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Kunstler: "Welcome To The Era Of Failed States"
Submitted by James H. Kunstler of Kunstler.com,
So, now we are threatening to start World War Three because Russia is trying to control the chaos in a failed state on its border — a state that our own government spooks provoked into failure? The last time I checked, there was a list of countries that the USA had sent troops, armed ships, and aircraft into recently, and for reasons similar to Russia’s in Crimea: the former Yugoslavia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, none of them even anywhere close to American soil. I don’t remember Russia threatening confrontations with the USA over these adventures.
The phones at the White House and the congressional offices ought to be ringing off the hook with angry US citizens objecting to the posturing of our elected officials. There ought to be crowds with bobbing placards in Farragut Square reminding the occupant of 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue how ridiculous this makes us look.
The saber-rattlers at The New York Times were sounding like the promoters of a World Wrestling Federation stunt Monday morning when they said in a Page One story:
“The Russian occupation of Crimea has challenged Mr. Obama as has no other international crisis, and at its heart, the advice seemed to pose the same question: Is Mr. Obama tough enough to take on the former K.G.B. colonel in the Kremlin?”
Are they out of their chicken-hawk minds over there? It sounds like a ploy out of the old Eric Berne playbook: Let’s You and Him Fight. What the USA and its European factotums ought to do is mind their own business and stop issuing idle threats. They set the scene for the Ukrainian melt-down by trying to tilt the government their way, financing a pro-Euroland revolt, only to see their sponsored proxy dissidents give way to a claque of armed neo-Nazis, whose first official act was to outlaw the use of the Russian language in a country with millions of long-established Russian-speakers. This is apart, of course, from the fact Ukraine had been until very recently a province of Russia’s former Soviet empire.
Secretary of State John Kerry — a haircut in search of a brain — is winging to Kiev tomorrow to pretend that the USA has a direct interest in what happens there. Since US behavior is so patently hypocritical, it raises the pretty basic question: what are our motives? I don’t think they amount to anything more than international grandstanding — based on the delusion that we have the power and the right to control everything on the planet, which is based, in turn, on our current mood of extreme insecurity as our own ongoing spate of bad choices sets the table for a banquet of consequences.
America can’t even manage its own affairs. We ignore our own gathering energy crisis, telling ourselves the fairy tale that shale oil will allow us to keep driving to WalMart forever. We paper over all of our financial degeneracy and wink at financial criminals. Our infrastructure is falling apart. We’re constructing an edifice of surveillance and social control that would make the late Dr. Joseph Goebbels turn green in his grave with envy while we squander our dwindling political capital on stupid gender confusion battles.
The Russians, on the other hand, have every right to protect their interests along their own border, to protect the persons and property of Russian-speaking Ukrainians who, not long ago, were citizens of a greater Russia, to discourage neo-Nazi activity in their back-yard, and most of all to try to stabilize a region that has little history and experience with independence. They also have to contend with the bankruptcy of Ukraine, which may be the principal cause of its current crack-up. Ukraine is deep in hock to Russia, but also to a network of Western banks, and it remains to be seen whether the failure of these linked obligations will lead to contagion throughout the global financial system. It only takes one additional falling snowflake to push a snow-field into criticality.
Welcome to the era of failed states. We’ve already seen plenty of action around the world and we’re going to see more as resource and capital scarcities drive down standards of living and lower the trust horizon. The world is not going in the direction that Tom Friedman and the globalists thought. Anything organized at the giant scale is now in trouble, nation-states in particular. The USA is not immune to this trend, whatever we imagine about ourselves for now.
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When the state acts on its own behalf at the sacrifice of the peoples "natural rights", we the people are fucked.
No Shit Sherlock.
RIPS
Edit: I wouldn't trust Obama to clean shit off my shoe, hes not qualified.
obama is perhaps the best El presidente this country ever had ... but again you cant see that can you???
The difference in a failed state might only be the lack of guidance and the proper spin.
Dark_Horse
Maybe we'll all get lucky, and our "state" will "fail" (as they always do, eventually, being based on fraud, force, criminality, and theft) too.
Hope springs eternal.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2014/03/02/secret-space-war-xiii-alien-part... does vlad have some et partners?
Yeah, they're called Underground Reptilians and Al Gore is one of them...
Lyndon Larouche is the go to guy for details...
American doesn't need external enemies. We have plenty here at home eroding our culture, morals, values, and social cohesion.
I'm OK with the idea of a failed State as long as I continue to receive my pension and benefits that I'm entitled to.
Maybe we'll all get lucky, and our "state" too will "fail" (as they always do, eventually, being based on fraud, force, criminality, and theft).
Hope springs eternal.
Just woke from an afternoon knap to find this!
Wait, what did you say?
Knap. I woke up from my afternoon knap.
Why are you putting so much emphasis on the 'k'?
maybe it has to do with knegative rates
I really don't Know anything about that but know is a good time for a knap.
That flint wont knap itself you know.
That's on a kneed to know basis.
maybe he makes flint arrowheads
us states are ignoring marijuana laws, health care laws, gun control laws...maybe he's got a point
They can pass any law they like, you know. If a law is really unpopular, enforcing it is another matter. Enough people have to agree with a law that is passed to make it actually enforcable. They've weighed us down with so much unneccessary legislation how is it surpising that they are seeing pushback? I expect to see more pushback as time goes on, not less. As they see their power slipping away I expect the grasping efforts at control to increase - more surveillance, more regulations, more nannyism. I'm surprised they even trust us to raise our own children.
they don't!
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/04/09/critics-slam-msnbc-hosts...
Shades of Brave New World, now thats frightening. I had no idea they were floating such a suggestion on MSNBC that the state raise children in state-run creches because children belong to their community. Apparently, it didn't play very well. I knew it wouldn't be very long before they started looking at this option. I'm sure they would prefer more intensive indoctrination of their potential populace. While they are at it, I'm sure they'll want a breeding program too.
Arius,
You forgot your /sarc/ tag. I hope. If not, let me clarify.
Obama, Romney, Bushes, Billary etc are all statists acting in their own personal interest. They have no fiduciary to the people, and that is treason. They work for the wealth extractors of the world.
Your laughable claim of O'boy "obama is perhaps the best El presidente this country ever had", shows the depth to which the left/right paradigm is embedded in your conscious. As they (both sides) burn your wood, eat your food, fuck your women and steal the fruits of your labor, you stand clapping. Sounds like Stockholm syndrome to me buddy.
RIPS
EDIT: Fuck the serial junker!! The people taking responsibility for the actions of their representatives, is the solution. Roll Guillotines.
Exactly why is Obama the best president we've ever had?
Because its sure to get a rise here and cause a lot of pissing and moaning that is off topic?
Hey Arius
either be a bit more blatant or use the sarc tag okay
go hme you're drunk
"obama is perhaps the best El presidente this country ever had . . ."
Is that "El presidente" a reference to his banana republic dictator qualities? If so, I can see that.
Maybe we should start calling him "Papa Barack" (rhymes with "doc"), eh?
"There ought to be crowds with bobbing placards in Farragut Square reminding the occupant of 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue how ridiculous this makes us look."
According to Real Estate records, 1400 Pennsylvania Ave is a 513 square foot 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom condo unit. See the picture here. I think he will be very puzzeled by these protests.
Tom Freidman is an asshole
So is Tom Friedman.
So is Tom Frieidman. ;-)
Looney
Another Zionist with an Israeli passport.
I already have 2 passports. A third one from Israel wouldn't hurt. You never know when you have to flee your country.
The rest of 'us' will have to stand and fight.
"You never know when you have to flee your country."
Depends what you mean by 'your' country. Most of the dual citizens we have in mind don't, IMO, see America as 'their' country.
If an Israeli passport is good enough for Kunstler . . .
If you stop walking on politicians and economists you'll stop getting your shoes full of shit.
You are wrong - Obama is qualified to clean shit.
Well we could only hope for a failed (police) state in the good ole' US of A.
As long as the big screen that maxed-out our final credit-card gets here in time so that we can watch this unfold live, with commentary by Becky Quick, all is well.
Isn't she scheduled to blow uncle warren buffrat this week?
Saw her at lunch today she looked like she had just been laid, hair a mess and a strange look on her face. hmmmmmm
i turn on sqawk box every morning just to see what ms. becky is wearing.
if it's a white satin outfit or off-white top, i watch the entire segment!
she is so fucking HoT in white!!!
Seema Mody
that will do... that will do just fine
Franz Ferdinand. Any spark will do at a pinch.
and sparks don't care which side they come from.
Dark_Horse
Or land on......
At this point, I think most would agree that Obama wouldn't even have been qualified to be Otto Von Bismarck's towel boy, contrary to what the MSM is trying to spin.
Kunstler is spot on...
Gender and racially confused Murikans rock on. If you brown and gay there is a future for you in the USSA !!
Only if the white man keeps providin'.
which I quit doing about two years ago and ain't never going back....
I always find Kunstler entertaining but its rare that I don't find him overblown and full of himself. But this was a good article (IMO).
I agree. I was surprised.
yes, it's official, they really are out of their freaking minds
Secretary of State John Kerry — a haircut in search of a brain...
Outta The Park! LOL!!!
Brainstem in search of a brain is more accurate.
Well thanks captain obvious. Let the fight for calories begin!!!
The DC US has already failed. See NSA spying, "executive order" decrees, Sandy Hoax, Boston "Boom" and gun and badge thugs terrorizing people in their homes for confirmation.
fyi,http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-02-030314.html
Hell, I thought Jimmy was raggin' on the South again...
Yeah - makes a welcome change from JK blaming all the world's problems on NASCAR ;)
That and tattoos.
You clearly don't have well developed reading comprehension skills...
He always portrayed NASCAR as a symptom....
NASCAR is 68 years old, and JHK?
So? Until the mid to late '80s NASCAR was basically a non-entity and essentially a local phenomena...
The birth of ESPN has much to do with the rise of NASCAR as anything....
The birth of ESPN has much to do with the Ziomedia distraction of the livestock. Ditto Kunstler.
I think it more has to do with Kunstler playing to his following of guilt ridden acedemic urbanites that were too busy stuffing their retirement accounts with paper promises rather than recognize the criminal element they legitimized for what they are.
Guilt ridden??? Not that bunch of thieves!
"The Russians, on the other hand, have every right to protect their interests along their own border, to protect the persons and property of Russian-speaking Ukrainians who, not long ago, were citizens of a greater Russia, to discourage neo-Nazi activity in their back-yard, and most of all to try to stabilize a region that has little history and experience with independence."
has every right? governments have no rights, period! but we keep indulging them.
what about the russian neo-nazis the russian government was protecting when they were discriminating all the LBGT activist just few weeks back? nevermind. downvotes, commence!
lbgt activists? really? look around man, most people are struggling to pay bills yet you think that they should give a shit about a tiny minority being used to mind control through divide and conquer propaganda? Russia was entirely correct to outlaw homosexual propaganda to protect kids... which btw, didn't outlaw homosexuality... just the unending gender propaganda that we in the U.S. are forced to swallow every single day.
well do i literally have to point out the hypocrisy where neo-nazis are protected by the russian government when it suits them?LBGT or other freaks, i don't give a fuck.
FYI, in 2007 russian government was provoking russians in estonia (35% of the population) to riot on the streets when government decided to take down the statue of russian soldier which was celebrating the communist victory in estonia. talk about adding insult to injury after half a century of oppression and occupation.
it all ended in a looting frenzy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Jz2gACZQTdY#t=278
little context for the interested
Repressions, executions and mass deportations followed after that in the Baltics.[26][27] Deportations were used as a part of the Soviet Union's attempts, along with instituting the Russian Language as the only working language and other such tactics, at sovietization of its occupied territories. More than 200,000 people were deported by the Soviet government from the Baltic in 1940-1953 to remote, inhospitable areas of the Soviet Union. In addition, at least 75,000 were sent to Gulag. 10% of the entire adult Baltic population was deported or sent to labor camps.[28][29] (See June deportation,Soviet deportations from Estonia, Sovietization of the Baltic states)
has every right? governments have no rights, period! but we keep indulging them.
I agree with this statement.
good! it's all that matters after everything is said and done.
Well, in the USA if you're a self-styled neo-nazi, you're vermin, but if you're a neo-nazi with a badge, you're a heroic first-responder.
Amen to that brother
Yeah go ahead and try to go on a butthump tangent. Which agency are you out of anyway? They need to train you pricks better.
Of course, the US is a failed state with debt and unfunded liabilities of $125,000 per taxpayer and rising at $70,000 per year.
And the complete loss of freedom and democracy at home started with the false flag of 9/11. But then Kuntsler is too much of a chicken shit to admit it was an inside job:
I regard the 9/11 conspiracy theories as a fantasy and a distraction from the real problems we face. Kunstler
911 is a tough pill to swallow, got to give folks time to absorb it...
CIA whistleblower Susan Lindauer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G43zl4fzDQg
It's been a decade. If they haven't absorbed it by now, odds are they never will.
JO
$125,000 per taxpayer????? If you do the analysis on a per taxpayer ABLE TO PAY basis the number is over $750,000 per such individual.....see Dan Amerman's work....you are way optimistic....American debt will never be paid because American debt can never be paid....plan accordingly....yes the wait has been long....but the wait is nearly over. Buy potatos Boris....the rest flour, sugar....and while you can still afford it....coffee....
Thanks for catching that.
Sorry, $1,250,000 per taxpayer and rising at $70,000 per year. Have to lay off those martinis at lunch.
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Makes me thirsty just thinking about it!
"I regard the 9/11 conspiracy theories as a fantasy and a distraction from the real problems we face"
All Jooz say that because they know that if the American public find out who did it it's curtains for them and Israel.
It's remarkable how many Zionists deny (at least to the rest of us) the obvious reality of who did 9/11 -- a much larger percentage of the than ordinary statistics would suggest. Why is that, Mr Kunstler? Is it because you're just plain stupid or is there another more sinister reason?
The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
Gatekeeper that he is, I read his stuff cos' he's a good writer, and comes ever-so-close at times to the crux of the biscuit. I predict that one of these days, he's gonna get too close and loose the contents of Pandora's box---- which he has denied the very existence of.
Yeah I've noticed that on any YT comments section re 9/11. Why is it that a small percentage of the population such as these Zionist fanatics (2%?) are constantly in the majority screaming "conspiracy theorist" to anyone that questions the official version. One only has to go back to their previous comments on anything else to see their allegiances, and it is Israel way way too often, not the country they live in. Always makes me wonder why this issue is so important to them and why they are so defensive about it.
If you have followed KUNSTLER a long time you will see he PROTECTS the TRIBE.
No matter how you look at 911, inside job (BUSH/CHENEY), or inside job SAUDI/ISRAEL, whether they blew the building's up, or young saudi's brought the planes down, ALL goes back to AIPAC, ZIONISM, and the AZC.
KUNSTLER will not allow 911 debate, because it will always go back to ISRAEL, no matter what is your theory.
911 had its purpose it allowed both NEO-CONS (CIA&MOSSAD) to destory the ARAB/PERSIAN world as planned, but who or what caused 911 is considered ANTI-SEMITIC as a conversation.
The House of Saud & Israel or the same tribe, the 19 boys were all part of Team Zion.
When someone is right on a subject, never mind they are wrong on every other topic - then the information should stand on its own. In fact, regardless of if someone is right or wrong on any matter at all, the information they present and the arguments they make on any topic should be assessed independently - otherwise you simply allow the intelligence agencies a massive lever, if they can discredit someone on one issue - then they discredit someone on all issues. Its the ultimate in sutpidity to assess information by its source, especially when you have some preconcieved idea regarding the source - assess the information on its merits.
I dont care who wrote this, the basic analysis is correct - and I dont see ad hominem adding anything useful to the discussion.
We're just riding along on 1 little planet with finite resources with many humans living well beyond their means and actual worth. Warren Buffet is 1 great example.
"The Russians, on the other hand, have every right to protect their interests along their own border, to protect the persons and property of Russian-speaking Ukrainians who, not long ago, were citizens of a greater Russia, to discourage neo-Nazi activity in their back-yard, and most of all to try to stabilize a region that has little history and experience with independence."
Using this twisted Logic Mexico has the right to take possesion of SW USA by occupation... wait... never mind.
I think you have it backwards. It was the Yankees that occupied Mexico and then outbred them. Remember "manifest destiny"?
Bravo.
We must fight "terrorism" the troops must run around the world fighting for our "freedom". We must save people from pot and fight the "war on drugs". We must pay cops to run around saving our lives by writing us $600 seat belt tickets. When you have stupid cops running your country you live in. Prison.
Freedom is Prison
Everywhere in the world could be 'free' like the USA, if they could just print INFINITE FIAT.
Thank god that ony the USA can be 'free'.
you know, it would not be so funny when Putin claims Alaska, once Russian, now part of another failing state of impotence...
Indeed. By the way, people define boarders, not the other way around. It has been this way for thousands of years.
How's your Mandarin?
It was until Nationalism reared its ugly head....
Wherever there is trouble in Europe, wherever rumors of war circulate and men's minds are distraught with fear of change and calamity, you may be sure that a hook nosed Rothschild is at his games somewhere near the region of the disturbance.
The state has been failed for a long time; now its just more (hilariously) transparent
Ukraine was promised "aid" by the EU / US / IMF cabal. Some Ukrainians in Kiev actually thought / think that they would be able to move to France / Germany and start sucking off of the welfare system there. It would be a great deal better than where they are now, so who could possibly blame them.
I am sure that the present citizens of Germany and France et al were made aware of this and they were all so very happy.
As soon as the EU membership is granted, and the right of free movement within the EU is given, the entire fucking revolution will be on it's way to the United Kingdom and the local benefits office. I dare anyone with a wit of knowledge about Europe to say different. All the youg revolutionaries want one thing, a EU right to move to the UK, Germany or France, and take state benefits and then stay home a booze, watch TV, order take out, go round the pub and get layed by ugly stupid English tramps. Viva Reveloution!
>> ake state benefits and then stay home a booze, watch TV, order take out, go round the pub and get layed by ugly stupid English tramps
Damn man, you've got me thinking. That don't sound terribly bad, all things considered.
Yep, you nailed it!
Aside from that AGW agenda thing you've bought into JB, you're quite perceptive.
Welcome to the planet of failed states
there...fixed it for ya.
Edit: oh yeah, forgot to tell ya one last thing: And it's all by design, too!
Third Gulag from the sun.
History tells us the super structure of modern state was established exclusively by and for the interestes of the capitalist class. Failed states? I don't see super rich as a class are suffering financially anywhere in the world. You know something that we dont?
People shpuld be picking up their phones lol. Really.
you are disgusting and have no idea what you talk about.... "The Russians, on the other hand, have every right to protect their interests along their own border, to protect the persons and property of Russian-speaking Ukrainians who, not long ago, were citizens of a greater Russia"
sure, Russia for Russians, Delaware for Indians, you moron. Florida for Cubans. New Mexico used to be part of greater Mexico...
" to discourage neo-Nazi activity in their back-yard, and most of all to try to stabilize a region that has little history and experience with independence"
and who paid you for this scum? Which neo-Nazi activities you mean? Ukrainians have bigger balls than you, spoiled confirmistic arogant. I think you forgot how many Americans died from the hands of your beloved greater Russia!
Tyler, take this shit out of this blog. It has nothing to do with the values of ZH.
Umm... much as it pains me to say, apparently many of the Ukranian opposition were, indeed, neo-Nazis. Holdover from WWII, in which the chief opposition to the Soviets were nationalists of various stripes sponsored by Nazi Germany. Since no one else was inclined to support Ukranian nationalism in the face of Soviet/Russian hegemony, there was a strong alignment and identification between the Ukranian nationalists and the Germany national socialists.
Idiot.
Americans killed in wars are just victims of their own gullibility, they should have been fighting the usurpers in their own country, not being fooled into advancing the powers of the international banksters.
you know, it would not be so funny when Putin claims Alaska, once Russian, now part of another failing state of impotence...
Take down this shitty article of Great Russia lover! Why don't you move there for good so they can give you all their grateness?
he doesn't have to claim anything. i personally can't wait until the rest of americans wake up to US/EU/NATO clandestine activities like fellow ZHrs. Putin 2016!
I think we should be talking about failed gvernments rather than failed states in irder to pin point the exact cause of so called failed states.
Kunstler is smart, appears to be informed, understands peak oil and writes well BUT don't be fooled into thinking that he is a good guy. Read some more of his stuff and he cannot help but leak out a little of the hatred he holds for Europeans (Whites).
And you're surprised by this....?
Kunstler is a AIPAC whore, no more, no less.
Kunstler is always careful to piss off his masters and the first to insult the hairlip american donut eater.
Kunstler hates the notion that the poor have to share the roads with the rich, Kunstler's entire 'peak-oil' narrative is to get the poor off the roads,
Telling the ZH ( Zionist Head's ) post almost every major ALT Zionist talking head on the planet.
And just how did so many Russion-speaking "Ukrainians" come to be living in the Ukraine? Did you think we were all just going to let you slip that one by; that we wouldn't notice?
Are you aware, how you just glossed over Stalin's intentional murder of some 10 million Ukrainians via starvation?
.
I love how the americans are so prone to hate their state when they love it when it sent armstrong on the moon or won the cold war !
What a schizophreniccountry!!
Nope - two different nations.
We are NOT the same country that sent a man to the moon. That fact is self evident to all who with to open their eyes and be hionest about what they see around them.
"two different nations"
Took the words right outa ma mouth.
The phones at the White House and the congressional offices ought to be ringing off the hook with angry US citizens objecting to the posturing of our elected officials. There ought to be crowds with bobbing placards in Farragut Square reminding the occupant of 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue how ridiculous this makes us look.
YOU FIRST!!
You first ???
Where are you right now you fat bitch ???
Doing a peacefull ascetic sitting in front of the white house ?
"Welcome to the era of failed states... The USA is not immune to this trend...."
Let's get real here: The U.S. is not a sovereign at all and hasn't been for some time; it's merely a brand name used by global corporations to manipulate their pet herd. Name one sovereign function that's still performed by what is putatively our republican government. Coining money? Nope. Congress punted on that 100 years ago. Passing laws? Not a chance--multinational corporations tell Congress which laws to pass, often without disclosing statutory content. TPP, anyone? How about law enforcement? No again: the Financial Stability Board (HQ: Basel Switzerland) maintains a list of banks above the law, and the DOJ obediently refuses to prosecute any banks on the list, nor any executives or even former executives from those banks.
What about declaring war? No again. When's the last time we did that in accordance with the constitution, rather than at the whim of board members of General Dynamics, Lockheed, etc.? Been awhile, no?
The only sovereign function that brand USA appears to perform is taxation. The rest have been outsourced to our global corporate masters. But don't tell the sheep that. The last thing we want is a lot of bleating about "taxation without representation" and all sorts of other 1776-type noises.
One blatant omission from your pantheon of real decision-makers there.
Whyn't you name it? Could be quite a few candidates.
Taxation is not a sovereign function anyway - it is a function of thieves and plunderers - tax is theft, taxation is slavery regardless of representation.
Donation is the only legitimate form of income for any govt that purports to represent its people.
Tax is theft, that's all you need to know.
"stupid gender confusion battles"
Eh? What does he mean by that?
What is so hard to understand about STAY THE FUCK OUT OF THEIR BUSINESS over there. When Russia tried to put missles in Cuba we almost had nuclear winter, but we're supposed to tell them not to protect their interests?
W H A T T H E F U C K ?
What about the really important failed state? The latest european empire building nightmare, the EU. Despite all historical experience, all reason, and the fact that it's already souring, they want more.
The Ukraine, really? According to the Ukrainians themselves, it's one of the most corrupt nations and is infested with organized crime. They've run up a huge gas and oil debt to Russia and their message to the EU seems to be "hey sailor, wanna have a good time?" Well they certainly are a prime candidate for future membership. And the EU refuses to be denied a few million angry Russians thrown into the bargain.
What about a compromise? An independent confederation of Crimea, Scotland, Catalonia, and Lombardy. Maybe throw in Baja too.
Are the Ukranians offering to go short time or long time, Joe?
God spare me from the tedious 911 truthers. Everyone gets lucky once. If someone told me pre-911 that they had a bomb I'd stay in my seat too. Now, I'll beat you to death with my dental floss dispenser, assuming I can make it to the front of the line.
Putin is able to do what he's doing because liberal environmentalists won't let anyone in Western Europe frack for ng, or god forbid build a refinery, drill within site of the coastline, etc., so they have to buy the energy they use from a kleptocrat.
As far as the debt that we all owe, fuck them. I ain't got it. Go piss up a rope. They'll restructure using magical devices and arcane secret maths and viola, debt is disolved. Or maybe they can back our curency to methane ices on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. Whatever, no one cares. If it all goes south though, maybe we'll all go south. We can always let China have Taiwan, Russia re-form the USSR, remove all our troops from Europe, and push our southern border to the Panama Canal.
If I was a betting man, and I am, I'd say the US will be the last man standing.
Just Sayin.
"God spare me from the tedious 911 truthers. "
Anyone who has made the effort to objectively analyze 9/11 and fails to agree it was a false flag is either a liar or a fool. No in between.
Controlled opposition. He/she fucked up though, the truthy parts of the propaganda should be at the beginning, not the end.
As readers of ZH well know, the Masters of the Empire, the globalists, players ot the Great Game, have set their sights on elimination of all centers of opposition to their rule around the world. The governments of Yugoslavia, Libya, Iraq, Syria and arguably Afghanistan posed no global threat and were willing to deal. But their governments were independent, couldn't be controlled, so they had to go. (Syria is still hanging on.) Similarly with the poor but hitherto independent government of Ukraine.
But the big targets have always been Russia, China and (since '79) Iran.
Obama is not stupid, no matter that he may seem so, and certainly he does say a lot of stupid stuff. His words often contradict his actions, but if you see him as a paid, trained agent of the Deep State and watch what he does in the context of everything you've learned these last few years about it, his actions make sense.
It seems obvious to me that the strategy right now is only secondarily about Ukraine. It's a dead certainty that the US Security State has been building its networks of agents and dupes inside Russia non-stop since the fall of Communism, including undoubtedly support for the nominally anti-American Russian fascist movements, preparing the ground for a Russian "color revolution".
Putin has been presented with a challenge Russia can't refuse. He will play his hand as well as can be played. He has probably fewer illusions about the stakes and what he's up against than anyone else at the table. But the Empire is betting that Russia will crack under the strain.
They may well be right. Consider what's happening to Russia's markets right now. At the very least, from where Putin and his government are standing, this is very scary.
How will China respond? If I were a top leader in Beijing I would be considering what happens in Ukraine and Russia, and the possibility of losing an indespensible ally, as an existential emergency.
Obama is not stupid, but he is owned. His supporters haven't the faintest clue- as they are owned by him. I've always said that once the FSA reaches majority, the USA is fcked. We are there, this is actually happening.
That said, Obama gets no free pass in the court of acetinker. He came from nowhere, made some noise as a senator, became president and promptly acquiesced to the hidden hand.
There need not be war, or strife of any kind. The world is awash in resources. The world has many brilliant minds. Trouble is, most of them work for the highest bidder, which by default, is the hopelessly corrupt state- funded by the money-changers.
Oh well.
Outside of the political class, among regular Democratic voters, and even among labor leaders, Obama's support is paper thin, disgust and anger are building. You can just about count on a rebellion of the Democratic Party base when the insiders put up Hillary.
A big part of what holds the Dem activists in line is the violent and racist attacks on Obama. To me it's obvious that was part of the setup, part of the plan all along. A Black (ok brown) Dem who talks like a cross between Gandhi, Jesus and Clint, fails to deliver for the left and vigorously does the bidding of the Security State, he neutered the left and provided a perfect foil for the right. A brilliant move by the same masters of deception who brought us Yugoslavia, 9/11, Iraq, the color revolutions, Libya, Syria and now Ukraine. Even his doubtful birth origin could be slight of hand to keep us from looking too deeply into who he really is. But all you have to do is look at who paid for him and who he serves to know enough.
I hope you're right, but I still see a fair amount of support for the 'commander-in-cheif' in my neck o' the woods. And, when the dem 'insiders' put up Hillary, who will her opponent be? Jeb. We are so fkd!
Once again an analysis that fails to understand the fundamentals;
Putin will NEVER allow the banksters into Russia - he will never bend to political pressure, at home or abroad.
The network of agents and dupes inside Russia has been crushed by Putin on every front - NGO's cut off, Chechnya bombed, gays and lesbians kicked to the curb - Putin knows the game, he will not allow political power to be siezed, or the cultural narrative to be created by his enemies - if that does happen, he will move to eliminate it- whatever the cost in human lives might be.
Putin has done everything to create a unified vision of Russia, one that is highly acceptable and valuable to almost all Russians - his work on cultural narrative, independence (in food and energy) have placed Russians in a very strong postion t defend against interal divisions - the chances of any 'color revolution' style CIA move is near zero, and will remain that way - Putin will identify, and crush any such elements - no matter how much crying and calls of prejudice against race, sex, religion etc etc are provided by the western media. He has the infrastructure to locate and eliminate foreign intelligence assets - and he has been doing an extremely thorough job of it so far, with very little political damage.
Putin is relentless and ruthless - and well under estimated by the banksters. If I read Putin correctly, I am expecting him to counter with assassinations - probably covert operatives heading into Ukraine to kill off some of the nut jobs who siezed power at this moment.
One man cannot make history, or unmake who or what he has become. Or what seeds he has sown. Can the millions of Russians understand, the depth of their commitments, and whether they can live with their own kleptocrats? Has Putin taught them well? Are the other kleptocrats capable of standing together with Putin and the people, or will fear and greed divide them? I don't know the answer, but we will know soon enough.
In the meantime we can heed George Washington's advice -
http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2014-03-03/backstory-russia-ukraine...
- and use whatever power we have as Citizens of the Empire to try and pull our lunatic leaders back from the brink.
As much as I normally agree with Mr. Kunstler, in this case I have to dissent. Ukraine represents a natural buffer state between Russian ambition and central Europe. Russia is attempting to establish a Russian hegemony - a 'near frontier'. Can't blame them for trying, but in this instance, their methods are outside international norms. If sovereignty and territorial integrity are to have any substantial meaning in the 21st century, the international community must make absolutely, blindingly clear that current Russian activity is unacceptable, and comes with a price tag attached. Watching their campital markets disintigrate is a good start, but could use some expanding on.
In terms of a failed state... I can't say that Ukraine qualifies as a failed state any more than any autocratic state transitioning from one dictator to another (or a different system). Ukraine has an existing and fucntioning apparatus of state - military, police, tax collection, postal service, etc. The mechanisms and habits of state-hood are not in disrepair, merely the leadership and direction of the apparatus. A truly failed state (such as Somalia and Afghanistan, cited by Mr. Kunstler) is one that hass allowed these basic mechanisms of governance. If Ukraine is a failed state, then Belgium, with its recent 3-ish years without a governing parliamentary majority, would also qualify, and have been liable to takeover by (for example) France, with an argument that it was no one else's business and the world should butt out.
So... no. Ukraine is a viable soverign state, with a valid expectation of territorial integrity. Russia is acting as a rogue state in its violation of Ukraine's sovereignty. The international community - including the United States - has a vested interest in enforcing the norms of behavior between sovereign states. Granted, the US may not be pure as the driven snow in this regard - but a little hypocracy is perferable to a heaping helping of cowardice and accomodation.
Russia is trying to establish a Russian hegemony? Really? And what countries have the Russians invaded and occupied in the last 20 years? They have hardly been acting "rogue", compared to another country that has invaded and occupied all sorts of other countries. Occupation is what America does beginning with WWII. Don't look now but there are only a few countries left for America and her sisters to conquer before they achieves hegemony, Iran, Syria, Russia, China. And how many left for the bad ol' USSR?
Is it possible you have the wrong country tied to the term evil empire?
Excellent USA Today analysis. Welcome, Fox News follower.