An important question that comes up regularly is: What does the continual American escalation of its war against Russia hope achieve. A common response is one that runs along the lines that Alastair Crooke presented this past Monday. According to Crooke the hope is to goad Russia into an over the top response. Which simply raises the further question: What would that achieve? Justify a US first nuclear strike? To me it doesn’t make sense. My response to Crooke’s idea was that I believe the continual escalation is caused by the failure of each previous escalation to achieve the real goal—which is regime change in Russia. Each level of escalation is intended to alarm the Russian public as well as power brokers at a lower level than Putin, to convince them that Putin is leading Russia down a path of destruction, and so must go. Sanctions to cause economic hardship, wunderwaffen to increase Russian casualties on the battlefield, missiles to strike ever more deeply into Russia—they’re all intended for that purpose. And as each round of sanctions and each new tranche of wunderwaffen, each new terror attack inside Russia, all fail to make a dent in Putin’s standing with the Russian public, a new and more dangerous level of escalation is rolled out. It’s brinksmanship, but as with all games of brinksmanship it’s essentially a bluff.
Sure are a lot of blood thirsty EU a**holes out there, do they think we’re gonna bail them out? They’ve been seeing what we all saw last night, does that let them sleep at night?
Mark we are like Czechoslovakia or Poland in 1938. For them, goading Germany achieved destruction of their countries and the eventual destruction of Getmany. It all worked out perfectly -- for Perfidious Albion. Oh, and 20 million Russians killed to boot! It worked like a charm.
That is why they want us to attack Russia. It isn't what's in it for us -- it's what is in it for them.
Regarding Mearsheimer, Macgregor and Wauck on the likelihood of war with Hezbollah/Lebanon
The problem which must be acknowledged is that Israel may be desperate enough to attack Lebanon. Joe says the US is resolutely opposed to any such 'lunacy'. All the US has to do is to just continue saying ‘No’ and call Netanyahu’s tactical nuke bluff. True. This is our position.
However when Israel does go to war to war -unilaterally- with Hezbollah and inflicts serious initial damage, Hezbollah will respond in kind. Including on Israeli civilians, towns and cities. Israel will then demand US support. Then we will find out how much control the Israel Lobby has over the President, the Congress, the Deep State and the American People. .
Who wants to bet asgainst the Israel Lobby?
Would Israel sacrifice Israeli citizens and civilian areas to drag the US into an active role in a hot war?
Israel is not a rational actor, which is the big problem here. Desperate, deranged and crazed enough to do anything, it would seem, no matter if it ends up destroying Israel. How much will it escalate this ruinous carnage and how much damage will it inflict before that happens? US could stop this madness, but won't.
Get rid of Putin? I guess those who want him gone do not really understand. If Putin goes there is a good chance you could get an Igor Girkin type. There is a contingent of Russian elites/thinkers who believe that Putin has been too soft and he is weak.
Also, There have been a lot of Russians saying , for a while, that we need to attack NATO now. Because with our hypersonics, our S500s, Poseidons and other weapons, we have the advantage. Also a lot of Russians saying , NATO wants us dead. AND all of the ideas above are now part of the Russian thought stream.
So the wishful thinking that if Putin leaves that the Russians will turn to the West? No, I do not think so.
As far as reasons American Leadership bullying the Russians and risking WW3 there are several possibilities
a. That the American leadership is a bunch of irrational NEOCONs who are ideologically driven and not capable of rationality when it conflicts with their ideology.
b. It has been postulated that American is broke and soon to have a financial collapse. The concept is that the American elites want a war to cover their tracks concerning the causation of this financial crisis.
c. The poison of Hillary Clinton and John McCain has over the years had its affect and this current group of leaders are just "Taking the Bus to Abilene" with no critical thought attached or courage to say no.
d. This is partly a revenge case. The American elites hate Putin and have never forgiven him., because he saved Russia from the abject demoralization and decline of the Yeltsin years. The idea is that American elites were extremely happy that Russia was turning into Weimar 2.0 and Putin stopped all that.
e. Any combination of the above.
f. Pick another reason, because this whole anti-russian scenario of the last 10 to 15 years does not make sense.
Choice A for sure. Same way Dem Party allowed Biden to run for prez again even tho he's incapacitated and will lose. An irrational decision, but they're too deep in their own delusional, self-serving bubble and concerned w/ preserving their own careers in the short-term, no matter the long-term damage to the US and its people, nevermind the Ukranians et al.
Well said. I think a. above is important because, as Mark as gone to great lengths to point out, our foreign policy bus (to Abilene!) is being driven by the Neocons who are fully owned and operated by…the Anglo-Zionist Empire. Russia, gotta go. China, can’t have that either…only thing is, there’s no road map (or GPS), just full steam ahead (keep goading and poking at least til the elections) with no brakes!
Great write-up, Mark! Thank you. This is a real poop show, thanks to the NeoCons. I had a question about the "brilliant" idea to foment Putin's overthrow. My understanding is that Vladimir Vladimirovich is actually more pro-Western than many of those "in line" to replace him. For example, Medvedev is fulminating about NATO/US and their antics in Ukraine. This might well be something that the NeoCons should be careful about that for which they wish! Play stupid games...
Sure are a lot of blood thirsty EU a**holes out there, do they think we’re gonna bail them out? They’ve been seeing what we all saw last night, does that let them sleep at night?
What impact will Biden’s catastrophic debacle at the debate have on U.S. policy before the inauguration?
Part of the big question.
Mark we are like Czechoslovakia or Poland in 1938. For them, goading Germany achieved destruction of their countries and the eventual destruction of Getmany. It all worked out perfectly -- for Perfidious Albion. Oh, and 20 million Russians killed to boot! It worked like a charm.
That is why they want us to attack Russia. It isn't what's in it for us -- it's what is in it for them.
Regarding Mearsheimer, Macgregor and Wauck on the likelihood of war with Hezbollah/Lebanon
The problem which must be acknowledged is that Israel may be desperate enough to attack Lebanon. Joe says the US is resolutely opposed to any such 'lunacy'. All the US has to do is to just continue saying ‘No’ and call Netanyahu’s tactical nuke bluff. True. This is our position.
However when Israel does go to war to war -unilaterally- with Hezbollah and inflicts serious initial damage, Hezbollah will respond in kind. Including on Israeli civilians, towns and cities. Israel will then demand US support. Then we will find out how much control the Israel Lobby has over the President, the Congress, the Deep State and the American People. .
Who wants to bet asgainst the Israel Lobby?
Would Israel sacrifice Israeli citizens and civilian areas to drag the US into an active role in a hot war?
They've used such tactics before.
Israel is not a rational actor, which is the big problem here. Desperate, deranged and crazed enough to do anything, it would seem, no matter if it ends up destroying Israel. How much will it escalate this ruinous carnage and how much damage will it inflict before that happens? US could stop this madness, but won't.
Get rid of Putin? I guess those who want him gone do not really understand. If Putin goes there is a good chance you could get an Igor Girkin type. There is a contingent of Russian elites/thinkers who believe that Putin has been too soft and he is weak.
Also, There have been a lot of Russians saying , for a while, that we need to attack NATO now. Because with our hypersonics, our S500s, Poseidons and other weapons, we have the advantage. Also a lot of Russians saying , NATO wants us dead. AND all of the ideas above are now part of the Russian thought stream.
So the wishful thinking that if Putin leaves that the Russians will turn to the West? No, I do not think so.
As far as reasons American Leadership bullying the Russians and risking WW3 there are several possibilities
a. That the American leadership is a bunch of irrational NEOCONs who are ideologically driven and not capable of rationality when it conflicts with their ideology.
b. It has been postulated that American is broke and soon to have a financial collapse. The concept is that the American elites want a war to cover their tracks concerning the causation of this financial crisis.
c. The poison of Hillary Clinton and John McCain has over the years had its affect and this current group of leaders are just "Taking the Bus to Abilene" with no critical thought attached or courage to say no.
d. This is partly a revenge case. The American elites hate Putin and have never forgiven him., because he saved Russia from the abject demoralization and decline of the Yeltsin years. The idea is that American elites were extremely happy that Russia was turning into Weimar 2.0 and Putin stopped all that.
e. Any combination of the above.
f. Pick another reason, because this whole anti-russian scenario of the last 10 to 15 years does not make sense.
Choice A for sure. Same way Dem Party allowed Biden to run for prez again even tho he's incapacitated and will lose. An irrational decision, but they're too deep in their own delusional, self-serving bubble and concerned w/ preserving their own careers in the short-term, no matter the long-term damage to the US and its people, nevermind the Ukranians et al.
Well said. I think a. above is important because, as Mark as gone to great lengths to point out, our foreign policy bus (to Abilene!) is being driven by the Neocons who are fully owned and operated by…the Anglo-Zionist Empire. Russia, gotta go. China, can’t have that either…only thing is, there’s no road map (or GPS), just full steam ahead (keep goading and poking at least til the elections) with no brakes!
Great write-up, Mark! Thank you. This is a real poop show, thanks to the NeoCons. I had a question about the "brilliant" idea to foment Putin's overthrow. My understanding is that Vladimir Vladimirovich is actually more pro-Western than many of those "in line" to replace him. For example, Medvedev is fulminating about NATO/US and their antics in Ukraine. This might well be something that the NeoCons should be careful about that for which they wish! Play stupid games...