Category: International Indigestion

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‘Never Again’ — Not! (Again)

From The Jerusalem Post, “‘I don’t believe the world, after what we’ve seen go on in Ukraine. We don’t believe the words. After the escalation of Russia, we don’t believe our neighbors. We don’t believe all of this,’ Zelensky said in English when asked by Tapper what he thought of politicians worldwide saying ‘never again,’ given the current conflict in Ukraine. ‘The only belief there is, is belief in ourselves, in our people, belief in our Armed Forces, and the belief that countries are going to support us not just with their words but with their actions,’ he said, switching to Ukrainian. ‘That’s it. Never again. Really, everybody is talking about this and yet, as you can see, not everyone has got the guts.’ Last month, the Ukrainian leader previously told the German parliament that the ongoing conflict with Russia has made the known phrase ‘meaningless.’”

Meaningless! Indeed! I swear to f***ing God, Zelenskyy is the only world leader who truly sees everything clearly and keenly. He understands the West better than the West understands itself! And I am reminded of my original prediction: The West will stand by wringing their hands as Ukraine falls to Russia. Although I am less sure Russia can overcome Ukraine, I am sure the West is more inclined to “never again” its way to make the situation worse for Ukraine and the world; that is to say, the West will never again put an end to Russian aggression because, as Zelenskyy noted, the West has no guts. It is the pusillanimousness I had long feared from NATO et al. To be sure, the West ramped up their initial response against Russia — sanctions and weapons — quickly, and it was effective in helping Ukraine to win the Battle of Kyiv. But at this critical point in the war, the West is not pushing further and harder enough. Instead, it seems they are signaling a belief that Ukraine has this after all. No! That is faulty reasoning. The new realization should be this: Russia is back on its heels, so now is the time for Ukraine and NATO et al. to end Putin and Russia! End the war crimes! End the genocide! If I’ve said it once, then I’ve said it many times before: The West is already at war with Russia; Ukraine is merely the battlefield at this particular moment. Russia understands this; the West is oblivious. This lack of foresight enables “never again” situations to arise, persist, and go unpunished. Zelenskyy nailed it — again!

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Closing in on WW III

From The Washington Post, “Russia this week sent a formal diplomatic note to the United States warning that U.S. and NATO shipments of the “most sensitive” weapons systems to Ukraine were ‘adding fuel’ to the conflict there and could bring ‘unpredictable consequences.’ The diplomatic démarche, a copy of which was reviewed by The Washington Post, came as President Biden approved a dramatic expansion in the scope of weapons being provided to Ukraine, an $800 million package including 155 mm howitzers — a serious upgrade in long-range artillery to match Russian systems — coastal defense drones and armored vehicles, as well as additional portable antiaircraft and antitank weapons and millions of rounds of ammunition. ‘What the Russians are telling us privately is precisely what we’ve been telling the world publicly — that the massive amount of assistance that we’ve been providing our Ukrainian partners is proving extraordinarily effective,’ said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the sensitive diplomatic document.”

It is becoming increasingly clear that the only way to end Russia’s war on Ukraine is through, not around, nor back. The only way forward is through, and I think the world needs to brace itself for what will happen in Europe and elsewhere. As I have said before, this is Putin’s last act, and he will escalate to maximum threat since the Russian people will not rid themselves (and the world) of Putin. People love their dictators! MAGA morons love traitor trump, and Russians love Putin. I think the chances of this conflict turning into nuclear war — or, more precisely, Russia using nuclear weapons — is about 99 percent. What then? All bets are off!

This moment is shaping up to be a mix of the Cuban Missile Crisis and World War I. It resembles the Cuban Missile Crisis in that the war in Ukraine is a de facto standoff between America (the West) and Russia where nuclear conflict is more likely than not. And it resembles World War I in that European powers are inching toward inexorable escalation. Slowly, Europe is mobilizing.

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Russian Incompetence x2

The Russian missile cruiser Moskva patrols in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Syria, in December 2015. Photo: Max Delany/AFP via Getty Images

Axios reports, “Russia’s Defense Ministry confirmed Wednesday that its Moskva missile cruiser was badly damaged in a fire — hours after Ukrainian forces claimed they’d struck the vessel in the Black Sea. … Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a brief statement that ‘ammunition detonated as a result of a fire on the Moskva missile cruiser.’”

I don’t know why I keep overestimating Russia’s military capabilities, perhaps out of an abundance of caution. But this recent story suggests Russia likes to present itself with the hard choice of claiming incompetence or incompetence. Either they’re incompetent to defend the flagship against Ukraine’s military or they’re incompetent to operate the flagship. Apparently, they would rather assert that not only is their army filled with and run by a bunch of stooges, but their navy is just as inept. I’m not sure how sailors set fire to their own ship, but I guess if there is a way, then Russia will find it and do it. Christ! This is the country with the military the West fears? Now is the time to crush Putin’s military while they are still learning to tie their (velcro) shoes. You couldn’t make this sh*t up if you were writing a fictional (comedic) novel.

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Dead End?

Slava Ukraini

According to The New York Times, “President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Tuesday that peace talks with Ukraine had reached a ‘dead end’ and he falsely called the evidence of Russian atrocities in a Kyiv suburb ‘fake,’ using his first extended remarks about the war in nearly a month to insist that Russia would persist in its invasion.”

You’re kidding me with this, right? What part of my post from the beginning of the war did people not understand? Allow myself to quote myself, “It [peace talks] is a ruse. It is all propaganda.” How could there be a “dead end” when no one was on the road to negotiations in the first place. Putin does not want peace. He wants annihilation and nothing less. I wish people would understand this! It seems that diplomats on the MSM, in particular, are still holding out hope for a compromise. I guess the old saying is true: A carpenter sees every problem as a nail. Of course, this type of narrow thinking constrains and misguides diplomats’ and politicians’ understanding of how to bring Russia’s unjust war against Ukraine to an end. The way to bring peace with Putin is not to negotiate or compromise! The only way is to offer terms of unconditional surrender. Unless and until the world understands that the only way to “work” with Putin is through utter defeat, then the free world will be in danger everywhere. Do not negotiate; offer Russia peace terms!

And if I have to hear one more idiot pundit, reporter, diplomat, politician, journalist, or general “expert” talk about giving Putin an “off-ramp” to this war, then I’m going to blow my f***ing gourd. How many ways can I say the same thing? There is only one outcome of this war: Putin is utterly defeated. He’s not looking for a f***ing G.D. “off-ramp,” and Ukraine should not be offering one to him unless it includes Russia’s total and unconditional capitulation! This is Putin’s last act. People have yet to grasp this notion.

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It! Is! Time!

Bodies of civilians, who according to residents were killed by Russian army soldiers, lie on the street, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Reuters)

From Reuters, “Ukraine on Sunday accused Russian forces of carrying out a ‘massacre’ in the town of Bucha, while Western nations reacted to images of dead bodies there with calls for new sanctions against Moscow.”

It is time! It is f***ing time to destroy Putin and Russia along with him! It is time to expand this war because these war crimes — genocide is a crime against humanity — cannot stand! Unfortunately, we’ve seen this movie before, even in recent times; the world watches and ultimately does nothing in response. Oh, sure. International bodies investigate and publish some reports and speak some words of admonishment, yet, in the end, the perpetrators are blamed but held unaccountable. This kind of goes back to my original fear that the West would simply sit back and wring their collective hands over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

So! What must the West do to prove me wrong? They must go on the offensive in Ukraine. Russia has been severely weakened. NATO et al. must push through. More sanctions! More assistance to Ukraine. More hardware. I was reluctant to suggest acceding to Ukraine’s request for fighter jets for fear it would start World War III, but I am no longer confident that Russia could muster a fight about which the West should worry. Send jets, send tanks, send air defense systems. I’m even warming up to a no-fly zone. Do not wait. Russia is back on its heels. This is not the moment the West steps back and congratulates itself, which they are undoubtedly considering. Now is the time to go on the offensive. Now is the time to push Russia out of every inch of Ukraine. Now is the time to restore Ukraine’s sovereignty to pre-2014. This is the West’s weakness that I fear. They are so fearful of confronting Putin that they eventually allow him to run rough-shot over Ukraine and the world. NATO et al. need to put an end to Putin once and for all!

Look, f***tards! The sooner the West realizes that the world cannot coexist with Putin any longer, the sooner the West can actually start planning for the inevitable. It is clear to me that the West is on an inevitable collision course with Russia. At this point, we cannot avoid it. Now is the time for the West to actually prove that it wants and is willing to defend democracy against autocracy. I still won’t hold my breath because they always seem to fall short, despite as much as the West has done up to now. They always fail to achieve total victory! We’re at the moment where the mob boss says, “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.” The problem with the West is that they always think they can avoid paying. There is absolutely no deal that the West can or should strike with Putin. No, no! It is time to pay! They need to fix the Putin problem before traitor trump returns to office and basically hands Ukraine to Russia. Mark my words on that! Slava Ukraini!

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Watch Le Pen

From Reuters, “French President Emmanuel Macron would beat Marine Le Pen in the country’s presidential election later this month, though Le Pen has gained ground in recent weeks, showed an Ipsos Sopra Steria Cevipof poll for Le Monde newspaper. The poll showed Macron would lead in the first round of votes on April 10, with 26.5% versus 21.5% for Le Pen in second place. Those figures compared to 28% for Macron and 17.5% for Le Pen in the last poll conducted March 21-24, said Ipsos Sopra Steria Cevipof. Macron would then beat Le Pen in the second round run-off vote on April 24 by 54% to 46%.”

I am not familiar with elections in France, so I can only comment based on what I read, without the benefit of any insight to read between the lines. Suffice it to say, Le Pen gaining on Macron especially given Russia’s war on Ukraine is alarming given Le Pen is being bankrolled by Putin, and she, like traitor trump, is anti-UN and pro-Russia. She is a far-right candidate running on populist, xenophobic, racist, and a “France First” agenda. Sound familiar? This is dangerous, and this “My Country First” mentality is a rising danger worldwide. Of course, there is nothing wrong with putting one’s country first; I would expect nothing less. The problem is that this mentality is more malignant. It is not just “My Country First”; it is also “My Country Only” with strong strains of white nationalism and unmitigated hatred. It is the type of thinking that Putin is exploiting, and it is this mentality that will destroy the current world order. Trust me when I say you do not want the current world order to dissolve. And by current world order, I mean countries being allowed to self-determine without endangering the rest of the world. And when I say “world order” I do not mean some nefarious cabal of Jews pulling the strings, f***tards. Ugh! If anyone thought that, then I hate you and your conspiracy ladened cheese-holed brain. I have more to say on this, but let’s see how the elections in France play out first. If Le Pen wins, then it will be the beginning of the end of liberal democracies around the world. This race is the quintessential canary in the coal mine.

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Zelenskyy Schools the UNSC

Slava Ukraini

According to the Insider, “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy railed against the United Nations’ ineffectiveness to stop Russia’s ongoing war in a speech to the Security Council on Tuesday. Zelenskyy told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that he sees two options for the group following the discovery of mass civilian killings in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha: punish Russia or dissolve itself. The Ukrainian leader urged the UNSC to remove Russia, which is a permanent member of the council, ‘as an aggressor and a source of war so it cannot block decisions about its own aggression.’ Or, he said, the UN’s security body can ‘dissolve’ and reform entirely.”

In short, Zelenskyy called out the UNSC for being worthless, and he’s absolutely right. Even Pope Francis agrees, ‘“In the war in Ukraine, we are witnessing the impotency of the United Nations.’” (Of course, the Pope and I desire different means by which the UN regains relevance.) It’s insane that Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, can veto any vote against its own illegal aggression. So, what I feared and said before war broke out is starting to come to fruition, namely that the West and the world will stand by and watch the fall of Ukraine. When I say stand by and watch, I mean the West will not go on the offensive. It is beginning to come to pass. The United Nations was created to keep world peace, but as usual, it is failing at a time as critical since WW II. If genocide and illegal war are not enough for the entire world to stand against Russia, then the world is lost. There is no place in this world for Putin’s Russia. Yet the world seems to be in ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ mode. Oh, well.

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Going Hypersonic — Thank You, Biden

From CNN, “The US successfully tested a hypersonic missile in mid-March but kept it quiet for two weeks to avoid escalating tensions with Russia as President Joe Biden was about to travel to Europe, according to a defense official familiar with the matter. … The US has placed a renewed emphasis on hypersonic weapons following successful Russian and Chinese tests in recent months, exacerbating the concern in Washington that the US is falling behind on a military technology considered critical for the future. … The US has been careful not to take steps or make statements that could unnecessarily escalate the tensions between Washington and Moscow. On Friday, the US canceled a test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to avoid any misinterpretation by Russia. Austin had already postponed the test in early March to avoid any actions that could be misconstrued by Russia at such a sensitive time.”

It is about f***ing time that America started to advance in hypersonic technology. It’s embarrassing that Russia and China have been ahead of us with this type of weaponry. Clearly, it took Biden to light a fire under the American military, for traitor trump could not achieve the same success with his administration because he was too busy golfing. Of course, the Biden administration got it done, while the traitor trump administration allowed enemy states to advance ahead of America. So much for traitor trump’s “America First” scam. With traitor trump, RepunliKKKlans, MAGA morons, evil evangelicals, and QAnon kooks, it’s always been America last in the world, and America’s lack of hypersonic technology under the traitor trump is a perfect example of it!

Now, I wish America et al. would stop worrying about escalating tensions with Putin. Look, f***atrds! Putin will do what Putin is going to do regardless of what America says or doesn’t say, does or doesn’t do. He doesn’t need a reason to escalate because he’ll just make one up. He’s already blamed everything and everyone else for the invasion, the failed progress of the war, and Russia’s military retreat. So, it doesn’t matter what the West says or does. In fact, our holding back actually signals weakness to Putin, so we should be out, loud, and proud in the face of Putin. Wake the f*** up, America! Wake the f*** up Western et al. nations! Now is the time to crush Putin and Russia! The West needs to rid the world of this terrorist leader and the terrorist nation before it’s too late!

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Ukraine Strikes Russia! Yes!

Slava Ukraini

Reporting from CBS News, “Russia accused Ukrainian forces of staging a daring air raid against an oil depot inside Russian territory Friday morning. The regional governor said two Ukrainian helicopters attacked the fuel facility in Belgorod, about 20 miles inside Russia, and video showed storage tanks in flames. A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News senior national security correspondent David Martin that Ukrainian helicopters did carry out the strike, and anther one a couple days earlier against an ammunition depot in the same area. The official told Martin there was concern in Washington about how Russia might react to the strikes. Ukrainian officials did not claim responsibility for the attack themselves, but as CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams reports, it was a significant move by Ukraine’s forces.”

Let’s assume this is not a Russian false flag operation. And I like Ukraine’s strategic ambiguity: Maybe they did conduct the strike, maybe they didn’t. Maybe they’ll strike again, maybe they won’t. Whatever the case, it is safe to say that Ukraine has got some big ass balls! They understand the war precisely: Repel Russian forces and go on the offensive! The Russian military has proved to be an absolute disaster. No one predicted the direction of this war, but here we are. Russia is in tactical retreat, and Ukraine is fearless to take the fight to Mother Russia, as exactly should be done. The Ukrainian military knows how to prosecute a counterattack, and it has proved its worth and capabilities ten times over. Now is the moment that the West floods the f***ing zone with weapons and hardware. This is the opportunity that the West must exploit to degrade Russia’s military. Putin needs to be punched in the f***ing face, not merely embarrassed. Russia must be pushed out of every inch of Ukraine — from the Donbas to Crimea. The only way for this war to end is to have Russia leave, having lost control of every region of Ukraine. Then we can talk about reparations! Don’t f***ing p*ssy out NATO et al. Now is the time to knock out Russia while they’re weak. Do it now! This is your chance. Putin started this war, but Ukraine (and the West) needs to f***ing finish it, without mercy!

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Afghanistan 20 Years Later: Back to Square One

As The Hill reports, “The Taliban are reportedly requiring a strict dress code for government workers in Afghanistan, including wearing a beard, amid multiple other restrictions that echo scenes from their previous rule in the 1990s. Members of the Taliban vice and virtue ministry reportedly stood and patrolled outside government ministries on Monday, ordering male employees without traditional turbans and beards to return home, according to multiple reports. … The dress code is the latest in a series of restrictions aimed at enforcing a strict interpretation of Islamic law.”

From Reuters, “The Taliban have told airlines in Afghanistan that women cannot board domestic or international flights without a male chaperone, two sources told Reuters on Sunday. The move comes after the Taliban backtracked on their previous commitment to open high schools to girls, a u-turn that shocked many Afghans and drew condemnation from humanitarian agencies and foreign governments.”

According to the UN News, “Taliban leaders in Afghanistan are institutionalizing large scale and systematic gender-based discrimination and violence against women and girls, independent UN human rights experts warned on Monday. The group of around three dozen Human Rights Council-appointed experts highlighted a ‘wave of measures’ such as barring women from returning to their jobs, requiring a male relative to accompany them in public spaces, prohibiting women from using public transport on their own, as well as imposing a strict dress code on women and girls.”

Finally, the BBC reports, “BBC TV programming has been taken off air in Afghanistan, after the Taliban ordered local channels not to broadcast content from international partners. Calling it a ‘worrying development’, the BBC said it would affect more than six million viewers of Persian, Pashto and Uzbek language service programmes.”

As it turns out, America’s adventurism in Afghanistan was a completely colossal waste of blood and treasure. After 20 years, the Taliban returns, and they are slowly reverting Afghanistan to the fourteenth century. Sad.