The US Navy says it has spent about $1 billion on munitions used in defending the Red Sea, conducting more than 450 strikes and intercepting more than 200 drones and missiles since November when the attacks began. (WSJ)
Mark: Are you aware of Section 531 of the NDAA that just passed the House (217-199)? It reinstates the draft for men 18-26. They are automatically registered for the draft.
Most, if not all, of the senate is bought and paid for by the Israel lobby. The most money has gone to Ted Cruz. Anything out of his mouth has become a self-serving rant often, lately, on behalf of Israel and Zionism. He's a fraud like most senators. our senate is now the modern equivalent of the Roman senate. corrupt, entitled and now with pretensions to aristocracy.
If a draft is needed (and one will be if the US keeps up its perpetual warmongering), then having all the young males pre-registered with SS will make no difference. The government knows everything about us that matters. Nearly all 18-26 year old males have social security numbers, and a birth date and a sex is associated with that number. In less than a day, all the eligible males can be registered when needed to support a draft.
This is a do-nothing, feel good bill. Why Congress needs to do this at this time is unknown. Are the warmongers trying to send a signal to Putin? I guess it's easier to pass this legislation than to actually cut some spending?
Thanks very much, Mark, for transcribing this. It really adds value and clarity especially since the subject matter Almassian discusses is so broad and has so many facets.
I watched the video last night (thanks, Ray-SoCa) and was impressed with how lucid and systematic Almassian was in his presentation. He has a great understanding of the region and a great ability to contextualize specific groups and events within the larger geopolitical picture. it was refreshing to hear such honesty about what the American role and objectives in the ME have been (even though that role has been utterly disgusting and shameful). What might still happen in the ME (and in the world) as a result of our and Israel's actions is very frightening to contemplate.
I was previously familiar with the Qatar pipeline angle but had completely forgotten about. It is good to remind oneself of what's behind all these events.
Me too. That is one reason why I appreciate all of the background you provide with your posts whether it be based on your current or past research and analysis. It's easy to forget something one might have read four or five years ago. Thanks again.
This is tiresome. Almassian's account is focused on current events, which necessarily involves a focus on US/Israeli/Brit divide and rule strategies.
You litter your own comment with assumptions--such as, that Egypt is an aggressive military power, rather than a dysfunctional and deeply divided society that is risk averse when it comes foreign ventures, focused on keeping a lid on its own unrest. To go back to the UAR of 58-61 tells us next to nothing at all about the present, except that Arabs are divided. The real lesson of the UAR is exactly that--that nationalism trumps ethno-religious unity in the Arabic speaking world. Duh! It does pretty much everywhere in the world in the absence of a hegemon.
The truly major wars in the region have all involved the Anglo-Zionist empire: Iran/Iraq, the Gulf wars, Syria, Libya, Yemen. Almassian points to Qatar being a catspaw for the Empire, which is an important fact that many readers may not have been aware of.
Wishful thinking that Turkey and Syria would cooperate--against the Kurds? If you read a bit of history you'll find that cooperation of the various nation states against the Kurds is not a new thing. Assad surviving and launching proxy wars against "neighbors" who financed Sunni jihadis is a "reasonable assumption"? I don't find that reasonable at all. Assad is fully aware that his enemies were financed by the West and, in the case of the Sunni kingdoms, at the behest of the West. Assad is beholden to Iran and Russia, whose interest lies not in launching a jihad into the Arabian peninsula but in driving the Anglo-Zionist out of the region. China too has a say in all this, which Almassian also addresses.
Of course the Arab--and more generally the Muslim--world is divided and prone to scheming. However the major geopolitical reality in the region, as also globally, is the effort of the Anglo-Zionist empire to maintain hegemony by keeping everyone else down--especially Russia and China. Everything else is a sideshow. Almassian, in this interview, focuses mostly on that big picture and does a pretty good job of it.
Your idea that Jordan or Egypt would ever dare to "throw a spanner" in a Qatar to Europe pipeline is absurd. They would never dare attempt to thwart a project of that sort advanced by their Anglo-Zionist masters and backed by their wealthy peninsular neighbors. Nor would Jordan, populated heavily by Palestinians, ever consider an aggressive war against Syria without full US backing.
My fourth sentence in reads: "He [Almassian] presents his view of the Middle East crisis in a broader geopolitical context, and from a viewpoint that is sympathetic toward the Syrian government." I also note his Armenian ethnicity. It really irks me when people comment to criticize without first reading.
And "the neighboring Hashmite Kingdom, whose ruler is the Al-Aqsa mosque Guardian. Funny how Jordan is rarely in the news."
Exactly what has the "Hashemite Kingdom" done over the decades to guard the Al-Aqsa mosque? Isn't the point of the current Palestinian uprising that the Al-Aqsa mosque is not being guarded? The "Hashemite Kingdom" exists largely as an Anglo-Zionist entity and would have ceased to exist long ago with that protection.
Good thing we can just print the money.
The US Navy says it has spent about $1 billion on munitions used in defending the Red Sea, conducting more than 450 strikes and intercepting more than 200 drones and missiles since November when the attacks began. (WSJ)
The Empire Files
@EmpireFiles
Watch @AbbyMartin interview Israelis in West Jerusalem.
It's not just ultra-religious, extremist settlers who use the language of genocide against Palestinians.
[Full video: https://youtu.be/lFoxL3sOAio]
Small question There are a couple AIPAC Trackers on X. Any idea which one he’s referring to?
I only came up with one actual web site: https://trackaipac.com
Only one Senator was missing from the list of donees. Anybody want to take a guess?
Rand Paul
You are absolutely correct, Cassander! Good job! :)
Thanks that’s one I was looking at.
Mark: Are you aware of Section 531 of the NDAA that just passed the House (217-199)? It reinstates the draft for men 18-26. They are automatically registered for the draft.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr8070rh/pdf/BILLS-118hr8070rh.pdf (page 180) NO ONE spoke about this during deliberations. NO ONE suggested an amendment. The Speaker did not include this feature in his summary of the bill. Nor is it mentioned in a longer description of the bill.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n3eEvzoKZB9WxTvXsjg0MHGnPYzCl6ZF/view
Congress is preparing for WAR without telling us. This must be stopped in the Senate.
Most, if not all, of the senate is bought and paid for by the Israel lobby. The most money has gone to Ted Cruz. Anything out of his mouth has become a self-serving rant often, lately, on behalf of Israel and Zionism. He's a fraud like most senators. our senate is now the modern equivalent of the Roman senate. corrupt, entitled and now with pretensions to aristocracy.
What about the “newcomers?”
Are the migrants and “asylum” seekers automatically registered? Or do “Dreamers” get to continue to dream?
The newcomers are exempt. Of course! This in the Uniparty's America.
Good question, D F. Building an armed force of barbarian soldiers is the first step in amassing a force willing to turn on the native population.
If a draft is needed (and one will be if the US keeps up its perpetual warmongering), then having all the young males pre-registered with SS will make no difference. The government knows everything about us that matters. Nearly all 18-26 year old males have social security numbers, and a birth date and a sex is associated with that number. In less than a day, all the eligible males can be registered when needed to support a draft.
This is a do-nothing, feel good bill. Why Congress needs to do this at this time is unknown. Are the warmongers trying to send a signal to Putin? I guess it's easier to pass this legislation than to actually cut some spending?
Thanks very much, Mark, for transcribing this. It really adds value and clarity especially since the subject matter Almassian discusses is so broad and has so many facets.
I watched the video last night (thanks, Ray-SoCa) and was impressed with how lucid and systematic Almassian was in his presentation. He has a great understanding of the region and a great ability to contextualize specific groups and events within the larger geopolitical picture. it was refreshing to hear such honesty about what the American role and objectives in the ME have been (even though that role has been utterly disgusting and shameful). What might still happen in the ME (and in the world) as a result of our and Israel's actions is very frightening to contemplate.
I was previously familiar with the Qatar pipeline angle but had completely forgotten about. It is good to remind oneself of what's behind all these events.
Me too. That is one reason why I appreciate all of the background you provide with your posts whether it be based on your current or past research and analysis. It's easy to forget something one might have read four or five years ago. Thanks again.
Thanks for this. It’s best to understand hard realities rather than bask in our presuppositions and predilections.
True!
This is tiresome. Almassian's account is focused on current events, which necessarily involves a focus on US/Israeli/Brit divide and rule strategies.
You litter your own comment with assumptions--such as, that Egypt is an aggressive military power, rather than a dysfunctional and deeply divided society that is risk averse when it comes foreign ventures, focused on keeping a lid on its own unrest. To go back to the UAR of 58-61 tells us next to nothing at all about the present, except that Arabs are divided. The real lesson of the UAR is exactly that--that nationalism trumps ethno-religious unity in the Arabic speaking world. Duh! It does pretty much everywhere in the world in the absence of a hegemon.
The truly major wars in the region have all involved the Anglo-Zionist empire: Iran/Iraq, the Gulf wars, Syria, Libya, Yemen. Almassian points to Qatar being a catspaw for the Empire, which is an important fact that many readers may not have been aware of.
Wishful thinking that Turkey and Syria would cooperate--against the Kurds? If you read a bit of history you'll find that cooperation of the various nation states against the Kurds is not a new thing. Assad surviving and launching proxy wars against "neighbors" who financed Sunni jihadis is a "reasonable assumption"? I don't find that reasonable at all. Assad is fully aware that his enemies were financed by the West and, in the case of the Sunni kingdoms, at the behest of the West. Assad is beholden to Iran and Russia, whose interest lies not in launching a jihad into the Arabian peninsula but in driving the Anglo-Zionist out of the region. China too has a say in all this, which Almassian also addresses.
Of course the Arab--and more generally the Muslim--world is divided and prone to scheming. However the major geopolitical reality in the region, as also globally, is the effort of the Anglo-Zionist empire to maintain hegemony by keeping everyone else down--especially Russia and China. Everything else is a sideshow. Almassian, in this interview, focuses mostly on that big picture and does a pretty good job of it.
Your idea that Jordan or Egypt would ever dare to "throw a spanner" in a Qatar to Europe pipeline is absurd. They would never dare attempt to thwart a project of that sort advanced by their Anglo-Zionist masters and backed by their wealthy peninsular neighbors. Nor would Jordan, populated heavily by Palestinians, ever consider an aggressive war against Syria without full US backing.
My fourth sentence in reads: "He [Almassian] presents his view of the Middle East crisis in a broader geopolitical context, and from a viewpoint that is sympathetic toward the Syrian government." I also note his Armenian ethnicity. It really irks me when people comment to criticize without first reading.
And "the neighboring Hashmite Kingdom, whose ruler is the Al-Aqsa mosque Guardian. Funny how Jordan is rarely in the news."
Exactly what has the "Hashemite Kingdom" done over the decades to guard the Al-Aqsa mosque? Isn't the point of the current Palestinian uprising that the Al-Aqsa mosque is not being guarded? The "Hashemite Kingdom" exists largely as an Anglo-Zionist entity and would have ceased to exist long ago with that protection.