And this is the real issue:
And a little real history and situation today, that would be fine to discuss at a barbecue and probably not at a formal summit.
Saker Message:
And this is the real issue:
And a little real history and situation today, that would be fine to discuss at a barbecue and probably not at a formal summit.
Russia must get senior ukies to admit they were preparing to invade the Donbas. Otherwise, the lies will stick.
>80% of the world population sees exactly what is going on. It’s only the US and its vassals that wars suffering under the illusions produced by massive propaganda.
For example, Russia is making global headlines with US-run biological weapons labs in Ukraine. Just try to find any mention of that in corporate media.
The old Communist Iron Curtain was the USSR and the Soviet bloc.
The new Communist (woke, Green) Iron Curtain is Europe (except Russia), North America, and Oceania.
Well, a new Fascist Iron Curtain I could agree with, and isn’t it a positive development when the Five-Eyes-Fascists and their quislings now openly display their ideological support for Nazis? Decades of coups and juntas in support of the most brutal right-wing hooligans was a great indicator of their true character, but now there is no longer any doubt about who they were all along.. It’s creepy, Man..
Agree, it’s one thing to suspect … another one having the reality of it materialize in front of your eyes.
The New Iron Curtain is more of a Hegelian synthesis of liberalism, fascism, and biological Leninism, better known as “wokeness”.
Out-and-out Nazis are still very much taboo all over the West, with Ukraine being the sole exception due to expediency.
Not new! Not at all:
https://laroucheorganization.com/article/2022/05/20/fight-sovereignty
https://laroucheorganization.com/article/2022/05/22/long-tradition-london-wall-street-sponsorship-nazis
Everything we can see has historical context.
The New Iron Curtain is based on Americanism and Westernism: the belief that America and the West represent the highest form of civilization and thus they have a God-given right to bomb, invade, regime change, exploit, or rape whomever they please.
Since the end of the first Cold War, America has been driven by the ambition to prevent the rise of any nation or group of nation that can resist the American unipolar world.
The first Cold War was a bipolar world with two poles of power: America and the Soviet Union.
With the end of this first Cold War, the planet become a unipolar world with a single pole of power: the American Empire.
Since then, any nation that rejects the false gospel of American values must be subjugated, demonized, and destroyed.
As George W. Bush once said, you are either with the USA or against the USA.
Americanism is the New Totalitarianism.
All wisdom, knowledge & understanding comes from God, Gonzalo is correct in this and because I’m knowledgeable about what he’s saying I to agree with him.
They don’t.. millions who watch MSM believe every word. Out Finnish friends are terrified of the coming Rushans and are so happy to be nato-ed. Even my Japanese wife here in Siam, who is also very exposed to my alt. views, still 3/4 believes MSM.. it’s in CNN, BBC she mutters.
It will change nothing.
I’mfrom Portugal, and I’m one of the few already vaccinated a long time ago against Western propaganda in the so called “free media”, and the last 3 months were like a booster jab for me. I will never again believe a single word of Westen Media.
Because I actually read a lot, and care for all people, and search for information myself, I know since very early about the thuth of what’s happening in Ukraine at least since 2013.
Bu when I talk to regular people whose source of “information” is western main stream media, most of them don’t know what the Donbass is, and usually I’m the first one telling them about the Donbass war, the +13k dead, the 1.5 million refugees (that escaped to other countries, and mainly to Russia), they have no idea that Ukraine violated the Minsk PEACE agreements, that Zelensky threatened to invade Crimea (they don’t even know Crimes has a Russian population), they don’t know about Nazi glorification, about the Zelensky threats 19-February saying he would get the Donbass back by force and aquire nuclear weapons (made in USA/NATO) to point at Russia. This right here is casus belli enough. But the media either omitted, manipulated, or lied about it all.
Even OSCE has reports showing the THOUSANDS bombardments per day (!) made by NeoNazi Ukrainians against Donbass civil areas during the week BEFORE Russia decided to intervene.
This is a fact forbiddenin Western MSM. The ones taking about it are acused of being “putinists” and removed from TV or at least from prime time in open (non cable) channels, the ones viewed by most of the people.
So, the truth already exists, the facts are already public, yet it doesn’t matter. Western MSM lies, and most prople believe the lie, and have their feeling so manipulated with images of destruction and always accompanied by the “right” words like: unprovoqued invasion, or genocide, or mass indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, or even the Azov good guys that became heroes.
This is disgusting.
So, when I saw Putin’s interview to the american movie director that made the movie about Snowden, I understood better that part where he asks Putin: aren’t you concerned about what thry say about you, about losing the communication war, don’t you feel the need to explain yourself to Western citizens? And the Putin said something like: it doesn’t matter, they don’t care, and they always find a way to twist the facts. He had only explanations to give to the Russian people and to the non-Western more reliable partners of Russia.
For 8 years, there were signs, reports, facts, even some real journalism, that prooved what kind of regime existed in Ukraine, and what kind of people are the Banderists: NeoNazis, or at least ultra-nationalists and white supremacists.
Now, in Western MSM, since 2022-February-24, all that was whitewashed. And the people accusing NeoNazis of being NeoNazis, talking about all the history and context of this conflict, and bringing up the facts reported by OSCE, are all “putinists” and must be silenced. In some European countries they even passed laws to.fine people to up to a few thousand Euros for the “crime” of using the letter Z.
For all of this, and much more, because I was always anti-NATO, EUroskeptic, and the war crimes and support for the Israeli Apartheid made me have some degree of hate against americans, I have to end this text with a Z.
I would prefer peace, when I was not so well informed I even condemned Russia’s invasion, but not anymore.
Now I wish all the luck for the Russian and Donbass heroes that are fighting Nazis again.
Thank you for the beautiful images of Victory Day with that huge St. George’s black and orange ribbon in Mariupol. I thought before that May-8th was the important date under the title “Europe Day”. Not anymore. I will watch all parades in Russia Channel One (funny how this one was not censored like they did to RT) every year, on the right date of May-9th. And I’ll make sure people around me never forget either.
From Portugal to Russia with love: Z
PS: and if the big war between NATO and the NON-West actually starts, I’ll break an arm in order to avoid fighting on the Capital-Fascist-Racist side. I’ll sooner give my life participating in a Valkyria like operation to overthrow the rotten western pro-USA oligarchy that seized power in my country. Up to this day, I’m still ashamed that the Azores military base served as stage for the launch of the Iraq invasion after a USA, UK, Spain summit. We even have a nickname “the buttler” for the Portuguese disgusting Prime Minister that hosted that summit (Durão Barroso, now just another corrupt working for Goldman Sachs…). As they say, follow the money!
Very, very interesting comment!!! Here in the Basque Country, the media is also totally pro-Zelensky, totally anti-Russian. I am so amazed how it is possible that the Western media can be so unified in its “coverage” of Ukraine.
I thought that if Basques wanted independence from Spain, they would not think like exactly like them in everything when it comes to the US and its policies. After all, the US totally backs Spain regarding the Basque Country and Catalonia . However, that is not the case .
The centrist Basque party’s papers and the Basque Country TV channels (ETB) that it controls , since it is the ruling party, are exactly identical to BBC, CNN, NPR, NBC, etc. The same talking points, the same attitude . Even the left-wing Basque press is %90 the same as the US and British media.
The Basque-language media has always sought to differentiate themselves from the Spanish language media by offering a different perspective but, no. Just a Basque translation of CNN. As you said, the information is out there .
Maybe the average person doesn’t have the time or preparation to seek other information but surely some journalist somewhere does. However, not in the Basque Country. It seems there is an invisible hand that directs how things shouid be covered. It sounds conspiratorial but the reality is that the media in the Basque Country , Portugal and other areas of the West are virtually the same, present the same message, only the language is different .
Is it laziness on the part of journalists? (Copy the news from AP, Reuters, etc) or is there something more sinister ?
It’s becoming more and more evident that all these media are controlled by a centralized agency. They cannot all lie the same way with the same words (just in different languages) without being organized by that “invisible hand”.
I remember in the 70’s some papers were declassified showing CIA had penetrated news agencies all over the world, but mostly in Western media, deciding the “editorial criteria” and, after those rats climb their way to superior posts, also choosing very well who should be promoted, and who should be silenced.
The most evident evidence is how they all made the same thing after 24th February 2022 regarding NeoNazis in Ukraine. They all started whitewashing them, they all shifted from “NeoNazi” to “Extremist ideology”, then to “far right”, then just “Azov battalion/regiment”, and later to “resistance heroes” now “successfully evacuated” from Azovstal. This smells centralized planed FakeNews all over western MSM.
As for the Basque Country and Catalan Republic, something similar happened, but it wasn’t so evident. I remember at the same time riots were happening in Hong Kong those rioters shooting at the police and burning buildings, and using Trump masks and UK flags were called by Portuguese media and Euronews as “pro-democracy citizens”, while at the same time the people in Catalonia being spanked by the police, or sitting and chanting nice songs in the streets while some police vehicles made drive-by firing rubber bullets at them, were called “violent criminal nationalists”.
This is what “liberal democracy” has become. If you’re with them, you’re a “democrat”, if you fight for your rights (in this case the human right to Selfdetermination against the proto-fascist monarchic Madrid regime) then you’re just a violent criminal. The same thing happened to the gillet jaunes (yellow vests) by the media. I remember back then that those in favor of austerity were labeled “centre pro-european moderates”, while the yellows vests were just “far-right and left-right criminals”.
So, it seems to me that “liberal democracy” is just a label for what actually is Feudalism 2.0, the “pro-democracy” are the ones that defend the oligarchy’s points of view, and everything else is “evil”. Then I guess Langley’s (CIA headquarters) real name is Goebbelsville, and “western values” is just a prettier way to say “mein kampf”…
As for Spanish media, I can’t say much. I only used to watch the international 24h news channel during the La Palma volcano crisis, and other than that, I only watch Galicia TV (entertainment channel) once in a while, because I like how it sounds, like a funny version of Portuguese language.
That invisible hand is the Hidden Hand, exposed in the interview.
If lies didnt work, Winston Churchill would be less loved than George Orwell. And Orwell would be PM.
Is this true? No one can say. But it’s not a lie.
Those are different things.
Mr Lira has a good soul and what he said is not a lie.
Life, politics, sexual gratification and grasping at status , and the health of ones soul are so very very different things. Like the smell of manure , life isnt sin . It’s just what it is. Not a federal crime. Dont go Karen on us Gonzalo.
As much as I ve got of it, Phil, gonzalo was talking, from all of your interesting menu, only about life and politics.
Life from the Donbassians’ viewpoint and politics from theirs and the Russian one. Of course you can mention the CNN one was missing. And Langley’ s too bad missing.
All the rest including manure, was a very creative sideline approach I ve also appreciated.
#Deepthoughts
One of the reasons that the West is in a meteorologic downward trajectory is that we so willingly excuse our thought leaders that sell-out, a little bit at a time all our virtues got subverted and turned 180 degrees into vile sin.
It takes lot of inner strength to admit when we are wrong. We’ve reached a critical point when lies became mainstream on an accelerated pace as a result mainly of generations intoxicated with what to think rather on HOW to think and now they grew bold, emotionally fragile and extremely aggressive.On out times lies are sophisticate designed to make sense knowingly that most peoples have no idea how to think. I am waiting the day when the governments will legislate “trust ME” and punish those thinking for themselves.
The Age of Myth is closing, or has ended.
Too many of our grownups are not adults.
Truth means survival. Without: the Abyss.
Anti-Putin Brendon O’Connell. Loose cannon Aussie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BERo8d5LFgk
Not to be trusted. Very strange ideas.
Western Australia Jewish homeland?
(Definitely not an endorsement.)
Resist.
We have known that the Ukraine were massed to invade since the start of the SMO.
As for the Russians being “naive” about the negotiations prior to the SMO,. It has long been suggested that the Russians were very aware of them not being successful but had to go this way.It ensures a process of legality with checks and balances .Also, it verifies to the people that all had been attempted by politicians prior to sending in their own to fight . The interweaving of the political and military is important.
Thank you. Excellent comments.
Since Lira spoke of disagreement, and changing position with “new” information he’d received about the amassed troops at Donbas border, is honestly a face saving error. If we’re all being “honest”, then we all should admit that this conflict was going to have a military end no matter what. Minsk was a stall tactic nothing more. The Ukraine “flashpoint” was known since 2016. It was never going to end any differently, sanctions & all. And since we’re throwing out “opinions”, this will enlarge to a NATO war, again, there’s simply no other end. Russia will have security & if not, neither will the EU. The gauntlet was thrown.
I thought ”Network”, 1976, was BRILLIANT” along with ”’Apocalypse Now” and ”Taxi Driver”. That was American cinema at its best. Aesthetic judgement has nothing to do with lies, it’s ultimately all a matter of taste. Other than that I agree with Gonlazo. We are talking about art, literature, music, and even sport but not lies
How is Pepe Escobar’s commentary on west escalation through mass resource mobilization and coordination in and across the western borders of Ukraine enabling new offensives so very different from what Scott said?
Is Escobar also a shill? No, because he didn’t hurt Lira’s feelings. Nice witch hunt promoted by a self absorbed attention seeker with no credentials who is good at selecting references and tallking eloquently. You should know better than to go along… Even if he’s right!
It is the context. Ritter’s framing is disingenuous and dishonest and he pretends knowledge that he does not have. He also frames the Donbas against a possible wider war. Pepe uses a different framing.
The issue is not whether a bunch of troops is preparing for a new war and anyone that thinks that the problem most of us have with Ritter’s 180, does not yet understand it. We do recognize NATO talking points when we see them.
Agreed. Lira mirrors & rides the coattails of actual expert strategic analyst, historians & policy advisors. Did the same as”Coach Redpill”. As for “tolerance of lies”…. is this a new concept? So anyways, agree with you, looking to raise his “opinion” rank by stepping on someone else.
Tiago Not agreed. You dont see the substance.
When someone downs you in public and on top presents a weird false statement about the war, off course you feel called to defend yourself in public too and dismiss this guy back.
Its unpleasant for us to hear other people’s personal quarrels and smearing, but unfortunately thats part of the show sometimes.
I dont see any wrong doing in Gonzalo’s other comments around the war, thats how it is, was, and facts are facts.
‘The’ war in Ukraine? Which one? The one in 2014 or the present one. During the first one the ukies got their asses kicked in Ilovaisk and Debaltsevo. Second time around the ukie ‘government’ sent their army in to take a second bite of the cherry. Same outcome. But that’s it. No more military adventures East of the River Dnieper. It’s even questionable whether the Ukraine will even survive a military, political and social collapse. That’s what you get for being lectured by Uncle Sam.
Do you agree that it was a master-class of bluff-counter-bluff by Mr Putin that prevented the Ukies from another major offensive against the Donbass during the 8 year lull? Nobody seemed to know that Russia really wasn’t prepared for major conflict until later on; that is 2022..
My thoughts are most Ukrainian women will succeed at finding partners outside of Ukraine. After the “Vyeleeky Otyetschessnaya Voina” where at least 7 million male soldiers from the USSR were killed, there was an extreme imbalance between young men and women in both Russia and Ukraine. The women were forced to be more feminine and compatible with men than elsewhere in Europe, and you still see this effect today. They will more than hold their own against women in thw West, many of whom have been turned into vicious, foaming at the mouth, baby hating harridans by the degenerate culture of the West
One linguistic note to Gonzalo. You are mispronouncing words that start with “Kh”. Ukrainian and Russian use the Cyrillic alphabet, which means that the word that appears in English as “Kharkiv” was “translated” into the Roman alphabet as such. So why is Kharkiv “spelled” different from Kyiv. Why is Kremlin different from Khrushchev. If these words sound the same, whats the point of the “h”? .. Its because they dont sound the same. “Kh” signifies the “hard” or “Achtung H”
You havent been called out on this, because every English speaking person makes this error. We use h to modify many consonants. But if you want to be the alternative to the pathologically lying Western media, you must be more accurate about everything!
One example. Col Doug Macgregor is an alternative voice about this war. One way that he proved his bonafides is when he pronounced the word “Bucha” accurately, whereas everyone else in the West pronounced it as as a shortened form of Bucharest .. which means they were all ignorant of a fundamental of Ukrainian and Russian language .. that their words have to be translated into the Roman alphabet
IOW, X (in cyrillic alphabet) is transliterated into English as Kh:
(Russian) Хрущев = Khrushchev
(Russian) Харьков = (Ukr) Харків = (Eng) Khar’kov
(Russian Киев (pron: Kiyev) = (Ukr) Київ (pron: Kyyiv) = (Eng) Kiev
I have a neighbor who got a Ukrainian mail order bride. Younger women, older man. She stayed with him for a while, and then moved on. He doesn’t care to talk about it so I don’t know the details, and she now lives in the United States.
Yes John, but how was the pizza he ordered immediately after filling in his on-line application for the bride? I ask because mine came with a free medium sized pizza of choice with 2 sides. From memory I chose the potato wedges and chicken wings.
The only downside was that on returning home to find the Dear John letter, most of the kitchen utilities, living room and bedroom furniture had gone with her. I’d only made a few payments on most of those household goods and had to put in 3 years of overtime at my job with Amazon to pay down the debt.
We had a German friend from Hong Kong, whose brother married a charming Ukie lady in Germany. He was MURDERED. She was a plant from a ‘syndicate’ that was after mens’ pensions. Their timing was a little out, she hadn’t cohabited long enough.. and she/they got NOTHING.
Ukrainians are stereotyped by Russians as slick scammers.
And how would a slick scammer who is female behave?
There ya go.
It’s a bit like getting involved with a stripper. They pretend to like you and are very good at doing so — much more so than Western European or especially Anglo women — but ultimately just look at you like a wallet.
On Vox Day, there’s a post about a Ukrainian woman who broke up a British family (granted, not formally married, but still…), which sort of indicates to me that they’re looking to “harvest” Western men of their $$$, and not really refugees at all. The flip side of Middle Eastern men (many of whom weren’t actually Syrian) flooding Germany and Sweden looking for loose blonde women.
It has to be a lonely life for Mr Lira to live in Kharkiv without speaking Russian.. It is a misconception that people of the world speak english, and if they do, many won’t tell a foreigner anyway.. Life in a Vacuum would describe his living arrangements..
Presumably he can speak Spanish too, and does look like he could be from Spain. Although granted that’s somewhat less helpful than English.
He is from Chile if I am not mistaken
The 100k Ukrainian force.
Well yes.
1. The force was always there – and a clear threat (on top of the treatment of Russian speakers for past 8 years).
2. There was no Ukrainian force on the North or South border which means Ukraine and probably US didn’t expect a Russian invasions.
3. The US calling an imminent Russian invasion is what you’d expect if either:
a) they expected Russia to invade or
b) they expected Ukraine to attack the Donbas (and Russia to respond).
So Russia pre-empting the Ukraine attack is clearly the best explanation (I need hindsight for this, but I shouldn’t need it). And of course that is pretty much how Russia has described their motives.
Nice work – pretty much all of us not involved didn’t expect it – but you can be sure the US did. Making the awfulness of what went on to happen to the Ukrainians so much more the direct responsibility of the US.
(only a Ukrainian could possibly have thought their military would survive this.
As to #2, the goal was not to prevent a Russian attack but to provoke one. #3 is just propaganda supporting #2.
“See? We told you so.”
Happens all the time.
Except ‘14 was a Zionist coup d’état using plentiful local neoNazi terrorists to make their way.
The USA famous for creating suitable local terrorists to make their way, #1, Israel is a terrorist state using neoNazi techniques on the peoples whose land they’ve stollen the Palestinians.
Welcome to the Ukraine, Israel in Europe for the USA, now proving to the world true Europe always loved the Nazi way since 1900 & earlier
The surprise invasion:
The 100-200k Ukrainian force in front of Donbas was the key issue.
1. Most of us interpreted that Russia’s demonstration of force in 2021 was enough to make it clear Ukraine could not attack Donbas. And that rational people could not order a Ukrainian attack.
2. Most of us interpreted US announcements of an imminent invasion as just more bs
1. we got wrong because rational Americans could command such a dumb attack and irrational Azov would carry it out.
2. We got wrong because the US announcements could have been predicated from
a) normal bs
b) an actual planned invasion by Russia
c) an actual planned attack on Donbas which would have to be presented as a counterattack on Russia.
In worrying about Russia of being accused of starting a war initiated by US/Azov (the role of Kiev is minimal), we were insistent that Russia would not act first. Indeed in hindsight a reasonable person would say we were right – Russia reacted to a US plan. (And who cares about western PR)
I should think the US was terrified when the Pentagon realised what Russia was going to do.
That it took 2 months to decide to send heavy weaponry (or more honestly to promise the delivery) shows how caught out the US was. Fxxxing idiots.
The key issue is not Ukraine, which is just the first skirmish in a war against the US and NATO.
The objectives of the SMO in Ukraine have been clearly stated, repeatedly, and ignored.
The wider objectives were spelled out in the draft treaties that Russia presented to the US and NATO last November. If you want to know where this is headed, read them.
Agree Black Frog. Ukraine is simply the first frog in the slow burn pot. Security Guarantees, No NATO near Russia… or this “military-technical” response indefinitely…
America’s influence is waning like an old hooker’s saggy breasts and butt, while the costs of reinvigorating this natural process immense. The rot set in several decades ago and no amount of money spent on training and arming proxy militias can reverse this boondoggle.
It’s time to overthrow America’s criminal syndicates, replacing them with realists who can sue for peace and start over. Hanging onto past glories will only cause further angst among western subjects who’s standard of living is going to divebomb over the next several decades.
Too much information …too many visuals.
Sorry, I can only express myself in sticking to my areas of expertise. lol
Agree with Lira. No more lies and no more bs.
The limits of lies have crossed the red line in West. Thats why we are here gathered on this, because there is a gigantic divine difference between the beauty of Lavrov’s balanced and precise words, Putin’s calling a spade for a spade, and the extreme ugliness of what MSM, Washington, London, Brussel stand for.
Lies is a death cult. To dust from where you came!
Thank you Gonzalo!
To lie is the open door to Hell and we can see that today in Western MSM. They lie permanently and most of the journalists can’t even make the difference between reality and virtually.
For the Zoroastrian religion to lie was the worst of the sins as it could link to any other wrongdoing even murder.
There could be million of lies but they never resist in front of the Truth. It’s going to be interesting to see how the western newspapers will have to explain the collapse of Ukraine in the coming weeks after all the BS they published.
Isnt what gonzo says in the second video what Scott Ritter has been saying? Most of it anyway, cant recall Scott talking about Ukrainian women having children with Greeks etc.
The goal of the U.S. is to weaken Russia — Mr. Lira is right to emphasize this. There is a great deal of evidence. For example, a widely-cited 2019 RAND brief states:
“The most-promising options to ‘extend Russia’ are those that directly address its vulnerabilities, anxieties, and strengths, exploiting areas of weakness while undermining Russia’s current advantages.”
As for Ukraine, their position is very clear:
“Providing lethal aid to Ukraine would exploit Russia’s greatest point of external vulnerability. But any increase in U.S. military arms and advice to Ukraine would need to be carefully calibrated to increase the costs to Russia of sustaining its existing commitment without provoking a much wider conflict in which Russia, by reason of proximity, would have significant advantages.”
Source:
Overextending and Unbalancing Russia: Assessing the Impact of Cost-Imposing Options
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB10014.html
The goal is not peace, not democracy, not sovereignty, but conflict, exploitation, and domination.
It is disheartening to see truth-tellers, so few in number, eat their own. Ritter has come to think that Russia must up its game. Others, like Lira, continue to believe that slow and steady will win out. Are we now going to turn on each other over such disagreements, call them lies, and mirror the cancel culture we despise? The smaller the house, the less it can weather the storm of division. Let’s swallow our pride and patch it up now.
Agree. Our community is too small to start canceling each other. Ritter has been too powerful a voice for too long to ban over an opinion that others have also proffered. Lira is the one looking more like the west by saying he will terminate a relationship with anyone who supports Ritter. And alluding to Ritter’s personal life was in my view appalling as well as irrelevant.
Well, if he talks NATO shit, he has to be told so very loudly!
Exactly Aleks
Agree 100%
Lately there has been way too much cancelling going on If anybody has a different point of view.
This place should be a bastion of free speech to show the West how it is done.
one is an cheer leader another has a professional background from the US perspective both have limitations plus how much they can go out on s limb with out pressure being applied on them from the establishment.
All the same what ever their faults its human to have them but what ever they bring to the table provides food for thought readers have the job to sieve through all these to get a better understanding of the issues we see.
Thank you, Gonzalo, for illuminating the tragedy of the Ukraine, with it’s massive death and displacement. But I worry about all those indoctrinated refugees spreading the seeds of nazi ideology wherever they settle. Will many of them join the already existing nazi colonies in Canada, Brazil, and elsewhere?
And who will get the spoils of the rich black earth agricultural land. Are the Russians willing to let the owners of Monsatan continue to exploit and ruin the fertility of that land?
2014 coup d’etat in Kiev to bring in a pro NATO regime, Russia reacted by taking Crimea but was not ready to face US-NATO, it prevent Killary to win 2016 elections which could have been WW3 which Russia was not ready for. Trump anti war against Russia. Four years helped Russia ready to face USNATO.
If Lira is saying in this video that he doesn’t just disagree with Scott Ritter but actually considers him a liar, then my already greatly diminished respect for him has vanished entirely.
Ritter may be wrong, he may be biased because he’s American, he may be overly enthusiastic and tend to overstate his opinions, but he is definitively not a liar: I have never seen any evidence that he sets out to deliberately deceive anyone, in any of his discussions. If Gonzalo, or anyone else, has evidence to the contrary, please let me know so I can take a look for myself.
I highly subscribe to that. I have not seen more rock solid voice than Ritter’s and I’ve not stopped listening. I had listened with some curiosity to Lira when he was stuck and taken out, but his input never struck me particularly. I’d rate Ritter’s principled mind a lot higher than any other person I’ve heard in a long time.
Lira chats … he chats about what he thinks. And his thinking is not bad. He is not pretending to be a expert .. he just chats about what he sees and what happens around him.
Despite all the attacks to the contrary, I am not a Lira groupie. I can appreciate him, but Ritter jumped the shark!
Is there any other way to construe his remarks, especially in light of his earlier video? Just as IMHO Ritter jumped the gun in losing faith in Russian strategy, so did Lira jump the gun in losing faith in Ritter’s honesty. It’s only human to sometimes jump the gun. But the best in us figures this out and forgives it in ourselves and others. Let us continue to listen to the wisdom of both Ritter and Lira (and other voices in the Vineyard), admire them for speaking the truth as they see it, and move onward and upward in the only way possible…in mutual respect, generosity of spirit, and solidarity.
Exactly !
Force of habit.
It is called free speech
Lira talks sense, Ritter talks sense, Mark Sleboda who agreed with Ritter talks sense.
Doesn’t make any of them liars.
They all have a different point of view which should be applauded. Debated and discussed.
If anyone has jumped the shark it is Lira. Saying what he has said because he does not agree with him
If it carries soon anybody he disagrees with will be called a Biden apologist.
Straight out of the Western playbook.
This place is way better than that.
From: The Gateway Pundit (USA Website, read the comments, Americans are catching on to the lies)
Mariupol’s Final Ukrainian Chapter, Russia Writes New book
The surrender of the last of the militant Azov “soldiers” who were hiding in the bowels of the Avostal Steel plant in Mariupol is the final curtain for NATO’s fantasy that Ukraine would beat the Russians.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/05/mariupols-final-ukrainian-chapter-russia-writes-new-book/
Not so sure Gonzalo is correct when he says Russia was naive going in to this war. Once they realized the Minsk agreements were not being upheld, they needed the time to prepare and plan for the inevitable Ukraine action.
Missed that, will have to listen again. Unlike the Americans when Russia decides war’s the only option, in the back of their minds 30 million sacrificed still resonates bigtime. So it’s therefore highly unlikely the naive comment would coincide with their views on war. It’s possible however that they didn’t expect this level of resistance from their former little brother.
So what do you do when the liars control everything, can steal national elections without consequence, and have us overrun with invading filth? A few guys picking up some muskets and going to war doesn’t have the same effect that it used to.
TOO has up an interesting article by V.S. Solovyev https://www.theoccidentalobserver.net/2022/05/21/balance-of-power-or-balance-of-terror/
He also has a link to a lady by the name of Ms. Bartlett here who has done amazing work for truth.
https://ingaza.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the Solovyev link.
I have always been highly suspicious of the Vindman connection since I watch a video by Polly St. George in which she traced a complex but fairly direct line between a whole group of Ukrainian families and operatives and the US State Department. This was at the height of the impeachment carnival. A large number of those who testified against Trump and tried to work up his telephone call as an impeachable offense had Ukrainian jewish backgrounds, either by birth or by marriage. She also raised questions (backed up by documentation) of the circumstances under which Vindman and I think his brother had been brought to the USA in the first place as children.
I think this is it:
https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/amazing-polly-video-growing-up-deep-state-the-next-generation-of-corruption-vindman-twins-history/
Ritter did not jump the shark
He had a different military point of view it is called free speech.
Mark Sleboda agreed with him.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MarkSleboda1/status/1527402281930575872?cxt=HHwWgMC-uY2StrIqAAAA
If anyone has jumped the shark it is Lira.
He should wait and see how it plays out and see if Ritter and Sleboda are indeed correct. Instead of trying to cancel them.
It’s weird how the internet commentariat is demanding right thought. I don’t want to agree with an analyst of anything 100% of the time, because that level of agreement suggests I’m not thinking clearly: either over influenced by the analyst or I’m seeking out only what agrees with me.
Either of those means my analysis is poor. And at the end of the day, if you’re not doing your own analysis you don’t have an actual opinion. You have received wisdom from authority. I’ll pass on that.
I can excuse personal beef up to a point, beyond which the beefing influences my opinion of the analyst and his analysis. Once the analyst starts hinting that only his analysis is right and spends more time defending and/or rallying the troops to his defense than analyzing, (the Glenn Greenwald effect) I start assuming his analysis is mostly worthless due to being “right” being the analyst’s first order goal in analysis. He can still be correct in any analysis, but I read it with a jaundiced eye.
I’ve been in a few run ins with Glenn on private list-servs. My analysis of him comes from personal experience and observation of his career :)
Yesterday the comparison was with Pepe Escobar, today it’s Sleboda , who’s next, Shoigu or Lavrov?
Gimme a break!
I like Sleboda WTFUD.
His videos are very informative.
I don’t agree with everything he says but that’s the beauty of free speech. You can listen to everybody’s point of view and make your own mind up.
Me too Billy. My point was that Ritter’s not in the same league as Martyanov or Escobar or even Sleboda (who’s really arrogant but knows his stuff ). For sure Ritter is well up the table in American terms, but that’s coming from a much lower ballpark. To be fair to him also, it’s like comparing apples with oranges to a degree with their respective areas of expertise. Still in comparison , he’s a poor man’s Martyanov.
Escobar is wonderful and I read everything he writes and love his interviews.
For the record, Escobar is not to my knowledge a military analyst. Neither is he an economist.
Escobar’s views on the economic future of Europe and planet Earth are quite different from those of Michael Hudson, who is an economist. I would love to see a discussion between those two.
It is also to be expected that Escobar and Ritter see some military issues differently. Doesn’t mean that either one is a liar or a NATO stooge.
I always liked Mark Sloboda when he was a contributor at CrossTalk. Speaking of CrossTalk, the best guy there, IMO, was Dmitry Babich.
He made this very clear statement back in March:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KRvBbsKRvM
Taffy, please stop discussing the people and start discussing their work.
You all are building a shrine for Ritter and this is not what we are about. No shrines for anyone please, but get a grip on the work that is being discussed.
Ritter speaks Russian, so he can access Russian sources, official and unofficial.
Ritter has actually worked with Russians, so he may still have plenty of contacts in Russia.
Ritter was part of the US intel community for a long time, so he obviously brings that perspective, which may make him somewhat more paranoid than others.
Great commentary! Love the candor & spontaneity & analysis. Western Civ in precipitous decline highlighted by destructive policies in Ukraine. You’re delivering the on the scene story.
For the alleged invasion that Ukraine was preparing in the Donbass, the numbers of killed and captured in the SMO will tell the story. There’s so many numbers going around, from 30,000 to 40,000 to 60,000 to even 100,000, maybe the Red Cross will be able to tell us a lot, if it is allowed.
I would rather hear about surrenders than dead, but those numbers could reveal the likelihood of Ukraine’s own proposed SMO, that was interrupted by the Russian. They likely aren’t there for a holiday on the Black Sea, or were they?
I listened to the Ritter video at issue here.
I don’t think Ritter said anything deviating significantly from his previously stated views. He’s still on Russia’s side. He’s still sounding alarms about US/NATO’s treacherousness in diplomacy. Ritter continues to underscore that US/NATO provoked the war, and that Russia’s defending its legitimate, existential interests.
Ritter’s views have changed only in that he is now arguing Russia must step up its war effort. He’s advocating Russia should, at the very least, partially mobilize its reserves and take measures to put its economy on a war production footing.
I can’t imagine how this argument indicates Ritter’s jumping ship, or trying to grease the wheels for an eventual return to MSM so he can make a living as a US/NATO shill.
There are lots of people in Russia and among Russia’s worldwide supporters who believe the time has come for the Kremlin to mobilize its full resources to properly prosecute the war. Nothing remarkable or traitorous about this argument. Apparently Ritter has joined the ranks of these people. That’s all.
As for the real belligerents in this conflict, it’s Russia vs. US/NATO. The latter is waging a historic war of aggression against Russia. The Ukies merely provide warm bodies for the US/NATO war effort.
I believe that also GW.
It was big picture thinking about how far does Russia go and what does it do next ?
I may be missing something important and not kept up with everything.
But I fail to understand the controversy here?
Ritter is a western voice that kept Westerners informed and they are very few and far between.
The point is that this is exactly what they want. Mobilization, total war affecting Russia, and eventually, it is hoped, public opinion. NOT a Russia happily going about daily civilian business while a few military professionals (10% of the army?) police the Ukraine. This scenario blows up the entire game plan.
Several “oppositional” voices, for instance Paul Craig Roberts, argue this line, they want a brutal, mobilized Russia in total war. They are played, coerced, or paid, saying this. It is exacty what the “intelligence” strategists hope for.
I think it is important to not forget that the purpose of this “War” from the Anglo perspektive is to get Russia to over extend itself economically. I don’t know the daily cost for Russia at this point, but it’s clear that Ukraine is broke and need $7 billion pr. month just to keep the wheels of the state running.
As is Russia is winning more and more everyday just by keeping this thing going. They might as well just sitt down an tiddle their tumbs for a couple of days watching the US spend maybe magnitudes more money than them. However if they descide to mobilize millions of reserves, the equation becomes less favorable. As is, US has commited the amount of a yearly Russian defense budget … of which close to a third is allready spent.
When the SMO in donbass is done, they might call it a day and say ‘see you around suckers’ and go home.
Who over extended who in the end ?
Im with Lira on this. Unlike Paul Craig Roberts ,whom was saying similar at the start of SMO,Ritter has suffered from a late U-turn.As a commentator of great knowledge and experience Ritter could and should have said what he now believes a lot earlier. Its all far too suspicious.Something has happened to provoke this U-turn …and its not merely a reappraisal of the SMO.
Has Lira explained his week-long arrest/absence/release in any detail anywhere? Has he (or anyone) posited any kind of reasoning as to why the Z-regime would let him go and keep producing videos that undermine the regime narrative? I haven’t seen any such explanation/reasoning, but it does seem odd to me.
You stole this thought from my mind :-).
Exactly
>>Has he (or anyone) posited any kind of reasoning as to why the Z-regime would let him go… Can’t say I know why they let him go, but as a matter of speculation, maybe they decided getting rid of him would generate enough bad press that it would do more damage then just letting him go. The low opinion of the regime is common here but not in the public generally. No point in reinforcing the idea that they seize people. That would also account for why he is more relaxed now, he has a get out of jail free pass.
He was never arrested in the first place id say…… a weeks absence and a story for the media to up his profile. Thats the sum of it. So for him to accuse another of lying and bullshit is risable.
I like his take on things and enjoy his intelligent analysis .
But Scott Ritter is another level altogether. A professional. He hasn’t changed his opinions re the SO just warning that with NATO supplying strategic depth he considers the situation to have changed somewhat. No uturn.
But again , we all build up our picture based on not just information but deepset opinions that influence our understanding….
There’s also a lot of rabbit holes.
Where is Tiffany Dover?
Ritter’s statement on Telegram could be simply an attempt to see how the chatter goes after that, to determine, where is Gonzalo Lira?
Gonzalo Lira reporting from the heart of Kharkiv plays well, but like anything, where is any body at, and how can that be verified, and who is allowed to know?
This site appears to be a calm pool of intelligence and sanity in a MSM maelstrom of lies and deceit where even the other side gets a point of view, and at the very least, we may get to see the intelligence narrative from the other side. But let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth. Or the Trojan horse.
It’s open source intelligence we get from Gonzalo, good or bad, and informed analysis and speculation, so who could say no? Unless we are arrested in some kind of intel honey flavoured honey trap for the flies of social media, or a site for enhanced profiling, a pool for studying the alternative narratives, where are we? Again, in my view, don’t look a gift horse or Trojan horse in the mouth, especially in the nether world of the internet.
And finally, whether we sense peace or disagreement between players, that too could be a false narrative. They could all be one in the carefully controlled intelligence and media narrative that is ‘allowed’ by the MICIMATT complex.
The beauty of this place, or one of them, is that it seems to allow some rational narratives and diverse international points of view.
I have wondered the same thing. I was not a fan of LIra before the incident, as I always considered him to be a shameless self promoter. When someone assumes the appellation “Life Coach”, I hear “BS Artist” … He is eloquently contradicting the lies of Zone A media, but hasn’t told me much I did not already know.
Did they really release Lira to do as he pleases, or is he being employed to impart some subtle shading to the information war? I have no idea.
I haven’t seen Ritter’s latest commentary either, and don’t hold an opinion. Sometimes people do a 180, or disappear altogether from online media. Bottom line, I don’t hold anyone’s commentary up as absolute truth, but there have been a few voices that seem genuine. The two Andrei’s, Larchmonter445, Auslander, Pepe Escobar, Stephen F. Cohen, Dmitry Orlov, and some others. It takes time to recognize them.
Anyone, please give me any kind of link or proof that the Ukraine is building military depth in the Western side. And also, give me any kind of link of proof that any large army is being built up by NATO somewhere. They have war games with every one and this is pretty regular and routine.
Yeah, I know Pepe said so .. but he also did not take into account the conditions around making such a statement and I disagree with him as well. This is an expectation for the long term and the long term is uncertain. Maybe NATO fractures. In these times it is not untoward to expect a EU fracture. And I will go to bat for the erroneousness of this statement in terms of how things stand now – and I don’t care who agrees. It is wrong in its essence, and in its framing.
I’m not choosing sides between two people. I’m looking very carefully at this latest and the 180, and what it says.
https://www.energyintel.com/00000180-d669-d410-aba9-f66dbd120000
Let me do one paragraph for you:
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is grinding its way toward its inevitable conclusion, namely Russian control over the Donbas region.”
He reframes Russia’s objectives as being concluded in the Donbas region .. and it is disingenious. It is also what Nato hopes for. In this, he loses sight of Russia’s objectives which is not only the Donbass.
“But this will not end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has expanded in scope and scale beyond the capabilities of the Russian military resources originally allocated.”
He is referring to a scope expansion here that he pretends existence of. And if the inevitable conclusion is Russian control over the Donbas region, in other words a fait accompli, how can he now define a new situation as beyond the capabilities of the Russian military resources AS originally allocated. A new deal means a new definition. Should the Russians go further, of course, they will change their forces to a new reality. It’s just disingenuous. He does not know Russia’s next steps after the Donbas.
One more just quickly. “This will, however, fall short of expectations by both Russia and many military observers when the war began. Perhaps the greatest contributor is what appears to be a massive Russian intelligence failure over prewar assessments that organized resistance by Ukraine would be limited and easily overcome. Instead, the Russians were met by an organized, capable and determined Ukrainian military that has shown great resilience in defending against Russian attack. Instead of a quick campaign of less than a month, Russia found itself in a drawn-out fight that required its military to alter its approach — pulling back from supporting attacks against Kyiv and Odessa in favor of a more singular focus on eastern Ukraine.”
Expectations? Were those the Russian expectations, or just the ones of observers? And the Russians were met by the Ukrainian military – did we forget that they were there – 100,000 to 130,000 of them already. Of course the Russians knew, because they said so. This force was the reason for the SMO. Pulling back from supporting attacks against Kiev and Odessa? But they did not attack Kiev or Odessa? Yet, they are regularly firing on both of those but no all-out attack. How can we say they pulled back? This is a Ukie talking point and the Ukies call victory on battles that are non-existent.
And so we can go on. “The failure of the invasion to deliver a knockout blow to the Ukrainian government has altered the political-military landscape in ways that neither Russia nor Nato predicted. First and foremost, the stated Russian political objective — securing a neutral Ukraine — has not been accomplished and, given the limited military resources Russia has dedicated to date, is unlikely to be realized under current circumstances.”
But how does he know what Russia will accomplish – there was never an objective to deliver a knockout blow to the Ukrainian government? t is unlikely he says? But we have no idea of what the Russian plan actually is.
He makes a big deal that there is no political off-ramp. Well I can think of three existent ones and two of those can better be described as on-ramps.
One more quick one: “While it seems clear that Ukraine will not be formally joining Nato any time soon, if ever, the reality is that the war has reforged the relationship between Ukraine and the trans-Atlantic alliance in a way that transforms the way the two entities work together. Ukraine’s current status as a wartime non-Nato ally has strengthened a long-held goal of the US and Nato of neutralizing Russia as a long-term military threat to Europe — in short, by transforming Ukraine’s military into a de facto Nato proxy.”
Ukraine has been a de facto Nato proxy for years. It is not now. Again an unfortunate reframing.
So, I question the factual basis. And each of those facts being put forward, are Nato talking points or Ukie ‘victories’ for battles that never happened. It is as if he lost sight of the battle space but he states his case very forcefully. And commentators here think it is a choice, one for the other. I don’t care in that kind of choice. I care about factual and correct statements.
“Ukraine has been a de facto Nato proxy for years. It is not now.”
I don’t grasp the reasoning behind this claim.
The Ukie army is largely financed, equipped, and trained by US/NATO. That’s in addition to US/NATO using its intelligence resources to fully support the Ukie military’s field operations. Also, US/NATO is waging unlimited economic warfare against Russia to boost the Ukies’ chances of victory on the battlefield.
This means the Ukraine is a US/NATO military and political proxy. That’s undeniable. If anything, the Ukraine is even more of a US/NATO proxy now than before the 2022.
Consider the following.
US/NATO’s most ambitious geopolitical goals in the former USSR now hinge entirely on how the Ukies fare in this war. US/NATO has actually doubled down on its pre 2022 financial, military, and political investment in the Ukraine. Therefore, the Ukraine now has greatly enhanced importance as a US/NATO foreign policy tool.
If the Ukraine was a US/NATO proxy before the war, it is that much more of a US/NATO proxy now. That’s because, for US/NATO, the stakes of success or failure in this conflict with Russia have greatly amplified.
Should Russia defeat the Ukies decisively on the battlefield, or bleed the Ukraine dry in a war of attrition, Kiev will have no remaining choice except to capitulate to the Kremlin. That means US/NATO’s expensive, eight year effort to establish a military and political base in the Ukraine is destroyed. Russia will have booted US/NATO influence from the Ukraine. For US/NATO, that’s a defeat not unlike what it recently suffered in Afghanistan.
On the other hand, if for whatever reason Russia cannot continue prosecuting the war, it must agree to peace on US/NATO/Ukraine terms. That means US/NATO turns the Ukraine into the equivalent of a giant aircraft carrier on land, parked alongside Russia’s historical and demographical heartland. Thus, US/NATO wins a position from which it exercises decisive, historically unprecedented coercive leverage over Russia in future bilateral relations. Russia’s freedom of action in international affairs will be greatly reduced, or even terminated. For US/NATO, that’s the equivalent of conquering and forging a new imperial frontier in Eurasia.
Given everything I’ve explained, the Ukraine is to US/NATO precisely what a gun is to a gangster. If the thug uses the gun successfully, he kills someone and despoils them. Should the thug’s gun fail, he is then powerless, gets arrested, and suffers whatever grim fate the authorities mete out. For the gangster, the gun is all or nothing. Ditto for US/NATO’s relationship with the Ukraine.
So, the Ukraine is indeed a US/NATO proxy. In the most malignant way too.
>>Anyone, please give me any kind of link or proof that the Ukraine is building military depth in the Western side…
The question should be whether they can build military depth because we reasonably know they would like to.
May 13, 2022 — (According to Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova) Ukraine may mobilize up to 1 million people against Russia.
I think the long odds favor Russia, but I am skeptical it is all a done deal right now. Once the Europeans start picking up the bill for the sanctions, no doubt their enthusiasm will chill. The US seems to be ready to pour any amount of money into the effort. Meanwhile the Russians are doing what they can to let the average Ukrainian know that if they surrender nothing bad will happen to them. Given we live in the era of cellphones that should be doable. No easy way to shut communications down entirely.
Thanks for the link Amarynth, now I understand where the 180 comes from.
I find it hard to believe this is Ritters words. Are we sure that it really is, and not some creative edit/hack ?
I’m a novice in terms of military terms and concepts, but I thought it was widely agreed upon that the Kiev encirclement was a socalled ‘faint’ as part of ‘motion warfare’. How the ratio attacker/defender ratio made it obvious that no assault on Kiev was intended. I though I learned these things from Ritter.
What you also learned from Ritter is what the SMO actually is. At the time, I used his explanation as it made sense. Yes, that is his work. That document is almost a cleaned up transcript of what I’ve come to refer to as the 3rd video.
So, he made a video on the 14th of May .. Story simplified – Russia is winning. I personally did not learn anything but it was nothing I could complain about.
Then, on the 15th of May .. Story started changing – Russia will lose even if she wins.
Then on the 15/17th of May was the video that this document is almost a transcript of – totally 180 – using Ukie talking points and Nato talking points.
Martyanov in his casual style commented .. and he said it made him laugh – ludicrous it was.
Martyanov made another comment directly to these things .. but one has to know the story.
Meanwhile, those backward Rooskies just launched yet another military satellite.
I wonder what is it for? Nah, I am screwing with you–this is most likely yet another recon and targeting asset which comes in handy when demolishing the remnants of VSU and controlling NATO’s actions around 404.
I have no dog in this fight. I also don’t think it matters. I assume that there are people in the stavka who agree with Ritter and voice that same opinion that it is time to take the gloves off.
Each option has positive and negative potential outcomes. We don’t know exactly what partial mobilization and war economy would do to Russian public support. We can assume it would be positive initially, but would that last? Wouldn’t it require changing the stated mission of demilitarize and denazify? Mobilization is an escalation that the west would feel required to match; every escalation increases the probability of things going sideways.
Continuing on as such has risks too. A reconstituted UAF with western weaponry. The potential for more Russian deaths. But on the whole there are probably fewer unknowns with continuing on the current path, at least until DPR and LPR are fully liberated. Then some serious decisions about how far to go have to be made. Russia is not going to the Polish border, because if that was the goal then this pace would be problematic. We can each agree or disagree on whether Russia should go that far, but it’s clear they’re not planning on it. And if they aren’t, that strongly influences what sort of pace and intensity they need to apply.
All good until the end, and then I disagree most emphatically with the first video.
European civilisation is crumbling, but not because of a loss of will or a loss of civilizational vigor, but because European civilisation as we have known it for the last 500 years has been predicated on the rape and pillage of the rest of the world, and the horror of that truth is finally catching up with us.
Yes, books were written, paintings were painted and music was composed, but in the background millions were enslaved and millions were slaughtered to give Europeans the leisure to pursue those activities.
And that was the Big Lie.
On the money Hal.
That’s why the whole world (- US & satraps ) await with baited breath for a decisive Russian victory. If the Europeans have a memory lapse, the Africans, Asians, South Americans, Iran and Arab countries will gladly remind them.
Your take on the video is completely wrong; many others have called out our White civilization collapse for exactly the factors cited. As for the rest of your anti-White hate-filled rant, it is nonsense: slavery of millions existed everywhere around the planet, in every era, before White colonization- which actually freed many from slavery in the last two hundred years. AND: Slavery still exists in the Semitic and African nations, America’s ‘best ally’ Israel, and the Ukraine are major centers of slavery and human trafficking. So sad all those oppressed millions had to suffer from medicine, electricity, hot water and soap. Even sadder: Those things led to population explosions of millions who now come steal the rest of what the West has left.
European civilisation is crumbling, but not because of a loss of will or a loss of civilizational vigor, but because European civilisation as we have known it for the last 500 years has been predicated on the rape and pillage of the rest of the world, and the horror of that truth is finally catching up with us. Yes, books were written, paintings were painted and music was composed, but in the background millions were enslaved and millions were slaughtered to give Europeans the leisure to pursue those activities.
And that was the Big Lie.
The Russian concept of the Golden Billion aptly characterizes the socio-economic basis of Europeon and Western Civilization. The one billion people who reside in the “Civilized West,” and their pro-Western stooge elites in the rest of the world, live off the blood, sweat, and tears of the rest of humanity.
Ruthless capitalist exploitation throughout the planet is the foundation of Western Civilization.
As Ghandi once cheekily said, Western Civilization–it would be a good idea.
That is, Western Civilization would be a wonderful idea–too bad it doesn’t exist, except in European-American delusions and fairy tales.
on the subject of learning from disagreements… yes its true if people are willing to think… yes then… I have recently learnt alot about myself….kind of … as some people very dear to me disagreed with my viewpoint on Russia and the war in Ukraine… and have refused to talk to me since Feb 24…
I have thought about it… deeply… but all I can come up with everyone has a right to their own opinion, and is responsible for that opinion… and for themselves… and what that opinion brings … I still love these people, and will welcome them ”back”… as they have been hooked on the hysteria… I hope they wont suffer ie get depressed etc… but as regards myself, I do not understand or see the necessity of not talking to people because of different opinions about Russia…
A wise man once said radiation is not as deadly as the hysteria over radiation !!!!
As regards learning… yes I am even more sure of who I am… and thats not a bad thing … :-)
. . . I do not understand or see the necessity of not talking to people because of different opinions about Russia . . .
I do Bente, kind of being in a similar boat, it’s like flogging a dead horse. Those who are blind & deaf to US-EU genocide are part of the problem. I view these people with the same contempt as I do the puppet-masters. Like a junkie, first you have to admit there’s a problem. When MSM can no longer hide their crimes or maintain their lies, maybe they’ll search for the truth and apologise to you. Life’s way too short to waste on stupid people.
JACQUES BAUD, Former Colonel of the General Staff, former member of Swiss strategic intelligence, specialist in Eastern European countries, about the current military situation in Ukraine. French but translates easy in to English. Thank god for this kind of voices. Thanks to ‘De Muur’ on the site of Belgian Willy van Dam for providing the link.
https://cf2r.org/documentation/la-situation-militaire-en-ukraine/#
“…current military situation in Ukraine.” ??
Reference is dated March ’22
I’m in total agreement with a comment on Larry Johnson’s website.
” I don’t think Ritter is suggesting that Russia doesn’t have the capability to render most, if not all, Western military aid ineffective in a military-strategic sense. Russia can, to paraphrase Andrei M., see nearly all Ukrainian targets and destroy them at will. What Ritter seems to be saying is that the “rules” and tactics of the SMO in the Donbass, including the force commitment, are likely not enough to push Russia to victory under the new geopolitical reality (outright Western belligerence) the SMO itself engendered.
Russia will undoubtedly liberate the Donbass, but if it stops there it will only have succeeded in de-nazifying and demilitarizing approximately 30% of the Ukraine. The Western portions of that country will be supplied by the West to the MIC’s delight in perpetuity; and while Russia could defend against this and manage this on military terms, it will be stuck with a frozen conflict. I don’t think that contemporary Russians would consider this a victory if their children and grandchildren are still killing Western armed Ukrainians decades from now.
I think Ritter is correct in expressing concern that if the current Russian template is carried forward after the liberation of the Donbass, the situation may end up in such a frozen conflict. The Russian’s may be able to see and destroy, but unless they expand the scope of their operation, they will be seeing and destroying for a long time to come.
Underlying the criticism of Ritter’s analysis is the assumption that following the Donbass liberation, Russia will move Westward with a heavier hand and remove the strategic space that the West and Ukraine seem to have formed. I believe this to be a correct assumption, but as of yet the Russian’s have demonstrated deep reservoirs of strategic patience that could be confused for forbearance. ”
Scott was trying to explain the long game and IF Russia split UKraine either East to West or South to North is that enough ?
Considering there are many people who are thinking about this why all the controversy about what he said ?
Maybe I’m missing something important but I just don’t get the controversy here.
Everybody is thinking about this scenario and that is will Russia have to demilitarise and denazify ALL of Ukraine to stop it all happening again a few years down the line instead of just splitting it in two. To ensure there is no NATO foothold when this is over ?
If they have to demilitarise and denazify ALL of Ukraine will Scott and Sleboda be right and Russia need to mobilise more of their army to do it. Move to total war whilst doing it and dealing with any threats from other Baltic States and Finland joining NATO ?
Which are very reasonable questions to ask in my opinion .
Especially as they have just announced they are going to move more troops to the border with Finland.
The reaction has been as if Scott said Russia was going to lose the war in Ukraine. He never actually said that He said the complete opposite. Raised a few scenarios about what happens after Russia has won in Ukraine.
“Russians with attitude Twitter feed” which I think is excellent, has been talking about this since the start of the war. He has always thought from the beginning Russia has to do “everything ” and not just Eastern Ukraine. So as not to leave a foothold for NATO in the future.
I tend to agree with him.
Sorry not Russians with attitude
Viktors telegram page – Vicktop 55
I always get the 2 mixed up as they are both brilliant and my go to channels every day.
Viktor has been beating that drum for a long time. Wants all of Ukraine not just the East sorted out so no NATO foothold remains.
OK, there has been animated discussion about the Ritter assertion that a new army is being built somewhere and the Western Ukraine is building up military depth. This is majorly important.
I told you that nobody can give me a proof for that. So, there was some discussion. I told you that I disagree with Pepe as well. Here is the outcome.
From Pepe’s telegram channel.
The Russian General Staff will be adjusting their tactics for the major follow-up in Donbass – as the best Russian analysts and war correspondents incessantly debate. They will have to face an inescapable problem: as much as the Russian methodically grind down the – disaggregated – Ukrainian Army in Donbass, a new NATO army is being trained and weaponized in western Ukraine.
So Pepe says … “Martyanov is right on Western Ukraine. I should have emphasized the conditionalities – as it stands a 404 “New Model Army” is American wishful thinking.
Are you beginning to understand why the reaction to Ritter’s assertions?
Cromwell’s New Model Army was a revolution in the armed forces of the era – and the model upon which all “modern Armies” are based.
I very much doubt that there is ANYONE in the US of Cromwell’s calibre, or, for that matter NATO as a whole.
Well Ritter was like half right in what he said…..but maybe he missed, two or three nights past, Russia lit up Liov like a christmas tree. They hit two training centres (and new weapons arrivals) where Ukraine was training personnel for the next phase of the destruction of the Ukrainian Armed Forces……..Russia just saved them the time of having to make it to the front…it’s a long walk when you’re out of gas.
Wishful thinking indeed
Cheers M
Hello Amarynth
I didn’t understand, can you explain better please. I don’t have a telegram either.
But let me explain my context. The first time I heard Gonçalo Lira call Ritter sold, I didn’t like it. Because I agree that the conflict has changed and I usually give this example. In March, NATO did not authorize the sending of Polish MIGs to Ukraine and now it has. So the conflict escalated, it’s another. I even think that Russia should say that it would not allow NATO to enter the conflict. Because it’s already in. But then I read the disgusting article on energyintel where Ritter says Russia failed Kiev and that to me is a lie. For me Russia only sent men to Kiev to pressure Zelensky to sit at the negotiating table and secure Ukrainian troops. And Ritter had never said that Russia failed in Kiev. Even at the beginning Ritter even said that the conflict only lasted 3 days. But ok everyone can fail. Lying is different. Although I also admit that Ritter has more data than I do. But I think it went too far. Despite continuing on the side of Russia and continuing to call the Kiev regime Nazi. I think Ritter just wants Russia to add more men and occupy all of Ukraine. Where I think Ritter is wrong is that no matter how many weapons the US sends into Ukraine, there are no more Ukrainian soldiers. Soldiers are not unlimited like weapons. And if Ukraine resorts to mercenaries, Russia must not allow it. You must say that you will not authorize and will start bombing where they are training. In Germany or Poland. Which is even more fascist than Ukraine!
Thank you Amarynth
Just wanted to add one thing Amarynth. Perhaps Russia is not making more “noise” with NATO today because it has already won the war! In Ukraine and even more importantly in the US and EU. Both on the verge of collapse. Its leaders should all be judged for bringing the world to the brink of destruction with a global hunger crisis. The US after going on its knees to Venezuela and Iran asking to increase oil production after decades of illegal sanctions is now talking about lifting sanctions on Biolerrussia. This is called panic! It’s the end of the world’s policeman who decrees illegal sanctions on everyone.
Makes perfect sense Amarynth.
You are 100% correct and at the moment there is as much chance of that happening than Buggs Bunny entering the battlefield.
Maybe the key is what it will look like when Russia stops and says our objectives have been accomplished. What the Ukrainian map looks like at that point. Only the Kremlin knows that.
If the Ukrainian’s surrender at 4pm today what will happen and what will the map look like then. What will Russia do in Western Ukraine if Ukraine surrenders. What happens If Poland takes over parts of Western Ukraine before that happens.
If after the Ukrainians surrender and the map looks like it will be stuck with a frozen conflict. What happens then ?
There’s a lot of if’s, but’s and maybees to be played out yet.
The way I see it. There has to be no foothold left whatsoever for NATO in Ukraine when this is over. None, zero, zip, They have to be pushed out for decades to come. Not be allowed to absorb Western Ukraine into NATO and place nukes in Western Ukraine.
Because it they absorb Western Ukraine into NATO. It won’t just be what’s left of the Ukrainian army that is stationed there. The rebuild in Western Ukraine would be soldiers from NATO countries and fly in thousands of troops.
Concerning the efficacy of the West’s alleged aid to the Ukraine, I’m keeping my eyes on the battlefield. That’s really the only way to sense which way the wind is blowing.
A full week has passed since the Ukrainian General Staff announced a “counter offensive” against Izyum. This supposed UAF counter offensive was also ballyhooed by prominent Western military analysts and MSM.
But all week, there hasn’t been a single report indicating the Ukies have moved a single foot forward. No indications at all. Allegedly the Ukies did manage to blow up a Russian ammunition dump south of Izyum. But nothing more.
Normally, Western OSINT, think tankers, social influencers, and US/UK intelligence services hype every single conceivable Ukie success. Twitter gets flooded with hundreds if not thousands of messages about allegedly successful Ukie attacks. But no word about the Ukie counter offensive at Izyum.
US/UK military, US/NATO foreign policy elites, UGS, and lots of US/European academics and wonks have been talking a lot about an expected massive Ukie counter offensive that will, supposedly, begin in June. Word is this offensive will shatter the Russians much the same way Germany’s 1915 Gorlice Tarlow offensive demolished and rolled back the tsar’s armies in WW1. These Western “experts” assert Russia will be driven out of all southern and eastern Ukraine, and that Crimea and Donbass could be overrun too. After that, according to these folks, Russia will be subjected to a harsh peace settlement sort of like the 1918 Brest Litovsk Treaty.
Well, what are we to believe based on events on the ground so far? I always wonder how much of this tough talk from Western academics, wonks, analysts, statemen, and the like is genuine and prescient, as opposed to being rhetoric articulated for the benefit of advancing their career prospects in Washington DC and Brussels.
As for Izyum, the Ukie counter offensive has been a non starter. More telling by far, in terms of how the war’s unfolding, is everyone, including the Ukie General Staff, admits Russia is slowly and steadily grinding down the UAF in and around Severodonetsk. At the very least, this battlefront is another slaughterhouse for Ukie troops. Not a good thing for an artificial nation/state with a population of less than 37 million.
Is the Ukraine approaching its Verdun moment? That’s what I’m looking for. A Verdun for the Ukies. Everybody here knows about Verdun, the WW1 stalemated battle which caused horrifically high casualties for both belligerents. France just barely managed to hold together after Verdun, in 1916. But the French people came close to breaking that year, given the hideous loss of military aged Frenchmen. Will the Ukies be capable of holding it together as a nation when the casualty lists reach a Verdun style pinnacle? I really wonder.
Interestingly, an hour ago tonight, reports appeared on Reuters and Al Jazeera alleging the Ukie government has indignantly rebuffed “urgent” calls from its “Western backers” about accepting an “immediate” cease fire. I wonder if these reports have any basis in reality. Assuming they’re true, why would US/NATO be pushing the Ukies to go for a ceasefire?
Is the Ukraine’s Verdun moment at hand?
As for US/NATO, they can only fight until the last living Ukie soldier. That’s US/NATO’s vulnerability in this proxy war. When there are no more living Ukie troops, then US/NATO no longer has a hand to play in this game. So who knows….maybe US/NATO is thinking about a Verdun situation too.
Second video is correct
Yup
West, Washington DC destroyed UKraine.
I am ashamed of my country US of Arrogance, and proud of my Homeland
USSR.
Today. Someone told me Russia Putin bad West good.
I say …
Wes Montgomery is good guitar.
West DC bad actors. Zelensky worst. And the EuroWHOres will crumble for their support of war.
Maybe Bill ClitOn should have stuck to blowing horn instead of blowing up nations
Maybe Zelensky should have stuck to piana.
These folks are awful musicians but that wouldn’t have killed the country which really was never a country, UKrainie will cease to be now.
Bye.
Gonzo is either lazy or completely disingenuous. I found Ritter’s 180 U-turn disturbing, but Gonzo’s accusations of Ritter are entirely unfounded. Ritter NEVER said Gonzo was dead, he simply reported that there were reports he was dead and that the West was despicably ignoring this possibility. Read it for yourself here
https://www.rt.com/russia/554289-gonzalo-lira-disappearance-ukraine/
where Scott said
“A point of clarification,” I wrote, “I have no direct evidence that Gonzalo has been killed. I was clear I was referring to ‘reports emerging’ about his demise. But Gonzo said any disappearance of more than 12 hours should be treated as if something bad had happened to him. It’s been five days. If this had been a New York Times reporter disappearing in Russian-controlled territory, it would be headline news – especially if a Chechen ‘hunter killer’ team had taken credit for his death. But with Gonzo – silence. Which was the whole purpose of the post: To raise awareness about his disappearance.”
Did Gonzo truly not see this? Like I said he is either lazy or disingenuous. As much as I am dismayed by Ritter’s U-turn on his analysis, his integrity is head and shoulders above Gonzo’s. By the way, I call the man Gonzo intentionally because while he claims no one calls him that, Ritter makes it clear that Alex referred to him as such. Ritter seeks to present truth, Gonzo seeks celebrity.
It is possible that he didn’t see it. I remembered the original postings, and went back on Ritters telegram to check. Couldn’t find it. Just found his first posting in a more elaborate formatting. Then a while later, doing a duble check … I found both posts in originally formatting. Was weird. Maybe somekind of presentation feature of telegram.
Projection may not always be wrong because we have a lot in common as humans, so we may easily see elements of our own selves in other people. That doesn’t necessarily make anybody right or wrong. It may simply remind us that we are human, in the best case scenario.
War has a lot of deceit. It also demands a lot of faith. In one Ritter YouTube, he explained his philosophy as a Marine Intelligence officer. He explained that people died if he got it wrong. So he subscribed emphatically to speaking truth, as part of his training and his deep devotion to the truth, as a Marine officer. Integrity? Indeed, outstanding.
The ‘point of clarification’ came when many, started telling him that he is speaking of things that he did not know. I spoke up for him at the time.
Re ” Ritter NEVER said Gonzo was dead, he simply reported that there were reports he was dead”
I find this aspect of Lira’s accusations against Ritter totally weird.
Didn’t Lira know that at this blog, and elsewhere, the speculation was rife that he was dead.
I well remember the Ritter clarification that he was responding to rumors but had had not confirmation.
If Lira is so exercised about rumors of his death, he should be fulminating against the Saker and its commentariat, which was full of speculation as to Lira’s probable sad end, along with plenty of “God speeds.”
And, as Pamela posted on April 20,
“Scott Ritter absolutely did not “confirm” Gonzalo has been killed, he said there are “reports” that it happened. . . .Scott Ritter was posting the same crap everyone else read.”
“Ritter NEVER said Gonzo was dead”
Fyi
I read the Ritter statement that said Lira was dead. Then he retracted it with your link.
I seemed to me that Ritter was trying to get shead of the story without his investigative research ducks lined up. Hurt his credibility, frankly. Thought of it immediately when this next about face came up.
Otoh, We know the ptb have no compunction about killing people. One visit from a henchman saying they’re going to harm your family and then what. What would I do? What do any of the heads of state do when they are paid that kind of visit? I might guess they get on board with the globalist program.
No more Lies.
No more BS.
No more America–the Empire of Lies.
Maybe it’s all ‘maya’.
Maya
Illusion
Maya, literally “illusion” or “magic”, has multiple meanings in Indian philosophies depending on the context. In ancient Vedic literature, Māyā literally implies extraordinary power and wisdom. In later Vedic texts and modern literature dedicated to Indian traditions, Māyā connotes a “magic show, an illusion where things appear to be present but are not what they seem”. Māyā is also a spiritual concept connoting “that which exists, but is constantly changing and thus is spiritually unreal”, and the “power or the principle that conceals the true character of spiritual reality”.Wikipedia
Whether we love the magic or the world too much, it’s no guarantee that it’s good for us.
John 15:19 (KJV)
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
James 2:5 (KJV)
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
1 John 2:15 (KJV)
Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 3:1 (KJV)
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
I find this video from Celente the MOST informative about Ritter’s character and the nature of his analysis and how he sees it from his vantage point. He is not looking for his legacy and place in the Pantheon of mainstream media
SCOTT RITTER: Ukraine War Could Have Been Avoided, but Here’s Why Putin Will Achieve His Goals
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EFpKmbjhuk0
At the start he explains his background and training and how he followed the Sun Tzu principle of “know your enemy”.
Amaranth’s question about a new Ukrainian army may also relate to the idea of know your enemy as well.
Ritter actually confounds the statement and says “following the principles of Sun Tzu, know your enemy as yourself”. (1:58) The Christian scripture say “love your enemies” and “love your neighbour as yourself”.
I think I could go with ‘know your enemy as yourself’, but he certainly offers the big multicultural multi religious and secular and moral schematic in very few words as a summary of his personal development.
This is essentially a warfare site but we also get the Eastern Orthodox perspective, as a bonus, which I find fascinating.
But wisdom is not confined by nationalism or religion.
When Scott made the statement that Mr. Lira had been captured, tortured and killed by the SBU {even went so far as to name the unit responsible}, I accepted it as truth, even though I still held out hope he was alive. Then, low and behold, {and thankfully}, Mr.Lira shows himself in the flesh! Immediately I began to discount everything Scott has ever said. If he was so wrong about Mr.Lira’s fate, what else is he wrong about? I think Mr.Lira’s take on Scott is spot on, and it’s sad to think that someone could just sell their credibility and truth so cheap like that {and so quickly}. Then again, maybe Scott was telling the truth about Lira’s murder, and what we are seeing and hearing now is just a hologram of Lira {sarcasm}. Stay strong, well and among the living Mr. Lira.