The Weekly Watch
Trumped in China
Trump, as usual, did no planning for his trip to China. Xi plays the game Go, Trump plays golf (which is not a strategic game). Nothing of consequence seems to have been accomplished. Perhaps Trump got some positive PR. He's the first president to visit China in over a decade. So far Trump hasn't rekindled the attacks on Iran. If, or when, that happens expect major economic disruption. All that and more below the fold.
Pepe had perhaps the best take on the visit...at least the most humorous. He described it as"Barbarians visit the palace"
Trump in PANIC! Iran & China just WIPED OUT His WW3 Strategy
(66 min) Pepe Escobar joins the show to discuss the massive fallout of Trump's trip to China which has sparked a mad push by the US empire to renew its war on Iran despite the devastating consequences this would bring to both itself and the world.
Pepe's article: Trump pays tribute to the Temple of Heaven
Xi: “We should be partners, not rivals.”
...
Xi asked: “Can China and the United States overcome the Thucydides Trap and create a new paradigm of major-country relations?”
As much as the Thucydides Trap is yet another feeble US ThinkTankland concoction – the best analysts of Thucydides are Greeks and Italians, not the Beltway gang – Xi’s metaphor was actually stressing that China, now, is the leader of the new emerging order.
And it got here without firing a shot.
Trump Leaves China With Little In Hand
The two Larry's have another good conversation this week...
Larry Johnson & Col. Wilkerson: China JUST Said NO to Trump! Iran’s Hammer Falls on Strait of Hormuz
(69 min)
Chas Freeman was the diplomat who worked with Nixon and Kissinger to normalize relations with China in the 70's.
(63 min) Chas Freeman: Trump's China summit, Chinese strategy, and the emerging order in West Asia
He also spoke with Glenn Diesen this week.
Chas Freeman: Trump Goes to Beijing After Historic Defeat in Iran (54 min)
Chris Hedges article:
Trump’s catastrophic miscalculation in Iran and refusal to accept the inevitability of defeat is pushing us towards a global depression and ensuring the suffering and immiseration of millions.
The question on many minds:
Is Trump going to bomb Iran AGAIN ?
(28 min) Max discusses the situation and Kagan's article.
If Trump calls for more attacks, hold on, cause global economic disaster will follow. I hope Pepe is correct in the first clip when he suggests Putin's call to Trump last week and Xi's warning this week will give him pause. However his circle will all be encouraging him to attack Iran. So we wait. Iran expects the attack and has their own plan to execute if it happens.
(62 min) Seyed M. Marandi: Iran Just Warned: Next Attack Will Be MET WITH TOTAL OBLITERATION
Simon Dixon: The Dark Financial Realities Behind the Iran War
(51 min) According to Simon it's not about countries but transnational capital. All wars are bankers wars.
Well worth a listen if you've got the time.
Much of Trump’s wars seem to be about shuffling money from the bottom to the top.
What about Ukraine?
Putin confident in victory, project Ukraine failed and Europe failed
(37 min) Putin has made it official: Europe is Russia's true enemy, not America. In this latest breakdown from The Duran, Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris unpack the seismic fallout from Putin's Victory Day press conference where the Russian president delivered his most scathing attack on European leadership ever recorded, revealing how he believes Macron and Boris Johnson conspired to sabotage the Istanbul peace deal. The pair also reveal how a direct Trump-Putin phone call forced Zelensky to stand down from a planned May 9th strike on Moscow, marking the first time Washington has actively restrained Ukraine since the conflict began. With Russia now pivoting its energy future entirely toward China and the Power Siberia pipeline expansion, the economic divorce from Europe looks permanent. Is "Project Ukraine" the Western plan to break up Russia — truly finished, and what does Putin's new assertiveness mean for the next phase of this conflict?
00:00:00 Introduction: ceasefire ends, Victory Day recap
00:01:27 The Trump-Putin April 29 call that changed everything
00:02:12 Putin's ultimatum: attack the parade and Kiev gets hit
00:03:18 How America forced Zelensky to stand down
00:04:10 Putin's press conference: Europe declared the real enemy
00:05:38 Putin blames Europe, not America — why?
00:07:13 Clinton era parallels: plundering Russia in the 1990s
00:09:39 Is Putin's anti-Europe stance strategic or sincere?
00:11:42 Macron's phone call, Istanbul betrayal, and Putin's anger
00:18:54 Negotiations at a dead end — what happens next?
00:20:30 The TASS misquote: "the war is ending" debunked
00:22:10 Project Ukraine: what it was and why Putin says it failed
00:24:07 Russia-China energy mega-deal and Power Siberia pipeline
00:25:22 Putin's lawyer strategy: offers designed to be rejected
00:28:25 Russia-Europe relations: permanently over?
00:32:18 Medvedev positioning for a presidential run?
00:35:02 How Victory Day changed Putin's mood and posture
More on the Ukraine proxy war from Alex Christoforou...
(37 min) Putin DECREE raises concerns in WEST. Zelensky FEARS Kiev strike, Finland drone FAFO. CUBA ultimatum
Vladimir Putin heads to China on May 19 and 20 for talks with Xi Jinping just days after Trump's Beijing visit, and Alex Christoforou of The Duran breaks down what this Xi Putin meeting really signals for the Russia China US triangle, alongside the CIA director's surprise trip to Havana delivering what looks like a regime change ultimatum to Cuba's leadership. Ukraine's drone campaign is now backfiring spectacularly on Finland and the Baltic states, Helsinki airport was shut down and fighter jets were scrambled as redirected Ukrainian drones caused chaos across the region, while Zelensky warns Russia is targeting Kiev, Trump's financial disclosures reveal perfectly timed Nvidia and Palantir stock trades, and Olaf Scholz casually admits NATO keeping Germany down makes sense. Are the dominoes of the collective West's strategy finally starting to fall back on themselves?
00:00:00 Introduction and Weekly News Overview
00:01:04 Putin Confirmed Traveling to China on May 19 and 20
00:02:11 Xi Jinping Name Drops Putin During Trump Secret Garden Visit
00:04:28 Trump Declines China Offer to Help on Iran
00:07:00 Putin Signs Decree Simplifying Russian Citizenship for Transnistria Residents
00:09:25 Zelensky Claims Russia Targeting Kiev Government Buildings
00:12:39 Ukrainian Drones Cause Chaos in Finland and the Baltic States
00:16:12 Cuba Energy Crisis and CIA Director Ratcliffe in Havana
00:18:31 Trump Administration Delivers Ultimatum to Cuba
00:22:32 Trump Financial Disclosures: Nvidia, Palantir, and Big Tech Trades
00:26:44 Eurovision Chief Hints Russia Could Return, Countries Boycotting Over Israel
00:29:39 Olaf Scholz Says NATO Keeping Germany Down Makes Sense
00:32:49 Blinken: 70 Percent of Germans Now View the US as an Adversary
00:35:37 Wall Street Journal Claims Apple and NBA Beat China's TikTok
00:36:51 Wrap Up and Where to Find The Duran
Chaos on the homefront
INTERVIEW: This is the most corrupt US administration we've ever seen
(28 min) We're talking about corruption that makes Hunter Biden look like Ralph Nader. Max Blumenthal on Trump's grift, the China begging visit and the most damaging military defeat in America's history
New Golden Trump Statue Is Also A Huge CRYPTO SCAM!
(14 min) Evangelical and Jewish religious leaders recently gathered at Trump National Doral Miami to pray over a 22-foot golden statue of Donald Trump called "Don Colossus," funded by a cryptocurrency meme coin project and unveiled by pastor John Mark Burns, a spiritual adviser to the president. Jimmy and Americans’ Comedian Kurt Metzger note the biblical irony of a Christian pastor promoting a golden idol, comparing it directly to the golden calf from Exodus and Nero's Colossus—the Roman emperor who used Christians as human torches.
The statue depicts Trump in a fighting pose from the Butler, Pennsylvania assassination attempt, which Jimmy suggests represents evidence that the event was a ritual staged to anoint Trump as a "Cyrus figure" in Seven Mountains Dominionist theology. The two hosts conclude that the statue is a "ritual declaration" that the mountain of government has been conquered, and that Trump's embrace of such idolatry—while he played golf instead of attending—proves that most religious leaders are "fakes and phonies" serving a cult, not genuine faith.
One of the most interesting elections in the country is in Kentucky. The 4th district race in Kentucky pits Thomas Massie against an AIPAC puppet. Massie has been working to overcome the billionaire dollars aimed against him. He been doing interviews all over the place, Jimmy Dore, Tucker, and so on. I found this interview interesting...
(27 min) Republican Congressman Thomas Massie was first elected to represent Kentucky’s Fourth District in 2012 after serving as Lewis County Judge-Executive, and he has been reelected ever since. Now, President Trump is backing challenger Ed Gallrein in an effort to unseat him in the Republican primary.
Congressman Massie joins Cincinnati Edition to discuss his disagreements with President Trump, why he won’t call the “Big Beautiful Bill” beautiful, and his proposal to eliminate taxes on tips and Social Security.
I hope he wins in a landslide.
Nima and Larry Johnson discuss Prof. Jiang, who I've featured a time or two. His concept of applying game theory to history is intriguing, however his conclusions based on religious text I find inaccurate. Larry and Nima suggest he is an agent spreading misinformation.
Jiang Xueqin’s Most Embarrassing Prediction Exposed (Larry Johnson & Nima Alkhorshid Break It Down)
As usual there's more news to cover. Israel continues attacking Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza despite the claim there's a ceasefire. Cuba was visited by CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The BRICS+ foreign ministers met in India this week. I hope you'll add the stories that interested you in the comments below. Have a good Sunday!
The thread is open....
Comments
Hey, good morning
.
Interesting accumulation of breaking news today.
Almost too much to stay abreast with. A couple things
that popped up in the news. Apparently, someone posted a satellite image of
one of the US aircraft carriers steaming full speed toward the Gulf of Oman,
soon to enter Iran's missile range. Sounds like a suicide mission.
Another alarming report came from Israel of a large explosion at an ammunitions
plant just east of a major population center. The incident is being censored. Emergency
responders are being prevented from entering the area. Authorities are saying it was only
a test. I think an accident would be a better description.
A fine spring day here. The maples have leafed-out with that light green tint. The air is
aromatic carrying the flavor of sweet lilacs and other blossoming bushes.
Thanks for the Weekly Watch!
Zionism is a social disease
Sounds like a nice spring up your way....
No doubt there was a large explosion in Israel...
(9 min) A massive nighttime explosion near Jerusalem has sparked panic, speculation, and fresh fears amid soaring Israel-Iran tensions. The blast occurred in Beit Shemesh in central Israel, with dramatic footage showing a giant mushroom cloud and flames lighting up the night sky. Initial reports claimed Israeli emergency teams were blocked from entering the site, fueling allegations that the explosion may have occurred at a sensitive military facility. However, The Times of Israel reported that the blast took place at a testing ground operated by Tomer, a missile and rocket engine developer. Tomer insists the explosion was part of a “pre-planned and controlled experiment,” but doubts continue to grow after a former CIA official questioned why such a detonation would take place at night — suggesting it may have been an accident or even sabotage.
Enjoy your beautiful spring day! We're moving into summer here. Currently watering the garden. Always something.
Thanks for coming by today!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning Lookout, thanks for the WW and all it includes.
Couldn't help but notice the TOI clip. Funny how often one needs to turn to non-US media to find reporting on current events, Asia Times, South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera, Sputnik, Russia Today, Hindustan Times, Times of India, etc. It takes a lot of time to simply skim them to see if anything big is being missed/concealed by the US/UK/ etc. That's without turning to blogs, too.
I love "Barbarians visit the Palace" - classic phraseology, could come from the I Ching.
Beyond that, it is all crazy making. Meanwhile, I keep losing prodigious amounts of stuff here in a small room inside a small house, which is extra crazy making and, of course files and apps on my devices. When I replaced my phone it came with a mountain of pre-installed stuff which I need to selectively remove, but figuring out what has to stay is going to be a bear so I keep putting it off.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Feature rich is double speak
.
for way too complicated. Who needs all these add-ons?
In simpler times, devices worked new, out of the box without
endlessly confusing configurations. Not so much now. Your watch
takes pictures in many time zones while your confuser is stuck in
Cupinera. Plain menu's no longer exist. I used to think these systems
were designed to elevate IT geeks to near god-like status. It has spilled
into the realm of keep 'em confused. Then change it in a couple months.
Sheesh.
Zionism is a social disease
Way too true
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Getting a new device...
...is an exercise in frustration to me.
Exactly!
Thanks for coming by today. We're up to the 80's F today. Warmest so far this year.
Y'all have a good one!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Technologically advanced humor
.
A look at the advanced state of Chinese drone production
compared to the US pentagon efforts. And how Iran is learning
from the UKR/RUS experience. About 17 minutes.
"Some jokes just write themselves."
Zionism is a social disease
Look at the advanced state of China in general...
We don't have a clue. We are the barbarians.
Thanks for the clip!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good evening, LO!
All the videos and articles you posted were interesting and informative. Much appreciated, dear friend.
Maybe Massie will not get beat as did Bill Cassidy in La., or so I hope.
Meanwhile, in the drought to end all droughts, we have a high percentage of rain and t-storms for the next 9 days, with 2 days at 30% chance. The rest are very high.
Jiang, at first, seemed legit, but I wondered how he just came out of nowhere to be everywhere.
Odd.
Another comparable alt media presence is Newfal. Ritter, Johnson, etc...appear on his podcasts, but commenters seem to lean toward fake. I am suspect.
Wish I could share some rain water with ya, but logistics is a problem.
Enjoy your evening, and thanks again for your WW.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
There is an abundance of AI...
...of almost all of our favorite commentators. The flow of language is telling to me. If there are no ums, uhs, etc. be suspicious.
Enjoy the rain! We're due some on Wednesday.
Thanks for coming by!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
And in the latest edition
of AI slop, we have “Halupedia”: a reference source consisting only of interlinked AI hallucinations. https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/deranged-wikipedia-clone-ma.... And with that, I’ll withhold further comment.
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Don't you love the AI invasions?
Be wary my friends.
Thanks for the link!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Pepe Escobar's interview (with Danny Haiphong)
.... was the perfect lead story to cover what took place in China. Pepe has a very intuitive way of analyzing geopolitical situations. He relies on emotional intelligence to grasp the big picture — and that is key for Westerners when it comes to understanding and anticipating China. I can't think of one Western commenter who actually "gets" China intellectually. China's effortless strategic genius is not a labor for them. It flows epigenetically in a continuous civilization that spans thousands of years. Diplomatically, China has already made every possible blunder and experienced every possible outcome. This is where the word 'Tao' comes into play. China acts or responds in the most 'practical' way possible, requiring the least effort — based on the inevitable outcome. China's responses look effortless, but the hard works is done before the situation or confrontation arises. This is also the key to understanding the Mao's Cultural Revolution, where the people learned to pull together, in the same direction, in order to achieve extraordinary goals. Modern China's rapid rise to excellence in the 21st century comes as no surprise to anyone who understands what the Cultural Revolution was al about. The psychopathic Elite of the West certainly understood the Cultural Revolution: It is a demonstration of the superior value that Socialism brings to all of the People. Ergo, the ongoing Cold War and the tragedy of Cuba. (Wars exist to disrupt the natural outcome of events among humanity.)
Lookout, have you seen Victor Gao's recent videos? He is gaining stature as a spokesperson for China's global affairs. He has a habit of dropping eye-popping bits of unique intelligence in remarks.
Thanks for another excellent presentation. I hope people pick up the threads that lead to the right side of history.
.
I can't help but draw the distinction...
...of civilizational cultures...Persia, China, even Russia. We truly are the barbarians, but we don't know that. We see things and ourselves through the lens of a media propaganda machine.
Yes, I've seen and appreciate Victor Gao. I almost featured an interview this week, but felt the column was getting a little long.
Victor Gao's DIRE Warning to Trump LIVE: US Lost to Iran, China War is ARMAGEDDON (61 min)
Thanks as always for coming by and checking out the watch!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
MOATS with Ritter (23 min.)
Good discussion of Ukie SMO, ends with high praise of Massie.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Signing out with this one....
I've pulled this old one out and relearned it for the Fl Folk Festival next week. I first learned this at summer camp in my misspent youth...
Peter, Paul and Mary perform "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" live at their 25th anniversary concert in 1986. Now, two and a half decades later, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the group in the famed Greenwich Village, this joyous yet deeply moving live concert.
Yes, when will they ever learn?
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”