Two Quick Hits--Geopolitics

I always enjoy listening to Chas Freemen. This morning he was on with Danny Davis. I want to provide just the last few (less than five) minutes of their conversation, where they stray from the main topic to take in three areas of geopolitical conflict very briefly:

The last item they mention is the upcoming Taiwan election. Word is that the KMT is closing fast on the DPP (pro-independence). A third party TPP is vaguely favorable toward a KMT government, but without any definite agreement. The US position is that it is opposed to Taiwan reunifying with China under any circumstances—even though the US recognizes that Taiwan is part of China. Huh? You read that right. Can you say interference in the internal affairs of another country? A KMT government might be inclined to establish some sort of special relationship with China that would displease the Neocons, so ask yourselves: How does the current Middle East war help the US?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Taiwanese_presidential_election

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Taiwan-elections/Taiwan-presidential-race-tightens-in-final-weeks-polls-show

The next item caught my attention because it followed on from an observation my wife made, namely, that somebody really has it in for Dem senator Menendez. Obviously the guy is a sleaze but this administration’s DoJ going so hard against a Dem senator? Gotta be something up, right?

Well, CTH has a highly enlightening post that impacts on a lot of other things going on. I won’t reproduce the whole thing because CTH is explaining things that aren’t common knowledge, so I want to urge people to follow the link and read it all—which isn’t terribly long. But this will whet your appetite for more.

Now, I can’t say for sure that everything CTH says here is true. Is it true that every single US senator is getting backhanders from Qatar? I would bet against that, but I get the point CTH is making. We might, but shouldn’t, be shocked by how common all this is. Again, is CTH’s explanation for why Menendez—and no other senator—is being targeted really the only one that makes sense? I have no particular knowledge of these things, but might it be that Menendez’ actions somehow crossed a line that the Intel Community believed—if left unchecked—could lead to harm to their arrangements with Qatar? That’s strictly speculation, just something I’m tossing out as an alternative. The real point is the US - Qatari relationship, which is very much in the news these days:

Really Goofy – DOJ Files Additional Indictment Against Bob Menendez for Taking Bribes from Qatari Interests

This is really odd, if you understand the role Qatar plays for the USA.  If you think of Ukraine as a money laundering operation where U.S. Senators, families or business interests, get U.S. government funds washed through Ukraine and back into the USA, then historically Qatar has been our biggest dry cleaner for decades.

It is well known that the U.S govt uses Qatar as the pivot point for the distribution of covert funds to facilitate the Dept of State, CIA and Intelligence Community operations.  …

Qatar is the home base of the Muslim Brotherhood, the official agency for USA influence with political Islam, the tool/bank of the CIA, and the proxy ambassador for U.S. influence with al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and Hamas.  We give Qatar money, then tell them what to do with it – like send to Iran (link) or send to Ukraine (link).  Qatar is our national “dark money” bank.

Inside this rather weird story, the DOJ is now filing an additional indictment against Senator Bob Menendez for organizing a financing system for a U.S. business using investment funds from Qatar.  …

Oh, the irony… Hunter and Joe Biden, not-so-much… I digress.

If you really look at this action by Main Justice, and you understand how all of the key politicians receive some form of compensation from Qatar, then suddenly you have to ask why is the DOJ singling out Menendez for something the entire Senate is doing?

One possible answer is that it’s an election year, and Main Justice (Lisa Monaco), in collaboration with the Intelligence Community (Avril Haines), is sending a shot across the bow to any U.S. Senator that they need to be careful with any position they take, or the “six ways to Sunday” group will be activated against them.

Nothing else really makes any sense.

There’s more, and it does suggest that there’s more going on here than your average DC corruption case. Like this:

So, this happened a week and a bit more before the Russian SMO started. Coincidence? Who knows? But really—Qatar a major ally? I guess we all knew that Qatar was an ally, as far as the US having actual allies in the Middle East goes, but “major”? Definitely something to keep your eye on going forward.