Yeah, only this is no game. Already countless thousands of people have died or been seriously injured—that may be a conservative guesstimate—and many millions have been displaced. I go back to the US lying its way into invading Iraq under Dubya. At that time my contention was that Authorization for the Use Of Military Force (AUMF) wasn’t, in the big scheme of things, about Saddam. It was about a land military platform to control the flow of Central Asian gas to Europe and Iranian oil to the world. The goal was to circumvent Russian influence over the supply of gas to Europe. Fast forward a few decades and nothing has changed. The war of the collective West against Russia isn’t really about Ukraine, except to the extent that the Ukrainian population provides a handy source of cannon fodder that’s conveniently located in a strategically sensitive region for Russia. The war is still about controlling the flow of energy to Europe and preventing a more or less unified Eurasian landmass. All else is essentially peripheral. The various conflicts surrounding the Eurasian landmass, most instigated by the Anglosphere of the US/UK, are about 1) weakening Russia and China, and 2) creating enough turmoil to prevent the rise of an economic and strategic bloc that could challenge US hegemony.
Well, if that is their plan, they seem to be failing. They've not only failed to weaken Russia and China but have pushed them closer together - and pushed a lot of other nations into alliance with them too. As for Europe, maybe we really are gone, or maybe there will be some kind of revolt.
Its all really kind of sad, when you think about it…
Our forebears having sacrificed enormously over the centuries to build this country…the wars with the Indians, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War…
Having given birth to a great nation and its enduring foundational documents and system of government, offering freedoms and opportunities unheard of elsewhere around the world,
Having suffered through devastating panics, recessions and depressions…and having repeatedly recovered and prospered,
Having developed the most powerful military and industrial and economic engine in the history of the world,
Having prevailed over the Kaiser in the Great War, and Hitler and Hirohito in the Second World War,
And having prevailed over the inheritors of Lenin and Stalin in the Soviet Union to win the Cold War, leaving the United States of America the first great global superpower;
This generation of American leadership seems prepared to risk it all,
By dividing Americans at home with indefensible radical policies, by usurping extra-legal authorities, and by entering into a hot war abroad with a powerful opponent with enormous spiritual and natural resources who will not retreat, and
Which opponent is finding increasing friendship and support among the governments of more than half the people on earth,
And who may well prevail, resulting in a devastating loss not only of American hegemony,
But also of the legacy of American wealth, power, prestige and goodwill...and goodness... built up over four centuries.
Türkiye aims to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Erdoğan
Hurriyet ^
Posted on 9/18/2022, 6:19:46 PM by FarCenter
Türkiye aims to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, noting that the group’s next meeting in India will be a venue to further discuss this issue.
My only exposure to the great game was the Daes Daimar of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time novels. Until I began researching Mackinder's heartland theory earlier this year.
It puts everything into context to understand that this competition between UK and Russia goes back a couple hundred years.
Suddenly the rumors of the West first funding the rise of the Bolsheviks and then funding Hitler to fix that mess (LOL) start to make sense. And then passing the baton to America who creates Al Qaeda to oppose USSR, allies with Isis in Syria and now Nazis in Ukraine, all to press, undermine, and plunder Russia.
Sheesh!
It's almost like, maybe we're not actually the good guys.
Maybe we should have obtained that objective before deindustrializing and off-shoring most of our industrial base.
Thanks very much for this primer, Mark. I happened to just view a The Duran video from yesterday addressing the SCO Summit and some of these same issues:
Well, if that is their plan, they seem to be failing. They've not only failed to weaken Russia and China but have pushed them closer together - and pushed a lot of other nations into alliance with them too. As for Europe, maybe we really are gone, or maybe there will be some kind of revolt.
Its all really kind of sad, when you think about it…
Our forebears having sacrificed enormously over the centuries to build this country…the wars with the Indians, the Revolutionary War, and the Civil War…
Having given birth to a great nation and its enduring foundational documents and system of government, offering freedoms and opportunities unheard of elsewhere around the world,
Having suffered through devastating panics, recessions and depressions…and having repeatedly recovered and prospered,
Having developed the most powerful military and industrial and economic engine in the history of the world,
Having prevailed over the Kaiser in the Great War, and Hitler and Hirohito in the Second World War,
And having prevailed over the inheritors of Lenin and Stalin in the Soviet Union to win the Cold War, leaving the United States of America the first great global superpower;
This generation of American leadership seems prepared to risk it all,
By dividing Americans at home with indefensible radical policies, by usurping extra-legal authorities, and by entering into a hot war abroad with a powerful opponent with enormous spiritual and natural resources who will not retreat, and
Which opponent is finding increasing friendship and support among the governments of more than half the people on earth,
And who may well prevail, resulting in a devastating loss not only of American hegemony,
But also of the legacy of American wealth, power, prestige and goodwill...and goodness... built up over four centuries.
Big. Big.
Türkiye aims to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Erdoğan
Hurriyet ^
Posted on 9/18/2022, 6:19:46 PM by FarCenter
Türkiye aims to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, noting that the group’s next meeting in India will be a venue to further discuss this issue.
My only exposure to the great game was the Daes Daimar of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time novels. Until I began researching Mackinder's heartland theory earlier this year.
It puts everything into context to understand that this competition between UK and Russia goes back a couple hundred years.
Suddenly the rumors of the West first funding the rise of the Bolsheviks and then funding Hitler to fix that mess (LOL) start to make sense. And then passing the baton to America who creates Al Qaeda to oppose USSR, allies with Isis in Syria and now Nazis in Ukraine, all to press, undermine, and plunder Russia.
Sheesh!
It's almost like, maybe we're not actually the good guys.
Maybe we should have obtained that objective before deindustrializing and off-shoring most of our industrial base.
The typical American cannot name all fifty states or find them on a map. Imagine the blank looks you'd get trying to talk about this.
Thanks very much for this primer, Mark. I happened to just view a The Duran video from yesterday addressing the SCO Summit and some of these same issues:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV26025Kx8I
All indications are that your presentation and warning are very important and prescient.