by Straight-Bat for The Saker Blog 1. INTRODUCTION Eurocentrism may be a dirty word for non-European scholars of late 20th century and early 21st century, but even the most rabidly anti-European intellectual in Africa or Asia would be compelled to accept the reality of the greatest tragedy of the non-European world: that it had been cast in the mould constructed by the European civilization between 1096 CE and 1991 CE.
By Walt Garlington for the Saker Blog Mr Paul Gottfried gives us a standard line about the need to return to the Golden Age of the American republic at the end of a short book review he penned: Since Janowski leaves his heuristic queries open, this reviewer feels free to note that the egalitarian democracy he so graphically describes represents a falling away from something much better. It is a
Original link: http://middleeastobserver.net/nasrallah-on-obedience-to-god-how-it-guides-shia-political-action/ Description: Speaking at a mourning ceremony to mark the yearly religious occasion of Ashura, Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah touched on the Islamic conception of worship and obedience to God, and the implications of this conception on the world of political decision-making and action within contemporary Shia Islam. The following transcript helps to reveal the intersection of the religious, the spiritual, and the socio-political for Nasrallah and
By Thorsten J. Pattberg for The Saker Blog This is Part 2 of a series: “This concise text will introduce to our distinguished readers the most deadly ways to subvert, to demoralize, to lobotomize and finally to liquidize someone‘s brains… until they are reduced to nothing more than another helpless Schizo Fran or Mona Loser ready for suicide or the local madhouse. “ Not many relations are as stressful as
On the Threshold of the Great Reassembly of the 21st Century: Paths to the Future and Russia’s Stakes. A Discussion “Humanity is on the verge of the Great Reassembly – the formation of a new world economic order. This reassembly is largely forced, taking place under the pressure of growing crises in the world’s economic, governance, socio-cultural and scientific spheres. The time has come for the collapse of the old
Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on Strengthening the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction The Russian Federation and China reaffirm their conviction that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BWC)
Original link: http://middleeastobserver.net/us-oil-cartels-blocking-russian-offer-to-resolve-lebanons-electricity-crisis-report/ Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXxarsrCUg8 Description: A news report surrounding a Russian offer to help resolve the long-standing electricity problem of Lebanon, which has devolved into a severe crisis in recent months. The electricity problem in Lebanon is a highly politicised and controversial issue. This report suggests that it is the Americans and the local oil cartels within Lebanon that are blocking such a Russian offer from being accepted by the
Vladimir Putin conducted a meeting on the development of the energy industry via videoconference. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, presidential aides Igor Levitin and Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov, Head of the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service Maxim Shaskolsky, governors and heads of major energy companies. * * * President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues. Yesterday we
by Mansoureh Tajik for the Saker Blog Disproportionate attention has been paid to Cirque du Soleil-style departure by the United States armed forces from Afghanistan, the scene of the West’s most dragged out heist. Clumsily-written roles for Russia, China, and others that seem to be pre-scripted are bandied about in the media (right, left, and center). The Taliban, attired in quasi-reformed dunces and utilized as convenient props for more than
Sides are forming around the Iran vs Azerbaijan squabble. But this fight is not about ethnicity, religion or tribe – it is mainly about who gets to forge the region’s new transportation routes. By Pepe Escobar posted with permission and cross-posted with The Cradle The last thing the complex, work-in-progress drive towards Eurasian integration needs at this stage is this messy affair between Iran and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus.
by Chris Faure for the Saker Blog Continuation of “Sitrep : China. Is. Dead. Serious.” Let’s take a look at what China overcame in our near history. The NED and similar organizations’ sponsored “Color Revolutions” in Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang all collapsed. We can also be sure that this escalation that we see now is not really about Taiwan. Taiwan is playing its role, like the dissidents in Hong
By Chris Faure for the Saker Blog China will not be conquered again, even if every last Chinese has to join the fight. In the past four days, China has sent first 28, then 29 fighters and bombers near Taiwan. (Taiwan itself reports different numbers). Then, the US announced on Sunday that this is provocative. So, China called the statement irresponsible and sent a massive number of 59 fighters and
by Thorsten J. Pattberg for The Saker Blog This is Part 1 of a series Foreword The easiest way to destroy a man in body and soul is to harm him in all ways and forms imaginable and claim it‘ll be good for him. This demonic logic, its inversion is telling him that doing good would actually be bad for him, creeps into our mammal brains through early childhood dreams.
Note by the Saker: as I hope you all know, I have banned the topic of COVID from the blog (see the moderation rules here: https://10.16.86.131/moderation-policy/ (specifically rule #18). I will admit that when Apogee send me his article my first thought was “oh boy, here we go again”. Except that when I started reading it, I was more and more impressed by what I read. And I am not
“An empire within an empire,” the Pashtun are essential to understanding the complexities of Afghanistan as a nation-state today. What is the ‘Pashtun universe,’ and why will they always outlast those who try to govern them? by Pepe Escobar posted with permission and cross-posted with The Cradle It was bound to happen: the remixed Saigon moment at Kabul airport and the stunning comeback of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, led
Debate between Michael Hudson and Thomas Piketty on September 23, 2021 (Posted with special permission) The debate was monitored by Lynn Parramore, and introduced by David Graeber’s widow, Nika. Nika: Hi, I’m Nika. I’m David’s wife. This is an event in the honor of the first anniversary of David Graeber’s passing, and then the spirits of his rejection of academic arrogance, and our urgent need to get out of
by Batko Milacic – Independent analyst – for The Saker Blog The Taliban really wants to prove to the whole world their legitimacy and readiness for dialogue. The radical Islamists who have established control over most of the territory of Afghanistan have learned from their mistakes 20 years ago. They even created an anti-terrorist structure, however, the question is, who will it catch? Now the Taliban need international recognition and
By Zamir Awan for the Saker Blog Hundreds of thousands of Afghans working for the US government, directly or indirectly, have been evacuated, either by air or by road, direct to destinations’ or via transit from any third country. It was a massive migration operation. Yet, Many Afghans are trying to slip away to destinations in the Western developed world. The US was ruling Afghanistan through such agents and they
Perth in Australia will be a forward base for nuclear-powered and nuclear weapon-carrying American subs. by Pepe Escobar – posted with the author’s permission and cross-posted widely. Pax Americana was always a minor character in a zombie apocalypse flick. Pax Americana is actually The Eternal Return of the Living Dead. “Pax” was never in order; War Inc. rules. The end of WWII led directly to the Cold War. The unipolar
By Amir NOUR for the Saker Blog [1] This is a chapter from Amir’s forthcoming book, titled : “L’Islam et l’ordre du monde: le testament de Malek BENNABI” (Islam and the Order of the World: Malek BENNABI’s Testament). First available in French with translations to Arabic and English planned. “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers”
