The Crazy SOB Actually Did it!

[ralfy]

Oh, I forgot to add the usual, in this our lugubrious drollery:

Between the idea
And the reality
Between the motion
And the act
Falls the Shadow

[Rev. Powell]

There was a young lady of Norway
Who hung by her toes in a doorway.
She said to her beau
'Just look at me Joe,
I think I've discovered one more way.'

[ER]

Oh, me too, me too!



Once a cat
Swallowed a rat,
Was bit by a bat,
Then slept in a hat,
In which he shat.
I blame the bat,
Not the cat,
For full of rat,
The bite of the bat,
Authored the shat
Within the hat,
Soon worn by Pat.





Curtsey, curtsey!

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

Well this is one thread
That's now officially dead.

[Allhallowsday]

Well this is one thread
That's now officially dead.

It's just been a flesh eating zombie for pages anyway. 

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

Maybe we should just abandon it and see how long before a certain poster starts attacking himself in it.

[ralfy]

I know, let's make it dead. Then maybe that self-righteous, delusional bad man will go way, and we can live in our fantasies about being the real experts on this matter. *Covering ears*. La la la la la la la!

In other news,

"Olena Zelenska: We will endure"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63743657

"We are ready to endure this," Olena Zelenska asserts when we sit down in a heavily secured compound tucked inside a sandbagged labyrinth of buildings in Kyiv.

"We've had so many terrible challenges, seen so many victims, so much destruction, that blackouts are not the worst thing to happen to us." She cites a recent poll where 90 % of Ukrainians said they were ready to live with electricity shortages for two to three years if they could see the prospect of joining the European Union.

"Ukraine Likely to Win Initial EU Backing for Path to Membership"

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-09/ukraine-likely-to-win-initial-eu-backing-for-path-to-membership?leadSource=uverify+wall

In a diplomatic note seen by Bloomberg, Denmark said that Ukraine does not sufficiently fulfil criteria related to the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. Kyiv will need to "fundamentally improve its legislative and institutional framework" to progress on all these areas, the note says.

You hear that, Ukraine? Read my lips: y-u-r n-o-t w-o-r-t-h-y y-e-t. But we're gonna give you a break today, seeing how you're getting mauled by the bear that we kept poking since the late '90s. Keep, in mind, though, that we're taking matter very seriously, following expert advice that Russians aren't really Europeans and are all about violence and death:

https://twitter.com/zoolooy/status/1514283686786736143

and you're part of that same world. Don't ever forget that.

Finally, one day you'll probably realize that all we wanted throughout was to make you part of our shield:



but at least you got something out of it, right?

[ralfy]

Looks like the other "crazy SOBs" are at it, too.

"Europe accuses US of profiting from war"

https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-war-europe-ukraine-gas-inflation-reduction-act-ira-joe-biden-rift-west-eu-accuses-us-of-profiting-from-war/

"The fact is, if you look at it soberly, the country that is most profiting from this war is the U.S. because they are selling more gas and at higher prices, and because they are selling more weapons," one senior official told POLITICO. 

The explosive comments — backed in public and private by officials, diplomats and ministers elsewhere — follow mounting anger in Europe over American subsidies that threaten to wreck European industry. The Kremlin is likely to welcome the poisoning of the atmosphere among Western allies. 

[ER]

I'm not making fun of you, ralfy, you're entitled to your opinions, but have you ever paused a moment and considered that you have indicated you think you know more about these matters than the CIA? An agency with its finger on the pulse of the world? Which employs some of the most intelligent people on the planet, which operates in real time on a constant basis to gather intelligence on every global situation worth gathering information upon? You honestly think you have some pipeline to information that the world's premier intelligence service does not? Look back, you indicated it. That does not move your inner needle even a little to think....maybe I could be.....(the w-word)?

[ralfy]

Finally, as part of our policy of ecouraging these self-righteous, delusional know-nothings to "expand their sources," let's hear more from Brzezinski, from 2017:

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

Notable points:

- "United States of Europe"

- some should not have been admitted to the EU because they don't have "qualifications"

- "quasi accommodations" and the Ukrainians outdoing the Russians, e.g., nationalism; uncertainty from Russia because Crimea is constrained by "international" factors, leading to a "duel"

- Russians have been at a loss and compensated through "false pride" and "misunderstanding of Russian history" but also "the quest for money"; there is an "inner core" in control, expats playing the game from abroad

- the public will want a society like that of Western Europe, i.e., "law-abiding"

- the Chinese "have done exceptionally well" but there is "a growing alienation" between the "elite" and "the masses" such that there might soon be "serious upheavals in China"

The impressive experts in this thread should recognize Brzezinski:

"Ukraine is a Pawn on the Grand Chessboard"

https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/analysis/ukraine-is-a-pawn-on-the-grand-chessboard

* with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States is the sole global power

* Europe and Asia (Eurasia) together have the largest land area, population, and economy 

* U.S. must control Eurasia and prevent another country from challenging US dominance

Notice how the twin narratives of "Putin as Hitler" and "anyone who questions the authority of the West is delusional" are being questioned, ironically, through points raised by experts that wanted to contain other countries in order to maintain U.S. dominance.

If we put the two sets of points together, what do we get?

The U.S. needs to remain dominant on a global scale. That means keeping Eurasia in control.

That's why it is outspending others militarily and has over 700 military bases and installations worldwide. That's also why it has been pushing Europe to expand NATO to countries surrounding Russia to contain the latter. That's also why it engaged in low intensity conflict and other forms of destabilization for regime change: replace political leaders who criticize the U.S. in favor of those who will support it. And there's a long history of that:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_involvement_in_regime_change

Finally, that's also why it provides military and financial aid with strings attached, and even imposed policies that backfired on borrowers, like structural adjustment via the IMF-WB.

Unfortunately, the nationalism that drives Ukraine is also driving Russia, and even China. Both and many other countries, including India, are answering back at the U.S. and even at the EU. In addition, many of these countries remember what the West did in terms of manipulation and intervention throughout those decades.

But, as pointed out by some, this is an issue involving realpolitik: there is no "righteousness" involved or even issues concerning cultural profiling or defending "freedom" and "democracy." Rather, countries will work for what is advantageous to them.

That's why some of the major trading partners of the "freedom-loving" West includes clerico-fascist states like China and even Saudi Arabia. That's why China was praised in the interview shared above, while U.S. allies like the Philippines are manipulated across decades. Why? Because, contrary to what our lovely German expert said earlier, it's not all about violence and death but pragmatic ethics.

Now, it's Ukraine's turn.

[ralfy]

I'm not making fun of you, ralfy, you're entitled to your opinions, but have you ever paused a moment and considered that you have indicated you think you know more about these matters than the CIA? An agency with its finger on the pulse of the world? Which employs some of the most intelligent people on the planet, which operates in real time on a constant basis to gather intelligence on every global situation worth gathering information upon? You honestly think you have some pipeline to information that the world's premier intelligence service does not? Look back, you indicated it. That does not move your inner needle even a little to think....maybe I could be.....(the w-word)?

I have reason to believe that points raised by Kennan, Brzezinski, McNamara, and others not only came from intelligence reports from the CIA, they even came up with doctrines which the CIA employed in tandem with other agencies.

On top of that, the CIA is not only in the business of gathering intelligence but also creating the conditions that would lead to events that policymakers want. How do you think the U.S. was able to manipulate many countries across decades?

If you want more details, try the Pentagon Papers, Johnson's Blowback, and even the NS Archives at GWU.

In fact, I even shared some of them in my previous posts. For example,

https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/

Finally, what does your last point mean? Are you a senior member of the CIA or U.S. intelligence? Were you able to obtain classified information on this event?

[ralfy]

I almost forgot to post the customary and, "like totally" non-pretentious lines from poems:

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

I'd really like to share some Coleridge, but I can't find anything that fits. Will Wordsworth do?

A slumber did my spirit seal;
I had no human fears:
She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.

No motion has she now, no force;
She neither hears nor sees;
Rolled round in earth's diurnal course,
With rocks, and stones, and trees.

Probably not. How about something akin to forbidden knowledge? You know, beyond what you can reach, and you pay? That's what's happening now to both sides of this conflict, right?

A charm invests a face
Imperfectly beheld, —
The lady dare not lift her veil
For fear it be dispelled.
But peers beyond her mesh,
And wishes, and denies, —
Lest interview annul a want
That image satisfies.

[Allhallowsday]

 

               

                                             

[ER]

I think ralfy is a performance artist giving an impression of one of those argumentative nerds in a 100-level political science class who interrupts the teacher every couple minutes to advocate a stance no one else holds. I truly do. Think about it, gang, nobody could deliberately spread so much misinformation unless it was an act or hold these opinions in real life. He's actually been pretty funny and hasn't broken character yet. I could be wrong but I think he's role playing and laughing along with us.

[Alex]

Could be. On the other hand, he does make some good points. He just drowns them in a one-sided argument. *shrugs* I know I am not wasting any of my time with his posts though if I can help it.

I'm still taken aback by the retreat from Kherson. While from a strategic point of view it makes sense from the Russian side to retreat from it, I thought because of its symbolic value (and that it was serving as a roadblock on the road to Crimea), Putin would pull a Stalin and decide the city had to be defended no matter what the cost. I've read the reports of Russia preparing defences up to 60km behind the current frontline and evacuating Crimea. With having visitors at work this week, I've been a bit out of touch with the news and only had time to skim through things.

On a side note, I wonder how this whole conflict will affect Russian plans in a wider context. There seemingly were plans on expanding the number of Russian bases on foreign soil by up to 50% in the immediate future (mostly in African countries). Will they have the resources to continue with these and will these countries still be willing to host them? This whole thing has been a rather heavy blow to their military prestige and those in power might just have several reasons to reconsider the benefits of such projects.

I wonder if Putin had just kept to slowly nibbling away at Ukrainian territory, would the west have stood up to him, even in the limited way they have so far? Did he have a Munich moment where he looked at his opposition and decided he had nothing to really fear from them? Did he really believe the Ukrainian people would greet his troops as liberators and foolishly assume their military forces would just roll over them? Had he taken them more seriously and put a number of troops equal to the task instead of a small percentage of what is required in place maybe he would have been able to take the entire country before anyone else could really do anything.

There seems to be something self-destructive in the human race where we allow people like this to rise to positions of power. No country is immune to getting "crazy SOB"s into power, indeed they seem to reach positions of power with alarming regularity and not just by revolutions. Oh well, that is a topic for another day.

More truckloads of aid donations from Lossiemouth have reached Poland on their way to Ukraine. Feels good to know we are doing at least something to help out. I wish we could do more.