What’s the likely outcome when any power undertakes a two front war and discovers, too late, that it wasn’t actually prepared for either front? Right. Defeat on both fronts. I’ve been reading several articles on this topic over the last few days. While signals are somewhat mixed, it appears that there is a growing realization among at least some elements of the US Deep State that the American Empire needs a strategy to extricate itself from its two front war—taking on Russia and China at the same time. The strategy apparently was to take on each of Russia and China separately,
Anger issue or behavior disturbances? Trump had to take a cognitive test. He thought it would calm the jackals but nothing ever does. Hopefully millions (billions?) do not have to die before enough people realize that having someone with sound judgment is better than not. Even if they are Orange. (Man Bad!) rattle shakes, binky bounces from high chair tray to floor, etc.
Funny you mention sundowning, Hal. I have several family with dementia, so "sundowing" is quite an issue. The Duran chaps were talking today about how Biden gets into these temper tantrums and lashes out at foreign leaders like Putin, Orban, and Xi. We could be stumbling into the first war caused by Alzheimers.
Someone commented yesterday "Washington D.C. Delende Est." With the Reps being just as rabidly war-mongering as the Dems, or even more so, it sure seems that way. The few that object to billions in Ukraine aid seemingly object because they want to fight China instead.
Nobody I know wants war with either Russia or China or is willing to support it. No one understands the reasoning. As Mark has noted in the past no one in government has even begun to make a case for it. So the question is how can the Federal Government be modified or reconstituted so that it is transparent in its reasoning and intentions and accommodates the will of the people, rather than simply following the will of monied corporate and oligarchical interests? I don't have an answer to that. It seems to me that Trump's support at this point for 2024 is primarily a "hail mary pass" that expresses a desire to that end. His supporters are pre-revolutionary but at this point want to work within the system and don't want a bloody revolution. But what happens when the "system" has become unworkable?
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), what a despicable piece of crap he is, along with Eyepatch Crenshaw. As I have ranted before, reelecting the same old idiots yields predictably idiotic results! A House cleaning is desperately needed, and then there's the open sewer aka the Senate.
This episode may be showing us that there is dissension within the Deep State. Apparently they way the Blinken trip worked was like this.
The Chinese were refusing any official contacts--especially not with the Neocon cabal at State. They weren't budging. Finally, the Deep State--desperate to reestablish contact, seized upon the idea of sending a formerly respected diplomat--current CIA Director William Burns--to plead the case for restoring contacts. Burns, when ambassador in Moscow, who wrote the now famous cable "Nyet means nyet," warning that Russia's redline on further NATO expansion really was a redline.
Burns flew secretly to China--a la Kissinger--and pleaded the case for allowing Blinken into China. The Chinese agreed, read the riot act to Blinken, and Blinken returned policy to what it had been ever since Kissinger/Nixon.
It appears that factions in the Deep State more insane than Blinken blew their lids, and had Zhou issue the insulting and false statements that probably have put the kibosh on further contacts.
How is it that the smartest folks in the world never seem to have any plan “B” contingency options of any kind?
It’s just one giant cascade of bad decisions, poor planning and an abiding inability to grasp the frickin obvious. Oh, I almost forgot to mention their total surprise when things go off the rails.
Or maybe it’s just a case of their being “to cunning to be understood”, with apologies to Bill Shakespeare. Sometimes you gotta laugh to keep from being overwhelmed with depression.
If Davos wants a united New World Order, then it has already failed. We are living in an increasingly multi-polar world. Whether that's good for ordinary folks like us, or whether it just means three giant blocs of land with similar ideologies à la 1984 is yet to be seen.
“I think Biden is senile. He lost control in language, just like some old people suffering from incontinence.” Have you seen him falling recently? He’s taken several spectacular spills lately. So, non compos mentis, as well as physically more frail and diminished. He should be removed by the 25th (a nod to Rod) before his senility leads us to the unthinkable.
Zhou was at a private fundraiser I believe in California. Apparently less "handlers" on the trip and allowed Zhou to speak his mind. Felt comfortable in the room so to speak.
We need more Democratic fundraisers in the future IMO.
You don't discard a perfectly good puppet. Plus there is plausible deniability. When disaster strikes, Biden did it in a moment of whatever elderly people are prone to. I, however, as an elderly person claim to be prone to having learned from my many years of experience, together with an aversion to repeat the errors of my youth.
We fought on two fronts across a vast area against fanatical, even suicidal Armies in 1942-45 and won. I was a schoolkid and you can't imagine the patriotic fervor we all had, even Hollywood and the media. Now there is no 'we'. Now we couldn't beat ragtag Taliban (actually our troops did, and we could have stayed there with only 250 troops and no casualties, but we didn't). Putin may be evil, but good ol' Joe is worse. And China owns our politicians. Now if the neocons want to put on uniforms and take up arms........
Yes, it's been building for decades with cooperation of "both" political parties. Not a single elected person has stood up for us and none will. Who could've dreamed that US taxpayers would be enslaved from birth to the weapons industry? Only solution is breakup of US into at least 3 parts.
3. Send a CG cutter throught the Taiwan Straits - not a cargo ship, not a regular navy ship but a CG ship, implying that "we" are patrolling "our" coastline
Investigators recovered WhatsApp messages from Hunter Biden to Chinese businessman Henry Zhao, explicitly threatening that Joe Biden, who was said to be in the room, would destroy him if the Bidens were not paid immediately.
Jonathan Turley
@JonathanTurley
The release of the allegations of an IRS whistleblower includes this WhatsApp message to Henry Zhao: "I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight."
Apparently Zhou made a variety of false statements regarding Xi and US relations with Xi. That probably made the Chinese even more angry than the initially reported "malarkey".
Most of what he said to the Dem donors was patently untrue. So my operating assumption is that the stuff about "sophisticated surveillance equipment" is also untrue. If it were true, what reason would there be for not disclosing it?
Well, he did let it go all the way across the Country before shooting it down. Mission accomplished. But I don't understand the remark that Xi didn't know. I would assume he sent it here, and told Joe he could shoot it down after he got his information from it. In fact Joe could have been instructed to destroy all that secret equipment.
By the way, I also heard what Trump said that they claim was so damaging, and fail to see how it could be of any importance, let alone a security breach. But I would like it if Russia could tell us what they got from Hillery's server, as Trump requested. For those whose knowledge of English is faulty, he was requesting information already gathered, and not encouraging them to continue spying.
Anger issue or behavior disturbances? Trump had to take a cognitive test. He thought it would calm the jackals but nothing ever does. Hopefully millions (billions?) do not have to die before enough people realize that having someone with sound judgment is better than not. Even if they are Orange. (Man Bad!) rattle shakes, binky bounces from high chair tray to floor, etc.
Are we sundowning into war?
Funny you mention sundowning, Hal. I have several family with dementia, so "sundowing" is quite an issue. The Duran chaps were talking today about how Biden gets into these temper tantrums and lashes out at foreign leaders like Putin, Orban, and Xi. We could be stumbling into the first war caused by Alzheimers.
Then there's Lindsey! who seems to be greenlighting a false flag nuke incident to get us into war.
Yep. What a psycho he is. Does he even realize what he's saying?
Remind me who holds house leadership? https://thehill.com/policy/defense/4060465-house-committee-resolution-long-range-missiles-ukraine/
Word today that the "Wagner's" will pivot to the Kharkiv oblast in August. Good times.
Someone commented yesterday "Washington D.C. Delende Est." With the Reps being just as rabidly war-mongering as the Dems, or even more so, it sure seems that way. The few that object to billions in Ukraine aid seemingly object because they want to fight China instead.
Nobody I know wants war with either Russia or China or is willing to support it. No one understands the reasoning. As Mark has noted in the past no one in government has even begun to make a case for it. So the question is how can the Federal Government be modified or reconstituted so that it is transparent in its reasoning and intentions and accommodates the will of the people, rather than simply following the will of monied corporate and oligarchical interests? I don't have an answer to that. It seems to me that Trump's support at this point for 2024 is primarily a "hail mary pass" that expresses a desire to that end. His supporters are pre-revolutionary but at this point want to work within the system and don't want a bloody revolution. But what happens when the "system" has become unworkable?
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), what a despicable piece of crap he is, along with Eyepatch Crenshaw. As I have ranted before, reelecting the same old idiots yields predictably idiotic results! A House cleaning is desperately needed, and then there's the open sewer aka the Senate.
Good discussion: Biden blows up China rapprochement, calls Xi Jinping a dictator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3NMUO_J9s
This episode may be showing us that there is dissension within the Deep State. Apparently they way the Blinken trip worked was like this.
The Chinese were refusing any official contacts--especially not with the Neocon cabal at State. They weren't budging. Finally, the Deep State--desperate to reestablish contact, seized upon the idea of sending a formerly respected diplomat--current CIA Director William Burns--to plead the case for restoring contacts. Burns, when ambassador in Moscow, who wrote the now famous cable "Nyet means nyet," warning that Russia's redline on further NATO expansion really was a redline.
Burns flew secretly to China--a la Kissinger--and pleaded the case for allowing Blinken into China. The Chinese agreed, read the riot act to Blinken, and Blinken returned policy to what it had been ever since Kissinger/Nixon.
It appears that factions in the Deep State more insane than Blinken blew their lids, and had Zhou issue the insulting and false statements that probably have put the kibosh on further contacts.
And also, as you mentioned, Mark, send a CG boat through the Straits just for good measure.
How is it that the smartest folks in the world never seem to have any plan “B” contingency options of any kind?
It’s just one giant cascade of bad decisions, poor planning and an abiding inability to grasp the frickin obvious. Oh, I almost forgot to mention their total surprise when things go off the rails.
Or maybe it’s just a case of their being “to cunning to be understood”, with apologies to Bill Shakespeare. Sometimes you gotta laugh to keep from being overwhelmed with depression.
They all live in high pressure bubbles, so their ideological thoughts become overheated and warped.
Funny how this entire worldwide crisis is unfolding with setback after setback for the deep state, it's almost as if there was some kind of plan...
If Davos wants a united New World Order, then it has already failed. We are living in an increasingly multi-polar world. Whether that's good for ordinary folks like us, or whether it just means three giant blocs of land with similar ideologies à la 1984 is yet to be seen.
Tony Blinken needs to take more lube with him next time.
The tweet of Hu Xijin cited by Mark is right:
“I think Biden is senile. He lost control in language, just like some old people suffering from incontinence.” Have you seen him falling recently? He’s taken several spectacular spills lately. So, non compos mentis, as well as physically more frail and diminished. He should be removed by the 25th (a nod to Rod) before his senility leads us to the unthinkable.
Zhou was at a private fundraiser I believe in California. Apparently less "handlers" on the trip and allowed Zhou to speak his mind. Felt comfortable in the room so to speak.
We need more Democratic fundraisers in the future IMO.
Zhou speaking his mind - that probably didn't take up much time.
You don't discard a perfectly good puppet. Plus there is plausible deniability. When disaster strikes, Biden did it in a moment of whatever elderly people are prone to. I, however, as an elderly person claim to be prone to having learned from my many years of experience, together with an aversion to repeat the errors of my youth.
Commendable, admirable and absolutely correct!
Very good point…
The Simplicious piece is outstanding.
We fought on two fronts across a vast area against fanatical, even suicidal Armies in 1942-45 and won. I was a schoolkid and you can't imagine the patriotic fervor we all had, even Hollywood and the media. Now there is no 'we'. Now we couldn't beat ragtag Taliban (actually our troops did, and we could have stayed there with only 250 troops and no casualties, but we didn't). Putin may be evil, but good ol' Joe is worse. And China owns our politicians. Now if the neocons want to put on uniforms and take up arms........
NEOCONS are not willing to fight for this country. Their loyalties lie elsewhere. They want you to fight for them while they get rich off the chaos.
Yes, it's been building for decades with cooperation of "both" political parties. Not a single elected person has stood up for us and none will. Who could've dreamed that US taxpayers would be enslaved from birth to the weapons industry? Only solution is breakup of US into at least 3 parts.
Bingo! As more Americans come to that same realization we might begin to reclaim our nation.
Start impeachment proceedings ASAP, elect a peace candidate in '24 and then clean house.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-coast-guard-cutter-makes-rare-provocative-taiwan-strait-transit
After Biden's comments, we're fast approaching a point where the Chinese are going to close the Straits and dare the neocons to send a gunboat.
That may have just happened with the US sending a solo Coast Guard cutter through the straits.
So who can make sense of the neocons' strategy:
1. Make "kiss and make up" overtures to Xi
2. Call aforementioned Xi a dictator
3. Send a CG cutter throught the Taiwan Straits - not a cargo ship, not a regular navy ship but a CG ship, implying that "we" are patrolling "our" coastline
Beyond belief!
Sean Davis
@seanmdav
Investigators recovered WhatsApp messages from Hunter Biden to Chinese businessman Henry Zhao, explicitly threatening that Joe Biden, who was said to be in the room, would destroy him if the Bidens were not paid immediately.
Jonathan Turley
@JonathanTurley
The release of the allegations of an IRS whistleblower includes this WhatsApp message to Henry Zhao: "I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight."
1:24 PM · Jun 22, 2023
Wow, that's worth more probation time at the very least.
Past time for Nuland, Blinken and their ilk to be removed from gov't before they get us all killed.
Apparently Zhou made a variety of false statements regarding Xi and US relations with Xi. That probably made the Chinese even more angry than the initially reported "malarkey".
Very nice of Prezzie Biden: he's simply letting his high-end donor base know what they are buying.
Most of what he said to the Dem donors was patently untrue. So my operating assumption is that the stuff about "sophisticated surveillance equipment" is also untrue. If it were true, what reason would there be for not disclosing it?
Well, he did let it go all the way across the Country before shooting it down. Mission accomplished. But I don't understand the remark that Xi didn't know. I would assume he sent it here, and told Joe he could shoot it down after he got his information from it. In fact Joe could have been instructed to destroy all that secret equipment.
By the way, I also heard what Trump said that they claim was so damaging, and fail to see how it could be of any importance, let alone a security breach. But I would like it if Russia could tell us what they got from Hillery's server, as Trump requested. For those whose knowledge of English is faulty, he was requesting information already gathered, and not encouraging them to continue spying.
Or ... we could ask the FBI for the Hillary email info... this is from Oct 2019. https://nypost.com/2019/10/08/oh-s-t-the-moment-fbi-agents-found-hillary-clinton-emails-on-anthony-weiners-laptop/