Dear friends,
As some of you know, once a year I like to pretend that the Saker blog is also some kind of wannabe Time Mag and I like to chose one (or several) “men” of the year. We are in December, so I am doing this again – this is a little silly, but still fun for me. But, before I begin, let me clearly state the following:
First, most importantly: no, this is *NOT* an endorsement of Tulsi Gabbard for the next Presidential election in 2020. Not. An. Endorsement. I promise!! Having made this caveat clear, let’s go for
The Saker “man” of the year: Tulsi Gabbard
In fact, I decided to chose Tulsi Gabbard not for what she might or might not do during the rest of the campaign or should she ever make it into the White House (which I find impossible to imagine). I decided to chose her for what she ALREADY did. What do I have in mind?
First, Tulsi Gabbard is the only currently running US politician who has never lost her focus and never stop repeating that imperial wars are bad and dangerous for the United States. Truly, there is no overstating the courage that took for her, especially considering the terminally out-of-touch-with-reality public discourse in the USA. In other words, Tusli Gabbard is the only candidate which appears to care for the lives and well-being of US servicemen. The rest of them don’t give a damn about people dying, US servicemen or those who defend their own land and who are murdered on a daily basis by the USA in a long list of “wars of choice” under the pretext of the “GWOT”.
Second, Tulsi Gabbard is also the only currently running US politician who never attacked Trump by using the “stolen election” or “Russian interference” canards. That also takes a HUGE amount of courage: while the Democratic Party is going out all in an absolutely sickening, revolting, self-evidently stupid and profoundly evil campaign of attacks not only against Donald Trump the President, but against the Presidency as an institution (which they are trying to emasculate and subordinate to the Necon-controlled US Congress), Tulsi Gabbard did not engage in such attacks. Not only that, she agreed to travel to Syria on Donald Tump’s request while the usual gang of rabid feminists were screaming “not my President!!” and demonstrating disguised as female genitalia. In sharp contrast to these nutcases, she had the courage to show these hysterical harpies what a truly smart, strong willed, yet unapologetically feminine woman can do to at least try to change the world for the better. She knew that her trip to Damascus to meet President Assad was a very politically dangerous thing to do, yet she did it, when requested by a Republican President. I profoundly admire that.
[Sidebar: I admire women, especially when they show far more courage than men. In Russia I think of Natalia Poklonskaia whom the Russian liberals hate with a burning passion, but who has shown much more courage and integrity than many Russian men, both as a Prosecutor in Crimea (men were terrified and would not accept the position) or since she became an outspoken Deputy in the State Duma (the only one to vote against the reactionary pension reform package the Russian government tried to sneak in during the summer). I also note that nowadays I see much more intelligence, courage, resilience and, above all, integrity from women than from men. It just seems that the 20th century has been terrible to men and their psychological health. Who knows, maybe we, men, collectively deserve feminism or the #metoo pandemic?…]
Third, I also admire Tulsi Gabbard simply for not breaking down under the ugly hate-campaign the liberal and democratic media has unleashed against her. Yes, Trump got it even worse, but she is #2 on the liberal hate list. When I read what the mainstream (putatively) “liberal” US press has to say about Gabbard, I can only imagine the kind of pressure the Neocons and their agents are putting on Gabbard behind the scenes.
That being said, I am acutely aware of her past failings and I already wrote about them here and here. Yes, she also did cave in to the pressure of the powerful US Homo-lobby. But, when comparing Tulsi Gabbard’s failings and past slips, she appears far, far more consistent, honorable and courageous than all the other US politicians. So please, if you want to flame her for her past, shall we say, “unethical compromises with the truth”, then name me one other US politician with possibly more courage! Okay, Ron Paul certainly, Dennis Kusinich maybe, Mike Gravel probably. Oh and Ralph Nader, of course. But none of them are running in 2020 so, again, let’s compare the comparable.
And then, finally, there is the “no, not all” argument. Every time somebody makes a sweeping statement about how bad this or that US politician is, we can still point out at Tulsi Gabbard and say “no, not all”. I think that this function of the proverbial “righteous person saving a city” fully applies to Tulsi Gabbard, at least until now. And while I still hope not to be disappointed by her, I am not holding my breath on this one: the evil system ruling over the United States has always either crushed, or discredited or even murdered anybody who would represent a danger to it and there is no doubt that Gabbard is a potential danger for the US ruling classes. Just see what she has to say about her own, Democratic, party!
Because, and let’s be honest here, on paper Tulsi Gabbard would be the “dream candidate” for the Democratic Party: she is a multi-level minority (female, brown, Hindu, islander) combined with rock-solid “patriotic credentials” (compare her record with, say, Dukakis riding around in a tank!). She also happens to be very smart, good looking (in a truly feminine way!) and very articulate. What’s there not to like? Peace of course! She does not want wars, which is all the Dems stand for nowadays… True, the Bible-belt will never forgive (or even understand) her Hinduism and you can bet on a lot of fire and brimstone hysterics coming from Bible-thumping preachers if she ever gets the Dem nomination. But that is close to impossible anyway, so why worry about this?
Would she make a good President? Well, at the very least she won’t be worse than what the US has had to endure since the Clintons came to the White House. But Saker “man” of the year? Yes, I think she does deserve this.
The runner up: Donald Trump
Okay, I think I have been very clear about my total disappointment with Donald Trump. In fact, my disappointment has now turned to outright disgust. And if you ask me to make a list of what I have against Trump, it would be a long one. And yet, we have to always keep things in perspective. The choice was Trump or Clinton. With Clinton we had “war for sure” (probably against Russia, starting with a suicidal attempt to impose US-run no-fly zone over Syria). With Trump our choice was “war maybe, but maybe not”. And the fact that the US *almost* had a war with the DPRK, with Iran, with Syria (and, possibly, Russia!) and against Venezuela. And, let’s be honest again, this still might happen. But at the time of writing (Dec 3rd) Trump did not authorize a war. He came close to it in Syria, but neither “almost” nor “close to” are equivalent to “did it”.
Truly, the issue of war and peace remains the single most important issue the world is facing today. Why? Because of an extraordinarily toxic and dangerous phenomenon: the willful ignorance by US decision makers of the reality of the multi-polar world being built jointly by Russia and China (with a great deal of support from many other key nations out there!). As Andrei Martyanov, Dmitry Orlov and myself have been ceaselessly repeating – if the USA enters a war with Russian and/or China, the US mainland will suffer devastating nuclear and even conventional strikes. Nothing compares to that disaster and, therefore, I submit that the vote for Trump was the only rational option.
And while Trump did betray many (most?) of his campaign promises, and while he showed himself to be a dishonorable, spineless, Neocon “bitch” (to use Gabbard’s words about Trump lending US troops to the KSA), he did deliver on his most important promise: no war (at least so far). That is absolutely huge and just for that only reason, I feel that he ought to be recognized (well, not him, but this one action of his, really) as the 2019 Saker Man of the Year runner-up.
That’s it. Now it’s your turn.
Please let us know what you think of my choice and whom you would have nominated.
Kind regards
The Saker
Bravo Saker!!
Christian Winslow
Yes, bravo Saker. I don’t think that other candidates could even be considered. However, even so, I was never comfortable that Tulsi Gabbard had her name on the Roster of the Council on Foreign Relations, and that Donald Trump during his election campaign had the support of 200 active and retired admirals and generals. Why ?
Really Christian? Tulsi Gabbard is on record supporting taking even a harder line with China than Trump has. Knowing that do you still support her choice as “man” of the year.
Don’t get me wrong, I think her position on this issue is a sound one: the premise that China is is interested in a multi-polar world has zero credibility, this position can only credibly be given to Russia (which has done all the heavy lifting with China just symbolicly and rhetorically supporting it while getting a free ride in getting credit for supporting it at Russia’s expense). In fact none of the other BRICS (neither India, nor Brasil nor South Africa) have done much materially to support a multi-polar world order, only Russia.
Whatever multilateral institutions China had set is primary to promote chinese interests and hegemony while packaging it as supporting a multipolar world order. The idea that China wants anything other than hegemony and unchallenged security within their own region (like the USA currently enjoys) is going to be proven plain wrong.
Sinophobic gibberish. The Chinese are entitled to ‘unchallenged security in their own region’, because all states are entitled to such, and who but your genocidally aggressive US friends would want to ‘challenge’ it? The comparison between the US hegemon and its stooges ie hundreds of overseas bases, incessant bullying and military aggression, vicious, murderous, sanctions, subversion and direct interference in scores of States worldwide, domination and corruption of International organs like the OPCW, ICC, World Bank, IMF, etc, abrogation of solemn treaties like the ABM and INF Treaties and the JCPOA, total contempt for International Law and the spending of 50% of the world total on its military forces, is the exact opposite of China’s behaviour, but fake facts are an Imperial bootlickers’ forte’.
Mulga, you need to learn how to not to see a bogeyman behind every word and get triggered. When I stated that China wants unchallenged security in their region without any challengers, I’m simply stating it factually without any moral or ethical tinge nor am I criticizing it: They want to duplicate the same situation the USA enjoys where the US mainland exists in absolute security regarding its borders and the seperation of and open access to two oceans that further secures them. Unfortunately for the Chinese they have terrific vulnerabilities via the sea due to being hemmed in by the second chain of islands. In addition to that they are surrounded by countries that very strong militarily, Russia alone is military Goliath compared to China’s stretched military (despite the fact that China spends many times more on defense than Russia); Russia is head and shoulders stronger China because the Russia military is far more organized, is qualitatively far better, and technologically (currently) far more sophisticated. Similarly, Japan which pretends to pacifist (a big lie since Japan has militaristic impulses) has a far superior navy to China’s. Then we have the Vietnamese, etc. etc.
Who does the USA have to deal with? Laughable weakling Canada (a weak slavish statrapi of the USA) and cartel crippled Mexico? Plus the geographical advantages the US enjoys (Atlantic and Pacific oceans).
Yes I agree fake facts are bootlickers forte.
The USA is “cartel crippled” too…by a thieving cartel of banks.
My nomination is the alternative media, including this blog, which has brought truth to a world in the grip of malicious propaganda.
You are humble, but I would add your name to the list good Saker.
You are way too kind, and I sure don’t deserve any more recognition that what the wonderful Saker community has kindly given me :-)
The Saker
” It just seems that the 20th century has been terrible to men and their psychological health. Who knows, maybe we, men, collectively deserve feminism or the #metoo pandemic?…]”
Here. here! I am a woman and I recommend, to all men, reading the book that launched the original feminist movement in North America: Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique”. Perhaps we are well past due for some other researcher to pen the masculine version!
I would like to nominate Ali Khamenei. While the collaboration between China and Russia has very well evolved during 2019, the most important advance in the struggle against Western hegemonists happened in the Middle East, in my eyes. So it is logical to choose a personality from the Middle East. There are a number of other possibilities, for example Assad, Nasrallah, or a leader of the Houthis. But Iran had to defend against the „maximal pressure“ and did this very successfully and creatively. And it is obvious that it was Khamenei who gave the political orientation for this defense.
In short, these are my arguments for the nomination of Khamenei.
Good choice. Sound reasoning on both Tulsi and DJT.
Almost powerless, we have to choose those who fight against the Hegemon, who plead for Peace, who attempt to stop wars, and who want nuclear arms control and reduced military interventions.
With tens of Trillions “invested” in death and destruction as the twin towers of hegemony, it is heroic to stand against the psychopaths in Langley, the Pentagon, the UK, Paris, Tel Aviv and Brussels.
Thanks Saker!
Here are mine:
Julian Assange & Chelsea Manning for being the heroes that they are.
President Maduro for resisting regime change earlier this year.
President Assad for his handling of the Syria crisis.
Jeffrey Epstein who through his arrest and “suicide” showed the world the true perverted nature of our elites.
President Xi the ultimate power broker and his handling of the HK protests.
This time, I have a huge list to add:
1) Tulsi!!!
2) Tulsi!!!
etc.
3) Trump has become the enemy since adopting the Monroe doctrine.
In their honor:
4) Evo Morales
5) Rafael Correa
6) Lula da Silva and Dilma Roeseff
7) Julian assange
And as always on the list:
8) Pres Putin
9 Pres Xi
rootman, I second your list!
me too.
“if the USA enters a war with Russian and/or China, the US mainland will suffer devastating nuclear and even conventional strikes”
ok, agreed.
But how “devastating” are we talking about here?
Devastating enough to incinerate all the poor Black kids in West Baltimore?
Enough to bleach the feces-stained sidewalks of Los Angeles?
Enough to wipe out the entire population of drug-addicted, porn-addled, jobless white American suburbia, along with their cheap crappy houses?
Enough to wipe out all the retirees, pensioners, union members and others who are expecting get back what they paid in and invested?
Enough to clean out the college-debt donkey young people of all races and ages?
Perhaps this was the plan all along: steal everything, dive into bunkers, provoke Russia into Armageddon to kill off the victims, the witnesses, and everyone else that is not “us,” and then emerge to the surface to Rule over New Earth. It is kinda like the One Percent escaping to Mars, except without the need for real spaceships. They just bury their “spaceships” in the right locations and at the proper depths to avoid getting burned by the Russian-made “engines” on Takeoff Day.
Seems like the right thing to do here, rather than killing of the innocent, would be to target only the “spaceships.” We would all rest assured that evil sequestered in the ground should remain in that ground. Forever.
I agree with the nominations of both Gabbard and Trump, but I think V. V. Putin is hands down the premier statesman and politician on this rock we live on. While President Trump did not allow US to accidentally stumble in to a war with Russia, it has been a near thing on several occasions. On the other hand, considering he’s been the victim of a coup d’etat that is ongoing and started before the votes were counted, I think he’s done rather well. And somehow I think when he wins the election next year, and survives, you might see a totally different President Trump.
Now, Anonymous 11.41, here’s your statement:
“if the USA enters a war with Russian and/or China, the US mainland will suffer devastating nuclear and even conventional strikes”
ok, agreed.
But how “devastating” are we talking about here?”
How devastating? What makes you, or anyone, think a first strike, or second or third strike, by Russia on the US Mainland will be nuclear? Why should they? In the first, and probably retaliatory, strike after the first clouds of cruise missiles have either proved or disproved the end efficiency of Russian air defense, you can rest assured that every US base most anywhere in the world will be a smoking ruin, as will be every carrier group at sea or in port, not because carriers are particularly efficient but cause they are the ‘in your face’ badge of Western Hegemony and the modern symbol of Battleship Diplomacy. Don’t worry, every sub base in EU, Japan, Oz and US will also be flattened.
My opinion, and it’s simply the opinion of one who has never been near a ‘war college’ or mid/upper command echelon educational course, is thus:
US and EU work with the ‘last minute’ supply system, in a way like a well run large manufacturing plant wherein the raw materials arrive within hours of their use on the assembly line. Auto plants are famous for this trait and I don’t think I’m incorrect when I state it was auto plants that ‘invented’ and honed this system, but who dun it don’t matter, it’s a fact of life.
So here’s you, eating your fingernails to the quick with the world situation and knowing the fettuccine is about to hit the whirling blades, and you’ve tried to stock up on whatever supplies you think you will need. And the missiles arrive. Of course there will be that wonderfully euphemistic phrase Foggy Bottom, Five Points, Langley, UK ad vomitus use, ‘collateral damage’. Read dead civilians. Dead innocents. But, in my opinion, the first, and perhaps second and third strikes, will not be nuke, they will be more deadly than a nuke, they will be against infrastructure.
Think I’m foolish? Pull out your local maps. All roads, major and minor, are clearly marked on them. All railroads including bridges are clearly marked on them. All power plants, water plants and sewage plants are on them. Think what would happen to your village, town or city if every bridge and major roadway, every power plant, every water plant, every sewage plant, every railroad marshaling yard, ever natural gas supply, every petroleum transit/supply point was hit. And every single supply system works on a ‘last minute’ supply system, ergo they don’t have any stock in depth, not food, not water, not petroleum beyond a two or considering what the essential product is, three day supply and often but a one day supply, especially for perishable items.
It will be utter chaos by day two if not before. No quickmart to pop down to for your burrito or fries, they won’t have any because they don’t have refrigeration. Same with supermarkets big and small. What do you do when your car is low on petrol, when you have no water coming via pipelines to your house? What happens when you can’t flush a toilet or take a shower? What happens when your generator, if you have one, runs out of fuel and you can’t get more, ergo your refrigerated foods are spoiled? You have no gas or electric to cook with and when the sun goes down, after day three you won’t have any light at all, your battery operated and charged emergency lights, flash lights and camping lights are dead.
So here’s you with your family, little if any food in a city or town that has not a ghost of a chance of getting any kind of food, water, petrol, natural gas or electric supply in the near and probably not so near future, and there’s say, oh roughly a hundred thousand of your fellow citizens in the same boat. Think what will happen, and understand that if US don’t go nuke on the first strike, Russia/China probably, operative term being ‘probably’, won’t either, but they will shut down every city and town they choose to anywhere in your country.
Russia and China don’t need to nuke US or for that matter EU or Japan or Oz, simply destroy infrastructure and supply routes and chaos is virtually instant and nationwide, a chaos that no western country has a ghost of a chance of alleviating or coping with. The good thing is, from what I’ve been told by more than one old comrade who has quietly in the last couple years moved ‘back home’, back to the heartland of US, away from the, as one put it, hedonistic idiocy of the coastal cities and towns, your opiod crisis will be over in three days. LE knows who each and every illegal chemical or herb supplier is and who each and every addict, who generally support their addiction with theft, is. Think about what will happen, and think what will happen to your comfortable and pleasant culture and society. Russia will give Western Culture the ability to devour itself, and devour it will, within not weeks, but days.
Auslander
Author http://rhauslander.com/
Never The Last One https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521849056 A deep look in to Russia, her culture and her Armed Forces, in essence a look at the emergence of Russian Federation.
An Incident On Simonka. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1696160715 NATO is invited to leave Sevastopol, one way or another.
Massive damage to infrastructure was done to Iraq and they have come out of it.
No reason why the US will be any worse.
Irak is not a culture where one drives a car 100 meters to get a Moon Pie at 23:30 on a whim.
Auslander
Lol!!! Good for you, Auslander, bringing up the sugar addiction…it’s pretty bad. People have lost the ability to fast and are constantly chewing on something or need fizzy drinks to keep them going.
Serbian girl:
The fact remains, if war comes infrastructure will be the second level of destruction and will coincide with the destruction of the ‘coastal’, meaning everything within 200 kilometers of the coast, military bases as the first level. By day three, all the quickmarts will be closed down if not by day two along with just about every market and shop for any product, ergo the chewing habit along with the sugar addiction will be over. This may not happen so fast in ‘the heartland’ which will be pretty much unscathed in comparison, but the chaos will spread rapidly and exponentially. It ain’t goin’ to be pretty by any stretch of the imagination and as supply runs out it’s going to be ‘Katie, bar the door!’ as the ‘have nots’ go in search of food and shelter to the ‘have’ areas.
There’s going to be a lot of fasting and opiod addicts coming down hard from the drug induced highs. We’ll have problems here, too, if we survive, but all in all Mother is way better prepared for such events than ‘the west’.
Auslander
Getting rid of loads of quite unprotected infrastructure can be accomplished with a fine well executed NEMP. My guess is that the Russian armed forces have studied the phenomenon in depth. One bright flash way up in outer space and practically nothing electronic within line of sight survives. Done deal in the wink of an eye…
You nailed it! Auslander, re, a culture were people will drive even a mere 100m rather than walk
Btw the term you were looking for is: “just-in-time” logistics (or supply chain or inventory system.)
..
well, assume that US will be at the same level (not worse) of Irak after the Bombing Campaign.
now, think again…
good, real thinking (also called reasoning) is so hard sometimes.
Millions of Iraqis did not ‘come out of it’. Those that remain are ravaged by cancer and birth defects as a consequence of the use of the diabolical depleted uranium weapons.
I nominate Micheal C. Ruppert, author of “Crossing the Rubicon, The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil,” a valiant law enforcement officer who gave his life in the service of the truth. Rest In Peace, Micheal.
Auslandr, I cannot disagree with anything you expressed. Thank you for sharing. But indeed, Russia, et. al. need only keep the peace long enough for the United Snakes of American infrastructure to collapse all by itself and into itself. Parts and parcels already have. It will come, a little at first, then finally all at once. Then we might expect Americans to turn against their leaders in a rather non-savory way. The leaders have prepared but one option: dive into their “safe-houses” for a while, but only for a while. What happens when they lose contact with their air support? Or their generators run out of fuel? Or the surface folk figure out how to dump gasoline and hand grenades down their ventilation tubes? (consult the classic movie ‘The Dirty Dozen’ for inspiration) What then?
This “blame the Russians” thing that the Imperial Aristocratic Ruling Cabal is playing at now, what is that really all about? One might suspect the Cabal is actually preconditioning USAians to reflexively chant “The Russians did it” in preparation for the day when it will become necessary for the Cabal to commit the ultimate of atrocities against their own citizens out of desperation, fear and contempt. And they will commit those atrocities if and only if they feel safe against prosecution for war crimes against humanity.
The entire point is this: if the Cabal can be convinced that there is no “safe house” in which they can take refuge, then they will dare not commit the atrocities in the first place, unless, of course, they are collectively mentally ill. That is a real possibility and if true, then we are all in very serious trouble. But if not, then perhaps some demonstration could be made that would spell out their fate very clearly should they decide to commit to action the genocidal plans they have prepared.
Here is a theme song to be played as the demonstration commences: “No Hiding Place” by Dorothy Love Coates & The Original Gospel Harmonettes; Album: Gospel 4 Soul You can listen on youtube.
-Peace, while it lasts
Or they move to New Zealand, Patagonia and Tasmania.
Well, I agree on Tulsi of course, when it comes to the Donald, I like to add his transparency, he shows the ugly face of the empire for everybody to behold. Examples: pardoning war criminals because they have done nothing other than killing “enemies” (civilians) which is the modus operandi of the empire, giving Jesusalem to Israel and thus exposing the empire for what it is (Israel’s asset) and remaining in Syria in order to steal the oil, thus exposing the empire for what it is all about (plunder). His lack of subtlety is a wonder to behold.
I believe that the nutters see Trump as ‘The Last World Emperor’ following the prophecy of the well-named Pseudo-Methodius’ as in ‘There’s Pseudo-Methodius in their madness’. Forgiveness for killing ‘enemy’ civilians is pure Talmudic Judaic Law. In fact they regard killing civilians as a mitzvah, or good deed, so every child killed in Gaza is a little gift to their psychopathic ‘God’.
I thought he was seen as King David risen from the dead.
I fully understand and support the choice of The Saker, considering the criteria applied.
I could name a lot of people for various reasons, most are already mentioned above. But the *first* that popped up spontaneously in my mind are Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, for their courage to expose the ugly truth, paying dearly for it but still standing their ground.
Cheers, rob
you say:
” she agreed to travel to Syria on Donald Tump’s request ”
what is your evidence that she went on Trump’s request?
I doubt that is true.
She went with Dennis Kucinich
President Putin by far, no contest. If anybody has stopped a major war, it’s him (who knows what private messages he’s given to Trump as to what Russia’s response would be?)
In fact, Putin is the default person (since you included a woman) of the year, every year (until someone better comes along and I don’t see anybody approaching him, not even on the distant horizon).
Ralph,
I agree, President Putin is the premier statesman of our times, but reality is it should be Putin/Lavrov/Shoigu as the ‘men of the year’, or ‘people of the year’ if not epoch. That troika is an amazement.
Auslander
Absolutely agree. When VVP finally decides he’s had enough and wants to live quietly and walk his dog, Russia will have two very capable men to turn to. Personally I would choose Lavrov, but either of them is head, shoulders, and torso above anything in the West.
My 2 cents (roubles?)
Trump is man of the year. He is by far the most courageous of US politicians. Now I like and support Tulsi. But she has not been attacked like Trump has been. Neither herself, her family or her friends and associates, have been attacked with frivolous criminal prosecution, put in jail, bankrupted by legal bills, forced from public spaces etc, etc.
Tulsi will make a great president, in 2024. She can’t beat Trump but she can succeed him. The catch though is that she would have to run as an independent or a republican.
I view Trump as a highly successful president given what he has had to face. He has in no way caved to the neocons. He remains very much in the fight. What’s clear is that he cannot fight every battle all at once. I suspect he is leaving some battles for his second term. After all he needs the Senate republicans to stay in office.
Trump is the most progressive US president I have seen in my time here. That’s coming from a bread and butter, war and peace progressive.
Putin is always high on the list and there is still time for Bojo to make the list.
Saker,
As someone who has boycotted everything connected with elections for the past 20 years, this is a question more than a reply.
How much support will Gabbard get in a local election like Iowa or New Hampshire?
Will she get enough support in a state of just a few million to stay in the race? What makes her different than Jill Stein? How do you analyze her level of support and impact on outcomes?
As someone who has not seen 5 seconds of Trump in my life, how much credit does Trump deserve in keeping us out of a nuclear war? I suspect leaders of Russia, China, and even Iran deserve much more credit than Trump?
Rather than person of the year, I would ask what you think the story of the year would be?
MS
This post got me thinking about how nowadays I find myself in complete disagreement with the conventional views of Trump on the left and much of the right as well. I really do believe that should Trump be reelected (I expect he will be) he will go down in history as one of the great US presidents. Trump is not only transforming the world he is ending the era of globalization and launching a new era of multipolarity and national sovereignty.
As the late great geopolitical scholar Chalmers Johnson said if the US is to preserve it’s democracy it must give up its empire. Trump has chosen to give up the empire. That is the sum total of his actions. And I think we will see much more in a second term.
About 5yrs ago I fully expected that the US would use nuclear weapons against some hapless third world country within the next 10 years. World war 3 was in the cards. Now? Not so much. And that is due to the election of Donald J Trump to the US presidency.
If I am an US citizen, being positive, I absolutely is going to vote Tulsi Gabbard without any regret because she is the only one who has courage to attack the imperialist. Other candidate I want and hope to be elected is Cynthia McKinney but she is extremely powerless right now (If I understand right).
Being negative and radically, I am going to vote the Trash Can because I still suspect her attitude with Israel, and her bias of US army (she is a veteran who fight the Iraq war, you know):
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/tulsi-gabbard-tries-defend-anti-palestinian-vote
Best Regards,
Unorthodox Black Sheep VN.
No war, eh?
I suspect this blog will again endorse trump despite his proven fraudulence and primary loyalty to israel.
proven fraudulence? maybe… but its really all about the interpretation of the law (and any new introduction of newer laws and passed when the need arise and of course, money paid)
but…
primary loyalty to israel? NO that was just ‘business’ and could well be ‘family business’ but it seem the ‘debt’ has been settled or ‘grace’ has expired.
could partly explain why they did the port thingy w chinese…
DJT is really playing 5D chess :D
… messing all of USSA up!
Dear Vot, I would like to take this opportunity to offer to buy you a drink.
Or, alternately, a trip to Mazar i Sharif during the harvest season.
Kind regards,
IEUSA
Internal Exile USA
Cheers, your next is on my tab.
Agree. Tulsi would be best candidate out of the choices but don’t see it happening. And the Don with all his flaws beat Clinton. God help us but she wants to run again. How can people ignore all the evil things she does but they do. What is deeply troubling is Americans falling for the script peddled by media and the democrats. I don’t see much hope and am looking for a way to protect myself and family should things get totally out of control. Keep up the good work
Tulsi yes, I agree, well put. Yes, she has demonstrated true courage as you say and leadership. Meeting with Assad at the request of Trump was truly monumental also as a non-partisan effort. She acts on her words, and it’s hopeful when a politician takes action on their value.
Some things I can never hear too much. Trump hasn’t gotten us into a new war for now anyway…and all shenanigans and terrible actions aside on both sides, Saker makes the definitive point, Hillary would have had us in a new war before now, possibly WWIII I might add. This is the crucial point we must understand which lays reason to tread into the 2020 election very cautiously. Asking Tulsi to meet with Assad was monumental on Trump’s part also. It demonstrates that he is interested in deescalation and actually accomplishing something good. The prospect of war (and its implications) seems to be a subject the millennial generation is not savvy to or at least, is less concerned about.
you say
“Asking Tulsi to meet with Assad was monumental on Trump’s part also”
please supply some evidence that Trump asked Tulsi to meet Assad
this statement is NOT TRUE
Tulsi went to Syria with Dennis Kucinich, her trip had nothing to do with Trump, and was not at Trump’s request
Please respond with some evidence for your statement.
Just look at the sequence of events: she met Trump, then she traveled to Syria. There were even rumors that she was offered a position (that rumor is probably not true). But, either way, this is how national security works: a personality like Gabbard would never travel to the potential target of a US military strike without the Executive Branch being involved. She did not go there just to try the local delicacies, I assure you.
The Saker
I agree with the Saker’s choices, Both Tulsi and Trump are causing the Imperialists to have public meltdowns. All the State Dept people at the hearings lying and publicly admitting all they care about is using the Ukrainians as cannon fodder against the Russians. The frantic oligarchs panic in getting far right clowns like Deval Patrick and Bloomberg to enter the race . The two of them are causing the Mask of Empire to slip off and the hideous truth to emerge.
As always, my choices don’t feature Pindos, especially not based upon their caring for Pindo servicemen a.k.a. degenerate mercenaries.
My nominations (in no particular order):
Bashar al-Assad
Nicolás Maduro
Ali Khamenei
There are two sweeping generalizations in your first sentence. Also, it has been said that the vast majority of readers on this site, and perhaps those who need the site’s take on reality the most, are actually former would-be-degenerates in Pindoland who have seen the light.
Your nominations are excellent.
A votre Sante,
IE-Pindoland
Excellent write-up, Saker.
So let’s theorycraft for a minute here.
Mrs. Gabbard probably doesn’t have a realistic chance for being elected in 2020. However, I think she would have a huge change of winning in 2024 provided the world doesn’t fall into a nuclear abyss before then.
However, she will need the support of the people. And the military. And if the Neocons try to kill or impeach or depose her, then the people will need to stand behind her. And then there will probably be a civil war… between those who have chosen the path of Freedom and equality for all (and who stand behind Gabbard) and those who have chosen the path of self-slavery and enslavement and who have been brainwashed by the Neocons.
The side of freedom has to win or else we will all be slaves and this world will probably be destroyed in a major nuclear conflagration.
I can confidently say that the fate of this world as well as humanity will be decided by the events of the next 10 years.
We have to do everything we can to support Tulsi and attempt to influence a future reality which ends in the defeat of the black magic using occultist Neocons/Zionists and the victory of the people over evil. Because if we do nothing, there will eventually be a nuclear holocaust. You know what they say – Evil prevails when good men do nothing.
But if all good men should so happen to choose to unite and to act against evil, then together we will be unstoppable. Maybe with Tulsi Gabbard at the helm, or maybe not. It’s hard to tell.
Good luck folks, we’re all gonna need it.
While I totally agree with your Tulsi choice, I think runner-up should go to the tag team of Putin/Xinping,,2 sane, moral individuals in the gates of hell.
Yet another Instant Classic, Christmas present ahead of sked. Guaranteed to piss off ideologues the world over (see above!). Just because the modern Western world has no sense of humor, right or left, doesn’t mean some of us don’t understand exactly what you’re doing. You bring light into the darkness, Saker. Pulling no punches, well done, m’lad.
The convention is a long ways off and she could still win that with enough sensible minds out there, but then again we are talking about democrats so…..
Tulsi will certainly throw as spanner in the works for any DNC approved candidate (Warren/Biden) as will Bernie.
Bernie will not cow tow to any DNC approved Soros-Clinton backed candidate.
Bloomberg is a fool to try and run as he doesnt have any popular appeal. Nor does Warren, Biden etc…
Tulsi’s the only one with it and a sound message.
US Pres Elections are won invariably by charisma relative to the eco position / climate.
H Bush lost in 1992 due solely to Ross Perot bleeding votes. Willy got it by default. Its a pity Bush hadnt re-run in 1996 as he would have beat Willly.
I predict a big split in the DEMS over this 2020 candidate. Tulsi and Bernie who together are pulling 30% of Dem support can wreck them if they jump ship and do a Perot type act. This obnoxious Clinton run lot wont sell their message to traditional Dem voters – particularly the older ones. Obama who has a big say in things doesnt want Hillary back either nor wants one of her puppets. They want a winner.
The truth is the DNC either want their approved candidate or would rather lose the election.
They will lose it anyway because Dem support is divided, while the GOP is not and Trump is seen as doing the best he can and a % of voters are angry at the Dems for this impeachment circus and obstruction.
If he get the nomination again Trump should win again but he’s have a real fight to do so against Tulsi.
Bernie’s too old and his message only resonates with an insufficient % of the voters. But the DNC will try to sabotage Tulsi so that will favor Trump.
I have a mathematical method of determining election results (or any other thing on time series data) and it said in late 2015 (I published that on a blog site back then) the Republicans would win the next 3-4 Pres elections ( 2016 2020 2024 & possibly 2028).
As I said DEMS are at a point of no return – the party could fracture permanently over the 2020 election.
The left wing wont support Tulsi, and their right wing hates Clinton DNC nominated puppets. This kind of division usually results in an election loss and long term problems.
And Pelosi’s decision to pursue the impeachment circus today will prove to be a tactical mistake that will cost them. The Dems don’t hold the number in the Senate and any Republican Senator foolish enough to go against Trump will be destroyed and hounded to the grave for it.
Every President has to have leverage to get things done in the foreign policy area and this alleged issue over Ukraine & Biden is about UKN doing what it should have been doing all along in looking into law breaking and questionable dealings by Biden.
Trump should pass Executive Orders for a Commission of Inquiry into the Clinton Obama Administrations and Democratic Party corruption.
I believe that speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi is willing to enable the re-election of Donald Trump in order to facilitate what she sees as a greater good, the discrediting of the ultra liberal wing of the Democratic party.
For a long time, she was very publicly against impeachment. Then at some point, the house went into high gear with the impeachment hearings. This could not have happened without the consent of the speaker.
What happened to change her mind? Both the Democratic debates and the continual rhetoric of the new leftist members of the house have indicated to her that this left of center drift would permanently swing the electorate against the Democratic party for years to come.
It must be obvious to her that an attempted impeachment against Trump that would fail in the Senate would only add to the support for Trump and would most likely insure his reelection.
This then, would surely be used and seen as a repudiation of the left wing of her party, and a return to the traditional center-left coalition that she sees as the only way forward to winning elections with the majority of Americans.
Thus, the short term pain (as she sees it) of a Trump second term is worth the longer term goal of bringing back the Democratic party to a mainstream position with voters.
Just me from the south seas, but boy oh boy, like them or not here are my thoughts re Drumpf appearing on this list;
Quite frankly I am in shock…to me, this is akin to him featuring simply because he is not Hitler for example… or perhaps Hitlery to be a touch more relevant…this is neither valid nor logical.
He shouldn’t be anywhere near this list for a veritable multitude of reasons. There is one reason alone however that is absolutely overwhelming. It is of huge significance simply because my understanding of the very DNA of the Saker site is that its fundamental existence is centered on the fight against the all-powerful Neoliberal machine.
The very foundations of this fight must include the support of the structure of reliable information availability, which in turn relies on free speech and honest journalism. The fortitude and courage of the individuals who call out the massive murderous killing sprees of the Neoliberal movement and its puppets need to be acknowledged and applauded. These people are heroes…they are the most fundamental allies that humanity possess.
Hence one name stands out like a beacon and is the absolute essence of this fight. It is the name Assange. Ironically because of his courage in calling out the war crimes of the Barbaric Witch from the West and her cohorts plus many other killers in high places, this journalistic hero languishes in misery in a jail in Britain and will indeed be very fortunate to emerge alive.
This is not just about Assange. This is about avoiding a massive headlong plunge into an Orwellian nightmare where journalism and free speech is totally destroyed and where we are forced to develop an innate fear of the truth just as a means of survival as individuals.
The astonishingly ironic tragedy in all of this is that had these monstrous crimes not been called out, the Witch could well have been firmly ensconced as POTUS. Humanity, odds on, could have all gone up in smoke by now.
As we know the 2016 election was a very close call, mainly as a result of Mainstreet beginning to absorb the staggering depth and depravity of the Clinton Camp and its deeds. It is absolutely conceivable then that Assange is the single over arching cause of the ‘G’OP victory.
And how is Assange rewarded by the one person who could have the whole farcical incarceration stopped in a flash? Well actually…total unabashed apathetic abandonment to the stage where Drumpf will almost certainly be an accomplice in the murder of arguably the most important journalistic hero of the modern era. At the very least he will be party to Assange’s complete mental and emotional destruction.
I could write for a week as to why this obscene Caricature of ugly, greedy, aggressive America shouldn’t be anywhere near this list… don’t need to… this one obscene and monumental betrayal is reason alone. Not only that, it is a salient message as to who Drumpf serves…guess what it ain’t Mainstreet.
Cheers and regards to all
Col
PS My suggested list, for what it is worth, is below:
#1 Assange…Given the sorry current state of humanity this man is absolutely head and shoulders above any other contender
#2 [and a distant 2 at that] Gabbard…lots of courage from her too.
Sadly she has as much chance of becoming POTUS as Ron Paul had…virtually zero…why?… well very simply because she, like RP, would genuinely relish the task of fixing what is essentially a broken model.
Your reasoning, fellow kiwi, is sound on the importance of Assange – his influence certainly helped enlighten those who ultimately stymied another Clinton presidency. As far as your description of Trump, though, I don’t think you can know what his influence may be even on issues where he ‘trumpets’ the establishment line. In many ways his actions have reinforced rather than muted (as would an Obama) our recognition of the brutal aims of unipolarity. Deliberately? Hard to say. For his own sake, there is only so much he can do, so far he can go – and this impeachment farce is still a real danger, more perhaps from his own ‘side’ than the opposition.
So, yes, Assange at great personal cost helped us see, and turn away. But Trump blunted the push to war, not perfectly, but using his skills to obfuscate and confuse. We are confused; but more importantly, so are they, the powers that be. In a better world, the two men, I dare to say, might even have been friends… too speculative, I know. Strike that. We are indebted to them both, though.
Greetings juliana
I can think of more reasons why Drumpf shouldn’t be on this list than I could shake the proverbial stick at.
Just one more that The Saker himself pointed out in an interview with Catherine Austin Fitts June 25, 2019…
/solari-report-quarterly-interv.iew-with-the-saker-4/
…his words, not mine…
54.33…”Yeah but there is one problem…sigh…the negative thing is she [Gabbard] hasn’t dared to take on the Israel lobby…and unfortunately that lobby is so crucial right now for the situation in US…you know its like you can’t treat a patient if you don’t treat the most serious disease of that patient…and she has been dealing with the consequences of the Israel lobby but not naming the cause and that I think is a sign of potential weakness…because I think sooner or later this topic will have to become visible…this country cannot recover when it is essentially occupied territory.”
57.30…”Trump probably doesn’t have Israeli citizenship…so what…he is essentially the servant of Netanyahu”
I absolutely agree with what the Saker said in this interview and will also add that the pathetic groveling of Drumpf and family in all dealings with Israel is truly sickening. It can only add to the bloodshed and the perpetual carnage in that region and to the likelihood of WW3…oops, I almost forgot… but isn’t that preciscely what Drumpf’s handlers want…not to mention the beginning of the Rapture.
Scary time even when I’m a long way away…mind you it doesn’t matter which part of the rock you cling to when these psychopaths are at the helm.
Kind regards
Col
For me, 2019 has been about Iran resisting the embargo and at the same time changing the balance of power in the middle east, with the highly successful Houti strike against Saoudi oil facilities.
For that, I would give a man of the year alternative award to Qasem Soleimani, the spearhead of the Iranian resistance.
No kidding. Those Houthis, man, are something else.
Did you see the full footage of the time they captured that army and all those vehicles? That has to have been _the_ footage of the year, 2019.
I would definitely put “the Houthi Fighting Man” on the A-list for 2019. Clad in sandals and Yemeni attire, that film was the most incredible thing since the Donbass videos of the last few years, a real game-changer. Hard to support your old myths of reality after you’ve seen it.
Very nice analysis. Didn’t think Tulsi was so gifted. Really hope that she succeeds in her grand project of ridding the Democrats of the control of the oligarchs. Really sad. Just read -partly- about how bloathed the American health systems is worst how their leaders are systematically making their people suffer. Unthinkable, unimaginable, you would just like to leave that country. Anyway..
Thanks for your selection
Harfang
In the Presidential campaign of 2016 I told my friends, to their total disbelief, that Trump would win the election. I also told them, again to their total disbelief, that Trump would be a better President than HR Clinton. They asked me why on both points. I said the answer is simple:
1) Trump will win because he speaks to the mass disaffected in the U.S. (whether or not he is a liar).; and,
2) Unlike HRC who lusts after war with Russia, Trump has a very slim chance of normalizing relations with Russia (which he failed at subsequently), but more importantly he will strip the veil off U.S. barbarity for the world to see (at which he has succeeded admirably) giving the rest of the world the opportunity to understand what the U.S. has been about since 1776.
Shouldn’t this award been called Woman of the Year? Of course, this runner-up would have been still eligible.
Now, now, GB, don’t go confusing women with jail house sukas. :-D
US Denies Visas to Several Russian Officials – Russian Embassy
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201912041077478517-us-denies-visas-to-several-russian-officials–russian-embassy/
“A statement shifting the blame for initiating a ‘visa war’ on Russia is still posted on the website of the US embassy in Moscow. There were and are no grounds for such false attacks on us. … We stress that US authorities have been consistently restricting the entry of our official representatives and disrupting crucial negotiating formats,” the Russian embassy said in a Facebook statement.
According to the release, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department for Relations with Compatriots Abroad (DRCA) Oleg Malginov was prevented from taking part in a youth forum in New York on 28-29 November.
A delegation of the Russian Treasury that was supposed to arrive in Washington on Tuesday to participate in a conference of the International Institute on Audit Regulation was denied visas, the Russian embassy said.
The embassy also pointed out that the United States had still not explained why some members of the Russian delegation to the UN General Assembly in September were denied visas.”
No wars, eh?
Bout’s Lawyer to Defend Russian National Nikitin Detained in US
https://sputniknews.com/us/201912041077478473-bouts-lawyer-to-defend-russian-national-nikitin-detained-in-us/
“The US Department of Justice said in a press release on Tuesday that Nikitin and his Russian-based company KS Engineering together with another Russian citizen, two Italian nationals and an American had been charged with conspiring to evade trade sanctions.
Nikitin faces up to 45 years in prison and a $1.75 million penalty on charges of violating trade sanctions, conspiring to violate trade sanctions and to defraud the United States, and conspiring to commit wire fraud and launder monetary instruments, the release said.”
No wars, eh?
US trade sanctions that are illegal under International Law, as well.
Trump Campaign Congratulates Gabbard Over Harris’s Exit From 2020 Race
https://sputniknews.com/us/201912041077478205-trump-campaign-congratulates-gabbard-over-harriss-exit-from-2020-race/
“The office of President Donald Trump’s 2020 election campaign, the so-called Trump War Room Twitter account on Tuesday congratulated Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard over the withdrawal of fellow Democrat Kamala Harris from the presidential race.
“BREAKING NEWS: Kamala Harris has ended her campaign for president. Congratulations Tulsi Gabbard,” the Trump War Room tweeted.”
Very likud israeli of trump.
Such praise she doesn’t need. Almost as bad as if Putin praised her publicly.
Trump should stay out of the already screwed up Democratic Party politics.
Harris was very bad news, indeed. A true ‘House Negro’, sell-out. Good riddance. Gabbard exposed her, easily. It’s Bernie versus Biden-Sanders can beat Trump, ‘Dopey Joe’ has no chance. The DNC, naturally, will imposed Sleepy Joe, if he’s not already comatose.
Unfortunately you fail to realize Biden/Sanders will need the block of votes behind both Tulsi and Yang (9%) to succeed in a tight race and if T-Y dump on the DNC B-S team and their supporters dont turn out to vote for B-S in a tight race against Trump, then Trump gets back in.
The DEMS need to win by 10%+ margin and thats impossible for 2020.
Where there is divided party and a tight race its a train wreck result for them.
This is what really happened in 2016 – Bernie supporters wouldnt vote for Hillary and other Dem voters saw a benefit in Trump. Had nothing to do with Russian medalling.
The Republicans arent divided and anyone who tries to unseat Trump wont succeed and T supporters will cost them the 2020 Nov election.
Assange Exposed US War Crimes and Lies – Telling Truth is his Only ‘Crime’
https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201912031077476584-assange-exposed-us-war-crimes-and-lies–telling-truth-is-his-only-crime/
“I invite you to compare and contrast the cases of Julian Assange and Anne Sacoolas. I can guarantee you will have heard of Assange and been invited to form an opinion of him which is wholly warped by a tirade of misinformation and coordinated smears designed to dehumanise the individual and make you believe he is a ‘weirdo’ and an accused ‘rapist’.”
Of which israeli quisling trump has been an enthusiastic part of.
“Anne Sacoolas on the other hand is an American citizen who drove a vehicle on the wrong side of the road near to an RAF Base in Northamptonshire on 27th August this year and collided with a motorcycle on the right side of the road. The young man riding the motorcycle was 19 years of age. He was knocked to the ground and writhed in pain and anguish. The driver of the motor car fled the scene. The young man was left in agony and fear. He subsequently died of his injuries. His name was Harry Dunn.
The family of Harry Dunn subsequently travelled to America seeking extradition of Anne Sacoolas to face charges of at least dangerous driving in connection with their son’s death. In an attempt to shut them up and silence the whole embarrassing story they were ushered into a hurriedly arranged meeting with Donald Trump who tried to get them to meet with Sacoolas without any legal representation. The mother and father bravely resisted that attempt and insisted Sacoolas be ordered to return to the UK to face proper investigation and probable charges. The US subterfuge backfired and Trump then made a stupid and pathetic statement implying everyone drives on the wrong side of the road in foreign countries and completely trivialised the tragic death with a “it happens” blurb. My contempt for him sunk even lower.
What is clear is the US Government don’t want to do the right thing and extradite this woman back to the UK to face possible charges and the UK Government don’t want to upset their bosses in Washington as they have for many years done what they were told by successive US Presidents. It is a damned disgrace.
Now think about Julian Assange.”
The behaviour of trump towards Assange NOW, shows what this neocon is made of.
Dear Saker, I think you may be “over analyzing”. your choices regarding Man of the Year. Trump; as you once said ; is ” Profoundly Dishonorable” . The fact that this Psychopath has been kept in check by several ; ” Come to Jesus ” Conversations with Putin does not make him admirable in any way. Just because a rotten father did not maim his children is not meritorious. Perhaps you should get back to Switzerland where their Democracy might have a chance to actually work. The USA is done for…..thanks to the a coup[le thousand years of “Christ Killers”. francis m reps
Don’t be silly. The ONLY reason I chose Trump as a runner up was that he did not get us into a shooting war. If you understood what such a war meant, you would understand.
The Saker
It would be the end of Mankind.Saker. I thoroughly understand your point. I agree that a shooting war { to date } has been avoided; but no thanks to Trump……Thank Putin and Lavrov…as well as some of the more grounded American Military men ; and possibly some sane and insightful Israelis as well. “Profoundly Dishonorable ” was coined by you. I think ;” Worse than Dreadful” is also an apt description. The Church based on Apostolic Succession is a comfort.
‘Some good things can happen’: At NATO, Trump talks nuclear deals with Russia & China but his record tells another story
https://www.rt.com/news/474949-trump-inf-treaty-russia-china/
“Russia’s commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and arms control is on the record, despite Trump’s claims that Moscow had somehow violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Even as he accused Russia of “not living up to” the INF on Tuesday, Trump also described it as “unfair” and “obsolete deal anyway,” covering “things that frankly didn’t matter anymore” – a laundry list of excuses suggesting the original argument wasn’t strong enough.
Moscow certainly believes that US claims of Russian violations were merely a pretext for Trump to announce his administration would scrap the INF earlier this year.
“The unilateral withdrawal from the INF treaty by the US, destruction of one of the basic documents on arms control, based on an imaginary pretext, has seriously complicated the situation in the world,” is how Russian President Vladimir Putin phrased it in August, as the clock started by the US withdrawal ran out.”
The usa already had their new missile project almost ready for testing, the reason for their gay accusations against Russia.
“The only remaining arms control deal between Washington and Moscow is now the New START or SNV-III, which went into effect in 2011 and expires in 2021 unless it is extended. Considering that it was negotiated by the Obama administration – just like the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that Trump also casually shredded in 2018 – the prospects for its renewal are decidedly grim.
And yet, the disconnect between the US president’s rhetoric and actions is once again impossible to bridge. Trump has talked about ending the endless foreign wars, but kept US troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. He has talked about national sovereignty, only to turn around and back regime-change operations and crippling sanctions against countries that refuse to bend the knee. He keeps talking about arms control, while building up the US nuclear arsenal and shredding existing treaties.”
Malic is a trumpette, btw.
Macron made his “bid” for this award a little late in the year otherwise he may well have been in the reckoning as per your criteria. But this award is so western oriented, that someone like Xi Ping is completely ignored for all the positive things he and his fellow countrymen are doing and have done to lift so many people out of poverty. And why is Putin not in the running? These two men have DONE something so positive to balance world geo-politics and save the planet from the total domination from the western nations, to which you belong. Hmm…don’t agree with your picks.
I don’t think that is is fair to say that I ignored Xi or China. Just look at the rest of the blog for yourself.
And yes, both Putin and Xi would deserve “Man of the Year” for at least the past decade, if not more. But I can’t do that year after year after year.
Frankly, I nominate Putin and Xi as “Saker men of the century”.
Agreed?
The Saker
Very good. I agree with you brother. Whenever someone started that conversation, I would try to politely remind the other party on Killary’s willingness to start WW3, which thank God did not happen (so far), and that’s why we should be thankful to Mr Trump.
Save your breath. Trump knows he can’t defeat Russia, so that is why he speaks nicey nice but is arming the US with space weapons, thinking that he’ll defeat Russia with more US weapons. He even said so during his campaign when he complained that the military is underfunded. His generals were telling him that the US can’t defeat Russia, but you can be sure Trump would attack if he could get away with it. Otherwise, who create INF treaty breaking weapons and shoot them right after he exits the treaty?
Epina 39
It is always a pleasure to read the Saker’s articles: they stem from a logical thinking and are written in a clear language. Thank you.
Or is she this year’s Obama?
I’m leaning towards that one.
Yes, why keep this charade with new “hopes” going ? Obama, Trump, and now Tulsi. Isn´t it obvious for everybody nowadays that they are all chosen actors and that a real politician for the people would have the same chance as a snowball in hell ?
Saker,
Given your reasons, I concur. Gabbard will be assassinated if she gets even
close to being the nominee. Sad, but AmeriKKKans are not kind … DH Lawrence said it best. Like the murder of the Kennedy’s Gabbard is doomed.
tRUMP is anathema … but his nay-sayers are equally awful.
Regarding others RE Killary Clinton … OMG! AmeriKKKans are just stupid, ignorant and self-destruction enough to vote for that … [fill in your own descriptive term of that venal piece of s__t].
Hear, hear Saker!
Great choice; and I agree with all that you said 9especially about Natalia Poklonskaia.
Keep on keeping on…
If this wouldn’t be about choosing the Man of the Year, but the Most Potent Hopium offered by the Mafia Media Matrix, I would fully endorse Saker’s selection …
: )
Good to make a barbie doll man of the year – very jazz, very sex funky, she ::
“never stops repeating that imperial wars are bad and dangerous for the United States” any child picking her up will hear those words repeated until the battery runs out.
Tulsci “Chamion of Fredom” Gabard and Donald “Jerusalem, Golan Heights, Illegal Settlement” Trump or nuclear war – what zionist stupidity (to cenzor – the truth will set you free)
Tulsi Gabbard is a demagogue . I am from India and find totally unacceptable , the soliciting by Tulsi of campaign funds from the North American affilaites of Narendra Modi , the outright fascist now ruling India. Tulsi herself endorses Modi whose career now concentrates on locking up Kashmir Valley, setting up concentration camps for Muslims being declared non-citizens arbitrarily. All this on top of his being implicated in organising genocide of Muslims as Chief Minister of Gujarat state in 2002.Peter Friedrich , a publicist has exposed Tulsi’s links to this especially beastly contemporary movement in India. When Peter, recently at a Tulsi meeting posed a question on her funding by Hindu-fascist sources, she simply paused, and tried to turn the assembled folk against Peter, by bizzarely insinuating that he was expressing hate , and without answering the question on her fascist funders.Her “Hindu”status is a big joke, as she is a follower of a splinter from the HareKrushna movement. Her “spiritual” mentor there is a rank islamophobe. These Caucasian “Hindus” are a joke since there is no belief system neccessarily adhered to by all Hindus.One cant “become Hindu” merely by voicing your allegiance to any particular belief. If you o have that belief, go ahead, though your being allowed inside a temple is still sbject to what the particular sect running that temple and the priests there feel about it. Hinduism is a way of life and you can even be an atheist & still be Hindu. (There is one Hindu school of thought , circa 2nd century BC , which is atheistic and materialist). Quite unlike the Abrahamic religions, where , as Saker has been at pains to point out, belief in “Jesus is the son of god” or “Mohamed is the last prophet” are de rigeur for adherents. Hinduism comprises several schools of thought and caste system is fundamental to Hinduism. You belong to a caste and thereby to Hinduism. Of course, things are changing in tis respect.
Do not believe Tulsi Gabbard ! As she progresses ,she will take any turn. Military Industrial complex is quite approving of Modi .
Check out the “Joe Rogan Experience #1391- Tulsi Gabbard & Jocko Willink” if you have not done so already. 2.5 hours!
http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/tulsi-gabbard-jocko-willink
Gabbard comes across as genuine during much of this interview. However, the question rarely asked is what will/can she (or anyone) do to deal with the realities and pressures of the White House. I can see her walking down the dark side just as Obama did (in a flash in his case). The question (of sorts) gets raised towards the end (c. 2:22:50 mark). I came away less than impressed.
Firstly, the most repeated word of the interview was “Leader” – “Leadership” this; leadership that; basically, echoing the military background. This is an old dead meme in postnormal times. The same type of “leadership” no doubt that many military coups and dictatorships around the world promote as a response to the ‘chaos’ etc (Checked in on the new pretty face; dark soul @ the top in Colombia recently?). Chaos, in many cases, that these renegade military types have engineered themselves (for themselves). She definitely gives it away when earlier criticizing current political players as not being leaders, but rather just ‘followers’ (said in a tone of clear disdain and dismissal, … as they do). Has it not occurred to these wannabee ‘super hero’ cretins that the core essence of the military mind is following civilian dictates and policy? It is so clear for those with eyes and wishing to see. Warning: Next tyrant on the blocks!!!
But the second giveaway is even more insightful, imo, when she begins to roll out the narrative that elected representatives are there to represent their constituents etc. TOTALLY BS naive! (and she is not!) These scavengers are there (with one or two exceptions, literally) to follow the orders of the various lobby groups and large campaign funders. As someone once said (George Carlin I think?) they should be made to wear the logos of their sponsors like sports car drivers.
At that point, I disengaged. Sure, she can talk the talk — but in my estimate she has as little chance of walking the ‘change we need 2.0’ BS jingle as her Hawaiian predecessor — Mr Barrack ‘BS’ Nobel ‘Piece of Shit’ prize Obama – a man with a voice who clearly failed the test (or mastered it, depending on your perspective). The Americans are being groomed big time. And they deserve it mostly after two decades of aggressive war and financial system collapse.
Here’s the sound track du jour – and gabbard is NOT a working-class hero.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMewtlmkV6c
2centsworth
Thanks for the links…will check out the 2.5hr one re Gabbard as soon as I can.
I can see your eyes are absolutely wide open…you are definitely one of humanity’s assets…even Ross Ashcroft would be impressed.
Your 2nd link, re John Lennon…a great song with such a powerful message…funny thing is it never got much playtime Downunder…hmmmm… but of course it was far too blatantly revealing about the sad reality of the West…can’t have Mainstreet listening to these sort of truths.
Best regards
Col
V v Anand, you may have noticed that your views regarding Tulsi Gabbard being a Hindu fascist has fallen flat on its face, no respondent here even paid attention to your opinions regarding Hindus, nor the ridiculous lies about concentration camps for Muslims in India and the now discredited trope of Kashmiris being locked up.
Further, your biased contempt for and arrogance towards white Hindus (Indians and Iranians are caucasian too, so the correct term you should use is converts of white European descent) or your contempt for western converts to Hinduism (Tulsi is Polynesian with a white Buddhist mother of Slavic + Germanic descent) shows that you are far more ethnocentric than the Hindus sovereignist you are futilely attacking. Ironically you appear to be applying the evil of untouchability to people of white European descent as well as other westerners: it is unacceptable. It’s as if a convert has less legitimacy, in your eyes, than one such yourself who is Hindu merely due to an accident of birth.
If Hinduism is way of life as you describe it (a proveably false premise invented by the British, and pedantically regurgitated by the ignorant), and even an atheist can be a Hindu, etc. then by your own definition who are you to judge or cast aspersions on what form of Hinduism Tulsi Gabbard practices?
I may not be convinced about Tulsi Gabbard’s political bona fides, however, on the face of it, she comes across as a sincere, poised, civilized woman of courage, humility and decency. On this point I can definitely see why Saker and others here respect her.
Saker…
Agree with your choice…she has always presented herself as being a principled person who knows firsthand the blood and gore of war. She truly cares about her fellow military folk. As a vet myself, I respect her for that. My only criticism is her association with the globalist CFR crowd. Those folk are a stain upon humanity.
As for the runner up…President Trump, he has more than earned my vote come 2020. I didn’t vote for him before in the 2016 election, Killery-never. Having seen him become the best president in my lifetime, going back to sweaty Nixon, he’s got my unqualified support now. Based upon the mediocre Demo’s, and the fact that when he holds a rally, thousands of folk are standing outside the packed stadium, he seems a shoe in for 2020. Any and all of the Demo’s couldn’t fill a classroom.
One big negative he has still hanging over his head was the missile attack on Syria based now upon false and fake information of a gas attack. I excuse him knowing that scumbag neocon Bolton likely was whispering in his ear to do it. No evidence as confirmed by the OPCW on the ground person. Mr. Putin should be also be considered a serious runner up for his outstanding leadership thru all the baloney, sanctions and provocations from the west.
Is it str8arrow or split arrow?
“Agree with your choice…. ….Those folk are a stain upon humanity. ”
Reminds me of the cognitive dissonance of a so-called christian voting for evil (or the lesser thereof.
I have my reservations with anybody who pursues the field of politics. In my lifetime, I have suffered to observe the most compromised run of President’s maybe in human history with the rare exception of Reagan, though he also had his failings. Nixon…liar…both the Bushes, particularly the dim son brought corruption to a new level. Clinton…wolf in sheep clothing who lies compulsively. That leaves that corrupt communist Obama. Certainly the worst 8 year stretch of them all. Were it not for the fake stream media abdicating their responsibility, his long list of despicable acts…from Fast and Furious to Benghazi and the intentional overthrow of a democratically elected President in Ukraine; to name only 3 of many would have his sorry ass sitting in a small smelly jail cell in GITMO.
And yes…that’s how it reads, str8arrow62.
Agree, “Noble Bird”.
Tulsi… …what OVARIES does she have..!!!
I love and wish her just the best.
Respecting Trump, here in Baires we say:”…él es el MENOS PEOR..!” (…it´s a syntactic error in Spanish, triying to make a joke…), meaning that he, compared with the others was the only possible choice, as you correctly wrote.
BTW, I must to thank you that you mentioned Natalia.
I have as wallpaper a pic from her, carrying an icon of Nicholas II. It´s very touching to me this Lady.
Hugs, bro..!
Man of the year is Putin #1, Tulsi #2…..
This beggars belief. I’m all for optimism and positivism, seeing the good in all things, hoping for the best, overcoming skepticism, entrepreneurship, but I miss the reason here, the common sense, the everyday appraisal, the informed discernment, unexciting, boring things like that.
Since Saker is not known for playing fast and loose with the facts, I would not emotionally (or rationally…LOL) leap to resist the idea that Trump had something …..anything (I know that just won’t “go down” very easily for those who have taken an oversimplified, over-emotional view….and are just too “invested in it……) to do with Gabbard’s fact finding mission to Syria.
Quite the opposite!
I would be on the look out for the unexpected….for the anomalous ….for the singularity that the Narrative Spinners of the MSM…or the most prodigious spinners here, for that matter promote …………in their oversimplified and fatal prejudice against nuance.
Despite her membership in the CFR can you imagine Gabbard behaving anything like the bragging Joe Biden….so proudly recalling, at the CFR headquarters…. his mafia like extortion behaviour in Kiev….in defense of nepotism??
I can’t!
So, for sure…I do Ilke the choice.for # 1 Person of the Year ..of Tulsi Gabbard ……..if for nothing else to provide a positive feminine alternative to THE Foulest Most Murderous Witch In US History: Hillary Rodham Clinton.
I also think that a Saker is a sharp-eyed species and is looking ahead to next year, by placing The Donald # 2 this year.
Whether Assassinated….or Re-elected (and I see very little possibility of any alternative outcomes for Donald Trump …..given his Date with Destiny Next Year and what that can mean for all of humankind…wht4ehr hopesin him are realized ………….betrayed by others or himself or dashed by who knows what…right now it is near impossible to even imagine another 2020 Man of the Year.
Accordingly for those that might need counselling in the coming year and four weeks….when 2020 ends I link again Sylvain Laforest’s Oriental Review article…… About Trump…… for agapic, therapeutic reasons of assistance …for those blinded by their animus…and other negative emotions:
https://orientalreview.org/2019/11/15/about-trump/
Because: “Emotion Clouds Judgment”….and VIsion
However, eye exercises in spotting nuances, almost hidden anomalous singularities such as those revealed in that very nuanced article ……..can help sharpen your strategic eyesight ………… to 20/20
2020 The Year of Clearer Vision …….. if you start exercising it now!
For me historically Trump will always be seen as the man who saved the world from a Clinton presidency and that’s it.
Yes his every move has been stymied by the dems, the warmonger neocons the press etc etc but I just don’t think he had that much to offer any way. His greatest contribution (and it has been a big one) was beating Hilary and getting elected, and honestly, that’s all the world needed.
Gabbard? Yup, she’s great, got a couple of blots on the ink book and a few question marks but she would be a sound way forward and finally get the US moving in the right direction ie. the 21st century. But, we all sure as hell know she can’t get the nomination, sane heads with good policies delivered in a coherent way simply are not allowed by the retarded washington swamp.
Maduro is the man of the year in my book. He withstood a coup and maximum pressure onwards. As much as the hegemon is perceived as weak on occasion, he did show his terrible capabilities in Bolivia. Took them out in swift action and no one was prepared or truly expected it.
So Bolivia fell while Venezuela still stands in spite of stronger attacks.
The runner up would be Irans Ali Khomeini for the same reason.
Julian Assange is man of the year. Despite being arrested, he still chooses to stick with his principles; and he will likely die for them. :-(
Bradley Manning is a worthy runner up. Manning’s brain has been so damaged by relentless torture that he was “convinced” to get a sex change operation into Chelsea, yet still chooses to go to jail instead of betraying the truth.
Excellent pics!
Tulsi has managed to keep war at the forefront of the political debate, and she deserves credit for that. However, she won’t be the Der nominee, and even if she were, I wouldn’t vote for her. Outside of her foreign policy, she’s a nightmare: a radical gun-grabbing, open borders, tax-and-spend libtard. She won’t be POTUS. Not now. Not ever.
Trump will likely win again, and unless someone better comes along (highly unlikely at this late stage), I’ll vote for him again…for many of the reasons that the Saker laid out.
No one else even remotely qualifies so yes, your choices are right on.
If the ‘man of the year’ is confined to a selection from just the U.S. or North America then it is very slim pickings. Perhaps a couple of honorable mentions can be made for Tulsi Gabbard but Donald Trump? He is runner up because he hasn’t started a war….YET? For this perhaps he should be awarded a Pulitzer Peace Prize. Such is the state of decay in the west. Finding a hero is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
There are candidates who are much more worthy outside the west, but most of these are on the Empires ‘hit list’.
Trump? Pour comprendre il faut l’avoir suivi de près, dans son environnement qu’il décrit si bien lors de ses discours d’investiture que Killary lui demande de supprimer la vidéo.
Trump? Quelqu’un a décrypté ce qu’il a fait tout en se faisant passer pour un hurluberlu pendant que le “marais” le traque avec ses procédures d’impeachment” . Lisez : http://vuaumacroscope3.canalblog.com/archives/2019/11/20/37804041.html
Trump? c’est celui qui a affronté ça : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqbDBRWb63s&feature=emb_logo
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Google Translate: from Mod
Trump? To understand he must have followed closely, in his environment that he describes so well during his investiture speeches that Killary asked him to delete the video.
Trump? Someone has deciphered what he did while pretending to be an oddball while the “swamp” is tracking him with his impeachment procedures. ” Read: …link…
Trump? he’s the one who faced this …link…
Vladimir Putin has always been my favorite. The man deserves appreciation he didn’t get from the media, and i don’t reckon anyone with integrity more popular than him (standing ovation).
I think the other one is Kim Jong Un. He simply went from zero to hero, from rocketman to respectful leader. The man is quite made a headline the whole year (standing ovation).
Another one, you can include Houthi here. Their resistance have had shown massive improvement over the four years of conflict. Total headaches for the wahabi-saudi-scum (standing ovation & loud cheers).
You may also include Iran here. For trying hard to resist the empire and avoid WW3 to break out (standing ovation & loud cheers).
Thanks.
RZ
There is much grumbling about The Saker choosing Trump as ‘man of the year’. (Yes, I grumble as well). But we have to find some perspective .. it is simply war or no war. The Saker says:
“Truly, the issue of war and peace remains the single most important issue the world is facing today”
and this was the only selection criteria here.
Tulsi? I would give her only an honorable mention, only because she applied the right words to Hellary! She remains a single issue candidate, though in terms of war and peace, indeed the most important issue. Maybe we can upgrade her to Woman of the Year, for consistently speaking out against the sheer misuse of US forces and consistently speaking out against the incessant Wars of Conquest. For the rest, Tulsi is kinda dark.
On the US side the picks truly remain from the bottom of barrel and mostly for what they did not do, instead of valiant and honorable actions in service to all in our world.
I would present Julian Assange as the Hero of Our Times.
I would present Maduro and all the leadership of Iran as the Most Honorable Leaders against Hegemony of our times.
I would present Presidents Putin and Xi Jin Ping as the the Most Outstanding Men of our times.
The Man of the Year is too small for these and more people.
Some of the disappointment with Trump might not be directly attributable to him because he does not have full control of the U.S. military (especially the Navy), no less the covert agencies. If he were to successfully complete one of his goals, to drain the Swamp, he would be worth considering again for this prestigious honor!
I hope Mahathir of Malaysia is on your prospects list. Now that he is back, perhaps he will accomplish his goal of a gold-based currency for Malaysia. If he were to succeed, it would become the most valuable currency in the world overnight.
Surely Tulsi was acting as a useful idiot for the war machine when she said this
“Russia has violated the sovereignty and independence of the Ukrainian people, in direct contravention of its own treaty obligations and international law,”
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-russia-must-face-consequences-continued-aggression-ukraine
I think your inclusion of Trump is a disgrace.
Who’s side are you on anyway?
On the side of truth, no matter who speaks it.
The Saker
On the surface Tulsi is all the things you claim, but the very fact that Hillary attacked her the way she did, and also when she did made me think that the whole thing was a set up to promote Tulsi – and it certainly did! I’m still not sure of the purpose but will watch Tulsi’s progress in the coming weeks. Her politics are very leftist socialist except for being anti-war.
Donald Trump will be re-elected. He is there for Israel and will probably be around to promote the 3rd Temple. Both he and Mr. Putin are Royal Arch Masons. Do some research and you’ll find the truth…also get Masonic books and read the ritual for that degree. It is called the 3 on 3 and is all about bringing in the 3rd Temple.This is found in the York Rite. Many, if nor all the countries are run by leaders who are Masons. Israel and the Moslem nations belong to the Scottish Rite. All their books make for interesting reading, and if you trace some of the stuff back it comes from one of the times the Jews were in dispersion and their Rabbis put together the Babylonian Talmud which is what many of them go by instead of the Bible.
Putin a free mason?? Please provide proof of this! I do not think this is true.
All KGB people were required to join if they wish to get ahead. The York Rite is the “New Testament” branch of Masonic clubs, and the Scottish Rite is he Old Testament branch. Mr. Putin was a very prominent member of the KGB. Check around.
I’ll go even further: if you will look at the book of Daniel you will see that there are two iron legs of the statue. It is noted that the iron represents Rome. The two legs indicate the split of Roman Catholic and Orthodox Catholic. Watch the ecumenical movement as it progresses. I’m am not at all attacking each religion, it is the political system that Rome especially runs. The pope has his fingers in every country of the world under the guise of benevolence with priests acting as agents in may cases.
I live in an area where there is a fairly large group of Russian expats. They are, as a group very spiritual as are many Catholics that I know, including some in my own extended family. It is not the religion I object to – it is the politics. I am hoping that The Eastern branch does not rejoin Rome. Rome runs the Masonic movement through the Jesuits. I know how this statement looks but I have a huge library dedicated to church history which really leads to other research.
Thanks for saying what seems to have been put out of bounds by the US media: Trump’s saving grace is that he is against war, specifically, war against Russia, notwithstanding runaway Russophobia. Please write about The Wolfowitz Doctrine which has never been superseded and is at the origin of the determination to take down Russia.