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ML's avatar

I agree that the DS has had Zhou’s ouster in the cards ever since they decided to set him up as (p)resident…I’m sure, as has been mentioned here, that there are any number of slings and arrows that can be aimed at him in order to push him out, or simply to stop any 2024 plans. Maybe the DS will opt for the two-fer: using the classified docs tempest in a teapot to nix both Zhou and Trump, the former nudged from the ballot and Trump, well, indicted! And, never let the appointment of an SC go to waste, especially as the Republicans are actually threatening investigations…making haste slowly, as usual…so infuriating!!!

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Steghorn21's avatar

Belarus: it could be that the Russians and Belarusians are prepping for an attack southwards. However, I wonder more if it might indeed be a distraction, and/or making sure the Belarus military is ready for any hinky moves in their direction from Nato.

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Cord The Seeker's avatar

"As of last week, the Pentagon said it had yet to observe any Russian troop movements in Belarus that would indicate the two countries are staging a fresh attack on Ukraine together." - From Zero Hedge

The statement is basically dumb. Belarus doesn't have particularly large armed forces. (They are fairly well equipped) It stands to logical reason that at a time what Russian soldiers are fighting and dying in Ukraine, Russia didn't send large numbers of troops to Belarus just for training exercises when those might be put to better use winning the war. If the Russians feel the need to give some sort of cover story for the deployment then whatever. It's training exercises. Until it isn't. I have no idea whether Belarus will join in the coming offensive. Even if they send in no troops, they would have to assume that some number of air and artillery strikes might be coming their way and take appropriate precautions.

Things like this don't fill me with confidence about the people in charge

Note: if Belarus is coming into the war it might explain why Gerasimov has been put in overall command with Surovikin as a deputy. The more senior officer would be in overall command of an operation that will now involve allied troops. This of course is speculative

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Simone A.P.'s avatar

Mark ti seguo ormai da mesi, non ricordo nemmeno come ho fatto a trovarti ma che Dio ti benedica..

Le tue analisi sono straordinarie e nei tuoi scritti spesso sei fonte di illuminazione per me!

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D Burlin's avatar

Sono d'accordo!

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Grazie!

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Mark Wauck's avatar

I read Italian, but I don't dare try to write it.

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User's avatar
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Jan 18, 2023
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Mark Wauck's avatar

Sorry, I never watched it.

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Jan 18, 2023
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Steghorn21's avatar

I saw that great old film, Fail Safe, the other day. Walt Matthau nailed the deranged neocon personality perfectly.

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Jan 18, 2023Edited
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Mark Wauck's avatar

Too true.

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Jan 17, 2023
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AmericanCardigan's avatar

is that why the WSJ (via J. Turley) is reporting the FBI refused to get involved in the document search? Because they're complicit? I don't think so.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Yeah, that's hard to buy. The FBI could just say somebody screwed up or misbehaved, but we've corrected that and we're on the case.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

I just saw the WSJ account. The decision was made by DoJ, not FBI. The rationale is complete bullshit.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

It's a theory. And the point is that there's no particular argument against it. There's no real reason to say Zhou wouldn't do that.

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User's avatar
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Jan 17, 2023
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User's avatar
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Jan 17, 2023
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Jan 17, 2023
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Mark Wauck's avatar

LOL! Or maybe illegit selling out the country? It's all in your point of view.

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Jan 17, 2023
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Steghorn21's avatar

I've heard that the FBI janitors are still pretty based.

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Jan 17, 2023
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Mark Wauck's avatar

Right. This is why I'm saying: No coincidences. Everything is connected. The lawyers are the facilitators and frontmen, but they're not independent actors. When you see them leading the way months before anything went public, you know there's coordination. The question is, Is this simply about shoving Zhou aside with a view to 2024, or is there more going on.

If Dems still controlled the House this would be simple, but the GOP control changes the dynamics, makes the politics much more complicated. My argument is that if the hit on Zhou went forward in the face of these complications, then there's more going on that JUST 2024.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

My hunch is David Brock (former Media Matters) now Facts First USA and his associated PAC's are driving this. Facts First USA formed to fight the House Republican investigations of which the Zhou documents fiasco provide a distraction for McCarthy/Jordan and crew.

The ole bob and weave... tie it up in an SC while House Intel and Judiciary follow the smoke and mirrors instead of focusing on what their intent has been described as thus far. Covid, Hunter, etc...

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Mark Wauck's avatar

He can't obtain the docs or force an SC. If you want to hide this, the way to do would probably be to open an investigation--not an SC, just a regular investigation. That way you don't have to go public as with an SC, but you've got your ass covered.

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User's avatar
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Jan 17, 2023
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Mark Wauck's avatar

Totally agree. My argument is that they want to force Zhou out--but disclosing as little as possible.

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Jan 18, 2023
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Mark Wauck's avatar

That could have been done without publicity and without a SC. Easy peasy.

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Jan 17, 2023
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Dave's avatar

I put a lot of weight on Gaetz' angle, personally. It continues the one vein of truth that spans across parties, virtually the same core group of people and across decades.

It very well could be that simple...

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Mark Wauck's avatar

While I don't agree with everything he says, he's very articulate and makes many valid points re the functioning of Congress.

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