I’ll be doing something a bit unusual—pasting in the same Youtube video twice, with two different starting points. You’re welcome, of course to listen/watch the entire 45 minutes or so, but I believe Mercouris’ comments on the incompetence and arrogance of the Zhou regime should prove especially interesting to many readers.
"The Zhou regime simply doesn’t do diplomacy—it reacts first, without seeming to consider the consequences."
It's the 'diplomacy' of five year olds on the kindergarten playground. And not particularly well raised five year olds. They simply state what they want when they want it how they want it. There is no expectation of being refused or of anyone else having different thoughts or interests.
It gives you an idea of how air tight a bubble these people of the Beltway live in.
It’s going to make the rest of the world see Russia and China as more trustworthy economically.
“Consider what this could portend for America’s standing in the world.”
And diminish trust in the US security promises.
And the seizure of Russian Assets in the West is going to piggyback on the US bullying actions, making other nations seek alternatives, since the West has shown it can’t be trusted, and rule of law is dead.
Combine this with the deliberate inflation of the US Dollar, and out of control deficits, which has impacted every country in the world.
“since January 2020, the United States has printed nearly 80% of all US dollars in existence.”
End result will be diminishing of the US Dollar being used for international transactions, and the US dollar as the worlds reserve currency. And growth in a new international asset backed transaction system. Which will diminish US economical power tremendously.
While the end of the US Dollar reserve status will undoubtedly be consequential in so many ways beyond the scope of this comment, it will, FBOW, be the end of the US money printing machine. To date our money printing has been subsidized by foreigners (and others) willing to take and hold USD. What else was China going to do to promote its export trade with the US? Demand payment in remnibi? When this game ends, normals (and others) will finally feel the devastating effects of deficits, inflation, national debt, rising interest rates, and diminished purchasing power. It will be a sh*t show, for sure. Our notoriously incurious press ought to ask Zhou what he plans to do about that.
"We rightly claim it is not a proxy war against Russia but instead an effort to help stop a brutal Russian invasion."
-and-
"President Vladimir Putin is increasingly erratic and paranoid..."
He has been repeating this theme for months now.
I have been a big fan of VDH for some years, and I agree with most everything he says here about Biden and his Cabinet, but he loses me when he argues that this long term proxy war the US is waging against Russia is simply a 'brutal Russian invasion' by an 'erratic and paranoid' Putin.
While all wars are terrible, and there will always be eventual accountability for unjustified or illegal aggression, there is plenty of evidence that Russia's 'special operation' was intentionally provoked by the US after years and years of warnings by Putin that Russia would not permit a NATO presence in Ukraine and that Russia's response is rational, planned and principled. I don't know why VDH, an otherwise clear and lucid thinker, doesn't acknowledge this.
I'm not saying this war is just, but that VDH is uncharacteristically silent about the Biden/neocon role in making this war happen.
VDH is very insightful when he writes of California.
Great point on his Russian comment, I wonder why. Perhaps fear of being canceled, and being tarred as pro Russian? Or not willing to go beyond what’s defensible? Or his position at Stanford? Or inability to get non censored, solid information? I believe he has also been mild on the us election fraud issue.
It has taken me a while, but I’m a lot closer to Tom Luongo’s viewpoint on the WEF, and this being a fight of the West vs everyone else.
The bio labs Mark brought up is more of the US out of control bio research defense and cdc industrial complex insanity driven by “ideological rigidity, nonchalance, and sheer incompetence.” Reminds me of Covid.
Inability to get non censored, solid information? Or go beyond what's 'defensible'? I kinda doubt that...its out there and its plausible and Mark W. and others are finding it...Denying (or ignoring) the proxy war implications seems to me the opposite...totally indefensible...
Fear of being canceled, being tarred as pro Russian, or his position at Stanford? Yes, all possible and even likely. And its not just Hansen. I suspect there are numerous 'conservatives' who see the neocons' and globalists fingerprints all over our response to the Ukraine situation who feel compelled to support our intervention to avoid being canceled, etc.
To me Trump is noticeably silent. I strongly doubt the US would be promoting a hot war in Europe with a nuclear power to the tune of $30 or 60 or 100 bln (or whatever the number is) if he were still President. JMO.
@cassander I miss Trump Twitter and his means of getting Media Exposure that allowed him to play Rope A Dope, that have been Censored.
Agree on the cancellation threat. The one eyed McCain (Crenshaw) and MTG, or Tulsi Gabbard being labeled by Romney as treasonous lies? Or the attempts to cancel Tucker, and labeling him a Russian Asset. And those doing the slander are supposedly on the GOP side?
There are so many Overton Windows just begging to be shattered, and that shattering them would be a huge public service. Ukraine is just one of them. Trump shattered so many Overton Windows, and was fighting some of the culture war.
Instead the Censorship of Trump by the Internet and Media Giants, have forced him to focus on only a couple of items. He did mention the Ukraine $40 Billion vs funding security of schools at the NRA Convention. Trumps focus seems to have narrowed to the election fraud, and being a kingmaker for the mid terms.
I give MTG and Tulsi huge props for speaking truth to power. Courageous women! I wonder how much longer Tulsi stays in the Dem tent.
The one-eyed McCain? What a creep.
Romney? I've written about him here (or at Mark's first site.) He is a phony and a slimeball. His 'conscience' votes for conviction at Trump's impeachment trials were utterly indefensible. He ignored the 'facts' to vote his 'conscience'. He ignored the certain will of his Utah constituents. I'm not sure what his game plan is for 2024 (if its anything other than retiring). I can't imagine there are enough Dems and Karens and flowers and suburban soccer moms in Utah to reelect him in 2024. I certainly hope not. I would also note for the record that he is very close to US Deep Stater, Cofer Black, who sat on the Burisma board after Hunter Biden. Nothing to see there, I'm sure. For more info on Cofer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofer_Black.
Trump opened all of our eyes...if we were willing to see. I agree that he is focussing on kingmaking, which is a tried and true path to nomination. Can't argue too much with that. He takes a lot of flak for his relentless attention to the 2020 election. I guess I'm ok w that, too, at least for the time being. There was fraud and undue influence in the election and its not clear that it won't happen again in 2022 and 2024. I have a friend who blames Trump for not more effectively countering Marc Elias' efforts in the run up to the 2020 election. I'm not sure I disagree. And there will be no excuse for conceding known election irregularities (ballot harvesting and mules, etc.) in advance this time around. I hope Trump is just as busy building his election fairness legal teams now as he is holding rallies to denounce the 2020 election.
Well, VDH quite courageously wrote The Case for Trump in 2019. I read it then and thought his arguments were quite compelling. But his willful ignorance on what's unfolding in Ukraine is very disturbing. As far as 'paranoia' is concerned, the US, the EU and NATO have broken nearly every promise (many with existential implications) made to Russia since the time of GHWB. You are right, Mark, Putin's paranoid?
In an ideal world, we'd have serious national leadership calling for national strikes and work stoppages...anything to bring down this Regime. But, alas, i don't see anyone out there even contemplating it. So collapse and bloody revolution it will be, it seems. And that's the rosy scenario. The less rosy...mushroom clouds.
But husk, it is so much worse than that. We are beyond a two party problem. We have a criminal Oligarchy in power that will not relent and won't respect any move of the people to reform. So even if we had an opposition party, the Oligarchy wouldn't pay any attention. A second American revolution is required.
I wish I could disagree with you Gin, but I don't ... clearly at least the majority of both parties are in league with the Oligarchy, as are apparently most of the institutions, whether Federal bureaucracies, institutions of higher-learning, professional associations, or social media platforms. From a soft power perspective those of us who would prefer to have our constitutional Republic back seem to be vastly outnumbered.
The Barr statement IS a big deal. Gateway Pundit just came out with an article about federal agency and foreign involvement and billions of dollars spent fortifying the last election. With irrefutable proof on this and Russiagate the wheels are coming off, and it is now 'sauve qui peut'. Run for the lifeboats. Oh, I forgot. After the Administration has done so well in Afghanistan and the Ukraine, gas prices are at an all-time low, as is inflation, the shelves are well stocked with everything including baby formula and nobody is dying from Covid or criminal acts of violence we can cut the Administration some slack.
As per comments, the media is negative. What else is new? Barr had the job of prosecuting election irregularities, irrespective of the effect this would have on the election results. He didn't do it. The SC and all officialdom didn't want to get involved. All this proves nothing. Now it seems with Durham and others evidence of massive fraud against President Trump exists. My comment (and I hope on this site sarc is unnecessary) is that people are getting worried. My point is, why would Barr make a statement which will probably not endear him to the MAGA crowd and will certainly cause him problems with the Libs? Will others, including the media, want to distance themselves from all his and make an attempt to appear more even-handed in the near future?
Both reviews I see as being defensive on voter fraud by the establishment GOP.
Catherine Engelbrecht hinted in another interview at the involvement of large, old Alinsky era organizations in the fraud. Due too fear of lawfare, they have not released that information yet.
I believe the 2020 election vote was stolen various ways, ballot harvesting is just one of them. I’m
Very suspicious of the Dominion machines, and how protected they are from any over site. The simultaneous water leaks and ejection of gop observers is another tell.
The author makes a good case this is an effort to discredit the voter fraud allegations, with a bit of grift involved. Sadly, I would not be surprised.
Hans von Spakovsky has a lot of credibility with me.
What seems to happen with voter fraud, is after the election it’s declared too late by the courts. And before the election is just conjecture. Kurt Schlicter made this point in his efforts in Nevada.
I am waiting for the promised release of the location of the voting mule stash houses. It’s been promised after the movie release, and the movie via now out at movie theaters.
I hope to finally see the movie 2,000 mules this weekend.
That is exactly the point Mark, who the hell is listening! These folks don’t have a clue that the rest of the world views them as having taken incompetence to another level. There is no way that world leaders don’t look at Biden and just bust out laughing. 2024 seems like an eternity away and I will guarantee you that the next big calamity is going to be Taiwan.
Just how much longer can this charade continue before this doddering old fool gets us all killed.
This is all so infuriating and all the more so since I don’t really see any Republicans stepping up to put a stop to this madness.
Oh, wait, I forgot, Mitch Mconnell told John Cornyn to seek a bi-partisan solution on gun control with the Democrats. Yep, that outta fix everything.
I guess the answer to the question is the 81 million who voted for him. If you believe that fairy tale.
Otherwise like everything else this gang does they just ignore the constitution and do whatever the hell they want that will do the most damage to the country.
Tom Luongo thinks it’s deliberate, and not hubris.
Think of Obama as the joker in the Dark Night, deliberately destroying everything. And he suggested Blinken is not incompetent, but actually one of the most brilliant ever Secretary of State. And using this model, explains the actions of the Biden Administration beautifully.
I’m still grappling with creating a model that explains what is going on. My gut feeling is it’s a combination of wokism, credentialism, elitism, hubris, political opportunism, and greed that drive the actions of the Biden Administration.
"The Zhou regime simply doesn’t do diplomacy—it reacts first, without seeming to consider the consequences."
It's the 'diplomacy' of five year olds on the kindergarten playground. And not particularly well raised five year olds. They simply state what they want when they want it how they want it. There is no expectation of being refused or of anyone else having different thoughts or interests.
It gives you an idea of how air tight a bubble these people of the Beltway live in.
It’s going to make the rest of the world see Russia and China as more trustworthy economically.
“Consider what this could portend for America’s standing in the world.”
And diminish trust in the US security promises.
And the seizure of Russian Assets in the West is going to piggyback on the US bullying actions, making other nations seek alternatives, since the West has shown it can’t be trusted, and rule of law is dead.
Combine this with the deliberate inflation of the US Dollar, and out of control deficits, which has impacted every country in the world.
“since January 2020, the United States has printed nearly 80% of all US dollars in existence.”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2022/01/since-january-2020-united-states-has.html?m=1
End result will be diminishing of the US Dollar being used for international transactions, and the US dollar as the worlds reserve currency. And growth in a new international asset backed transaction system. Which will diminish US economical power tremendously.
While the end of the US Dollar reserve status will undoubtedly be consequential in so many ways beyond the scope of this comment, it will, FBOW, be the end of the US money printing machine. To date our money printing has been subsidized by foreigners (and others) willing to take and hold USD. What else was China going to do to promote its export trade with the US? Demand payment in remnibi? When this game ends, normals (and others) will finally feel the devastating effects of deficits, inflation, national debt, rising interest rates, and diminished purchasing power. It will be a sh*t show, for sure. Our notoriously incurious press ought to ask Zhou what he plans to do about that.
Sock Puppet will be long gone before the press ever thinks to ask those questions.
What do you suppose the over under is for SPOTUS sticking around after the midterms? 6 months?
Insightful comment from Victor Davis Hanson:
“The common denominator to these Biden appointees is ideological rigidity, nonchalance, and sheer incompetence.”
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/victor-davis-hanson-cabinency-dunces
VDH also writes:
"We rightly claim it is not a proxy war against Russia but instead an effort to help stop a brutal Russian invasion."
-and-
"President Vladimir Putin is increasingly erratic and paranoid..."
He has been repeating this theme for months now.
I have been a big fan of VDH for some years, and I agree with most everything he says here about Biden and his Cabinet, but he loses me when he argues that this long term proxy war the US is waging against Russia is simply a 'brutal Russian invasion' by an 'erratic and paranoid' Putin.
While all wars are terrible, and there will always be eventual accountability for unjustified or illegal aggression, there is plenty of evidence that Russia's 'special operation' was intentionally provoked by the US after years and years of warnings by Putin that Russia would not permit a NATO presence in Ukraine and that Russia's response is rational, planned and principled. I don't know why VDH, an otherwise clear and lucid thinker, doesn't acknowledge this.
I'm not saying this war is just, but that VDH is uncharacteristically silent about the Biden/neocon role in making this war happen.
VDH is very insightful when he writes of California.
Great point on his Russian comment, I wonder why. Perhaps fear of being canceled, and being tarred as pro Russian? Or not willing to go beyond what’s defensible? Or his position at Stanford? Or inability to get non censored, solid information? I believe he has also been mild on the us election fraud issue.
It has taken me a while, but I’m a lot closer to Tom Luongo’s viewpoint on the WEF, and this being a fight of the West vs everyone else.
The bio labs Mark brought up is more of the US out of control bio research defense and cdc industrial complex insanity driven by “ideological rigidity, nonchalance, and sheer incompetence.” Reminds me of Covid.
@ Ray
Inability to get non censored, solid information? Or go beyond what's 'defensible'? I kinda doubt that...its out there and its plausible and Mark W. and others are finding it...Denying (or ignoring) the proxy war implications seems to me the opposite...totally indefensible...
Fear of being canceled, being tarred as pro Russian, or his position at Stanford? Yes, all possible and even likely. And its not just Hansen. I suspect there are numerous 'conservatives' who see the neocons' and globalists fingerprints all over our response to the Ukraine situation who feel compelled to support our intervention to avoid being canceled, etc.
To me Trump is noticeably silent. I strongly doubt the US would be promoting a hot war in Europe with a nuclear power to the tune of $30 or 60 or 100 bln (or whatever the number is) if he were still President. JMO.
@cassander I miss Trump Twitter and his means of getting Media Exposure that allowed him to play Rope A Dope, that have been Censored.
Agree on the cancellation threat. The one eyed McCain (Crenshaw) and MTG, or Tulsi Gabbard being labeled by Romney as treasonous lies? Or the attempts to cancel Tucker, and labeling him a Russian Asset. And those doing the slander are supposedly on the GOP side?
There are so many Overton Windows just begging to be shattered, and that shattering them would be a huge public service. Ukraine is just one of them. Trump shattered so many Overton Windows, and was fighting some of the culture war.
Instead the Censorship of Trump by the Internet and Media Giants, have forced him to focus on only a couple of items. He did mention the Ukraine $40 Billion vs funding security of schools at the NRA Convention. Trumps focus seems to have narrowed to the election fraud, and being a kingmaker for the mid terms.
@Ray
So many good points.
I give MTG and Tulsi huge props for speaking truth to power. Courageous women! I wonder how much longer Tulsi stays in the Dem tent.
The one-eyed McCain? What a creep.
Romney? I've written about him here (or at Mark's first site.) He is a phony and a slimeball. His 'conscience' votes for conviction at Trump's impeachment trials were utterly indefensible. He ignored the 'facts' to vote his 'conscience'. He ignored the certain will of his Utah constituents. I'm not sure what his game plan is for 2024 (if its anything other than retiring). I can't imagine there are enough Dems and Karens and flowers and suburban soccer moms in Utah to reelect him in 2024. I certainly hope not. I would also note for the record that he is very close to US Deep Stater, Cofer Black, who sat on the Burisma board after Hunter Biden. Nothing to see there, I'm sure. For more info on Cofer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofer_Black.
Trump opened all of our eyes...if we were willing to see. I agree that he is focussing on kingmaking, which is a tried and true path to nomination. Can't argue too much with that. He takes a lot of flak for his relentless attention to the 2020 election. I guess I'm ok w that, too, at least for the time being. There was fraud and undue influence in the election and its not clear that it won't happen again in 2022 and 2024. I have a friend who blames Trump for not more effectively countering Marc Elias' efforts in the run up to the 2020 election. I'm not sure I disagree. And there will be no excuse for conceding known election irregularities (ballot harvesting and mules, etc.) in advance this time around. I hope Trump is just as busy building his election fairness legal teams now as he is holding rallies to denounce the 2020 election.
I've never been a fan of VDH, for the most part. I've used him from time to time, but sparingly. Paranoia?
https://twitter.com/Miguel18011505/status/1530873329300946945/photo/1
Well, VDH quite courageously wrote The Case for Trump in 2019. I read it then and thought his arguments were quite compelling. But his willful ignorance on what's unfolding in Ukraine is very disturbing. As far as 'paranoia' is concerned, the US, the EU and NATO have broken nearly every promise (many with existential implications) made to Russia since the time of GHWB. You are right, Mark, Putin's paranoid?
In an ideal world, we'd have serious national leadership calling for national strikes and work stoppages...anything to bring down this Regime. But, alas, i don't see anyone out there even contemplating it. So collapse and bloody revolution it will be, it seems. And that's the rosy scenario. The less rosy...mushroom clouds.
Yes, if only we had an actual opposition party ...
But husk, it is so much worse than that. We are beyond a two party problem. We have a criminal Oligarchy in power that will not relent and won't respect any move of the people to reform. So even if we had an opposition party, the Oligarchy wouldn't pay any attention. A second American revolution is required.
I wish I could disagree with you Gin, but I don't ... clearly at least the majority of both parties are in league with the Oligarchy, as are apparently most of the institutions, whether Federal bureaucracies, institutions of higher-learning, professional associations, or social media platforms. From a soft power perspective those of us who would prefer to have our constitutional Republic back seem to be vastly outnumbered.
Very True.
Just Compare and contrast how the Left / Democrats treated Trump, and the GOP Biden.
Let’s Go Brandon!
The Barr statement IS a big deal. Gateway Pundit just came out with an article about federal agency and foreign involvement and billions of dollars spent fortifying the last election. With irrefutable proof on this and Russiagate the wheels are coming off, and it is now 'sauve qui peut'. Run for the lifeboats. Oh, I forgot. After the Administration has done so well in Afghanistan and the Ukraine, gas prices are at an all-time low, as is inflation, the shelves are well stocked with everything including baby formula and nobody is dying from Covid or criminal acts of violence we can cut the Administration some slack.
As per comments, the media is negative. What else is new? Barr had the job of prosecuting election irregularities, irrespective of the effect this would have on the election results. He didn't do it. The SC and all officialdom didn't want to get involved. All this proves nothing. Now it seems with Durham and others evidence of massive fraud against President Trump exists. My comment (and I hope on this site sarc is unnecessary) is that people are getting worried. My point is, why would Barr make a statement which will probably not endear him to the MAGA crowd and will certainly cause him problems with the Libs? Will others, including the media, want to distance themselves from all his and make an attempt to appear more even-handed in the near future?
Eli Lake in the Free Beacon just did a negative review.
https://freebeacon.com/politics/review-2000-mules/
Interesting Paul Singer, Bullionaire backer of the Free Beacon, originally funded anti Trump research by Fusion GPS.
Eli Lake wrote for Bloomberg, cnn, daily beast, in the national security beat.
Another review by Andrew Busch
https://americanmind.org/features/the-haunting-of-the-american-mind/stalemate/
Both reviews I see as being defensive on voter fraud by the establishment GOP.
Catherine Engelbrecht hinted in another interview at the involvement of large, old Alinsky era organizations in the fraud. Due too fear of lawfare, they have not released that information yet.
https://kanekoa.substack.com/p/exposing-americas-ballot-trafficking-c4e?s=r
I find this source critical of 2000 mules as compelling: https://www.yaacovapelbaum.com/2022/05/27/the-birth-of-the-american-weimar-republic/
Thanks, best anti article I read so far.
URL was off:
https://www.yaacovapelbaum.com/2022/05/03/the-2000-mules-from-outer-space/
Interesting guy and has serious credibility:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Appelbaum
My 2 cents:
I have not seen the movie yet. True the vote has done some good work I understand. The investigator sounds sketchy, Reminds me of Stefan Halper:
https://www.bhpioneer.com/the-curious-case-of-stefan-halper-longtime-zelig-of-american-scandals-who-crossfired-trump/article_aea53675-39d1-5366-8d10-318e483f9c02.html
I believe the 2020 election vote was stolen various ways, ballot harvesting is just one of them. I’m
Very suspicious of the Dominion machines, and how protected they are from any over site. The simultaneous water leaks and ejection of gop observers is another tell.
The author makes a good case this is an effort to discredit the voter fraud allegations, with a bit of grift involved. Sadly, I would not be surprised.
Hans von Spakovsky has a lot of credibility with me.
What seems to happen with voter fraud, is after the election it’s declared too late by the courts. And before the election is just conjecture. Kurt Schlicter made this point in his efforts in Nevada.
I am waiting for the promised release of the location of the voting mule stash houses. It’s been promised after the movie release, and the movie via now out at movie theaters.
I hope to finally see the movie 2,000 mules this weekend.
That is exactly the point Mark, who the hell is listening! These folks don’t have a clue that the rest of the world views them as having taken incompetence to another level. There is no way that world leaders don’t look at Biden and just bust out laughing. 2024 seems like an eternity away and I will guarantee you that the next big calamity is going to be Taiwan.
Just how much longer can this charade continue before this doddering old fool gets us all killed.
This is all so infuriating and all the more so since I don’t really see any Republicans stepping up to put a stop to this madness.
Oh, wait, I forgot, Mitch Mconnell told John Cornyn to seek a bi-partisan solution on gun control with the Democrats. Yep, that outta fix everything.
Very interesting question on Barr. I wonder if he is even aware. Same with Bush 2.
>But who’s listening at this point?
I guess the answer to the question is the 81 million who voted for him. If you believe that fairy tale.
Otherwise like everything else this gang does they just ignore the constitution and do whatever the hell they want that will do the most damage to the country.
Tom Luongo thinks it’s deliberate, and not hubris.
Think of Obama as the joker in the Dark Night, deliberately destroying everything. And he suggested Blinken is not incompetent, but actually one of the most brilliant ever Secretary of State. And using this model, explains the actions of the Biden Administration beautifully.
I’m still grappling with creating a model that explains what is going on. My gut feeling is it’s a combination of wokism, credentialism, elitism, hubris, political opportunism, and greed that drive the actions of the Biden Administration.