Day: December 24, 2024

53% of Taiwanese, 36% of Americans think US would send troops if China invades

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

53% of Taiwanese, 36% of Americans think US would send troops if China invades

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taiwan-US poll found that Taiwanese and Americans differ on whether Washington would send troops if Beijing launches an invasion, but both support maintaining the status quo. 

On Monday (Dec. 2), the Ministry of National Defense’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs released the results of a joint survey that examined how Taiwanese and Americans view the Taiwan Strait situation and bilateral security cooperation.

Related:

Institute for National Defense and Security Research

While it receives almost all of its funding from government sources INDSR is institutionally independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit.

Chicago Council on Global Affairs 2021 Financial Donors

Chicago Council on Global Affairs (Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab Corporation, Rockefeller Foundation)

Chicago Council on Global Affairs grants from MacArthur Foundation

Corporate Partners | Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Front Organizations (Rockefeller)

The socialist attitude to the tragedy of Luigi Mangione

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Why Marxists Oppose Individual Terrorism

The case of Luigi Mangione, the 26-year old who allegedly assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the streets of Manhattan, has become a major public issue in the United States. While many details remain to be explained, the response from different layers of society raises fundamental class questions.

The socialist attitude to the tragedy of Luigi Mangione

IMPERIALISM AS A SPECIAL STAGE OF CAPITALISM

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

VII. IMPERIALISM AS A SPECIAL STAGE OF CAPITALISM

If it were necessary to give the briefest possible definition of imperialism we should have to say that imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism. Such a definition would include what is most important, for, on the one hand, finance capital is the bank capital of a few very big monopolist banks, merged with the capital of the monopolist associations of industrialists; and, on the other hand, the division of the world is the transition from a colonial policy which has extended without hindrance to territories unseized by any capitalist power, to a colonial policy of monopolist possession of the territory of the world, which has been completely divided up.

Related:

Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism

Stupid post: This is annoying, YouTube [Updated]

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

For months now, I have had this message at the top of my main YouTube playlist. I noticed that it started right after some videos that were in it were made private by the uploader. It’s annoying because I haven’t been able to rearrange my playlist on my iPad Mini, since. I can only do so, on my iPhone, despite updating my iOS and my YouTube app. I’ve even reformatted my iPad Mini, and it hasn’t changed. Every time that I try rearranging the playlist, the video goes back to the bottom of the playlist. I need to start a new playlist, but I have over 300 to move, as you can see. I barely have time to blog, let alone move 300 videos over to a new playlist. 

200 videos to go!

Philippine Army acquiring US missile system

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Mao Ning

Philippine Army acquiring US missile system

“It is planned to be acquired because we see its feasibility and its functionality in our concept of archipelagic defense implementation,” Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido told a news conference.

“I’m happy to report to our fellow countrymen that your army is developing this capability for the interest of protecting our sovereignty,” he said, adding the total number to be acquired would depend on “economics.”

As a rule, it takes at least two or more years for the Philippine military to acquire a new weapons system from the planning stage, Galido said, adding it was not yet budgeted for 2025.

Brawner already announced that they wanted one, three months ago. Shortly afterward, the U.S. said that they were keeping the Typhon in the Philippines, at the Laoag International Airport. Will this be a second unit? The only new information that I’ve learned, is that it’ll take at least two years for them to officially acquire the Typhon. Why announce it, again? Except to provoke China?

Related:

What’s Really Going On In the South China Sea Between the Philippines and China

DOGE’s Ties to the Military-Industrial Complex

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

DOGE’s Ties to the Military-Industrial Complex

Defense contractors: General Atomics, General Dynamics, Honeywell

n.b.: Phil Cox, was formerly with Americans For Prosperity and the Republican Governors Association. Both are affiliated with the Atlas Network through the Koch brothers.

Related:

Palantir and Anduril join forces with tech groups to bid for Pentagon contracts

Consortium likely to include Elon Musk’s SpaceX in move to grab a bigger slice of $850bn US defence budget