The U.S. and Perpetual War

My latest book is a powerful and empowering collection of commentaries and insights by some of today’s most respected political thinkers. The world is a mess and America is in big trouble. Despite the finger-pointing, it is the U.S. itself which is causing its own problems. Perpetual war is destroying our nation. To stop the unfolding disaster, we must honestly look at how our own leadership and policies have led the country astray. This book is the perfect place to start.

Featuring interviews of Noam Chomsky, Larry Wilkerson, Paul Craig Roberts, Mark Skidmore, Coleen Rowley, William J. Astore, Abby Martin, Dan Kovalik, Lee Camp, Finian Cunningham, Michael T. Klare, Cynthia McKinney, Scott Ritter, Joe Lombardo, Bruce Gagnon, Norman Solomon, Peter Kuznick, Ajamu Baraka, Margaret Kimberley, Matthew Hoh, Garland Nixon, and Dennis Kucinich.

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[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

The U.S. and Perpetual War | John Rachel

World War III is coming . . . LET’S DANCE!

We are sleepwalking into the greatest catastrophe in human history.

More accurately, we may be sleepwalking into the end of human history. The end of everything. Period!

Leaders in the US, NATO and the EU have openly stated they intend the Ukraine conflict to go on for a very long time. And remember, this is not about Ukraine. Zelensky is a joke, which makes sense, because he used to be a comedian. He’s perfectly qualified to be a joke. But these days he’s not funny. At all!

Russia does not want war. Russia does not want any of the animosity coming from the West. I can give hundreds of examples of Russia trying to cooperate with us. Now they’re simply fed up. They’re not going to tolerate the lies and broken promises anymore.

US and its NATO allies want to destroy Russia. That’s it in a nutshell. They have all along. Russia did not start this war. US and NATO gave Russia no alternative but to invade.

And the lunatics who are pushing for this will risk everything. They are even talking about nuclear war becoming more inevitable.

Are you getting this? Do you see where we’re headed?

We have one option: Removing these crazies from power. Appealing to them is ridiculous. They’re not listening. They don’t care what we sane and sensible people think. Period! They only know war and conquest. Now it’s destroy Russia and steal everything. Next it’s destroy China and steal everything. If we don’t all die in a nuclear holocaust, we will be in the middle of permanent war and slaughter for the next 20 years.

If there are any serious plans for stopping these maniacs, I’m not aware of them. The Peace Dividend strategy is a long shot. But as far as I can see, it’s all we have. You’ve heard the pleas emanating from the current peace movement . . . “Oh pretty please! Stop the wars. No more bombing Yemen. Bring the troops home. Let’s all be nice to one another!”

You want to see how well this will work? Try telling an anteater to stop eating ants. Next time there’s a thunderstorm, stand on your porch and yell at the clouds. 

So what’s with the title? Well, I have been known to venture into sarcasm . . . at least a few times.

Truth is, I’m completely overwhelmed, underwhelmed, shocked, numb, and baffled. Thus, if everyone now being subjected to the 24/7 barrage of war propaganda, runaway inflation, food shortages, elementary school shootings, a crumbling economy, a totally inept and corrupt governing class, Covid-19 fear porn, monkeypox fear porn, now even casual talk about throwing nukes into the equation . . . yes, if everyone one night just went out into the streets, all 330 million of us, and started dancing, honestly? . . . IT WOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE!

Because THAT’S how nuts everything is these days!

But you know what? Quite honestly, it would be phenomenal to see such a show of unity — as surreal a show as it might be. Because for a few happy moments at least, or however long our little street party lasted, we wouldn’t be at each other’s throats, we’d stop the yelling and blaming and hating, and instead be showing off our best dance moves, shaking our booties, and just having a darn good time. I think it’s a great idea!

Which is my way of saying that more than ever before, we need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, back-to-back, belly-to-belly, embrace and celebrate what we have in common, and put aside all differences that ultimately aren’t that important. We need to feel human again. We need to fully appreciate one another and understand that unified we are strong, divided we are weak and just pawns in someone else’s game, and that someone else sees us as “expendables”, just cannon fodder in wars to protect their wealth and power. We need to see who the real enemies are. Don’t be fooled by the lies. It’s not you and I that are the problem. We don’t start wars, we don’t crash the economy, we don’t loot the Treasury, we don’t jack up the contagiousness of viruses and inflict them on the rest of humankind, we don’t deprive one another of our share of the vast wealth of this country.

So getting together, whether it’s to dance, or to protest the abuses and humiliations we all endure just trying to survive, or to show up en masse at the polls and vote the pay-for-play lapdogs of the rich and powerful out of office, or to just talk to one another and try to sort out the mess our country is in — yes, getting together — is exactly what we must be doing!

It’s not just a pretty thought. Frankly it’s a matter of survival!

These wars will never end until we the people end them. Or the wars end us.

Yes, it’s that bad. And getting worse by the day.

You think I’m exaggerating? When is the last time you heard any of these blabbermouths on TV, in the media, or in government talk about … wait for it … (drumroll) … PEACE?

I rest my case.

Not long ago I came across a video that turns me into a crying old fool every time I watch it. And I won’t tell you how many times that is. It’s embarrassing and I’m surprised I’m not a dehydrated pile of talcum powder. Check it out!

First off, some things are SO BEAUTIFUL, only tears can express the total profound joy I’m feeling. Such a magnificent song, with such a powerful message! Seeing every size and shape musician, from across the globe, every color and religion and culture, come together just to make great music, to make Cat Stevens’ work of genius come alive again. Whew!

But there’s a darker side to my tears. Cat Stevens performed this the last time in America at the height of his popularity, near the end of his legendary North America tour. That was 1976. Meaning this amazing call for peace has been around for close to a half century. And look at the state the world is in. As inspiring as this masterpiece was back then, we never got on the “peace train”. Now forty-five years later. No peace train. No peace.

And that’s also something to cry about.

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

World War III is coming . . . LET’S DANCE! | John Rachel

The future is so bright . . .

Idiots in power! (I try not to judge people by their looks
but I have to be honest. These people are scary!)

Above are just some of the people in positions of enormous influence and power who are promoting the war in the Ukraine. Make no mistake about it. They couldn’t care less about Ukraine or the Ukrainian people. What they truly care about is destroying Russia.

Contrary to what 111.99% of what is reported in the Western MSM, Russia did not want this conflict. Putin did not want to “invade” Ukraine. Putin and the Kremlin do not want to kill innocent Ukrainian citizens. Russia does not want to take over and occupy Ukraine.

Russia was FORCED intentionally into this military action. This nightmare is the product of US/NATO provocation, intimidation, aggression, all engineered at minimum to give Russia a bloody nose, at maximum to liquidate Russia as an independent country.

So where is this heading?

Everyone in the idiot gallery above is for sending more arms to Ukraine. Of course, arming Ukraine with lethal weaponry, the threat of Ukraine arming itself with nuclear weapons, is what made it necessary for Russia to destroy the Ukrainian military — which is what it is now doing — because it had become an existential threat. So what’s the solution proposed by the above brain trust for addressing the crisis? How do they propose fixing this mess?

More arms . . . more weapons . . . more threats to Russia!

“Gee, what started that apartment building on fire, chief?”

“Apparently, open cans of gasoline and kerosene in the basement.”

“Well, gosh darn, there’s only one option. Let’s pour more gasoline and kerosene into the building and see what happens.”

Several of the idiots in the scary collage above have moreover suggested that NATO and the US establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Which will mean — please give this your full attention — US/NATO planes and missiles deployed to shoot down Russian aircraft. Translation: Direct engagement, military conflict — yes, war! — with Russia.

Gee . . . how will this turn out?

After decade after decade of bombing; after twenty years of the War on Terror; a meltdown of the economy in 2008-2009; two years and counting of Covid-19 technocratic terrorism still hovering over us like a sledgehammer; with a coming economic meltdown which will make 2008 look like a rounding error; with the raucous, maniacal, increasingly fever-pitch pounding of war drums and shrill harangues against Russia and China; with a Congress and White House apparently inhabited by the certifiably insane (again just look at the above collection of whackos) . . . hmm. Whaddya think?

What will the future look like?

My prediction is that if we keep going the way we are, the future will indeed be . . . bright!

Very bright! And hot! Here’s how I imagine it’ll turn out . . .

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

The future is so bright . . . | John Rachel

A Few Things Left Out of the Russia-Bashing Narrative

All of the bleating bloviators, all of the hand-wringing virtue signalers, all of the misguided misinformed peace lovers condemn Russia for its “invasion”. But somehow they don’t ever get around to mentioning the 100,000+ Ukrainian troops in the conflict zone. They don’t mention the huge deployment of lethal arms on the line of contact with the Donbas republics. They don’t mention the increased shelling and killing of innocent citizens by the barbaric Azov Battalion troops. They don’t mention the declared intention of Ukraine to invade and occupy Crimea against the will of the citizens there, who voted overwhelmingly to rejoin Russia rather than be subjected to persecution by the Russia-hating neo-Nazis in control of the country after the US-orchestrated Maidan uprising and coup. They don’t mention the statement by Zelensky about Ukraine obtaining nuclear weapons — just what the world needs, eh? Another nuclear-armed state controlled by oligarchs, mobsters, and power-drunk sociopaths.

And no one mentions THIS * . . .

Do you think these might be among the assets Russia has targeted for “demilitarization”?

Or after the chaos caused by coronavirus, gain-of-function, the whole pandemic mess, do you think it’s just hunky-dory that the US has hundreds of bio-weapons labs across the globe? If so, I nominate your hometown for building one of these “research” facilities.

I’m going to give Putin the benefit of the doubt on this and wait to see how the military campaign unfolds and is finally resolved. I’ll take him at his word when he says Russia cannot tolerate a hostile military presence, nuclear weapons, NATO-trained hostile troops and armaments, and US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BIOWEAPONS LABS in a country that borders on Russia. Putting the shoe on the other foot, e.g. similar threats in Canada or Mexico, his request for a binding security agreement seems reasonable and constructive, for everyone involved.

Russia respectfully requested that US/NATO imperial powers grant it some basic courtesy and understanding. US/NATO refused. Putin did and is doing what he had to do to protect Russia from further intimidation and inevitable military assault. Putin has been absolutely clear about Russia’s position on everything that went into creating this crisis, going back to his landmark Munich address in 2007. Something US/NATO can’t comprehend is that he does not bluff, play games, posture, or prevaricate.

Since Russia mounted their operation, the US/NATO aggressors have since shown their true colors by promising more lethal weaponry to Ukraine to further inflame the conflict and promote a larger war, presumably to exhaust and bankrupt Russia. Which has been their intent and raison d’être all along.

Mind you, I’m categorically opposed to war and unprovoked aggression. But when all the weepy honk-for-world-peace folks out there demand an end to war, maybe they should start with their own belligerent governments and build out from there.

*  The original link was blocked, which went to a video discussing the various biolabs in Ukraine and other nearby countries. Several other links which took me to sites, where I saw with my own eyes discussions of this open secret, are also blocked. I noticed now there are scores of fake news alerts about the biolabs claim, a red flag in my view. Apparently, this has been deemed taboo. Here are more links and you can judge for yourself whether the claim has any validity: VIDEO … US Embassy in Ukraine … Algora Blog … South Front.

[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . https://jdrachel.com ]

A Few Things Left Out of the Russia-Bashing Narrative | John Rachel

War Games

 

I have been saying for some time that the U.S. wants a war with Russia.

Why? Because if it can cut Russia down to size, then the only country standing between America and total global domination is China. China and Russia have been cozying up lately.  Together they are a formidable threat. Take out Russia, China becomes a manageable opponent.  That's how the theory goes.

Let's cut to recent events.

Terrorist attack in Paris.  Refugee crisis escalates in Europe.  Russia is on the job offering serious opposition to ISIL.  France and other European countries are finally talking about working cooperatively with Russia to defeat ISIS.

French Prime Minister Hollande is scheduled to meet in the next few days with Putin to put their heads together and coordinate their military campaigns against the terrorists.

Turkey blows a Russian fighter jet out of the sky. Its F-16 were laying in wait. Probably the Russian fighter never crossed into Turkish air space. Even if it did, it was even by Turkey's own admission only allegedly in Turkish territory for 17 seconds.

In any case, blam! . . . down goes the plane.

IMMEDIATELY, Turkey turns to NATO -- America's proxy fighters -- to obtain unanimous support and approval for its unquestionably reprehensible deed.

Why?

Because under the terms of the NATO agreement, if any nation belonging to the alliance is attacked, it is regarded as an attack on all members and they must then fight together as a unified force against the alleged aggressor.

Are you seeing now how this works?

Russia had without any reasonable or legal justification one of its planes shot down.

Understandably, Putin has publicly announced that from this point forward, it will defend itself against any threat to its forces in Syria.  It now has a naval ship in the area with the deadly S-300 air defense system, and is sending the even more effective S-400 air defense system to the Syrian base in Latakia.

Voila!

If Russia shoots back in defense under any real or perceived threat -- like Turkish F-16s or Turkish ground defense locking Russian planes with target seeking radar -- in theory all of NATO must oppose it.

Total war!

Merry Christmas Ashton Carter, Victoria Nuland, and all of the other loathsome, wicked, hate-filled, neocon warmongers in our government.  Yeah, you get your big war, just like you wanted.

You don't think Mr. Peace Prize Prez is playing a role in this provocative and extremely dangerous scenario?  Right after the plane was shot down, Obama expressed no criticism of Turkey.  Instead, he asserted that "Turkey, like every country, has a right to defend its territory and its airspace."  Moreover, it is implausible that Turkey did this without either the knowledge or prompting of the U.S. government.  Understand that Obama has been on board with the Pax Americana imperialist program of conquest for most of his presidency. If not, how can you justify his precipitating and lying about the crisis in Ukraine.  How else can you interpret the buildup of troops right on Russia's borders, a direct provocation and chest-beating flaunting of our military power?  How else can you explain his unnecessary, counter-productive pivot to Asia, a publicly announced strategy for "containing" China?

Now the holiday season is upon us. We'll all be enjoying the cheer, the time together with family and friends, exchanging gifts, playing Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Risk, Scrabble, Candyland and Boggle.

Just so you know, while you're having all sorts of innocent fun, here we have the lethal game our crazed leadership is playing.

But this particular game is not fun for the whole family.

War games will mean fewer members of your family to enjoy the holiday season next year.


[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

War Games

Another Average Run-of-the-Mill Benevolent Dictator

 

I am in shock!

Since reading a recent article on OpEdNews, I have been hovering somewhere between appalled and paralyzed.

While I don't claim to be an expert on all that is going on in this messy world of ours, I do consider myself fairly well-informed. By sourcing a wide variety of news sites from all over the globe, I think generally I have some idea what's going on "behind the headlines" __ meaning what intrigues and power plays actually drive the more prominent events and crises. These reports often are quite at odds with what folks get from the main stream media here in America.

Quite honestly, however, I never quite got a handle on Libya. I know the U.S. fingered its highly-visible despotic leader, Muammar Gaddafi, for all sorts of things, some true, some never proven. I remember that despite Gaddafi's denials, he was blamed for the downing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, a horrifying event. I am aware that Ronald Reagan displaying the incredible military prowess and resolve of the U.S. launched air strikes on Tripoli, in retaliation for the bombing of a Berlin disco in 1986. This was part of an ongoing campaign of demonizing Gaddafi for his aggressive anti-corporate, socialist agenda. Going back to 1981, Libya had been under sanctions for suspected involvement in a variety of terrorist activities.

Almost all sanctions were lifted in 2004. Libya renounced weapons of mass destruction. Slowly relations between Libya and the U.S., and Libya and the E.U. normalized, and mutual understanding appeared to be steadily improving over the next seven years.

Gaddafi, of course, was still mocked in the Western press as a wild-eyed dictator. His penchant for always dressing in military uniform, wearing Hollywood sunglasses, and assuming poses of pompous majesty provided lots of ammunition.
This was very one-sided, to put it mildly. Libyans themselves loved their autocratic leader.

They had good reason to, considering how he treated them, the policies he put into place to bring Libya from a miserable, backward, isolated Third World country, to what it was in 2011 when America and NATO turned on him. I will now quote verbatim from the article I mentioned, by the brilliant economic analyst, Derryl Hermanutz, a list outlined originally by Michael Parenti.

Before Libya was destroyed by the violent coup instigated and coordinated by the West, finally brought to a cataclysmic end with NATO's bombing of Gaddafi's security forces, permitting takeover by extremist Muslim terrorists: 

1)  There was no electricity bill in Libya; electricity was free for all its citizens.
2)  There was no interest on loans, banks in Libya were state-owned and loans given to all its citizens at zero percent interest by law.
3)  Having a home was considered a human right in Libya.
4)  All newlyweds in Libya used to receive $60,000 dinar (U.S.$50,000) by the government to buy their first apartment so to help start up the family.
5)  Education and medical treatments were free in Libya. Before Gaddafi only 25 percent of Libyans were literate. Today, the figure is 83 percent.
6)  If Libyans wanted to take up a farming career, they would have received farming land, a farming house, equipments, seeds and livestock to kick start their farms... all for free.
7)  If Libyans could not find the education or medical facilities they needed, the government funded them to go abroad. For it was not only paid for, but they got a U.S.$2,300/month for accommodation and car allowance.
8)  If a Libyan bought a car, the government used to subsidize 50 percent of the price.
9)  The price of petrol in Libya was $0.14 per liter.
10)  Libya had no external debt and its reserves amounted to $150 billion -which are now frozen globally.
11)  If a Libyan was unable to get employment after graduation, the state would pay the average salary of the profession, as if he or she was employed, until employment was found.
12)  A portion of every Libyan oil sale was credited directly to the bank accounts of all Libyan citizens.
13)  A mother who gave birth to a child received USD $5,000.
14)  40 loaves of bread in Libya used to cost $0.15.
15)  25 percent of Libyans have a university degree.
16)  Gaddafi carried out the world's largest irrigation project, known as the Great Manmade River project, to make water readily available throughout the desert country.

Gaddafi believed that the wealth of a country belonged to everyone. Libya has vast oil reserves. Once the spigots were turned on after sanctions were lifted, enormous sums of money poured into the country. And Gaddafi put it to work for everyone, not just the elites, not just the multi-national corporations.

Gaddafi had big plans. He imagined the entire continent of Africa adopting his vision of shared wealth, of plenty for all. When he was brutally murdered, he was in the process of implementing a pan-African currency.

Now, if this man was doing such wonderful things for his people, why did America and NATO take him out? Granted, he wasn't democratically elected. In the first place, if the Libyan people want to have three elephants and a laptop computer chosen by a divining rod running their country, what business is it of the U.S. and Europe? Secondly, had they bothered to go through the motions of setting up electoral mechanisms in Libya, Gaddafi would have won by a 98% landslide. In view of what he accomplished over forty years of rule, despite the despotic, often brutal nature of his leadership, he was widely respected and admired.

The simple answer __ one that I am frankly having a lot of trouble processing __ is that Gaddafi's ideas were too dangerous. What if his vision for Africa and developing countries of the world had come true? Free education, health care, abundant food and housing?

What if his ideas spread over here?

Think about it . . .

What kind of America would we have if when you went to buy a new car, our government sent you a check for $15,000? Or when you got married, you received $50,000 to help you get started. What if your mortgage was interest-free? What if you could attend college and not have to take out a loan? What if money appeared in your bank account every month because American industry was doing well and showing good profits?

Yes, think about it . . . long and hard.

Dangerous ideas indeed.

Gaddafi was no angel. He was an egotistical, power-crazed megalomaniac, ruthless in his iron rule, aggressively anti-Western, sometimes the sponsor of terrorist killings.

But that's not why the U.S. got rid of him.

They got rid of him because those dangerous ideas might spread . . . because people might start asking dangerous questions like . . .

"Why can't we have free education / health care / electricity?"

"Why can't we all share in the enormous riches of our great country?"

"Why isn't having a home to live in a basic human right?"

"Why are we all in so much debt __ the federal government, cities, towns, people?"

You're skeptical?

Just ask yourself this . . .

If America had policies like those in Libya before the U.S. and NATO destroyed it and turned it over to ISIS and other fanatic extremists . . .

Could 1% of America's population own and control 43% of its wealth?

Could the ultra-wealthy be lord and masters of the world?

Yes . . . think about it.

Think long and hard.



[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

Plausible Deniability

 

We should be hopeful . . . but cautious.

The latest diplomatic initiative by the U.S. in what appears to be the beginning of a welcome and very necessary rapprochement with Russia, requires withholding quick judgment and maintaining a judicious eye.

We've seen this before. Granted, it would be wonderful if America has come to its senses and has decided that the risks of bullying Russia far outweigh any imagined  benefits. But taking even a cursory a look at recent history, "wonderful" is a rare, if non-existent, exception whenever the U.S. does anything on the diplomatic front.

I will be offering a possible scenario which with my every fiber I hope is not what unfolds.

Secretary of State Kerry, accompanied no less by the mistress dominatrix of neocon terror herself, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland __ a demon diplomat who helped engineer the most obvious coup in history in the Ukraine __ talked to Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday, May 12.

Apparently, Kerry passed along the sentiment that the U.S. wants to work in concert with Russia on the Ukraine crisis, and moreover supports the Minsk II agreement, viewing it as the most promising and constructive path toward resolving the dispute.

The meeting lasted four hours. Both sides claimed the talks were frank, though they didn't produce any major breakthroughs.

A few reporters noted that Nuland seemed to be pouting when she exited the meeting. Hardly a surprise there, since she is a shallow and vulgar shrew who only smiles when sparklers and balloons herald the triumphs of her destructive anti-Russian tomfoolery. 

In the press conference which followed the long discussions, Kerry then warned President Poroshenko he should "think twice" before shelling the Donetsk airport, something by the way he has already started doing.

While this apparent turnaround in the confrontation the U.S. has been mounting for over a year now __ vilifying Russia, imposing sanctions, demonizing Putin, increasing military presence and staging war games all over Europe, sometimes right next to Russia's borders __ appears to be a positive development, I fear this latest white hat routine is yet another diplomatic feint.

America is again the nice guy. Taking the initiative to make things right with the Russians. Talking up peace.  Encouraging Poroshenko to cool it with the aggression.

Of course, implied in Kerry's statement warning Poroshenko is that the U.S. has no control over him. That he's his own man. Which is blatant nonsense. If you just look close enough, you can see the puppet strings manipulating Poroshenko's every ham-fisted attempt to look like a credible figure.

So let's say Poroshenko not only continues to bomb the Donetsk airport, but mounts a full scale assault on the East. He has stated with embarrassing candor very recently, even after meeting with Merkel, Hollande, and Putin, and agreeing to the terms of Minsk II, that he will not rest until he has achieved total control over Novorussia, AND reclaimed Crimea. That his real focus is war with Russia itself, though this was couched in unaccounted for paranoia that Russia would be attacking Ukraine this summer.

Thus, continuation and expansion of this conflict is inevitable.

Russia has also made it clear that it wants the cease fire to hold, that it wants a peaceful resolution of the conflict in accordance with the Minsk II agreement, BUT it will not allow the wholesale slaughter of Russians in the Eastern territories.

Here is what I fear . . .

Now that they've benefited from six months of training by the U.S. "advisers", armed with new "defensive" weapons supplied by various parties at the behest of America and NATO, Poroshenko will attack the East. Russia will respond and send the Ukraine army running. Russia may even feel its necessary to post garrisons in the Eastern territories to protect the local population and prevent another assault.

The U.S. will then make propaganda hay out of all of this.

"We went to Russia. We tried to be friends. We don't approve of Poroshenko's rash moves but we can't control the guy.  What he did wasn't very nice.  But look at Russia!  They are trying to rebuild the Soviet Union by invading other countries!"

America will then redouble its efforts to isolate Russia with new sanctions, more military presence on Russia's borders, more character assassination of Vladimir Putin. The U.S. will pull NATO and the rest of the world on board. Cold War 2.0 will exponentially accelerate and again we'll be facing the prospects of World War III.

It's simpleminded and stupid beyond belief but with the ironclad control the U.S. has on Western media, such nonsensical smears and blatant propaganda has worked in the past and will probably work again.

What is this all about?

The long game is pinning down Russia, keeping it in check, never allowing it the room to achieve its full economic and military potential. Hem it in, poke at it and always keep it off balance, constantly keep it scrambling __ something the U.S. does very effectively with its own citizenry __ make it angry, try to goad it into making a rash move, use any excuse to humiliate it in the eyes of the world.

It's a key ingredient of the demented neocon strategy of total dominance, which dreams of a world begging for mercy and crumbs from the Great American Empire.

Isolate Russia . . . contain it . . . ultimately dominate it.

If this new developing scenario plays out as I described it, it means that Kerry's mission to Moscow was just more geopolitical gaming, that America's claim to want cooperation and constructive engagement just more world-destabilizing hypocrisy, that maybe Victoria Nuland has some real acting talent, and more profoundly . . .

NO ONE SHOULD EVER BELIEVE ANYTHING WASHINGTON SAYS OR DOES!

What's new?


[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

Plausible Deniability

The Horror and the Shame

As deep-rooted hatred of Russia which spans many decades, and now the neocon agenda of dismembering The Bear and plundering its vast natural resources, accelerate the drive by Western powers to initiate a war that will end all wars  __ because it will probably end the human race __ it would be helpful for the more thoughtful, rational, and considerably better-informed citizens of our country to remind the ranting, chest-beating bullies who seem to be in charge of our misguided foreign policy, of some basic history. These noxious think tank thugs are the charlatans who can be heard accusing Russians of being paranoid, taunting them for foolishly raising a fuss about the U.S. and NATO taking over Ukraine.

Look at the chart above.

Russia has every reason to be concerned about aggression. It's a brutal, horrifying fact of history, not some product of conjecture or brooding anxiety.

Russia has every reason to be concerned about the military encirclement now in place. Troops and weapons are not theoretical uncertainties. They are existential threats.

Russia lost more soldiers and citizens battling the Nazi Wehrmacht than England, Poland, Yugoslavia, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy and Germany itself . . . combined!

So it is hardly a surprise that Russia gets a bit nervous when NATO troops and weaponry are shoved right up next to its borders, when lunatic anti-Russian fulminating prevails in the Western press, when the vicious campaign of demonizing their much-beloved Vladimir Putin __ making comparisons to Hitler with no apparent irony, no less __ is orchestrated on an unprecedented scale, when unnecessary provocations mount week after week in the form of military exercises and war games, and when insults compete with lies to isolate Russia from the rest of the world.

America could be accused of having an enormous tolerance for shame, except it apparently doesn't have any shame these days. Now in a fanciful re-writing of history __ evidently to bolster its sagging self-esteem and attempt to marginalize Russia with crassly-formulated propaganda __ it has decided that it was the U.S. which defeated Nazi Germany.

Ignore the fact that 9 out of every 10 German troops were killed by the Russian forces in a historic display of military determination and bravery which claimed nearly 11,000,000 of their soldiers.

Ignore the fact that the German army had largely been defeated by the Russians before the landing at Normandy and the Western front assault by the non-Russian Allied troops.

Ignore the fact that 27,000,000 Russians died at the hand of a German nation gone mad.

Just keep repeating the President's favorite word these days __ exceptional __ and repeat over and over the mantra we will be hearing more and more as Americans are stampeded into another morally, economically bankrupting war:  Russia bad . . . America good . . . Russia bad . . . America good . . .

Anyone who is paying attention knows where all this is going. The drums of war beat out a very simple rhythm that even a child can understand.

Anyone who is paying attention also knows why this is taking place.

Anyone who is paying attention knows that yet again, we the helpless pawns of pointless power games, will be required to make the ultimate sacrifice of our precious lives, in the name of imperial plunder and greater riches for the corporate plutocrats.

The problem is . . . very few are paying attention.

After all, we have our own troubles at home:  Most recently Ferguson and Baltimore.

And weighty conundrums:  "To Hillary or not to Hillary, that is the question!"

No, there's not much time to worry about all that stuff happening over there, or sufficient calm to think clearly and consider productive alternative plans, with all the hysterical cries of the warmongers relentlessly poisoning the airwaves and opeds, shouting down the few voices of sanity who attempt a balanced, coherent analysis and constructive conversation.

I still have to wonder . . .

In terms of the few isolated individuals who might actually be paying attention, yet still go along with this march to madness, and the neocon psychopaths themselves who can't wait to chase their self-sabotaging and bankrupt delusions of world conquest and American imperial rule, WHAT ARE THEY THINKING?

Didn't we learn anything from Vietnam?

Didn't we learn anything from Afghanistan?

Didn't we learn anything from Iraq?

I never hear a timidly tendered . . . "Oops."

Not a chagrin-tinged . . . "Sorry about that."

Not even a mildly rueful . . . "Hmm."

Evidently reflection and apologies are for girly-boys or the zombies of the liberal class.

Many of our most respected think tanks now appear to be staffed with students of history equipped with no memory and no conscience. You're either with us or you're against us. Either you hate Russia and despise Vlad the Impaler . . . or you're a Putin boot-licker.

Jingoistic cheer leading driven by testosterone-fueled delusions of empire spews simplistic black-hat/white-hat bumper stickers. The public swoons in Orwellian silence.

Russia bad . . . America good . . . Russia bad . . .

What's another 27,000,000 bodies?

How about a 1,000,000,000 bodies?

Or if this thing goes nuclear . . . 7,000,000,000 bodies?

YEAH!  Now we're talking!

Actually it's kind of the perfect ending.

With horror on this scale, there is no one left to feel any shame.


[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

Give Peace A Chance

 

Before the jingoistic cheer leading and Russia-hating catcalls start pouring
from the poorly informed but enthusiastically irrational peanut gallery,
let's take a moment to review a few important FACTS. Maybe FACTS are
not quite as spectacular or emotionally satisfying as burping up bilious
gas balls of MSM propaganda, but they can provide PERSPECTIVE.

During the 90s, following the dissolution of the USSR, the military flights and
air-space patrols and probing by Russia as part of their stand-off with
the West __ mirrored 24/7  by the U.S. and NATO with similar fleets of
fighters, bombers, reconnaissance planes, refueling tankers __ stopped
completely. The reconnaissance and war readiness exercises by the
Western powers, however, continued uninterrupted.

Reacting to this unbroken protraction of war readiness by the West, Russia
started up their long range bomber patrols again July and August 2007,
returned to guarding its air space and borders, keeping a sufficient
number of planes in the air to let the West know that they were not to
be permitted carte blanche superiority in the skies near Russian air
space.

This means, for over 15 years Russia suspended a major component of the Cold
War years confrontation, taking itself completely off of a war footing.
Rather than take advantage of this historic opportunity, the West
continued, and if anything increased, its intimidation of Russia, which
by both choice and circumstance __ its empire had disintegrated and the
country itself was in dire economic straits __ tried to pursue peaceful
relations.

During the 90s Russia was understandably preoccupied with putting its house back
in order and trying to rebuild the functional framework of a nation.
With calculating deftness but in direct violation of recorded assurances
made to Russia that NATO would not move "one inch east"
of Germany __ a trade-off for Russia's quickly withdrawing its troops
from East Germany to permit an orderly, uncontested reunification of the
German nation __ NATO at the prompting of the U.S. proceeded to rapidly
expand its geographical orbit. Today it includes Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovenia. All of these countries are considerably more than an inch east of Germany.

Then in December 2001, the U.S. announced that it was unilaterally pulling out of the ABM Treaty,
signaling that it claimed the right to now put anti-ballistic missiles
in any country in the NATO alliance. This move was unprovoked, meaning
there was no specific incident or level of tension between Russia and
the U.S. prompting such a sudden breach of the agreement, one that had
been in force since 1972. Ominously, this was the first time in U.S.
history that America had walked away from such a major agreement.

Since the U.S. at the time and for many years afterwards, claimed that the
anti-ballistic missiles were purely to prevent rogue nations like Iran
and North Korea from attacking Europe, Russia offered to become part of a
unified system of missile defense of Europe, offering its own
sophisticated missile tracking radar to the mix.

America turned down this offer from the Russians.

While there is much more, sometimes less is more.

Here less is enough.

Encapsulating . . .

NATO moves its military alliance and bases to Russia's borders. The U.S. starts
deploying ABMs near Russia's borders. The U.S. wants no part of Russian
cooperation in optimizing those systems against the "enemies".

Who is Russia to conclude is the real enemy being targeted by these ABMs?

What is Russia to conclude from the relentless move east, right up to its borders, of the military forces of NATO?

What is Russia to conclude from what appears to be a "containment" policy directed at them, currently implemented by twenty-seven major military installations, with possibly more yet to come?

Then to pour gasoline on the embers of suspicion, last year the U.S. assisted the overthrow of a democratically elected government in Ukraine, a nation with long historical ties going back centuries to Russia, located right on Russia's "underbelly".

Concurrently, a venomous anti-Russia propaganda blitz began in the West.

Everything became Russia's fault: The whole Ukraine crisis, the downing of
Malaysian Flight 17, the deaths in eastern Ukraine, the "invasion" and
annexation of Crimea. 

About the same time, a massive campaign to demonize Putin went into high gear, initiated and aggressively promoted by the U.S. via its presstitute media __ direct personal attacks even made by
Obama, Biden, and Samantha Power at the U.N. __ and spread across the
globe, the truculence championed by England, Germany and France.

What is going on here? What does this look like to you?

I know what it looks like to me.
 
There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that hubris and arrogance,
that delusional imperial ambitions and diplomatic megalomania, coupled
with just plain horrible judgment has again replaced thoughtful
analysis, basic respect for the interests of other nations, and
responsible leadership. 

Many are coming to this horrifying conclusion: America wants war with Russia.

It doesn't help that some clueless imbeciles escaped their short bus ride for a
day at the Leggo Park and infiltrated our policy-making institutions,
preaching the suicidal gospel that we can win a nuclear war with Russia. They are joined by self-proclaimed political geniuses __ masters of the universe who think history is a 90s Michael Jackson album __ proposing after consulting their Magic 8-Ball that with a few slick moves America can just topple the current government of Russia
and render the entire nation with its vast natural resources a vassal
state, ready for easy picking by America's corporate predators. I'm sure
these same Pollyannas also believe that the Russian people will welcome
America, weeping for joy, throwing bouquets before our Humvees as they
roll through Moscow Square.

America thinks it can bluster and bluff, use color revolutions to nudge Putin out of office and install some bloated puppet in his place like they did with Poroshenko in Ukraine __ though even that's far from a done deal itself.

America thinks what it says is divine truth and to hell with anyone who disagrees.

America thinks its military might and economic power confers it a special,
unassailable place in the world, a position of supreme and
unquestionable leadership and iron rule.

With these recent dealings with Russia, we're another 25 years into the
tragicomedy of our infantile machinations, self-absorbed exceptionalism,
diplomatic myopia, and sociopathic delusions of imperial grandeur. We
have engaged some of the best minds and produced some of the worst
ideas.

Where do we now stand?

What do we have to show for all of this American ingenuity?

First and foremost, Cold War 2.0 is up and running full-tilt because Russia finally arrived at the inescapable conclusion that NATO is a profound military threat.

The meticulously and arduously fashioned trust and spirit of cooperation
gradually built over decades is trashed, relations between the U.S. and
Russia severely damaged for many years to come. Russia now believes all of the talk of
integration and cooperation was just lip-service, a cheap smokescreen
for America's real agenda __ destroying their country.

As accusations and hysteria prompted by old habits and grudges now take
center stage, hopeful and constructive dialogue have become drown out by
the drums of war. 

War fever and sabotage of peace initiatives __ mostly emanating from Washington DC __ are becoming pandemic.

The escalation of paranoia and preparation for major conflict keeps ratcheting up and up.

Trying to stop this madness is like trying to stop an avalanche with a pair of wool mittens.

We are way beyond the finger-pointing and blame-game phase. Now it's tit-for-tat
as both sides ramp up their respective militaries, each new step
bringing the situation closer to spinning completely out of control.

The Pentagon pushes for a military build-up along Russia's border. The world gets to hear General Frederick Hodges explain his no-mercy policy and lecture Europe and NATO about preparedness.  Friction develops and Russia objects as NATO continues a massive military build-up of troops in the Baltic States and other Eastern Europe NATO countries. There are U.S. paratroopers headed for Ukraine to train their army. Ukraine President, Petro Poroshenko, claims to have struck a deal will eleven EU countries to provide military weapons, including lethal ones. Great Britain deploys 30 Royal Air Force planes for Rising Panther, its largest war aerial exercises in a decade, in
response to the "Russian threat". U.S. tanks, Humvees and armored personnel carriers roll through Latvia. We have JOINT WARRIOR, a huge deployment of naval ships out of Scotland, for war game exercises. Poland is purchasing the Patriot ABM system to defend against the anticipated Russian invasion. Even the U.S. National Guard has sent twelve F-15 interceptor jets to Europe guarding against Russia.

None of this has escaped Russia's attention, so understandably they have responded with their own build-up and heightened alert status. They conducted huge rapid deployment drills
in Kaliningrad, and have deployed a new missile defense radar system
there which covers the entire Atlantic. Russia is sending advanced supersonic strategic bombers to Crimea for global training exercises, as well as re-equipping early warning radar sites in the recently annexed territory. They have also announced the launch of a new advanced missile-attack warning satellite. There have been reports of an escalating presence of Russian strategic bombers near U.S. airspace, and concern expressed by NATO at the apparently growing number of "incidents" involving Russian planes and seagoing vessels, with of course no mention of the
provocations emanating from NATO itself and its allies. Recognizing that
Russia will stand toe-to-toe with the West in the face of aggression by
NATO, U.S. troops at the front now feel "vulnerable" and want bigger, better weapons.

Through all of this, a stream of propaganda,
outright condemnation, shoddy fabrication, angry provocation, and
malicious innuendo continued to spew from President Obama,
Vice-President Biden, Secretary of State Kerry, and U.S. Ambassador to
the United Nations, Samantha Power, aided and abetted naturally by the
main stream media.

Then yesterday, as I was finishing this article, Geoffrey Pyatt, a man with a
long sleazy record of diplomatic disservice, who is currently U.S.
Ambassador to the Ukraine, was reported to have tweeted an image of Russian air defense systems,
claiming they were there in the country, when in fact the photo was
actually taken outside of Moscow two years ago at an International
Aviation and Space Show. Mr. Pyatt has thus expanded the range of his
incompetence to even being pathetic at lying __ making him more
dangerous.

So we now have the perfect storm:  hubris, idiocy, and paranoia.

The military one upsmanship coupled with diplomatic dysfunction is sheer madness.

I keep listening for a voice of sanity, appeals for restraint, some thoughtful analysis __ occasionally there have been a few faint whispers __ but mostly I'm hearing adolescent boys shouting at one another, as they rev up for a serious scrap in the schoolyard.

At the same time, as with most fights someone had to start it. Usually that gives us some clue who needs to stop it.

No matter what spin you put on everything I've laid out in this article, no matter
how you rationalize it, hide it behind the thin vapor of noble
intentions, without any equivocation, doubt, or splitting of hairs, it is the U.S. that has been provoking and perpetuating this extremely dangerous and counter-productive confrontation.

It's not even in America's long term interests to keep this war of nerves going.

Russia is not Zimbabwe, Iraq, or Yemen.  It's not Grenada or Haiti.

Russia is not going to be intimidated by a chest-beating schoolyard bully.

This can only end badly for the U.S., its allies, and the rest of the world.

Obama, Kerry, Biden . . . COME ON! . . . man up a little! 

Admit your mistakes.  Show some self-respect.  Let's see real leadership.

Stand up to the neocon crazies and psychopathic empire builders.

Thoughtful judgment and common sense go a long way.

Drop the arrogant posturing and cut your losses.

History will judge you more kindly.

Give peace a chance.


[ This originated at the author's personal web site . . . http://jdrachel.com ]