Putin playing chess while US war mongers playing propaganda.

Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 1:07pm

Edited to add this sub title.

"Putin reacts to events with his back against the wall."

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/595140-sullivan-russia-plann...

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday the U.S. believes Russia is planning an "extremely violent" invasion of Ukraine, saying Moscow will seek to "crush" the Ukrainian people.

"We believe that any military operation of the size, scope and magnitude of what we believe the Russians are planning will be extremely violent. It will cost the lives of Ukrainians and Russians, civilians and military personnel alike," Sullivan said during an appearance on NBC's "Today."

"But we also have intelligence to suggest that there will be an even greater form of brutality because this will not simply be some conventional war between two armies," he added. "It will be a war waged by Russia on the Ukrainian people to repress them, to crush them, to harm them."

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Will Blinken etal blink
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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 1:08pm

I am sure that the will be no shortage.

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Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:49pm
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@humphrey

Making the key points and revealing the underlying strategies. one cannot really call Blinken and his neocon flutters, "strategists." They have never had a strategy. They are simply invaders and attackers. They tear up their negotiated treaties and agreements. Their sanctions never achieve their objectives, and the US is constantly slapped in the face by the unintended consequences of its actions. As tactical bullies, American war mongers forfeit every war they try to fight because they cannot finesse the asymmetry.

The role Putin is playing is his natural state. I notice he surrounds himself with personalities similar to his own. His leadership has conferred on Russia an image of sophisticated wit, with narrative skills bordering on Zen of "less is more." Dry humor and the art of the understatement have given Russia a negotiating edge.This often leaves his opponents 'uncertain,' not sure if they understand what really transpired. In this current case, this uncertainty forces the US into continuous escalation on the world stage — which leaves observers with the impression that the US bidding against itself in a high-stakes auction. The artificial press that covers these events, while propagating the mendacity of the State Department narrative, seems to have lost all sense or self-awareness.

The journalistic buffoonery of the Western media would be a welcome spectacle of self-mockery and comic relief — If it were not so potentially deadly. Personally, I find it bewildering that people actually believe for a single moment that Russia has plans to invade Ukraine (Kiev, no less!). But they do. As we speak.

It's as if the familiar and demoralizing patterns of behavior over the past 70 years of destructive diplomacy has been repeated with monotonous regularity. But for most Americans, every day is Groundhog Day.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:36pm

@Pluto's Republic

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Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:54pm
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@humphrey

I try my best to be accurate.

.
That's what makes it so devastating.

The only way the US can win is by destroying the world.

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Submitted by Lookout on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 1:21pm
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and money generator for the US war economy.

Thanks for the update!

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 1:29pm

on Donbass recognition.

It is now live but the complete version will likely be available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjMnTo85S4A

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 1:33pm

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 4:40pm
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@humphrey

Russia was given assurances that NATO wouldn’t expand east of where it was when Russia made the wall deal. But Blinken, Biden and NATO's mouthpiece keep saying that they never did that. Now who’s being dishonest?

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Submitted by Blue Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 11:44pm

@snoopydawg

That was a verbal commitment mad by Bush the First - it was not otherwise formalized or mad official AFAIK...

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 2:07pm

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 2:12pm

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Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:02pm
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@humphrey

...that this crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine

...and everything to do with NATO expansion.

Isn't there someone in the State Department who can explain it to him?

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:06pm

@Pluto's Republic

neocon retreads from previous administrations.

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Submitted by ggersh on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 2:44pm
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to come up with this? Either they're this dumb or they don't realize how dumb they are

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-crisis-now-has-its-versio...

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 4:32pm
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@ggersh

and then spending years in school to become one only to later be just a stenographer and repeat whatever nonsense they are told to. I’d be embarrassed, but I don’t know how much money it would take to give up my principles. How about you?

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Submitted by ggersh on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:11pm
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@snoopydawg At 69 I'm long past that problem, but then again I'll post
narrative shit here on C99 for $100K a month Wink

Upton Sinclair

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 2:55pm

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 3:06pm

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 3:21pm

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 3:47pm

Fred Kempe is the CEO of the Atlantic Council.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 4:08pm

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 4:27pm
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Biden has just been waiting for a chance to put sanctions on Russia regardless of what they did or didn’t do. So now that is going to happen. Nowhere in the article is there mention of Obama’s brutal coup on Ukraine or how he overthrew the democratically elected president and installed a puppet president who would let the US loot the country. Funny that. No it’s all Russia’s fault for all the violence there since. Also not mentioned is how we have been supporting actual Nazis in Ukraine whilst calling people who support Trump Nazis.

If I was Russia I would cut off all the things that it’s supplying America with such as diesel fuel and tell Europe to find other ways to keep warm this winter. Why continue trying to find diplomatic ways to deal with warmongers who have no concerns about the people who are in harm’s way because of what the US and its NATO poodles are doing? As Aaron said all Biden had to do was tell Russia that he wouldn’t allow Ukraine into NATO which many countries have said isn’t going to happen.

What’s sad is seeing the shitlibs parroting the Washington Post and NYT verbatim and believing that Putin has WMDs. They’re even cheering McCaffery who oversaw us destroy the Iraqi army when they were returning from Kuwait in a definite war crime. Cheering for the guy who did the highway of death. 10,000 people were slaughtered by America’s military. I have been wearing protective gear to pursue the site, but if I continue I’ll have to get a hazmat suit. But I’m almost to the point of stopping. My friends can email me their stories if they want me to read them. I cannot find words to describe what many people have become. If anyone had told me that they would in just a few years I would have laughed. Now… shudder!

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Submitted by Blue Republic on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 6:17am

@snoopydawg

I posted about this better than a year ago - based on a Zerohedge article I can't find at the moment.

The article was looking at the various measures Russia had taken to respond to sanctions already imposed on it but to render its economy as bulletproof as possible from global economic meltdowns and/or harsher future sanctions.

What they have accomplished is impressive - their level of debt is very low, reserves (only 15% or so in dollars) are high (around US$ 630 billion), they have a high level of food self-sufficiency and generally the lowest dependence on imports of any major country. They would at least be breaking even on their oil production at only half the current going price.

Russia can be hurt by sanctions, but the damage may end up being far greater to those attempting to impose them and those associated with them. Should the US double down on sanctions and then fail it may be pivotal in terms of US influence. And painful for Americans in the short term.

Longer term, the sooner we end the practice of trying to bully whoever we disapprove of with economic sanctions, the better off America will be - a painful but necessary step in getting out of the empire business and back to the basics of re-establishing a working democratic constitutional republic (or two or three) or confederation (or two or three...).

MAN BITES DOG!

Well, actually not. But, NY TIMES DOES JOURNALISM! (for a change) and covers a fair bit of the same ground as the Zerohedge article about how Russia has prepared defenses against sanctions over recent years:

From the article:

Russia has drastically reduced its use of dollars, and therefore Washington’s leverage. It has stockpiled enormous currency reserves, and trimmed its budgets, to keep its economy and government services going even under isolation. It has reoriented trade and sought to replace Western imports.

Russian economic officials “are pretty proud, and have good reasons to be, for the work they have done to make the Russian economy more immune to sanctions,” said Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center.

This transformation, among the most dramatic examples of what is known as “sanctions-proofing” worldwide, comes less than eight years after Western sanctions over Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 mired Russia in economic and political upheaval.

Russia’s bolstered economic defenses may help explain why Mr. Putin may now be willing to stage another military incursion into Ukraine despite the lasting cost of his move in Crimea.

Still, his changes provide only a cushion against sanctions, not an impenetrable shield. The harshest measures under consideration in Washington would almost certainly break through, wreaking potentially devastating damage — though harming Western economies in the process.

A factor the chickenhawks may be overlooking is that Russians, in general, are *tough* - and far more motivated to prevail in this situation. Aside from those who stand to benefit from the distraction from real problems (Jan. 6 trials and accompanying Fedsurrection revelations, Covid/vax debacle, Great Reset, Russiagate indictments, border issues, inflation, supply chain meltdowns, crime...) or materially (Black Rock, Northrup Grumman...) normal Americans have no compelling interest in propping up fascists and profiteering Western grifters in someplace most couldn't find on a map.

Quick pick from the NYT Comment section:

(by "EXPAT" from Zurich)

Sanctions will only drive Russia towards China increasing
the Chinese sphere of influence.

That is the strategic error

And force Russia to deliver very advanced weapons to XI,
to get the tech products it needs

That is the military error

Next place of action: Taiwan

Except that those are not 'errors' if they are actually the intentional goal of US policy makers (whoever *they* really are).

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 9:53am
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@Blue Republic

Is that a mistake or a goal as you wondered? We can’t forget that we helped make China what it is by moving our manufacturing over there and hollowing out America. In the Catherine Fitts video she says it was the plan from decades ago. She worked for the first Bush.

https://www.bitchute.com/video/y1ddq4cynzA2/

One article I read about sanctions on Russia said that when countries stop selling things to Russia they learn how to make them themselves and then when sanctions are relaxed those countries can’t sell their products to Russia because they aren’t needed. Might be too simple, but sanctions can hurt the countries doing them too. We might not have the stomach for propping up fascists, but we don’t have any say in it do we?

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 4:58pm
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Weird how Biden’s handlers have never suggested doing that, but then they couldn’t get their warmongering on. Can’t have peace anywhere because the military industrial complex wouldn’t make obscene profits.

This thread is just sad.

People actually want more aggressive moves towards Russia. They have learned nothing in all our years of being lied to. Just sad!

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 4:53pm

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:03pm

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:10pm

And so it begins.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:40pm

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 5:54pm
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Speaking as part of a televised address to the nation on Monday evening, Putin signed the decree, saying that “I deem it necessary to make a decision that should have been made a long time ago to immediately recognize the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People’s Republics.” Lawmakers will now be asked to consider statements of friendship and support with the two regions.

The move, he said, was a direct result of the failure of the 2014 Minsk agreements, designed to put an end to fighting. “They are not interested in peaceful solutions – they want to start Blitzkreig,” he claimed. “Every day they are amassing troops in the Donbass,” Putin went on.

At the same time, he slammed Ukraine for “extreme nationalism,” “Nazism" and “Russophobia,” pointing to the shuttering of Russian-language news outlets and laws he said discriminate against Russian speakers.

The head of state also alleged that Kiev is sending saboteurs to target Russian infrastructure and attempting to “drag foreign states into conflict with our country.” Ukraine's ambitions to join NATO, he insisted, would mean an “immediate threat of attack against our country.”

Putin began the address by setting out his version of Ukrainian history and the former Soviet Republic's ties to Russia.“Let me stress once again that Ukraine is not just a neighboring country for us. It is an integral part of our own history, culture, and spiritual world,” he said, emphasizing that Ukrainians are “people Russians have blood and family ties with,” as well as friends, neighbors and colleagues.

Putin asserted that “modern Ukraine was completely created by Russia, or to be more exact, by Bolshevik Communist Russia.” According to him, “Lenin and his supporters did it in a crude way, alienating Russia’s historical territories. Millions of people living there weren’t asked at all.”

The Russian President pointed out that since the fall of the USSR, Kiev has turned its back on its role in the Soviet Union, toppling statues of leading Marxists. “If you want de–communization, we are happy with that. But don’t stop halfway – we are ready to show what de–communization really looks like,” he went on.

Interesting that he said that he should have made the move 8 years ago, but he probably wanted to see if Ukraine would uphold the Minks agreement. But none of this would be happening if Obama hadn’t done his coup there. It’s good to see him calling out the Nazis in Ukraine too. People should be appalled by that, but then they would have to be told about it and our stenographers won’t do that.

Remember just a few days ago we saw our media posting pictures of Nazis training granny to shoot a gun. Heh guess I’ll wonder over and see how the shitlibs are freaking out. Go Biden! I’m sure is one thing they’re saying and gosh it’s good that Trump isn’t president.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:02pm

@snoopydawg

Just imagine dementia Joe trying to do the same thing.

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Submitted by Pricknick on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:16pm
Pricknick's picture

I've been watching for a sign that other powerful nations have had enough of exceptionalism.
Russia and China have now both stepped up.
Todays events are world changing.
If our so-called leaders do not learn to negotiate, our once great nation will soon be an afterthought. Perhaps that's a good thing.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:18pm

I just couldn't pass this up.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:32pm
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@humphrey

My goodness just thinking that she’s a heartbeat away from becoming president. My friend and I were talking about her word salads today and how she is so ignorant of things and listening to her speak proves it.

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Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:49pm
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@snoopydawg

"Kamala, you ignorant slut."

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:02pm
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@Pluto's Republic

Good one! I didn’t want to say that out loud, but yeah. I will always be thankful for Tulsi destroying Harris at the debate.

I miss SNL not being silly snarky crap for democrats. I find no humor in any of their shows for the last 4 years. I don’t find humor in attacking or bringing others down.

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Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:08pm
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@snoopydawg

Perhaps I lost my sense of humor.

I have nothing in common with America anymore.

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Submitted by Creosote. on Fri, 02/25/2022 - 6:34am
Creosote.'s picture

@snoopydawg
used to state that use of what they were selling would promote "regularity."

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Submitted by Blue Republic on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 3:12am

@humphrey

that valley girls were from *Southern* California.

Shows you how much I know...

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Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:45pm

I don't understand why Putin invaded the separatist regions. He has so little to gain from it and so much to lose.
Putin has made a huge mistake.

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Submitted by Pricknick on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 6:50pm
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@gjohnsit
Invaded?

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Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:18pm

@Pricknick
When you move troops across a border, it's an invasion.
I just don't understand it. He gains so little, while potentially losing so much.

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Submitted by Pricknick on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:51pm
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@gjohnsit
It's about nationalism. Human costs.
Something this nation forgot about about long ago.
And yes, I'm a Russian sympathizer.

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Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:04pm
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@gjohnsit

...their fellow countrymen executed by the Nazis, one by one.

25,000 of them have been slaughtered since the Minsk agreement was written.

And, still, that is not what this crisis is about. It is about NATO planting WMD on Russia's border. What sovereign nation would submit to this? As Putin explained:
"You're on our border. We have nowhere to retreat."

Let's not confuse an American death wish
with random stories in the newspaper.

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Submitted by gjohnsit on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:20pm

@Pluto's Republic
By agreeing not to let Ukraine into NATO.
So I'm not giving the U.S. a pass on this by any means.

But Putin didn't play all of his cards here. There were still European nations that would listen to him.
Not anymore.

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Submitted by Pricknick on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:44pm
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@gjohnsit

There were still European nations that would listen to him.

If they aren't lapdogs to the u.s., they'll understand.
And just maybe russia doesn't need them anyways.
Let the sanctions begin and let us both see what prevails.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 8:06pm
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@gjohnsit

and sits back and watches as ethnic Russians get slaughtered by the Nazis that Eric Prince has trained? How much longer do you think he should do that? If you read his speech that I posted he has been trying for 8 years to get both sides to adhere to the agreement in vain. The troops he’s moving into the area are for peace keeping. It’d be nice if some of the countries that don’t want war or even the UN had done that. The question is why haven’t they?

And no I’m not defending Putin or glad that he’s doing that. But as he says NATO has backed him into a corner and he has nowhere else to back up to. I think anyone who defends people from Nazis and Prince’s troops is on the right side. Joe posted about it in the blues tonight.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 7:21pm

@Pluto's Republic

It is about the stopping of Nord Stream 2 and the selling of weapons to the Europeans. I suppose one could include the maintaining of the US hegemony.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 12:14am
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@humphrey

I’ve posted a link from what Michael Hudson said about why we’re pushing for NATO to follow our lead on Ukraine. It’s not only to keep Nordstrom from happening, but for all of Europe to stay in our economic orbit and not make any deals with Russia. I hope people got a chance to read it because it was excellent.

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Submitted by The Wizard on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 11:57am

@gjohnsit
President Putin did not do this lightly. The one sentence summary is that ethnic Russians were suffering from racism and bodily harm from self-described Nazis, and he felt the overwhelming need to protect them. He also had run out of patience as Kiev absolutely refused to implement the Minsk Accords after 7 years. Consider that Putin was the only party trying to put Ukraine back together again, after the US had pushed Zelensky off the wall. You cannot understand how strong the bond is amongst ethnic Russians and between Russians and their cousins in Ukraine.

The West is massively and irrationally Russophobic. Russia tried cooperation, but it never works in any situation of racism like this. How do you cooperate with a Nation that despises you and is agreement incapable? You should understand that this was a move of last resort and that he understood that this would probably happen at some point and is well prepared for it. His world now is from Belarus to the East, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, 88% of the world's population. That's more than sufficient. Let Anglo-Europeans wail away. They just look pathetic.

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Submitted by gjohnsit on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 12:48pm

@The Wizard
What Putin did does not enhance peace in the world.
I guess Putin did what was right for Russia. IDK. I don't have all the information.

But I can't see how this makes peace more likely.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 9:03pm

First Kiev to Lviv now this!

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Submitted by Marie on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 10:22pm

@humphrey
spending the night in Poland? Does that mean that even Blinken expects this to be over within 24 hours?

Whatever these US State Dept personnel do in UKR, it doesn't bear any resemblance to diplomacy.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 9:31pm

We can't have people celebrating!

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 10:46pm

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Submitted by Pricknick on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 11:41pm
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@humphrey
as it shows the fallacy of power, democratic style.

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Submitted by humphrey on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 10:36pm

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Submitted by Blue Republic on Mon, 02/21/2022 - 11:25pm

What with most Americans having the attention span, historical and geographical knowledge somewhere in the range of an above average goldfish...

It's not likely that 'Kosovo' rings any bells or connects in any way to the Ukraine situation.

Doesn't mean it isn't connected though - Putin, in recognizing the the independence of breakaway Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine is following precedent - precedent set by the US.

When Albanian Kosovars rebelled against Serbian rule and declared themselves independent, Russia refused to sign off on any agreement that was not satisfactory to both Albania and Serbia - the US then threatened to recognize the Kosovo Republic unilaterally, and was warned against it by Russia, which stated that to do so would set a dangerous precedent:

OCTOBER 25, 2007 5:04 AM UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
Russia warns of Kosovo "precedent" for separatists
By Reuters Staff

MOSCOW, Oct 24 (Reuters) - A Russian official gave a strong hint on Wednesday Moscow could recognise two separatist regions of Georgia as independent states if Western powers recognise Kosovo's split from Serbia.

Russian officials oppose proposals to give Kosovo independence, and have said for months it could set a precedent that would encourage separatists elsewhere, including in parts of the former Soviet Union.

But Moscow has never said explicitly if it would respond to recognition of Kosovo by granting recognition to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two regions of ex-Soviet Georgia which have run their own affairs since separatist wars in the 1990s.

Asked what might happen in the two regions if Kosovo is recognised, the official said: "My firm feeling is that we will view it as a decision that sets a precedent."

The official, who did not want to be identified, refused to give more specific details. "I think from my diplomats' language you will be able to draw your own conclusions," he said.

If Russia were to recognise Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent from Georgia, it would anger the United States and the European Union, which insist that Georgia's territorial integrity should be respected.

Kosovo's majority Albanian population wants to split from Serbia. Belgrade does not want to give the province independence and Russia has backed that stance.

Russia helped block a proposal from a United Nations envoy to set the province on the path to independence.

The Kosovo issue, which has created a major rift between Russia and Western powers, could come to a head on Dec. 10. That is the date when international negotiators are due to submit their report to the United Nations.

Kosovo Albanians say if there is no agreement after that, they will declare unilateral independence. Washington has indicated it may back this declaration.

Source

In the event, the US went ahead unilaterally, Kosovo now 'hosts' the US Army's Camp Bondsteel (has been characterized as a mini-Guantanamo, alleged host of 'black site' detention), and the US' decision - like so many others, now comes back to bite it in the ass.

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Submitted by snoopydawg on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 12:10am
snoopydawg's picture

@Blue Republic

Thanks for posting that.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Submitted by usefewersyllables on Tue, 02/22/2022 - 9:02am
usefewersyllables's picture

we will sink in order to create the excuse for Military Fun Times?

Remember the Maine!

Faugh. Hearst and Pulitzer couldn't hold a candle to the current run of wholly-owned media stenographers.

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Twice bitten, permanently shy.