Update: More on Scott Ritter … this time with the gloves off:
Here is the article and I was on the point on commenting on when the new video appeared. https://www.energyintel.com/00000180-d669-d410-aba9-f66dbd120000
Saker Message:
I am a bit puzzled about the youtube-channel of Gonzalo Lira…There is no advertising before and in between the videos.
In comparison to that the “Duran” channel contains videos (which are really great btw) where every few minutes there is a short marketing ad of a few minutes.
My question is:
Why is Gonzalo Lira’s channel without ads but The Duran is full of them? Who is paying for the bandwidth of Gonzalo Lira’s channel in youtube?
I dont assume that Gonzalo Lira is paying for his own channel offering videos without ads.
Puzzled…..ah, the mysteries of life. Out of curiosity, why do you care, who pays, can you give a better analysis? If so, I’m sure the site curator will take your opinions under consideration, should you have something metritis to say about the SMO.
Cheers M
He as a patreon with 2570 donors paying at least $5 so he is making 4 figures monthly witouth ads
https://www.patreon.com/CoachRedPill
30k views. Can’t cost much.
It costs nothing to run a Twitter account or a Youtube channel for your own use.
And Google probably won’t let him run ads, as his material is in the “undesirable” category that Google probably only allows to not look like complete Nazis, but won’t let people make money from.
There seems to be an effort by some people to question Gonzalo Lira’s bonafides, rather than to discuss the merits of what he is saying. More than a little curious, don’t you think?
Gonzalo Lira’s credibility is proven by the unfolding of events and thy grudgingly revealed information that contradicts the Kiev/Washington DC/London narrative several weeks after GL first talks about the.
Bio labs: CHECK
Kramatorsk war crime a Ukie false flag: CHECK
Bucha a Ukie false flag: CHECK
Staging of tens of thousands of Ukie Troops in the Donbass already before Russia fixed alot of the UFA near Kiev and before Russia disabled rail traffic: CHECK
In contrast, any statements coming out of Kiev or Washington being true other than Zelinsky not negotiating a cease fire sincerely…. zero.
The Duran videos are great but very long.
He could shorten them by 90%. He’s playing for more ads per uploaded video.
Given a choice between listening to Gonzalo Lira’s enthusiastic amateur cheerleading and Scott Ritter’s sober professional analysis, I’ll take Ritter all day long.
A few simple points of comparison:
Lira says the weapons systems that the west is supplying require training. Ritter doesn’t disagree. He points out that when the training was happening on Ukrainian soil the soldiers and the trainers were in danger of being blown up by the Russians. But now the training is happening in Poland (and potentially other places), and can be completed without the risk of dying.
Lira says the Ukrainians have a fuel shortage, Ritter points out that the Ukrainians received a giant fuel train from the West and they are (temporarily at least) well supplied with fuel and able to drive their tanks and trucks without worrying about running out. He points out that although the refineries in Ukraine are out of commission, that if the West is willing and able to continue supplying the Ukrainians with fuel, that enables them to maintain their resistance.
Lira says the Russians can bomb the Western weapons and materiel resupply at will. Ritter points out the previously mentioned fuel supply train (not bombed), and the state of the art M777 western supplied howitzers that Ukraine has actually been able to deploy at the front. (Yes, the howitzers may lack their advanced targeting systems, yes they might be destroyed after arriving at the front, but they are making it through, and if the training in Poland is successful, future iterations may well arrive with all their advanced systems intact.)
Ritter agrees that the Russians will inevitably crush the Ukrainians in Donbass. Where he says Russia is in danger of losing, is in the larger announced goal of the SMO: demilitarization of Ukraine. He realistically points out that as long as the West keeps pumping resources (weapons, fuel, food, intelligence and reconnaissance) into Ukraine, the western part of Ukraine will be exceedingly difficult to pacify and demilitarize. Lira optimistically prefers to focus myopically only on the Russian prospect for victory in the east, without thinking about the larger goals and longer term prospects.
Ritter may turn out to be wrong (as he will tell you himself), but his analysis is honest, intelligent, and informed. Cheerleaders like Lira thoughtlessly dismissing his concerns are doing themselves a disservice.
It’s interesting why the fuel train (where did it terminate its journey?) was not bombed.
Fuel depots are continually being bombed, as are fuel trucks.
It could be any number of things, one imagines. Lack of/faulty intelligence, the specific location of the end point of the journey of the train, who knows what else. Getting fuel to troops in the east is another matter.
I reckon there are dedicated groups just to “find, fix, and finish” fuel.
Re: the de-militarization of the entire Ukraine – entirely and completely – yes, wonder you could do that if, just for argument’s sake, the US/UK/West had an annual “guns to Ukraine” budget of $X billion, in perpetuity. It just kept on coming. // Then one would have to play the really long game – demographics.
Even before the SMO, or Covid19 for that matter, Ukraine’s total fertility rate at 1.23, was even lower than RF’s of ~1.51 (Germany: 1.54). Replacement rate – what’s needed to keep a population stable/unchanged (without immigration) is ~2.1.
So the population is both declining and aging (even before large emigration – economic and refugee). Which means the number of fighting age men/women becomes an issue. So then you have to import them from other places: “proxy-squared”, if you will: non-Ukranians fighting in Ukraine to weaken Russia. // And so planners have to think about how to counter that – long-term.
I see this SMO/war moving towards low-intensity conflict (LIC), which, admittedly, is not felt as “low” by those impacted by it on a daily basis, if there is no formal negotiated peace/settlement.
Similar to India and Pakistan in the disputed areas of Kashmir (IOK, POK): 75 years of LIC, punctuated by periods of higher-intensity – I hesitate to classify some/all of these as “wars”. In the so-called “Kargil War”, for instance, India (official stats) claimed to have suffered 527KIA and ~1,500 wounded. // Next to 20-30 *million* (civ+mil) casualties, this can hardly be term a war.
The FMs of the BRICS countries met yesterday (May 19th) as part of the 14th BRICS Summit. SCO summit takes place later in the year. Folks will be thinking and talking about these issues.
I reckon it will be a similar ~75 years, so roughly by the year 2100, before we see the full impact of events currently unfolding. By then, world population will have peaked, or even started to decline, and it will be much clearer as to which countries (esp. those with low TFRs) have been able to stem/reverse population decline.
It will also be much clearer by then what effect climate change has had on the planet – in this regard, Russia stands to be a net gainer if global average temperatures are up by even a few degrees. As secure in food, fuel/energy, and water, Russia will be in an enviable position compared to much of the Global South (poorer, developing countries primarily in Asia, Africa, and Central/South America).
This is a very long game. Demographics is an important component – too few people have been discussing this aspect.
EU trains run on a wider tracks that Ukrainian trains. So there are no fuel trains in the Ukraine. The fuel trains are in Poland or Moldavia. They will be pumped out into trucks and 45 gal barrels.
I’d put money on most fuel going by barrel. 6 would fit in the back of a pick up. Towed in U Haul trailers and trucks etc….so fuel will get to the front, will it effectively allow an Orc counter offensive, highly unlikely as the burn rate will exceed supply, esp under constant threat of incoming.
As for big guns, several have already been decommissioned by RF ‘fire rain’. I was watching vid of allied forces walking through what was once a forrest of Orc positions. Looked they were on a Sunday stroll. Everything was burnt to a crisp.
Cheers M
Good luck putting 6 barrels of fuel in a pick up truck (3000 lbs), especially those dinky toys they drive in Europe.
The challenge with trucking fuel Long distances instead of using rail is trucks consume a lot of fuel. Like 10 or even 100 times as much fuel consumed per ton/mile of freight carried versus rail.
Rommel gripes about this in the book ‚the Rommel Papers‘
Yep.
When diesel was $2/gallon, rail delivery cost (for the entire operation, not just fuel) was US $ 0.001 (= 0.1 cent) per ton mile.
In contrast, for trucking, the fuel alone was over US $ 0.02 (2 cents) per ton mile.
That’s a factor > 20x.
Wider track has Ukraine (also Russia). 1520 vs 1435 mm in EU. In Poland there is one 1520 mm line from east border to Huta Katowice, built in 70-ies of XX century, when steel mill was constructed in Katovice city, processing iron ore from USSR.
Poland previously built Ukraine width tracks running into its territory so possible to send trains from Poland to Ukrainie without stopping at the border.
Not much. Lots of traffic has to go through rail-guage conversion facilities (Standard Guage trucks removed from beneath the cats and replaced with Russian guage for east-bound cars and the reverse for west-bound cars. These cats are dropped off by the locamotives, which can’t have their guages swapped without requiring days or weeks of labor, wheras wheel tricks underneath cargo cars and passenger wagons can be swapped in a few minutes.
Anyone who has played a WW2 wargame of the combat on the Eastern Front is well aware of this issue, and it remains to this day.
You have it backwards.
Ukie rail guage is Russian rail guage (5 foot = 1520 mm, originally 1524mm), which is the widest national Guage throughout Eurasia. West of Ukraine it’s all Standard Guage (4 foot 8 1/2 inches = 1435 mm) which is Roman chariot guage (centuries of roman chariot traffic wearing ruts in wet then heat-hardened clay, and in paved roads with tight clearances) caused wagon makers to adopt the same guage, which persisted through to the first horse-drawn mine carriage systems, which eventually became the first horse-drawn railroads, and eventually retained for out-of-mine railroads as well.
That and the current 360-degrees for a circle and the day being 24 hours consisting of 60 minutes of 60 seconds (3 x 2^3 hours of 5x3x2^2 hours of 5x3x2^2 seconds) are the largest surviving arbitrary standards from the ancient Mesopotamia/Mediterranean civilizations.
the UK had a pump station on the beach to pump fuel across the channel in ww2, there no water between ukraine and poland, and $40 billion will buy you a big pump and miles of pipe, of whatever bore you like!
To reiterate.
Firstly it is:
a) unrealistic to expect that the RF success rate (or anyone else’s in similar situations for that matter) for preventing fuel or munitions getting across to Ukraine from the West and onwards to any point of contact has to be/should be or can ever be 100% for 100% of the time.
and
b) on encountering this clear to a blind man on a galloping horse fact of life reality, somewhat Chicken lickin’ like to rampage around the farmyard in shock thinking such a reality has any meaningful impact in terms of anything. The idea this changes anything in any significant or practical way is simply risible.
Secondly:
The notion that there exists a million strong army of Ukrainians receiving sufficient training for an effective counter offensive in August (what year?) either concentrated in Poland or scattered around Western Europe is indicative of someone having been sniffing the swarfega or WD40 again.
Such a figure, combined with the number of Ukrainian troops in situ in the combat zones would make the Ukrainian Armed forces larger than that of the USA (1,351,500 according to recent estimates: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1555810/Nato-vs-Russia-war-army-sizes-compared-evg )
As matters stand Ukraine is reduced to sending civilian militias, originally designed for local defence (a sort of ‘Dads Army’), to the front lines as cannon fodder.
This sounds more like one of Baldrick’s “cunning plans'” from the TV series ‘Blackadder’ than any kind of serious proposition and hanging one’s hat on this fantastical notion takes desperation to new and uncharted levels.
It really is time people got a grip.
I made the same points as you did commenting on a spanish site. Impossibility of leverage of 1million able ukranian men and woman and impossibility of training them on modern weapons and warfare in a reasonable amount of time.
I gave the only reasonable solution to get a new Ukranian Army in a matter of days or weeks.
Take the whole manpower now existent in NATO-armies all over Europe , and part of US , and deliver brandnew ukranian passports to everyone , after that swear them in to their new commander in chief , the Clown-president.
After that the delivery and transport-problems are minutiae.
(Irony Off)
I kind of agree with you, Dave.
The points Ritter is making are both interesting and totally rational. Even if he could be wrong, it’s true the war has changed since feb 24.
These points should be used to enrich the dialogue within the Alt media. Lira’s reaction looks excessive and infantile, especially when he brings personal stuff up. For ex regarding his disappearance in April, Ritter always said that he did this to raise the alarm on Lira’s fate, not because he knew he was dead. Personally I had already buried him…
All the chit-chat about Scott wanting back into the MSM is pure speculation.
This squabble is a bit sad, let’s hope Gonzalo and Scott will be able to talk this through. Between adults.
Ukraine has also lost a lot of population to emigration/migration whatever you call it.
And now it has lost another round of people who have been yearning to get out of their shithole country for years and will probably never return. Becoming a refugee was a golden opportunity to vote with feet.
Why should anyone believe this fuel train was in Ukraine?
My guess is that it was filmed in the West and terminated its journey at Ukrainian borders. There the fuel was transferred to trucks making night time dashes between distribution points and camouflaged layovers. The fuel is often transferred directly to military resupply vehicles and armour without any other storage tanks used.
Il problema principale secondo me per l’ ucraina sta diventando il morale dei soldati e alto tasso di mortalita’ fra quelli piu addestrati e che non si possono sostituire facilmente a breve termine.
But yet I noticed that Ritter did an abrupt 180-degree turn, which caused his reputation to suffer as any kind of reliable expert on the conflict for a self-proclaimed expect to make that kind of mistake makes one wonder if someone got to him.
As far as the heavy weapons, it cost fuel, time and money to tow those weapons to the front to only be destroyed before they are able to cause any harm, and of course what Ritter says and what is really going on we only have his word on that and I am beginning to suspect that he does a lot of well maybes, It could be, we will have to wait and see and then of course we read nothing about the ammunition for those heavy weapons which eats it up like a troop of kids in a candy store. I believe it’s up to every reader to get as much information as he can and come to his own conclusion as to how well things are going, but I have noticed that the MSN has shut off most of the propaganda like someone turned off the faucet, which tell me a little something as far as the war is going on.
Changing your mind when you confront new facts is a strength, not a weakness.
Not saying he is right, but your argument is ad hominem nonsense.
Maybe but if you’re going down the road at 100 miles an hour you don’t slam on the brakes and run the other way because to me that means that your judgement is lacking that you simply didn’t have the facts to make a judgement call in the beginning or else there were other factors in the game, just saying and trying to out guess the Russian generals is a fatal mistake which far to many make including many posters.
It seems to me that per Martyanov, it is part of realistic operational planning to readjust tactics an dperhaps even strategy along the way, to respond to reality on the ground and still achieve the **political goal.**
Ritter is of course a great source for Lira.
Yes, you can make operational changes on the battlefield, but you don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater and say you didn’t have a plan before the first shot was fired. I suggest you go and read the latest on Moon of Alabama and then try to tell me that Ritter was even close to the actual facts which he wasn’t, that’s why he was all over the place with first that Russia’s going to win hands down and then oh Russia’s going to lose this war while Russia was kicking ass and taking names as it keeps eating up Ukrainian territory.
i 2nd that, maybe AFU forces will collapse in Donbas in couple of days, but what will be next ? Zelensky won’t surrender and to achieve russians minimial goals russia has to take Odessa and Kharkov, i don’t know how this should happen without heavy losses on both sides
i dont see any good exit strategy for russia after Donbas has been liberated.
I suggest you listen to Andrei Martyanov who was an officer in the USSR military and has written many books which Saker refers to. Many of the points which Lira refers to has been well covered by Martyanov. For example, the complexity of the weapons systems, yes some Ukrainians have been trained in Poland, but recent videos from the Donbass show the Russian military destroying them along with the soldiers.
The Ukrainian does indeed have a fuel shortage and giant fuel trains require locomotives to propel them hence why the Russians have been destroying them plus the infrastructure.
If the NATO cannot move openly large amounts of men and material around the Ukrainian whether in the East, Centre or West because the Russians control the skies and NATO will not employ a no fly zone since the Russian air defences are the best in the world, how can it pose a serious threat to it within the Ukraine.
Of course they may try to launch attacks from outside the Ukraine but Putin has warned of the serious repercussions if they do this and he his not bluffing as the US/ U.K/EU and NATO have discovered to their cost !
/smo-is-an-excellent-demonstration-of-operational-art/
Putin never wanted the West.
When, where and how it will stop is not clear. My guess is after Odessa falls, if it does.
The UA military is running out of people. The endless Western supply is allowing the survivors to fight longer, but to what end?
The Russians are fully aware that training is going on in Poland.Not a lot they can do about this at the moment.NATO is going to train them no matter what and if not in Poland it will be elsewhere.
At this moment NATO will supply weapons to Ukraine again no matter what. Big profits etc. Again, Russia will be aware of this.
My guess is when these or if these become a problem Russia will act. No matter what land forces NATO throws at Russia it will demolish them.Remember we are seeing only a small portion of what Russia has and will up their game if needed.
Russia has been acting carefully and incrementally but also successfully.
Ritter is a Professional with a few decades of experience
Lira is a well meaning and good amatuer.
It’s good to have both voices
Ritter has an history of being blackmailed by the NSA. Credentials are good and all, but of little use if you get handed a script. The timing of his his U-turn makes no sense when you consider the facts on the ground, unless you consider he lives in the United States.
There is no evidence nor sign Ritter was blackmailed. He simply voiced his concern. I remember he was passionate about the whole thing during the first phase of the operations, so it could well be that he had a surge of worries when things got more complicated. He has been very opened and explicit about all his positions. I don’t understand why there’s such a story about him. Remember, he is not siding with any one and has not pledged allegiance to any side. He is a professional, offering a very detailed and understandable narrative, and a human being, showing some very human worries when he feels them.
Lira’s points are actually valid – about the training & the supplies. The deployment of the howitzers – they are deployed & then destroyed, a nice incurrence of cost by the Russia side against the US. The training takes time, even if it is in Germany, you can not become an expert artillery gunner in 2 months. Much less engineers & repair technicians for the kit – all this Lira has pointed out & he is correct. The fuel deliveries are a moot point because the Russians will destroy anything coming into Ukraine that they chose, they command the airspace, completely, but the Russians are allowing certain quantities of materials to get through to destroy them later. As for Scott Ritter – he is not qualified to discuss any of this either, any more than Lira, if you go by expertise. Scott Ritter is not a 4 star general with operational planning experience, & if he were, well we have heard some of the US generals who know absolutely nothing. Plus, Ritter claims to know the Russian army, no he doesn’t – you don’t know something like any army or institution unless you have long experience of working within it, within various branches. It is ridiculous for Ritter to say make claims like he knows the Russian military, he does not. His experience with the Soviet military back in the day does not give him the authority to claim that he knew the Soviet army either, all he can say is he interacted with them, that is all. So when you condemn someone for cheerleading, well what are you doing? No one is forcing you to watch Lira, he can talk about anything he wants, you don’t have to watch him. Watch Ritter all day instead, every day, worship his words, pine over his handsome face – if that is your thing. But you’d be better off letting Ritter stand for himself, he at least, can do that.
On the video I saw of him insisting essentially that Russia needs to mobilize immediately, or else, Ritter seemed frantic/desperate/terrified? It seemed very inconsistent with his earlier manner. So, if he’s been gotten to, maybe it isn’t with money.
Yes, it certainly was a sudden strange change, although the premature announcement of Lira’s death was strange, too, but there are multiple possible causes. If there is coercion involved, in the Lira case, someone might have wanted to know what the reaction to Lira’s death would be.
“As for Scott Ritter – he is not qualified to discuss any of this either, any more than Lira, if you go by expertise. ”
LOL!!
Lira is an amateur who in the past has parroted back to Ritter the very info that Ritter presented for Lira to absorb and maybe Lira forgot where he heard it. Lira has more to explain than Ritter.
For starters where was he actually for a week or more while everyone wrung their hands about his wherabouts? Well, I didn’t, because I was pretty sure he was going to pop up again—-and he did!
totally agree!
You know. after reading you lenghty comment to paint Lira in a negative light, as you said as the beginning of your post, you do have a choice of whom to read/ listen…
Nobody. includigh you, me and the commentators know whst is really happening, Lira more passionate (Chile), Ritter less passionate (American). I personally pay attention at the info rather that the style. Cheers
While Ritter thinks analytically, Liras aproach is rather synthetic. Both ways has its advantages and flaws. In this particular case, Ritter is handicapped. The magnitude of conflict exceeds anything he learned and experienced. Not clash in Ukraine, of course. Limited on Ukraine SMO his analysis is balletproven. The problem is that, in this war, nothing is as it seems.
Ritter analysis is correct only if it assigns unlimited resources and stability to West, while sharply limits both on Russians. This is plainly wrong. Russia has plenty of resources, West is in serious trouble to make ends meet. Russian cohesion is on the rise, while West enters the world of trouble, as overblown living standard of population plummets.
Poland gave, say, 1 000 000 tons of diesel and gasoline to the Ukraine. That’s million less for Poland. Where will Poland find that amount to cover it’s own needs? US ambassador promised they’ll take care of it? Yeah, sure…
Russia finally switched to petro-ruble. The similar move (invention of petro dollar in the 1970s) made Saudis capable to spend on military exorbitant amounts of money. Guess what Russian self sufficient MIC will make with fraction of that amount.
How much of $40 billion will actually reach Ukies? Luckily, we now have an example for comparrison. (It is lesser sum involved, but ratio is the same, as the key players involved.)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pbZSuN7vTXw
Clinton humanitarian foundation collected $177 million “donations” gave $5.1 million to charities, spent $85 million for their salaries & travels and spent the rest = $87 million on “expenses”.
So, Ukraine will actualy get ~3% of any given money. The same percentage Afghanistan opium producers got from CIA drug trafficking during 20 years of ocupation. See the pattern?
Remember, US handed out 5 billion in cash for Maidan. Ukraine still lost from Donbas and was forced to sign Minsk accords. In present conflict, Western help will contribute even less.
About 1 000 000 soldiers brand new army:
There is a real possibility such army will be assembled. Only not from Ukrainians, because there are too few military aged left. Hunting down million emigrants in EU states, and draging them into recruitment facilities, is far fetched.
But there are plenty of Poles who can be easily dress as Ukies and fill the ranks. We will see if Poles can stand a fight longer than Walli & friends did.
——
War between Donbas and Ukraine ended 2015. Both sides had limited support from Russia and NATO, respectively.
SMO 2022. is completely different animal. This is ultimate fight of two behemoths, first round. Both of them circling around eachother without any serious blow delivered yet. Fainting, probing, searching for weaknesses. When real fight starts, you’ll know, believe me. We ain’t seen nothing yet.
“He realistically points out that as long as the West keeps pumping resources (weapons, fuel, food, intelligence and reconnaissance) into Ukraine, the western part of Ukraine will be exceedingly difficult to pacify and demilitarize.”
The demilitarization narrative was put forth as a quick explanation for the operation, not the actual tactic of the operation. Facts and developments on the battlefield have shown that the tendency is that Russia isn’t simply demilitarizing the south-east, Russia is actually absorbing it.
Seems that Russia plans otherwise in the central-north part and has another plan for the western regions. My bet is that they plan to put pressure on the current Ukrainian government so it will be reduced and confined to the central-north territories. And part of the deal will be to cut off the western territories, so they will become a new country: Galitzia? Banderastan?
Galitzia is irredeemable, it cannot be changed and will forever remain a hostile group against the Russians. So Russia needs to minimize the threat. Because genocide isn’t an option, dismemberment could work, for example, granting the previously annexed territories to their former owners.
And what’s left of Ukraine, that is, the north-central zone, will be forced to comply through a series of threats and focused and limited punitive actions, but a full-scale invasion seems overstretching.
It looks like Russia is keeping their cards very close and covered up. I am watching with interest how the SMO is proceeding. It seems like the pressure is being built a little at the time. The relentless grinding of Ukrainian forces, the occasional precision strikes, the progressive introduction in the theatre of war of new weapons and machinery all seem to indicate that we haven’t seen the full might in open display. Russia probably knew ahead of the game that this was going to turn into a proxy war so they don’t want to reveal the aces up their sleeve right away. This guarantees them tactical advantage because, despite all the advanced technology and intel capability, the US, Nato and all the rest of the enemy forces, obviously don’t have a clue on what the hell Russia is going to do next.
I listened to Scott’s interview on Garland’s show. I think he is afraid of how evil and treacherous the West is, especially when it’s losing. So in a way, he’s warning the Kremlin that the worst is yet to come. BTW, Gonzalo I immensely respect you and I appreciate your philosophical/analytical approach to this crisis. Don’t ever stoop as low as calling Scot the way that Biden did. The man got humiliated in a hearing by a rotten Corporate demon when he was trying to avert a war that killed a million Iraqis and for which Biden and his ilk should be rotting in Jail. Instead, he’s Prez and Scott is banned from all official channels. You can argue with him without demeaning him. That’s what the enemy does. We need to keep the resistance front solid.
Thank you.
Nothing 400 SU-25’s can’t fix.
Ritter is well qualified and entitled to express his concern about the strategic situation that is developing in Ukraine. Amaranth doesn’t like what Ritter has to say so he is labelled a “loose cannon” which is utter nonsense.
He is American. He is at his worst when goes a bit too cowboy and gives with the personal stuff. He is at his best when he remains objective and impersonal and provides his analysis. Below is one such example.
Listen to Ritter himself as opposed to someone else telling you what he has said:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m4SlSILtlpc&feature=youtu.be
Bear in mind there are no “former” CIA or intelligence agents who have decided to become honest brokers of information on behalf of the public. There is an army of such characters out there and they are all part of a psyop; sometimes the message may be very sophisticated and the goal may not be obvious, but if one observes carefully the trick can be revealed. McGovern is no exception.
McGovern is pushing the “China is number one on the list and the next target” psyop which is pure propaganda. The Global Aristocracy is heavily present and heavily invested in China and China in turn is heavily entertwined with them and their agenda in every respect. Ask Elon Musk whether his data center and money is safe in mainland China since its the “next target.”
Ritter is pointing out the very obvious contraditions in Russian activity in Ukraine. Russia appears to be playing some kind of stalling game which has the effect of cooperating with the Globalist Cabal in creating the conditions in Ukraine-militarily, economically, and politically-that the Cabal wants to create in order to advance its Globalist agenda.
Going in to the why and how of that cooperation would have the comment deleted so leave it there.
That’s tough to hear, but people need to wake up and pay attention to observable behavior.
Hoping for some great leader in a person or even a nation to save the world-to rid the world of the aggressive cancerous disease which is the City of London-Wall Street Cabal-is childish and dangerous
I’ll tell you exactly what I said over in the Cafe. It is not a question of like or not like. It is a question of shortsightedness being very very American … as Martyanov and most other reasonable analysts also say.
Ritter says the Ukraine (I assume the western side) is developing operational depth. Well, let me tell you that the soldiers in the front are walking off the job faster than the depth can save the situation.
And then I’ll continue and say something else (grins). You found me sitting back a little and taking a coffee break. So, Ritter thinks he knows what the Russian strategy is, at least in the Ukraine. He does not, neither do I, neither does anyone else except the Russian leadership.
I have never cared for Ritter since his “Escapades” on the Internet with that Policewoman but he is right in that the 404´s have the whole of US+ US satrapies(EU) as Operational depth, what that will be worth in 9 months when General Winter arrives in another matter.
Ritter is certainly wrong lately (as far as I can tell), and it was a stunning reversal of what he had been saying.
But, do we know, for one possibility, that his wife and daughter are safe and free? I raise this because of what struck me as his extreme distress when he made his strange statements on that recent video interview. Maybe we should hesitate a little before deciding on his motivations.
I know Ritter from RM and The Grayzone and what he said at the beginning did not come true. As RM also noted during the second interview. Even with Lira this was obviously not true. In the end, Scott Ritter is an American and a US soldier. His experiences are based on the Cold War. Everyone who knows Russia then and now knows that it has moved. The economy, society, politics and the military are different today.
The story is wonderful and I also liked that about The Grayzone. As far as the “war” is concerned today, one believes either mainstream or alternative. What the truth is in the end, Lira knows rather than we do. He’s in Ukraine.
My wife died in Iraq at the hands of the United States. I would like Russia to throw a big anchor in the gear of this empire and their dogs. At the latest since Libya, it is time that something is finally opposed to these criminals. Russia and China are the hope.
Russia is going its own way. I really hope they have a plan from A to Z. I also hope for friends in the world. I’m not sure if China is really a friend. The news from there is always friendship about everything, but then you hear that Lenovo has withdrawn, banks are afraid because of sanctions and and and and. In the end, they are dependent on the West and, like the Sultan, may be willing to say something and do something else.
In the end, we all feel like Scott Ritter. We read and appreciate but we don’t know anything. This “war” is a ghost. NATO terrorism is easier. First sanctioning, then bombs and then the tank troop comes with the video camera for the hero pictures. In Ukraine there is war, but the politicians go there, that should give one to think, the most cowardly people in the world on the place of war. The Führer collects money and weapons worldwide. Residents make videos and flood the Internet. The Russian leadership soberly tells what was going on during the day and you yourself just sit there and think shit and what has happened in Ukraine now?
All in all, hard weeks and a look into the future, no one can do. Even the stock freaks are currently desperate with the charts and the order books. More and more I believe that in the end Assad is right. Since the Soviet Union ceased to exist, the world has become a labyrinth.But I haven’t lost hope for a better world yet. I hope Russia will set the course and China will become more determined one day.
“being very very American ”
The all-purpose explanation.
It is completely apt. It is a thing that can be recognized. I have many stories, having traveled all over. I think it is Kennedy that had much to do with the book: The Ugly American, and on the basis of that he started the Peace Corps .. I’ve seen their work as well – simply war by other means. Actually, I have a family member who went that way.
Yep, ‘Peace’ Corps. For those who don’t understand what Amarynth points to here’s some interesting reading:
https://www.academia.edu/6561894/John_Perkins_Confessions_of_an_Economic_Hit_Man_pdf
You have provided us with an excellent summary of why Ritter is not right about this.I think Ritter is failing to take account of the complexities and nuances of what is a “kinetic” military operation. He seems to merely envisage “shock and awe” and if Ukraine is not totally engulfed by flames then Russia is failing! Ritter fails to account for Russian war management that is planned for and will adapt to such contingencies that he thinks could possibly happen.
P.J. “The Global Aristocracy is heavily present and heavily invested in China and China in turn is heavily entertwined with them and their agenda in every respect. ”
If that were true, then China would not be siding with Russia now, if that were true, China would have sanctioned Russia as per the demands of the US. And why is the US threatening China over Taiwan? Is this a bluff? Just a ploy to create a veil of non existent rivalry by the “Global Aristocracy” to fool us into believing the world is not the way is it appears to be? I guess Rothschild has us all fooled doesn’t he? Gracious. What a genius. China, for what it is worth, has a state sector that outstrips the private sector of the economy in size, & the state ownership is growing. Plus, domestic Chinese capital plus China state capital dwarfs whatever western investors have placed in China – which means, China is not a hostage to western finance capital. If you like, your “Global Aristocracy” or I assume you mean Rothschild, Schiff, Warburg etc. etc. This is why China is able to take an independent stance in world affairs & why the US absolutely sees China as a huge threat – not militarily, economically. Now Ray McGovern is a total utter imbecile, that is correct, & I don’t follow him at all so I don’t know what he is saying at the moment, but if he is claiming that China is a prime target of the US – he is correct, most definitely. This will soon become apparent, but for those who believe in the globalist 4d chess agenda where everyone is in everyone elses pocket, & we stupid masses are being duped into believing that Putin really is an enemy of the west when he is part of the Davos scheme – well, believe what you want. Who cares? I guess this war now between NATO & Russia, soon to include China directly as well, is just a figment of our imagination, I mean, gee, don’t we live in the Matrix?
The thing about Russia and China is that they are a good economic fit together. Russia the resource supplier and China the manufacturing center. Together they are big enough and tough enough to defy the United States and our New World Order stuff. That is why they are our enemies.
This is a very good discussion of the Global aspects of all this that I believe P.J. is referring too.
https://laroucheorganization.com/article/2022/05/20/fight-sovereignty
Hardly tin foil conspiracy stuff here at all, predating WWII and very well documented as you will hear from Harley in this short 10 minute monologue on the subject.
The open question is whether and to what extent Russian elites, as well as Chinese elites, are playing in all this.
These are very real and very serious questions with life changing ramifications for us all.
China a “hostage” to western financial capital? Perhaps not, but a symbiotic relationship there for sure! To pretend that is a non issue is silly.
According to a commenter on John Michael Greer’s Ecosophia.net blog this week, there may already be active-duty US soldiers engaging directly in battle in Ukrainian uniform. If this is the case, then they should start showing up among the POWs, but I think the MoD is being very quiet about that aspect of the war.
I’m wondering if this is the reason Zelensky is saying there will be a million-man force using US weapons. I’m also wondering how long until the mask gets ripped off and this becomes an overt war between the US and Russia on Ukrainian soil.
I still doubt the US has any chance of winning it. Russia has no reason to hold back against them.
NATO has many hundreds, if not thousands, of troops already operating in Ukraine. They are called trainers or volunteers.
Now that NATO embassies are returning to Kiev, how big do you think the military attaché staff will be in those embassies ?
Betcha the US Embassy ends up with 300 Military Attaché staff in our embassy in Kiev.
Command and Control my friend
It has been long known that the Yanks are there in supportive and advisory roles. A few weeks back a French journalist reported that the American advisors are running Ukraine’s military response, and nobody who is paying attention should be surprised at this. And there are mercenaries galore. What this person is reporting that is different is active-duty American soldiers bragging (on a flight back from Ukraine) about fighting Russian soldiers directly.
I don’t believe Americans are bragging on anything in Ukraine because facts tell you their boys the Ukies are losing badly.
US Howitzers are showing up en masse in Donbass. How in the world is this getting past the Russians? I think the Russians are making a mistake in that they seem to be unable to stop this, even though they have air superiority.
Maybe it is easiest to destroy them at the front line. Would not need long range missiles and cost less.
So far, I did not see many cases that they destroyed moving target in the west of Ukraine. Might need real time tracking that is more difficult (small slow drones can not get that far and planes might be to risky). You have more time to precisely hit immobile target and make sure there a low casualty rates.
That has been my thought. Long range precision missiles are expensive even for the Russians (sophisticated on-board nav and control system that gets blown up on hitting the enemy, expensive propulsion system to achieve long-range super or hyper sonic flight); dumb artillery shells using local tactical drone and counter-battery systems may be much cheaper.
“US Howitzers are showing up en masse in Donbass”
People say things that they cannot support with fact. But they say them.
I think Scott Ritter was panicking about the disappearance – but I definitely like Gonzalo Lira much better
No soldiers fighting … no money for Zelensky and many other pockets…. thats the only reason now the Ukrainien soldiers die now…
This schmuck is trying to get back at Scott Ritter because he didn’t like how Ritter spoke about him when he published his post on Lira’s disappearance (“not perfect”, etc).
Despite the probable flaws of Ritter’s recent analysis this is a hit piece and it says more about Lira than about Ritter.
Gonzo is correct in that you can not have a military with a hodgepodge of weapons and expect it to work efficiently. I served the Empire for 8 years and one of the positions I held was that of Ordnance Officer. I was the guy that had to supply our own troops while figuring out how to deal with Russian and Chinese munitions recovered from the battlefield.
That said, we had no plan to repurpose captured munitions because of the training and logistic nightmare it would create. First, it takes a minimum of 90 days to fully train a soldier to be effective with a weapons system be it a mortar, howitzer or a tank. The key word here being “effective”. Sure, I could train up a crew to fire a howitzer in a week but that crew will be unable swap positions, service the equipment or hit their target. It makes for some propaganda and a photoshoot but nothing more.
Finally, one of the things that doomed the German army during WWII was the rapid introduction of equipment into the conflict and the supply chain nightmare that it created. The German army had to deal with no less than 10 main battle tank designs as well as captured equipment. Seriously, how effective would your infantry be if every man could fight with the rifle of his choice?
Thanks for that analysis. Very helpful to hear from a person with practical experience instead of hypothetical or idealistic analysis.
About the Ukraine wining this conflict, just one thought:
Back in ’45, inside the cellars of the Füehrers bunker, the germans still were talking about this or that counterofensive, and how they would kick the russians out of the Reich while moving ghost armies in a map (actually just little banners that had no correlation with reality).
When they learned Franklin Delano Roosevelt had died, Herr Goebbels was over the moon with joy, announcing here and there that their luck had changed; surely the new american president would join the germans and help kick those mongolian hordes’ collective asses all the way back to the Urals where they belonged.
It was all very pathetic, specially because it was not “propaganda”, they actually believed it. It’s something deeply rooted in human nature i guess. Of course we all know how that ended. i can’t help but remembering that when i hear the triunfant plans of the ukrainian government.
Most of what Lira is saying is pure speculation on his part, and he builds too much of his case against Ritter with the tools of character assassination. Ritter did originally refer to Lira as ‘Gonzo’, and I imagined he was making a typo. After his first tweet got attention he later explained his story came from sources that he put some trust in, but he was not saying that Lira was actually dead. Gonzalo conveniently overlooks that later explanation. To me, Ritter is an enthusiast and sometimes seems to get a bit carried away. Lira is hardly generous in his assessment, and is overthinking the situation.
The US can send in squads of men trained on their big artillery pieces to shell Russian positions. That escalates the war significantly, and we’ll soon see the Russians parading around their captured Americans or Poles or whoever the US sends.
I think this is somewhat immature on the part of Gonzalo, even thought I do enjoy his commentary very much.
I also very much enjoy Scott Ritter’s commentary, as well as McGovern’s, as well as the Duran’s as well as Thierry Meyssan’s, and Pepe Escobar’s and Saker’s, among many others. Even though many of these people don’t like or respect each other, as an observer of the alternative media think it subtracts form the overall effectiveness of the combined alt-media to have such infighting…
I don’t think anyone can deny that western propaganda is kicking Russian propaganda’s ass. If we see the thought leaders of the opponents of western propaganda fighting among each other, and looking unprofessional, it adds thrust to the western psyop by neutralizing the opposition.
Lira is upset Scott Ritter prematurely pronounced him dead and made a careless statement about him. I can understand being upset about this. But to go public and make statements that he ‘can’t be trusted’ is not the way to handle it, and especially so since he is strawmannirg Ritter’s argument… At least confront what the an actually said if you want to pick a fight with him over it.
I will continue to listen to what Ritter says, and take him no more or less seriously than Gonzalo, or more or less seriously than I took either of them before this spat. Did Ritter make a gaffe? Sure. Who cares, shit happens. I bet he would apologize to Gonzalo and then we could all get on with observing this war with as much clarity as us civilians can get.
Lira, ask him for an apology and if he does then apologize to him for over reacting, and to your audience for letting this personal grievance slip into your otherwise excellent journalism. And I want to underscore I don’t respect you any less and I apologize if I come across as abrasive, I say what I say with the utmost respect for all of the alternative commentators who all together educate me and help me grow as a person. I thank you, Ritter, Saker staff, and all the numerous commenters sharing their views and making this alt media thing happen.
Let’s try to keep our pants on, and keep the train on the rails. Our side is winning the war after all, and when this is over the mighty Union State will be born and we will be in a multipolar security architecture, a new and hopeful era for all of humanity.
What a grand moment is this.
– Liz
Scott Ritter did not pronounce Lira dead.
What Ritter wrote was: “When reports emerged that Gonzo Lira, a Chilean social media “influencer” who resided in Kharkov, Ukraine, and who published online content critical of the Ukrainian government, was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by the Kraken Unit, part of the Azov battalion affiliated with the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), the West is silent.”
https://t.me/ScottRitter/27
And to then accuse Ritter of pandering to the MSM for a job is reprehensible in the extreme.
” … was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by the Kraken Unit, part of the Azov battalion affiliated with the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) …”
And of course, that was BS. While the rest of us prayed for the man, there was no report of this nature.
What you mean is – you saw no such claim.
Not the same thing.
…. I saw them.
I prayed they were lying.
I think Scott’s point is the following:
1) the Russian Army will take Odessa and ultimately reach the Dnister River providing protection to the people of Transnistria and completely blocking the Ukraine from ever (again) having access to the Black Sea
2) by that time the Armed Forces of Ukraine will have been completely and resolutely defeated in the East, probably involving the surrender of thousands of personnel.
but
3) the US will never allow Ukraine to sue for Peace.
4) the US will never allow or accept a Ukraine surrender.
5) the US and its paid Anglo-Zionist lackeys in Kiev will maintain a guerrilla war at the expense of the people of both Ukraine and Russia
Russia must understand that it is fighting American psychopaths and murderers who are indifferent to civilian and economic destruction.
The Americans want Russia to move towards the west. Americans want a new Vietnam bloodbath that will last 30 years. The Russians must remain aware and vigilant
very well said…I bet Russians are aware of it….
Mr. Lira,
I follow you, respect you and believe your posts. Shakespeare: Me thinks thou protests too much. I have no aliegiance to SR. Smart people will discern that he has done a 180 and discount his posts/words. I think (as one listener) you’re wasting your time and energy criticising him.
Best Regards
Skip Cook
Little Rock, Arkansas
Really disturbed by the pile-on against Scott Ritter. He can be mistaken; he will have his limitations and blindnesses, as do we all. As does Gonzalo, who seems to be gracelessly rounding on someone who had tried (perhaps wrong-headedly and without adequate facts) to come to Gonzalo’s own defense. Jacob Dreizen has joined the pile-on too.
Larry Johnson and Andrei Martyanov have struck a much better note here.
Let’s stop.
I hope that Mr. Lira realizes that nothing that he, the two Andreis, Larry Johnson, Scott Ritter, or we commenters say is going to affect the outcome of the SMO. If I were in Mr. Lira’s shoes, living in Urkaine (is Lira still in Ukriaine?), I’d keep my mouth shut and head down until the SMO is over, and be content with taking notes and writing a book that will be published the day after Victory Ukraine Day (VU-Day) inevitably arrives. In other words, patience is a virtue, especially when you are in a situation in which being impatient can cost you your life. In the war zone of Ukraine, a “stray” bullet could come through any window in any apartment at any moment.
I don’t have the time to enter into all that has been said in the second video, except too say that it is incendiary… an attempt to create discord within a still emergent line of journalism and independent thought.
The question is where did this polemic emerge from. I can only think it is from Lira when he earlier made a comment on someone else’s blog about someone else. How brave!
From my perspective as someone who has followed “alternative media” since the US/UK invasion of Iraq… and the realisation that, “This crap from the BBC cannot be the whole truth, surely there is some other informed comment out there on the web”… and then subsequently finding Information Clearing House: a website that introduced me to Pepe Escobar, who I have been reading for 20 years, to Scott Ritter who I have been reading for 20 years, to The Saker, who I have been reading for 8 years, amongst many others…
My consideration is who do I trust?
If I can no longer trust Ritter, then can no longer still trust Escobar… or should I now believe the American/Chilean guy: the one who suddenly appeared on the map a couple of months ago, who then made a shit joke about not wanting to waste a bullet on a communist, who then found himself – funnily enough – arrested by a bunch of Nazi-Gestapo types.
So who is really under duress?
Who is the guy that really needs to state the polemic to survive in this vicious world: the one who survives when reality is suddenly inverted through social media?
Of course it is Zelenski.
But is it also the informed Ritter’s and Escobar’s of this world, who have spoken to a minority on independent/minority platforms for decades… or is the happy smiley guy who disappeared in Ukraine for a week?
For myself, it is the last one who now requires the polemic.
“or is the happy smiley guy who disappeared in Ukraine for a week?”
Yep. I await, with interest, the truth about Lira.
Let’s not try Andrew and equate Scott Ritter with that of Pepe Escobar. Pepe Escobar is an academic, a journalist, a leading authority on the geopolitical stratosphere, who’s respected by many Asian, South American, African leaders but makes important contributions to many societies around the globe. To the best of my knowledge he has not killed anyone or been part of an illegal invasion or been sent to find non existent weapons detail by Americunts.
Hello WTFUD,
For the record: I only stated that I started reading Pepe Escobar and Scott Ritter through “International Clearing House” http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/.
The only equation I make between the two writers exists in my own thoughts while finishing my morning coffee. I know exactly who both are and where they are from. If on the one hand Scott Ritter is not the only modern day commentator to have emerged from a military/intelligence background… then Pepe Escobar is unique.
Isn’t it the case that in the real world our friend Gonzo sells real-estate?
I genuinely wish that Andrei is getting better and can be back blogging as soon as possible. He is needed!
Second video – regarding Scott Ritter.
Here is what Scott Ritter wrote about Mr Lira (not what someone else said he said citing only the gritty bits and leaving out Mr Ritter’s qualifying: “When reports emerged that…” )
https://t.me/ScottRitter/27
https://t.me/ScottRitter/28
https://www.rt.com/russia/554289-gonzalo-lira-disappearance-ukraine/
The reports on Twitter were numerous though by their wording I’d say many had the same source …. essentially, they claimed he was captured and killed by “Chili” Velichko of Azov’s special Kraken unit.
https://twitter.com/babinetc/status/1517074358086385664
https://twitter.com/Socorsunesufie1/status/1516889524911198208
Also, Mr Ritter expressing alarm at hearing the USA is awarding Ukraine a lend-lease almost 2/3 of Russia’s defense 2021 budget over and above the billions already donated/in the pipeline by the US & Vassals, and Zelensky looking to put a million men under arms to fight Russia doesn’t constitute “a 180° turn.” It’s merely an expression of alarm at what the ramifications of this will be.
In my opinion you owe Mr Ritter an apology, Mr Lira. To then accuse him of merely seeking MSM approbation is mean and petty in the extreme – all you have to back up that claim is your own spite.
And to have a hissy fit because he shortened your name?? I mean – sheeshkebabs man! Grow up.
Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Ritter should get off Twitter then, it’s only for twits; and now Musk the greater tit might be running that shit-show.
You’re talking about Ritter like he’s Oliver Stone.
So he’s killed many Iraqi’s and was part of one of these fake alphabet agencies sent out to look for other countries chems/bios. Why he don’t look at his own countries WMDs, chemical and depleted uranium attacks?
Americans, huh!
Everytime that the ukrops suffer a serious failure, they announce some grand strategy or event that will turn the tide, but this never comes.
I’m not interested in the view from Lira’s kitchen. He was a blowhard before he was captured and he still is, without the facile viewpoints of his walk-and-talks. I’m not interested in his flame wars with Scott Ritter.
Frankly, I suspect Lira is a double agent under the control of Ukrainian CIA agents since his entry into Kiev and his ‘capture’ several weeks ago. Everyone who champions Russia or peace and negotiations gets imprisoned, tortured, killed or disappeared.
To both Mr Lira And Mr Ritter – your coverage is very important and valuable. It is a rare glimpse in a situation that is otherwise immensely distorted by MSM. Anyone should be able to express an opinion, even if it is contrary to what we wish for.
And I believe Mr Ritter’s opinion was genuine and expressing it shows integrity and courage.
Russia was pulled into this war by USA-NATO with the scope to weaken Russia and the war is much larger and complex than just Ukraine, so IMHO at the moment it is more important to preserve Russia’s strength even if it means a smaller war theatre and a longer war, which is why the level of troops is kept at the necessary level. As time goes by the West energy reserves may deplete, breaks may occur in EU, other alliances may form, EU may realize that it is just another puppet for USA, as Ukraine is. Eastern Ukraine fall will be a game changer for the West. Like in chess, you move one piece at a time and see how the opponent reacts.
This is amazing, Lira surprised me a lot. Ritter clearly stated in his Telegram posts that “reports emerged” about Lira being killed after went missing for days which he couldn’t confirm. He never stated it as a fact, only asa possibility.
Also, how Lira can post videos where he calls Ukies pigs if he was just released by SBU and still on the territory controlled by Ukie neo nazis? I think he is lying he is in Ukraine. That air raid alarm was staged.
The so called elite still use the old but still works “divide and conquer” They will use it to split the alternative media.There is also the old but still works “blackmail”.We know for certain they use that!!
Mr Lira, should have mentioned a 3rd possibility regarding the Scotty Ritter Vagina Monologues. You can match it up with his 2nd possibility as to why 10 days prior he stated the War in Ukraine is a foregone conclusion to the potentially incoming unlikely ever to reach a week old US-NATO weapons are a gamechanger. He needs the cash and will be well rewarded for his sudden change of heart. To coincide with this, in all likelihood, I reckon that he has been read the Julian Assange welcome carpet riot act.
How about Scotty & Hillary co-authoring a blockbuster on how he saved her life on the Bosnian tarmac when coming under fire, maybe include a romance between them?
Ritter makes at least one mistake in his analysis. However the war turns out it isn’t going to be a ‘Vietnam’ type situation because Russia isn’t attempting to occupy a foreign population that is fundamentally different from Russia’s native population. At least in the south west third of Ukraine the are a kindred people, thus an insurrection type situation is unlikely to develop. Worse case for Russia it will end up being a border dispute, and perhaps given the situation that is where it will end up regardless.
I think Mr. Lira goes a bit overboard here. Mr. Ritter raised awareness of his disaperance at a critical time, and specifically clarified that he had no factual knowledge of his situation.
Seems like a lot of people have been upset with Mr. Ritters new assesment of the situation, looks like a genuine reassesment from his side in my eyes … although I don’t share it. Obviously $40 billion changes the environment for the SMO, but what’s on the table is much bigger than that. I’m sure it has been gameplayed in advance by the relevant forces.
Finding out that you are tortured and dead on Telegram, allegedly reported by Scott Ritter, may effect a person’s ‘trust’ of Ritter, but should we really trust anything that much, twitter, telegram, YouTube or mainstream media?
I can rank everything on scales of trust and truth but the whole design of propaganda is to upset our trust in something, or failing that, even our trust in ourselves.
They even have the tech to fake videos so it is very hard to tell the difference. It takes a lot more than fake anything to upset my trust. Ritter’s point was that like Vietnam, and many other wars, there’s no win possible, or peace possible, as long as there’s a strong neighbour adjacent who provides the supplies and lines. North Vietnam was that, in the case of the Vietnam war, supporting the Viet Cong, or even its own sources in the field in South Vietnam. It could also be taken under the old maxim, don’t fight a land war in Asia.
It’s like the thought just dawned on him, when Russian forces departed from the siege of Kyiv. But he has a point. As far as the analysis of his character, there’s a lot of history there. Even Wikiquote has a lot and there’s nothing to suggest that he is a MSM gadfly to me. He is more of a patriot. I may respectfully disagree with him, or Gonzalo Lira, or disrespecfully disagree, in more amusing moments, but even if he is down, he is never out in my books, knock on wood.
Can confirm. Training to be a Stinger gunner, for an American soldier who is already qualified in another MOS, takes 6 weeks, of which the mechanics of acquiring a target and firing the weapon correctly to actually obtain a hit takes over 2 weeks.
i suggest people go back and listen to past videos of “Gonzo” the guy is a grade A cock, he’s taught something at 10am and by 11am he pretends to be an ‘expert’ to a different audience. full of sh*t with a very good memory to regurgitate what he learns on the fly. basically a billy bullshitter who’ll award himself a medal after this, i fully expect him to appear as a ‘Walt’ any time soon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqFiF8Dqz7I
Here is what Scott said that was different, and it happens to agree with some of the Russian hardliners who want Putin to go fast and take them all out. Also, every time the Russians go slow, the west thinks up new schemes and who knows what else they will think up. West wants to destroy Russia.
THAT is why Scott changed his tune. So far, Scott is wrong, but it’s not over yet. Eg, who knew that Kissinger would show up and say what he said? Nobody expected it. Remember the TET offensive? Who expected that? Nobody, but Scott remembers it. Who can predict this. IF Russia thoroughly took out Ukraine, it would not happen.
I think this is what Scott was warning about and the warning IS valid. Since Scott said all that, things have changed, but they could change again. We do not know.
Will the west be wise and find a way out by vilifying Zelensky perhaps? It is a good way out: “We were duped by an actor playing a part, as if he was on one of his TV shows. He cracked because he was being held hostage by nazis, blah blah” close to the truth actually. It is the perfect way out! Right now the EU Commission is doing a great job destroying (or trying to) the whole EU. Wanting to put sanctions on their own member states? I mean, WTF?
Please do not use caps as per moderation policy #1, caps have been replaced for this comment only. mod
Col MacGreggor, privy to what gets said in the WH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa7puJrsJC0
Ukraine Russia war UPDATE – Col. Douglas Macgregor
Here is the latest Scott Ritter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOGJUozB3og
Scott Ritter – Is America truly helping Ukraine?
See? Things change, what he thinks changes.
I am not an idealist. I used to be 100% pro western civilization based on what I knew and saw of it, especially coming out of the FDR days when things were really great in the west, but awful outside the west. I see what it has evolved into and am now opposed to it and opposed to this liberal democracy, especially since the meaning of those words has drastically changed. I also thought Maoism was a nightmare and Mao dragged China into one delirium after another. But then came Deng, wait and see, and then it became visible. I am now Pro China. I didn’t change. The situations changed. eg, NATO used to be good. Now it’s not good at all, it is a destructive force leeching off of the US for countries in the EU to rely on the US for ITS defense. Now it is destructive. Again, I did not change. NATO changed.
I run into American types, dualists, all the time that wonder that I changed my mind. Uh,no. The situations changed. I adapted. That most people are unable to switch like that makes me think that they are as good as furniture. I may as well talk to a chair. At least I can sit in a chair.