2022/10/22 01:30:01
Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of the issues of the day.
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Lettuce mourn the loss of the great leader – she could not romaine long enough to fulfill her mandate of completely destroying the UK.
https://fivegunswest.blogspot.com/2022/10/did-liz-truss-lettuce-down.html
… and re: the ridiculous notion of the US setting a price cap on Russian oil, (when can *buyers in any market set a price cap?), caps are more likely to result in supply shortages and exacerbate inflationary pressures than anything else. This is the US’s economic logic at work. #winning :) :)
I’m again reminded of Scottish poet Robert Burns who reminded us that “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”.
A likely secondary consequence is the consolidation of the reconfiguration of energy flows globally, hastening European de-industrialization in the near term & increased energy competitiveness in Eurasia & Africa.
US Eyes Russia Oil Price Cap Above $60 to Keep Supply Flowing
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-21/us-eyes-russia-oil-cap-above-60-in-bid-to-keep-supply-flowing
National poet Robert Burns’s 1795 song, “A Man’s a Man for a’ That :
Ye see yon birkie, ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a cuif for a’ that,
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
The man o’ independent mind
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.
Yon Birkie who struts and stares is to laugh at!
“To a Mouse”
by Robert Burns
On Turning her up in her Nest, with the Plough, November 1785.
Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary Winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.
That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!
But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!
Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!
… and still on oil (the importance of all this is, that Russia needs an international oil price above $US60 (I think from memory?) to balance its domestic budget.
Meanwhile the French President decries the fact that the EU pays 4x the price for US LNG than users in the US.
Macron Lashes Out At United States Over Double Standard Energy Policies
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Macron-Lashes-Out-At-United-States-Over-Double-Standard-Energy-Policies.html
Dual track global energy markets emerging. A high cost Trans-Atalantic network, in which the European market is exposed to the highest prices in the world contrasts a low cost Eurasian market. Arbitrage trading could be the big winner, with refineries & processors in India, China & in due course Turkey set to play pivotal roles.
Saudi Arabia And China Stress The Importance Of Stable Oil Supplies
https://oilprice-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Saudi-Arabia-And-China-Stress-The-Importance-Of-Stable-Oil-Supplies.amp.html
Thank you for that information on both the Saudi’s and China oil dealing. It’s very interesting to me to see everything coming together that my mother and dad talked about many years ago. They also stressed how parts of Europe and Russia would come together, while Russia was the still USSR, I often wonder why they used the name Russia they must have known something.
You’re welcome Skip.
If you watch the Newsfeed I post stories proving Eurasian integration continuing apace.
If a story needs a little bit more detail to flesh it out, I post it here in the Cafe.
I leave the poetry to the poets, haha!
Cheers,
I respect the fact that different people have different opinions on Ritter as an analyst, but I found this 2:19 brief, hit all the key points:
The battle of Kherson, by US military expert Scott Ritter – via Tim Anderson
https://twitter.com/timand2037/status/1583584367430942720
Good vid. Fairly simple. Looking at what flocked into the Ukraine last night, another twist of the pain dial.
Not sure at this point the 82nd Chairborne would make any difference entering the grinder….maybe as extra pallbearers.
Cheers M
Maybe Shakespeare ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gravediggers
or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undertakers_sketch
There was a Time when BBC was not pickled herring!
Challenge:
the love we once had!
the love we once had!
Response:
mourning is past;
the widow’s long black hair,
freshly washed and gleaming
What could be said about
the delicacy of her lips
They were as tender
as the petals of a rose
What can be said about existence
its as temporary as a dew drop
This spectacle of life
is merely an illusion
God so loved Soul
that IT gave It existence; to do
with as Soul pleases
This is life –
some dreams and expectations
If one can play with such toys
then well and good
Time will come when the sun
breaks through the misty mountain fog
If one can then realize truth and reality
then well and good
James Taylor; You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught (Rodgers/Hammerstein)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvpyKWvdmWI
You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear—
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade—
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate—
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
I was cheated before
And I’m cheated again
By a mean little world
Of mean little men.
And the one chance for me
Is the life I know best.
To be on an island
And to hell with the rest.
I will cling to this island
Like a tree or a stone,
I will cling to this island
And be free—and alone.
if there is nothing
but love in life, there is more
than enough for all
Get you a copper kettle
Get you a copper coil
Cover with new-made corn mash
and never more you’ll toil
You’ll just lay there by the juniper
While the moon is bright
Watch them jugs a-fillin’
In the pale moonlight
Get you a fire of hickory
Get you a fire of oak
Don’t use no green or rotten wood
they’ll find you by the smoke
While you lay there by the juniper
While the moon is bright
Watch them jugs a-fillin’
In the pale moonlight
My granddaddy he made whiskey
My daddy he made it too
We ain’t paid no whiskey tax since 1792
I just lay there by the juniper
While the moon is bright
Watch them jugs a-fillin’
In the pale moonlight
Get you a copper kettle
Get you a copper coil
Cover with new-made corn mash
and never more you will toil
You’ll just lay there by the juniper
While the moon is bright
Watch them jugs a-fillin’
In the pale moonlight
Copper Kettle Joan Baez
https://youtu.be/pwnVXSw9Dsc?t=368
I prefer a Proper Cup of Coffee form a Proper Cup of Coffee Pot :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPnUzZiSEUo
Response #2
Evening has arrived
Dust old rolodex. Lay lures:
Rouge scent stilettos
♧ —————— ♧
PS – wise words from Howdie off the cuff. connections take time.. Many forged over the years, with thanks to all Cafeistas, fellow submariners in our World Desert.
With folks around me, esp since covid op, I have learned smiles, pity, compassion and focused small-talk helps make encounters manageable and actually pleasant and therapeutic for all. The Beast will need to die before Phases can Synchronize or become compatible. In some regions it will take a few more generations..
ZZzzzzzzzz……………
a cursory search revealed so far:
▪︎ In 44 AD: King Herod Agrippa I of Roman Palestine had the apostle James killed.. he himself is killed same year as worms eat alive his insides. Many other noteworthy occurrences that year & number, including relief of famine in Jerusalem..
▪︎ The 44th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht): was part of Polish Invasion & Operation Barbarossa (Army Group South); its Iron Cross emblem is on Ze’s green tshirt?
▪︎ StarLink-man bid $44 billion for Twitter. His putatively-controlled satellites provide the essential comms for suiciding the UkroNazis in the war on Russia.
▪︎ There was the anti-Russian 44-nation European club a few weeks ago where Trusst called Macron friend
▪︎ United Kingdom’s telephone country code is 44
▪︎ The band +44; lead guitarist was formerly in another band called “The Nervous Return” (BoJo?) and whose vocalist was also formerly of another band called “Get the Girl.”
▪︎ The move “Child 44 (2015)” is staged in Soviet Union. Its Soviet killer has denouement in city of Rostov-on-Don, the main logistics staging area of SMO and which Trusst famously refused to acknowledge as Russian to Lavrov’s face.. In the film, the main protagonists are played by British stars..
▪︎ The 44th Chess Olympiad was moved from Russia, relocated to India (stage-managed by Brit compradore elites?).. the highest points were tallied by a Brit, and the women’s Gold by a Ukrainian.. main venue was at the Four Points by Sheraton.. and “Forty-four top Russian players signed an open letter addressed to Russian president Vladimir Putin, stating their opposition to the war.”
▪︎ Manhattan’s dapper 44th Street has over a century’s scenery and hauntings of the bluebloods: Delanos (FDR clan), Harvard Club, Algonquin Hotel of the Round Table litterati, recent location of the incendiary Sofitel Hotel shafting of bankster DSK..
So, was it fortuitous Least Trusst was shafted on precisely the 44th day?
#winning!
Venezuelan opposition parties are no longer willing to back the Trump regime’s fiction that unelected puppet Juan Guaidó is “president” of Venezuela. However that fiction allowed the Anglo-Americans to steal billions of Venezuela’s foreign assets and inflate energy prices.
Venezuela Opposition Parties Aim to Remove Juan Guaidó as Leader
https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuela-opposition-parties-aim-to-remove-juan-guaido-as-leader-11666384978
After it provoked a Russian attack on Ukro-fascists, Washington discovered the sovereignty slogan. But that did not change its abuse of the sovereignty of Serbia, Sudan, Haiti, Cuba, Bolivia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen, Korea, China & Venezuela:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FfomMJRWQAArucZ?format=jpg&name=900×900
Long live the King, but also hard and long days ahead for the kingdom.
“Signs of the Times”
Salvador Dali’s Elephants on stilts
Deepsea transatlantic cables attacked
tilts the due balance of shameless guilt
wages of Pirates that Nordstream ransacked
Democrats’ stopgap SPR drain smoke & mirrors
is due to die with midterms in two weeks
resume Cold Dark Hunger-game terrors
♧ —————— ♧
“Ode to even-tempered Educators”
Patience of Alex, Jorge, others!
Old-School Instructors kind, stoical
Devotees of welfare brothers
Educators with vehicle:
History, reason, wisdom mothers
Logic, deconstruct the foul deeds
Judgment, facts, contrast the druthers
Repeat, the intellect entreats
Strip superstition that smothers
Give another angle as sweet
Calmly over dullard hovers
Perhaps, breach shut-mind of Others
♧ —————— ♧
“Haiku for Uncle Davy”
Regarding Ritter
Examine what is said, not
the relic who speaks.
[Def.: Relic (non-ecclesiastical): a surviving memorial of something past. {we who are created of recycled dust, carry a lot of baggage.. reliquaries clothed with flesh, moored by soul, carried aloft, perchance, by spirit..}] iow, a message that resounds matters, irregardless of fallible messenger.. he increasingly appears sane residual voice in Fallen USA.
♧ —————— ♧
“The Two Options”
Mackinder’s sticky opium and crack
how to survive Interregnum passage?
Aloft the BUFFs & White Swans or “Blackjack”
“Sovereignty or outright Vassalage”
♧ —————— ♧
“War Footing”
Russian Coordinating Council
Mobilizes civilian economy effort
Positions total war groundswell
Based on State Defense Committee
Chaired then by Uncle Joe himself
Hell cometh against West itself
Important information for anyone visiting the UK, over the next few weeks..
Almost none of us have guns, but almost all families, like ours have high explosives.
My wife usually buys them, cheap from the local Garden Centre about to go bust…
How many do want luv?
They have started early this year, It’s not even Halloween yet..
Fireworks are incredibly dangerous…
Light the blue touch paper and stand back
Bang – Beautiful lights in the sky
Still completely legal in the UK, even from our back garden…but we are just doing gentle under 7 fireworks this year – pretty lights for Children
But what’s left of The UK Government -now going even more WEF, will soon know exactly what we think
My baby grandchild is doing really well. She has put on a pound,
“Carshalton Park fireworks”
So please all you warmongers from every side, please stop trying to terrorise us with your war propaganda. Don’t you remember being a child?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rATvsCVIJ4Q
Our families are just the same as yours
Love & Peace xx
Tony
Hitler was a nice kid – Mum and fosters loved him.
Queen Elizabeth II was nice kid – her Dad and Uncle were traditional
Their Royal Heilness – credit The Sun 12,826 views Jul 19, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ZPchVWPbY
charming family!
not particularly impressed with your response.
Do you like Nazi’s or do you want to bomb them..
Lemmy Live in Moscow. shortly before he dropped dead at the age of 69…
What courage is that? The Russians loved him to bits too, cos he didn’t like Nazis
I have met him – lovely bloke – sadly now dead.
More balls than me or you
He is Welsh, so fck off. – where do you come from bonbon?
I went to his first gig, when Hawkwind chucked him out for a minor border dispute between the USA and Canada. He had no problems getting into Russia, even though most of his band were already dead
Just a Welsh man with a bass guitar. You can’t get more anti-war than this.
“Motörhead – Bomber (Official Video)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVxt7zM1BrU
Tony
Yon Birkie who struts and stares is to laugh at!
Yon Birkie, Prince of Wales, now COP King, wants to Reset us all.
Cut it out, Suck it up!
Close this conversation down. Its getting personal. Mod.
Tony, Please recall your countryman Mr Luty and his designs > Searchterm “luty + machine gun”
“…original examples of what the designer, Philip A. Luty of West Yorkshire (UK) dubbed simply ‘The 9mm Submachine Gun’. This was part of a series of designs that Luty called ‘Expedient Homemade Firearms’ (also the title of his series of instructional books, published by the US-based Paladin Press).
Ammunition is another matter…
Generally the State can outgun anybody…guns are usually not particularly useful. In fact States may prefer such unbalanced affairs.
I believe Mr L wrote that it takes about a week in the basement to fabricate a nifty piece of work.
Meantime? Well, in small amounts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_triiodide (fun with Chemistry!) Very small amounts… It’s the stuff of boyish pranks, and lost fingers…
It appears as though this will be a one year or so war, where what is left of the ukraine is too expensive to rebuild, and landlocked.
Its already on life support and once the plug is pulled, its over.
MUST watch:
PM Orban is superb – realistic, practical, and a visionary. His talk is full of brain teasers – not only on Ukraine and Russia but Euro-Atlanticism, NATO, EU’s future, nationalism, “the German question”, etc. A frank talk, no sophistry, no vanities. – MKB
“Had a great panel discussion with @cicero_online & @berlinerzeitung in Berlin
We talked about the Russian-UkrainianWar, sanctions and the future of Europe”
(1:03:14 Eng. subtitles) https://youtu.be/by7lbrFSO7s
I’m used to the conventional phrase “Rule of Law,” which means that a group of people establish laws by mutual agreement and then abide by them. This is what international law and contract law are.
The phrase “Rules Based Order”, which the US government seems to be using these days, is new to me. And since they don’t use the conventional phrase, it must mean something different.
As they use it, “Rules Based Order” means “Rules which we selected, without your input, and which we order you to follow.”
This is dictatorship, and dictatorship across boundaries.
This is mockocracy.
The phrase “Rules Based Order” is a US political use of language, i.e. using words as weapons.
Nobody can disagree with “rules” and “order” , right?
Given US exceptionalism: “the indispensable’ country”, “manifest destiny” “one nation under God” – all national myths inculcated in the US population, the US wants to make the rules and change them/ignore them whenever it suits its geopolitical interests.
If you’d like to learn how to defend yourself, and your loved ones, against political language, see:
1. George Carlin – Euphemisms (9:01) https://youtu.be/vuEQixrBKCc (funny)
2. George Orwell – Politics and the English Language (essay)
https://www.amazon.com/Politics-English-Language-Essays-Paperback/dp/1849028362/ref=sr_1_3
3. Richard Hoggart – The Uses of Literacy ( a bit arcane)
https://www.amazon.com/Uses-Literacy-Working-Class-Publications-Entertainments/dp/B0000CHBGE/ref=sr_1_4
Thanks for that nice trio. George Carlin thought clearly and put it plainly. Words are sliced to make the audience think they are told the truth while they are being deceived.
I’ll add George and Robin Lakoff, professors of Linguistics at University of California Berkeley, honing a skill I will term “Word Weaseling.”
This 2003 article is about George Lakoff and his efforts to educate one political group about “framing” the narrative, so they could overcome the dominance of another group. https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml.
Or his 2003 interview with NPR “The Success of the Conservative Argument”. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1514437
We must remember that words don’t kill people, people kill people.
Nukleberry Soup
Two fer one
Uncle cried Stop
Enough of this fun.
Cheers M
In answer to @Skip I said I posted articles in the newsfeed to prove continuing Eurasian Integration.
I’m a big believer in ‘doing more with less’ (Buckminster Fuller)
You don’t need to read the whole article – just the headlines. I post links so you know where I’ve got the info from.
But I neglected to mention that I also post stories of the collective West’s decline.
As we move forward, its important for all of us to keep in the back of our minds how, historically, the Elites have looted the joint when they can read the writing on the wall and knows that its over.
Just observe – in world history, its an incredibly exciting time to be alive!
“Frankly Terrifying”: Energy Crisis Could Drag 26 Million Brits Into Fuel Poverty”. This is a policy-induced supply side crisis
https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Frankly-Terrifying-Energy-Crisis-Could-Drag-26-Million-Brits-Into-Fuel-Povert.html
let alone possible/probable lack of elec from France via EDF a UK supplier…big big problem lack of repairs to nuke plants.. . strikes etc… rolling power cuts-not much help when mrs has to order in the evening for food for care home from online supermarkets before 12 pm or no next day delivery.. … news today so many schools may not afford elec etc etc
and this short i/view with Tony Kevin author of Return to Moscow & former Australian Ambassador to Poland, Cambodia & Diplomat in Russia
Nuclear Risk in Ukraine (15:02) https://youtu.be/WD6laenrdmg
(use Playback speed from Settings cog in bottom RH of screen)
And for more info:
Just so you know, in “liberal democracy” Australia (what a joke!) Kevin was de-platformed after publishing his book.
Here he is w/ former Australian Foreign Minister BobCarr, (Dec 8, 2019)
CN LIVE! Tony Kevin + Bob Carr on Russian Relations
(57:01) https://youtu.be/dJiS3nFzsWg
OUCH! Medveded not holding back:
20 Oct Blog by former Russian President Medvedev
(Eng. translation given below Russian)
https://vk.com/wall53083705_54612
Seems The Oscars need a new category: Best Trolling By A Foreign Dignitary.
Cheers M
200%, smiley-face, thumbs-up, and a tip of the hat for that one STL. Medvedev deserves that Oscar.
In the meanwhile during the ceremonies, perhaps Dirty-Green-Tee Zee can be the Master of Ceremonies and tell off-color Russian hate jokes about ‘filtrating’ Russian women and children until Sergey (General Armageddon) Surovikin stands up, calmly walks to the podium and slaps the living s*** out of him. Then Surovikin can compete with Will Smith for the category of The Best MC B****-slap During An Oscar Presentation.
Прощай, маленькая зеленая футболка, нацистский шутник
Your Oscars wish with Gen Armageddon is granted
“Heed Seven:”
maps Medvedev,
sightings Shoigu,
absences Lavrov,
interviews Patrushev,
war poetry Russians
musings Gen Armageddon,
advice Vladimir Konstantinov
I found the Bitch Slap a bit contrived, real men punch, actors slap……what they have to do for ratings….but it really is all contrived, one big inter related family, from political to entertainment. Orchestrated maybe better word.
Even today, while I appreciate the musicians of my youth, I notice a lot of remake/re issue of old classic hits being re recorded by at best mediocre artists (slap me for that one, art being relative). Just another way of keeping all the money, in the family. Like entire catalogues being sold to Advertisement licensing companies….the Publishing House that owns the song rights, gets half of all sales revenue.
Cheers M
In all fairness, the bitch slap did take the wind out of the Stinky Tee Ukraine thingy……
Oscar wish…..:))))
Cheers M
Dick Van Dyke,
while very young,
promised himself,
to give away his money for free,
to the citizens who need it most.
100’s for all, one week a year,
should bring out the cheer.
But as the day neared,
an inflationary monster appeared,
and turned his 100’s into fives.
…..and the citizens,
who remain alive,
are now living,
in austerity induced ‘dives.’
“Safe And Effective,”
the global elites chant.
“Myocarditis will get you,
if austerity can’t.”
Uzbekistan military warehouse explosion damages 4.000 buildings.
Uzbeistan great and proud friend of the United States stands with Ukraine and is sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine in addition to attempting to buy one of Iran’s military industries. The officers of the unsuccessful acquiring company were sanctioned by Iran.
Humanitarian aid from Uzbekistan says: ‘Ukraine, we are with you!’
Tashkent has so far sent two shipments of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including medicines, individual first aid kits and food.
By Rustam Temirov and AFP
2022-04-27
https://central.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_ca/features/2022/04/27/feature-02
Raisi: We have sanctioned officers of Darozdan/ In New York and Samarkand, they wanted to buy Iran’s military industries
Mehr 30, 1401 – 11:13political newsIranian parliament and government news
https://www.tasnimnews.com/fa/news/1401/07/30/2791791
The president said: “Yesterday, we were surrounded by barbed wire in the military industry, but today in New York and Samarkand, one of their demands is that we sell one of our military industries to them.” They say, “We heard that your military industry is advanced and different from other countries.”
Nearly 4,000 buildings damaged as a result of an explosion at a military warehouse in Uzbekistan
October 23, 2022, 09:14Text: Dmitry Zubarev
More than 3,700 buildings were damaged due to an explosion at a military warehouse in Uzbekistan, the press service of the regional administration reported.
According to the administration of the Syrdarya region, 3742 non-residential and residential premises received partial damage to the roof, ceilings, doors and windows as a result of an explosion at the warehouse of the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan, TASS reports .
They added that 2,000 square meters of windows have already been installed in the affected buildings, work continues, and a special working group has been created to assess the damage.
Recall, on Saturday, the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan reported that as a result of an explosion at a warehouse of the Ministry of Defense in the Syrdarya region, 16 people were injured, four were taken to the hospital.
https://vz.ru/news/2022/10/23/1183389.html
Shoigu has held separate discussions with the US, Turkey, France & now the UK within the last 48 hours
https://www.reuters.com/world/russias-shoigu-holds-second-call-with-us-defense-secretary-three-days-2022-10-23/
Recall Austin initiated the previous call?
Too early to interpret yet, maybe peace talks?
I really don’t think the US 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) stationed in Romania has any impact other than psychological, i.e. reinforce the resolve of the Romanians, maybe pose a threat to Transnistria, idk?
This is the latest alleged provocation and explosions have been heard in Kharkiv. Volchansk is in the Kharkiv region. Still speculative and this is a tweet so possibly not written in stone.
35m
??Explosions heard in Kharkiv
https://twitter.com/WarMonitors/status/1584297888321925121?cxt=HHwWgsCjvaKix_wrAAAA
War Monitor
@WarMonitors
·
3h
????#BREAKING Russian MoD: The Ukrainian authorities are preparing a bloody provocation with the death of their own citizens in Volchansk in order to accuse Russia of a war crime.
War Monitor
@WarMonitors
·
3h
????According to the statement of the Defense Ministry, on October 24 in Volchansk (Kharkiv region), foreign mercenaries will shell the place where food aid to civilians will be distributed from artillery.
Your are right about the eagles I also think they are for psychological purposes. Speaking of birds isn’t that a peregrine on Saker’s latest?
Very short turn up volume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uapP1yldldk
MKB has answered the telephone questions.
https://www.indianpunchline.com/us-breaks-ice-russia-thaws/
OCTOBER 24, 2022 BY M. K. BHADRAKUMAR
US breaks ice, Russia thaws
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace paid a secretive trip to US last week amid fears of a major Russian offensive in Ukraine
Fall ends and winter starts at the moment of the December solstice. But what if the Vernal Equinox arrives instead? In these times of climate change, anything is possible. There are subtle signs. Backyard birds are singing, butterflies and bumblebees are returning. How can one possibly miss it?
It is abundantly clear by now that it was Ukraine war that drew the British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace post-haste to Washington on a secretive visit last Tuesday. Wallace met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan followed up with meetings at the Pentagon, State Department and the spy agencies.
Two press releases from the Biden Administration ensued — readout of Sullivan-Wallace meeting and a statement by President Biden, pinned on the exit of Liz Truss as UK Prime Minister, reaffirming the evergreen Anglo-American alliance. The striking thing was that neither statement spewed fire. Yet, the US and Britain are in the middle of a war that, according to Biden, is inching close to the Armageddon.
Upon his return to London, Wallace lost no time to make a statement on Ukraine at the House of Commons, on Thursday. Although not directly relating to his visit to Washington, Wallace’s statement radiated from his consultations with top US officials.
The statement largely adhered to the western triumphalist narrative of the war in Ukraine to the effect that “Russia’s ground campaign is being reversed. It is running out of modern long-range missiles and its military hierarchy is floundering. It is struggling to find junior officers to lead the rank and file.”
However, towards the end, Wallace abruptly changed tack by expressing appreciation of Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu’s handling of the “potentially dangerous engagement” on September 29 between an RAF RC-135W Rivet Joint spy plane “on routine patrol” over the Black sea, which “interacted” with by two Russian armed Su-27 fighter aircraft when one of the Russian jets released a missile in the vicinity of the British plane “beyond visual range”. Wallace messaged the crucial importance of keeping communication lines open to Moscow. (The Hansard record is here.)
Significantly, a day later, the US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin made a phone call to Shoigu, the first such contact in over 5 months. Apparently, Austin and Wallace have a common opinion that it is about time to resume conversations with Moscow.
The Pentagon readout merely said Austin “emphasised [to Shoigu] the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war against Ukraine.”
Indeed, Austin also took care to brief his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov about his initial call with Shoigu and “to reiterate the unwavering U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s aggression.
“Secretary Austin also underscored the international community’s continued support in building Ukraine’s enduring strength and safeguarding Ukraine’s ability to defend itself in the future, as demonstrated by the security assistance commitments made by allies and partners at the most recent Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on October 12. The two leaders pledged to remain in close contact,” the Pentagon announced.
Curiously, two days later, on Sunday, it was Shoigu’s turn to make a follow up call to Austin. But this time around, the Pentagon readout clarified that “Secretary Austin rejected any pretext for Russian escalation and reaffirmed the value of continued communication amid Russia’s unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine.”
And within an hour of receiving Shoigu’s call on Sunday, Austin got in touch on phone with Wallace “to reaffirm the U.S.-UK defence relationship and the importance of transatlantic cooperation. Their conversation today was a continuation of their discussion at the Pentagon last week, which covered a wide range of shared defence and security priorities, including Ukraine.”
Presumably, the fog of war is thickening. Or, possibly, Austin smelt a rat as Shoigu had in the meanwhile on Sunday also made calls to three other NATO capitals — Paris, Ankara and London — where they discussed the situation in Ukraine “which is rapidly deteriorating,” and Shoigu conveyed “concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a ‘dirty bomb.’” (here)
Importantly, the British readout said Wallace reiterated to Shoigu the UK’s “desire to de-escalate this conflict… and the UK stands ready to assist.”
It is entirely conceivable that all this could be the foreplay of a meeting between President Biden and President Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15-16, which seems increasingly likely.
But there is also the backdrop of a massive Russian military build up in the Kherson Region in southern Ukraine in the direction of Nikolaev (and, possibly, Odessa.) Contrary to the western media reports, the real picture is that on the western side of the Dnieper, Russians may have established a big troop presence in their tens of thousands with logistical back-up that keep the frontline fully supplied and reserve forces backing up. The Russian defence line is reportedly hardening all across the Kherson front with the deployment of armoured weaponry and tanks.
The Mayor of Nikolaev (also known as Mykolaiv) Oleksandr Syenkevych, an Ukrainian official, has ordered the evacuation of the civilian population in the city as heavy Russian bombardment continues. He told Christian Amanpour that Russian tanks are already in the vicinity of the city’s airport. (here)
Evidently, things are moving toward a major escalation by mid-November. The capture of Nikolaev opens the road for Russian forces to advance toward Odessa 110 kms to the southwest. Control of Nikolaev and Odessa would mean control of Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline and denial of access to the NATO warships based in Romania and Bulgaria.
Evidently, despite the Western media’s triumphalist narrative, the big picture is turning against the US-UK axis. Wallace and Sullivan would have pondered over it, for sure.
Again, cracks are widening in the transatlantic system, as it dawns on European countries that they have fallen victim to the US’ grand strategy of hegemony. There is growing bitterness that American oil companies are making windfall profits.
The forthcoming visit by the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to China is a massive statement in favour of globalisation in defiance of the Biden Administration’s strategy of “decoupling” from China. It signals a nuanced shift and return to pragmatism in Germany’s China policy. Official data shows that China-EU trade topped $800 billion for the first time in 2021 and two-way investment went beyond $270 billion in cumulative terms. In the first eight months of 2022, bilateral trade hit $575.22 billion, up by 8.8 percent and EU’s investment in China soared 121.5 percent year-on-year to $7.45 billion.
War fatigue is also becoming a compelling reality. The EU has pledged 1.5 billion euros for Ukraine, but how long can it carry such an annual burden when its own economies are in recession? The UK economy is on the verge of collapse.
Then, there is the “X” factor: sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. Putin wouldn’t have pointed finger at the US without corroborative evidence. The Kremlin said on Friday that the “truth” behind last month’s explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines “will surely surprise many in European countries if it was to be made public.”
The bottom line is that Austin broke the ice on Thursday in consultation with Wallace and with Biden’s approval. In a conciliatory tone, the White House also issued an extraordinary statement by Sullivan on Friday expressing appreciation of the “rapid and unanimous vote in support of the Security Council resolution proposed by Mexico and the United States, to impose sanctions measures and hold accountable those actors who are undermining stability in Haiti.”
Truly, isn’t it amazing that Russia voted for a US resolution imposing sanctions against yet another country in the Global South?
With the midterms just ahead and the near certainty of Donald Trump’s bid for second term as president, Biden’s own compass is going to be reset. Biden’s speech from the Roosevelt Room on Friday on deficit reduction projected the historicity of his “economic vision.”
Suffice it to say that when Shoigu mentioned Ukraine’s “dirty bomb” to three NATO ministers in Europe, he was only echoing what some thoughtful Americans have been saying lately, namely, that the US’ vital interest in avoiding war with nuclear-armed Russia “may soon clash with the strategic war goals of Ukraine—i.e., full retrieval of Crimea and the Donbas,” as Patrick Buchanan, the influential ideologue of the Republican Party, wrote in the American Conservative magazine over the weekend.
For sure, there is a waft of fresh, soft scents in the air. Does it presage an early spring? But to be a devil’s advocate, any suspension of the grand Russian offensive at this point may stir up a hornet’s nest in Moscow. Perhaps, that also forms part of the Anglo-American game plan.
Uncle Davy, some snippets
Iranian missiles arriving –
Sunak and Israel connection
how does it fit with sunak being forced onto UK as PM? we know his father in-law runs Infosys which has invested heavily in Israel, the company, Infosys, is co-directed by Uri Levine, formerly of Israeli Military Intelligence Unit 8200.
Infosys and its subsidiaries there all employ former Israeli military personnel.
This is a scroll down on Escobar.
https://vk.com/id578617852
Hans Blinken
https://vk.com/papaduvalier
21 Oct at 7:33 pm
cannot confirm, but the source is extremely reliable
– BREAKING: The first shipments of Iranian ballistic missiles have been delivered to the Russian Federation
Since last night, Russian Ilyushin-76 transport planes have been landing and taking off from military airfields in Yazd province, the hub of the Iranian defense industry, according to flight data.
Most likely they were carrying dozens of Fateh-110 / Zolfaghar ballistic missiles.
?? @Cultures_of_Resistance
Thanks for the haiku @AHH. Nice
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Sean, Glad you enjoyed Medvedev’s trolling. Loved the “Best Trolling By A Foreign Dignitary”
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Thanks for that those links Lodestar, I find MKB incredibly insightful with an economy of words, and Pepe is always on the money.
Yes, it seems Sunak & his Infosys connection was always the heir apparent for the ZOG of the UK, Truss being so vacuous she never realized just jow much she was a useful idiot in tanking the UK e economy & spiking the rate of interest on 10 Year UK Government Bonds – for all those who were in the know to make an absolute killing!
Cheers to all,
The indicators seem to suggest a near-term eschatological thrill, and naturally one then regards the past with a trifling degree of fondness…and so?
I remember Dean Reed and the good ol’ DDR…doesn’t everybody?
Gorby was crazy to trust those nazi finks… The US was a great place to live so long as USSR was intact…which bears some implications about the good, and the not good.
For a few days I re-read Conrad stories…took some perspective…geewhiz it would be so nice to sign on to a steamship in the times he describes…Marine Engineer license was a path open – I did not take, but I’d a loved it…in those days MSTS ran bombs and avagas to ‘Nam in Victories and Liberty Ships, the latter being recip “up and downs”…very nasty, and beautiful…they needed 3rd engineers…and the exams were easy…wouldbeen fun tho.
But Dean Reed…and DDR, and Victor Grossman is in the film too!. Mostly in German…Ein Abend für Dean Reed > https://youtu.be/_wMW5awjGQc
Meantime…It’s sobering to remember and re-visit the Times…one sees a certain continuity of manichaean juxtaposition of good and evil as manifest in individuals, key men whose character and fate combined, and on what they chose to follow…that and lots of murders and betrayals…perhaps we are watching a flood from the bank, debris and jetsam as a parade, or Carlin’s freak show. I expect we ain’t a seen nuthin’ yet. Shoigu’s been burning up the wires and the 101st is like so much meat…being used as bait.
empty cafe,
unassuming backdrop for
an explosion of verse
A couple of updates I cant squeeze into the Newsfeed: (Think: Afro-Eurasian integration)
Desert Shield 2022: anti-terrorist exercises of Russia & Algeria. A group of US congressmen has proposed ‘sanctions’ against Algeria because of its Russian links. Yet Algeria is one of Europe’s main suppliers of gas. Russia will help it with nuclear power.
Algeria has powerful anti-colonial memories, from the ~1,000,000 who perished expelling France. That helps explain why we now see such strong relations with Russia. ‘A group of Russian warships arrived nation on Tuesday for the four-day drills.’
https://www.military.africa/2022/10/russia-algeria-hold-joint-naval-exercise/
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ohhh, the irony! In the context of accusations of Chinese crimes against humanity of Uighurs by US vassal, Australia.
UN torture prevention body suspends visit to Australia citing lack of co-operation
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/10/un-torture-prevention-body-suspends-visit-australia-citing-lack-co-operation
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“85% of the equipment and facilities necessary for the functioning of the gas industry are produced on the territory of Iran, for this reason we [Iran] have concluded an agreement with Russia on the supply of 40 Iranian-made gas turbines”
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2022/10/24/2792915/iran-to-supply-domestically-made-gas-turbines-to-russia
Tehran will supply 40 gas turbines to Russia under the relevant agreement, Managing Director of the Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company (IGEDC) Reza Noshadi said.
On October 9, Iranian Oil Minister Javad Oudji said that Russia and Iran had concluded deals in the oil and gas industry worth $44 billion,and his deputy informed that the Russian Federation was going to start developing six oil and two gas fields located on the territory of Iran
These are Iranian gas turbines that will be used for In Russian gas pipes, instead of previous used German ones
> I note that the discussions of a dirtybomb tend to focus on the thing and on the “west”, (aka nazi gang), but not so much on Russian response to such an event. The Russian nuclear doctrine seems to say that a nazi attack by “dirtybomb” would be seen as an atomic attack against Russia…which seems to raise the question of Russian response. It’s that Russian response that by far over-arches the direct effects of said “dirtybomb”. Generally judomaster and good judgement rejects tit for tat….but domestic pressures inside Russia may require “tit for tat”… Thus we might look to see who is leaving targets zones in CONUS….aka 404NA…
In happier vector, the incredible spy Anna C…an incoherent video, but wonderful and sad too…and she steals the show! Her hair-do is often in the style of W2… signs! Anyway, good video. https://youtu.be/a7usiDoCsco (Red Alert | Germany: Fall of an Empire? Episode 1) (There is a story that Anna and her group were expelled from nazihq because they had the goods on the Hillary gang…otherwise they’d have been cast into the dungeons. )