SITREP For 31st May By Baaz

• Is Novorossiya Dead? (Source)

DNR foreign minister Alexander Kofman has confirmed that the Novorossiya “project” has been indefinitely suspended. Is this the end of an independent Donbass?

• Ukrainian troops deploy 1,000 artillery units in Donbass – DPR defence ministry (Source)

The DPR’s Defense Ministry emphasized that the re-deployment of military hardware and Ukrainian army personnel to the disengagement line is evidence that Ukraine is building up its offensive group

• S-300 spotted near Mariupol (Source)
• Fights In Donbass 28.05.2015 (Source)
• Fugitive Georgian ex-president nominated as governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region (Source)
• Kiev May Start Using Chemical Weapons – Donetsk Republic (Source)DPR intelligence informed about the development of chemical weapons on the territory of Ukraine. It was found out that the work is being conducted in chlorine storage in the village of Kochetivka, Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast. The development [of chlorine] is carried out with the help of US military experts,” Basurin said.
• Donbass Military Operation Costs Kiev $5-7 Million a Day – Yatsenyuk (Source)
• Nearly 100% of Ukrainian Generals Want to Flee to Russia – Azov Fighter (Source)

There are only ten out of nearly 400 generals in the Armed Forces who are willing to wage the war. Others would prefer to move to Russia, a member of the Azov regiment said.

• Poroshenko comments are Cold war-style thinking about Russia’ (Source)

There will be no long-term peace established in Ukraine until there is a change of political leadership in Kiev, which it’s not going to happen in the nearest future, Halyna Mokrushina, independent journalist and researcher, told RT’s In the Now

• Ukrainian Forces Want to Bring Forward Heavy-Caliber Artillery in Donbass (Source)According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces commander for Dzerzhynsk, commanders were under increasing pressure from personnel to bring forward heavy caliber artillery systems because the Donetsk People’s Republic was using such systems.
• US Congress Earmarks $200 Million for Weapons for Ukraine (Source)

The new $612 billion (!!) US “Defense” budget proposal includes a provision for up to $200 million worth of US military equipment to be sent to Ukraine

• United States Unprepared to Conduct War for Ukraine – White House (Source)The United States is not prepared to go to war over Ukraine. But, at the same time, there may be an opportunity for the United States and our NATO partners to help them confront the threat that they’re facing from Russia

• Poroshenko Expects Renewed Fighting in the East in the Coming Days (Source)

Poroshenko’s ‘expectation’ is a clear sign that his Western patrons have ordered yet another round of war

• Ukraine, NATO officials discuss military ties, Ukraine’s defence sector reform (Source)

The sides paid particular attention to cooperation with NATO as one of the key directions to ensure national security of Ukraine and reform its defense sector

• You Can’t Always Get What NATO Wants (Source)The meat of the matter in the by now legendary May 12 meeting in the Kremlin between President Putin and US Secretary of State John Kerry is that, after a relentless torrent of US demonization of Russia, a deal – of sorts – may have been reached. Needless to add, no official source, in either Washington or Moscow, will confirm it.

• Russian Railways denies delivery of military cargoes to Ukraine’s Donbas region (Source)

The company commented on Ukrainian media accusations that military cargoes were delivered to Ukraine’s Donbas region by railway

• Russia Notifies OSCE Members of Snap Air Defense Drills Defense Ministry (Source)The four-day drills, ordered by President Vladimir Putin, began at 01.00 p.m. Moscow time (10:00 GMT) on Monday. The drills involve 12,000 personnel, up to 250 aircraft and helicopters, 689 pieces of various military hardware.
• Nationalism is a double-edged sword for Ukraine and Poland (Source)

The upset victory of the Polish opposition candidate Andrzej Duda in the presidential runoff on Sunday is to be primarily attributed to the voters’ disaffection over the state of the Polish economy. Despite the unprecedented prosperity that Poland has witnessed in the recent years, the benefits have not percolated down evenly. Unemployment at 11 percent and insufficient social benefits have been key issues in the election.

But Duda’s election victory has implications for European politics. (The Polish constitution gives a role for the president in foreign affairs.) For one thing, Duda is a Eurosceptic. More importantly, Poland is a big player in the Ukraine crisis.

• Russia and Poland After Komorowski’s Defeat (Source)

Benefits of rapprochement would be enormous, but the short-sightedness and vanity of Poland’s political class make it unlikely.

• Will Poland again be used to start a world war? (Source)

• 1 year of presidency of Proroshenko” VIDEO (Source)
• Poroshenko presidency, one year on: Can peace be achieved amid heightened nationalism? (Source)As Ukrainian President Poroshenko celebrates his first year in power, the truce in Donbass is fragile and ceasefire agreements are violated daily. Can Poroshenko become a ‘president of peace’ and can a peacekeeping party be formed in Kiev?

What is worrying is that after the first and second effort to grab the Donbass region failed, there’s no visible sign that cool heads are prevailing in Kiev. Indeed, it appears that the desire to come to a lasting agreement is still remote, as both sides accuse one another of violating the agreements. At the same time, there are reports that the two sides are accumulating forces, equipment, and even deploying field hospitals. Although both sides say they will not be the first to attack, who would ever be able to prove who fired the first shot in a civil war that has never really ended?

• Here Is What Ukraine’s Ban on Communist Symbols Entails (Source)

• Ukraine war leaves a long shadow of pollution, ill-health and ravaged industries (Source)
• One Chart That Shows How Maidan Screwed the Average Ukrainian (Source)

The revolution of dignity has left Ukrainians with miserly purchasing power and staggering inflation

• Heading Toward Financial Maidan in Ukraine? (Source)

Ukraine’s economy is a sinkhole of economic Depression. It’s teetering toward collapse.

• Kiev agrees to grant Donetsk and Lugansk the special status after the elections are held there in accordance with Ukrainian law – Yatsenyuk (Source)
• Expert: Ukraine not to become EU member in foreseeable future if ever (Source)

Last week’s Eastern Partnership summit in Riga made it clear that the European Union was not going to grant EU membership to Ukraine in the foreseeable future. Ukraine may not become an EU member at all, Kost Bondarenko, director of the Ukrainian Policy Foundation, told a news conference on Monday.

• When IMF plays geopolitics between Russia and Ukraine (Source)

President Discussions on Ukrainian debt restructuring loom and one of the issues at hand is what is going to happen with Ukraine’s debt to Russia. The Financial Times report that if the IMF objective of a bn EUR 5 bn haircut is to be achieved, Russia will have to assume some of the cost.

• Russian Defense source: US intelligence developed a plan on liquidation of Transnistria (Source)

A source in the Russian Defense Ministry announced about the existence of a military plan of liquidation of Transnistria, developed by U.S. intelligence with participation of military agencies of Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.
The Russian Defense Ministry is concerned about the possibility of abrupt destabilization of the conflict in the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (PMR) and is preparing for the most adverse scenarios. With this goal the other day the Operational Group of Russian troops (OGRV), stationed in the Republic, held exercises for the protection of key military facilities.

• Russian Troops In Transnistria Squeezed By Ukraine And Moldova (Source)

Ukraine and Moldova are restricting Russian military access to the breakaway territory of Transnistria, where Russia maintains about 1,500 troops.

Last week Ukraine’s parliament voted to suspend military cooperation with Russia. And while much cooperation was of course already suspended, throughout the current crisis Russia has been able to use Ukrainian territory to supply its troops in Transnistria, a slender territory on Ukraine’s western border. No longer.

Russia responded defiantly: “The Ministry of Defense is left with no other option than to supply Russian forces with all the necessities by air bridge, with military-transport aircraft,” said Yuriy Yakubov, a senior Russian MoD official in an interview with Interfax after the Ukrainian vote. “The Russian contingent will be supplied under any circumstances.”

• People of Transnistria to Ask Putin for Protection From External Threat (Source)

• US Official Cautions Japan Against Seeking Closer Ties With Russia (Source)

According to some sources Japan PM was considering inviting Vladimir Putin to Japan later this year – but a top US state department official insists Japan understands not to “pursue business as usual” with Russia

• DPR intelligence: Ukrainian command expects mass desertions from battlefield (Source)

The command of Ukrainian armed forces fears that security forces will flee from positions in the event of resumption of hostlities — DPR intelligence

• Reform-minded Ukraine merits debt reduction (Source)

The above commentary appeared on The Financial Times on May 17, 2015. In a related interview on video, the author praises the austerity program of the Kyiv government, saying this is a compelling reason why a part of the debt accumulated by successive Ukrainian governments merits being bailed out.

• Russia’s First Series Arctic Icebreaker to Be Laid Down in St. Petersburg (Source)
• Russia digs 100 km ditch along border with south-eastern Ukraine (Source)

Russia has erected 40km of fortified walls, and more than 100km of defensive trenches on its border with the rebel Ukrainian regions of Lugansk and Donetsk.

“The engineering fortification of the state border is aimed at ensuring stability in the Rostov region, and preventing the illegal circulation of firearms,” Russia’s border service said in a statement.

The government agency said that it intercepted over 60 illegal weapons shipments across the border since the beginning of the year. In doing so, it confiscated 40 firearms, 200 grenades, 100 shells and 40 landmines.

• Moscow unveils note sent to Kiev due to detention of Russians in Donbas ( Source)

• EU Summit Agrees to a Fudgy Russia Declaration (Source)

Declaration adopted at EU’s Eastern Partnership Summit had to be watered down to acommodate Russia allies Armenia and Belarus

• The restoration of Ukraine. A clash of interpretations (Source)It has become customary for there to be a clash of interpretations when describing events in Eastern Ukraine. The ongoing conflict has been referred to as a civil war, a national liberation movement against the forced Ukrainization of language in the Russian region, and a display of separatism, since the DPR and LPR declared independence from Ukraine after holding referendums on the issue. There is also talk of an anti-terrorist operation
• NATO to Apply General Rules to Decide on Ukraine’s Accession (Source)Also on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree to approve the country’s new national security strategy, which mentions Kiev’s plans to join the North Atlantic Alliance.

“We will assess an application from Ukraine exactly the same way as we would assess any other application from any other country.”

He added that every country has the right to decide its own policies.

“It’s up to this nation and 28 allies to decide if NATO’s going to enlarge and have a new member. Ukraine has announced that they will implement a reform program and then aim at applying for membership.”

In November 2014, President Poroshenko said that Ukraine should hold a referendum by 2020 to decide on joining the North Atlantic Alliance.

In December 2014, the Ukrainian parliament voted to scrap the country’s non-aligned status allowing the country to seek NATO membership. The bill was signed into law by President Poroshenko later that month.

• Poroshenko Signs new Security Strategy (Source)President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday signed a decree approving Ukraine’s new national security strategy, which emphasizes the strengthening of military-technical cooperation with NATO and EU, while ensuring the country’s independence from Russia in the defense industry.

• Macedonia: European Powder Keg (Source)

The Balkans is a region known to be a European powder keg. The events in Macedonia prove that.

The crisis in Macedonia is complicated enough but, whatever its origins are, it poses a threat to European security. There is a new hot spot on the European map. Austrian Witrschaftsblatt believes that Macedonia has become more important than Ukraine. (7) Sounds ridiculous! It is tantamount to comparing acts of God. What’s more damaging: an earthquake, a typhoon or tsunami?

• Paul Craig Roberts: A Color Revolution for Macedonia (Source)

During the Cold War Washington was concerned about communists fomenting street protests that they could turn into revolutions, with groomed politicians waiting in the wings to take over the new government, thus expanding the Soviet empire. Today this is precisely what Washington does.

• China State Paper Warns of War Unless US Backs Down (Source)

A Chinese state-owned newspaper said on Monday that “war is inevitable” between China and the United States over the South China Sea unless Washington stops demanding Beijing halt the building of artificial islands in the disputed waterway.
The Global Times, an influential nationalist tabloid owned by the ruling Communist Party’s official newspaper the People’s Daily, said in an editorialthat China was determined to finish its construction work, calling it the country’s “most important bottom line.”

• Plotting Against Beijing? US Holds Asian Military Summit, Excludes China (Source)As the United States struggles to maintain influence in the South China Sea, it has pushed Pacific nations to assert themselves against Beijing. In that effort, Washington organized a gathering of military leaders from over 20 countries, specifically excluding China.

A first-of-its kind event, the United States hosted the PACOM Amphibious Leaders Symposium in Hawaii for Pacific nation commanders to discuss amphibious military capabilities. In attendance are representatives from Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and many others.

• Britain sends biggest warship for NATO drills on Russian border (Source)

Britain is ramping up its military rhetoric, sending its biggest warship for NATO drills in the Baltic, right off the Russian coast, in this latest show of force. The drills kick off on June 5 and will last for two weeks.

• NATO General Warns, Putin Is A “Dangerous Gambler… Willing To Use Nuclear Weapons” (Source)

• Russia’s Landmark $2Bln Deal With Egypt for MiG Fighter Jets (Source)Russia has agreed to deliver 46 MiG-29 air superiority fighters to Egypt and is soon expected to sign a deal worth approximately $2 billion, what might become the largest order since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia’s business daily Vedomosti reports, quoting a source close to the aviation industry.
• Russia’s new T-50 fighter jet ‘almost a flying robot’ – developer (Source)

The Sukhoi PAK FA fighter jet, also known as T-50, is “already to some degree a flying robot, where the aviator fulfils the function not only of pilot, but is actually one of the constituent parts of the flying apparatus. That is, the reaction of the aviator is a part of the control loop,” Vladimir Mikheev, an advisor to the deputy head of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern [KRET], said.

According to Mikheev, another innovative featured employed in the T-50 jet fighter is “smart paneling.”

“If we take the wingtip, from one perspective it functions as a wing, but from another it’s also a part of the Himalaya active defense system,” the official is cited by Sputnik news agency.

• Opinion: The best result of last year is consolidation of Russian elites before global challenges (Source)Optimist Karaganov

This interview with “Banks and Business World” is not so much informative, as curious. Basically, because Sergei Karaganov, whom many, including myself, have always treated with suspicion, in recent times behaves as an intelligent patriot, whom we should listen to. In my opinion, he demonstrates the constructive opposition, which we desperately need.

“For a quarter century, the country has accumulated invaluable experience of survival in harsh conditions. Yes, we lost part of the territory and assets, but at the same time got rid of the need to subsidize socialist countries, most of the former Soviet republics and to maintain a monstrous war machine. While keeping the country, control over natural resources and high defense capabilities. We got rid of the ideological blinders and illusions — as towards adversaries and towards partners. And this new awareness of ourselves and the surrounding world — is the most important result of last year. And recent public opinion polls conducted under sanctions, increased prices and increasing uncertainty, only confirmed the willingness of the majority of the elite and society to fight for the interests of the country, even if they have to sacrifice a part of their own wealth. Believe me, this means a lot. Therefore my assessment is optimistic: never before has Russia been so focused and had such a strong position before global challenges.

• Washington Hoisted by Its Own Petard: The Real Reason Kerry Was in Sochi (Source)

The backdrop to Kerry’s visit to Russia and signals that US now favors the Minsk Peace Deal for Ukraine was the failure of US Russia policy which as a side effect also nearly brought down US shale oil

• Who’s setting the Balkans on fire? Macedonian Maidan and the Ottoman trail ( Source)
• Democratic Security In Macedonia: Between Brussels And Moscow By Andrew KORYBKO (Source)The EU and Russia have begun speaking about the concept of democratic security, an idea which means absolutely different things to each side.
• What is the Ukrainian Hero doing? (Source)
• Mozgovoy and the adventures of foreign volunteers in Novorossia (video) (Source)
• Alexey Mozgovoy Was the Face of the Left Revolution in Donbass (Source)

In this piece Cassad writes an emotional eulogy for Alexey Mozgovoy, who became his personal hero. It shines light on some of the motives for the fight for Novorossia. Many causes came together in the fight for Novorossia, and the common determination which made the resistance possible has evolved into differences in opinions about how Novorossia should proceed in the future. This creates an opportunity for Novorossia opponents to capitalize on the internal disagreements. Blaming Novorossia authorities for Mozgovoy’s assasination could fit into such a strategy and represent a strong motive, as evident in reactions to the murder.
As a traditional critic of Novorossia authorities, Cassad seems to blame “the system” for the demise of Mozgovoy, which we at Fort Russ don’t necessarily endorse, but we want to bring you different opinions. As expected, Mozgovoy’s murder has divided Russia and Novorossia into two camps – with one blaming Putin, Plotnisky, “another Russian party”; and another blaming the Kiev junta, Ukrainian extremists, or “another Ukrainian party.”

• Mozgovoy was an ideal target – Dmitry Steshin (Source)
• Did Putin kill Mozgovoy? (Source)And I don’t believe that Putin gave an order. This is my personal, narrow-minded disbelief, based on what I’ve seen so far in the politics of this man. This is understanding of complete dependence of Donbass on the supply of resources from Russia – no supply, and there will be no offensive on Kiev, then you can talk about this until blue in the face. This is awareness of the irrationality of the detonation of a media bomb just to shut the undesirable mouth. Forgive me, Mozgovoy, but somehow this is very reminiscent of Nemtsov’s death, by the performance of hell’s kitchen under the guidance of Tefft. Just the body of the deceased was changed.
  But the garnish is the same.
• Kazakhstan breaks ground on China’s New Silk Road (Source)

Kazakhstan authorities are pledging to speed up implementation of China’s New Silk Road project. Their efforts will focus on the Western Europe-Western China road system, as well as other transit routes spanning Central Asia.

Russia, meanwhile, despite its “Ostpolitik” eastward policy shift, remains slow to develop its section of the Western Europe-Western China road system. Major showcase projects, such as the Western Europe-Western China road system, are suffering as a result.

• Francesco Sisci reponds to Spengler: Pope Francis is a religious, not a political figure (Source)
• Spengler responds to Francesco Sisci: The Holy Father isn’t promoting peace (Source)
• Putin’s offer to Obama on Syria ( Source)
• The Srebrenica Massacre as Paradigmatic Media Spin (Source )
• Who Was Killed in Abbottabad in May 2011? Osama bin Laden or Someone Else? Pentagon Ordered Purge of Osama “Death Files” from Data Bank (Source)
• Wahhabis Go Nuclear — Literally. Saudi Arabia’s Bomb? (Source)
• Becoming a Global Pariah : Israel on the Run (Source)

These are desperate times for Israel. While Prime Murder Benjamin Netanyahu forms a new government with people who have said that Palestinians are not human, and who have openly called for genocide against them, he and they continue to talk about their security concerns, how the Israeli army is the most moral in the world, etc., etc. Yet beyond the ivory towers in which they have ensconced themselves, few people are buying the tattered goods they are selling.

• They Say “Peace” But Really, It’s War by ANDRE VLTCHEK (Source)

There is one beautiful, truly stunning sister of Peace. She is often restrained, most of the time she has to hide. But without her, Peace will never be able to succeed. Her name is Justice!

• Islamic State Seeks to Divide Saudi Arabia Into Five Parts (Source)

• US Created Islamic State to Redraw Map of the Middle East – Iranian General (Source)
• Pentagon plans long-range missile defence radar in Alaska (Source)
• ISIS & the Shia Revival in Iraq (Source)
• Police State Gears Up. The Recycling of Surplus Weapons by the Pentagon to “Law Enforcement”(Source)
• Russia, Kyrgyzstan holding military drills (Source)
• India could eclipse China as Russia’s partner (Source )

As Russia and India continue their rapprochement and enhance their multi-faceted relationship, the commonality of their strategic vision makes their partnership unique. Though not bound in any military alliance, India is the only country to which Russia supplies strategic weapons.

• China rolls out military roadmap of ‘active defence’ strategy (Source)

China issued its first white paper on military strategy on Tuesday, stressing the “active defence” guideline and pledging closer international security cooperation.

The strategy adheres to the unity of strategic defense and operational and tactical offense, according to the white paper “China’s Military Strategy” issued by the State Council Information Office, reports Xinhua.

“We will not attack unless we are attacked, but we will surely counterattack if attacked,” the paper says.

• Central Asia’s Future: Three Powers, Three Visions (Source)

China, Russia and the U.S. each have visions to connect Central Asia with the rest of Eurasia.

• Defense to offense: China unveils new military strategy to boost naval capability (Source)

The [People’s Liberation Army] Navy (PLAN) will gradually shift its focus from “offshore waters defense” to the combination of “offshore waters defense” with “open seas protection,” and build a combined, multi-functional and efficient marine combat force structure,” says the document.

The white paper says that Chinese navy will also “enhance its capabilities for strategic deterrence and counterattack, maritime maneuvers, joint operations at sea, comprehensive defense and comprehensive support.”

In the document Beijing also stresses that it will shift its focus from territorial air defense to both defense and offense.

“The PLAAF will boost its capabilities for strategic early warning, air strike, air and missile defense, information countermeasures, airborne operations, strategic projection and comprehensive support.”

As tension are high in the region over disputed Spratly archipelago, China’s latest military white paper criticized its neighbors for their “provocative actions” on its ”reefs and islands.”

• What Was FDR’s Game? :China Lobby Pre-WWII, Israel Lobby Pre-WWIII (Source)

On December 7, 1941, FDR drew up a declaration of war on both Japan and Germany, but decided it wouldn’t work and went with Japan alone. Germany, as expected, quickly declared war on the United States.

FDR had tried lying to the American people about U.S. ships including the Greer and the Kerny, which had been helping British planes track German submarines, but which Roosevelt pretended had been innocently attacked.

Roosevelt had also lied that he had in his possession a secret Nazi map planning the conquest of South America, as well as a secret Nazi plan for replacing all religions with Nazism.

As of December 6, 1941, eighty percent of the U.S. public opposed entering a war. But Roosevelt had already instituted the draft, activated the National Guard, created a huge Navy in two oceans, traded old destroyers to England in exchange for the lease of its bases in the Caribbean and Bermuda, and secretly ordered the creation of a list of every Japanese and Japanese-American person in the United States.

On April 28, 1941, Churchill wrote a secret directive to his war cabinet: “It may be taken as almost certain that the entry of Japan into the war would be followed by the immediate entry of the United States on our side.”

On August 18, 1941, Churchill met with his cabinet at 10 Downing Street. The meeting had some similarity to the July 23, 2002, meeting at the same address, the minutes of which became known as the Downing Street Minutes. Both meetings revealed secret U.S. intentions to go to war. In the 1941 meeting, Churchill told his cabinet, according to the minutes: “The President had said he would wage war but not declare it.” In addition, “Everything was to be done to force an incident.”

• Metamorphosis of The Empire (Source)

China has emerged as the New Powerhouse on the global stage. And, The Empire has made its decision again; China has to be The New Seat of The Empire, and The United States has to submit and surrender. There is no place for the Unites States of America in the New World – The Empire will provide for the systemic “breakdown” and disintegration of the Union.

China’s rule will be absolute. The Empire will survive and thrive, though under the Chinese robe.

These are the dreams and aspirations of both the Old and New Empires. But, there may be some very serious problems waiting in the wing.

• KOSHER JIHAD: Israel’s Dirty War Props Up Islamic Militants In Syria (source)
• Russia’s S-300 for Iran stuck in limbo (Source)There is compelling evidence that the United States Secretary of State John Kerry sought from the Russian leaders and successfully obtained an assurance during his visit to Sochi a fortnight ago regarding the delivery of S-300 missile defence system to Iran. The officials accompanying Kerry had told the media that he was sure to take up the S-300 issue. We heard nothing on the topic, however, after the talks ended in Sochi.
• China’s premier is visiting Latin America. This is what he’s after (Source)It seems like China couldn’t be more at home on Washington’s doorstep.

The Asian giant’s growing clout in Latin America has been in the spotlight again this week with Prime Minister Li Keqiang’s tour of Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru.

Along the way Li has been inking more of the kind of deals that have helped China’s trade with Latin America grow a staggering 24-fold in a little over a decade, to $289 billion in 2013. The Chinese government wants to see that number soar to $500 billion in the next 10 years.

• FARC Suspends Cease-Fire After Airstrike Leaves 26 Rebels Dead in Colombia (Source)
• Japan bolsters defenses across southern Nansei Islands (Source)

(Japan’s) Defense Ministry is boosting deployment of Ground Self-Defense Force units across the Nansei Islands — an area considered to be a “vacuum” in terms of stationed units — in light of China’s brisk maritime advancement in recent years.

State Minister of Defense Akira Sato visited Miyakojima and Ishigakijima islands in Okinawa Prefecture on May 11. In the city of Miyakojima, he discussed plans to station 700 to 800 GSDF personnel in security, ground-to-air missile and other units

• Japanese Nationalism: Decoy for American Imperialism? (Source) As the government of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks to amend the country’s US-drafted constitution, granting the Tokyo’s military the power to wage war, some fear the return of old imperialistic tendencies.
• West Pulls Out $3.5 Trillion From BRICS to Pressure the Group – Official (Source)The Russian Security Council Secretary said that Western countries withdrew its capital from the BRICS countries to exert pressure on the group.
• Stepping out of Anwar’s shadow and into Malaysia’s political spotlight (Source)Wan Azizah Wan Ismail is back in politics after winning the recent by-election in Penang’s Permatang Pauh district. The seat was vacated after her husband, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, was sentenced to prison on sodomy charges, which many believe were politically motivated. Thepchai Yong, The Nation’s Group Editor-in-Chief, talked to her in Kuala Lumpur shortly before the poll
• China Establishes World’s Largest Physical Gold Fund (Source)
• Five Eyes and Color Revolutions (Source)A recent release of Edward Snowden-provided classified PowerPoint presentation from the National Security Agency (NSA) provides a rather detailed description of how the FIVE EYESsignals intelligence alliance of the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand has conspired with the promoters of social media-based revolutions, such as the «Arab Spring», to bring about the collapse of democratically-elected or otherwise stable governments. However, the PowerPoint slides were partially redacted in key areas by the dubious censors of First Look Media, financed by e-Bay founder and multi-billionaire Pierre Omidyar.
• West Incites Tensions on Dniester Shores (Source)

Bucharest and Chisinau have announced their intention to form a joint military unit. Defence Minister Viorel Cibotaru visited Romania on May 19-20 to meet his counterpart Mircea Duşa. Summing up the results of the talks, Viorel Cibotaru said «Moldova supports the expansion of military cooperation with Romania and regards this country as a strategic partner». The Minister said the both sides took a decision to form a joint battalion. The statement of Moldova’s Defense Ministry states, «The both sides plan to use the vast experienced gained by Romania military during multinational peacekeeping missions and combined exercises». Ukrainian and Polish military are also expected to join the formation.

• Majority of Syrian Opposition Sign Final Document at Reconciliation Talks (Source)Meanwhile, leader of the Movement for Pluralistic Society Randa Kassis told RIA Novosti that the issue of foreign mercenaries in Syria was the main point of contention for the opposition members.

“We believe that all foreign mercenaries should leave the country. It is our principle. We are not calling for their immediate withdrawal. But if we’re talking about the beginning of a political process, in the end they will have to leave the country,” Kassis stressed adding that this position was backed by the majority.

“Some still believe that in this case, Hezbollah should also leave [and they are against it],” she said.

• Trade and economic cooperation within SCO to move to new level — Secretary-General (Source)

The SCO delegation headed by its Secretary-General is participating in the 71th Annual session of the UN Economic and social commission for Asia and Pacific Region

• New Silk Road Could Change Global Economics Forever Part 1 (Source)
• Could The New Silk Road End Old Geopolitical Tensions? Part II (Source)
• The Ultimate Irony: Is China the ‘America’ of Asia? (Source)

Beijing’s claims in Asia look extravagant, however, they are as valid as those made by the United States against Mexico and Great Britain in the mid-19th century.

• Is Russia’s Lethal PAK-FA Fighter Stealthier than America’s F-22? ( Source)
• US, Russia and the Iran question (Source)
• ISIS ENDGAME EXPOSED: How and Why the CIA in Switzerland Created ISIS as Cover for Nuclear and Biological Terror Attacks (Source)
• Afghan Insurgency Spreading North (Source)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg went to Afghanistan in November 2014. During the visit he visited the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command at Camp Morehead in Kabul, where the chief of North Atlantic Alliance praised the progress of Afghan commando units. «I have seen a highly trained, experienced and professional force,” Stoltenberg said. For over a year Afghan soldiers and police have led security operations across the country, and at the end of this year you will take full charge of security. But you will not stand alone. NATO and our partners will continue to support you.” These words give rise to a question – why the Afghan military is doing its best to avoid clashes with the armed formations of opposition in the north of the country? Neither Washington, nor Kabul offers a reasonable answer.

• US Repeats Iraqi Scenario by Training ‘Puppet Army‘ in Ukraine – UK Party (Source)The leader of the UK’s New Communist Party compared the US policy in Iraq to that in Ukraine, with the country training and equipping armies with “no will to fight” in a comment to Sputnik on Wednesday.
• Senior NATO Official Claims We’ll Be at War by Summer (Source)
• The Srebrenica Massacre as Paradigmatic Media Spin (Source)
• Africa’s “Second Liberation” against Today’s Neo-Colonialism (Source)

Clearly, Africa is not under-developed; she is over-exploited. From slavery to colonialism to present day neo-colonialism, Western policies have always been that of aggression and exploitation towards Africa. The African continent needs a second liberation to economically empower its indigenous majority who have been marginalized by Western capitals and corporations for centuries.

• Experts warn of military conflicts in S.China Sea (Source)

Exchange of fire possible due to high flight speed

• Kiev’s Repression of Anti-Fascism in Odessa (Source)

There is a whole history that is under assault, a whole people being oppressed, a leftist tradition being ground to dust under the heel of an imperialist agenda and comprador oligarch bourgeoisie. Some on the left choose to snicker derisively at this struggle, aligning themselves once again with the Empire just as they so often have in Libya, Syria, and elsewhere. And then there those who, like this author, refuse to be cowed by the baseless slur of “Russian apologist” and “Putin puppet”; those of us who choose not to look away while our comrades in Ukraine are beaten, kidnapped, tortured, imprisoned, and disappeared.

For while they speak out in the face of reprisals, in the midst of brutal repression, under threat of prison and death, the least we can do is speak out from our comfortable chairs. Anything less is moral cowardice and utter betrayal.

• Patrolling the hood from (China) sea to shining sea by Pepe Escobar (Source)

If only Mad Men in real life were like Don Draper – channeling his true inner self, after many a rocky season, to finally click on “I’m OK, you’re OK.”

Instead, we have a bunch of (Pentagon) madmen provoking every major geostrategic competitor all at once.

The Masters of War at the self-described “Don’t Do Stupid Stuff” Obama administration are now announcing they’re ready to dispatch military aircraft and ships within 18 kilometers of seven artificial islands China has built up in the Spratly Islands.

• NATO to Establish up to Eight Command Units in Eastern Europe (Source)
• Is Putin Creating a ‘Fascist State’? Spoiler Alert: NO. (Source)

The Fiscal Times is the latest outlet to call Putin an aspiring fascist dictator. Enough already.

• India, Russia to conduct joint naval maneuvers off Indian coast (Source)

The first planning conference to prepare for the joint Russian-Indian naval exercise Indra Navy-2015 will be held in Vladivostok from June 1 to 4

• Ashton Carter: Chinese Aggression Provokes US Engagement in Asia Pacific (Source)
• Russia and Japan agree on a visa-free regime (Source)
• Kwasniewski: Ukraine will return to Russia in its entirety and without bloodshed (Source)
• Russia’s Chief Intelligence Analyst Comes Out of the Shadows (Source)

Lieutenant General Reshetnikov of the Russian Institute of Strategic Research gives a wide-ranging interview on threats Russia faces from the West, to militant Islamic groups, to the conflict in Ukraine

• Xi ally’s US travel plans trigger talk of hidden agenda (Source)
• The Salafi war on Sufism (Source)

A new civil war in Islam is raging between the unarmed Sufis and the Salafis.

Many would read the global war on terror as a Samuel Huntingtonian self-fulfilling prophecy; witnesses would most likely identify it as a tragically wrong hypothesis. There are clearly many fault lines within Islam, some of which are deepening dramatically. One, there are attacks on Muslim intellectuals, attempts to suppress dissent. Two, there is polarisation between the Shias and Sunnis, primarily due to the Sunnification of Islam that has been continuing since the early 20th century.

The emerging civil war, however, is between Sufis and Salafis. This began in the 19th century when Wahhabis attacked tombs in Arabia (the Wahhabis distinguish themselves from the Salafis). It has intensified in the last two decades with the multiplication of groups that claim to be Salafi or “early Muslims”. These groups profess an Islamic creed that is pure and uncontaminated by accretions.

• Meet the Russian Politician Who Thinks That ‘Tanks Don’t Need Visas’ (Source)

Dmitry Rogozin believes in speaking loudly and carrying a big stick.

• Poland Dumping Poroshenko? (Source)

Poroshenko travels to Warsaw and gets an ice-cold shoulder from President Duda

• Middle East and North Africa: Forcing China to revisit long-standing policies (Source)

Synopsis: The fractious Middle East and North Africa is compelling China to rethink its long-standing principle of non-interventionism to protect its economic interests. It is also prompting it to articulate a Middle East policy that serves China’s interests without putting it at loggerheads with the United States. Commentary A SCAN of white papers on multiple foreign policy issues published by the Chinese government is glaring for one thing: the absence of a formulated, conceptual approach towards the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This is a part of the world that is crucial not only to Chinese strategic and economic interests but also to how tensions in the restless Muslim province of Xinjiang will develop. For much of the four decades of economic reform that has positioned China as one of the world’s foremost players, the People’s Republic could remain aloof to crises in the MENA region as Beijing single-mindedly pursued its resource and-export driven objectives. That is proving increasingly difficult as tortuous, bloody and violent conflicts threaten to redraw the post-colonial borders of a region that is crucial to a continued flow of oil and through which at least 60 percent of Chinese exports pass

• Make ties with Russia matter (Source)May 8, 1945, saw the end of World War II in Europe. The Great Patriotic War commemorated in Russia as Victory Day in its War of Liberation from the Nazi regime. A Mahabharat-like saga of national fortitude was projected to the Russians on the Victory Day parade of a strong Mother Russia who has eternally triumphed over all invaders — from Emperor Napoleon and his defeat at Borodino in 1812, to Hitler and the Germans defeated at Leningrad and Stalingrad in 1942.

The Victory Day parade is a super-colossal military event. This year reportedly 80,000 troops participated, along with approximately 150 armoured vehicles, featuring the latest additions to the Russian arsenal.

To the West, and the rest of the world at large, including fractious former republics of the Soviet Union, Russia’s Victory Day parade could also be interpreted as a warning — that Russia might be somewhat down on its luck at present, but was by no means knocked out of the ring. It would rise again.

• There’s no free Chinese lunch… (Source)

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is being termed as a ‘game and fate changer’ for Pakistan. But if the past is prologue, the new projects under it may not have much of a future, and both Pakistan and China know this.

• China Easing Capital Controls to Internationalise Yuan (Source)
• Chinese Yuan May Become World Currency After IMF ‘Approval (Source)
• China’s New Roads to Russia (Source)The Eurasian region in fact holds every conceivable mineral and rare earth metal known in vast quantities. That will now become economically feasible to develop with presence of high-speed freight rail infrastructure.

The Great Silk Road Economic Belt is clearly going to happen and fast. The emerging reality of the network of New Silk high-speed rail infrastructure, a wide-spanning network of road and rail links between all Asian and Central Asian nations, will be the heart of a new economic world. It is a well-known phenomenon of economics that as transportation infrastructure is developed there is a stronger GDP growth in each connected nation, a multiplier effect as entire new markets grow up. Clearly Eurasia is the place to be as Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping have demonstrated

• Anne Applebaum Loses Propaganda War Against Russia; Sees Income Drop Faster Than Ukraine’s GDP(Source)

Applebaum suffered a 42% drop in her earnings last year in her pitiful, dying anti-Russian war-mongering campaign

• Shortchanging Labor in a Broken Economy Challenging Operation Vulture in Ukraine By Michael Hudson (Source)
• Obama dribbles near Putin’s penalty box (Source)Without doubt, the US-Russia tensions are once again building up. Moscow is right to anticipate that the attacker approaching the Russian penalty box harbors bad intentions.
• The struggle of Venezuela against ‘a common enemy’ (Source)
• Russia, Venezuela Agree on $14 Billion Investment in Oil, Gas Sphere (Source)
• Israel’s Looming War on Lebanon (Source)

As Israel joins Saudi Arabia and other Sunni sheikdoms in their sectarian war against the Shiites, Israel’s  new front may well be in Lebanon, with Israel attacking Hezbollah in a move that could also kill the Iran nuclear deal, as Trita Parsi and Paul Pillar explain.

• Could AIIB Membership Bring an End to North Korea’s Isolation? (Source)Pyongyang’s membership in the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) may facilitate the resolution of North Korea’s political and security issues as well as boosting the country’s economic growth, a US expert noted.
• Putin amends list of state secrets — presidential decree (Source)

In particular, the phrase “information disclosing losses in manpower in wartime” has been complemented with the amendment reading “in peacetime during special operations”

• Mass training of pilots in full swing for Russia’s Air Force — commander (Source)

The number of pilots in aviation units currently slightly exceeds the pool of planes

• Why is the Arctic Important for Russia? (Source)

In order to overcome current economic difficulties, Russia is looking for new deposits of oil and minerals. According to Oro y Finanzas, as part of these efforts, Moscow plans to increase its military presence in the Arctic region.

At least 25 percent of the world oil and gas reserves hidden under the icy water are concentrated in the Arctic.

Taking into account a constant snowmelt, Moscow is seeking to strengthen its position politically and economically in much more quiet region than the boiling Middle East.

• Upcoming elections, Russia 2018, John McCain, corruption. Did the US just execute a FIFA coup d’état?(Source)A coup d’état like no other before in history. What the US pulled off today regarding FIFA has bizarre parallels to the US coup d’état in Ukraine. You know when John McCain pops up something fishy is going on

• Gorbachev Foundation urges ‘new Perestroika’ to save Russia (Source)A leading NGO founded by ex-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev has released a report saying that Russian authorities should decentralize power, stimulate political competition and abandon the policy of confrontation with Western nations.
• Old Ukraine Oligarch Feuds Flare up Again (Source)

PM Yatsenyuk and his people – the historic allies of oligarch Yulia Timoshenko – are moving against Ukraine oligarch Dmitry Firtash

• Martial law in Ukraine can be declared within hours – Poroshenko (Source)He said he would sign a decree introducing martial law immediately, should there be an offensive against Kiev’s army in the east of the country: “My key position: if the ceasefire is broken now, if the line of confrontation is crossed, if an advance against the Ukrainian armed forces is organized, at that very moment I will sign the decree on introducing martial law and pass it to parliament.
• Record $6bn run on Russia’s biggest bank was planned provocation – chairman (Source)The December depositors’ panic that resulted in about $6 billion withdrawal was provoked to destabilize the financial situation in the bank and the whole country, says Herman Gref, chairman and CEO of Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank.

“Unfortunately, we could not avoid the panic. You saw what happened. But I can only say this: first, the attack was coordinated, thousands of sms-messages were sent in each region, including a large number of mailings done from foreign websites,” Gref said in an interview to Vedomosti published Wednesday, commenting on the biggest withdrawal of funds in Russian history.

“The target was to destabilize the country’s largest bank and financial situation in the country,” he added.

• Did Putin Just Admit There Are Russian Special Forces in Ukraine? (Source)

Putin signs decree prohibiting “disclosure of losses in manpower in peacetime during special operations”

• Russia could establish a “no-fly zone” over Odessa region to deblock Transnisttia (Source)
• Yatsenyuk reconsiders the border fence out of fear it would be stolen (Source)
• Putin made decision to revive production of Tu-160M strategic bomber – Air Force commander (Source)
• Russia to Buy as Many T-50 PAK-FA Fighters as Manufacturers Can Produce (Source)
• Ukraine as an Example for Russia? (Source)
• All Russian banks working with Visa, transfer local transactions to NSPC from May 27 (Source)

All international payment systems should have transferred local Russian transaction processing to the NSPC by March 31 pursuant to the law on creation of a national payment system in Russia

• BRICS summit in Russia to launch New Development Bank & currency pool – Putin (Source)We expect to reach agreement in Ufa on the launch of practical operations of the BRICS Bank and a pool of currency reserves,” Putin said on Thursday at a ceremony to receive the credentials of ambassadors of foreign states, TASS reports.

Putin recalled that the BRICS was created in 2006 under Russia’s initiative, and that the group “has already become an influential factor in world policy and economy.”

“Russia is interested in further intensifying cooperation between the BRICS countries and developing new interaction mechanisms, including in the financial and economic sphere,” he said.

• US Cries FIFA Foul to Penalise Russia (Source)

But the US-instigated corruption probe at FIFA is, in footballing terms, more like a shabby dive by the Americans with the real aim being to penalise Russia. It’s a risky tactic that may well backfire on Team America.

• Tomgram: Michael Klare, Superpower in Distress (Source)Think of this as a little imperial folly update — and here’s the backstory.  In the years after invading Iraq and disbanding Saddam Hussein’s military, the U.S. sunk about $25 billion into “standing up” a new Iraqi army.  By June 2014, however, that army, filled with at least 50,000 “ghost soldiers,” was only standing in the imaginations of its generals and perhaps Washington.  When relatively small numbers of Islamic State (IS) militants swept into northern Iraq, it collapsed, abandoning four cities — including Mosul, the country’s second largest — and leaving behind enormous stores of U.S. weaponry, ranging from tanks and Humvees to artillery and rifles.  In essence, the U.S. was now standing up its future enemy in a style to which it was unaccustomed and, unlike the imploded Iraqi military, the forces of the Islamic State proved quite capable of using that weaponry without a foreign trainer or adviser in sight.
• Zion Wages War on Argentina (Source)For many years, Argentina has been under direct attack from the combined forces of global Zionist organizations and lobbies, Israel, the US and the UK, centered on the two deadly terror attacks perpetrated on Argentine soil against the Israeli Embassy and the AMIA/DAIA Jewish Mutual Center buildings located in downtown Buenos Aires.
  Global Zionism exerted enormous pressure on successive Argentine governments to ensure the country falsely accuses Iran of masterminding these two attacks using Hezbollah and Hamas as proxies.
  The mysterious suicide/assassination of Public Prosecutor Alberto Nisman last January, however, is fast unmasking the Truth: that both attacks were probably Israeli false flag operations.

• The Protocols Of The Elders Of ‘Anti’ Zion JVP vs. Alison Weir By Gilad Atzmon (Source)
• US shifts the goal post on Iran deal (Source)The meeting on Saturday in Switzerland between the US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will be taking place under the shadow of new uncertainties that crept into the “nuclear talks”. There is growing skepticism whether a deal could be closed by end-June.

The U.S. has shifted the goal post and now insists that the Additional Protocol providing for inspection of Iranian nuclear sites should also cover all (non-nuclear) military sites. The Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has refused to give in.

Why did the US introduce this potential “deal breaker”? France’s robust interjection suggests a Saudi hand in it. Could it be that Obama is simply negotiating harder and hopes to browbeat Iran to make more concessions, or, is it that he finds it expedient that negotiations continue into July and beyond so that the sanctions remain in place?

• Is the Iran nuclear deal in trouble? (Source)
• Michael Ledeen replies: There never was an Iran deal ( Source)
• South China Sea issue is litmus test for Sino-U.S. relationship: Opinion (Source)China has made it clear it will defend its sovereignty, but it also believes it and the United States have the wisdom to build a bright future together
• The Coming Crisis Between Britain and the EU (Source)

As David Cameron enters his second term, the Conservatives will have to soothe Euroskeptic voters and continental allies at the same time. It won’t be easy.

• Will India Purchase German Stealth Submarines? (Source)

The German Defense Minister is visiting India lobbying for the purchase of German and European military hardware.

• The Ruins of Empire in the Middle East by Robert Kaplan (Source)

Imperialism may have fallen out of fashion, but history shows that the only other option is the kind of chaos we see today.

• What’s Wrong With Robert Kaplan’s Nostalgia for Empire (Source)

Journalist Robert D. Kaplan thinks that what is wrong with the Middle East is a lack of imperialism, and he urges that it be brought back. It is how, he says, most of the world has been ruled by “default.” This argument is so ahistorical and wrong-headed that it takes the breath away.

• Kerry left Sochi laughing to himself (Source)

Britain has made a generous offer that it is willing to host the 2018 World Cup if for some reason Russia is stripped of the honor. Yet, Washington insists that its move against the FIFA officials has nothing to do with Russia – because, “Among them (indicted FIA officials) there are no citizens of the Russian Federation.” Who are they kidding?

• Mission BrahMos: How India got the world’s most powerful cruise missile (Source)

The BrahMos project should be the benchmark for all future joint ventures in defence as it leverages the excellent rapport between India and Russia – at the scientific, academic, military and political levels.

• The future of BRICS circa 2025 (Source)

The BRICS Academic Forum met in Moscow to mull over the agenda for the forthcoming summit and discuss the way forward for the organisation. Professor Georgy Toloraya, head of the Russian Committee for BRICS research, briefed RIR about the outcome of that meeting.

• Sexist and Fascist :The Cultural Afterparty of Maidan (Source)

Creative intelligentsia has always been a social stratum which effectively serves the ruling class but tries to preserve a semblance of independence. So in the current situation in Ukraine, it is no surprise to see the proliferation of pro-war art exhibitions, hundreds of patriotic videos, dozens of bands singing vulgar songs about the leader of the neighbor state of Russia, and performers who see the main problem of the country being Lenin monuments and who stage “performances” by burning his works. In this article, we look at small part of this insanity.

• From Bush to Obama : America Breaks the Middle East (Source)In diplomacy, as in war (“diplomacy by other means,” according to Clausewitz), it can be useful to distinguish goals from strategies.

America’s goals in the Middle East are clear: it wants Middle Eastern countries to serve the needs of American capitalists and to advance their interests; and it wants to impose a pax Americana, a stable regional order maintained under American domination.

• Dropping the Ball :Amnesty International Ukraine War Crimes Report Fails the Test (Source)

Overall, this report by Amnesty International is an example of the bad place where a human rights agency ends up when it promotes a “plague on both your houses” line in a conflict where feigned neutrality only obscures the human rights issues at stake.

Unfortunately, Amnesty’s “both sides are to blame” message will carry a great deal of weight and will be spread far and wide. It deserves vigorous response and challenge.

• U.S. Pressures Nobel Committee to Declare Ukraine’s President a Peace Prize Nominee (Source)
• The Exceptional Dictatorial Democracy (Source)The Exceptional Dictatorial Democracy has a proud history of more than two-hundred years dictating the world. It convicts the “criminals” gives itsruling, declares the punishment, and unleashes its wrath upon the convicted nation. From the making of the Gulf of Tonkin to the Terror in New York, and beyond, The Exceptional Dictatorial Democracy always gets its way – no one can deny it its Manifest Destiny.

Now, the Russian President Putin, is irritating The Exceptional Dictatorial Democracy and daring to block its Manifest Destiny. Lucky for Mr. Putin, Russia cannot be treated like Iraq or Libya, otherwise, he would have long met the fate of Saddam Hussein and Qaddafi.

But, Mr. Putin better be warned, it is The Exceptional Dictatorial Democracy that he is dealing with.

• Russian plane delivers aid to Syria (Source)A Russian plane delivered 21.5 tons of humanitarian aid to the Syrian regime bastion port city of Latakia, said the Russian Emergencies Ministry on Friday.

The plane proceeded to evacuated 80 Russians and other nationals of countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), i.e. former Soviet republics.

“Sixty-six Russians, seven Belarusians, four Ukrainians and three Uzbek nationals were brought to the capital Moscow,” said the ministry.

• Not only T-72s were unloaded at Umm-Qasr (Source)Judging by the latest photos, Russia delivered to Iraq not only T-72B tanks, but also BREM-1 recovery vehicles and a new batch of TOS-1SA Solntsepyok heavy flame throwing systems. It seems they have already more than proved their usefulness!
• Iraq Turns Down US Abrams tanks in favor of T-72B (Source)
• Will Iraq Follow Syria? (Source)
• Pivot Insanity Why is Obama Goading China? by MIKE WHITNEY (Source)See? It’s all about markets. It’s all about money. Here’s more from Carter’s speech:  (The) ” Asia-Pacific…is the defining region for our nation’s future”… “Half of humanity will live there by 2050″ and that “more than half of the global middle class and its accompanying consumption will come from that region.”….”There are already more than 525 million middle class consumers in Asia, and we expect there to be 3.2 billion in the region by 2030…President Obama and I want to ensure that… businesses can successfully compete for all these potential customers. ….Over the next century, no region will matter more… for American prosperity.”

This is why the Obama administration is making a general nuisance of itself in the South China Sea. It’s so the big US mega-corporations will have new customers for their IPADs and toaster ovens.

For that, they are willing to risk a nuclear war.

• U.S. Pressures Nobel Committee to Declare Ukraine’s President a Peace Prize Nominee (Source)
• A Critique of the U.S. “Grand Strategy toward China” (Source)

Seven Mistaken Assumptions, Presumptions and Prescriptions

• Russia Is Set to Triple Nuclear Supersonic Bomber Force (Source)
• Russia’s Eyes Massive Nuclear Submarine Deal with India (Source)
• Putin’s FIFA Remarks: Russia Gives America a ‘Red Card’ (Source)The deeper meaning behind Russian president Vladimir Putin’s FIFA comments.
• USA vs. Turkey: «Energy Wars» Battlefront News (I) & (II) (Source)As «energy wars» are in full swing, the United States is pursuing its own goals. Exerting pressure on Turkey is part of this policy. Washington wants Ankara to abandon the cooperation with Russia and dance to the tune of Euro-Atlantic Alliance instead. The US-Turkey differences go far beyond the energy agenda. Actually, the United States and NATO put into doubt the right of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to define the national internal and external policies. The Turkey’s contemporary diplomacy is based on Neo-Ottomanism, a Turkish political ideology that promotes greater political engagement within regions formerly under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The country is becoming more independent as an important actor using its clout to influence the situation in the «Greater Middle East.» In many aspects, the policy is unacceptable for those who advocate the «new world order».
• The Hollywoodization of War (Source)Hollywood has long been content to churn out pro-war propaganda at the behest of the government, but the presentation of war as a risk-free exercise where the US always wins is feeding a dangerous militarism in the United States. The Ron Paul Liberty Report visits with former CIA officer Phil Giraldi to discuss his recent article on how Hollywood and popular video games mis-represent war:
• China to invest $900 billion in New Silk Road (Source)
• Norman Bailey replies: Obama wants to weaken the “evil empire” (the U.S.) (Source)
• The Roots of Police Violence and Brutality (Source)

It was created to Protect and Serve the wealthy, and to keep the working population under control. It has always been a force essential to implement the parasitic economic order of the ruling class.

So, Stop Kidding Yourself. There is no way to ‘reform’ police. It is part of the Parasitic Economic Order that is has been in place for more than Two Centuries.

Want to reform the Police: Change the economic system – Otherwise, don’t Kidd yourself.

• Exclusive: U.S. tried Stuxnet-style campaign against North Korea but failed – sources (Sources)
• Russia’s Huge Military Build Up – A Modern Military for the 21st Century (Sources)

A staggering array of new weapons is appearing, as every branch of the Russian military is upgrading

• De-Dollarization Trend Continues: Russia Backs BRICS Alternative to SWIFT (Source)

Back in February, Russia detailed a SWIFT alternative that would link 91 domestic banks to the Central Bank of Russia

• Australian ’60 Minutes’ Investigation of MH-17 Lacked One Important Element – Actual Investigation(Source)

60 Minutes piece was known as a ‘stand-upper’, which is the TV practice of rushing a correspondent to a scene to read from a prepared script in support of a pre-ordained conclusion

• Modern Russia: Toward Historical Reconciliation Translated from Russian by J.Hawk (Source)

RF Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinskiy spoke at the “100 Years of the Great Russian Revolution roundtable: contextualization in the name of consolidation”, held in the Ministry of Modern Russian History. He issued a number of theses on how to facilitate historical reconciliation in Russia.

The idea is a correct one. The civil war had ended, it’s time to seek reconciliation just as the nationalists, monarchists, and communists did in Donbass trenches fighting for the Russian World. We have to maintain unity in the name of Russia, the Russian people, the future of our country, and should not kill one another.

Here’s Medinskiy’s speech:

“The Great Russian Revolution of 1917 will forever remain one of the most important events of the 20th century. Irrespective of all the differences of opinion on the events from almost a hundred years ago, it’s undeniable that the attempt to establish on Earth a new just society decisively changed Russia’s path of historical development and tremendously influenced the progress of nations on the entire planet.

Russia’s revolutionary transformation laid the foundation for a new world project. The last 100 years had shown that there is living continuity in the country’s development from the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union and then–the Russian Federation.

Moreover, an objective study of the revolutionary period allows us to recognize the tragedy of the society’s split into warring factions. But we can’t continue dividing our ancestors into unambiguously good and bad ones, after all, each side had its own idea on how to make Russia blossom. Both the Reds and the Whites were motivated by patriotism. The day of remembrance of ancestors is the best stimulus to a new path of spiritual development.

Everyone agrees we must remember the lessons of the past. And, on the basis of that knowledge, avert internal conflicts capable of escalating into inter-ethnic clashes capable of tearing the country apart. Clashes on the basis of class, national, ethnic, religious background may cause enormous damage.

Studying the revolution of 1917 and the Civil War also illustrates how erroneous it is to hope on the help of foreign “allies” in the internal political struggle. In Russia’s case, foreign involvement only made the national chasm deeper, made the struggle longer and the number of its casualties greater.

We must not wage a war on memory. The Soviet era which came after the 1917 revolution boasts massive achievements. Current generation ought to see in it the power of human spirit, the heroism of their ancestors. This is how one can achieve continuity of history and construct a modern society.

Amnesia is a terrible disease. Right now in Ukraine they are destroying monuments not only to Lenin, but also Marshal Zhukov, reconnaissance scout Kuznetsov. Such actions, both in Ukraine and in other countries, promote destructive feelings and lead to the break-up of the civil society. A monument represents memory, therefor monuments must not be destroyed. We should not disown any periods in our history–they are all part of our identity.

The academic community now has a unique opportunity to develop a unified and shared position on the main phases of Russia’s development. Differences of opinion are opportunities for dialogue and compromise, not conflict.

I’ll mention five main theses which I submit for general discussion during the process of developing the national reconciliation platform:

–Acknowledging historical continuity from Russian Empire through USSR to contemporary Russia.

–Recognizing the tragedy of the societal split caused by the events of 1917 and the Civil War.

–Respecting the memory of heroes of both sides (Reds and Whites) who sincerely defended their ideals and who were not guilty of mass repressions and war crimes.

–Condemning the ideology of revolutionary terror.

–Recognizing the error of counting on foreign “ally” help in internal political struggle.

And the last thing. After Crimea’s return to its home port, people there proposed creating a Reconciliation Monument. This is an idea whose time has come, as they say. A visible and powerful symbol, established where the Civil War ended, will become the best indication that it is really over. A national reconciliation monument ought to be selected through a nationwide competition. Ministry of Culture and the Russian military-historical community have much experience in holding such competitions, it’s enough to recall the Monument to Heroes of the First World War on Poklonnaya Gora, and the Monument to Prince Vladimir in Moscow.

There is plenty of time between now and 2017.”

J.Hawk’s Comment: One has to wonder what prompted all this, other than the recent Ukraine-related crisis. I suspect that Medinskiy’s Donbass reference is not accidental, given that people from all manner of ideological persuasions (from Strelkov’s Whites to Mozgovoy’s Reds) have volunteered to fight for the Donbass, hoping to establish their own version of utopia there. These differences of political aims have unfortunately led to conflict among the various militias, a  phenomenon that’s especially visible in LPR. Medinskiy seems to be urging everyone not to forget what it is that they are defending, irrespective of ideology.

This is the second time Medinskiy had made a high-profile announcement in only a few weeks. The previous one concerned the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which he assessed (with Putin’s subsequent backing) as a measure necessitated by USSR’s security requirements. So Medinskiy appears to be a rather consequential figure entrusted with a very important task of crafting (or at least updating) Russia’s state ideology.

• Ukraine must share the fate of the Third Reich (Source)
• Classified Losses by Colonel Cassad (Source)
• Macedonian Crisis: Uneasy Conscience Betrays Itself by Dmitry Minin (Source)According to the recent news from Skopje, Nikola Gruevski said he would join the Turkish Stream and let it pass across the country’s territory only on the condition the plan is approved by European Commission. As soon as he said that, the criticism against him began to die down. EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Johannes Hahn is expected to visit the country on June 1. Together with US Ambassador Jess Baily (his participation gives an idea on who in reality controls the situation) they will try to act as intermediaries in an effort to make peace between the government and the opposition. The whole country was brought to the verge of civil war and dozens of people were sacrificed to serve the mercantile interests.
• Chile’s Bachelet Stresses Reforms in State of the Nation Speech (Source)
• Neo-McCarthyism and the US Media The crusade to ban Russia policy critics by James Carden (Source)
• Why it’s crucial for the US to have a balanced debate about Russia (Source)
• Venezuela to Double Oil Output with Russian Support (Source)
• How NATO deliberately destroyed Libya’s water infrastructure (Source)The military targeting of civilian infrastructure, especially of water supplies, is a war crime under international law and the Geneva Conventions.

Yet this is what NATO did in Libya, and the results have worsened today.

• Ukraine: Gangster State by Stephen Lendman (Source)
• All of Donbass is family to us (Source)I caught myself thinking that I’m not reporting about even half of those whom we are helping. These days we’re mainly doing targeted aid. Earlier we were done in only a few days–we delivered most of the food to communal cafeterias and bomb shelters of Pervomaysk. Now, in addition to the old system which is still in place, we are painstakingly assembling lists of the most needy from the village heads–people without shelter, family, children, the orphaned, the injured, etc. And then we deliver aid to them directly.
  The geography of aid keeps growing.
• Some humour (Source)