My rant tonight – okay, I will try to clarify further

As I said:

The US Air Force has sent more of its bombers to Europe, deploying two B-2 stealth aircraft as part of a military exercise. On Sunday they joined three B-52 StratoFortress bombers already deployed in Britain.

All the visiting American aircraft are stationed at RAF Fairford, a British air base west of London.

“This deployment of strategic bombers provides an invaluable opportunity to strengthen and improve interoperability with our allies and partners,” said Adm. Cecil Haney, commander, US Strategic Command in a USAF statement. “The training and integration of strategic forces demonstrates to our nation’s leaders and our allies that we have the right mix of aircraft and expertise to respond to a variety of potential threats and situations.”

Putin can do what he is currently doing–which we have no knowledge of–and no more.

All the business about strengthening the borders and such like is complete horse shit. Putin is doing everything he can to destroy the Nazi’s.

Oh, and the Russian press.

Think about this, Saker. Think about it. Or, perhaps you’ve already thought about it. Hmmmm.

In any case, if you were Putin, what would you want the Russian press to do?

Well, you would obviously want the Russian Press to scream bloody murder that you were doing nothing. Isn’t that what you would want the Russian Press to do? If anything, they’re not screaming loudly enough.

“Through indirection seek direction out.”

All is well. Vladimir Vladimirovitch has not lost a trick. All those pretty F-15’s in Polish hangers with no place to go. A completely supine and lordotic American President without the excuse to bomb. Why, it’s enough to make a grown man cry.

More context:

Ukraine, known as Europe’s bread basket, is the world’s second-biggest crop exporter, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

ULF has been seeking to expand abroad. In April the company signed an agreement with China CAMC Engineering Co., a state-owned infrastructure group, which will build a grain port, warehouses and meat-production centers in the eastern European country, financed by $4.1 billion in Chinese loans, according to an exchange filing by the Chinese company.

Ukraine’s currency, the hryvnia, has lost about 30 percent this year. The depreciation may benefit ULF because the crops the company sells are priced in dollars and its biggest costs including wages and fuel are in hryvnia, according to Pablo Mazzini, an analyst at Fitch in London.

War drives the hrynia down which makes the oligarchs richer. But it has to be just the right amount of war. Pure evil.

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_06_09/Peace-settlement-in-southeastern-Ukraine-to-bear-fruit-in-days-Kremlin-7832/

This might explain why Russia is so defensive right now: they might try to give this a chance.

Dear Saker,

Here is FM3-24 presumably meant for Ukraine released in May by HQ Department of the Army “Insurgencies and Countering Insurgencies”. I haven’t much patience to wade through entire docs like this but I notice that they acknowledge GENEVA CONVENTION, COMMON ARTICLE 3:

http://www.fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-24.pdf

NON-INTERNATIONAL ARMED CONFLICT
13-33. The full body of the law of war only applies during international armed conflict … During counterinsurgency operations, Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions applies. Commanders must be aware of Common Article 3, and the basic protections that must be afforded to insurgents or others captured by U.S. forces, as well as the status of insurgents under the laws of the host nation.

GENEVA CONVENTION, COMMON ARTICLE 3
13-34. Although insurgencies can occur within the context of an international armed conflict, they are classically conflicts between states and non-state actors that are considered to be non-international armed conflicts.
13-35. It bears emphasis, however, that one article contained in all four of the Geneva Conventions—Common Article 3—is specifically intended to apply to non-international armed conflicts. Common Article 3 affords significantly fewer protections to combatants fighting in a non-international armed conflict than does the full body of the law of war in an applicable international armed conflict. However, it does set a simple baseline of humane protection, along with fundamental rules that reflect the principles captured in the broader law of war.
13-36. Common Article 3 requires that in the case of armed conflict not of an international character (a non-international armed conflict) occurring in the territory of one of the high contracting parties to the Geneva Conventions, each party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, to six provisions of Common Article 3.

(1) Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, to include members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, without any adverse distinction founded on race, color, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria.
(2) To this end, the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever with respect to the above-mentioned persons:
(a) Violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;
(b) Taking of hostages;
(c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment;
(d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court, affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.
(3) The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.
(4) An impartial humanitarian body, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, may offer its services to the Parties to the conflict.
(5) The Parties to the conflict should further endeavor to bring into force, by means of special agreements, all or part of the other provisions of the present Convention.
(6) The application of the preceding provisions shall not affect the legal status of the Parties to the conflict.

Brian

The Russian Revoltion was a epoch making moment.
============================

Indeed! It was the most serious attempt ever made to destroy Russia.
Almost successful, but only almost. It’s for this that the Neo-Bolsheviks are trying again so hard.

Sometimes someone is so full of it that you can’t tell the difference anymore. The last Czar was the Rus’ personified, you BBIIIPPP!!!

A Russian communist who still worships Bolsheviks and their leaders (none of them was Russian and killed millions upon millions of Russians) is an idiot or is a liar (i.e. a Neo-Bolshevik)!

Tertium non datur!

This is + or – an automatic translation. I hope it’s understandable.
We do not know whether Putin is a false leader, nor know the actual condition of Russia. We will see in the near future. But ..
1974 Kinshasa. Muhammad Ali against George Foreman.
Ali attacks immediately in the first round with the direct and not seriously damage Foreman, then dodged for the rest of the match, occasionally hits him in the face: the face of Foreman swells but nothing decisive. Ali was provoking the opponent challenging him … Foreman struck with violence and tired. Ali dodged. At the sixth round Foreman was tired, slow and with a swollen face.
In the eighth round a deadly right to the face closes the meeting.
I mean, why accept that the enemy (Uncle Shlomo) choose the desired field, the time, the way to fight?
A thousand small wounds bleed the animal to death.
A knife in the shadows kills like a 357 magnum.
Hunger kills.
The spider waits for the fly falling into the net …
When they run out of ammunition, the ukies who will do? When they runs out of gas, they will push the tanks?

The weapons used are found incidentally, Gazprom sells 90% of the gas out of the petrodollar … A thousand small cuts kill the beast. Uncle Shlomo officially gives lethal weapons to Syrian rebels: Russian weapons will also come, there is no alternative, and in the right hands.
Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz, when Joachim Murat offered him a cavalry charge against the Austro-Russians who were dividing their forces said that when the enemy is wrong, you must not interrupt him.
Here, I think this. Sorry for the length, but it is not my mother tongue and I do a lot of laps of words to explain what I think.

Andrew, are you just shocked by the Pope approaching Pentecost, the Trinity Sunday, by a so cool common prayer with Jews and Muslims or are you really saying that sending the Vella somewhere and threatening a strategic nuclear first strike is all that you need to get Russia’s obedience? No, it’s just that I’m wondering why Putin still has the Kremlin’s keys……

Maybe you/we need to be a little bit more patient. Look at this:

http://reseauinternational.net/douma-veut-reconnaitre-les-actions-kiev-genocide/?utm_source=feedly&utm_reader=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=douma-veut-reconnaitre-les-actions-kiev-genocide

“Ukraine launches dual talks with Russia to end fighting in east and avert gas cut
EU-mediated talks pose challenge to President Poroshenko’s commitment to Europe and vow to end deadly insurgency”

Epistles Reading of Today

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

=================================

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
==================================
Saint of today (Day Of the Holy Spirit): The Holy Confessor John the Russian, whose relics are on the island of Euboea (1730).

Things are coming clear at last. The Banderistas want the land in the east cleared of Moskals. The incentive of ‘free’ property in the east for anyone from the west who helps out has been raised. So even if the easterners are not killed immediately, if they don’t fight for their property while they can, they will end up like Palestinians in Israel, facing increasing restrictions on movement and constant harassment.

If it is indeed true that Obumma threaten to nuke Russian cities if Russian troops goes into Ukraine, that would be the best news to feed to the Russian media and let the Russian people express their feelings and outrage, and also at one stroke, nullify all the fifth columns in Russian society.

In fact, this news should be broadcast as widely as possible to the whole world and replayed over and over again. Let Obama be victim of the smear campaign. He MUST pay for what he said. Let the world see him for he truly is, especially by his Amerikan electorate.

President Putin, now wold be a good time to leak this conversation.

“… the Pentagon or White House called the Kremlin and threatened a strategic nuclear first strike in the event of an invasion, followed up about 20 minutes with a thermonuclear volley if necessary from the US mainland.”

Russia has the technology to completely neutralise Tomahawk missiles, either sending them astray or destroying them before they can do any damage. In return Russia has ship killing missile technology that could completely wipe out any ship on the Black Sea and even the Mediterranean.

I really do not think Russia has anything to worry about in this department. And I find it highly improbable that the White House called Putin and threatened him with a first strike. I would need to see pretty convincing evidence of that.

Saker,

I know what happens to your gut.
Sometimes, guts, instinct, warn us of something terrible, which is arround us and that the brain does not want to accept.
I think your gut warn you that we must surrender to the evidence that we are dealing with psycopaths, a partnership with them, to be precise.
And one can not expect compassion or humanity from a psycopath, nor can you deal with him.
Any attempt to rationalize what a psycopath does is a waste of time, while time earning by the psycopath to commit a cruelty or to inflict more suffering.
The psycopath does not appreciate
your patience or a sign of generosity on your part, rather interprets it as a sign of weakness or a sign that you are weakening, you´re on track to become the object of his macabre games.

So one does not meet with psycopaths in negotiations ( as well as having a pompous name like Geneva ). The psycopath will sign whatever, then missing it, because what he likes more ( besides humiliate or break your will )is breaking the rules and the law and cath you by surprise.
So one does not attend kind invitations to celebrate anything with psycopaths and their servants because it´s likely to be a trap to make you any wrongdoing or to make you the subject of more humiliation.
Finally one would not expect the psycopath cares his own death or even the end of the world where he himself live, because his life is so disgusting who does not mind ending anytime with this nothing, where thera is nothing, and don not feel nothing. ASnd he will love that everything runs for those enjoying the fresh air, the sun, the laughter of children, love, satisfaction with knowledge or a job well done, because he feels an intense envy of all who are not like he.

Nothing to do with the psycopath, he´s not going to change.
We can choose to move lanes if we did not feel strong enough to face it directly, or neutralize it.

Dear Saker.

I have been busy with university stuff for the last two weeks or so and only read your blog superficially i.e. I read your posts and Juan’s posts, but I did not have the time to follow the discussions properly, so forgive me if I take up issues and questions that you have already answered. Ok so to start with I would like to say that I enjoy your blog so much because it is the kind of sharp and intelligent analysis you seldom get but paired with a moral compass that is not tied to greed, money and empire. Thank you for that!

Now my questions:

1) When do you think by principle a country should intervene in another country? Prevent genocide? Prevent civil war? Prevent mass murder of civilians?

2) Do you think any of the prerequisites for a Russian intervention are fulfilled?

3) Do you not think that the East-Ukraine situation is a bear trap laid out for Russia to walk into? If it is a bear trap for Russia, so that the US can instigate a new cold war, would it be worth for Russia to walk right into so that it can save the civilians that may be killed in the future in Eastern Ukraine otherwise?

4) Do you think that the levels of violence that the Kiev regime is applying against cities and civilians is sustainable for any longer period of time?

5) In general, don’t you think that the concepts of R2P (responsibility to protect) and humanitarian interventions are dangerous bullshit ideas that seriously undermine international security and the sovereignty of all countries?

6)Wouldn’t an intervention in Ukraine ESSENTIALLY be an R2P intervention?

In my opinion Russia should only intervene if the Ukraine poses a threat to Russia. The only way I think it could threaten Russia is by joining NATO. If that was the case, an invasion seems reasonable.

Sorry in advance for any repeats. If you have already answered my questions elsewhere then sorry for hassle. Kind regards from Malmö.

David K.

All:

Regarding my provokative commentary and thesis about the US making nuclear threats to Russia over the Ukraine crisis, please note the following.

1) Of course I do not have a phone tap on the DC-Moscow hotline, what I am presenting is my reading of publicly available evidence from statements made in key press sources. It has been publicly stated that Washington has called Moscow to “discuss” the situation. These discussions are not a chat over a pint of beer, they are statements of intended actions and consequences in the event of certain behavior to permit the opponents to determine opposing intentions, game out events, set “red lines” and the like and possibly come to consensus on a settlement and defuse tensions. If you need an example of such a call, look at the threatening call Kolomoisky made to Oleg Tsaraev a few weeks ago then imagine it is Obama and Putin.

2) A tactical nuclear first strike is long standing NATO doctrine. In the event of a successful attack by Russian ground forces, the standing NATO response is delivery of B61 nuclear weapons from fighters and bombers on the invading armies and key Russian targets. The very small US deployment of a mere 18 fighters to the theater underscores that their function is not the sharp edge of a larger air force strike wing such as seen in Iraq, but to provide a direct response to Russian aggression in Ukraine with nuclear weapons on storage in Europe and now forward deployed to Poland and Lithuania with their delivery aircraft. The targets I stated are suppositional on my part but make sense to me. Destroying Sevastopol and Russian ground forces over the border is obvious. St. Petersburg is less obvious, but the only logical use of 6 fighter-bombers in Lithuania in this conflict when there is an absence of any threats in the Baltics. The proposed destruction of St. Petersburg is an emotional kick in the nuts to Putin, but also gives an opportunity for Moscow to reconsider its actions that provoked the strike and limit the destruction of any conflict by bowing to American demands before the remainder of Russia suffers a similar fate. Perversely, a limited use of tactical nuclear weapons does permit the possibility of a limited nuclear war, because the decision to escalate to a full strategic response of complete annhilation is not required – a white flag can be raised with the loser walking away licking their chops but maintaining their future potential threat posture.

3) It goes without saying that few people want a nuclear exchange. But few people wanted the annhilation of western civilization in WWI either. The existence of nuclear weapons implies their use must be threatened periodically or else their existence does not serve any purpose. If the US, for example, is actually unwilling to ever consider a scenario in which a nuclear response is appropriate, it might as well unilaterally dismantle its nuclear weapons.

(end part 1)

All:

One more thing, as a matter of principal, International Law is a construct coming out of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The basis of International Law is the legitimizing and regulating of the desired actions of the participants in that peace, thus making it that anything they do within the rules of Westphalia meets automatic acceptance by the “International Community”.

In other words, International Law is a statement that the nations of the Westphalian peace – England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and Spain have moral agency and an ability to act in the international sphere without constraint if they follow the agreed upon rules, and that other nations can only be added to this special group by mutual acceptance, which has only happened to the English daughter nations – US, Canada, Australia, and formerly South Africa. These countries have the legal right to do things like invade other countries, overthrow foreign governments, support revolutions, or combine or break up other states provided they do so as a part of group consensus. Thus, Germany can arm and back Croatia against Yugoslavia, but Yugoslavia cannot defend her own territorial integrity in Bosnia. France can invade Mali and the US invade Haiti, but Iraq cannot invade Kuwait. Britain can seize Cyprus and Egypt from the Ottomans, but Russia cannot take Romania or Bulgaria.

It doesn’t matter that this is hypocritical, it is what it is, and the interpretation of the international scene over the past 200+ years will only begin to make sense when you view it through this lens.

All:

The current presence of a threatened US nuclear tactical strike on a Russian invasion of East Ukraine also makes sense of Yulia Timoshenko’s seemingly delusional rant caught on phone tap about Russians in East Ukraine that “we should destroy them all with nuclear weapons.”

That seems utterly incoherent coming from a former head of state unless one considers this possibility: Ukraine’s leadership has greenlighted the US to deliver nuclear warheads on any invading Russian armies in Donbass/Novorossiya, and the green light is specifically to their willingness to sacrifice the entire Russian civilian population of east Ukraine in a nuclear holocaust initiated on Ukrainian territory by America to stop an invasion.

Looked at this light, Yulia was not ranting incoherently, but lucidly discussing with Nestor Shufrych Ukraine/America’s actual military strategy. And possibly purposefully using an unsecure phone line (complete with her later “Hello FSB” statement) in order to deliver a threat to Russian leadership and simultaneously discuss the plan with her counterparty.

Although Gogol wrote that dogs wrote letters, I expect we are humans writing blog.

As humans we will all die.

Some of you espouse religions.

So what is so frightening about nuclear war?

This fear helps the master whip the dog.