally useful Pitbull for driving hard bargains, but, otherwise, everyone – on both sides – laugh at her behind her back.” baffles me. I hope you realize that saintly Obama who got elected on the platform of no more stupid wars and famously said don’t mess with Russia in Ukraine because it has escalation dominance so on so forth, just followed her lead to overthrow then elected Pres Yanokowitch. I kept telling my boss that I deserved a million dollar bonus to which he promptly laughed in my face because I was not a hard driving Vicky. I wish I was as smart/dumb as she was or that my boss was as dumb as Obama. Either way I lost. Thanks
Still reeling from watching those interviews, Eric. Wouldn’t mind seeing her exorcised, if they could find a priest man enough to try.
A)You are blindfolded and forced to walk the plank into Shark infested waters while 500 loaded Gatling guns are trained on you. No kevlar.
Or..
B) You must have sexual intercourse with Countess Victoria Nuland (aka Dracula) of Maidan.
Your choice.
Opening the envelope 3, 2, 1
And English Outsider chooses …
—————————————————
“Now I know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall..”
To the tune of the Beatles “A Day in the Life.”
https://youtu.be/UYeV7jLBXvA
Eric, EO is mocking the dogmatic craziness and unshakeable hatreds of the eastern European “Diplomatics” who have such an iron grip on the State Department.
He is, no doubt about it, not an admirer of Cookies Nuland.
YR,
I personally find “Cookies” to be a brutish dullard of a fanatic.
I am questioning the assertion that she – and like minded “diplomats” – have an iron grip on the state department. Do you imagine that there could be higher forces that at least moderate the brutes’ machinations? I do.
Eric, you only need to look at the current senior staffing at the State Department to see that it is stacked to the rafters with either Israel-firsters or Individuals of a Eastern European Background.
As far as I can tell the only non-fanatic to come out of the State Department and onto bigger and better things in the last decade is Bill Burns.
But, yes, I think there are “higher forces” that act to moderate the brutish machinations of those vile creatures.
But they exist (mainly) in the Pentagon, they won’t be found anywhere within the corridors of power at Foggy Bottom.
Seems pretty clear to me. Whatever countries allow their military members to play an active part in attacks on Russia have committed an act of war against Russia, with all of the consequences that entails.
If the Ukrainians cannot operate the weapons on their own, independently, they should not have them.
Stefan
There is not much Russia can do about it.
When it invaded Ukraine it walked into a trap without having plan B.
The missiles will come, and if Russia responds with an attack on a NATO country it will walk into another trap and find itself completely isolated.
John,
Another brilliant plan worthy of the villains of Bond movies.
Oh yeah – top this — A four star US Army general who isn’t gay, lesbian or transexual (yet)!
Matt Gaetz Rails Against Africom Commander.
https://youtu.be/xngz90tHZWY
Nothing so convoluted, Fred.
The Russians really haven’t thought this through.
They were too busy believing their own myths.
John,
And our fearless leaders don’t believe their own? I think they underestimate how little security they have from conventional arms much less all this exotic crap they are enamored of.
“There is not much Russia can do about it.”
He can send Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missiles to the Houthi, and with them can go Russian military “advisors” to operate them.
He can also send Iskander hypersonic missiles to Hezbollah, with some Russians who will, ahem, “maintain them according to the maker’s manual”.
I’m told there are still a few isolated US military bases in Syria. I suspect he wouldn’t have to look very hard to find some militant group more than happy to take delivery of Russian high-tech weapons that are more than capable of obliterating those bases.
And as for the yapping little British Bulldog, well, gosh, there are still a few overseas military bases. Africa in particular, but there are some in the Indian Ocean and in the Caribbean .
The Russians could directly attack those and, because of their location, such attacks can not be used to invoke Chapter 5 of the NATO Charter.
Heck, two words for you: Diego. Garcia.
Houthis would make good use of those. So would Hizb’Allah. Beware the can of opened worms.
See photo at link of the most recent Trump shooter in Maidan square, Kiev. No date given.
My question – did he marry a Belorussian woman named Marina while he was over there?
https://t.me/infantmilitario/136219
Trump shooter took photo at Maidan in Kyiv. Facebook caption reads: “In Washington and Kyiv to provide soldiers for war effort”
F&L,
This would be shooter was an ardent Ukraine supporter, voted for Trump in 2016 and was thoroughly disillusioned with him by 2020 and was an anti-vaxer. He was registered as unaffiliated since before 2016. He was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction (an automatic weapon) after a three hour standoff with police. It’d be rich if his current AK47 clone was legally owned.
The best meme I saw about it had Trump’s text today of “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” followed by mention of the attempted assassination and ending with the line “Those Swifties don’t waste any time.”
Assassin’s name is Ryan Wesley Routh. Has a certain Lee Harvey Oswald ring to it.
Excerpt from: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/09/15/us/harris-trump-election
“A U.S. law enforcement official identified the suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is continuing. Mr. Routh was interviewed by The New York Times in 2023 for an article about Americans volunteering to aid the war effort in Ukraine. Mr. Routh, who had no military experience, said he had traveled there after Russia’s invasion in 2022 to recruit Afghan soldiers for the fight. He told The Times he once visited Washington to meet with politicians to strengthen support for Ukraine. “I’m just a U.S. citizen that’s helping out,” he said.”
————-
That paragraph contains this link below (formatting is not preserved in my crude cut & paste. I’ve copied and pasted passages referring to Routh below the link.
Stolen Valor: The U.S. Volunteers in Ukraine Who Lie, Waste and Bicker.
People who would not be allowed anywhere near the battlefield in a U.S.-led war are active on the Ukrainian front, with ready access to American weapons.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/25/world/europe/volunteers-us-ukraine-lies.html
With Legion growth stalling, Ryan Routh, a former construction worker from Greensboro, N.C., is seeking recruits from among Afghan soldiers who fled the Taliban. Mr. Routh, who spent several months in Ukraine last year, said he planned to move them, in some cases illegally, from Pakistan and Iran to Ukraine. He said dozens had expressed interest.
We can probably purchase some passports through Pakistan, since it’s such a corrupt country,” he said in an interview from Washington.
It is not clear whether he has succeeded, but one former Afghan soldier said he had been contacted and was interested in fighting if it meant leaving Iran, where he was living illegally.
F&L,
I’d give this one the 24 hour rule. Too much bull flowing out there already. Meanwhile enjoy some music:
https://x.com/Brian_Kennedy/status/1834375904258392500
TTG: Sorry I doubled up on the post about Routh. Hopefully you can erase one of them. Meanwhile I’d like to mention that this 58 Hawaiian Routh – a pro-Ukrainian psycho who tried to kill a former President of the US and candidate – well he or rather the whole thing reminds me of that Lt Col Vindeman character (a Ukrainian-American) who was central to impeaching Trump the first time. Putting it very simply and crudely — it stinks to high heaven. Really badly. A Presidential candidate who runs on a platform of ending the Ukraine war is almost assassinated twice and he was impeached twice in his first term for trying to stop arms sales. I understand that’s a long way from proving anything in a court of law but ..
F&L,
Already done. Routh was definitely passionate about what he believed. The same passion that would drive him to go to Ukraine is what would drive him to try to assassinate Trump.
Vindeman caught Trump trying to shake down Zelenskiy for personal political gain, not trying to stop an arms sale. Trump let all the Javelins and Stingers into Ukraine before the invasion. Those were key weapons in those early days.
Speaking of Ukraine inspired passion, Saint Jan Pavel II had a similar passion for Poland. When Jaruzelski declared martial law and tried to crush Solidarity, the Pope was ready to resign the papacy and join the resistance in Poland. As so many have said, those are some passionate people in that part of the world.
TTG,
You are apologizing for a guy who tried to assassinate President Trump. You’re also making excuses for LTC Vindman. Trump was not removed from office for “shaking down” Zelensky for personal gain. Oh, it was “political” gain? What is that, holding Biden’s son accountable for criminal conduct? Do you need a reminder that LTCs don’t set national policy and that they should resign not sabotage the operation of government over personal bias. He should be recalled to duty and courtmartialed for his conduct.
Fred,
I’m not apologizing for the would be assassin. He’s a nutcase and the purest example of TDS I’ve seen to date. Unlike the clown in Pennsylvania who just wanted to shoot somebody important, this Florida clown was definitely gunning for Trump.
The Vindmans never went outside their NSC chains of command with their concerns. It was a CIA staffer who blew the whistle to Congress. The Vindmans testified to Congress as directed.
TTG – Sanitizing Biden family corruption just a bit?
F&L,
The congressional weaponizing government committee did their best to dig out that corruption and the best they could do was come up with a lot of innuendo. That committee was well named.
Fred — that’s beautifully put. Kudos.
If he was convicted of possessing a weapon of mass destruction he could not legally own a firearm of any kind unless he had been pardoned of the crime and had his rights to own firearms restored. Considering his conviction was for owning illegal weapons, pre Trump assassination bid, he never would have gotten those rights restored.
The rifle might have been legal owned, by someone else. The second he touched it he has committed a new felony which would have seen him spend years in prison.
But when you are convicted of a felony it isnt like the police come remove whatever remaining weapons you own. You are banned by law from owning them, when you get out of prison and are on parole, you are banned from owning them, but again no one will come look for them. Your parole officer has the right to come search any place you are living. But these people are stretched as thin as are social workers, so many people out on parole do not get the oversight they should.
I know some of you are interested in Europe.
This gives an interesting take on Ursala von der Layen:
https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-europe-commission-brussels-power/
Another interesting report is on the power changes in what was once French Africa:
“The Rise and Fall of Francafrique”
https://www.energyintel.com/00000191-d75b-dd10-af93-f77f22330000
Scott Ritter claims that on Saturday, September 14, the world came within 72 minutes of nuclear war:
https://youtu.be/YM53jpa205k