Last night I listened to the entirety (1:43:32!) of a Youtube video featuring Scott Ritter and Andrei Martyanov. If you want to reduplicate my heroic effort you can find the video here: UKRAINE IS SCREWED - WITH SCOTT RITTER AND ANDREI MARTYANOV The video is a showpiece of the worst of this genre of media—the salient points could easily be boiled down into an article that could be digested in a tiny fraction of the time that is required to listen to it. OTOH, it’s really quite interesting. I kept thinking, no, I’m gonna call it quits but, then, some new topic came up that got my attention. It also offers some contrasting viewpoints, which add to the interest. If you get off on military theory, it’s one of the better videos I’ve listened to lately. Also, the title is misleading, compared to my own, because quite a bit of time is spent discussing China—not just Ukraine and Russia.
I agree with you about Odessa- I think one of the war aims all along for the Russians was complete control of the Black Sea coastline- if the Russians finally take those areas, those areas won't be returned in any future negotiations; they will be annexed like Crimea.
Another strategic fact re the Black Sea is that that's where the Danube empties into. It's a major trade conduit. It enters the Black Sea very close to Odessa. Moving the RF's border up against Moldova puts the RF right up near the Danube. It's a strategic chokepoint. A NATO Ukraine would be a buffer in that regard.
Ritter talks a lot of sense most of the time, but there is no way Russia would give up Kharkov and Odessa. And they won't be doing any "deals" with the neocons. Those days are past.
Blair is an evil person. I have a personal story about him. When I lived in London a long while back, he came to visit a hospital I was working in. As I was pushing a trolley, I saw him coming towards me. He was obviously heading for the admin office down a flight of stairs just behind me. He looked at me but through me (he's a pol!). I didn't know much about him back then but I remember having an overwhelming urge to stick out my foot and see him go head-first down the steps.
It seems to me that a military that concentrates on PRIDE, racism, abortions, etc., is not in a position to go toe to toe with the Russians and Chinese. Reagan was right. Either the United States will be a nation under God or a nation gone under.
Green Party candidate is leading. Taiwan is still in Covid fear, and he got good press for Taiwans Covid response. White party is a spoiler. Taiwan politics is very entertaining. Lots of denial on their military capabilities and needs.
Disclaimer: my wife bleeds Green blood. Military and Covid comments only represents my view.
My source is 2nd hand, since I don’t speak the language but I watch some of the news. My wife is an avid watcher of Green Party Biased Taiwan News nightly via YouTube.
Taiwan is still big into the Covid Cult / Denial, very lock step on getting boosters, think Israeli Levels. They only recently stopped widespread masking.
No awareness yet of Covid vaccine side effects.
Very political correct, and a super low birth rate. They just closed a nuke power plant, and banned single use plastic straws, cups, and bags (straw ban is widely is ignored).
And my wife complains us politics does not make sense!
This seems like an Asian thing, Ray. Here in Switz, the only people still masked up are Japanese tourists. I saw a whole coach-load of them last week outside the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Everyone was masked up. So weird!
Oh, I don't know. I think they've learned that the US armed forces are meeting their sexual pervert quotas far more effectively than the Russian army. That counts as a win for them.
I seldom watch videos. You tube etc. I much prefer to read which I can do at whatever speed I wish. Skim what isn’t interesting and concentrating where important.
Ok I am guissing
"Tuxedo wearing elite snoots" - Scott Ritter on the NATO leadership.
https://youtu.be/AEOe_X1zaYI
If nothing else Scott, my old mutual on the Twitter, is a man of the people.
How to get a YT transcript.
https://youtu.be/1lm4Wlpy2wU
Thanks. I'll try that.
America's reason for being since at least WWII has been to destroy Russia and more lately a surging China.
It's their dream. Our nightmare.
I agree with you about Odessa- I think one of the war aims all along for the Russians was complete control of the Black Sea coastline- if the Russians finally take those areas, those areas won't be returned in any future negotiations; they will be annexed like Crimea.
Another strategic fact re the Black Sea is that that's where the Danube empties into. It's a major trade conduit. It enters the Black Sea very close to Odessa. Moving the RF's border up against Moldova puts the RF right up near the Danube. It's a strategic chokepoint. A NATO Ukraine would be a buffer in that regard.
One thing I've started doing is watching videos at 1.5x or 2x speed with the captions turned on - it's a HUGE timesaver!
Ritter talks a lot of sense most of the time, but there is no way Russia would give up Kharkov and Odessa. And they won't be doing any "deals" with the neocons. Those days are past.
Interesting Tony Blair 15 years ago was telegraphing / foreshadowing what would happen, one year before the Orange Revolution.
And the us/ uk is still on a jihad against Assange, going on 13 years. That says a lot.
Blair is an evil person. I have a personal story about him. When I lived in London a long while back, he came to visit a hospital I was working in. As I was pushing a trolley, I saw him coming towards me. He was obviously heading for the admin office down a flight of stairs just behind me. He looked at me but through me (he's a pol!). I didn't know much about him back then but I remember having an overwhelming urge to stick out my foot and see him go head-first down the steps.
It seems to me that a military that concentrates on PRIDE, racism, abortions, etc., is not in a position to go toe to toe with the Russians and Chinese. Reagan was right. Either the United States will be a nation under God or a nation gone under.
I’m guessing Blinken engaged Kissinger to go kiss Xi’s cheeks.
And his face too.
I appreciate you being the hero most of the time Mark. Keep up the great work!
"Most", Cardi? "All"!
Green Party candidate is leading. Taiwan is still in Covid fear, and he got good press for Taiwans Covid response. White party is a spoiler. Taiwan politics is very entertaining. Lots of denial on their military capabilities and needs.
Disclaimer: my wife bleeds Green blood. Military and Covid comments only represents my view.
Ok analysis:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/06/05/asia-pacific/politics-diplomacy-asia-pacific/taiwan-2024-presidential-election-candidates/
I make no claim on the reliability--that was Ritter.
My source is 2nd hand, since I don’t speak the language but I watch some of the news. My wife is an avid watcher of Green Party Biased Taiwan News nightly via YouTube.
Taiwan is still big into the Covid Cult / Denial, very lock step on getting boosters, think Israeli Levels. They only recently stopped widespread masking.
No awareness yet of Covid vaccine side effects.
Very political correct, and a super low birth rate. They just closed a nuke power plant, and banned single use plastic straws, cups, and bags (straw ban is widely is ignored).
And my wife complains us politics does not make sense!
https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/others/nuclear-power-in-taiwan.aspx
This seems like an Asian thing, Ray. Here in Switz, the only people still masked up are Japanese tourists. I saw a whole coach-load of them last week outside the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Everyone was masked up. So weird!
I've heard that many Asian cultures use masks because having a runny nose is considered disgusting
I especially liked the statement: "the west's most tells antagonist has been rocked"
I had to read that a half dozen times before finally remembering it doesn't need to make sense, only extend the propaganda narrative
Oh, I don't know. I think they've learned that the US armed forces are meeting their sexual pervert quotas far more effectively than the Russian army. That counts as a win for them.
known as propaganda!
I seldom watch videos. You tube etc. I much prefer to read which I can do at whatever speed I wish. Skim what isn’t interesting and concentrating where important.