China has been, variously described as a rising power, a sleeping dragon and a collapsing economy. Most of the rhetoric is driven from the US. Inside their government, both the Senate and Congress have anti-China hawks, their State Department seems to see a threat at every turning point and their military seems to believe that a defensive People’s liberation Army is a bad thing as it threatens US interests. Books reports and documentaries are created about mass dissatisfaction which extended academic research seems unable to identify.
What’s wrong with the USA? (archived)
Day: September 11, 2022
Dunderheaded Diplomacy: Australia’s Funding Offer to the Solomon Islands
What is it about Australian diplomacy that makes it so clumsy and dunderheaded? Is it the harsh delivery, the tactless expression, or the inability to do things with subtle reflection? On September 6, Australian diplomacy gave another display of such form with Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s remarks about the Solomon Islands elections.
Dunderheaded Diplomacy: Australia’s Funding Offer to the Solomon Islands
Previously:
Solomon Islands votes to delay election as opposition cries foul
Mass Formation Hypnosis Disorder
Well, gosh, this is kind of embarrassing. For approximately the last two and a half years, I have been documenting, analyzing, and occasionally satirizing the so-called “New Normal,” i.e., the new, pathologized, official ideology that has been rolled out all across the planet by the global-capitalist ruling classes under the pretext of combating an apocalyptic pandemic … or at least that’s what I thought was going on.
Mass Formation Hypnosis Disorder
[2014] Stratfor CEO George Friedman on the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis
Stratfor [shadow CIA] CEO George Friedman on the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis
…
– What is the goal of US policy in the Ukrainian direction?
– The Americans have had a very consistent foreign policy for the past 100 years. Its main goal is to prevent any power from concentrating too much power in its hands in Europe. At first, the United States sought to prevent Germany from dominating Europe, then they prevented the strengthening of the influence of the USSR.
The essence of this policy is as follows: to maintain the balance of power in Europe for as long as possible, helping the weaker side, and if the balance is about to be significantly upset, to intervene at the very last moment. So the United States intervened in the First World War after the abdication of Nicholas II in 1917, preventing Germany from strengthening. And in World War II, the United States opened a second front only very late (in June 1944), after it became clear that the Russians were gaining the upper hand over the Germans.
At the same time, the United States considered the most dangerous potential alliance between Russia and Germany. It would be a union of German technology and capital with Russian natural and human resources.
…
The United States was interested in forming a pro-Western government in Ukraine. They saw that Russia was on the rise and sought to prevent it from consolidating its position in the post-Soviet space. The success of pro-Western forces in Ukraine would make it possible to contain Russia.
Russia calls the events of the beginning of the year a US-organized coup d’état. And it really was the most overt coup d’état in history.
…
– And what, from your point of view, is the meaning of American sanctions? Russian authorities say the US wants to bring about regime change.
“The purpose of the sanctions is to hurt Russia with minimal damage to the US and a little more damage to the EU so that it capitulates to American demands.
“The interests of the Russian Federation and the United States in relation to Ukraine are incompatible with each other”
Mirotvorets/Myrotvorets: The illegal and extremist activities of the Ukrainian website “Peacemaker” were discussed in Moscow + More
Rand Paul blasts DC priorities: No one hit by severe Kentucky floods asked me to send more foreign aid
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., called out the “enormous disconnect” between Congress’ priorities and those of their constituents, as billions of taxpayer dollars have gone to foreign aid while people in his own state have little to no help with deadly flood recovery.
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For his part, Paul is locked in a midterm election battle with progressive former state Rep. Charles Booker, D-Louisville.
Rand Paul blasts DC priorities: No one hit by severe Kentucky floods asked me to send more foreign aid
Related:
In 2013, after Hurricane Sandy devastated parts of the Northeast, including New York, Paul voted against a bill providing recovery funds. In 2017, he voted against relief sent to Puerto Rico after it was pounded by Hurricane Maria, as well as assistance for Texas after it was hit by Hurricane Harvey. In 2019, he voted against a sweeping bill that earmarked $17.2 billion in disaster relief funding to several federal agencies.
Who are the 11 senators who voted against the burn pits bill for veterans?
Political commentators were less surprised to see Mr Paul oppose the bill, as the libertarian frequently opposes federal spending — unless it directly benefits him.
Why Revolution? DPRK: History of Continuous US War Games Provocations Against North Korea Since 1953
We are very pleased to republish an excellent history of the massive campaign of threats and intimidation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, aka North Korea) by the United States and its puppet government in South Korea since 1953. This document was published in English on one of the official news websites of the DPRK – the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on 4 September 2022.
The DPRK is a Stalinist workers state whose rather austere brand of socialism is entirely conditioned by this continual threat of war from the United States and South Korea. Every attempt by the North Koreans to “open up” their country economically has been met with extreme hostility and renewed threats of war from the United States Government, who can never forgive the DPRK for the profound humiliation that heroic socialist workers state inflicted on the US during the Korean War as it successfully defended itself from one of the most murderous and genocidal attacks ever seen in world history. The increasingly threatening statements from the US Government of “Lesser Evil” Democrat Joe Biden to target and annihilate the North Korean leadership in a nuclear attack is what has led the DPRK to increase its expansion of its nuclear arsenal and to publish a revised statement of its intent to use nuclear weapons if necessary to defend itself and its people from any attack from the USA, South Korea or any other regional puppet regime. We say: the DPRK has every right to possess and to use nuclear weapons to defend itself from an attack launched by US imperialism or its puppets. We agree with the latest statement published by North Korea regarding its revised policy regarding the use of nuclear weapons to deter a war on the Korean peninsula and to utilize those weapons against the US forces in South Korea should they attempt to attack the DPRK. We will be republishing the text of that declaration of the DPRK in a new article as soon as possible.
Why Revolution? DPRK: History of Continuous US War Games Provocations Against North Korea Since 1953
Related:
Joint US-South Korea military exercises conclude, with an eye on North Korea and China
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 