At least a week ago I saw a pro-Ukro-Nazi tweet claiming a huge increase in air transport traffic at the Rzeszów airport, Rzeszów being the main supply hub (in SE Poland) for the NATO war effort against Russia.
Alex focuses on what I call 'change at the margin' which is often a leading indicator of things to come. Put his observations together with the political turmoil in Germany plus growing resistance to NATO/EU policies in Eastern Europe and you have a possible argument for escalating the war in Ukraine, since this will be increasingly difficult to sell to the European public if current trends persist.
"Basically, Diesen argues that this latest US attack on Russia is an attempt to “escalate things out of control” to prevent Trump from coming to some settlement with Russia."
That seems to be the prevalent theory, but I think the idea that Trump can achieve any kind of settlement is fundamentally flawed. Why should Russia sue for peace when they're clearly winning? They've already said numerous times that the US is "agreement incapable" as Lavrov put it, so why should that change just because Trump is in office? Trump's not a credible figure, nor is he in control of US foreign policy. That should be obvious to everyone by now, but I'm sure the Russians at least understand that.
I can see how they might view escalation as a form of insurance, but I suspect their motives are more mundane. Trump has said he'd cut funding to Ukraine, so assuming he follows through (by no means certain) that means an abrupt end to the money flowing to the MIC, which is where most of it goes. So rather than fear of some kind of settlement, I see this as simply protecting one's constituents by ramping up spending while the opportunity still exists. After all, these are the people who pay for your campaigns and who have executive or board positions waiting for you when you retire. Wouldn't want to disappoint your donors, right?
Mercouris suggests that the Neocons are playing a longer game with their remaining weeks: to try to make a negotiated settlement with Russia impossible, preventing a peaceful settlement between the US and, er, I mean between Ukraine and Russia. To make Russia take and hold all of Ukraine as a security problem for Russia, and a political problem for Europe, to make it difficult for Europe to resume normal trade relations with Russia any time soon. In other words, to not let the wound heal.
Yes, and the Duran discussed Nuland referring to "asymmetric warfare" on her farewell tour of Ukraine last February; I looked it up, e.g.:
"With the $60 billion supplemental that the Administration has requested of Congress, we can ensure Ukraine not only survives but thrives.
With this support, in 2024, we will help ensure Ukraine can continue to fight, to build, to recover, and to reform.
With this money, Ukraine will be able to fight back in the East and accelerate the asymmetric warfare that has been most effective on the battlefield. And as I said in Kyiv three weeks ago, this supplemental funding will ensure Putin faces some nasty surprises on the battlefield this year."
The idea that the outgoing administration would deliberately attempt to create a situation in Ukraine to tie the new President’s hands is just despicable!! This has nothing to do with the best interests of the country or what is conducive to ending the human slaughter that this enterprise represents, it’s nothing but a bunch of political hacks who believe themselves to be above reproach and indulging in a childish pissing contest. This is what passes for statesmanship and diplomacy in DC?
I keep asking myself, “ who the hell is in charge”?
OT, but close enough to consider relevant, am I the only one who saw the recent awards given to Hillary Clinton and George Soros as anything less than a fully extended middle finger to us peasants who voted for Trump? But at least all of the republicans in DC expressed their collective outrage at this travesty! Oh, wait, they were too busy trying to vote themselves a pay raise to be bothered.
They were too busy voting in warmonger Johnson and demonizing the lone holdout - Massie. Think anything is going to change in DC with Johnson and Thune in charge of the R legislative bodies? Think again!
Alex Krainer has written a short piece I think is worth a look.
https://alexkrainer.substack.com/p/the-political-tides-in-europe-are
Alex focuses on what I call 'change at the margin' which is often a leading indicator of things to come. Put his observations together with the political turmoil in Germany plus growing resistance to NATO/EU policies in Eastern Europe and you have a possible argument for escalating the war in Ukraine, since this will be increasingly difficult to sell to the European public if current trends persist.
"Basically, Diesen argues that this latest US attack on Russia is an attempt to “escalate things out of control” to prevent Trump from coming to some settlement with Russia."
That seems to be the prevalent theory, but I think the idea that Trump can achieve any kind of settlement is fundamentally flawed. Why should Russia sue for peace when they're clearly winning? They've already said numerous times that the US is "agreement incapable" as Lavrov put it, so why should that change just because Trump is in office? Trump's not a credible figure, nor is he in control of US foreign policy. That should be obvious to everyone by now, but I'm sure the Russians at least understand that.
This is true, however ...
What matters for this is what these crazies are thinking. We know they're not in touch with the real world, so ...
I can see how they might view escalation as a form of insurance, but I suspect their motives are more mundane. Trump has said he'd cut funding to Ukraine, so assuming he follows through (by no means certain) that means an abrupt end to the money flowing to the MIC, which is where most of it goes. So rather than fear of some kind of settlement, I see this as simply protecting one's constituents by ramping up spending while the opportunity still exists. After all, these are the people who pay for your campaigns and who have executive or board positions waiting for you when you retire. Wouldn't want to disappoint your donors, right?
Mercouris suggests that the Neocons are playing a longer game with their remaining weeks: to try to make a negotiated settlement with Russia impossible, preventing a peaceful settlement between the US and, er, I mean between Ukraine and Russia. To make Russia take and hold all of Ukraine as a security problem for Russia, and a political problem for Europe, to make it difficult for Europe to resume normal trade relations with Russia any time soon. In other words, to not let the wound heal.
Sounds about right - just what Nuland and Bolton and Blinkin and Kristol and Soros would want. Chaos.
Yes, and the Duran discussed Nuland referring to "asymmetric warfare" on her farewell tour of Ukraine last February; I looked it up, e.g.:
"With the $60 billion supplemental that the Administration has requested of Congress, we can ensure Ukraine not only survives but thrives.
With this support, in 2024, we will help ensure Ukraine can continue to fight, to build, to recover, and to reform.
With this money, Ukraine will be able to fight back in the East and accelerate the asymmetric warfare that has been most effective on the battlefield. And as I said in Kyiv three weeks ago, this supplemental funding will ensure Putin faces some nasty surprises on the battlefield this year."
The idea that the outgoing administration would deliberately attempt to create a situation in Ukraine to tie the new President’s hands is just despicable!! This has nothing to do with the best interests of the country or what is conducive to ending the human slaughter that this enterprise represents, it’s nothing but a bunch of political hacks who believe themselves to be above reproach and indulging in a childish pissing contest. This is what passes for statesmanship and diplomacy in DC?
I keep asking myself, “ who the hell is in charge”?
OT, but close enough to consider relevant, am I the only one who saw the recent awards given to Hillary Clinton and George Soros as anything less than a fully extended middle finger to us peasants who voted for Trump? But at least all of the republicans in DC expressed their collective outrage at this travesty! Oh, wait, they were too busy trying to vote themselves a pay raise to be bothered.
They were too busy voting in warmonger Johnson and demonizing the lone holdout - Massie. Think anything is going to change in DC with Johnson and Thune in charge of the R legislative bodies? Think again!
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1875974603480416657.html
From Joshua Steinman, who spent four years at NSC under President Trump
That thread just made the CFP board. It will now be widely read.
I have to give credit to CFP, as I saw there right after I read Mark's post.
Sad if only half accurate.
Thanks. Excellent.
That's what evil does.