Putin Plays Chess, Trump Plays Golf

Chess requires thinking a few moves ahead in multiple scenarios. Golf requires playing the ball where it lays. You don't think about the next hole you will play. That may explain Trump's shoot from the hip style. It has been interesting to hear all the different predictions this week about the Trump-Putin summit. Generally speaking, it came off better than I thought. May be Trump will get his coveted piss prize. Meanwhile western Asia is as volatile as ever with many predicting another Israeli strike on Iran. I wonder why the Donald is so concerned about the death in Ukraine, but doesn't seem phased by all the death in Palestine. Maybe brown people don't count?

Let's start with the Trump - Putin summit.

Putin & Trump Find Common Ground as West’s War Party Shut Out
Both Russia and America have signaled satisfaction with the summit as a step forward towards a real peaceful solution of the Ukraine conflict, he noted. “Those that wanted more isolation and sanctions against Russia, if Russia didn’t agree to Western demands, didn’t have their way,” the former defense politician and chief of staff with Sweden Democrats emphasized.
The “Western war party” had hoped for new harsh sanctions on Russia and those trading with it, but instead what can be seen is improving relations between Russia and the US, as well as a continued peace process. After Donald Trump talks with his European allies and Ukraine, they will be faced with a choice, Valtersson said. They can either support the peace process by accepting the realities on the ground and legitimate interests of Russia, or reject it. If they choose the latter, they will isolate themselves from not only the majority of the world, but especially from the US. “Hopefully the cooler heads in Ukraine and Europe will realize that it’s better to follow the US and accept reality, than continue a lost war,” Valtersson concluded.

A New Security Order Is On The Table In Alaska
It has been a long time since a diplomatic event drew as much global attention as Friday’s meeting between the Russian and US presidents in Alaska. In terms of its significance for the international balance, it is comparable only to the negotiations on German reunification 35 years ago. That process laid the foundations for political developments in the decades that followed. The Alaska talks could prove a similar milestone – not just for the Ukraine conflict, but for the principles on which a broader settlement between the world’s leading powers might be reached. Ukraine has become the most visible arena for historical shifts that go far beyond its borders. But if the German analogy holds, no one should expect a breakthrough from a single meeting. The marathon of high-level diplomacy in 1990 lasted many months, and the mood then was far less acute and far more optimistic than today.

The Duran seem upbeat about it. However, they did caution about Trump's ability to flip-flop

(about 25 min before they answer questions for another 40 min or so)

Robert Barnes was on with them earlier this week, and called the outcome pretty well...
Alaska summit, final off-ramp for Trump w/ Robert Barnes (102 min)
Hilarious litany of consolation prizes for the EU chihuahuas

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky should “make the deal” to settle Kiev’s conflict with Moscow, US President Donald Trump has said following three-hour talks in Anchorage with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, their first summit since Helsinki in 2018. In an interview with Fox News on Friday, Trump reflected on “a very warm meeting,” adding that the sides are “pretty close” to resolving the conflict. He stressed that Kiev should be on board with the push for peace, for it to have any chance of success. When asked what advice he would give Zelensky, Trump replied: “Make the deal”, adding that he believes that Putin “wants to see it done.”

Alex had an interesting take on the meeting.
No ceasefire; Putin-Trump FAST peace, root causes. EU/UK humiliated, Zelensky to meet Trump

(39 min)
0:00 - Thanking the President and discussing future meetings
0:39 - Video update from Lika, Cyprus
0:59 - Overview of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska
1:53 - Summary of the meeting dynamics and trust between leaders
2:27 - Reports from the summit and statements made by both leaders
4:08 - Discussion on the meeting's outcomes and security guarantees
5:24 - Putin's statement on the Ukrainian crisis and peace hopes
6:14 - Clarification of the meeting's understanding versus an agreement
7:16 - Trump's advice to Zelensky regarding negotiations
8:03 - Discussion of the next steps following the summit
9:01 - Trump's communication with Zelensky and European leaders
10:02 - Overview of the proposed comprehensive peace deal
11:22 - Remarks on Zelensky's visit to Washington
12:11 - Discussion on the implications of the summit for Europe
17:09 - Options presented to the Trump administration regarding Ukraine
21:00 - Summary of the meeting's significance and potential outcomes
23:00 - Putin's comments on the election and its impact on the conflict
27:11 - Putin's memorial visit to fallen soldiers in Alaska
30:01 - Summary of key points from the summit according to Medved
34:00 - Reactions from political figures on the summit's outcomes
38:30 - Conclusion and call to action for merchandise from the Duran store

Russia Just DESTROYED the Neocons: The Secret Deal Of Washington & Moscow To Pursue Peace

(28 min) He explores the distortion of MSM reports of the summit.
Transcript of the Trump - Putin presser.
For a lasting resolution to the Ukraine conflict to be achieved, all of its root causes must be addressed, Russia’s legitimate concerns taken into account, and a fair global security balance restored, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a joint press conference with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, on Friday. The two men met in Alaska for a much-anticipated summit, to discuss restoring bilateral relations and to work toward a resolution of the Ukraine conflict. Putin acknowledged the willingness of the US administration and President Trump to engage in dialogue and seek solutions, noting their commitment to understanding the complexities of the situation.

Putin-Trump Summit Went Much Better than Expected — Pepe Escobar
There are few details about what exactly was discussed in the meeting, but Russian officials have made it clear that they’re pleased with how it went, says veteran geopolitical analyst, Pepe Escobar. There were even some indications that a serious US-Russia reset could be on the horizon. Even according to President Trump himself, they came to agreement on several important points and only a few are left. So this implies. serious discussions not only about Ukraine, a possible resolution in Ukraine, and of course we we have no idea about the terms and the parameters, but a reset, a serious reset of US-Russia relations. [..] The Russian delegation featured Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, and RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev. The US delegation included senior diplomatic and security officials.

Pepe Escobar: Putin’s Summit BOMBSHELL — NO Trump DEAL, Ukraine DONE

No one expected what happened at the Putin-Trump Summit in Alaska and everything is about to change. Pepe Escobar breaks down the shocking results of the summit and how its will impact the geopolitical situation in Ukraine and beyond forever.
The first hour. Later Mark Sleboda joins for the second hour

Interesting EU take...
Michael von der Schulenburg: Alaska Meeting Was a "Game Changer" (51 min)
Michael von der Schulenburg is a German member of the EU Parliament who was previously a UN diplomat for 34 years in positions that included Assistant Secretary General of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. Schulenburg explains why he thinks the Alaska meeting was a game changer.

How about a bit of comedy?

(30 sec)

So perhaps there is a better outcome for Ukraine in the offing.

Western Asia
...is as chaotic as ever.

Max Blumenthal : Netanyahu Murders Journalists (24 min)

Aaron Maté : Is Israel a Criminal State? (20 min)

Amb. Chas Freeman & Trita Parsi: The Next Israel-Iran War Is Coming

(62 min) Excellent conversation looking at the entire region.

Mohammad Marandi: Iran’s DEADLY Warning: Missiles Poised to OBLITERATE Any Israeli Strike!

(60 min)

The War on BRICS+
US Has ‘No Right’ To Tell India Who To Trade With – Jeffrey Sachs
The United States has no right to tell India who it can partner with in trade, Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, said on Friday. The economist was commenting in an interview with NDTV television on Washington’s decision to impose additional tariffs on India over its purchases of Russian oil. Last week, the White House announced an extra 25% tariff on Indian imports, raising the overall tariff level faced by the South Asian nation to 50%. US President Donald Trump said the measure was prompted by India’s continued imports of Russian oil. New Delhi condemned the move as “extremely unfortunate” and pledged to safeguard its national interests. Sachs described the tariff increase as a clear reason for India to remain cautious in its dealings with Washington.
“Don’t rely on them. India needs a diversified base of partners – Russia, China, ASEAN countries, Africa, and not see itself as mainly focusing on the US market, which is going to be unstable, slow-growing and basically protectionist,” according to Sachs. Addressing India’s imports of Russian oil, Sachs stated that Washington has no authority to determine the trading relations of other nations. The US “does not act responsibly towards other countries. Be careful. India should not allow itself to be used by the US, somehow, in the US’ misguided trade war with China,” the economist noted.

5 min clip on the China, Russia, India partnership

Indian Prime Minister Modi is planning to visit China for the first time in over 7 years, at the end of this month, where he will meet with President Xi, during a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This, as reports say Beijing will send a top official to New Delhi next week, amid soaring trade tensions with the U.S.
The entire interview is good...starting with the Israeli targeting of reporters

US Economy...
Fed ‘Poisoning’ Us! Sept. Rate Cut “Catastrophic” - Doug Casey

(25 min) “The Fed should be abolished, it’s the engine of inflation,” warns legendary investor Doug Casey in this exclusive conversation with Daniela Cambone. With inflation heating up and jobs collapsing, Casey says political pressure from Trump will push the Fed to cut rates, poisoning the economy’s “lifeblood” and speeding up the dollar’s decline. He calls gold “the inevitable and imminent” replacement for paper money, pointing to BRICS nations turning away from the U.S. dollar and moving toward gold-backed trade. Casey also warns that Iran’s grip on global oil and Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy could spark a major crisis, similar to the Cuban Missile standoff. He wraps up by unveiling The Preparation, his guide to helping young men become “confident, competent, and dangerous” through real-world skills and travel instead of college debt.
00:00 – The Fed’s Next Move
03:00 – Calls to Abolish the Fed
05:00 – Status of the U.S. Dollar
07:20 – “Trump Is Dangerous”
09:36 – Iran’s Influence on the World Economy
13:38 – The Cuban Nuclear Crisis
15:31 – Carney and Trudeau
17:15 – Doug’s New Book
20:21 – Learning Real-Life Skills

I thought his ideas on what a college education should be was interesting at the end. Sounded a bit too programmatic for my taste. Perhaps he just needs to give examples of the skills that create valuable employees and self directed people.

We have weekend company so I won't be around early, but should be around by mid-morning. I hope you will add your 2 cents in the comments below.