A number of things are becoming apparent regarding the conflict in Ukraine. There are at least three active fronts. In the Zaporozhye region in the south as well as in the eastern area around Bakhmut the Russian forces are content to maintain an attritional defensive posture—although in what could be called the geographic link between these two fronts Russian forces are maintaining consistent offensive pressure. On the other hand, in the north in the Kharkov direction Russian forces are aggressively seeking to exploit breakthroughs in the Ukrainian defenses. Time will tell if this will develop further.
Thank you, Mark, for bringing together the views of these astute observers so succinctly. It's a rare talent these days. Concerning Odessa, Putin quite rightly wants to avoid casualties but I don't think the Russian people will forgive him if he fails to take it, and also make the Dnieper river the new frontier. Otherwise, we all know what will happen: the neocons will re-arm the rest of Ukraine and we are back to square zero. Apart from that, we are definitely seeing the West losing patience and interest in Ukraine. They'll soon be moving on to their next project. Finally, I agree with Mercouris. What's going on in the US is mind-boggling. I really don't see how the nation comes out of this intact. Happy times!
In a New York Post opinion piece law professor Glenn Reynolds’s writes about the top down bat-shit crazy ideologies coming from our elites and intellectuals. They are inter-bred and all espouse the same ideology a master class in groupthink stupidity. Historically the in-bred nobles became increasingly intolerant, violent and embraced every moronic idea that came out of their intelligentsia. We are suffering a historical devolution of intelligence and governance that is driven by fashion and has little to do with time tested common sense.
“Toward the end he even likens the state of the American judiciary and Dept. of Justice to the courts under Henry VIII.” Bingo. Every time I mention a new development in the saga of our republic’s decline and fall, my husband (a blend of Frenchy with anglophile tastes!) never fails to respond, “we’ve seen it all before - remember Shardlake and Henry VIII!” So for a summer reading tip that may last well into the fall - and winter - you can’t do better than CJ Sansom (a former barrister turned writer) 7-book Matthew Shardlake series, from Dissolution to Tombland. Enthralling prose, captivating characters!!
"the word out of Vilnius is that Zelensky was told: Win by Christmas—or else."
Hah! Win by Christmas or else...we'll just have to keep sending you billions of dollars worth of tanks, missiles, F-16s, cluster bombs, pay checks and slush payments.
NATO may well have issued Zelensky some kind of ultimatum, but...there is no way Ukraine 'wins'...ever...let alone by Christmas 2023 and Biden and the rest of his pals (including EU leaders) will be in between a serious rock and a hard place explaining another Afghanistan-like withdrawal to their constituents in 2024 -- an election year.
My guess is that the ultimatum is conveniently forgotten.
Yeah, Simplicius, among others, is talking up a Polish invasion. The reality is that there are far more fully equipped Russian troops in Belaurs--along with the Belarus military--than the entire Polish military.
Yeah I don’t get it. Consolidating everyone’s debt under one roof. Giant write-offs? Accruals for future payoffs? Reserves equity to reduce debt consist of what? I’m confused.
It means that for all of the existing debt, the principal amounts that are due to be payed back at the debt's maturation will no longer have to be paid back. Instead they will be paid back as smaller, regular interest payments into perpetuity. Slick way to weasel your way out of bankruptcy.
Per Tom Luongo EU Banks are broke, even the Bundesbank, the German central bank. Huge deficit Spending, e add especially by Italy, Greece, Spain worsened by Covid, and now the end of cheap Russian Energy.
And French and Germany were big buyers of South European debt.
The hope is these perpetual bonds will save the Euro.
Does it not seem like the Soros’s and Blackrocks are maneuvering to control the world through owning the debt which pays them in perpetuity with the Damocles of debt hanging over the debtor? If Soros is pushing it then the Rothchilds and the City of London banks are certainly the benefactors of a scheme to enrich themselves off the chaos under the guise of bringing stability to the market, yes?
Precisely. The control aspect is key to all of this. The oft stated WEF goal of "you will own nothing and be happy" is simplistic and sinister, but fully in line with totalitarian thinking. Who believes this? Those who have lost hope or are simply lazy or just not that smart. There millions of brain dead students who have been fully indoctrinated into this 'life with no effort' scheme.
Mercouris is absolutely right about the implications for the Republicans and our entire political and democratic system if they don't unify and stand up to the DOJ Lawfare takedown of Trump. I hate to say it but I think they may be too stupid or short-sighted to see this. So many of them are so anti-Trump because they see Trump as a likely threat to them and their corruption and their gravy trains. Well, a rogue Dem controlled DOJ isn't? In a similar vein, all of us who don't stand up to the censorship and restrictions on our freedom of speech, worship, assembly, etc. in the West are also facing the same eventual repercussions of tyranny.
Also, I am sorry if slightly OT but I had to post this from Viktor Orban, as it is a great Solzhenitsyn-like statement about where we are civilizationally (culturally and politically) in the West and about the coming potential conflict between the U.S. and China:
Was a very good speech and we would be in better shape if we had a few Orban’s in our orbit today then the knuckleheads elected to represent us. It’s become abundantly clear to those who can think clearly that our congress only represents themselves and the Oligarchy of big money and business. We are resembling the controlled opposition.
A major part of the problem is that there is no longer an opposition party. The GOP deserves to die and be replaced by something that actually opposes this madness.
Collaborator, Vichy, or kapo - which term is most appropriate for the Never Trumpers?
I agree with Glenn of Instapundit. The eGOP identifies more with their fellow elite credentialed social class that are Democrats, than their perceived archetype of smelly Walmart shopper Trump Supporters.
Mercouris suggests "[Republicans] need to make some very careful decisions about how they go forward now. This isn't a time for focusing on one's career. It's a time to focus on the future of the republic."
I'm not sure we have anyone capable of sacrificing his or her personal career for the future of an abstract republic: the lives of others yet unborn within our bordres. That requires a Christian ethos, not a classical liberal ethos or a trade union ethos or an evo-bio ethos or ...
Just wondering: Didn’t Yellen just go cap in hand to China? And according to TLuongo, the Chinese bought US Treasuries but issued a condition: stop supporting Ukraine - by Xmas? And given Zhou’s Chinese payoffs (alleged), who is he to say no?
Thank you, Mark, for bringing together the views of these astute observers so succinctly. It's a rare talent these days. Concerning Odessa, Putin quite rightly wants to avoid casualties but I don't think the Russian people will forgive him if he fails to take it, and also make the Dnieper river the new frontier. Otherwise, we all know what will happen: the neocons will re-arm the rest of Ukraine and we are back to square zero. Apart from that, we are definitely seeing the West losing patience and interest in Ukraine. They'll soon be moving on to their next project. Finally, I agree with Mercouris. What's going on in the US is mind-boggling. I really don't see how the nation comes out of this intact. Happy times!
In a New York Post opinion piece law professor Glenn Reynolds’s writes about the top down bat-shit crazy ideologies coming from our elites and intellectuals. They are inter-bred and all espouse the same ideology a master class in groupthink stupidity. Historically the in-bred nobles became increasingly intolerant, violent and embraced every moronic idea that came out of their intelligentsia. We are suffering a historical devolution of intelligence and governance that is driven by fashion and has little to do with time tested common sense.
“Toward the end he even likens the state of the American judiciary and Dept. of Justice to the courts under Henry VIII.” Bingo. Every time I mention a new development in the saga of our republic’s decline and fall, my husband (a blend of Frenchy with anglophile tastes!) never fails to respond, “we’ve seen it all before - remember Shardlake and Henry VIII!” So for a summer reading tip that may last well into the fall - and winter - you can’t do better than CJ Sansom (a former barrister turned writer) 7-book Matthew Shardlake series, from Dissolution to Tombland. Enthralling prose, captivating characters!!
"the word out of Vilnius is that Zelensky was told: Win by Christmas—or else."
Hah! Win by Christmas or else...we'll just have to keep sending you billions of dollars worth of tanks, missiles, F-16s, cluster bombs, pay checks and slush payments.
NATO may well have issued Zelensky some kind of ultimatum, but...there is no way Ukraine 'wins'...ever...let alone by Christmas 2023 and Biden and the rest of his pals (including EU leaders) will be in between a serious rock and a hard place explaining another Afghanistan-like withdrawal to their constituents in 2024 -- an election year.
My guess is that the ultimatum is conveniently forgotten.
Moving the goal posts. How convenient. Earlier this year it was by September.
Gotta love the logic of DC: win now or by Xmas, and after you’ve lost, we’ll send you what you need to win.
What’s going on in Poland? :-(
https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1683489463953940481
Yeah, Simplicius, among others, is talking up a Polish invasion. The reality is that there are far more fully equipped Russian troops in Belaurs--along with the Belarus military--than the entire Polish military.
Poles being Poles. They are the neocons' new monkey's paw.
“Monday Grab Bag”. I like the new moniker for Monday blogs! Nice potpourri of events.
Saw today where Nikki Haley would align behind Trump if nominated. Think I saw where Vivek suggested the same. Maybe, eventually the stars will align.
Nikki may be figuring Trump never makes it that far. If he does, then she keeps the door open for a future spot in his Admin?
Would Trump be dumb enough to give her a job? Probably.
Politics often is the art of keeping your enemies closer than your friends.
He’s a very forgiving person. Perhaps a character flaw?
I know a woman who worked directly for him at Mar-A-Lago. She tells me that if you stroked his...ego, he was pretty easy to 'manage'.
Unless you continue to stab people in the back.
Perpetual Bonds - never redeemable, but keep on paying out a dividend forever.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/perpetualbond.asp
First time I heard that term.
Yeah I don’t get it. Consolidating everyone’s debt under one roof. Giant write-offs? Accruals for future payoffs? Reserves equity to reduce debt consist of what? I’m confused.
It means that for all of the existing debt, the principal amounts that are due to be payed back at the debt's maturation will no longer have to be paid back. Instead they will be paid back as smaller, regular interest payments into perpetuity. Slick way to weasel your way out of bankruptcy.
Makes sense.
And Soros has been pushing them hard since Covid.
Per Tom Luongo EU Banks are broke, even the Bundesbank, the German central bank. Huge deficit Spending, e add especially by Italy, Greece, Spain worsened by Covid, and now the end of cheap Russian Energy.
And French and Germany were big buyers of South European debt.
The hope is these perpetual bonds will save the Euro.
Does it not seem like the Soros’s and Blackrocks are maneuvering to control the world through owning the debt which pays them in perpetuity with the Damocles of debt hanging over the debtor? If Soros is pushing it then the Rothchilds and the City of London banks are certainly the benefactors of a scheme to enrich themselves off the chaos under the guise of bringing stability to the market, yes?
It’s a bail out, plus with a Digital Currency increases control.
Precisely. The control aspect is key to all of this. The oft stated WEF goal of "you will own nothing and be happy" is simplistic and sinister, but fully in line with totalitarian thinking. Who believes this? Those who have lost hope or are simply lazy or just not that smart. There millions of brain dead students who have been fully indoctrinated into this 'life with no effort' scheme.
Giant write off, I think, because who thinks we--or the Euros--will ever pay off the debt?
Could it be dividends so to speak paid back in perpetuity with money from the serfs and governments they own?
Consols were the last word in complete rock-solid security back in those days. I somehow doubt that the EU version would have the same prestige
Mercouris is absolutely right about the implications for the Republicans and our entire political and democratic system if they don't unify and stand up to the DOJ Lawfare takedown of Trump. I hate to say it but I think they may be too stupid or short-sighted to see this. So many of them are so anti-Trump because they see Trump as a likely threat to them and their corruption and their gravy trains. Well, a rogue Dem controlled DOJ isn't? In a similar vein, all of us who don't stand up to the censorship and restrictions on our freedom of speech, worship, assembly, etc. in the West are also facing the same eventual repercussions of tyranny.
Also, I am sorry if slightly OT but I had to post this from Viktor Orban, as it is a great Solzhenitsyn-like statement about where we are civilizationally (culturally and politically) in the West and about the coming potential conflict between the U.S. and China:
https://www.emerald.tv/p/viktor-orban-by-rejecting-christianity
Just finished the Orban speech. I cannot imagine an American leader giving such a speech to Americans; heartbreaking.
Was a very good speech and we would be in better shape if we had a few Orban’s in our orbit today then the knuckleheads elected to represent us. It’s become abundantly clear to those who can think clearly that our congress only represents themselves and the Oligarchy of big money and business. We are resembling the controlled opposition.
A major part of the problem is that there is no longer an opposition party. The GOP deserves to die and be replaced by something that actually opposes this madness.
Collaborator, Vichy, or kapo - which term is most appropriate for the Never Trumpers?
I agree with Glenn of Instapundit. The eGOP identifies more with their fellow elite credentialed social class that are Democrats, than their perceived archetype of smelly Walmart shopper Trump Supporters.
https://nypost.com/2023/07/24/our-societys-top-brains-have-gone-mad-and-dysfunctional-politics-is-the-result/
*I think they may be too stupid or short-sighted to see this.*
Mercouris suggests "[Republicans] need to make some very careful decisions about how they go forward now. This isn't a time for focusing on one's career. It's a time to focus on the future of the republic."
I'm not sure we have anyone capable of sacrificing his or her personal career for the future of an abstract republic: the lives of others yet unborn within our bordres. That requires a Christian ethos, not a classical liberal ethos or a trade union ethos or an evo-bio ethos or ...
So you mean we can't rely on Mitt Romney to save us? :)
I voted for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to save us in 2012. Since I was easily conned then, I have to assume that I am easily conned going forward. :(
You're not alone.
Thanks for the chuckle. I like good sarcasm!
Just wondering: Didn’t Yellen just go cap in hand to China? And according to TLuongo, the Chinese bought US Treasuries but issued a condition: stop supporting Ukraine - by Xmas? And given Zhou’s Chinese payoffs (alleged), who is he to say no?