by Ramin Mazaheri for The Saker Blog Somehow, the conception of the modern notion of freedom is wholly associated with Western Europe, but you know who I always thought was free? Kazakhs. I mean, what are those nomads doing up over there? Riding all around day, shooting stuff, coming home to hot, meaty meals – they are living the good life. Shepherding is the rare job where staring at the
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with the Asia Times by special agreement with the author) President Putin’s state of the nation address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow this week was an extraordinary affair. While heavily focused on domestic social and economic development, Putin noted, predictably, the US decision to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty and clearly outlined the red lines in regard to possible consequences of the move. It
by the French Saker for the Saker Blog The Yellow vest crisis is gaining steam, specially by exposing the hypocrisy of these elite sectors: the media and its journalists and experts, the government and its police, the judiciary and its powerful prosecutors. The Yellow vest crisis makes them completely freaking out and that can be clearly seen in their reactions. Responding with batons and grenade shots, lawsuits and mass incarcerations,
by Stephen Karganovic for The Saker Blog The way things are shaping up down south (viewed from Belgrade) the tiny, helpless, beleaguered new Balkan state of Macedonia could be the trigger for a wider regional conflict. It is well to remember the adage of veteran politician Franklin Delano Roosevelt, especially in the present context: If it turned out a certain way, it is probably because that is the way it
by Ramin Mazaheri for The Saker Blog Back in November 2008, Rahm Emmanuel, then president-elect Barack Obama’s chief of staff and later the detested mayor of Chicago, famously told The Wall Street Journal, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. … This crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things that you could not before.” A wave of “socialise the losses” right-wing capitalism followed; millions lost
by Dr. Mahmoud Braham for The Saker Blog This work: Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, by Harari, the Israeli historian and futurologist, is rather a Darwinist interpretative narrative of the evolution of the human species, coupled with a searching gaze into an uncertain and perilous future awaiting humanity, and supported by very insightful scenarios. This sequential account reveals that the human species that was struggling, at first, against
by Michael Antony for The Saker Blog The recent titbit fed to us by Bellingcat (reputedly close to MI6) that a third Russian agent was booked on the flight from Heathrow to Moscow on the night of 4th March 2018 — the flight taken by the two alleged GRU officers filmed in Salisbury — but didn’t show up for it, has pointed to a possible solution to the baffling Skripal
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with the Asia Times by special agreement with the author) A new report on US policy toward China launched by the Asia Society in New York is another example of how supposedly bipartisan US intellectual elites, instead of offering impartial advice, do little more than parrot Washington’s talking points, failing to admit they know nothing of substance about the existential “threats” posed by Russia and China.
by Ghassan and Intibah Kadi [George Soros has recently said that Chinese leader Xi Jinping poses the biggest ever threat to free society ie the West. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/soros-flags-xi-as-biggest-threat-to-free-society The statement was met with varied responses, the most interesting of which was the Chinese response saying this statement is not worthy of a response. https://www.rt.com/news/449705-soros-china-response-meaningless/ ] Mr. Soros is perhaps right in saying that Mr. Xi Jinping is posing a threat to
by Norman Ball for The Saker Blog A full year ago, as it was dawning on most reasonable people the Trump-Russian Collusion narrative was a hoax drenched in donkey-fied Goebbelian misdirection, I noted with alarm (here on The Saker Blog) how Never Trumpism, in its manic excesses, was retracing a very dark chapter of Nazi racialist ideology. In a disturbing instance of enantiadromia, this very same faction was accusing
by Denis A. Conroy for The Saker Blog America’s obsession with its role in the world is becoming more embarrassing by the week. This year saw Donald Trump performing as Lord of the Rings while addressing the Fellowship of the Ring…STATE OF THE UNION address, 5 February 2010. The occasion confirmed the fact that patriotism is an essential component in the economic wars. As co-conspirators privileged to be included in
by Peter Koenig for The Saker Blog The Forth International Conference for “The Equilibrium of the World” took place in Havana., Cuba from 28 to 31 January 2019. The Conference, organized by the José Marti Project of International Solidarity, was sponsored by UNESCO and a number of local and international organisms and NGOs. It coincided with the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and as such was also a celebration
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with the Asia Times by special agreement with the author) On the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, this past Friday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei made an effort to express Iran’s geopolitical stance in simple terms: ‘We have good relations with all nations in the world, we don’t want to break relations with any European nation’, and an explanation of the slogan ‘Death to America’. The
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with the Asia Times by special agreement with the author) Get over it: Asia rules New book helps explain why the 21st Century will be the Asian Century The greatest merit of Parag Khanna’s new book, The Future is Asian, is to accessibly tell the story of a historical inevitability – with the extra bonus of an Asian point of view. This is not only a
by Eric Zuesse for The Saker Blog INTRODUCTION This news-report is being submitted to all U.S. and allied news-media, and is being published by all honest ones, in order to inform you of crucial facts that the others — the dishonest ones, who hude such crucial facts — are hiding about Venezuela. These are facts that have received coverage only in one single British newspaper: the Independent, which published a
by Peter Koenig for The Saker Blog Venezuela in the limelight, on practically all the written, audio and visual mainstream media, as well as alternative media. A purposeful constant drip of outright lies and half-truths, “fake news”, as well as misleading information of all shades and hues about Venezuela is drumming our brains, slowly bending our minds towards believing that – yes, the US has a vital interest in meddling
By Ghassan and Intibah Kadi The “War on Syria” has had many unintended twists and turns that were unforeseeable at the time it began. The plotters had no reason to believe they were going to lose, and the defenders had no option other than doing all they could and risk and sacrifice all that was dear and precious. However, as frontlines are now being redrawn in Syria in preparation for
by Jimmie Moglia for The Saker Blog So much has been said about the Venezuelan crisis that adding more would equate to gilding the lily or bringing coal to Newcastle. The following, then, is but a brief aside on the psychology and physiognomy of the protagonists of the ongoing coup, starting with Guaido’ – or “Guido” as per Mike Pompeo’s re-baptism, while he anointed him as self-appointed president of Venezuela.
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with Strategic Culture Foundation by special agreement with the author) Cold War 2.0 has hit South America with a bang – pitting the US and expected minions against the four key pillars of in-progress Eurasia integration: Russia, China, Iran and Turkey. It’s the oil, stupid. But there’s way more than meets the (oily) eye. Caracas has committed the ultimate cardinal sin in the eyes of Exceptionalistan;
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with The Asia Times by special agreement with the author) Bolsonaro scandal puts Brazil on edge as farmers eye Amazon forests A specter haunts the Brazilian elites. His name is Lula – the former president and for the past nine months one of the world’s most notorious political prisoners, given his enormous popularity and the controversy over his conviction and jailing. Brazil, until recently a leader
