22 Comments
Feb 24, 2022Liked by epimetheus

Well you certainly didn't leave much to pick at there. Comprehensive.

If I was to add another aspect to the coming crisis, it is the very high probabilty that Russia will try to affect the numbers invading the EU from across the Mediterranean.

After all, wrecking the EU by fomenting civil and racial holy war by supporting the much vaunted multiculturalism - beating your enemy by making him use his own ethics and resources against himself - is definitevely in the ballpark of a language and communications expert, chess master and judoka as Putin. Remember, he is KGB and all KGB officers read the classics, so you can be certain he has read Clausewitz and many other such works.

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Ha, the immigration issue is a good point to add, and I shall try to address this in a future posting on the subject matter; I'm almost certain that, for instance, Mr. Lukashenko's decision to not stop 'migrants' before the reach the hallowed EU borders in the Baltics, stems from ± these geopolitical considerations. (I also think that Mr. Lukashenko didn't need anyone telling him about it to spot the political opportunity.)

As to the KGB/Soviet elites being much-better educated than today's 'Western' leaders is apparent. You see, these things matter greatly, and I doubt that many in the 'West' really see the points Mr. Putin is making, you know, about the Neonazis in Kiev and around Mariupol, the need to have them stand trial, and the like.

And at that point we haven't talked about the EU's sordid role in all of this, which I shall address in a future post.

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Well, we and our leadership have all been cultivated in a "good triumphs over evil because that's what happens"-metanarrative ever since the mid-fifties. While it may be a useful tool to keep morale up, or when sermonising at church, it's pure hogswallop when it comes to politics and policy.

You win if you do what it takes to win, period. In games and at play we have rules to keep it from becoming too real. When it is real, there are no rules other than "don't lose" and "Victory makes right". (Because the loser has either to suffer at the mercy of the victor or doesn't exist anymore.) Harsh, but a truth that cannot be gotten rid of. You study history - you know how pointless it is to argue that one side was "right" in a moral context, when the conflict is material. Was Hannibal "right"? Was Gustavus Adolphus? The German Orders? Suleiman or Almansur?

This, our leaders do not want to be true because accepting that also means you have to actually put actions behind words and your ass in the line of fire, to use an americanism.

Being marinated in "the good guys win 'cause that's how we beat the nazis" (discounting the fact that western forces faced only about 15% of the force deployed against the Red Army...) means making yourself helpless. Helplessness leads to despair. Paired with entitlement this breeds contempt and vindictivness, the need for a dolchstoss-legend and a valid victim which you can define with your own words and terms.

Small wonder then that all the euroklatura has decreed Poland, Hungary and Romania the villains of our continental morality play. Until the Ogre of the Iron Forests decided to play an overt hand, of course.

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I'd say that the last paragraph with the morality play is spot-on, but it's mainly make-believe, and, as the saying goes, sooner or later everyone sits down at the banquet of consequences.

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Euroklatura! Okay, I'm gonna have to steal that term. Thanks.

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Oh, that's a very good term, I agree.

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By all means do! Ideas should be free.

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Feb 25, 2022Liked by epimetheus

Love you man!

You couldn't write it better!

Sory, but sometimes I'm so surprised to read american surprise when they read the true about their governments wars against democratic countries, through coup d’état or financing terrorism as they did in Italy in late 70/80s. I mean, wake up guys! No?!

The other day I was reading the very bad criminal situations in South Corea. But... hold... it's not a US backed county? Where Corporations owns companies?

So there is often a fil rouge that connect criminal organizations and us deviated groups, intelligence and again, corporations... It look they all eat in same dish, as we say in Italy! XD

So why be surprised when Putin decide what in the 70s would have been a "normal" thing to do? Why?

I tell you why: is because US think, is willing, to be THE EMPIRE. No counter part that can keep them back from ruling the rest of the world. Txs god, now we have Putin. And China.

Because let me tell you one clear thing to you Americans: we, in Europe, were much more happy during the Cold War then after you divided the Soviets, txs to that CIA polish Pope.

And after you started ruling european democracies through illegitimate methods, changing, even now days, what people did vote or was willing to...

Now Putin has learned the lesson from you guys: "Exporting peace and democracy" though wars as you have done in the last 75 years...

So, I'm sorry for the war, but only for civilians that will suffer. But it's time NOT for a GREAT RESET, but for balance, justice, equilibrium, discernment.

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I think you're correct about the intersectionality (pun intended) of big government, big business, and organised crime, but I suspect that hopes of a new world order based on coexistence of three large powers (US, Russia, China) are overblown.

I'd even throw in the following: what may be needed in Europe is something like the Congress of Vienna 2.0 (don't care about the place), because the post-1945/89 order is now dead and buried. I suppose that also means that the Council of Europe and the OSCE have outlived their usefulness, but as much as I personally hope for a turn to the better, I suspect all we may get--that is, if we're 'lucky'--will be a kind of Potsdam 2.0 where the three big ones may decide what comes next.

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Feb 24, 2022Liked by epimetheus

I'm just smirking at all the Western headlines. After all, this (invading other countries, that is) is what Americans specialize in. But now it's Russia for a change. Which is obviously terrible, because when the US does it, it's good, and when Russia does it, it's Hitler-esque.

Anyway! What I'd actually like to know is whether our "betters" will decide to redirect their attention to this Russia/Ukraine stuff and finally leave us the hell alone with all the corona nonsense. Thoughts?

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Ha, Irena, spot-on on both accounts.

As to the second issue, I think that's the crucial one (look at my such statement in the above comment): I'm a bit unsure as to what may come next, but I suspect that 'Covid' (whatever variant) may come back in summer, so what's going to occupy us during the spring?

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You mean the US biowarfare labs in Ukraine, right?

Well, if so, we may even learn about the possible origins of Sars-Cov-2 from RT or TASS before too long?

Personally, I think that whatever tribunal the Russians put together to adjudicate the Neonazis in Ukraine will bring some very interesting materials to the table. I'm personally curious about what the main actors will produce to show their cooperation?

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"You mean the US biowarfare labs in Ukraine, right?" Yes.

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We Germans are keeping us down on our own, thank you very much. We pursue our own down-keeping with the same efficiency we put into other stuff before. Nobody is going to stop us from keeping ourselves down. No red lines when it comes to keeping ourselves down.

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On the surface, Germans and we Puerto Ricans don't have much in common. But in this respect, we are very much alike.

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You mean, the abject disrespect for one's own abilities to self-government due to the constant chatter emanating from a distant 'centre' about the fact that we, the people, must be governed because we're all…incapable of doing so?

If that, or something approximating this, is what you mean, I can very much relate to this sentiment (and while not German, I'm from that other German-speaking country nearby, which I feel may just be 'good enough' to qualify me making the above statement).

I'd even go one step further: after decades, if not centuries, of domination by a weird combination of foreign empire in cahoots with their local enforcers (a kind of pathetic, but aggressively assertive, 'indigenous' ruling elite) and swamped by cheap, if very effective agit-prop via (social) media, many of us are simply…lost in the fog of (information) warfare.

And this, dear Sophia, is me sending best wishes to that sorry island.

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Look up Janteloven/Jantelagen. This sounds very similar to that social malady which plagues norwegians, swedes and maybe finns - though not the danes.

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Yes, perfectly said. In Puerto Rico, we compensate the disrespect with an inflated ego and oversensitivity to any criticism, which creates quite a bit of illogic.

My grandfather was from Austria as well. He moved to Puerto Rico in 1945. We had more self-respect in the '40's since we at least believed in the benefit of work. (Although we didn't believe we were capable of governing ourselves.) Decaes of welfare have created a sense of entitlement combined with disrespect combined with ego combined with victimhood.

But at least our beaches are pretty. :)

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Loved the format of this post! As ever your writing is great and you really provide a wealth of thought-provoking information.

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Where are all those tough cops who beat up women, children and old men at w19 protests? Why don't they volunteer in Ukraine?

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Huhum, the EU decay issue will play a bigger role in my next dedicated postings, but the short version is: the EU is too big to function in a way that is compatible with 27 nation-states, of which none is a real heavy-weight. At the same time, the EU is too powerless to matter, as can be clearly seen in the military-political field: lots of 'money' to throw around, but all it bought anyone is a few battalions of light infantry (that's also useless in the absence of air superiority). The same, but with some modifications in terms of capabilities, also applies to NATO, I think: paper-tigers both, there's hardly a future for either of them that's worth to ponder beyond the narrow confines of the comfy offices in Brussels and Mons.

As to the diversion you allude to, I honestly don't know, but I'd wager a bet: for now, all matters Covid appear to have outlived their usefulness (even if that might prove temporary), so, I suppose it's a fair assumption.

If so, however, the most important issue may be: what's coming after Russia will have settled the Ukrainian issue by, say, the end of the weekend, as it appears now?

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