Day: May 16, 2023

Rainer Shea: Why I’m Pro-Russia & Pro-Rage Against the War Machine: Anti-Imperialists Can’t Win With Idealism

Ms. Cat

By Rainer Shea – May 12, 2023

When somebody rejects all of the practical paths towards fighting imperialism and class exploitation, on the basis that they feel we should be taking a purer path, then you had better make sure this other path is viable. If it’s not viable, and they’re saying this simply to complain rather than to offer a serious alternative, then you shouldn’t even entertain them. Because what’s the point of validating somebody who has nothing constructive to say? Unless an option is practicable, it’s not worth bringing up.

Why I’m Pro-Russia & Pro-Rage Against the War Machine: Anti-Imperialists Can’t Win With Idealism

I find it funny that many of the sectarians had no problems working with The Libertarian Institute and Antiwar.com but they had problems with Libertarians running the Rage Against the War Machine! Egotism?!

Anti-junta parties dominate Thai elections but may struggle to form government

Ms. Cat

The Move Forward Party and the Pheu Thai Party emerged as the largest parties in the parliament. However, pro-junta parties still have a better chance of forming the government

Anti-junta parties dominate Thai elections but may struggle to form government

People’s Dispatch is oblivious to the fact that the US is behind the Move Forward Party. Sounds like the White House’s man, Pita Limjaroenrat, might be out of luck unless they bribe a few more politicians.

Related:

US Proxies Win Thai 2023 General Elections – Thai-Chinese Relations at Risk, Instability Looms…

Pita Limjaroenrat (groomed by the US?!):

After graduating from secondary school in New Zealand, he went back to Thailand and pursued a bachelor’s degree in finance from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy in Thammasat University where he graduated in 2002 with first-class honors and got a scholarship to study at the University of Texas at Austin. He later on received an international student scholarship from Harvard University, becoming the first Thai student to do so. He completed a joint Master of Public Policy degree in the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration degree in the Sloan School of Management of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Biden Is Letting Think Tanks and Dodgy Foreign Funders Get Cozy Again

Ms. Cat

At some point over the past few years, the Biden administration revoked one of the few progressive policies that Trump-era officials implemented in the effort to bring greater transparency to foreign influence in Washington. The New Republic has learned that with little fanfare, and with even less explanation, the White House has stopped requesting that American think tanks disclose funding from foreign governments. “This is not the policy of the U.S. State Department,” an agency spokesperson said last month.

Biden Is Letting Think Tanks and Dodgy Foreign Funders Get Cozy Again (archived)

The CIA launched a Telegram channel to get Russians to spy for them, with one former spook saying now is ‘probably the best period of recruiting Russians that we’ve had’

Ms. Cat

The CIA has begun posting recruitment videos to a newly-created Telegram account in Russian to try to attract potential agents.

The CIA launched a Telegram channel to get Russians to spy for them, with one former spook saying now is ‘probably the best period of recruiting Russians that we’ve had’

Video via Independent.ie

Related:

CIA creates own Telegram channel aimed at recruiting Russians to spy for US

Ukraine’s ‘Press Freedom’ Score Increases Despite Martial Law, Banned Media

Ms. Cat
Source.

France-based press watchdog Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières, or RSF) recently released its scores and rankings for international press freedom. In 2022, RSF gave Ukraine a score of 55.76 out of 100, placing it 106th out of 180 countries surveyed. In the most recent report, issued after over a year of war, Ukraine shot to 79th out of 180, with a new score of 61.19. This despite wartime measures that banned opposition parties, consolidated media under state control, and saw journalists’ speech chilled by unprecedented intimidation.

Ukraine’s ‘Press Freedom’ Score Increases Despite Martial Law, Banned Media

Related:

NGOs, “Unions”, & Media Outlets in the Service of Imperialism

Khmelnytskyi – Did Russia Vaporize Depleted Uranium Shells?

Ms. Cat1 Comment

Russia’s aerial attack on the Ukrainian city of Khmelnytskyi is catching quite a bit of attention because of reports of a spike in Gamma rays following multiple, massive explosions. Educated speculation believes that the increase in Gamma radiation may be a consequence of Russian bombs blasting British supplied depleted uranium rounds into dust.

Khmelnytskyi – Did Russia Vaporize Depleted Uranium Shells?

Related:

Ukraine SitRep: Explosion in Khmelnytsky – Bakhmut Evacuation – Longer Range Missiles

Wagner Chief Denies Claims That He Offered Ukraine Russian Troop Positions + What are we to Make of Prigozhin and the Wagner Group?

Ms. Cat1 Comment

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, dismissed claims made by The Washington Post that he offered Ukraine Russian troop positions in exchange for a Ukrainian withdrawal from Bakhmut, calling the report “laughable.”

Wagner Chief Denies Claims That He Offered Ukraine Russian Troop Positions

Related:

What are we to Make of Prigozhin and the Wagner Group?