If you take the time to watch Vladimir Putin’s press conference yesterday (Friday) in Astana and then watch any recent cluster fark by Joe Biden, you will understand why the Russians are so calm in dealing with Ukraine. Putin is remarkable. Low key, well informed, articulate and not afraid of tough questions. He did not get any softballs here and, in fact, faced some tough questions. So much for the myth that Russia is a totalitarian state that brokers no dissent and requires everyone to toe a party line. That characterization more aptly describes the United States under the demented Joe Biden.
Here are the highlights with the relevant time stamp:
9:15 Putin asked about Germany’s behavior. He notes incisively that Germany has put priority on serving NATO rather than the interests of its nation and people.
14:40 Putin is asked about attending the G20 and meeting with Joe Biden. Putin said, there is no point. “There is no platform for any kind of negotiations at this point.” And we are in constant contact with some members of the G20, e.g. Turkey.
18;00 Putin is questioned directly about recent arrest of man in Moscow for listening to Ukrainian music. Putin responded that the arrest is wrong and we (Russia) should not behave like the West in trying to cancel a culture, in this case Ukrainian culture. He noted that Ukrainian is still a recognized language in Crimea and would remain so. He emphasized that Neo-Nazis and Nazi symbols on display in Ukraine are NOT Ukrainian culture and must be eliminated.
20:10 Mobilization was a hot topic. Will there be another wave of mobilization? Will there be “total mobilization”? Putin said the Defense Ministry initially planned a smaller number than the 300,000. Putin remarked that he doesn’t see any need right now to expand that number. There are 220,000 mobilized and the work of mobilization will be finished in two weeks.
22:00 Putin was asked about the men who fled Russia for other countries and calls in the Duma to confiscate their property. Putin said it must not be handled based on emotions. Rather it must be dealt with according to the law. In other words, each case must be litigated on an individual basis instead of a blanket action.
24:00 Another reporter cited one person mobilized who died allegedly with no training. Putin emphasized that the mobilized are supposed to receive 5 to 10 days refresher training. Then they go for specialized training that lasts 5 to 15 days. Then they undergo joint combat training. So far 33,000 men mobilized already with front line units and 16,000 in units with combat missions. Putin said he will order a review of the training regimen to ensure it is being done appropriately.
29:15 A reporter asked about the retaliatory strikes in response to the terrorist bombing of the Crimea bridge. Putin said there is no massive retaliation. Russia hit 22 of 29 targets and is now working on hitting the remaining 7. He said he saw no need for “massive retaliation” at this point.
30:00 Final question–NATO says that defeat of Ukraine by Russia will be the defeat of NATO. What happens if NATO deploys troops to Ukraine. Putin said “it could lead to a global catastrophe and I hope that those who talk about this will be smart enough not to undertake such dangerous steps.”
Whether you like or despise Putin, give the man his due. He spoke off the cuff. No notes in hand. He did not shy away from any question and he did not get angry or lose his cool. What a contrast with a Joe Biden press encounter. I think that Western politicians and pundits who disparage Putin as an incompetent dictator are making a very dangerous mistake. They fail to take this man at his word. Putin is establishing himself as a man who says what he means and means what he says.
The time will come when even the West will recognize that humanity was lucky to have Putin at the helm of Russia during this time.
Wait and see.
I agree. If one wants to truly think transnationally (civilisationally”), then Putin is putting the world back in order for all of us by breaking a hegemony that serves a very few elite and believes none of the core values of the Enlightenment.
People liken him to Peter the Great. I think he is far greater – more like a mix of Peter and Catherine the Great.
Putin the Great.
Then it should be called Vladimir – but ideally, not The great, since that name is taken for male leaders. Since he clearly is a man of great care for justice, and yet he has to act forcefully due to circumstances, often correcting the mistakes of, by now, the whole past century of the history of his great country, he should be called Vladimir, The Rectifier.
Then there is the issue of the brilliance of his government. Such an impressive collection of talents should be called, from a Western tradition of surnames, something like the Council of Virtues. However, at this, Eastern tradition would be more powerful, and they would use surnames like The Hand of V., for Shoigu, where the former would say Strength, and The Voice of V., for Lavrov (where Westerners would say his Patience); the list goes on very easily, but should be written by someone not suspicious of hagiographies.
Certainly, these persons deserve to be remembered for their role preservation of decency in our age, not to mention the physical survival of humanity (at least so we hope).
Honorifics like “the Great” are something bequeathed by history to kings, queens, czars and emperors, not presidents and prime ministers. We don’t have Roosevelt the Great, Churchill the Magnificent, nor JFK the Martyr. Mr Putin is the president of Russia, not the Czar.
However, were an honorific to be applied, my preference is Vlad the Invader.
That said, as a political leader he is formidable, having a vision for his country and the world, and bringing his people and others along at a pace they seem comfortable with. He’s assembled a first-rate team who share his vision. And as observed, he is a master of both strategy and detail, who is unintimidated by difficult questions.
Makes our lot look like a gang of third-rate shysters on the make, pigs that can’t get their snouts in the trough quick enough.
Those honorifics were bequeathed to people who had the throne handed to them. You seem to value more genetics than character.
Some of those heirs created, some destroyed.
Putin reclaimed for Russia what belonged to the people of Russia.
He is hated by those who would pillage Russia’s resources.
That your preferred honorific is “the Invader” speaks more about you than him.
He will have not one, but two honorifics:
Vlad the Restorer and the Defender of Russia.
I’ve long been saying that history will record him as Vladimir the Great, if history gets to be written.
Yes, Putin is the most important statesman of the late 20th and early 21st Century. Another is China’s Deng Xiaoping, whose reforms revolutionized China and its economyl.
Those that consider Putin’s historical record and current leadership with approval and even admiration – notwithstanding developments during this operation (which can be construed as errors of judgement, but never as of being negligent or malicious on his part) – will always be people who love truth and justice, both on a personal level and nationally; will always be people that love national independence and dignity – regardless of the size of the nation and the wealth it possesses. He has consistently shown to be a man of solid principles and high governmental abilities – although his high moral ground in his fight against national corruption mush have made him despair for his country more than once.
Who do slander him and despise him and hate him? Inevitably people that may be personally principled but unwilling to contrast the slander they are fed off with the available truth concerning the man- which willing negligence puts necessarily a black moral blot on such individuals; and all those amoral individuals that could not care less about principles of truth and justice and equity, either personally of with regard to national and internationally issues.
Doubtless, the man is an historical figure for good. It is very much hoped for that this operation of liberation of Russian lands will crown with victory an already very remarkable life.
I wholeheartedly agree.
Looking at him and seeing how he speaks to the Russian people, the contrast with our (NATO countries) own “leaders”, the contrast could not be more painful. Our own politicians take us for morons: only lies, the more absurd the better (from Putin is a bloodthirsty dictator who blows up his own pipelines all the way to men can be women any time they wish and sexually mutilating children is good). It’s not that he does have his problems, but at least he does not insult the Russian people every time he opens his mouth. It is up to us to put order in our own political affairs, only “we the people ” can do it.
God favours Russia . . . https://les7eb.substack.com/p/ukraine-long-proxy-war-vi-god-favours
At least taken in accordance with Joe Biden’s cosmology.
Would Putin release a National Defense Strategy 2022 against his own people?
For those who are a bit anxious this is the same government that took 20 years to replace the Taliban with the Taliban.
Soviet Union, not Russia. Big difference.
My respect for Putin is continually being enhanced. His rhetoric is firm but, unlike the U.S. / Nato’s juvenile “leaders,” he is careful not to go over the top. His tone gives a little hint that he’s willing to negotiate in good faith. There doesn’t seem to be any chance the U.S. decaying superstate will take him up on the opportunity, but it’s still important Putin is leaving the door open. One of these days it might help avert a catastrophe.
The contrast is obvious.
However, Russia may not be the only country gaining from this conflict and the sclerotic American leadership personified by Biden. Germany (portrayed as a victim led by morons) may be trying to gain control of the European Union – via the way decisions are made (https://www.rt.com/news/564735-scholz-germany-fundamental-change-eu/)
That EU is incapable of doing anything was shown in Bosnia – while Xavier Solana was busy flying back and forth and entertaining Tom, Dick and Harry (Bosnian Muslims, Croats and Serbs), it took USA’s military force to actually make a difference and cut the knot. The EU then demonstrated is weakness twice on the same country – Macedonia. First Greece vetoed things and Macedonia had to change its name to North Macedonia (which no normal country would do but it was done on the premise that EU would then allow Macedonia accession talks) but then Bulgaria vetoed. This shows that EU as a union does not really have a mechanism to make decisions because every decision is made by consensus of all.
Germany has correctly identified this to be an issue and is using the current conflict(s) to change that in its favor. Yes, they are getting de-industralized but yes, they are seeking to dominate Europe and perhaps the temporary loss is worth the long term gain?
Meanwhile, Biden is the perfect president of a country that is run by corporations – weak, demented and easily led with a vice president who can only produce word salads.
It is (long term) an interesting thing – Germany ends up running the EU and then they turn around and “ditch” corporate run America (which exposed itself by sabotaging Nordstream), which now stands alone without the equally ruined and weak UK separated from Europe and in economic ruin. Germany then pivots to mend its fences with Russia….
“… Germany ends up running the EU …”
Germany has been “running” the EU for years, and promoting globalism for its own benefit, at the expense of debt and deindustrialisation of other EU members.
Now Germany is an engine without fuel ⛽️ … and even worse, without constructive ideas.
And without Allies, the US having made clear that Germany is anything but that.
Indeed Eva, the EU is but the Fourth Reich by other means. Looking at the economic indicators, it seems to be heading in the same direction as its predecessor. Hmmm, history rhyming? That was brought about largely by Russian efforts too.
The only obvious thing in your post is complete lack of knowlege about ex Yugoslav area.
Interesting take. Telling someone who was born there and lived there through the whole thing that they know nothing of the area, while offering nothing in return….
I was also born there, and lived trought the whole shit. US didn’t “make a difference and cut the knot” but caused the whole thing in order to balkanize and colonize. EU is doing whatever it is orderd by USA. You should have realized all that by now, if you really lived trough the whole thing.
Oddo, all one needs to know about US foreign policy in the Balkans is that when Bosnia’s Izetbegovic agreed to the EU sponsored cantonization of Bosnia-Herzegovina with a good chance to bring the Yugoslav wars to an early end, Bush sent Warren Zimmerman in to council him ‘If you don’t like that your signature is on the Lisbon plan, then by all means – withdraw it and we’ll back you.” That was the end of any ‘peace deal’ amongst the warring factions until Clinton’s 1995’s Dayton Accords that essentially accomplished the very same, albeit with 3 years of death and destruction behind it. Are you beginning to see the pattern?
We’ll not even begin with Kosovo, other than to say that after 2 years of UNMIK investigations, 4,000 fatalities were identified, but never as Albanian or Serb, civilian or combatant. Compare and contrast that with 9 years of Ukrainian shelling of the Donbass. A retrograde linear consistency for NATO Ukrainian policy would have suggested that instead of bombing Serbia for months as they took on the KLA, NATO should have been feeding Serbia weapons.
This is the so-called ‘international rules-based order’ as some would have us believe in. Don’t mind me if I pass, with prejudice.
I wonder Oddo, what your thoughts are about Operation Storm. I once asked Croatia’s US Consul Peter Galbraith in an e-mail exchange why the US led operation had allowed the wanton murder of many of those Serbs who refused to leave their homes in the Krajina during their mass exodus. Galbraith’s response was simply “We told them to behave themselves”. Is this enough for you? Not for me.
Why then would Russia not expect the Ukrainians to conduct themselves in similar fashion were they to overrun the Donbass? There certainly is ample proof of their intent, is there not? I’m sorry that it’s so but to me, the Balkan wars were nothing more than a template and warmup for what the US is engaged in today.
An interesting sidenote: Victoria Nuland’s mentor was Madeleine Albright. Run as far with that as you wish.
Oddo,
So re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is a winning strategy! Wheels within wheels within wheels.
or
German leadership are selling Germany out.
When last this happened, Germany lurched far far right.
Uh … that would be far far left. Socialist — it’s in their name.
Germany then pivots to mend its fences with Russia…. Ah too dream.
Amen, well said, a shining city on a hill
Putin is light and dark from biden.
Like Peter the Great, Russia will build statues and monuments to Putin for restoring a people and a country, for having stopped the western rape of his country, for rebuilding and normalizing the family life, for putting God & Eastern Orthodoxy back into society.
And not letting in hordes of illegal “immigrants”. (I love you too Hungary)
https://sonar21.com/putins-astana-press-conference-he-aint-biden/
President Putin,
I watched your entire press conference at the link above. It is the longest I have ever observed you speak. I perceive that you are good man. BTW, there was one particular lady in the press group who was beautiful!
One thing that jumped out at me was your reference to how large Russia is. On top of you getting me a job with RT will you grant me Russian citizenship? America is run by perverts.
Also, I once lived and worked in Germany, just before and after the Berlin Wall came down and the collapse of the Soviet Union. I worked for Wolfgang Grube who I am copying in this email. I cannot help but wonder how he responds to the following:
“9:15 Putin asked about Germany’s behavior. He notes incisively that Germany has put priority on serving NATO rather than the interests of its nation and people.”
This was the most important thing you said:
“30:00 Final question–NATO says that defeat of Ukraine by Russia will be the defeat of NATO. What happens if NATO deploys troops to Ukraine. Putin said ‘it could lead to a global catastrophe and I hope that those who talk about this will be smart enough not to undertake such dangerous steps.’”
If you get me a job at RT I will make Larry Johnson famous and I will also make Americans love you!
America needs to hear the following:
“Whether you like or despise Putin, give the man his due. He spoke off the cuff. No notes in hand. He did not shy away from any question and he did not get angry or lose his cool. What a contrast with a Joe Biden press encounter. I think that Western politicians and pundits who disparage Putin as an incompetent dictator are making a very dangerous mistake. They fail to take this man at his word. Putin is establishing himself as a man who says what he means and means what he says.”
Jim Giles
Radio Free Mississippi
P.S. Dr. Roberts, I think you need to rethink your position on President Putin.
It was pretty funny, at one point the camera was stuck on on that lady while she was typing on her phone and another reporter was asking his question. Belatedly the camera operator finally swung the camera over to the guy asking the question.
Actually, PCR agrees with you. But he thinks the US leadership sees wisdom as weakness. Legality means nothing to them. The mismatch threatens dire consequences.
A little extra bit on the question he received about the arrested guy allegedly “for listening to Ukrainian music” – only goes to underline what Larry says because he decently handled a deliberately bullsh!t distorted accusation there. I have the lowdown on the event in question – the “innocent Ukraine fan” in question was not privately listening to any random song but was publicly belting out OUN-UPA anthems and post-2014 Banderite “””music””” that is essentially just racial/ethnic hatred propaganda put to a melody (which is a felony under Russian law regardless of what form it takes). Of course, the Western-siding media airbrushed all that away to make for a good propaganda piece about ebul ruskies. It’s the same as seeing a man singing Nazi songs arrested for glorificaiton of Nazis and the media claiming that he was an innocent who simply listened to German music. If anything, ironically, the journos ended up painting an = sign between “Ukrainian” and “Banderite and Nazi”.
Naturally, V.V. didn’t know of any of these details and it was probably the first he heard of that case, but look at how well he dealt with the attempted mudball.
Thanks for the clarification.
Larry, found an excellent article by a Russian Mr. Martyanov himself would be proud to read about Tactical Air over Ukraine and why it’s so complex. We are VERY seriously involved over there, especially in terms of AWACS. https://vz.ru/opinions/2022/7/11/1166515.html
As for Mr. Putin, I’m reminded of Theodore White’s book, one of a series titled Making of the President 1968. White, in defining the great speakers of the ages and especially of the 68 campaign, White said there are speakers of low effect (Biden and almost all others today), there are speakers that inspire listeners to say, “Doesn’t he speak well!” (Reagan/Clinton).
Then he gave a history of the great Romans, the Gracci, he spoke of Russians. In 1968, in defining the campaign of the murdered Robert Kennedy, he told the story of the campaign, his speeches trying to get a stop put to Vietnam, after Martin Luther King’s death, the speeches his brother gave as President. These were men of considerable gravitas, serious and highly intelligent far beyond their colleagues in American politics of the times, whatever their many foibles. In the paragraph White said the last classification of speakers were those that define their cause in such a way, with such energy, with such clarity that the crowd is inspired to say, “Let us march”. And so they did, to the moon and out to the streets in 1968 to stop a war. Having watched Putin’s address after signing off on the new Russian Republics, I’d have to say Teddy White would have wholeheartedly agreed, Putin is in that class. There is greatness in the man. No doubt about it. And then look at what WE have. We better pray there are quality underlings.
This is the first time I’ve heard about the incident, but I instantly knew the “journalist” left out something important. Ex Yugoslav area is filled with similar “music” glorifying nazi-related stuff.
… Western politicians and pundits who disparage Putin as an incompetent dictator are making a very dangerous mistake. They fail to take this man at his word. Putin is establishing himself as a man who says what he means and means what he says. — LCJ
This bears repeating… Well said, Larry.
When Putin came to power, I lamented that in both the U.S. and Russia agents from each nation’s premiere intelligence bureaucracy had become a national leader. Not an encouraging development in a constitutional republic, considering Dulles’ organ-grinding, nor anything positive for Russia, I was sure…
I stand corrected.
An interesting glimpse down the rabbit hole — which is filled with loutish, ungrateful Ukrainians certainly, but who tapped Musk’s shoulder…?
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/musk-russia-may-kill-starlink-white-and-dod-comment-spacex-ukraine
It is a tragedy that many Americans across the political spectrum thoughtlessly accept the characterizations of Putin as an evil man.
A decade or so ago I started to understand the truth from watching Putin speak and hearing about him kicking out Soros’ NGOs, and then doing some digging myself. Before that I just accepted the propaganda. He was ex-KGB, ex-Soviet and I had better things to do than research this particular subject.
It seems like all western leaders are incompetent WEF puppets who are betraying their own countries. Biden, his handlers and circus clown cabinet are a total disgrace. Putin is a very competent nationalist in a huge melting pot of a county in terms of many ethnicities where their history, cultures and religions are respected. I do not see any of the endless divide and rule garbage in Russia that is so pervasive in the USA. Good for Putin. Good for Russia.
Well put!
Putin, despite his calmness, reason, composure, and restraint, is looking weak. The young female journalist, the pipeline, the bridge, and now an attack on a Russian military training facility killing 22 and injuring 16+ … that’s the word. There have been other incidents inside the Russian border. Bullies don’t stop themselves; they must be stopped by others. Hitler did not stop himself.
Really? Ask yourself why the following is happening:
🇷🇺RUSSIA’S ALLIES: During the middle of the night Saturday, China🇨🇳 told citizens to leave🇺🇦. Kazakhstan is closing🇺🇦 embassy.
Kyrgyzstan🇰🇬, Uzbekistan🇺🇿, Turkmenistan🇹🇲, and Serbia🇷🇸 already have told citizens to go.
Tajikistan🇹🇯 and Belarussian🇧🇾 websites don’t work.
New military satellite launched as well, Kosmos-2560 (10:55pm Moscow time). https://www.rt.com/russia/564743-russia-military-satellite-plesetsk/
Hope so. Russia is maintaining the moral high ground and operating by rules and law. The “enemy” is playing dirty pool. It’s not a movie from hollywood. good guys don’t always win rigged games. Hope something strong and decisive comes soon.
The “enemy” is playing dirty pool. — JoS
War is dirty pool… hit ’em where they ain’t lookin’ and kick ’em when they’re down. May the odds be ever in your favor.
Putin answered the Empire’s provocations in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere. He knows the Empire’s goals, strategy and tactics. He obviously believes Russia will not just survive this war, but prevail.
I’m willing to bet Putin is neither waiting nor hoping for favorable odds on the battlefield, but actively stacking them in Russia’s favor. Propaganda is cheap and killing civilians easy — Ukraine proves this everyday — but taking on the Empire…
You’re a bit ignorant. Putin has faced these sorts of disasters for 22 years, even during peacetime. These are tragic incidents but in the overall scheme of things, not significant.
Weak? Russia now owns 20% of Ukraine and 90% + of its GDP, 5 million citizens and 120,000km 2 of territory. That’s not weak.
With respect, don’t confuse Putin’s quite boring manner with weakness. Underestimating Putin is something we in the West have done for 22 years. How has that worked out?
“Putin has faced these sorts of disasters for 22 years, even during peacetime. ”
Even before his election, when in September 1999 “foreigners”, who apprarently dissaproved of Mr. Luzhkov, Mr. Putin and others, overcome by disappointments, emotions and pique, “arranged” the bombing of appartments in Moscow and elsewhere, and tried to blame “the Russians”.
The “historical records” of the 1990’s in Russia are quite extensive but not wholly investigated or wholly released into the public domain, although that “oversight” may be rectified in the not too distant future in conjuction with the release of other salient materials in various areas of interest.
And you have credible evidence to support this incredible allegation, I suppose?
No, didn’t think so.
Thank you for proving my point.
I apologise for the delay in replying since we live in different time zones and attend to different matters.
Mr. Johnson’s text above includes the following comment on hagiography:
“ I think that Western politicians and pundits who disparage Putin as an incompetent dictator are making a very dangerous mistake. “
The propaganda attempts of “The United States of America” are based in large part on the great man of history with sole/prime agency myth, as are Presidential elections in “The United States of America” in attempts to deflect attention from the systemic nature of the “problems” inherent within “The United States of America” and posit the illusion that if only the “President” is changed potentially everything will change, in the hope that this will render the population waiting for Godot as has been the case for many years.
Many of the comments to Mr. Johnson’s comment above are also immersed to some degree in the great man of history with sole/prime agency myth, and the contents of these comments illustrated the continuing lives of this myth by the commentators, their resistence to transcend these illusions, and their attempts to displace the discomfort ocassioned when their illusions are challenged.
Scipio says
16 October 2022 at 16:34
“And you have credible evidence to support this incredible allegation, I suppose?
No, didn’t think so.
Thank you for proving my point.”
plus
Scipio says
16 October 2022 at 16:46
“Eva
I suspect that ‘Is It Just for The Moment etc’ is a troll. Or it could be Jake Sullivan himself.
Either way, don’t feed it. You will just waste your time and energy.”
This notion is also inherent in notions that a blog is a conversation with you as participant, thereby obfuscating that a blog is a broadcast and a post box, within which previous commentators are coathangers upon which others can place their coats to facilitate broadcasts and post boxes.
All of the above illustrate part of the reasons why you are agreement/co-operation incapable.
IsItJustForTheMomentWeLive says
16 October 2022 at 08:16
“The “historical records” of the 1990’s in Russia are quite extensive but not wholly investigated or wholly released into the public domain, although that “oversight” may be rectified in the not too distant future in conjuction with the release of other salient materials in various areas of interest.”
Following Mr. Mitrokhin’s education in the intricacies of photocopying machines and this “channel” no longer deemed fit for purpose as it had been during the 1990’s, the archives came under the control of the office of The President of the Russian Federation to which some can apply for specific articles in the archives to be released, through the website http://en.kremlin.ru/
As you may be aware it is the intention of the Russian Federation to convene a series of trials addressing various areas of interest when deemed appropriate – these trials likely being informed by articles from various periods from the archives.
The series of bombings in September 1999 were in four apartment blocks in Buynaksk, Moscow and Volgodansk, in total killing 293 people and injuring a further 651 people.
The foreigners who attempted to assign “blame” to the Russian Federation for these bombings included but were not limited to MI6, one of the broadcasts sought to aid the narrative of the poisoning of Mr. Litvenenko – a former protege of Mr. Berezhovsky – and an alleged source of “information” in respect of the September 1999 bombings to create the book entitled “Blowing Up Russia – Terror from within” whose hardback dustcover was designed in “garish colours”.
Thank you for your illustration of childlike behaviours as a not unexpected added bonus, although I expect that being called an American – “Or it could be Jake Sullivan himself” – for a second time will not prove sufficient for me to win the blini prize.
With all due respect, the figure of 90% of Ukrainian GDP for the 4 new Russian oblasts (around 20% of the population) does not hold up (even when including Crimea). Mathematically, this would mean that the GDP per capita is 3500% higher in these oblasts than in the rest of Ukraine (NB. (90/20) / (10/80) = 36).
And yet these unlikely figures keep being repeated by quite a few well-meaning folks on the Internet.
Why not take a couple of minutes to check the real data from a professional source, like https://ukrstat.gov.ua/ (don’t laugh, please! this is one of the few reliable sites in today’s Ukraine)?
In 2013, before the Maidan coup, those 4 oblasts produced 19,4% of the GDP (for 20,8% of the population). That percentage had peaked in 2006, with 23,7% of the GDP, and declined slowly in the following years.
Before the war (2014), the Donetsk oblast was the only one of the 4 above average (slightly), although it had long been neglected. It can still be considered a gem, in need of investments.
(Original data from https://ukrstat.gov.ua/operativ/operativ2021/vvp/kvartal_new/vrp/arh_vrp_u.html)
(As expected, the Kiev municipality is the only one way above average for the GNP per capita (3 to 1) and has been so in the last 20 years.)
Interesting. I will have a look at the links but it is important to treat ALL uses of GDP stats as suspect. The man who invented them said they were not a useful measure of a nations wealth. Their composition is vastly complicated and subject to many adjustments. One such adjustment caused Ghana’s GDP to jump 60% overnight not so long ago. The UK’s GDP showed its best performance after massive financial jiggery pockery after the last financial crisis. Are we talking about nominal dollar denominated GDP or PPP locally denominated? I suppose it shouldn’t make any difference within a country but it might.
There is also the type of GDP. In the West services and finance are a major factor. These are of little use in a military conflict and are anyway regarded as over weighted in modern calculations by many economists.
There is also the problem of the informal or black economy much higher in Russia than Germany for example and no doubt out of sight in Ukraine.
GDP calcualtion is highly politically sensitive. That could affect these figures. The Italians desperate to improve their debt to GDP ratio included the drugs trade and prostitution in the figures. I believe this practice is now widespread. You could argue that neither of these sectors are of much value in war but perhaps on the other hand drug taking has become important in getting Ukrainian conscripts into battle and who can deny the consolation of prostitution for tired soldiers?
One thing is sure the West wildly underestimated Russian GDP when they planned for this conflict.
Even Stevie Wonder could see that Putin is anything but weak. If you really want to see weak leaders you need to look towards the west.
CORRECTION. Numbers were inflated by source. 11 dead 15 wounded 2 shooters dead. Sorry. It happened but my first numbers wrong. apologies.
I found this exchange interesting.
Question: “Will Ukraine cease to exist as a nation?”
Putin: “We did not set ourselves the aim of destroying Ukraine. Certainly not.”
Putin then went on to describe how important it was for the Russian Federation to absorb Crimea in its entirety, otherwise the people of Crimea would have died of thirst. Now the Ukrainians are blowing up Crimean bridges.
“We have to think about how important it is to ensure Crimea is connected by land. Do you understand?”
I think I do. I think Crimea is being used here as an example of what now has become necessary in regards to Ukraine’s existence.
I also like the fact that Putin twice missed answering a part of a two part question, and he was immediately called on it.
He has set that high of a standard over the years. The expectation has now been long established, that all questions will – must! – be anwered in full.
Years ago I watching one of his legendary international press conferences, and Japanase reporter asked him (in Russian) a six part question, and Putin patiently listened to the question for 5 or 6 minutes without taking notes, and then answered all of it but part 5. When he was done he asked the Japanese reporter if he had missed anything, and the reporter sheepishly informed him that he had skipped part 5.
And Putin apologized and asked for part 5 again, and then answered it.
Now I’m not an expert, but I suspect if intelligence officers are taught anything, it’s how to train their memory.
And our memory is the foundation of our thinking …
Your supposition is correct. ” Memory & Observation” were the first courses for training RCMP officers here in Canada back in 1974. I remember them well, and with practice, have benefited over the years from it – at least to where, at 68 yrs, I can employ those skills to remember I left my car keys in my hand the whole time I searched.
Putin: “We did not set ourselves the aim of destroying Ukraine. Certainly not.”
This is good to hear made explicit. I think that the historical evidence is clear that one of the primary roots of international conflict is nationalism denied. It is imperial diversity that leads to wars and republican federalism (or the kind of imperial localism that the Roman Empire practiced) that lead to long periods of peace. Sufficient local autonomy leads to stability. Alas, local self-rule also minimizes opportunity for predation by the internationalists, which is why they bitterly oppose it.
The best thing Putin could do to shape the strategic environment of the future in Russia’s favor (and everyone else who wants peace and stability) is to give the Ukrainians what they have wanted all along: as much sovereignty as can be safely facilitated. The Ukrainian mistake was to cut a deal with grifting imperialists like Victoria Nuland, John McCain, and Lyndsey Graham and the globalist movement they represented during their interactions with Ukraine. One can make a reasonable argument that modern Ukraine has never been sovereign, regardless it certainly hasn’t been since the US State Department funded coup of 2014.
Unfortunately this is far easier said than done, because the ugly reality, which contradicts the egalitarian nonsense we are fed in the West, is that there is no sovereignty without a self-conscious self-sustaining indigenous ruling class, of the people, by the people, and for the people. If a country’s ostensible leaders in positions of authority are merely administrators carrying out the will of internationalists (1), then there can be no sovereignty. Governance becomes an exercise in would-be politicians competing to be the most servile before those who choose who gets the carrot and who gets the stick, and in public relations as the administrators in the institutions of authority try to convince their subject people that the stream of urine on their heads (like ‘free’ trade, which is actually international crony cartel corporatism) is a warm summer’s rain.
We Americans face exactly the same problem. I think that we, like the Ukrainians, have capability in terms of human material, but lack the self-sustaining institutions from which to exercise power and compete for control. It’s why the corporate owners of the RNC would rather see the Republican Party completely destroyed rather than Pres. Trump use it as an institutional vehicle for traditional American civic nationalism. They do not want us organizing in collective self-defense.
A ruling class must have institutions to train its personnel. The WASP ruling class in America used to have the Ivy League, but they lost control over it and they got destroyed. There are very few graduates from the Ivy’s today who are anything but paperwork Americans. Does Ukraine have locally-controlled training grounds for those who considers themselves its elites, or are they all trained in globalist institutions and see themselves as administrators of WEF/Davos globalism?
(1) Internationalists use their control over the instantiation or creation of new fiat currency to build systems of carrots and sticks to ensure that the institutions of authority (like the US Congress) are substantially staffed with people screened for obedience to their vision.
“are” … Ukrainian elites … “all trained in globalist institutions and see themselves as administrators of WEF/Davos globalism?”
I would think pretty much all of them are in one way or another, and let’s not forgot that Putin himself and most of the Russian banking elite, and much of its corportate sector’s leading players, have deep, deep ties to the WEF.
For whatever reason, Putin was seen by the globalists as a fellow actor that could no longer be trusted; probably due to that fact that his nation is sitting on the last of the planet’s most readily available and accessible resources; and that why he was marked for elimination.
Is Putin a “Sovereign Man”now, has he “seen the light” as they say? Well, in just the last three months he’s quoted Milton Friedman, the neo-liberal globalist’s most treasured economist, three times, and brought up the fact that he believes the Russian Federation needs more privatization (the go to play in the globalist’s playbook!), if it is to reach its economic potential, so I have my doubts.
Hopefully he’s just playing the West now, or trolling it, or whatever, because I want to root for the man. He’s undoubtely brilliant, incredibly poised and disciplined at all times, and above all else, he works his ass off, and that is a quality I deeply respect in any fellow human, especially when they are in a leadership postion.
Scott Ritter has described the situation here very well. Here in Germany, a thinking person can only despair. It is almost surreal.
The video is in English.
👉 https://de.rt.com/kurzclips/video/151682-scott-ritter-deutschland-steht-auf/
This is an unbelievable interview. Thank you for sharing the link.
Scott Ritter is absolutely right on every point with what he says. His harsh language is also justified. As a thinking person, you almost go crazy in Germany. It is the madness that prevails here. The population is asleep or buries its head in the sand. Propaganda and re-education since 1945 have turned people into cowards or idiots.
I listened to that entire press conference, where Putin was definitely in command. Russia and the World are fortunate that he’s at the helm in Russia now. He doesn’t need notes because he has complete confidence in what he’s saying, he speaks like the leader he is. He’s actually fighting for what’s left of a free America under God, as I see it, when he made it clear that he’s not going to go the way of the degenerates in rightfully describing the culture war as satanic.
That got my attention, BIG TIME! He’s fighting for his country as opposed to the rot we have fighting to destroy ours led by the pervert-in-chief and his enablers!
That should get the respect of what’s left of the free World not interested in making a profit off their personal fiefdoms via the MIC, but rather deescalating the madness to go the extreme of WWIII, with nuclear being thrown around likes it OK for power’s sake which is all the certifiably insane, IMO, really care about!
That is the first time I’ve seen and heard the man speak. I was impressed with his calmness and ability to answer everything thrown at him!
I will pray for him and his Country, as I do with intention that mine will be free of the shackles that want to destroy everything that’s good, not only in America, but the world!
Martin Armstrong’s book will be an interesting read into some deeper history via Putin and the banksters, oligarchs, and USG. It was linked in the comments section over at saker.
Mr. Putin is surely the greatest statesman of the last 50+ years. All one needs to do is contrast him to Biden, Trudeau, Truss, Baerbock, Van Der Leyen etc to realize the size of this man.
“Germany has put priority on serving NATO rather than the interests of its nation and people.”
They are one and the same. According to polls and Germans I know, the car majority of Germans want the sanctions and to send military equipment to Ukraine. Remember that a growing number of Germans are seeking to deindustrialize Germany in support of Mother Gaia. Germany is no longer a serious country. They will likely be a more rational place once they join the caliphate.
Polls don’t really reflect people’s opinions. At least here in Germany, they are often brought to a desired result with suggestive questions. There is also a sharp divide between East and West Germany. The East is clearly more critical of the government. Many East Germans still know how quickly an apparently stable system topples and then slides economically into the abyss.
Germans are terrified of being linked to Nazis. Better Frau Helga dies of cold and they shiver broke at Oktoberfest than they appease those the West calls ‘dictator.’
According to polls, Baerbock is supposed to be the most popular politician. The polls are bullshit. There is a discrepancy between East and West. But I maintain an absolute majority does not want a war against Russia. Neither economically, nor militarily. Especially in East Germany, people are suspicious of the propaganda.
On Putin’s eventual place in Russian history, and I repeat what I have already posted but cannot remember where.
I think Putin is headed for icon status in Russia, and further that with Putin and Lavrov we are witnessing a pairing the likes of which has not been seen since Mao and Chao Enlai.
Or Lennon & McCartney.
In all fairness, it should be said that Putin is a far cry not only from Joe Biden but also from Donald Trump.
“The money goes up and the shit goes down!”
Tony Soprano. US Foreign Policy.
As the Hair Sniffer in Chief just shakes the hand of another invisible perSon.
The more you listen to Putin the less dangerous he becomes and more the only adult sitting at the table of consequences.
“The Ghost of Paris of 86,” shall return to the streets of Europe as the snow falls.
As for Putin: when acquaintances badmouth Putin at me, I always say I wish we had just one high-profile politician in the entire West with 20% of his skills! Unfortunately, there is absolutely no one here. It is so, always at the political leadership one recognizes the condition of a nation. In the West it is absolutely alarming.
About Germany: Already my mother was horrified in 1991, when Germany came to the reunification. She said that it should never have been done, that it would pave the way for a new war. Today, it is once again developing into a total Nazi state. I had briefly heard excerpts from Habeck’s speech at the Green Party conference yesterday. Alarming, appalling! Yes the reasons are the new browns, simply painted green. That will not go well. Fear, Russia will have to denazify the Germans again.
Again Putin: where I worry the most, what comes after Putin. He won’t be in power forever and unfortunately I don’t see anyone in Russia who will be able to fill this gap. Putin would now have to urgently select a suitable successor and prepare him for office.
I wouldn’t worry too much. If there’s one period of history that truly scared Putin, it was the period following the collapse of the USSR.
Putin will not only have a successor planned, but contingency plans if the successor doesn’t work out, and then contingency plans for 1000 successors after that. The man is a planner and details guy. He also loves Russia. These will be no vacuum.
You are looking at Mr. Putin through rose colored glasses. I admire the man, as I admired Patrick Henry, Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson. But he’s only a man like they are. The former created a system of government that came closest to upholding the sovereignty of the individual, a society of free people who were to rule themselves as God or Mother Nature intended. But in little more that 100 years, the country that wished good will to all mankind, that was founded by the most rational of men, who wanted to prosper through free trade with others, began its imperial climb. And now we in America and the world are faced with a nuclear armed state that has run amok.
America is a true tragedy in the Shakespearian sense. It was the sweetest of flowers that turned sour by its deeds; and now even the basest weeds outbraves its dignity.
If you read my longer post below, you’ll see that I don’t look at Putin with rose coloured glasses.
The American Republic is indeed genius. Unfortunately, things went downhill after WW2 when the US mistook it’s luck emerging from the conflict pretty much unscathed, as license to become an imperial power. It was always a doomed project and since 2001, the decline has been extremely rapid.
Thanks for your response. Maybe you were engaging in a bit of hyperbole with the “1000 successors”?
I was first impressed with Putin when I watched his interviews with Oliver Stone, and observed him more closely after that. He was careful to avoid lashing out at the US in the face of constant demonization. He has the patience of Job, but of course, he was trying to negotiate with a brick wall.
Maybe Alexander Novak or Yuri Borisov or Mikhail Mishustin
Larry,
Every time I have seen Putin speak, I walk away with the same feeling – his poise, frank responses, confidence, command of history are extraordinary. I would like nothin better than him to succeed in preserving Russia and move the world to a multipolar order based on commonsense and respect for mutual interests.
I try to read sources outside MSM to stay informed, and indeed there is a lot more positive news on Russia outside the big bubble. Having said that, a couple of things bother me. Like the news about chaotic mobilization, dissents from Ramzan Kadyrov, lack of internal substitutes for key components for high tech arms etc. This article I read with many links to Russian news alludes to those. Your thoughts?
https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/International/Russias-Inevitable-Border-Crisis.html
Information warfare at work:
for example:
“. . . . if he fails to persuade Ukraine and the West to accept the annexation of the occupied Ukrainian territories?”
is a nonsense statement.
The west acknowledges the existence of Russia as a state, which includes the borders it controls – or it can launch WW3. More sanctions change nothing administratively. The rest is in the same vein – I bet 50:50 was AI written – the author is “The Jamestown Foundation-” – cutout? irrelevant? – Washington is neocon territory. The JF has a 2017 book that “states” it starts with the “premise” Russia is in decline.
a waste of the 30 seconds it took to skim.
Western Info War has become exceedingly lazy and cheap (despite being very expensive) and easily recognized by keyword emotional “memes” – the opposite of SONAR21.
Putin is not a “politician” in the western sense. He is a stateman. He has always regarded himself as a servant of the people. He is not out for wealth or status, as a majority of politicians in the West are. He is focused on something different. If you look at his history, particularly his youth, this is quite obvious. His “world” is not that of the US. What we have is a War of the Worlds. But it this the West who are the monsters. This is another great post, which I will repost on my Substack page and tweet. I wish I could write with this concision and precision!
Putin is really quite astonishing. I am old enough to recall when he took over as President in 2000.
People forget what an abysmal mess Russia truly was in 1999. Inflation was 80%+. Russia had defaulted on its debt. The economy was in ruins. The military was a joke. It was a truly tragic situation.
Look at Russia in 2022. The one constant throughout the 22 years? Vladimir Putin. Keep in mind that during this time, he has been under 24/7 vilification as an amoral, evil and corrupt dictator by the West (US). This, despite the fact that there is zero evidence that any of it is true. As for the man himself, Putin doesn’t drink, smoke, take drugs and is a committed Christian.
He’s also damn shrewd. You can be sure that there have been countless attempts within Russia over the years, to take Putin out. All have failed. No way that what happened to Trump, would ever have happened to Putin.
In fact, as POTUS, Trump should have asked Putin for advice about how to deal with the scum that are destroying America – I’m sure Putin might have obliged. Putin would have known exactly what to do. If Trump had followed Putin’s advice, Trump would be sitting in the White House right now, with Biden & Co sitting where they belong – in the ‘big house’. Guaranteed.
Is Putin perfect? No. Can he make mistakes? Yes. Is he at times indecisive? Yes. Has he made decisions that are ruthless when required? No doubt – after all, he has been rebuilding Russia (indeed, saving it) for the entirety of his adult life.
Is Putin a ‘democrat’ and believer in ‘democracy’? Unlikely – he is Russian. Russians have their own way of doing things. And after all, look at what’s happened to western democracy – who in their right mind would want that?
Is Putin a great leader? YES. Of that there is absolutely no doubt. There is simply no one of his ability or experience on Earth that I can think of right now, except perhaps Orban.
Western leaders should keep that in mind, going forward. They’re playing dangerous games with a true chessmaster, who knows every trick in the book, every player and every secret. Anything can happen of course, but if you’re a gambler you put big money on Vlad’s track record, which is impeccable.
“Putin is really quite astonishing. I am old enough to recall when he took over as President in 2000.
People forget what an abysmal mess Russia truly was in 1999. Inflation was 80%+. Russia had defaulted on its debt. The economy was in ruins. The military was a joke.”
The great man in history myth is predicated on notions that “history” is a dis-jointed process of visions on the road to Damascus, instead of lateral processes of transcendence through interactions of many vectors at varying velocities, which some did not/do not perceive thereby basing “their” interpretations on beliefs and projections including but not limited to:
“People forget what an abysmal mess Russia truly was in 1999. Inflation was 80%+. Russia had defaulted on its debt. The economy was in ruins. The military was a joke.”
Some people did not forget what an abysmal mess Russia truly was in 1999, because it was not in an abysmal mess in 1999, although the opponents sought to evangelise this myth.
The transcendence of “The Soviet Union” by what became the Russian Federation has been underway through increasing trajectories and velocities since at least 1969 until 2022 , throughout which people were motivated to facilitate future trajectories and velocities thereby increasing those with potential to attain leadership roles.
“Russia had defaulted on its debt”.
In 1992 if you had enough blat/connections and collateral you could set up a private bank – in 1992 the dollar equivalent of collateral required was under $ 500 plus “comforters” for the “licence issuing authority”.
One of the tools the opponents attempted to use to control Russia in the period from 1992 until 1999 was financing the “commercial banking sector” in Russia primarily through EBRD without due diligence on initial funding and throughout.
Among the banks financed were Bank Imperial, Credo Bank, Kuzzbasos Bank and various others seeking succour, which effectively were used as “money laundering and redistribution facilities”by their “directors” which in 1998 defaulted and went into “liquidation”, which if memory serves caused EBRD to lose in excess of $30 billion ecu’s that were finessed/disappeared and “the project manager” promoted, which afforded time for others to engage in other activities.
” Inflation was 80%+.”
Really ? Who decided that, and what datastream did they use, remembering that neither widespread barter nor blat requires “money” ?
“The economy was in ruins.”
Really ? On what datastreams do you base your assertion ?
A small pointer you might like to consider.
Russian “businessmen” kept at least 3 accounting records, one for the tax authorities, one for their wives, and one for their “girlfriends” whilst others being “paid” in factory products did not keep accounts at all.
” The military was a joke.”
Really? You have discovered a return on “investment” of some visiting Children’s World to stock up on mirrors.
Throughout the period the military related sectors were undergoing “perestroika/restructuring” as the opponents partly perceived by late 1994 but chose to ignore to sustain their narrative and activities including but not limited to, financing “commercial banks” in the hope of “controlling” the Russian economy.
Even practitioners did not/do not yet fully understand all of the interactive processes and outcomes of the period as they were busy at the time on other things, and remembered Mr. Gogol’s advice – Don’t hold on too tightly to flying troikas, and the old saying that if you want to make babies, virginity is not an option.
What on earth? What exactly your extremely profound claim amounts to? – “ “history” is a dis-jointed process of visions on the road to Damascus, instead of lateral processes of transcendence through interactions of many vectors at varying velocities, which some did not/do not perceive thereby basing “their” interpretations on beliefs and projections including but not limited to………”.
As for your refuting what has happened in Russia, derived from “ transcendence through interactions of many vectors at varying velocities”, whatever that might mean, perhaps, you might care to watch the new series by Adam Curtis, who uses archival material to show exactly how Russia was pillaged. Here is the link to Part 1: https://youtu.be/ke600MgW1F0.
BTW, thank you, Larry, for your analysis of president’s Putin speech.
“you might care to watch the new series by Adam Curtis, who uses archival material to show exactly how Russia was pillaged. Here is the link to Part 1: https://youtu.be/ke600MgW1F0.”
I am are aware of many but not all of the published endeavours of Mr. Curtis released into the public domain, but thank you for the link.
Mr. Marx observed that philosophers here to fore have merely described the world, but the purpose is to change it.
Mr. Curtis merely describes/interprets the world predicated upon “archival material” that may or may not have been rigorously validated, whilst some others co-operated in various ways over many years to change it.
Your beliefs have utility in facilitating how to drown a drowning man with the minimum of blowback in illustration that ignorance may be bliss, and hence your continued immersion in illusions may ultimately prove beneficial.
““history” is a dis-jointed process of visions on the road to Damascus..”
The full quote reads :
“The great man in history myth is predicated on notions that “history” is a dis-jointed process of visions on the road to Damascus, instead of lateral processes of transcendence through interactions of many vectors at varying velocities, which some did not/do not perceive thereby basing “their” interpretations on beliefs and projections including but not limited to:”
which you illustrate but do not correctly quote.
If you want to engage in “propaganda” I suggest that you improve your performance or as follow Mr. Rove advice that “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you should concentrate on.”
“Mr. Marx observed that philosophers here to fore have merely described the world, but the purpose is to change it.”
How true. In fact by our actions we all change the world, if only in some small way. The real issue is do we do it by persuading people through argument and showing through our actions and our governments the moral way to go about it which I think is most effective in the long run, or do we demand of our politicians that they beat us over the head with their “laws” because we are too naive or ignorant to know what is good for us, which seems to work in the short run?
If we had a world of no states. Vladimir Putin with his intelligence, his patience, his candor and willingness to promote trade between all people would, in the industry of governance, have a prominent position in a free market society. I can imagine him as a successful judge or an entrepreneur in the provision of protection and justice services. He is a great negotiator and good negotiators are dearly needed in whatever kind of society we live in.
As a species we are not ready for that kind of freedom because from the POV of people who are use to the state taking care of them, ie. to rule them, to imagine that kind of freedom is scary. I hope that some day in the future there will be some who will want that and try to make it happen. Secession has always been the mechanism.
The long and bumpy and endless road to freedom.
RE: Art Thomas says
16 October 2022 at 17:01
“The real issue is do we do it by persuading people through argument and showing through our actions and our governments the moral way to go about it which I think is most effective in the long run, or do we demand of our politicians that they beat us over the head with their “laws” because we are too naive or ignorant to know what is good for us, which seems to work in the short run? “
Binary framing, including crested binaries, are popular in coercive relations partly to limit “choice” and aid integration into notions there are only two alternatives – a purpose of of “pedagogy” in many coercive social relations, as Mr. Marx was aware – religion being the opiate of the masses, and ideology becomes a material force when it grips the masses – being two illustrations of many.
Strategies and derived tactics in their facilitation are functions of purposes.
Consequently your designation of the “real issue” is incorrect since you do not specify the purposes, which include but is not limited to the change sought and the lateral interactions within which the change is sought – although I recognise you attempted to do so whilst remaining within the linear – as do the opponents who thereby remain complicit in their own transcendence, and part of the reason why Progress Publishers commenced issuing a contextually definitive version of the Collected Works of Marx’s and Engels from 1971 onwards to undermine the previous hagiographies, including but not limited to “Short Courses”.
“Strategies and derived tactics in their facilitation are functions of purposes.”
Consequently as outlined in https://sonar21.com/can-the-flood-of-lies-about-ukraine-and-russia-be-staunched/
IsItJustForTheMomentWeLive says
15 October 2022 at 11:28
“Some understand that the best marketers of the advantages derived from association with the Russian Federation are “The United States of America”, and given their “sterling service” for more than 50 years including “Soviet times”, which never were, except for a short period in St. Petersburg in 1917″, it would likely be an act of churlish ungratefulness to limit the scale and scope of the current (propaganda) campaign intended by “The United States of America” to whip up support for themselves, since largely they are talking with themselves, and it is often bad manners to interject into the conversations of “families”, another practice which the CIA and some others in the family apparently remain unaware. “
remains one of many predicates including Mr. Stalin’s reported remark to Mr. Kaganovich that: “The Bolsheviks learned to talk, and I learned to listen”, and why blogs are broadcast portals and post boxes, not agora.
Well, back in the 90s it was really bad in the former SU, in particular Russia: unemployment, deterioration of the health care system, drop in live expectancy, crime, … inflation? Mr Putin managed to stabilise the economy and, not being a fan of his, he deserves praise for that achievement.
As for recent events, it is undeniable that Mr Putin achieves alignment and promotes win-win agreements, actively listens and even more actively answers questions (!). I miss these qualities in our Western leaders…
… sorry, not “live” but “life” expectancy, in particular among the male population …
“but “life” expectancy, in particular among the male population …”
Morbidity is a process which many believe is an event.
This belief facilitates the conflation of causation with an event.
Now to context.
“The Soviet Union” was not restricted to Leningrad and Moscow although “foreigners” were often immersed in that illusion.
Health statistics in “The Soviet Union” in some areas were held to be “state secrets”, just as some physical entities did not “exist” and hence did not appear on maps.
Different diseases in different persons tend to develop at different velocities, and in different locations these records were recorded in different media or not at all.
Hence in interaction of all of the above:
“Even practitioners did not/do not yet fully understand all of the interactive processes and outcomes of the period as they were busy at the time on other things, and remembered Mr. Gogol’s advice – Don’t hold on too tightly to flying troikas, and the old saying that if you want to make babies, virginity is not an option.”
and never forget the inventions/imaginings of GOSPLAN ensuring that everybody over-fulfilled the Plan to achieve their bonuses, and enjoyed cake on their week-end table with a bottle of Georgian wine – well according to GOSPLAN anyway – who knew or know ?
As you may understand, if you don’t know the numerator or the denominator then the don’t know resort is often infinity – nobody knew or knows the morbidity rate – but instead of being seen to be foolish, some invented it.
“The Soviet Union” was never like it was “represented” in books and periodicals such as Pravda – why most of the nomenklatura read Izvestia, and why “We the people hold these truths to be self-evident” has always been a confidence trick.
Enjoy your journey.
“Mr Putin managed to stabilise the economy and, not being a fan of his, he deserves praise for that achievement.”
Not quite.
He and others deserve praise for building upon and thereby transcending the efforts of others who had been engaged in such activities from at least 1969 onwards, a significant number of whom are now dead, to facilitate the ongoing process of the transcendence of “The Soviet Union” by the Russian Federation.
“back in the 90s it was really bad in the former SU, in particular Russia: unemployment, deterioration of the health care system, drop in live expectancy, crime, … inflation?”
On what timeframe of datastreams subjected to which methods including methods of validation do you base your assertion?
The great man of history myth in Russia was created by foreigners, initially in attempted annointment of the useful idiot from Stavropolsky oblast – Mr. Gorbachev, extended to Mr. Yeltsin (the freedom fighter who stood on a tank), the content of the myth was adjusted in respect of Mr. Putin from 1999 onwards, since the opponents staterted to understand that they had been played throughout the 1990’s by those they thought were their “partners”.
“As for recent events, it is undeniable that Mr Putin achieves alignment and promotes win-win agreements, actively listens and even more actively answers questions (!). I miss these qualities in our Western leaders…”
Since only the promotion of faux win-win agreements existed in “The West” how can you miss something that rarely if ever existed?
The demographic data are available in Internet, starting with wikipedia…
The macroeconomic data for the period 1998-2021 can be found online, to compare GDP, unemployment, inflation, etc. I remember reading those data in The Economist too…
On crime there is -or was- an interesting documentary on the Russian mafia in Arte…
“The demographic data are available in Internet, starting with wikipedia…
The macroeconomic data for the period 1998-2021 can be found online, to compare GDP, unemployment, inflation, etc. I remember reading those data in The Economist too…
On crime there is -or was- an interesting documentary on the Russian mafia in Arte…”
“The Soviet Union” was a hall of mirrors in which data was “finessed” just like in the present mis-representation” The United States of America” and hence nobody knows the statistics you cite, and hence your “sources” are likely creating their own “sources”.
The “Economist” and Wikipedia are both under the influence of some who misrepresent themselves as “intelligence services” whilst not being particularly intelligent.
Arte is a French/German vehicle influenced by BND and others via ZDF who is influenced in turn by their associates RFE/RL, who both access joint facilities outside Munich in Bavaria.
Such outlets are monitored by some to note what the opponents deem to be plausible belief(s) of the day, which perhaps as a function of lack of imagination on the part of the opponents are tending to become a reducing collection of constants.
I do understand that the realisation that you have been misled for most, if not all of your life, is both embarrassing and painful, but this illustrates Mr. Martyanov’s contention that the opponents do not know Russia whilst pretending to know Russia.
I don’t engage in schadenfreude, but if you are going to die coutesy of atomic weapons or other phenomena, I hold that is only good manners to bring this to your attention or to the attention of others accessing this post box, in order to facilitate your/their consideration if you/they are so minded.
Whether you believe it or not does not have significance to me, whilst the opponents are invested in beliefs that beliefs are “the answer”.
Enjoy your journey.
here in america we call them CARPETBAGGERS.
btw,you might check with the Guiness people for the longest screen name.What kind of psycho-babble may we derive from that?
“Russian “businessmen” kept at least 3 accounting records, one for the tax authorities, one for their wives, and one for their “girlfriends”
I apologise for under appreciating the “talents” of Russian businessment in case I become subject to a libel case.
The sentence should read:
Russian “businessmen” kept at least 3 accounting records, one for the tax authorities, one for their wives, and one for their “girlfriends, none of which were “correct” but deemed plausible, which may aid others dependent on “archives and other sources” since Mr. Bulgakov was not wholly correct in his observation that manuscripts don’t burn.
During the 1990’s locals often called Russia wonderland.
“IsItJustForTheMomentWeLive”
It is really although many refuse to believe that.
Perhaps you should read the opinions carefully… I was commenting on the period between the late 90s and 2021, not the SU, but Russia after the “regime change”… and I refer to Western sources, not former Soviet press… I still remember Russia being on the verge of collapse in the late 90s, early 21th century (?). That is why I think we should not underestimate the great achievements under Mr Putin’s leardership.
“Perhaps you should read the opinions carefully”
I also suggest “Perhaps you should read the analyses carefully”.
I was writing a thumbnail in a register deemed appropriate in communicating with non-practitioners, about the lateral processes from at least 1969 onwards which continue to facilitate the ongoing process of the transcendence of “The Soviet Union” by the Russian Federation, which facilitated/facilitate the activities of Mr. Putin and his associates from 1993 onwards, although some may chose to include the activities of Mr. Putin and some of his associates from 1971 onwards, when the process of restructuring the KGB was afforded greater emphasis and the Complete Works of Marx and Engels published by Progress Publishers were commenced partly to construct an umbrella.
So that is ample for present purpose.
Enjoy your journey.
Eva
I suspect that ‘Is It Just for The Moment etc’ is a troll. Or it could be Jake Sullivan himself.
Either way, don’t feed it. You will just waste your time and energy.
With the greatest respect, your post is gibberish.
I agree that ‘for the moment’ is a troll; the phrase implies something the jews are fond of doing: do what thou wilt. The gibberish is intentional, a hash of pseudo-intellectual buzzwords and academic clap-trap. Which is another hallmark of devilish jew diversionary tactics.
The jews have always hated Russia; now more than ever when its’ resources have been denied them subsequent to their rapine behavior after the collapse of the SU.
or low quality AI.
“…“history” is a dis-jointed process of visions on the road to Damascus, instead of lateral processes of transcendence through interactions of many vectors at varying velocities, which some did not/do not perceive thereby basing “their” interpretations on beliefs and projections…”.
What in the heck does that mean?
For Entertainment and Comparision, here an Interview of our World Greatest Minister of Economy (GreMEc), Mr Habeck from the 51. State of the USA, Germany: https://twitter.com/Beatrix_vStorch/status/1580816117177942017?t=Kdi4QDhrjqqAcezZuKaXLg&s=08
Larry, you’ve probably been updated as to this development, it’s breaking news, but it seems that the Ukie regime and its malignant supporters might have gone totally over the edge in trying to contrast Russia’s SMO. In synthesis, reports are coming out from the battle lines that the Ukranians have been using biological and chemical weapons on Russian troops making them sick to the point of hospitalization. Examined further, this could also explain the reason for the downsizing of Russian troop deployment in the last few months. Seems like some parties have a very severe death wish!!
There is even a new interview of Russel Bentley in Moscow giving an account of it.
GIGGLE TIME
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2022-10-15/ukraine-spends-5-million-shoot-down-25000-drone
UKI mig29 shoots down Iran/Russian drone. Drone explodes smashes jets cockpit, piglet ejects: jet crashes.
How does Putin keep a straight face. Luckily the Pilot survives .
He did the reverse Ghost of Kiev.
Thanks for posting this. Putin’s press conferences are invariably good. He answers questions and is logical. Stylistically, he is poised and manages to smile and show humour. That is totally different to Biden but there is more. Substantively, he also demonstrates an understanding that other states have different perspectives and that these need to be mediated. Biden and his colleagues (or controllers) have no concept of that: it is America’s (really their) way or nothing.
The journalists also seem trained differently to those in the west. The question about Ukrainian music notwithstanding, most of the questions were designed to elicit understanding of what is happening. In the west, journalists ask leading questions purely in support of their own predetermined narrative which is either to seek to humiliate the interviewee (typical approach to Trump) or to extol them (typical approach to Obama). This is far more mature.
We once had politicians as capable as Putin. Reagan in his prime was just as effective in a press conference. So was Thatcher. Symptomatic of our decline. We are getting the leaders we deserve: Truss, Scholz, Biden.
NATO already has troops in Ukranazistan. Some of them officially as “trainers”, most of them in Ukranazi uniform as “volunteers”. The so called volunteers right now are no longer the reddit idiots of March and April, they’re regular NATO and NATO vassal troops (with cover stories about being on leave or having just left service, of course).
Not sure if everyone knew this already, but I read/heard somewhere that this is the first time that the entire West is against RUS. Something that I didn’t realize earlier.
i.e. during the Mongols, Teutonic Knights, Napoleon, Hitler… there were some countries on the EU main continent who were pro-RUS or allied with RUS.
Not this time- almost the entire EU/NATO block is against RUS.
That’s a major difference and I wonder if the RUS General Staff has taken that into consideration. Maybe all the way to Lviv is not sufficient…
The big difference this time is China.
China is more than enough of a counterweight to EUvassals.
Hungary isn’t against Russia
Austria trying to stay neutral
1812 was similar.
Only Britain was an ally, albeit a distant one and mutual trust was not high. It was an alliance in the face of the common enemy. No more.
Prussia and Austria plus pretty much all of continental Europe was part of the French coalition against Russia.
In the end, Russia won. Prussia and Austria abrogated their alliance with France and joined the new coalition that Tsar Alexander orchestrated. Russian troops were then in Paris by 1814.
The US is in the role of France today. Europe can change!
Another excellent analysis Mr. Johnson. I watch Putin with bitter regret. Wishing my country had a leader. And structurally, we never will. We have a problem. Our election cycle is every two years. Even if the President is in for 4 years, the MidTerm usually neuters him. Which thankfully, if my country passes the collective IQ test here shortly in November, it will. But what can a man do in two years? There is no long term planning here in the US. It is like Biden begging the Saud’s to not cut production for 4 weeks. Until after the MidTerms. That is considered long term planning in the USA. And successful people or countries do not plan for next week. They plan for the next decade. Putin has had time to plan and build. Over decades. And the results are outstanding. Russia rebuilt from the ashes. And the converse is true here. We are burning down to ashes.
That should be the prologue in the history books when they write about the great USA in the future…..sorry to say….how the mighty fall….
“Russia rebuilt from the ashes.”
No you are mistaken but “democratic” in perception which was likely aided by some “tourists” who primarily saw themselves with a little help from their “friends”, thereby being complicit in the “joint-ventures” sometimes known as interactions which facilitated 50 years co-operative planning not restricted to the agency of Mr. Putin which gave rise to the designation of “partners”.
I remember a YT clip in Russian with president Vladimir Putin being asked what will happen when he comes to heaven. “So you think that I will come to heaven? –“, was Putin’s first typical Putinesque quipping answer to the question posed by the journalists. But then he goes on to address the question – what will happen when you come to heaven? – seriously : “Glory to Thee, my LORD”.
He sees himself before the LORD’s countenance not as president but just as a common believer. This common sense of not thinking of himself much in front of God is perhaps typical for Vladimir Vladimirovich ability to keep in touch with the common people of Russia. He knows that he’s a worldly office-bearer, but his Orthodox faith somehow protects him for becoming high-minded and loosing contact with common fellow believers.
Larry,
I don’t believe for a second that Joe Biden is senile. I have never seen a dementia patient so far gone that they go from shaking hands with imaginary people to making sane concise arguments days later on network TV. I’ve seen this type of video multiple times and anyone who ever watches the mockingbird media or videos from them has seen this. It’s just that people don’t recognize it because we have all been under mind control for decades. Find the Biderman Report authorized by the US government to study how US soldiers were brainwashed during the Korean war.
It’s all a game that is done very poorly. It’s ether complete incompetence on his handler’s part or it is done so they can throw it in our faces so they cant test just how much control they have over the masses.
Napoleon failed
Hitler failed.
NATO will fail.
NATO still foolishly believes this is the disfunctional Russia they faced down when Yeltsin was President and they ransacked Serbia, it isn’t and they’re back, and they have been for some time now.
I think Putin is a great leader and love the Russian people. The contrast between Biden and Putin is miles away. I wish American come to their senses and chose a President the sincerely work for the welfare of the American people and the their land.
Thanks Larry for the information you post every day.
Excellent! Right to the target center.
Putin is cognitively aware, alert, and in control of the delivery of his message. this is why Putin is scaring the BeJesus out of the Western Leadership.
Biden admin seems to be the new Dem prototype: Engineer into the seat a candidate with diminished capacity, control everything he says, his schedule and his conduct. Allow him as much rope to hang himself, and simply walk back his transgressions.
This is the same patterns we see Kamala, US Senate Candidate Fetterman, and even Pelosi, whose public speech is often incoherent as well. Minnesota Dem Representative Angie Craig just declared her loyalty … “I will never stop standing up for Big Pharma, and standing against my constituents.” What in the world?
The J6 committee hearings are a throwback to Nazi Goebbels: After you tell a lie at least 3X, it is often accepted as truth…
All spotlights are on Putin, and he shows no signs of sweat. He does not raise his voice, like Biden will do. Putin does not break into nervous laughter as Kakala does. Putin does not walk away from difficult questions as Pelosi does. Putin has careful elocution and does not misname issues, as Biden’s press secretary frequently does. I fear Putin…
But I fear Western Leadership the most…
The 2022 Mid-Term Election will be critical for the preservation of the Republic of the United States of America. WE should expect polling precincts to ver busy….
Western leadership is inflicting pain upon its citizens with policies which limit the supply of natural gas, oil, gasoline, beef, lumber, labor, etc. Will Western leadership next limit its citizens’ access to their own Funds? Clean Water? Clean Air? Healthcare? Pharma? Due Process?
Revolutions used to be looked upon as events that only occured in third World banana republics, I have a feeling that may be all about to change.
Who will do the revolution and how will they do it?
Only a minor quibble: “is establishing himself as a man who says what he means and means what he says” – I would say that was established many years ago. I have also seen Putin to take notes (write!) on a pad and then respond as if the purpose was to convey information to the public.
In the States, our politicos are pre-programmed with talking points irrespective of whether they relate to the question or just insult the questioner – lying dog-faced pony soldier? hmmm.
When I listened a voice in my head said, “now that’s how a world leader acts”.
The Deep State is a lot of things, but they are not stupid. Why would they start this war with Russia, and destroy Europe? It is very simple. The USA gets ahead when the rest of the world burns. A lesson learned from World War 2. We sat on the sidelines until the rest of the world was burning. Until after the Russians beat the Germans. Then? We were the only game in town. Time for Round 2.
From Kuntsler
“Did you actually propose, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, that the purpose of our misadventure in Ukraine was “to weaken Russia?” How’s that working out? I’ll tell you: Russia is fixing to wipe up the floor with its Nazi antagonists in Kiev (and their NATO helpers). Russia is proceeding with prudence and determination to neutralize our country’s foolish provocations, even despite “Joe Biden’s” admission that “Armageddon” is an option. Here’s some news for you, Party of Chaos: Russia is not insane, but you surely are. You, Lloyd Austin, are busy destroying the American military with your deranged sexual boundary bamboozle, and your sinister “vaccine” policies that have led, among other disasters, to a tripling of cancer rates in the ranks. What, exactly, have you succeeded in weakening?”
The Biden Gangster we all ‘know and love’
“Rep. Tom Tiffany
@RepTiffany
The allegations from the @KSAmofaEN are serious, and if the Biden administration did attempt to pressure a foreign government to influence the outcome of the U.S. election, that’s something Americans deserve to know.”
This from Tiffany’s Twitter feed on Thursday, demanding accountability that he expects Pelosi and her leadership team to begin investigating forthwith.
His letter to her is at:
https://twitter.com/RepTiffany/status/1580643969901375488
It also appears that “Ukraine” “offensives” at this time — ahead of Nov. 8 midterms — are to “show” Russia is losing. That we’re paying $10 million/day to support!
As a lowly taxpayer helping fund this $10 million dollar a day . . . umm. . . looks like I am helping fund Gangster Biden’s plan to try and keeps Congressional Democrats in power?
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it’s a?
All kidding aside, if Republicans are serious, immediately, this would be a huge matter. . . our tax dollars used to fund a war none of us want, to help Democrats keep control of Congress? If the DOJ cannot immediately begin this criminal probe, due to some conflict of interest, then a Special Counsel is in order.
Good Morning, Republicans!!!!!
-30-
From the moment he greets the press, he is so present & so gracious. Heads & tails above any in recent memory.
Accurate assessment Larry. I watched his presser live. I’ve watched most of his and Lavrovs since the US Coup in 2014. He has no prompter or aides. He is in command of all salient facts. He does take tough questions without losing his cool, they are, after all, legitimate questions, which the Duma might ask too. He and Lavrov always stress the legitimacy of both their Laws and especially International Law. They have Always complied with International Law, both in Syria and in the Donbass. By law, they could not mobilize Russian troops into the independent states of LPR / DPR. Not until the region had a lawful referendum, under UN constructs of Right to Self-determination. Also the oft-used by US, ‘R2P’… Right to Protect. Now the area is legitimately a part of Russia and Russia Will defend it’s borders.
Strikes me that something your readers are missing in their haste to blame Biden. 1) It’s the Republicans who are the Neo-cons..bomb everything groups. 2) Every President since and including Reagan has started and supported this action in Ukraine. James Baker told the Soviets that NATO would ‘expand not 1 inch Eastwards’. Bush Sr, Bush Jr, Obama, Trump and now Biden have all supported the Ukraine militarily ever since. Knowing there was a great deal of Nazi sympathy in the West. NED, the most prolifically funded NGO, in 2013 declared Ukraine to be “the Biggest Prize’. After the US Coup a couple dozen US Corporations moved in to join the mega corps already there. Biden is just protecting US business interests in Ukraine. Due to the dumbass sanctions, all the Corporations have had to walk away from billions in Russian investments and companies. Now they might have to also write down their Ukraine investments since the bulk of those are in the more productive Eastern side, where the main ports are. That are now part of Russia…
…permanently. The ultimate goal is to keep Ukraine and weaken Europe into a US vassal state, reliant on US oil. Especially Germany.
Blaming biden individually is prob not the correct description here; it is the disgust and horror at the neo cons in his admin that are evidently working for Armageddon.
Biden is just a carve out relic trotted out to lick ice cream cones and threaten.
You are correct in that is no difference within the uniparty on war mongering; America’s business is war, going back to the late 1940’s, the empire of chaos.
The gopers and the dimcrats are indeed of one view regarding war.
If anyone expects the gopers to come riding with white hats to change anything, IF, they gain in the selection of 2022 and 2024. it is not going to happen. Status quo is the game, as monitored by the gutless and corrupt mcconnell, et al.
A few committee changes but the eunuchs’ and corrupt congress will continue the blood bath in ukraine as orchestrated by state/cia/mi6/mossad.
That is why Putin’s steely eyed determination and resolve is so important here.
Taras 77… quite right. Somehow the NeoCons stay around in high places…look at Victoria Nuland. Oddly, her father-in-law, Donald Kagan, professor at Yale, along with professor Leo Strauss who presented ‘Natural Right’, Kagan fomented American Exceptionalism which became the Wolfowitcz Doctrine which Rumsfeld, Cheney at al all signed, literally, the manifesto of this doctrine…we all know what happened next. 7 countries in 7 years was the dogma…all middle eastern countries because we could use their oil to pay for conquest expenses. A modern version of the Monroe Doctrine…yet somehow, these NeoCon types remain throughout successive administrations. Kinda like when we had the Bush global financial meltdown in 2007/8, incoming Obama left Paulson and Geitner in charge from the prior Bush administration, on the mistaken premise that since no-one knew what to do next in an unprecedented meltdown, surely the guys who orchestrated it, would have the requisite first-hand experience economically, to fix it. Just like Biden left Jerome Powell as head of the Federal Reserve…when the boat is already rocking badly, you don’t want to tip it over and maybe the current folks have the most experience to right it…so they go from one administration to another, especially our career personnel. Larry would have greater experience with inside government career hold-overs.
Time to start worrying again!
From Gilbert Doctorow, who is a former de facto ‘kremlinologue’ he lives in Brussels and speaks Russian fluently. He is monitoring Russian medias on a daily basis.He really fears a nuclear war (started by Nato via false flag or first strike).
“Some readers have commented in direct emails to me that they have taken comfort from my writings insofar as I have been a moderate voice, avoiding alarmism over the often troublesome daily news in and around the Russian war with Ukraine, or more properly speaking today, Russia’s proxy war with NATO in and about Ukraine.
For this very reason, I hesitated whether to share with readers the deep pessimism that overcame me a couple of days ago over our chances of avoiding nuclear Armageddon. This followed my watching the latest Solovyov political talk show on Russian state television. I have used this show regularly as a litmus test of the mood of Russian social and political elites: that mood has turned black.”
https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2022/10/15/time-to-start-worrying-again/
Maybe an idea for a good open letter to neocons Nuland, Blinken and co.
What do you intend you people to to during and after a nuclear exchange destroying US cities for exemple? Do you naively believe you are going to survive in your bunker and this for years?
Or maybe someone told you this? ” Russian nukes are a joke, they don’t work well, we are stronger, we have a mole there who will refuse to push the button etc…”
Interesting to read their answers to these simple questions?
About nukes Larry: which targets do you think both RU and US would strike first?
Hoping it will never happen of course, even more for me I’m just a few kms from Shape…
Thinking to take some sunny vacation for the next two weeks…far from Belgium.
I think that France is safer? The only EU power with nukes.
https://southfront.org/iran-will-supply-russia-with-arash-2-heavy-suicide-drones/
Iran has proved a useful ally to Russia.
40% of Russian army will be mobilised by next month. Reports the mobilisation has caused issues with Crimean tartars who claim responsibility for suicide attack on belgrod Russian training facility killing over 10 soldiers.
Ash…today Dima on Military Summary reported that the Belgorod shooters, who were previously reported to come from one of the Russia / Eurasia pact countries, were apparently 2 conscripted soldiers from Uzbekistan. Russian sources say that when these 2 muslim soldiers needed to take a prayer break, there were problems from the other Russian conscripts and the Uzbeks retaliated with a machine gun and AK47.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob7waK_Rz6Y
Around the 21:50 mark.
Jim,
Thanks for linking Tiffany’s letter.
Sad to say, to me the problem begins with America and Americans, and way pre-dates Russia’s Special Military Operation. A reflection is the super-minority of Americans who were eager to go well beyond slagging President Trump, and actively sabotage his lawful authority and orders.
This malign spirit extended to placing in office–I am firmly convinced by nefarious means–one who was an obvious seller of the office of Vice President–obvious to even a blind man, but ignored by his faction. This is also known as Treason, and it has continued, with the People’s Republic of China and the Ukraine having been the most obvious influence purchasers .
This further extended to that faction encouraging and enabling more than just talk–material actions–that palpably risk nuclear war.
It is clear that the Marionette-In-Charge is having his strings pulled in detail by parties we may guess at but who at least partly remain hidden.
This is such an august body of commenters, and Larry is such a gentleman, please allow me to inveigh upon your patience (and good humor) to say that, the Biden who appears in public features ear lobes that either do or do not join his cheek . . . and I surmise that both flavors of this rat poison are actors, often pretty good at portraying a degenerate blithering boob.
Put that aside, and of course it is a devastating accusation, America has become a foul politically-correct nest in which it is anathema to even hint that the Emperor Hath No Clothes, much less to ask whose payroll he is on.
Alas!
From Martin Armstrong
I feel sorry for you for those who believe the propaganda put out to justify a war that Putin is this madman. I feel sorry for you. You probably believe that the government really cares about you and your future and you probably still wear masks driving alone, or even when you sleep, and possibly a condom just in case for good measure.
There are those of us who have REAL contacts and who understand REAL geopolitics and the way governments create wars by filling the minds of their people that there are weapons of mass destruction. Now even a former MI6 agent has come out and said the same thing. You better be careful what you wish for. Putin was selected by Yeltsin BECAUSE he was not a Communist and was moderate. Yeltsin was under siege from the communists who did want to resurrect the USSR and the oligarchs who wanted to strip mine Russia for themselves. If Putin was a communist, Yeltsin and his family would have been in prison.
I have all the declassified documents from the Clinton Administration that CONFIRM that Putin was nothing that the propaganda is all about. He NEVER sought to resurrect the USSR. As far as the KGB, he was never high-ranking and quit in 1991 as soon as Russia fell. All of the comments put out there by John McCain were outright lies.
So you can believe all the BS. They need you to do that to wage war and offer your life on their alter of political agendas. If you think you will be an armchair general and watch this war on CNN, sorry. It will come to a neighborhood near you. I just thank God I am not 18. The future these people want is total insanity.
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/russia/putin-is-not-the-madman-biden-is-just-senile/
There is much underestimation of Russia. I feel a good old ass kicking is coming. It is probably happening now. The politicians and media will have a narrative to explain it as victory. I think it may take a long time for it to sink in.The Wall Street Journal continually analyzes Russia’s performance in Ukraine and says they are performing so poorly Russia is ready to revolt. People believe it.
I think a significan(25-35%)part of US population buys into nuclear war to put Russia in their place.The fact that Grandma in San Jose will be a pile of ash is not a possibity.
There is no man in the world like Putin. Centered, smart, very well informed. Congratulations to the Russian’s people.
If you love your country the US of A and hate Russia, then let us kidnap Putin and make him our president and parachute Biden into Russia to be her president. That will teach Russia not to mess with the US.
Seriously, when will we ever get a president like Putin, a leader that cares about our country, first and foremost.
Have you read Joe Luria’s post on CN, esp. the History of Dissent? The United States was founded by dissenters, and he says in the post The Declaration of Independence is one of history’s most significant dissenting documents and has inspired others seeking freedom around the world. Dissent is patriotic and the fact that our “leaders” are trying to crush it and to vilify and punish Assange speaks volumes about the direction USA is headed. During the Civil War, a Methodist minister took up arms to defend his press from mobs who didn’t like his views on slavery. Elijah Parish Lovejoy defended his right to have an opinion and publish until his last defense against a mob killed him. And talk about control, I learned of this hero of dissent and freedom of press from a student, having never learned of him as a graduate of university journalism courses! From a daughter of the not all that new American revolution.
Frequently I ask to myself how a man like Putin lives. Does he sleep? Does he have time for leisure? How can this man suddenly appear in a summit/interview abroad? How he schedules all the agenda/information/strategy. Is he not a human?
The questions were extremely well organised and covered every possible topic. Do you think the Russian press work in concert among themselves to divide and share the questions between all of them?
I can’t imagine a similar event with the US President and press.