By Paul Schmutz Schaller for the Saker Blog
I claim that 2019 will be the year when it has become obvious that the case of the Western hegemony is lost. In my text „Iran or the fight for the strategic initiative“ (August 7, 2019), I wrote that the Western hegemonic forces and the worldwide anti-hegemonic forces fight for the strategic initiative and that Iran is actually the center of this combat. Since then, the situation has evolved. The hegemonic side has clearly lost the initiative, much quicker than I expected.
No aggressive objective has been achieved by the Trump government
Under President Trump, the USA had three main targets: China and North Korea, Iran and the Middle East, Venezuela and Cuba. All the corresponding attacks have been successfully repelled.
After the protests in Ecuador and in Chile and the elections in Bolivia and Argentina, the political position of Venezuela has been much strengthened. Now, the isolated countries in South America are rather Brazil and Colombia, not Venezuela.
Iran has fended off all direct aggressions. The decision of the Iranian leadership to exclude negotiations with the USA has prevailed. The Supreme Leader Khamenei recently said (IRNA, 3 November): „This prohibition on negotiations is based on a firm logic. It blocks the enemy’s infiltration, shows the world the greatness of the Islamic Republic, and destroys the false greatness of the US in the eyes of the world. […] Negotiating with the U.S. will not solve any problems.“ Moreover, the attacks on the Iranian regional allies have failed. In Lebanon, hostile forces aimed at weakening Hezbollah by exploiting the protest movement. However, Hezbollah has reacted with great assurance. In his speech of November 1, Nasrallah said (Alahednews, November 1): “Thanks to the awareness, the Lebanese people have been able to foil some schemes that sought to worsen the situation, which might have led to internal confrontation and street chaos. […] What prevented the chaos was the level of awareness, discipline and insight that many Lebanese people enjoyed in different areas. […] A new government must be formed as soon as possible. […] We call for a real sovereign government whose decision should be purely Lebanese. We must talk about the American role that prevents Lebanon from getting out of its current situation.” In Iraq, there is a similar situation; while the outcome is not yet very clear, it is obvious that strong political Iraqi forces are definitely aware of the dangers. Finally, Saudi Arabia’s war against Yemen loses more and more support. After the United Arab Emirates had retired their troops from the Saudi coalition, the same step has been undertaken by Sudan.
Concerning North Korea, the political leadership has judiciously defended the national interests while remaining open for an improvement of the relations with the USA – if the latter give up their hostile politics. Eventually, there is the so-called trade war between USA and China. Apparently, the USA has not the power of scaring China. While some experts doubt that there will be an agreement, I rather think that a (partial) agreement will be reached, in the sense that China will make some economical concessions in exchange for a strategical upgrading by the US government and, subsequently, by the world.
The leaders in the anti-hegemonic camp are much stronger than the Western leaders
Actually, the Western propaganda cannot present a positive image of a Western political leader. Macron’s and Trudeau’s star has faded – they were introduced as the Western sonnyboys: young, handsome, and dynamic. Merkel had some qualities, but has now lost her influence, and her designated successor Kramp-Karrenbauer cannot persuade the German population. Corbyn (UK) gave some cause for hope, but his nebulous politics with regard to Brexit were very unconvincing. Also, the influence of von der Leyen, the new president of the European Commission, will probably be quite restricted, given the fact that she is German, but not very popular in Germany. The lack of strong political leaders is underlined by the fact that Western media build up Greta Thunberg as a political icon.
So, for the moment and despite the resistance of the political establishment, bulldogs like Trump and Johnson (UK) rather dominate the Western image market. However, their charisma is limited and they will not be able to unite the ruling classes in their countries.
On the other hand, very strong political leaders have emerged on the anti-hegemonic side. The intelligence and strategic foresight of Putin is worldwide recognized. Xi is one of the very rare political leaders who have a clear vision of the development of their countries for the next 30 years. Most remarkably is the fact that the Middle East has produced a number of outstanding political leaders. Nasrallah is Secretary General of Hezbollah since 1992 (he had 32 years) and he apparently is recognized as a key figure of the whole Middle East. The Supreme Leader Khamenei is at his post since 1989 and has guided his country without major crises, against the very harsh hostility of the USA and Israel. During the 8 years of war, President Assad has gained the status of a grand political leader. He now slowly wins the international respect which he merits.
The Western economy is very defensively oriented
Even for a layperson in economical matters, it has become obvious that the Western economical politics are irrational. The prolonged strategy of very low interests seems to be dominated by the panic of an economical crisis. However, this strategy neutralizes an important motor for economical innovations and adaptations. The unique aim is the preservation of the status quo. This cannot go well.
The Western societies reflect this situation. Considering wage labour as an aim in life – which should enable one to progress socially – has widely lost its attraction. The aim is merely to have a job, at least. This echos the weakness of Western hegemony which no longer is able to enrich major parts of the populations.
This situation is in sharp contrast to the dynamic development in Asia. There, the economical integration progresses rapidly. One gets the strong impression that East and Southeast Asia already live in a post-Western world. By the way, this was earlier described by „Conical Hat“ (on the Saker Blog), see „Special Report: Vietnam between US, Russia and China“ (May 12, 2015).
The great unknown: the reaction of the Western populations
This remains an enigma for me. Large segments of the Western populations, despite all their education, their possibilities of information, their journeys, seem to live in a fictive world, still – pathologically – believing in the superiority of the West. Of course, this cannot continue for a very long time. But how will react the populations when they become aware of the world’s political and economic new realities?
One possible reaction is frustration, as demonstrated in Hong Kong since some months, a frustration which is exploited by some fascist gangs. This kind of reaction is prepared by the hate (against all anti-hegemonic forces) which is expressed – on a daily basis – by leading Western newspapers. Another possibility is a steady escalation of the inner confrontations, resulting in a civil war situation.
Of course, some kind of soft transition also remains possible. But this would urgently call for more engagement of leading figures in the West. Macron’s admission that the Western hegemony is coming to an end, certainly was a step in the right direction. Another example can be found in the article „Is Trump At Last Ending Our ‚Endless Wars’ ?“, written by Patrick Buchanan, which appeared in The Unz Review on October 8, where the author writes: „And, yes, there is a price to be paid for letting go an empire, but it is almost always less than the price of holding on.“ And clearly, the fact that somebody like Tulsi Gabbard exists and gains some popularity, is very positive. Nevertheless, much more is needed in order to prevent violent eruptions in Western countries, provoked by parts of the populations which cannot accept the changes in the world.
Let me finish with a personal remark, illustrating the weakness of consciousness in the West. Despite the fact that I never had a profession linked to (geo)political analysis and that I do not dispose of particular relations in order to get some „secret“ informations, I have the impression that my reading of the worldwide events is clearer than that of most professional analysts in Switzerland. This was neither planned, nor makes me particularly proud or joyful. It just became more and more evident through the years and it does not stop astonishing me. It is part of this enigma regarding Western populations.
Paul; Your analysis is coherent, compared to professionals as you do not have to please a rich boss in order to keep a job. Professionals are almost by definition obliged to have their heads up their asses, in order to be seen by the controlling influences that look down upon them from height and power, to justify their income.
This is an impressive analysis, although I, too lack any kind of formal qualifications to back up my views of the passing scene. I want to comment on what seemed a central point of your presentation: the reactions of the Western populations. Being one of these people all my life gives me some grounds for comment.
What we see now is a culmination of massive and intensive mind control on the peoples of the West. The beginning first showed itself with the accession of Madison Avenue marketing techniques over our unique political process. If this is not stunningly obvious to the reader, then I have nothing to tell you. But if you, too, see this terrifying evolution, then the wide spread madness and vicious violence in political street action has an explanation.
It is our cultural sin that members of our own brilliant classes developed and then handed these incredible tools to psychopaths, moral midgets, and surprisingly stupid oppressors. It is like handing controls of nuclear weapons to primary school children. They, of course, are mesmerized by the power of these tools and imagine that they can be used to achieve any desired goal.
The explanation for the surprising stupidity that shows in so many major psy-ops is found here. Believing that they have attained complete control of the minds of the population, they feel no need for careful planning and execution. After all, they can handle any kind of problem by commanding their hypnotized slaves.
They seem to me to be defeated mostly by the pesky complexity of reality — vastly beyond the conception of their tiny minds. Operating at a world wide scale, phenomena keep occurring that the operators did not foresee. Although their mind control is very powerful, they produce a result that their narrative cannot predict nor explain.
Thus we are faced with massive cognitive dissonance throughout this soporific population. Because mad men are running the magic show, we are all being driven insane.
Well said.
The so-called ‘West’ has never been hegemonic.
It is the Globo Transnational Zionist elite which is hegemonic. Nothing will change that so long as we continuously accept being misdirected and encouraged to blame the disappearing middle class.
It’s about class and class alone.
Well described, but lacking a coherent explanation as to the mechanism by which the amassing to the “complete control of the minds of the population” has failed to deliver the outcomes so obviously sought.
My explanation for that is that party politics, (the means by which the ruling class fools the plebs into believing they actually select their leaders), continuously selects for people who do not understand and cannot properly manage conflicted interests. Those that do and can, refuse to be involved in party politics because that game is riddled with conflicted interests that cannot be honestly resolved. Those same people are generally not prepared to deceive those that would elect them and so either stand as independents or do not stand at all.
The system can be brought undone, simply by voters refusing to play the game and not voting for party candidates.
By why do voters continue to play the game? Despite an abysmal approval rating hovering around 20%, American voters routinely re-elect the Congressional “representatives” they despise by margins between 80-90%.
This deep cognitive dissonance is a reflection of the false beliefs continuously nurtured by capitalist theologians and the deep state operatives they employ. Those false beliefs are built primarily on fear, fear of Russia/China/Iran/terrorists, fear of immigrants, fear of colored people, fear of gays/transgender folks, etc.
Don’t neglect the trilogy of stupidity (50% are of below median intelligence, many far below)pig ignorance and life-long and totalist brainwashing. Then there is the malign effect of a poisonous diet and metabolic derangement seen in the epidemic of dementia, and the effects of massive and ubiquitous pollution, including glyphosate which looks like being a truly horrific cataclysm, given its effects on our gut biota. It’s a wonder that any Merkin can still add two to two and get four-or thereabouts.
The USA will not go down willingly,
There is a reason they have doped their people with drugs and BS, to make a passive mercenary army, just like World-War-Z which lionized Israel, they can send the zombie masses of the USA anywhere they wish, anytime to wreck havoc on any people any place.
USA was a penal-colony, now its a zombie walled prison, and they can flood any place anywhere.
To think that the USA is down, and not use this weapon is oversimplification, the rabid animal that is the USA is most dangerous at this stage, especially given its owners belief in the SAMSON-OPTION, which says, if we can’t own it, then nobody owns it, its going to be destroyed.
To often an article like this will give people a fuzzy feeling that the beast is going to die in its sleep, NO their plan is that you die in your sleep.
USA still have +60% of world reserve currency transactions, which means they still have monopoly control of world biz, until that power is dropped less than 10% do not quit fearing this rabid animal.
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Prior to Obama people said “Black President”, I said no, they’re just putting a black face on murder of people that are non-white, it didn’t look good, Now the USA is back to killing everyone and they have a white-moron as the figurehead. dTrumpf is giving normal whites a bad name, the end-game here is to make everyone hate everyone, so their is no blood on the Zionist hands.
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HK, ok its a nation of spoiled rotten little brats whose parents own $1M dollar apartments, these brats have no hope of ever owing, they have no hope of getting a job to ‘make it in HK’, even the Chinese are no longer investing in HK, Macau is way better, safer cleaner and nicer, and Shenzhen is the future and Hainan. From Macau you can see the new future world their building on the mainland, it rivals any disneyland on earth.
HK is dead, its an old washed out UK whorehouse, not unlike Taiwan was for the USA. The Chinese are just going to wall in HK, and not let out the trouble makers, in essence HK will be “Escape from NY”, like the movie there will be no escape from HK. HK used to be a UK prison, fitting that it becomes a Chinese prison.
Shanghai, Beijing have all mastered the finance of HK, its not needed it can die on the vine.
Somebody should tell Israel that they “LOST”, I don’t think they got the message.
@eagle eye:
“Well described, but lacking a coherent explanation as to the mechanism by which the amassing to the “complete control of the minds of the population” has failed to deliver the outcomes so obviously sought”.
Yes, sought for without reflecting upon the blowback factor – which always accompanies warping of reality – because hell – we only life once – and hell after us. THAT is the deeper psychopathic strata to which the lower level alchemists have fallen prey themselves.
This game went well as long the detritus could be projected outward into more violent expansion, but becomes a life threatening all self destroying force when contained within.
Those who schemed the whole in the background knew what they did and partially still do, they are invisible still and can therefore be anywhere they want from where they initiate the next phase – largely without ‘The West’, still holding some important keys in their hands (The REAL keys are in Russia’s hand).
Very much of what they did cannot be undone, but it can be transformed IF enough people can be brought back into reality and thus into contact with god, HE can heal anything !
Those who scheme these things are not of the same faether as we are, but another one, which was hated by God since the beginning of time, because of this, they always appear in the form of parasites, magicians with mighty spells, cabals, secret sects, and true, much they know and have accumulated. Nonetheless, their fate is eternal darkness, nothing can change that.
We are to overcome them (including them in ourselves, because deeply planted is the poisonous fruit) to make the next step on the ladder towards God. One could even say that they – the parasites – are our teachers as well who also show us the way, if one is able to see also in the dark the traces of God…
This is an excellent article and confirms what I have written on numerous occasions, namely that the elites in the West, led by the American one, are still living in the past, unable to grasp the changes that are occurring in the world. This is seen by Washington’s imperial initiatives towards Russia, China, North Korea, Syria, Iran and Venezuela. All the initiatives suffered defeats.
Worse for the West, the elites are also living in the past when it comes to their domestic policies, thinking that their social status can be both maintained and enhanced by “reforms” of the type tried by the French nobility back in 1789. We all know what happened after that.
Civil wars in Western countries ? I don’t think so. However, what we will certainly get will be severe social and political disturbances, resembling civil wars and caused by either financial collapses or disputes over immigration policies.
Finally, during the past 20 years I have been reading analysis by experts that Western economies are going in the wrong direction, namely downward. Remarkable how many people refuse to accept this fact. I have a feeling that the day of judgement will be quite a shock.
“Civil wars in Western countries ? I don’t think so.”
Though I would comply with much you have written (especially that ‘living in the past’, that’s spot on. They always seem to grab the old playbooks, it’s becoming kind of boring), here I start to wonder.
Remember the Yugoslavia war? Much is still to be relieved from the shades, but fact is it was a civil war, within a day driving from where I live (Germany), and where almost all people can read and write.
May I give a first impression of where a civil war may break out? I think France. I don’t live there, but I understand and speak French, and have been there a lot while have had family living there.
Don’t forget that France is a highly organised country, and forget that cartoonish idea that everywhere Frenchmen are playing accordeon with a baguet under their arm.
Just like in the USA, where I witnessed it when I was there, there is an large difference between the cities and the countryside.
On the countryside, other than in the cities, most discussions like between village inhabitants or even neighbours, are arranged at the kitchen table. Without documents (very un-French) things are dealed with, even contractual-like things, people shake hands, drink a glass of wine, make a few jokes, and that’s the deal. And keeping to that. As they say there ‘Paris, c’est loin’ (Paris, it’s far away).
Do we realize, that French people on the countryside are heavily armed? Almost every house I have been, had somewhere a rifle, due to a very traditional hunting tradition.
I’m not so sure about the slim chances of civil wars. But when it happens, ‘Gott sei gnädig mit uns allen’.
But for the rest, quite bulls eye. Just like the author, my compliments.
Cheers, Rob
You cannot stop a civil war when Evil outside forces will spend billions provoking it and you have fascistic emigre’ forces ready and willing to leave their infestations in the West and return to their ancestral homelands and begin killing. In any case an economic and class civil war rages all the time in the West, as the ruling parasites steal ever more of the country’s wealth, and treat the serfs with ever more vicious misanthropy and class hatred.
Western elites believe themselves to be Chosen People, following the Judaic delusion. It would be catastrophic to ignore the vicious and villainous racism and xenophobia of the Western Herrenvolk. They truly believe that other ‘races’, cultures and civilizations are sub-human untermenschen in comparison to themselves. And this delusion of supremacism extends along class lines to the untermenschen of the lower ranks in their own societies, subjected to unending and sadistic austerity and social bullying and economic devastation.
@Mulga Mumblebrain
“racism and xenophobia of the Western Herrenvolk”
THAT is one of the very first things one gets acquainted with in school REALLY – a surrogate for contanct with reality – and fully DNA-ed in the buzzyness-world of funny money, loosers, and the winner takes it all. There IS NO TOMORROW, NO YESTERDAY, only now (or nothing to be precise) !
Can you feel the Magic and the rage ???!!
The whole can be reduced to a rather small set of pawlovian learning. The wrong wins, the right loses, that simple, the very best way to replace reality with illusion. From this point one can then add any additional ingredients and special flavors and nicely developed inverted dialectics..
But as Rob mentioned there are fortresses of resistance – those whom by profession – still need to be in connection with the real of nature and man.
Thus the chosen ones really hate the countryside outside their castles that is, of course…
They don’t like weapons in ‘wrong’ hands, makes em’ sorta nervous from time to time, HeHeHe…and right they are !!!!
I always remember a friend who, when we were young, explained his nascent fascistic tendencies with the observation that he was a ‘Rightíst, because ‘Right’ meant correct, true and worthy, as in ‘He was right’. He did not even know that the Latin for Left is ‘sinister’, but I’m sure he would have treated it as a divine revelation.
If Deutsche Bank continues it’s ‘death spiral’ it will make Lehman Bros look like a day in the Park.
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/the-deutsche-bank-death-watch-has-taken-a-very-interesting-turn
Global downturn is already happening in the West, collapses in retail and nearly negative interest rates allied to constant QE spells disaster.
Question is do the elites hang on or let go and get into creative radical economic thinking. I doubt it because they simply aren’t capable of it and are absolutely and I mean steadfastly wedded to neoliberal dogma, it’s like their last stand and we are all going to pay for the gullibility of the populations and the hubris of western elites.
I saw one economic theorist attempting to explain why negative interest rates presage a radical depopulation in the near future. Interesting thought I, and not unexpected.
I would have to agree with you Ed Walsh. The CIA mind control program has been succesful if it is judged solely on their ability to control peoples minds. Unfortunately though, their minds have been programmed for colkective failure of our nation, so with that in mind, the mind control program has been an absolute disaster. War and economics are high entropy prospects, and regardless of beating the odds in economics, a mathmatically unfeasible financial system with a debt based monetary system in addition to a fractional reserve system, and an economy reliant on enormous quantities and dollar amounts of imports is really just well, like a nuclear chain reaction set to explode, so, maybe Xi and Rouhani might want to borrow some fiat currencies from private bankers like our brilliant leaders, I mean puppets, rather than creating their own currencies, that would really help out the Jewish Welfare system, I mean Wall Street.
With deep regret, you make many valid points that thru extensive reading has discussed these issues several times so Iam aware of them. I love USA and we have so much to be thankful for but I see daily it gets crazier and more out of touch with reality. Were I to say to people what you just wrote, I would be attacked andthey would brand you as liar and Russian so don’t bother saying anything. Yes, Washington is owned by the billionares who pass bills in their interests. Unfortunately, Americans are spoiled and should these things come true, there could be violence. The left has become powerful, they have lied to the public, disrespected themselves, our Country and office of the President and Americans have bought it. It does not sound hopeful
Just check out any FoxNews report concerning China, if you want to see maniacal self-delusion allied to the most pig ignorant racism, imaginable. If it was not so stunningly sinister and demented, you’d laugh yourself silly at the sight of a creature like ‘Newt’ Gingrich spewing contempt and hate at the Chinese. The fall of their Empire of Full Spectrum Dominance is doing their heads in-it’s the vacuum, I suppose.
The hegemony is collapsing.
Just one problem. I think they will rather intentionally start a global thermonuclear war rather than relinquish power.
They are that crazy. When faced with letting humanity take back their planet and being forced to pay for their crimes, they will almost certainly start lobbing nukes around rather than allow themselves to face justice.
Which is why things are going to get really, really dangerous. And I’m afraid that if these people aren’t literally disarmed at gunpoint by their own country’s citizens, that things will go nuclear.
This is exactly my worry. And for the same reason. The people running the United States are “that crazy.”
I worry about that eventuality too. But the game both the retards and the mentally advanced are playing is the well known chair game. They cling to this game as if real life, by the time the chairs become scarce so will the dreaded buttons. The last duet standing will rock the chair very hard to their own hanging.
We’ll happily leave them rot in their game cemetery and relearn to look at life again.
@Anonymus
The Russians have nuclear driven Cruise Missiles who can stay in the air for years….and reach any point on the globe, also the Net works both ways the spy is also being spied – no place to hide really for ANYONE including the chosen few.
I wouldn’t wan to be on that hacienda in Paraguay or Chile if things get weired, could become very, very ugly in no time there as well…..when word spreads….or that missile delivers a last blinding greeting.
THAT they know of course, thus they don’t want this to happen, only because of THAT the Donald is in charge and will for some time to come.
If the nuclear potential of the US becomes unstable, the Russians and Chinese will act swiftly and decisevily to secure it, THAT also is certain even with the help of some parts of the US-Administration and the loyal part of the US military !!! (Btw. would make for a great movie series….explaining everything….somebody should actually do it)
The real lunatics, like Pence, Pompeo, Bolsonaro, Morrison, ‘The Family’, and the Christian Zionist nutters, etc, actually look forward to thermo-nuclear war, to usher in the End Times of their sad, sick, psychopathic pseudo-religious, genocidal fantasies. It’s also why ‘Christian’ fanatics don’t care about the ecological Holocaust on this planet.
Asia is growing because the West is backing it, and has backed it from the start. This repetitive cheerleading for China versus America is becoming dull and unattractive, wouldn’t it be more sensible to consider that the failing hegemony narrative is a false narrative? Please consider for yourself whether Europe, America or any Western nation could lead the united world into a collective situation? And as this is the goal of the world bankers, to control all, at all times, is it not too perfect that China should slip into this present mold so neatly?
I like your post Sourpuss, in its accuracy despite how terrifying it is. I have often truly wondered if China has been chosen as the next vehicle for the next phase of the NWO. Certainly the Chinese have been trained to be consumers largely bereft of political freedom. I think the bankers would opt for this plan worldwide. I don’t how much nationalism in China is positive, fake or genuine. It’s quite impossible to tell if you don’t speak their language or travel the country extensively.
I disagree however that it will be done neatly by any stretch however. I hope a multi-polar world with other countries moderating China may still work (i.e.: Russia). It’s impossible to say how realistic this is.
As for the USA, and western Europe for that matter, I think their ability to defeat or even threaten anyone has passed. Iran’s boldness is example A. There are many others. I believe civil war is more likely. The US ruling elites will just lash out at the closest group of defenceless victims they can find-their own citizens. I am Canadian, I would not be shocked one day to see millions of American refugees spill over our borders one day. That would pretty much finish off our already weak and pathetic vassal state.
Mark, will they come in winter? Anyone spilling over the Canadian border ought to be well trained in ‘homesteading’. Ain’t gonna happen, ever. They’ll send thier baby killas to secure thier oil, and ‘that’ll be that’ ipso facto. Okay, maybe the really stupid directionally challenged will limp across the border with frost bitten toes and nose but the smart one brain cell ones will head south……………………………..with the buffalo.
As for China, many Canadians see China, as the USA of Asia, apparently they are rude and selfcentered.
Yep, sean-all Chinese are alike. I noticed that too.
Luckily, they dress differently………..thank Mao……………………
For what it’s worth, the USA only wants Alberta and BC.
What is ‘political freedom’ under ‘liberal capitalism’? The ‘freedom’ to vote for one or other of two, usually, identical parties, both totally owned and controlled by the real ‘Deep State’-the rich owners of society. This ‘freedom’ comes every few years, and, if you vote for the losers, your vote is totally in vain. However, if you vote for the winners, while your vote is in vain, as the politicians ignore you completely, at least you can brag about being a ‘winner’. If you protest, even concerning existential crises like Near Term Human Extinction caused by the ecological collapse of the planet’s life-support systems, you’ll get arrested-for starters. Later on, when things get desperate, more ‘dissuasion’ will be used. That’s really existing ‘freedom’ under capitalism. The freedom to consume, be silent and die.
nope, mr sourpuss.
First that asia is growing not b.e.c.a.u.s.e the west has backed them but a.f.t.e.r. the west has, self deceivingly backed them thru a focus in its own interest. Second is growing precisely because its core leader (China) has been doing the opposite – and firmly oriented all along by a Communist party: CPC. If if the core is so powerfully magnetic, it is useless to resist it – even for the stupid vassals of australia, NZ, and South korea. As even their vassalical citizens are turning more aware every passing day.
And the crumbling story is not a narrative, it is a fact evidenced week after week before our eyes (i don t however know if also before yours).
It is merely your pre assumption that the elite world bankers will take the top seat in Beijing as well.
Paul,
I do not know which alternate media sites you feed on but I can understand your point of view. It only speaks for the quality of information that comes from sites like The Saker, A Strategic Culture, Checkpoint Asia, SputnikNews, The UnzReview, NetNewsFr, MoonOfObama , etc. I think we’re on the right track and great thanks for such people.
Did anybody hear that sound? That sound was more Euros, Renminbi, Rupees, Yen and Lira going into the Multi-Polar Petrol Currencies than that of D0llars going into the Petrol D0llar today. That sound is going to be getting just a little louder each and every day going forward. One day soon the D0llar is going to make up just one of many Multi-Polar Petrol Currencies.
Empires have come and gone, maybe this time we stop the next one from coming at the beginning. Hope dies last and I’m still hopeful.
The West possesses a fundamentalist belief that “Western values” are not only universal values but also represent the highest form of human development. America’s boastful proclamation about the End of History after the Cold War, as well as its delusions about the USA being the Exceptionalist Nation are only the most malignant expression of this broader Anglo/European false religion.
As a result, there is no way in Hell that the West will give up what it believes is its God-given world historical domination that it has possessed for the past 500 years–without engaging in a massive World War.
Indeed, we are already *inside* of World War 3–albeit, one that is largely a hybrid war involving economic sanctions, financial and trade wars; military covert operations; political destabilization/balkanization campaigns disguised as pro-democracy movements; and unending information warfare demonizing the “enemy.”
Thus, America is imposing economic sanctions on Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, and China; military encircling Russia, China, and Iran; actually invading, occupying, or bombing Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan; and bankrolling weaponizing Color Revolution proxies from Moscow to Hong Kong to Tehran to Caracas to Managua; and pushing Two Minutes of Hate campaigns against Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela through its self-styled Free Press.
How the hell is that *not* a global (hybrid) war?
I guarantee you that if the West–and especially the Anglo Americans–were on the receiving end of even a fraction of this warfare, they would be throwing a massive Pity Party for themselves greater than they did after the Sept. 11th “terror” attacks.
The hordes of brainwashed drones that comprise the citizens of the vaunted Western “democracies”–including the fake alternative media and pseudo-dissidents–are *willfully ignorant* of this world war.
The reason why is obvious: they are not on the receiving end of the global war; they are on the delivery end of this global war.
Your viewpoint is very different if you are the one dropping the bomb, as opposed to the one having the bomb dropped on your head. The West exemplifies the former.
As such, the arrogance and insouciant of the West–and of the Anglo Americans in particular–are without limit.
But as Proverbs 16:18 reminds us: Pride Goeth before Destruction, and a Haughty Spirit before a Fall.
I’m sorry, I just don’t see ‘hordes of brainwashed drones’ in the society in which I live, which is I think a fairly typical US lower middle class with some faint tinges of wealthy folk on the perimeter, the latter increasingly having the air of fog-encumbered albatrosses (It was supposed to be fun being us – where is that fun???)
The fun is with us, the deplorables, you ninnies! Life is what it is all about and we have that. We know you for what you are, and we are bent on surviving and living life because we know life is short and family is important. We are resigned to the crappy entertainment you think we love – no, we don’t – it goes right over our heads. We are resigned to the lack of news – we make our own and it is a good clean world we live in. You are the ones who have lost your way, not us! We live by example, and we live happy, free of guilt. We tried to sort you out, but you wouldn’t have us; you shut us out. Okay, fine.
Do you have friends, real friends, you who look down on us? I doubt it! Call us names, we don’t care. We have fought the good fight peacefully and the good Lord smiles on us, not on you! Want to have a good time? Want to sleep soundly at night without narcotics? Go mow a lawn without a machine; go feed a starving almost-child; go actually stand on the street with a sign saying ‘will work for food’ yourself.
Want to live in the real world? Join us! It’s increasingly a rough life; but it is REAL. And it’s the way most of the rest of the world lives. We are with them! And that’s a very good thing.
Juliana, I’m with you. May we fight for what we believe, locally and whenever possibly, globally.
Thanks for you post. It energized me.
Western Values are not implemented in the West for as much as anyone agrees on what they are. Bombing people at wedding parties was nat a “Western Value” when I was growing up.
is the third world war going to begin in Syria..given the US build-up there?
what in heavens name are we witnessing in Syria?
is that an effort at protecting Israel from the new military reality on the ground? is it a tactical ground based move preparation for attacking Iran?
a tinkling in the back of my mind says that the USA is going to expand massively in that portion of Syria and lord only knows what could result from that. seems to me like world war building up…
I been thinking about exactly this subject for the last few days.
My conclusion is still similar to Marx: the capitalists will sell us the rope to hang them with.
Capitalism is essentially a predatory/parasitic system that collapses and dies once it runs out of things/resources/people/land to exploit and steal from. It cannot sustain itself; it’s has no feedback mechanism feeding the wealth back into the system; all the wealth created goes to the top, the the few 0.00001% leaving everyone else to fight for scraps. It’s a virus; once it overwhelms an organism, the organism dies, taking the virus with it.
We are witnessing this everywhere where there is the so called “Western liberal democracies”. Show me one of them doing well: there is NONE!
USA, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Chile, none of them are doing anything economically. USA and EU are down to parlor tricks, QE to keep their fake systems going. They got no real economy; it’s all smoke and mirrors. Soon, very soon indeed they won’t be able to sustain their systems. 2008 will be a walk in the park compared to whats coming to their so called “free market capitalistic economies”.
I can make a whole article out of this comparing the Chinese/Russian economies to the fake Western economy but there isn’t really any need.
The long-term future of humanity – if we are to have a long-term future – is almost certainly a future as one, united, co-operating species.
I share the author’s enthusiasm for the decline of arrogant, imperialist, militarised ‘western’ hegemony, but at some point human beings (all of us) need to grow up and stop treating this living world as though it’s a board game to be played between hostile forces. The world has been on a knife-edge of global nuclear war for 60+ years now, The environment has deteriorated fast as exploit it in a destructive scramble for opulence and dominance. The human species can’t continue like this forever – or even for much longer. Mutually hostile armed camps is what we must transcend – not come to terms with as a permanent feature of life.
The need for democratic, truly accountable global UNITY has never been greater – and it’s more than sad that the momentum for this is, at least superficially, less than it was during the Kennedy Administration nearly 60 years ago.
We can overcome permanent warfare – but we need to make that happen. It starts with the aspiration to actually achieve world peace. Outstanding pro-peace leaders such as Corbyn and Gabbard can be a bridge to a better world – but we need to support them and watch their backs more effectively than the good folk of 1963.
Capitalism will disappear by 2050, either because its cancerous ethos of infinite growth and insatiable greed will be rejected by humanity, or because it will have destroyed the world and most Life on Earth.
capitalism will indeed disappear soon. this I agree with..though I have forced myself to keep an open mind relative to other more positive possibilities of resolution.
yet 2050..30 years is long. I see speedier resolution than that
Blessed be the man that spares these stones and cursed be he that moves my bones.(Shakespeare)
Shall we move the bones of the old actors a little? Present day South America, USA, England, Middle East and many other countries are quickly falling under the yolk of commercial empires and today many folk are considering mutiny. So what can we learn from the past?
Today a universal sadness engulfed me so that if I were taken in a net, or forwarded to hell in irons, I could not have felt my freedom more completely gone.(Fletcher Christian)
“I have many commercial interests with many partners, but I am primarily just a scientist. My aim is to enrich the knowledge of man. I certainly do not enrich myself at the expense of mankind. To suggest such would be an abomination. Do you suggest that sir?”(Sir Joseph Banks who did have huge commercial interests)
Today we have a new mutiny. It is the mutiny against neo-liberalism. Is it any different from the crew of the Bounty who wanted a better life?
This hollowing out of the middle class is creating the greatest division of rich and poor since we had monarchs and serfs. A western fiscal hooliganism or commercial fascism endeavors to privatize pension funds, education and welfare programs abandoning all pretense of humanity and civilization.
The article above is certainly worth considering.
Is the ‘enemy’ American, Chinese, Russian, Middle Eastern, Indian, English, French, German, Australian etc?
Or is it all of the above armed with a credit card, a disposable income and a middle class, insatiable hunger, for stuff and international travel?
Western Imperialism is based on the monopoly of financial capital, control of energy supplies, military and high technology, and industrial agriculture. All these spheres of power have been abused by perpetual wars and quasi total world hegemony. The anti hegemony group, led by China and Russia are slowly extricating themselves from the vagaries of the Dollar/Euro zone. Its already the reality. The top five banks in the world are Chinese, and Russia and China have the largest gold reserves, and China is able to purchase energy in their own currency from Russia and Venezuela. Russia and China boast to hypersonic missile technology, and lead the world in 5G technology and Artificial Intelligence. China is a net exporter of food as is Russia.
Paul, excellent, and timely article. You should come to Australia for a month or so, observe mainstream media, get out on the streets and ask people their views on Russia, China, Syria, Trump, etc.
I think you would be quite shocked at the level of Orwellian groupthink; of how many believe the Empire’s narrative on these subjects. I know I am. Most people I know get their news from The Guardian, The Age, and ABC News, although most newspapers here are owned by the vile Murdoch.
Yes, we can look at the relentless propaganda that most in the West have swallowed, but also you touched on this important point: “Believing In The Superiority Of The West”, and may I add the words Anglo Saxon to that sentence.
When the ponzified Economic house of cards collapses, as its bound to do, perhaps sooner than we think, I believe the situation will get very ugly and bloody.
I believe there will be scapegoats: people who happen to have brown skin, or are Muslims, or are Chinese – those living in the West, who are also victims of Neoliberalism’s death spiral.
Fifty percent of the population, by definition, are of below median intelligence, many far below. And those who are above median are despised by those sub-median types as ‘smart-arses’, ‘know-alls’ etc. And they all have a vote, and are all about to get their long overdue comeuppance. Indeed the poor beggars on the north coast and northern highlands in NSW are getting it, today, right now.
Even for a layperson in economical matters, it has become obvious that the Western economical politics are irrational.
Make that “especially” for the layperson.
Everyone on the street saw the industries fold up and the wars for Israel heat up at the same time. War forever while going broke? This only makes sense it it’s deliberate destruction, in which case Western elites were brilliant in that they knew they’d bleed the working class impotent… then split before the checks all bounce.
Trump never mattered, nor Johnson nor Macaroni nor Trudeau. These are various cuts of empty suits whose job is to distract, deflect, and defuse. Anger against decline and weak borders should have been faced by the people, instead of trusting Heads of State that are clearly barely conscious crisis actors. Albeit well paid.
The West gave control to its bankers, who sent vital industries offshore. Amazing. They did precisely what a truly capable enemy would arrange. The Occident is now vulnerable and mostly impotent against a serious opponent.
But yeah it smelled nice for awhile. Rot sometimes does.
I have never ever believed in revolutions. Instead i trust those almost hidden, slow but steady processes changing world so that people don’t really even reckon it finally. Why? Because those who are born now don’t have the idea of the past and those who has it are soon gone.
”The lack of strong political leaders is underlined by the fact that Western media build up Greta Thunberg as a political icon.”
Quite right. Our Swedish Jeanne d’Arc GT will serve as a supreme marketing ploy for Sweden’s political party leaders. Internationally, it’s quite revealing that the West’s MSM sewer uses her to promote Russia-bashing.
I truly hope you are right. I am from Argentina and we have been living for so long in the hell created by the American empire and its minions in the EU that it is hard to believe that this time is for real that they are going to leave us in peace. We have a client oligarchy that sells out all of us and our natural resources in exchange for bribes and the power (they are of course aided by a bunch of moronic upper middle class people that are a cross between embarrassing and stupidly degenerate. They spend most of their time voting against their interests because they are a bunch of racists and do not wish to be just “like those other brown people”… Not to mention that “those brown people” are the rightful owners of the land to start with).
The fight against neoliberalism has been long and hard. In Argentina alone our American/French trained military murdered 30,000 people in concentration camps on behalf of the empire to be able to institute the system, and even then we keep resisting. But there is a limit to what can be done. I know nothing but defeat, we try and try and when it seems that it is going to work they find another way to get back into power and undo all the progress. It is most discouraging.
This is why I say that truly hope that you are right and this is the last battle against this rotten abusive degenerate system that has shed so much blood and created so much misery.
Nicole,
I am so sad for you, and also angry, reading your heartfelt statement of the reality in Argentina, reflecting the stamina to keep struggling and then the deflation of hopes.
I hope the new president can truly turn things around for the citizens of Argentina, who have suffered so much.
Katherine
Thank you for your words. I realize it is not the people of the countries in charge, are their governments and the local “oligarchs” that make sure these things happen.In general the peoples living in the imperial center are as much victims as the rest of us. The children of the neocons do not go to war, they just show up to collect the spoils of war when all the killing is over.
If instead of using all the money to kill bomb and other such things, they would use it properly, the west could have the best infrastructure, the best schools and the best healthcare in the world. But of course, the power would be evenly distributed and there would be little inequality. I can almost understand the neocons/neoliberals. They would not have the power of deciding who lives and who dies, and they would also have to work in something productive for once in their lives. The system is working very well for them. It is a mess for the rest of us. I am heartened to know that there are people in the imperial center who understand. Thank you so much for your support!
Not so fast Nicole….
Although I agree with you in almost everything you said and what has been said by The Saker for the last couple of years (and that is the reason I keep coming to this page almost every day) there are a couple of things that you are getting wrong. First, “those brown people” are not the rightful owners of the land, Argentina never had a big indigenous population to begin with. When the Spaniards arrived, the country was sparsely populated and stayed the same for 300 years. If you think the mapuches in the south are the owners of something in Argentina, you are wrong. (History proves it) There are pure indigenous population in Argentina but few and generally speaking quite integrated in the general population. (like for instance in the north part of the country with the exception, perhaps, of the wichis in Formosa) As you probably know, unlike other Latin American countries (or I would dare to say even countries like Australia where aborigins are, in my opinion, still quite segregated ..but probably one of the Australians hanging around here could tell me if I am wrong) Argentina has been almost swamped by miilions and millions of immigrants during the last 200 hundred years, immigrants that became very well integrated in the society. (The Saker being was one of them, as far as I understand)There are many things that are wrong in Argentina (the first the way our elites are bought and paid by their Western “Lords” abroad) but do not add one point that has never been controversial in Argentina (again, unlike, probaby, the rest of Latin America with the exception of Uruguay)
Second, the magic number “30000” people in concentration camps started in Holland and, as YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW , it is a fake number. Again, I agree with almost all that you said but do not use hyperboles to make your point, otherwise your whole “rant” is not credible.
Two more things
Both parties and the general population see all this in black/white, it is not. Stop complaining, which is something Argentinians do almost 24 hours a day. (except when we sleep)
I spent almost two hours in a train and went to the embassy in Bern. I voted for Alberto Fernandez. (not for the other one, who one of the first things he did in December 2015 was to pick up the phone, call Tel Aviv and according to his own words, “talk with my friend “Bibi”)
It seems I have touched a raw nerve. You seem not to have been in a villa de emergencia lately. I am referring to those brown people. Also you seem to have a problem with the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo. and finally. If I may say congratulations about your trip to Bern. It seems that virtue signaling about how important you are for
living in the imperial center is something that you need to do to support your claims. I have lived in three different continents, and I lived in the south of the US for several years. I know what racism looks like,.
You do not know me and you do not know my background but you feel free to extrapolate and order me to “stop complaining”. I have no idea who you are, however you do not present well. As Paul Dirac would say:”Good bye, dear”!
@Nicole
“that they are going to leave us in peace”
Don’t start thinking that before you punched the seemingly dead corpse a few times, not a moment sooner !!!!
There are still armies in and outside your country scheming day and night to suck you dry !
@The lack of strong political leaders
—
It happens when you eliminate every brave, honest and competent person. Give a power to the minorities, NGO-s, the corrupt media – and you will have a situation that occurs.
@Ed Walsh on November 05, 2019 · at 5:24 pm EST/EDT
What we see now is a culmination of massive and intensive mind control on the peoples of the West.
The Media Masters thought they could control the appearance of reality in the Soviet Union, and therefore control the Soviet Union, and they could indeed — for a while.
Basically the same Media Masters think they can control the world by the same means, and for a while they did succeed in foisting their lies on an unsuspecting world, suckering nearly everyone into supporting the invasion of Iraq. But the world is realizing that it was suckered, and is now resisting the temptation to believe more lies. Indeed, the world is actively fighting back, and soon the Masters will lose — again. They haven’t learned from history, and are doomed to repeat it.
Excellent article Mr. Schaller. Yes, the reactions – or rather their lack of it – of Western populations to what is currently occurring in the world. Education systems can explain a lot. Too much materialism, spoilt and coddled younger generation – tons of equipment to lug around to school, but bad content – and getting worse! And the old generations have just grown content and can’t contemplate anything else but the status quo, despite things falling apart before their eyes, and the FRAUD of modern finance; the wars their countries started are too far away and don’t affect them directly plus most believe their daily dose of propaganda.
Hannah Arendt (several decades ago), defined totalitarian thinkers specifically as having extreme contempt for facts as such, for in their opinion…
“Fact depends entirely on the power of the man who can fabricate it.”
I’m not sure what KIND of totalitarians Ms Ahrendt meant, but the axiom applies neatly to American political thought. And thus, the level of rationality or accuracy is not important. (and note that it’s a MAN having the power, and doing the fabricating)
And thus is demonstrated the anti-intellectual cast of mind of the American.
This explains why Russia, in its drive to protect itself from these violent savages, forged ahead roughly two generation in weapons technology. It was achieved by sheer scientific and technological progress, under-pinned by rigorous intellectual discipline. The personal ‘power’ of these scientists and engineers was never an issue: their competence was. Their ability to co-operate was. Their clarity was.
The Americans’ god is money, and power. It is the cult of the individual. There is no binding moral there to unify, beyond Hollywood’s spurious racism and glorification of violence. So America has, and will, divide against itself in a Hegelian welter of all against all, and thus be thrown down. Karma.