Dear friends,
Since several of you have expressed interest for this, let’s give it a try.
I invite you post your questions in the comments section below (on any topic) and I will try to record a podcast with my replies. Please do not send me questions by email (I have way too many emails to answer already!). Also – and just to make clear – I don’t promise to necessarily reply to all questions, but only those that will inspire me to reply. Any topic seems legit to me – feel free to ask any question you want. Also, if you have suggestions, comments or criticisms about the blog, our community, or anything I wrote or did – please feel free to post them here. I will try to answer the best I can.
Let’s see if you guys enjoy this. I think I might :-)
Cheers and kind regards,
The Saker
Saker Message:
I’m interested in your thoughts on the arrest on the persecution of Vladimir Yevtushenkov. I can’t make sense of it. Please help me understand this, if you can.
denis
In my mind the emergence of Russia as a technological innovator may well transform the worlds view of Russia in the not too distant future, the capability is present, the political will appears to be present also.
Do you believe the brain-drain from Russia has subsided by this point? What is your perspective on Russia’s ability to redevelop its technology sector, and how important do you see this for Russia’s future?
Thanks
Russia has been named by Obama as one of the three greatest threats facing the world today (Ebola and the Islamic State being the other two).
In that context, and given its history of involvement with “threats”, the US has very likely identified President Putin as a target for assassination.
Assuming they succeed with such a plan, what do you think would be the likely outcome for Russia?
Is there a succession plan for President Putin? If so, who would likely be the successor?
Alternatively would such an event result in the Atlantic faction taking control and then delivering Russia to the Anglo-Zionists?
What do you make of World Bank whistle blower, Karen Hudes, and her theories about aliens and the Jesuits?
I am interested in your opinion on the current situation in Serbia.
What should they do in relation to their alliances? Should they be turning east or west for support?
We know how the west regards the Serbs. But then is there real benefit in aligning with Russia and alienating themselves further with EU to which they’re aspiring?
Thanks
Is Poland moving troops to its east border with Ukraine destabilizing the military order of the region?
Could they be anticipating their own move to claim back a piece of a collapsing Ukraine?
Or is it NATO mischief?
Would they try to rescue the Ukies if the next offensive gets destroyed?
Dear Saker… I hate to do this to you but I just came across this turd pile
http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/the-battle-of-tskhinvali-revisited#comment-form
Not good for my blood pressure reading this!
Keep up the good work, you are a role model for me!
FkDahl
Is there a chance your Russian team could possibly put English subtitles on this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byNdb5_uRmA
What would you suggest reading if someone is trying to understand Russia? Sadly, English is the only language that I am fluent in. So far I’ve probably been influenced the most by Mark Ames. I’m willing to read long non-fiction books.
Lisbon to Tokyo?
If Russia wants Japan to divorce the U.S. for China, would Russia consider offering Japan to share Sakhalin? Noting immense Arctic oil discoveries, how would the Russian mind regard the suggestion?
The Japanese remember who really started the great Pacific war—a country the size of sixpence with zero natural resources attacks a military industrial superpower?—and who nuked them after incinerating 63 cities.
Japan also knows that the Rape of Nanking never happened, but that the AngloZionists maintain all the WW2 libels to keep ancient imperial Japan and ancient imperial China at daggers drawn.
God bless The Saker. Mind, this is only a test.
Well, if one can suppose that Evtushenkov was not the owner of the Oil Company in question (Bashneft), but merely front face of the purchase, made for another beneficiary owner and that was caugght by Authorities-To-Be now, then if you correctly figure out who is Beneficiary owner, you will understand the intrigue of that case portrayed by media in a primitive dichotomy : “Bad guys vs good guys”
Is it true that we attribute to God things we do not understand, know or control?
Is it true, that we attribute to God things we don not know, understand or control?
Is it true, that we attribute to God things we don not know, understand or control?
info on Russian military preparations (naval)
http://en.voicesevas.ru/news/analytics/2999-missile-surprise-from-putin.html
Okay, this may be too far off topic, but can you explain, please, why Russian Orthodox priests are monarchists. If so, could you elaborate their vision.
I mentioned this before but an introduction to who the key groups and players are would be invaluable for people who are trying to gain a deeper understanding of the issues.
There are a number of Ukrainian, NovoRussian and Russian figures frequently mentioned whose identity/role/relevance I still don’t really understand.
Most people are aware of the role of groups like Svodoba and Right Sector and the influence of people like Nuland, they may even know less central figures like Givi. The cast of characters is quite large though and it would be great to have some resource through which new visitors would be able to get up to speed (e.g. most newcomers would probably have no idea who Yevtushenkov is, or what sets him apart from other oligarchs).
What’s your opinion on Russia and China helping there ally syria re-equip it’s military in the global fight against the (world threat) that is ISIS. Surely there security council partners couldn’t complain when there own forces and resources are spread so widely across the globe. Yes tongue is firmly in cheek but some assistance is surely required
How long should Russia tolerate Ukrainian troops shelling Donezk, should Russia not give Novorossia more MLRS, or whatever they need to AT LEAST drive the Ukrops out of the Oblast of Donezk and Luhansk?
I know, you believe in denazifikation, but how long is that gonna take, who will organize it, who has the means to even do that in Ukraine?
Ukraine is a poor country. I suppose mostly because Oligarchs and other corrupt political leaders are ripping all the wealth from the country for themselves instead of paying proper money to workers and improving infrastructure.
All the money from EU or Russia wont change that.
So, what’s the plan to fix this mess? Nationalize all property of Oligarchs, or force Oligarchs to invest more in the country, or what? And who can make them do it?
Dear Saker,
I’m a reader from Sweden which would like to know your thoughts about the whole story of the ‘mysterious sub’ in Stockholm’s archipielago. We’ve changed government a couple of weeks ago and I feel like the new PM could end up like our dear Olof… even though he’s much less politically incorrect than the disgraced Palme. Could you elaborate on this? Which role could Sweden play in calming the game with Russia (that is to reverse the course taken by Carl Bildt)? What about Finland? Do you really think both countries could end up in NATO?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Magnus
has anyone heard this rumour, that Putin has cancer of the pancreas, which is normally fatal to people?
http://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/wladimir-putin/leidet-putin-an-krebs-neue-geruechte-um-kreml-chef-38320550.bild.html
From Itar-Tass:
“Elections due to be held in the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics on November 2 will be very important from the point of view of the legitimization of power,” he said. “We think this is one of the most important aspects of the Minsk agreements.”
This sound like a significant statement to me. Do you read this as a warning for the Ukies not to try further military action and to your knowledge are the elections going to happen?
Larchmonter, with regard to Poland my guess is that there are three elements in play:
1) the possibility of an opportunistic move on former Polish territory if Ukraine descends into chaos.
2) to bolster the borders against unwanted Ukrainians heading for Europe via Poland as they migrate in even greater numbers toward the west of Europe.
3) to rattle Russia’s chains. Ukraine is a big country and having troops based within Polish borders is fair enough (IMHO). Moving them there makes sense given that Poland is now part of Europe and thus the Soviet era deployments facing west don’t make a lot of sense. They ain’t going to be advancing across Ukraine to face of with Russia in any kind of short order. That’s what Ukraine is for; it is a buffer and Poland is actually demonstrating that in practical form.
Ont thought, the Poles can hardly beef about Russian troops based in Russia facing west when they are doing exactly the same themselves.
Do you have information about how Novorossia take advantage of the “ceasefire”: recruitment of new fighters? reparations of damaged tanks and APCs? new stocks of ammunitions?
Would you say that Novorossia is more stronger now than before the Minsk trade
Saker,
it would be awesome to hear you talk about geopolitics (from the pov of geography and how it relates to security and warfare) of Europe and Russia, with special focus on eastern Europe and of course specifically Ukraine with all its complexities. And how this affects political alliances and strategies.
I understand that this is probably too deep a question to be explained in just five minutes, so I’m hoping that someday you could make an entire episode based entirely on exploring this issue. I think it would be extremely interesting for all of us and would put a lot of things in perspective, both things from history and also about what to expect from the future.
Dear The Saker,
Promise me one thing – don’t use your real voice on the podcast ;).
Rgds,
Veritas
I do not understand why “Anonymous”
is allowed here. One “yes” but 15 sometimes 20…are they the same people/different people? How do you address these folks?
It makes all their comments/questions…well questionable
Anyone who cannot use their own name can invent one. Through subsequent postings we get to know them. I no longer read any “Anonymous” comments.
Thanks for a terrific blog and for all you do. Listening to Putin’s speech the other day it occurred to me that Putin has become the world leader, not by claiming it but simply by being it. :-)
Hi Saker,k This sounds like a good idea. Whateve rhappened to your invitation about a week or so ago to ask questions of your Russian insider? I didn’t see anthing more about that after I posed my question.
Deena
I’ve been reading you Saker for almost a year and you seem to me like a person who has knowledge in a lot of topics and always thinks rationally and logically!
For that reason, I’m really interested what you think and would like to hear your thoughts on global climate change, is it man-made or is it a natural process?
looks like they ran out of colors, so they’ve moved on to other things for revolution markers.
Engdahl hong kong
http://nsnbc.me/2014/10/24/hong-kongs-umbrellas-made-usa/
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China has been targeted for a color revolution, one that has been dubbed in the media the Umbrella Revolution for the umbrellas that protesters use to block police tear gas.
The “umbrellas” for Hong Kong’s ongoing Umbrella Revolution are made in Washington. Proof of that lies not only in the obscenely-rapid White House open support of Occupy Central just hours after it began, following the same model they used in Ukraine
—————————–
The Occupy Central Hong Kong protest movement is being nominally led by a 17-year-old student, Joshua Wong, who resembles a Hong Kong version of Harry Potter, a kid who was only just born the year Britain reluctantly ended its 99-year colonial occupation, ceding the city-state back to the Peoples’ Republic. Wong is accompanied in Occupy Central by a University of Minnesota-educated hedge fund money man for the protests, Edward Chin;
@ Anon about the Novorossiya situation… it’s changing too fast to wait for a podcast, so let me help you a bit…
rhis is too long to fit, so PART ONE
One part of NR authorities used the ceasefire to get civil life going again. Buildings were assessed, roofs and windows fixed in prioritised order (materials locally or from Russia). Water mains, power cables fixed and supply reinstated to many places. Russia has drawn a new high voltage power cable across the border to help regular supplies. People were assessed, so the most needy could be helped first – schools get food,for example, and of course hospitals.. Pensioners and people who’ve lost family are next. They get regular food/hygiene supplies and have regular distributions. In Luhansk at least, prisoners of war are used to clean up the rubble.
On the military front, they have recruiting websites and phone numbers, and have been getting steady hundreds of recruits daily. There are training camps. Now they have enough uniforms (winter ones) for them to all look the same, and enough guns. This is from “voentorg” (the name of the Russian army disposals store)paid for by ???nobody’s saying, various official and unofficial sources. sleeping bags, night vision, knee pads etc come from these sources too, as well as from public donations (website).
Tanks, APCs and artillery were taken from the units in September; some units complained bitterly. But they had to try to stop fighting. The gear was taken to repair depots and refurbished. Here’s a video of the Donetsk tank repair shop,in a machinery factory owned by and “borrowed from” absent local chief Oligarch Renat Akhmetov. Original employees working there get paid only food rations. His charitable trust has provided some humanitarian assistance in the towns particularly for medical services.
…PART TWO……
For 2 weeks there have been videos popping up showing various convoys close to the Russia/Ukraine border, supposedly heading that way. Some would be normal movements or not near the border as claimed. Others are definitely there but trying not to be obvious (Russia is still playing plausible deniability). Ones I’ve seen include artillery, heavy duty rocket launchers with 12 or 16 rockets I don’t know the name of (in convoy with trucks probably carrying spare rockets), and brand new light tanks in undercoat ready to be painted as needed. Ammunition they were given good supplies of by the Ukies leaving them behind, but I’m sure they’ve taken stock and replenished types they didn’t get enough “gifts” of.
What they do need is MANPADS, as rumours are Ukies have stocked up avgas,which means they have planes from somewhere. So NR needs a way to shoot them down. If aerial bombing happens though, they may get open assistance from next door. Also they need to find how to shoot down Ukie drones,which they have some of, but we believe small cheap ones. Russia has quality drones operating, at the least in the Mariupol area (OSCE monitors have seen them); a few of these would be very useful for pin-point firing at attacking tanks, or hidden missile launchers. If NR has been given some they’re keeping it a surprise.
What else? the fighters have had a chance to rest ad sleep well. They are a lot stronger, more people, more training, more equipment,more strategy.
The Ukies apparently have some NATO gear they forgot to take home after exercises in early September. They MAY have been given some planes; if so they would not be new ones but more of what they used to have, and will have be flown by their own pilots. I’d be surprised if they have more than just helicopters. They have dragged old tanks out of storage and got them refurbished at a plant in Kharkiv (in-use damaged ones go there too). This plant is in the middle of the would-be/future Kharkiv People’s Republic, so I’m not guaranteeing what quality they’re getting….
…PART THREE…
They’ve reorganised all their units (about the 3rd or 4th time) and they’re still under 2 Ministries plus tacked-on volunteer units that go off on their own sometimes. They’re not getting recruits, beyond maybe a handful of foreign adventurers. Conscripts and forced volunteers are wanting to go home from barracks; if forced to fight they’ll go home via surrendering at first chance. Estimated 1 million have fled (many to Russia, ironically) to avoid the draft.
It is certain they have outside advisers. These would be working on strategy, certainly not accompanying small units into battle – and low level commanders have always made the wrong decisions so far. There is nothing to suggest they will be any better fed than before, or have any better morale.
So,the Ukies have just enough forces to make one big concerted attempt at winning. Ideally they have enough for one location but of course they will try for more. On paper they have around 40,000 people including rear support. About half of these are up to scratch to be usable. NAF has only about 10,000 fighters all fully ready, plus support (medics,cooks etc) and have prepared positions on home ground.
Now if I know all this from here, from hints in blogs and videos (amazing what the other side will boast about on camera) NAF certainly knows a lot more detail. So no way they will be taken by surprise. The Ukies having aircraft is my only big worry.
I’ve just had a horrible thought. Everyone’s expecting the attack NOW. What if the rats wait until everyone is distracted by the ELECTIONS on Nov 2 ????
hello Saker, i wonder if you could talk a bit about the russian soul, i heard somebody saying the war the elites is waging against humanity is religious warfare, to deprive humanity of his soul. For some reason this sounded to me as a deep truth, the truth that is hardly spoken or touched and bring up a lot of hidden fears. Thank you a bunch for what you are doing.
There are rumours in the mainstream media about Putin beeing ill.. what is this all about?
There are rumours in the mainstream media about Putin beeing ill.. what is this all about?
What is Edward Snowden’s status in Russia? Do you think he is cooperating with state security?
@ Man from Atlan
Russia Insider just has a great interview with Snowden
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics_snowden/2014/10/28/10-42-51am/fascinating_interview_snowden_moscow_major_us_magazine
That site is an aggregator but they pick and choose so they only post the best items, often with introductory comments. Worth bookmarking.
@ anon anon anon
Rumours of Putin being ill come up every so often. He should be dead 3 times over, for how often they’ve said he has pancreatic cancer. Another version is, it is cancer of the spine for which he was being treated by some 84 year old doctor with secret injections. Silly rumours. If a man like him is sick he’s in the best hospital, not getting herbal injections.
For anyone wanting a deeper look into the psyche & machinations going on in a Spy-vs-Spy mindset, there’s an old classic available online for free reading put up by some benefactor: the 1973 Fletcher Prouty book (last revised 1997; he died a few years ago):
THE SECRET TEAM:CIA & Its Allies
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/JFK/ST/ST.html
u can read it chapter by chapter.
a search shows it’s even reco’d by the Bilderburglars & the CFR!
If the Kiev forces do indeed launch an attack in the next weeks, when do you think winter weather will begin to affect the fighting?
Or, perhaps I should ask: Will the winter weather have a significant effect on the fighting? Does one side stand to benefit more than the other?
thanks for keeping all this up.
claud.
I would be extremely interested what you have to say about ‘soft power’. You see the United states has a vendetta against Cuba (and has parked next to it cuba’s justification, Haiti) and with Russia effectively leading a ‘rebellion’ against Neo liberalism, surely that is more of an issue than actually novorussia and the ukraine. What strikes me is that to be forced to leverage the forces ie fascist / Saudi Wahhabis esp in Europe must be a sign of desperation. In summary we see the liberal model represented by fascist and the like wheras the russian modernity was probably represented by the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Has something really fundamental changed?
Thanks, Saker, for giving us the opportunity to post on any topic.
I am offering the following speculation. It seems curious that no country involved in Ukraine seems to be benefiting from the conflict. Not Russia, not the US, not Europe and certainly not Ukraine. People claim the US is benefiting, but these people are hard pressed to come up with exactly how. Hence, huge volumes of wild speculation on what America has to gain, eg fracking, control of the banking system, provocation of Russia, and so on, none of which really rings true.
Also, it seems extremely curious why Russia and the US do what they do in Ukraine. The reasons are so obscure, again there is endless speculation: Maybe it’s Putin’s hidden strategy, maybe it’s his cowardice, maybe it’s US financial greed, or maybe it’s US Cold War mentality, and so on ad infinitum.
What if we’re all way off the mark, and it’s really China that’s orchestrating this conflict? They have the means, with their huge contingent of lobbyists in Congress and connections to the banking cartel. They certainly benefit, in the divide and conquer sense. Turning the Caucasion world against itself weakens it and allows China to dominate (always, of course, by financial means, China’s historic “weapon”.). Meanwhile, China is courting Russia’s natural resources, another benefit of the conflict. And Chinese scholars have claimed for millenia that the world belongs to China, that China, out of kindness, is just lending it to the rest of us. Tea, anyone?
A strong US-Russian coalition with the cooperation of Europe and Latin America would be more than enough to stave off a Chinese takeover. But each faction alone is not sufficient.
The question is, to what degree is China encouraging the conflict between America and Russia? Pro-Chinese propaganda aside, is this not a serious possibility?
Does Putin-Russia forbid abortion?
Great question! I do not have the answer but one thing is evident. A nation that is threatened by Islamic fundamentalism and that has vast resource rich uninhabited lands can not afford any form of family planning.
In searching the web, I found out that Russia with 153 million inhabitants has more abortions than China with more than ten times the population.
Russia is committing national suicide. It doesn’t help that Russia is Christian Orthodox. If Russia can not care for her babies and had to give them up for abortion to people from other countries, then there is something fundamentally perverse at the root. Putin needs to address this somehow. It is not by sword or spear but by the Spirit of the Lord.
@ anon
2 week weather forecast for Kiev
http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/ukraine/kyiv
Only -4C the lowest which isn’t too bad, but never over 8C in the daytime, so never get a chance to warm up. No snow until middle of next week.
Poroshenko is out of country for gas talks, surely they won’t start behind his back. I am thinking Novorossiya election day next Sunday is the likeliest. Certainly the latest they can start. They may be beaten in 2 days but take another week to face up to. Then it’s finished. If their bring aircraft it’s a different story but then Russia would have to lend some, to level the playing field. They only have to lend choppers, NAF has people who can fly them.
If it becomes a stalemate and they’re stuck for ages? NAF’s advantage. UAF freezing in the open, NAF in new winter clothing and rotating home to sleep in beds every 3rd day.
Not a topic question as such to you Saker, but more about the blog itself;
could you please enlighten us on how you come up with your insightful & comprehensive commentaries in the first place?
many thanks
from a novice blogger on Russia
my own today’s chosen petblog posting is still on the topic of Russian submarines but this time on the Arctic, based on a Daily Telegraph article.
http://lepontduhadu.blogspot.fr/2014/10/blog-russian-submarines-in-arctic-saga.html
Le pont du DaHu
Dear Saker:
Would it not have been better for all concerned if Russia had told the East Ukrainian rebel leaders early, up front, and in no uncertain terms that they could not expect assistance from Russia of any kind overt or covert? If Russia had done so, there could be no question of betrayal. The rebel leaders may have taken a different tack, and perhaps there would be no civil war in Ukraine with the West blaming Russia. Would the Ukies have really done worse to Donbass than the war has done? Could the East not simply have waited for the current regime to fall on its own weight? The war gives the Ukies and the West the excuse to blame everything on Russia. Clearly, as you have pointed out, Russia is assisting the rebels. Just as clearly, this had to have been communicated to them early on, thus making the civil war more likely to happen by emboldening the rebel leaders to push for independence. Why would it have not been better for Russia to simply stay out? The West would have to settle for whining about the “invasion” and “annexation” of Crimea where no one was hurt and the “invaded” people voted to join Russia.
Tsun Tzu
go back and search a bit on Russian abortions. Look it up in Wikipedia maybe, that it always a good start for a summary.
Leave religion out of it; that is a personal matter. For a State, it is a matter of public health and public assistance policy. Legal abortions greatly reduce the number of women killed by amateur illegal ones — which they will always have if they decide they need one.
In poor rural areas, women have abortions when they already have more children than they can feed. In poor urban areas, it is when they have no physical space for one, eg in post-war Russia whole families lived in single rooms. When the only way a woman can eat is if she works, and nobody to help her with a baby, she just can’t afford to have one – it too would die anyway.
What Russia IS doing to increase population is making it possible for a woman to actually feed any babies she gets. There is aid money paid now for every baby, and it is an increased amount for subsequent children. This encourages having more. This has to be balanced with good effective contraception methods so they an choose when to have that child.
Many Russian children available for foreign adoption have something wrong with them, which makes it harder to get them a good family. There is no great home support funding, and very poor institutions, for kids with development problems. Because drug use is criminalised, addicted mothers avoid medical care, which doesn’t do their babies much good either.
It is a complicated issue but they are well aware of the need to keep up the population numbers.
.
“Abortion” should be addressed by President Putin as ” a crime against the state”, because it deprives the state of citizens who pay taxes and who defend the motherland.
In this way he would please believers and ateists.
OT , but Saker, your interview on Russia Insider is up on Solari.com..Catherine Austin Fitts…as well as the speech by Putin at Vavaldai (sp?)
What is your opinion of Itar Tass ? Is it US owned ?
John obles, a US investigative journalist lost his job with Voice of Russia, as soon as the VR merged with Itar Tass…
Sorry, John Robles lost his job with VR…
Yes, Saker, I agree with Veritas…don’t use your real voice…you’re probably a wanted man…Hugo Chavez died of cancer and now there’s talk of Putin…lets not lose you too !!
Saker I love your writing on your comments and articles…writing’s great…
The world would be interested in any demographic information about permanent emigration outflows from Ukraine into Crimea and how living conditions in Crimea may have changed since becoming a part of Russia. A progress report from Crimea, both objective and subjective would be of great interest to help us understand what Russia is doing/has done to bring change to a former part of Ukraine.
Also and similarly, any reporting on refugee status and permanent immigration into Russia proper would help build a useful humanitarian picture reflecting impact on both Russia and Ukraine.
Are there ongoing demographic shifts happening within Ukraine…a cleansing and rebalancing of political ideologies between oblasts?
Thank you Saker for the amazing work you do.
URRRRGENNT!!!!
PLEASE EXPLAIN TO EVERYONE WHY RUSSIA, IRAN, SYRIA ETC. DONT GO TO THE U.N. AND TELL THE WORLD THE TRUTH ABOUT 9/11 AND THE WEST’S CREATION OF TERRORIST (IE AL QAEDA ETC.)
@ liana
those citizens’ won’t pay taxes for a long time…they will cost the government for child allowances, schooling, medical etc for 15 to 18 years, PLUS reduce the amount of time the mother can work and pay taxes. IMMIGRANTS (adult ones) are good value, tax-wise. Babies are a huge expense for the state until they grow up.
It is not the state’s job to “please believers” either. Not for their beliefs, as long as they allowed to freely keep believing. The government’s job is to please them with jobs and education and food, the same as every other citizen, ie to set up conditions for them to have equal access to these things. Freedom of religion mean you may choose what religion to follow and believe in. Because this applies to everyone, it automatically follows that other people cannot be forced to act according to YOUR beliefs. Therefore abortion remains a health ans economics policy issue. If your religions forbids it, you are not forced to have one. simple.
Hello Saker,
How do you see the south-east of Europe (Balkans to Crimea) in say 3-5 and/or 5-10 years? How will this U. crisis affect the area?
Thanks and keep on the good work,
Neb
What would be the likely signs that the Kremlin is going to accept or even aiming for the break up of the Ukraine? We can understand that this hasn’t been what they have wanted, but circumstances change.
As a related question, if the Ukraine were to be broken up, what do you think Russia’s goals would be? What kind of a map would be acceptable?
Part of Russia’s response to the Total Economic War already declared by the Anglo-Zionists has to be improving existing, or finding additional, sources of wealth creation.
To what extent are the Eurasian faction of the Russian establishment aware of/sympathetic to monetary reform proposals, in particular the criticism of fractional reserve banking/fiat money/credit creation by private banks that originated with the Chicago School and CH Douglas and is now enjoying a new lease of life in the West thanks to the Internet?
Do you think that Western financial sanctions could push Russia towards such very radical financial reforms?
Second, does Russia see foreign tourism as a big potential growth industry, both in terms of finance and for its value in resisting the Russophobic demonisation campaign run by Anglo-Zionist media outlets?
Nick
Airstrip One (formerly known as the United Kingdom)
I like the question about the Russian soul and the annihilation or deprivation of. It feels like a very global question.
After what Ukraine and Russia have been through in the 20c it seems the Russian soul has already proven herself unconquerable.
Here is the great poet Tyutchev:
“You cannot understand Russia with your mind. You can’t measure it with universal dimensions. Russia has something special. In Russia you must simply believe.”
Sorry Saker, I’m getting there… Please will you say something about your own good self and your journey to where you are now?
Was the Vineyard of the Saker a natural continuation of your life’s path or the unexpected new beginning, or entirely new direction of one? What was the inner landscape for you like at the time of the formation of this blog?
Thank you!
Anyone knows what is behind protests in Hungary?
Protests in Hungary due to internet tax, I think.
Troops on Polish border & anti-aircraft missiles moved to Odessa?? Action planned against Transnistra? I guess the missiles at Odessa cd be pointed out over the water too. –Penelope
If you could clarify in the podcast how much truth there is in various claims that the banksters are in (too) deep in Russia, a few examples in this article:
http://personalliberty.com/russia-dominated-global-banks/
What is really going on in Mexico? What is Mexico’s strategic situation with respect to Russia’s BRICKs initiative?
Hi Saker,
I’d like to know a little more of your background, I know you live in Florida now, and seem to be some sort of Eastern European (Russian?) and that you were a NATO adviser who became disillusioned during the course of the Yugoslav wars. But what is it about those times that disillusioned you, what was the gap between what you knew and what was being reported that finally made you go “y’know what- fuck this” and how did it play out?
Hope this is a question you’re happy to expand on.
I’m also interested in how one becomes what you are/were in the first place an analyst of geo-political affairs (or one of the civilian suit-wearers in the war-room beside Dr Strangelove I imagine). What does a person study or read to get into that line of work in the first place, does chess help? Do you enjoy strategic computer games? Did you read history and Political Science? Military Strategy?
And finally if I may, do you have any books that you recommend (The Prince, the Art of Dunking Donuts, who knows…) or websites that you frequent that are particularly interesting to you in these terms? Perhaps even a film you’d like to mention!
Oh, and one more thing… when’s the book coming out and what will it be called!! :-)
In response to the two questions as to who won? Answer: the usual suspects such as big money, big government, etc. The losers are everyone else, including the trendy yuppies who think they will sit at the same table as the “big shots”.
Also, why is it that in any/all of the media, the words “Tri-Lateral Commission” are not heard/read anymore? Lastly and to rain on many a parade, the BRICS are not the savior of mankind.
Please could you comment on this article that I found from the Western backed Voice of Russia which describes how laws have been put in place in Russia criminalizing WW2 revisionism, is this true and what is your view with regards to the Governments motives for this? thanks
I am preparing for an economic collapse, stockpiling food, growing some food, etc. My landlord is going to drill a hand pumped well. I live in a rural area.
My question is this: what do I do if people with guns come and want to take what I have?
I’m assuming the system has broken down or there’s been a nuclear war hopefully with a neutron bomb.
Do I form a militia? Get a gun myself? Try to make a deal with the local strongman? Hide? Trust in God?
Question: Do you have any explanation for the drop in world oil prices? Usually the Saudis will cut back production but they have declined to do so. Now, this is not good for the Western commodity speculators and the stock markets to have such a precipitous drop –there was some speculation that Brent price might stabilize as low as $75-80 a barrel instead of 95$ in a recent WSJ. Is this an attempt to sabotage Russia or is it perhaps precursor of a general economic collapse/recession due this Spring?
Hello,
To know who controls a country, one must investigate who owns the central bank if any. Most countries havec a central bank. So my question is : Is the CBR (russian central bank) private owned or public.
If it is private owned, who are the shares holders ?
If it is public owned, then is it owned 100 % ?
Regards
Russia after Putin…
Ok forget my question, i have got the answer. The CBR is part of the Cabal.
Russia is not free, Putin is a puppet ;-(
Regards
Dear Saker,
This question is along the lines of the “russian soul” question as I’m interested in the metaphysical and intangible myself.
What are Russian opinions of Chinese? As a Chinese national, I’ve been searching long and wide for cultural similarities, sentiments that can be shared across national borders. I feel as though Russians are our northern brothers, although we are not Slavs, we are both ancient cultures with rich tradition, strong social structure and history. Even the nuances in our behavior are more alike than East/West, whereas Westerners are (largely) brash and impulsive, Russian politicians have a very “eastern” thoughtfulness and subtlety. Perhaps we learned from each other in our days past. We have both experience periods of greatness and also recently have seen humiliation at the hands of the West. Is this kinship calling one sided? I burn to go to Russia and slam down some vodka with you guys! It is so lonely, just so lonely to fight this battle alone. Let us be the world’s enemy together, ok? :)
Peace friend,
Charles Mondeley
Hi Saker,
So far the Vineyard has been (by far) my main source of information about the AZ-Russia conflict and I strongly suspect that this is not going to change :-). But it would be nice to understand the Russian media a little better so here is my question:
Understanding the Western MSM is IMO not too difficult: their “news” is typically 95% lies and 5% half-truths (so as to appear more serious). But the Russian MSM (I refer to Engish-speaking media only as – unfortunately – I don’t speak Russian), seem somewhat confusing to me. Would it be possible for you to give us a (short) primer on the major English-speaking media in Russia? Here is what I (more or less) believe at the moment:
VoR:
is apparently 5th-column owned and produces desinfo – but from a cursory glance at the Robles problem it seems that they also produce anti-Empire articles. Are these articles only old stuff or do they contain desinfo? ???
RT:
It seems to me that RT is not the same as it was 6 months ago – a lot of their “news” now appears to be slanted against the Russian government – I thought RT was government-owned but I’m starting to doubt it. ???
Moscow Times:
Seems to be an anti-government outlet.
Are there any other worthwile English-speaking Russian media? Or maybe German-speaking media as Germany was an important business partner for Russia?
My sincere thanks for all of your efforts
The gas deal obliged the West to put the hand in the pocket and pay something. Amid Sanctions they will pay to Gazprom. It is a tactical success, not strategic.
In the elections of Ukraine the American embassy won and the pollsters lost. The Americans got rid of the “weights” Правий сектор, Yulia, «Свобода», and voted for democratic “Euromaintan” .The front of the war , took the upper hand.
Spiros Xatzaras journalist Greece
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