A Chinese general sees a ruthless America striving to contain his nation’s growth
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Michael Hudson, Katie Halper and Aaron Maté
https://youtu.be/OdlGDSnCqz0 Michael Hudson from 24:00 onwards. It seems that the last part of the interview is for paid subscribers. Perhaps some transcript will be available soon. Michael Hudson’s view seems to be that the crisis will go on for another 39 years with the global south being the main sufferers and that class war is behind it.
There is a discussion at http://thesaker.is/michael-hudson-katie-halper-and-aaron-mate/
Perhaps there will be a discussion in Naked Capitalism soon,
Friday, April 29, 2022
Gilbert Doctorow on Poland’s ambitions
“ According to SVR, Poland is coordinating this issue with the United States. The idea is to establish military and political control by Warsaw over the “its historic territories” which today fall within the boundaries of Ukraine. Poland would introduce its troops into the Western regions of the country under cover of a mission to “protect the territory from Russian aggression.” Eventually this would be expected to lead to a partition of Ukraine. The Poles would install a friendly government in the territory they control, ousting the Ukrainian nationalists.”
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
An update from a (pro-Russian) blog
Here Part of it about the developments in Transnistria, a strip between Moldavia and Ukraine which has Russian peace keepers,
Another A Recap Of The War In Ukraine - by Gonzalo Lira
Both have lots of comments.
Monday, April 25, 2022
Aaron Mate on Syria and Ukraine
'Al Qaeda is on our side': How Obama-Biden team empowered terrorists in Syria by Aaron Mate
Ukraine is the Obama-Biden team's second major proxy war against Russia. The first was Syria, where US support for the insurgency helped create an Al Qaeda safe haven.
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Geetanjali Shree
Geetanjali Shree I never heard of her before. Her recent novel translated by Daisy Rockwell has been shortlisted for Booker Prize.
Saturday, April 23, 2022
Turkish foreign minister comments on Ukraine conflict
Turkey Says Some NATO Members Want Longer Ukraine War to Hurt Russia
“ The view among some NATO members on the war was summarized by a recent report from The Washington Post. The report said: “For some in NATO, it’s better for the Ukrainians to keep fighting, and dying, than to achieve a peace that comes too early or at too high a cost to Kyiv and the rest of Europe.”“
Friday, April 22, 2022
Chinese economy
How Big Is The Chinese Economy Compared to The West?
"To summarize then: China is:
- the number 1 trade partner of more nations than anyone else, and more than the US had in 1990.
- the world’s largest manufacturing nation
- Technologically near even with the West, and in some places ahead.
- The nation that helps the most other nations develop.
- When you adjust for PPP and service sector crap, a larger economy than the US. With Russia, a larger economy than the US and the EU combined."
Conversible economist on slavery in Brazil and USA
Slavery and Economic Development in Brazil
Slavery and the History of US Economic Growth
An excerpt from the second article:
"However, as numerous writers have pointed out over time, the coexistence of slavery with British and American capitalism of the 17th century does not prove that slavery was necessary or sufficient for an emerging capitalism. As many writers have pointed out, historical slavery across what we now call Latin America. At that time, Spain and Portugal (among others) were also active participants in the slave trade, yet their economies did not develop an industrial revolution like that of the UK. Countries all over Latin America were recipients of slaves, like the area that became the US, but those countries did not develop a US-style economy. Clearly, drawing a straight line from slavery to capitalism of the Anglo-American variety would be wildly simplistic. "
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
A confession
I grew up in left wing circles. But I was never a communist, partly because I did not understand what it was and secondly I did not believe in a philosophy of every thing. But Russia always had a hold on me as far as I can remember. It is possibly due to MIR books that were available and also the influence of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy who I read when I was in my teens, I think it was in the 1990s, I was travelling possibly to visit Peter Scott and the plane stopped longer than usual in Moscow. It was hot and they opened the doors and the plane’s step ladders were down. There was a sudden and strong urge to go down and touch Mother Russia. I decided that it was a silly feeling for an agnostic like me and refrained. May be if I get a chance again and if health permits, I will visit Russia.
P.S. It turned out to be an interesting trip. At one stage after Moscow, the toilets on our side were engaged and I went to another section of the plane. I found PPC Joshi ( a friend and a communist. His father was killed during The Telangana struggle around 1950) there who was going to the British Museum to get photocopies of Telugu books. I think, I met him later in Chicago which he visited for some book exhibition. It is possible that I am mixing up different trips.
P.S.
Ashutosh Jagalekar writes:Russia has always been a great country with terrible leaders. Freeman Dyson was so taken with it that he wanted to emigrate there instead of to the US after the war. But Stalin made it clear that he would not welcome foreigners.
Second phase of Russian operation in Ukraine
Russia invades Ukraine from CNN
"We are completely surrounded," he[Maj. Serhii Volyna, commander of Ukraine's 36th Separate Marine Brigade] said. "There are about 500 wounded military, it is very difficult to provide them with medical care. They literally rot. There are civilians on the territory. They are also suffering from explosions, blasts on them, next to them. They [the Russians] use heavy aircraft bombs against us and strike with artillery."
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Monday, April 18, 2022
A poem by Dana Giola ‘Being Happy’
This is what poets do. Put words in to our mouths. We do not really know what we feel or felt then.
Being Happy
by Dana Gioia
Of course it was doomed. I know that now,
but it ended so quickly, and I was young.
I hardly remember that summer in Seattle—
except for her. The city seems just a rainy backdrop.
From the moment I first saw her at the office
I was hooked. I started visiting her floor.
I couldn’t work unless I caught a glimpse of her.
Once we exchanged glances, but we never spoke.
Then at a party we found ourselves alone.
We started kissing and ended up in bed.
We talked all night. She claimed she had liked me
secretly for months. I wonder now if that was true.
Two weeks later her father had a heart attack.
While she was in Chicago, they shut down our division.
I was never one for writing letters.
On the phone we had less to say each time.
And that was it—just those two breathless weeks,
then years of mild regret and intermittent speculation.
Being happy is mostly like that. You don’t see it up close.
You recognize it later from the ache of memory.
And you can’t recapture it. You only get to choose
whether to remember or forget, whether to feel remorse
or nothing at all. Maybe it wasn’t really love.
But who can tell when nothing deeper ever came along?
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Michael Hudson and Patrick Bond discuss China
China – a sub-Imperial ally of the West? From two weeks ago. The first part from a month ago https://michael-hudson.com/2022/03/is-chinese-socialism-working/
Saturday, April 16, 2022
Gilbert Doctorow's latest on Ukraine conflict
The Russian Way of War: Part Two
"At the very start of the armed conflict, I remarked on the specifics of what I called ‘the Russian Way of War’ now being applied in Ukraine. This approach does not inflict death on huge numbers of civilians, does not count on a ‘shock and awe’ initial attack to demoralize and overrun the enemy. I said at the time that the overriding considerations on the Russian side were the traditional ‘brotherly’ relations between Ukrainians and Russians, who were extensively intermarried and had relations on both sides of the national frontiers. The intent of Vladimir Putin and his war collegiums was to do minimal damage to the Ukrainian people, to try to separate the ‘healthy’ elements in the Ukrainian military command from the rabid nationalist Azov and similar irregular forces that had become embedded in the army over the past eight years. If the two could be separated, the war could be won with absolute minimum expenditure of materiel and loss of life.
However, in the early weeks of the operation, after it had become manifestly clear that these were illusions, that Russia was facing a unified military force supported by widespread popular civilian backing, still there was no change visible in how Russia was operating on the ground. The only hint of change to come was the refocusing of available forces on the capture of Mariupol, to secure the whole Azov Sea littoral and the progressive redirection of the ground forces to the encirclement of the major part of the Ukrainian army that was entrenched just to the west of the line of demarcation with Donbas. In compensation, there was the withdrawal of Russian troops from Kiev and Chernigov, in the north."
He goes on to discuss "From the beginning, I have directed attention to what Russian social, academic and political elites have to say about the ‘special military operation.’ One of my key markers has been the Evening with Vladimir Solovyov political talk show and yesterday’s edition provided a lot of food for thought."
Stalemate in Ukraine
Says Defence Politics Asia. Apart from what is secured already, further progress is difficult foot Russia. Ukraine seems to have got a second wind but sustaining it will depend on continued western help. The economoceffe cc TS on various countries involved will have a long term role. It seems to be a bit like the Syrian situation.
https://youtu.be/Mz8mJo9_9yMP.S. Russia possibly has an edge because it is closer to Russia. On the other hand, Ukraine and the West had eight years to build entrenched defences. So, the final contours may take at least a couple of years to form and will depend on the staying power of various parties involved.
Friday, April 15, 2022
John Helmer forecast for Ukraine
Via Naked Capitalism “ The sources say this is not a plan for the breakup of the old Ukraine, nor is it a plan for the accession of Novorussia. It is a plan “to keep the Ukraine broken”, in which the big fracture lines will be moved to the west — and kept there.”
Thursday, April 14, 2022
Second part of Jacques Baud article
The Military Situation in Ukraine is here as well as the first part.
The Daily grind of fighting reported redularly at Defence Politics Asia videos. Here is one ofDay 48: https://youtu.be/F53yBZElHUg
Below Day47:
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Review of a new book on noise in human judgement
Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment—A Review A review of Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment by Daniel Kahneman, Oliver Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein.
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Another Bill Gates book review
Is this how your brain works? Review of a book by Jeff Hawkins ‘A Thousand Brains’
Monday, April 11, 2022
Michael Hudson: The Dollar Devours the Euro
Michael Hudson: The Dollar Devours the Euro with lots of comments at Naked Capitalism.
" I would not be surprised to see some African country become the “next Ukraine,” with U.S. proxy troops (there are still plenty of Wahabi advocates and mercenaries) against the armies and populations of countries seeking to feed themselves with grain from Russian farm and oil or gas from Russian wells.
The world economy is being enflamed, and the United States has prepared for a military response and weaponization of its own oil and agricultural export trade, arms trade and demands for countries to choose which side of the New Iron Curtain they wish to join."
Already, there is change of government in Pakistan. Biden is supposed to speak to Modi today https://www.dawn.com/news/1684466/biden-will-speak-to-modi-over-russian-imports Possibly full global press.
Sunday, April 10, 2022
John Michael Greeron the end of the European Age
The end of the European Age The author is a Druid and also writes on the occult. From the article:
“ That said, it’s the European age that’s ending, not the American age. The American age hasn’t begun yet. The United States these days is a Third World country catapulted by a chapter of historical accidents into a temporary position as global hegemon. Its Europeanized elites, in the usual Third World fashion, are a small minority maintaining a tenuous temporary mastery over restless masses that don’t share its ideals and its interests, and are beginning to sense their potential power. America is still young, and pregnant with the future; centuries from now, long after the European veneer has been thrown off, she will give birth to something else wholly new, and it will inevitably be even more unacceptable—and indeed wholly incomprehensible—to the conventional wisdom of Europe-as-it-is.”
I do not understand this part of the article. May be there are hints in the comments. Here is a 2005 article by him which seems interesting https://www.ecoshock.org/transcripts/greer_on_collapse.pdf (How Civilizations Fall: A Theory of Catabolic Collapse).
Friday, April 08, 2022
Thursday, April 07, 2022
Monday, April 04, 2022
An analysis from John Helmer
HOW TO READ THE WAR IN REVERSE WITHOUT OUTSMARTING YOURSELF According to John Helmer, there are possibly several phases to this was and the second phase has started.
Sunday, April 03, 2022
Saturday, April 02, 2022
Andhra Pradesh high court jails IAS officers
Andhra Pradesh high court almost sends 8 IAS officers to jail for contempt
For one of them, it is the second time and seems to be more serious the first time.
Victoria Nuland comments about India -Russia relations
In Russia's war on Ukraine, India has remained neutral. Will it stay that way?
“ I think that they are quite uncomfortable, particularly as they see how Russian weapons have performed and the fact that they're likely not going to be a very reliable supplier going forward. And you know, Steve, for a long time, the United States was not willing to supply weapons to India ourselves. So now that has changed. And now we are talking about how we help them make that transition.”
George Kennan
He seems to be a diplomat who was sometimes correct and sometimes influential. He also had strange opinions “ Acheson was so offended by a report Kennan wrote in March 1950 in which he suggested that miscegenation between Europeans, Indians and African slaves was the root cause of Latin America's economic backwardness that he refused to have it distributed to the rest of the State Department.” From the Wikipedia article
Dangers of protracted war in Ukraine
Avoiding the Dangers of a Protracted Conflict in Ukraine QUINCY BRIEF NO. 23 Long report and seems very reasonable.
Two reports on the Ukraine conflict
Is a peace treaty to end the Russia-Ukraine war in sight? By Gilbert Doctorow
RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 31 from Institute for the Study of War
Friday, April 01, 2022
A long and depressing discussion
It is mainly about USA, China and Russia and the current Ukraine. It does not discuss the internal dynamics of other countries except a bit about Cuba,
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