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Thread: Cause And Effect

  1. #61
    Senior Member Fred Steeves's Avatar
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    Still no coup? Try, try, and try again

    But first, from even Wikipedia:

    Propaganda in the United States

    Propaganda in the United States is spread by both government and media entities. Propaganda is carefully curated information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread, usually to preserve the self-interest of the nation. It is used in advertising, radio, newspaper, posters, books, television, films and other media. Propagandists may provide either factual or non-factual information to their audiences, often emphasizing positive features and downplaying negative ones, or vice versa, in order to shape wide scale public opinion or influence behavioral changes
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propag..._United_States



    And now, let the show begin:


    11/26/2021
    Ukraine president says Russia, oligarch planning coup for next week

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday claimed that his country’s intelligence service has uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup d’etat in the country set for next week that allegedly involves one of Ukraine‘s richest oligarchs
    https://globalnews.ca/news/8406375/u...elenskyy-coup/

    3/10/2022
    Is Putin coup-proof? That depends on how much hardship Russian elites will stand.

    The Russian president is gambling that the war in Ukraine will tighten his grip on power. It could have the opposite effect.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlo...utin-coup-war/

    3/12/2022
    Chances of Putin being ousted in coup rising, but 'Musketeers' and a culture of fear will protect him, expert says

    The economy in Russia is on its knees, the military is struggling in its attempt to take down Ukraine, and morale is reportedly floundering.

    All of the grievances that traditionally motivate a coup against a dictator are in place, according to an expert on authoritarian regimes.
    https://www.businessinsider.com/poss...on-2022-2?op=1

    3/22/2022
    What Are the Chances of a Kremlin Coup?

    WARSAW —
    With Russia’s ground invasion largely stalled and stuttering, a minority view is emerging among some Kremlin watchers that Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s days are numbered.

    “Whatever Putin does, he does not look as if he can survive for long,” tweeted Anders Aslund, a Swedish economist and former economic adviser to the governments of Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine.
    https://www.voanews.com/a/what-are-t...p/6495941.html

    3/22/2022
    Moscow coup: Ukrainian intelligence claims Russian elite planning to ‘overthrow’ Putin

    Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon be ousted from the Kremlin according to a bombshell claim from Ukrainian intelligence.

    On a Facebook post uploaded on Sunday, the Chief Directorate of Intelligence for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said Russia’s elites are considering “removing Putin.”
    https://www.skynews.com.au/world-new...7cdc9c2b36f032

    3/30/2022
    Putin might be seen as a ‘mad dictator’ — but he has built powerful barriers to prevent a coup

    Key Points

    * If his reputation wasn’t bad enough before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin is now even more widely seen as unstable, unreliable and untrustworthy.

    * The invasion has prompted analysts to question whether Putin has a moral compass as well as his sense of reality, geopolitical strategy and grip on power.

    * Strategists are asking whether the invasion of Ukraine could backfire spectacularly on Putin, leaving him vulnerable to an uprising at home, as living standards fall, or a coup led from within the elite.

    If his reputation wasn’t bad enough before Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin is now even more widely seen as unstable, unreliable and untrustworthy — and those are the more generous descriptions of a leader who has ordered and overseen violent and destructive aggression toward Russia’s smaller neighbor.
    https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/can-...nt-a-coup.html

    4/6/2022
    Is a coup against Putin possible? Russia's history offers clues.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ia-khrushchev/

    5/2/2022
    Russia will face a coup after Putin's defeat in Ukraine, says interior minister's adviser

    "Historically, Russia collapses after a military defeat – the Russian authorities experience coups and destruction after military defeat," Andrusiv said.

    "I don't rule out a coup after (Russia is) defeated in Ukraine,” he said. “Putin's extradition to The Hague may be one of the conditions for settling relations between Russia, the West and us."
    https://news.yahoo.com/russia-face-c...103300133.html

    5/4/2022
    Vladimir Putin 'bracing for coup' as generals and FSB 'look to push out Kremlin boss'

    The Federal Security Service is said to be so annoyed with the lack of military progression in Ukraine that they've contacted generals and former army officials to try and push Vladimir Putin out.
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...erals-26868898

    5/14/2022
    Russian Coup Against Putin Already Underway, Ukraine General Says

    Atop Ukrainian military official has said that a coup to overthrow Russian President Vladimir Putin is underway and cannot be stopped.

    Major General Kyrylo Budanov told British broadcaster Sky News that if Russia lost the war in Ukraine, Putin would be removed and his country would collapse.
    https://www.newsweek.com/coup-putin-...udanov-1706685

    5/24/2022
    Is Russia Ripe For A Coup?

    Is a coup possible in Russia? Several months ago, most analysts would have dismissed the idea as absurd. Today, with the war in Ukraine going badly for Russia and President Vladimir Putin, the question is relevant. It might even be urgent.

    Indeed, that question has been supplemented by another: Can a leader who has created such an immense catastrophe for his regime and his country possibly survive?
    https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/05/...putin-luttwak/

    9/14/2022
    Nervous Kremlin faces growing efforts from all sides within Russia to topple Putin as coup rumours swell in Moscow

    * Staunch Putin loyalist Kadyrov criticizes Kremlin on Telegram

    * Lawmakers in St Petersburg urge parliament to prosecute Putin for treason

    * Lawmakers in Moscow call for imminent Putin removal

    * Tensions between Kremlin and security service FSB growing fast

    * Social media activity in Russia in overdrive

    * Analysts convinced Kremlin coup may be imminent

    * ‘Siloviki’ group of former FSB officers pushing hard to replace Putin

    The Kremlin seems increasingly unsure what to do with growing calls and efforts to remove its head, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    A range of prominent and well-known Russians have started calling for the removal of the country’s head of state as the invasion into Ukraine is increasingly turning into a disaster.
    https://www.cityam.com/nervous-kreml...ell-in-moscow/

    9/22/2022
    Coups in the Kremlin

    What the History of Russia’s Power Struggles Says About Putin’s Future

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has lost touch with reality. He has declared a partial mobilization to reverse his defeats in Ukraine and, signaling his desperation, ratcheted up Russia’s nuclear saber rattling. Each day the war drags on, his country grows more isolated from the rest of the world. Increasingly, Russia depends on China to keep its economy from collapsing under the weight of sanctions, even as Chinese leaders express doubts about the invasion. Russia’s failure to take Kyiv, and its recent reversals in the Kharkiv region in eastern Ukraine, have led even pro-Putin commentators to question his decisions.
    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russi.../coups-kremlin

    10/6/2022
    Russian President Vladimir Putin may face military coup if leader prepares for nuclear strike

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, who turns 70 tomorrow, has already warned to employ all means at his disposal if his nation is attacked. President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that he did not believe the Kremlin was bluffing. However, a British security expert believes that any tangible steps towards deploying a nuclear strike would provoke a Kremlin revolution.
    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...7.cms?from=mdr

    10/10/2022
    Bolton says Putin on US target list, wants coup in Russia

    Just as the world thought that the lack of basic etiquette (diplomatic or any other) in the United States establishment couldn't possibly get worse, that same establishment goes beyond anyone's imagination (or worst nightmares in this particular case). On Friday, October 7, during an interview on CBS, former US National Security Advisor John Bolton, infamous for his insistence on starting wars against Venezuela, Iran and North Korea or escalating the ongoing ones (such as Syria, Libya, Yemen, etc), said Russian President Vladimir Putin is on the US target list and threatened he might be assassinated.
    https://infobrics.org/post/36790

    11/2/2022
    What Could Bring Putin Down?

    Regime Collapse Is More Likely Than a Coup

    Can Russian President Vladimir Putin lose the war in Ukraine and retain power? As Ukraine’s driving counteroffensive erodes Russia’s position on the battlefield, that question is getting increasing attention. Discussion has focused on the possibility of a coup, whether an armed insurrection by disgruntled Russian generals or a mutiny by Kremlin insiders. Although not impossible, neither of these is currently very likely. In fact, a different danger is more plausible: a comprehensive meltdown of the regime, as multiple challenges overwhelm its capacity to react and dysfunction drains confidence in Putin’s leadership.
    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukrai...ing-putin-down

    11/12/2022
    Putin threatened by 'creeping coup' as 'orders not properly done to sabotage dictator'

    A Moscow political analyst has claimed that high-ranking officials are deliberately not carrying out orders correctly in a bid to undermine the beleaguered Russian president

    A creeping coup is underway in Russia as high-ranking officials are deliberately not carrying out orders properly to "sabotage" Vladimir Putin, a respected Moscow political analyst has claimed.

    The Russian president is being hit by a “paralysis in decision-making”, according to analyst Kirill Rogov.
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...rders-28474455

    12/21/2022
    Putin's 'meat grinder' invasion of Ukraine will only end if close aides stage a palace coup with Russian society now 'totally inert', experts warn

    * The war in Ukraine will only end if Putin is removed in a coup, an expert says

    * He believes a coup will arise once the Russian elite realise the war is a 'dead end'

    * A coup to remove Putin will involve his closest aids and guards, he says


    Vladimir Putin will only be removed from power in a palace coup, says a prominent political scientist.

    This is the only prospect for an end to the 'meat grinder' war in Ukraine, according to Vladislav Inozemtsev, director of the Russian Centre for Post-Industrial Society Research.

    This comes as another Putin expert says the warmonger has no remaining viable options of fleeing into exile despite rumours that his henchmen have started so-called Operation Noah's Ark to find him and his closest cronies a safe haven.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ert-warns.html

    1/2/2023
    Vladimir Putin warned he could face a coup WITHIN MONTHS as Russia turns on leader

    The Russian President needs to turn things around 'urgently' to maintain power

    Time is quickly running out for beleaguered Vladimir Putin, a top military expert has warned.

    Richard Kemp told GB News that unless the Russian President can urgently turn things around in the war with Ukraine, he could face a coup within months.
    https://www.gbnews.uk/news/vladimir-...-leader/416317

    1/25/2023
    End of Putin warning as Russian coup 'possible' if he doesn't score 'significant victory'

    The Russian President is coming under huge pressure to make a significant breakthrough in the war with Ukraine.

    Vladimir Putin has been warned he faces "a very bleak future" with the possibility of a coup in Russia against him as he comes under huge pressure to quickly score a "significant victory" over Ukraine. Putin has seen Russia smashed by a series of devastating blows since the invasion of Ukraine began nearly a year ago, with tens of thousands of troops killed and valuable weapons and equipment destroyed. The Russian President could ramp up his efforts to win the war as the first anniversary of the conflict, with reports he could be preparing to mobilise 500,000 troops into battle.
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...-sergey-lavrov

    1/27/2023
    Russian military chiefs are losing patience with Putin and could soon turn on him in a coup, former aide predicts

    * Putin is losing his reputation as a strong leader, a former speechwriter said on Thursday.

    * Abbas Gallyamov said that military generals are growing frustrated with their losses in Ukraine.

    * He said the frustrations could lay the groundwork for a possible military coup in the country.


    A military coup in Russia is likely as President Vladimir Putin is starting to look like a "second-rate dictator," his former aide said on Thursday.
    https://www.businessinsider.com/mili...de-2023-1?op=1

    2/1/2023
    'The war is lost': Former Putin speechwriter predicts military 'coup' in Russia

    Militarily and politically as well as economically, the war in Ukraine has been a major drain on Russia. President Vladimir Putin and his allies in the Kremlin were hoping for a quick, easy invasion, but Ukrainian forces have been much more skillful fighters than Putin anticipated.
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ff9a29c443bc5b



    Next Batter Up...
    Last edited by Fred Steeves, 1st February 2023 at 23:55.
    The unexamined life is not worth living.

    Socrates

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  3. #62
    Senior Member Morocco modwiz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Fred Steeves View Post
    But first, from even Wikipedia:


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propag..._United_States



    And now, let the show begin:


    11/26/2021

    https://globalnews.ca/news/8406375/u...elenskyy-coup/

    3/10/2022

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlo...utin-coup-war/

    3/12/2022

    https://www.businessinsider.com/poss...on-2022-2?op=1

    3/22/2022

    https://www.voanews.com/a/what-are-t...p/6495941.html

    3/22/2022

    https://www.skynews.com.au/world-new...7cdc9c2b36f032

    3/30/2022

    https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/can-...nt-a-coup.html

    4/6/2022

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ia-khrushchev/

    5/2/2022

    https://news.yahoo.com/russia-face-c...103300133.html

    5/4/2022

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...erals-26868898

    5/14/2022

    https://www.newsweek.com/coup-putin-...udanov-1706685

    5/24/2022

    https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/05/...putin-luttwak/

    9/14/2022

    https://www.cityam.com/nervous-kreml...ell-in-moscow/

    9/22/2022

    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russi.../coups-kremlin

    10/6/2022

    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...7.cms?from=mdr

    10/10/2022

    https://infobrics.org/post/36790

    11/2/2022

    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukrai...ing-putin-down

    11/12/2022

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...rders-28474455

    12/21/2022

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ert-warns.html

    1/2/2023

    https://www.gbnews.uk/news/vladimir-...-leader/416317

    1/25/2023

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...-sergey-lavrov

    1/27/2023

    https://www.businessinsider.com/mili...de-2023-1?op=1

    2/1/2023

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ff9a29c443bc5b



    Next Batter Up...
    A chorus of mockingbirds thinking they are ravens.

    Even their incantations are impotent.

    They only work with NPC's.
    "To learn who rules over you simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize" -- Voltaire

    "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."-- Eleanor Roosevelt

    "Misery loves company. Wisdom has to look for it." -- Anonymous

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  5. #63
    Senior Member United States Diabolical Boids's Avatar
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    Sounds like the media in America. In reference to Biden or Trump, every day some new corruption that is actually old is revealed and the pundits are exclaiming, We've Got Him Now!

    The West is viewing Russia through the lens they view and act within their own political world. Inner government power struggles and coups, encouraging staff to undermine internally, claiming the population is caught in a web of inertia for not rising up, and we the government must think, and act for everyone and put words in their mouths.

    Seems like Putin is actually the only person still in touch with reality.

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  7. #64
    Administrator Aragorn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Fred Steeves View Post
    But first, from even Wikipedia:

    Propaganda in the United States

    Propaganda in the United States is spread by both government and media entities. Propaganda is carefully curated information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread, usually to preserve the self-interest of the nation. It is used in advertising, radio, newspaper, posters, books, television, films and other media. Propagandists may provide either factual or non-factual information to their audiences, often emphasizing positive features and downplaying negative ones, or vice versa, in order to shape wide scale public opinion or influence behavioral changes
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propag..._United_States



    And now, let the show begin:

    https://globalnews.ca/news/8406375/u...elenskyy-coup/
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlo...utin-coup-war/
    https://www.businessinsider.com/poss...on-2022-2?op=1
    https://www.voanews.com/a/what-are-t...p/6495941.html
    https://www.skynews.com.au/world-new...7cdc9c2b36f032
    https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/can-...nt-a-coup.html
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ia-khrushchev/
    https://news.yahoo.com/russia-face-c...103300133.html
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...erals-26868898
    https://www.newsweek.com/coup-putin-...udanov-1706685
    https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/05/...putin-luttwak/
    https://www.cityam.com/nervous-kreml...ell-in-moscow/
    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russi.../coups-kremlin
    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...7.cms?from=mdr
    https://infobrics.org/post/36790
    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukrai...ing-putin-down
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...rders-28474455
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ert-warns.html
    https://www.gbnews.uk/news/vladimir-...-leader/416317
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...-sergey-lavrov
    https://www.businessinsider.com/mili...de-2023-1?op=1
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ff9a29c443bc5b
    Well, I guess we can all safely relax now, knowing that parrots aren't one of the species headed for extinction just yet.

    You do have to hand it to the western media that they're extremely helpful, though. It's a remarkable gesture of kindness to forewarn Putin through so many media outlets of one of the potential threats he's facing within his own country.





    Quote Originally posted by Diabolical Boids View Post
    Seems like Putin is actually the only person still in touch with reality.
    I wouldn't go that far.
    = DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR =

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  9. #65
    Senior Member Fred Steeves's Avatar
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    I saw an excellent comparison of the US empire, to the classic vampire. The classic vampire is always very beautiful or handsome, which disguises who they really are, and by the time their true intentions are noticed it's too late - you just got sucked dry of blood. The purpose of this thread has been to pull back the vail on how media works in tandem with this empire to disguise what it really is, what it's true intentions really are.

    The war in Ukraine has ripped the mask off in a number of ways. The true intentions of empire have been readily apparent to the developing nations of the world for some time now, although the media arm of this operation keeps their plight obscured, because who cares about those black and brown nobody's and what they think, right? But now, even those who have never before seen behind the mask because they've long been benefitting from empire, are seeing it, they may still feel trepidation in actually voicing what they see (Olaf Scholz anyone?), but see it they surely do.

    The rank hypocrisy is loud and clear by now, to try and keep hiding it is akin to putting lipstick on a pig. No way to make a pig not look like a pig. The days of that are numbered now.

    One thing David Icke always pointed out was that at a certain point, a cleverly hidden tyranny has no choice but break the surface for all to see, if it wants to continue expansion that is. This is precisely what's happening before our very eyes now, the flowery rhetoric is still in place, but hypocrisy in the actions are so much out in the open now they're tough to miss.

    For instance when you see a country opining about the sacredness of national sovereignty, while at the same time occupying 1/3 of Syria, that's rank hypocrisy. And when that occupying force still doesn't want to lift crippling sanctions on said country, even after a devastating earthquake, the world takes notice.
    https://theintercept.com/2023/02/19/...-us-sanctions/

    Or when this country blows up the gas pipeline of a close ally, then brazenly talks about what a tremendous opportunity that presents for the overseas export of its natural gas, people take notice.
    https://www.globalresearch.ca/blinke...tunity/5795297

    Or how about when we hear about so much care and concern about helping along developing nations, yet these very same nations are threatened with "or else!" if they don't get in line with the economic warfare plan, that's breaking the surface for all to see.
    https://northafricapost.com/59623-us...mmodities.html

    So anyway I could go on, but you the reader catch my drift here. At that certain point where the true nature of this oppressive empire is breaking the surface for all to see its true nature, its true intentions, it maybe starts becoming less necessary to keep up the charade.

    I came across the first signs of this just today. Why lookie here, we actually get a glimpse of empire's true intentions with the mask off to one side. Check this out from the New York Times, doesn't this sound more like the real reasons for doing things, all flowery democracy building, humanitarian rhetoric aside?

    The problem for Kyiv is that — public assurances aside — Washington has no interest in directly entering the war. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has already voiced his view that total victory for either Russia or Ukraine is unachievable in the near term. President Biden and his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, have been adamant about keeping the United States from directly entering the conflict. The American public has shown no appetite for direct involvement, either. The United States may even have an interest in keeping the fighting going as the war reduces Russia’s ability to operate elsewhere in the world, increases the value of American energy exports and serves as a convenient dress rehearsal for the rallying of allies and coordination of economic warfare against Beijing.
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...c448046a&ei=13

    I expect to see more and more of this as time goes on. The people running this show are getting tired of scurrying around in the shadows - They think quite highly of themselves, and would love the chance to just do a little turn on the catwalk so to speak, strut their stuff right out in the open the way John Bolton did a few months ago:
    The unexamined life is not worth living.

    Socrates

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  11. #66
    Senior Member Emil El Zapato's Avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Fred Steeves View Post
    But first, from even Wikipedia:


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propag..._United_States



    And now, let the show begin:


    11/26/2021

    https://globalnews.ca/news/8406375/u...elenskyy-coup/

    3/10/2022

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlo...utin-coup-war/

    3/12/2022

    https://www.businessinsider.com/poss...on-2022-2?op=1

    3/22/2022

    https://www.voanews.com/a/what-are-t...p/6495941.html

    3/22/2022

    https://www.skynews.com.au/world-new...7cdc9c2b36f032

    3/30/2022

    https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/can-...nt-a-coup.html

    4/6/2022

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...ia-khrushchev/

    5/2/2022

    https://news.yahoo.com/russia-face-c...103300133.html

    5/4/2022

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...erals-26868898

    5/14/2022

    https://www.newsweek.com/coup-putin-...udanov-1706685

    5/24/2022

    https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/05/...putin-luttwak/

    9/14/2022

    https://www.cityam.com/nervous-kreml...ell-in-moscow/

    9/22/2022

    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russi.../coups-kremlin

    10/6/2022

    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...7.cms?from=mdr

    10/10/2022

    https://infobrics.org/post/36790

    11/2/2022

    https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukrai...ing-putin-down

    11/12/2022

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...rders-28474455

    12/21/2022

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ert-warns.html

    1/2/2023

    https://www.gbnews.uk/news/vladimir-...-leader/416317

    1/25/2023

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...-sergey-lavrov

    1/27/2023

    https://www.businessinsider.com/mili...de-2023-1?op=1

    2/1/2023

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ff9a29c443bc5b



    Next Batter Up...
    I just saw this: There are people in the U.S. right now planning to overthrow the American government. Do you believe that? The answer is likely yes but sadly (for you) not likely to succeed. Putin is facing the same thing and so the only thing the U.S. can do is hope they pull it off. Putin is much more likely to have to deal with it which is why you can bet there are a plenitude of resources dedicated to prevent it. Batter Up and keep your fingers crossed!

    Quote Originally posted by Fred Steeves View Post
    I saw an excellent comparison of the US empire, to the classic vampire. The classic vampire is always very beautiful or handsome, which disguises who they really are, and by the time their true intentions are noticed it's too late - you just got sucked dry of blood. The purpose of this thread has been to pull back the vail on how media works in tandem with this empire to disguise what it really is, what it's true intentions really are.

    The war in Ukraine has ripped the mask off in a number of ways. The true intentions of empire have been readily apparent to the developing nations of the world for some time now, although the media arm of this operation keeps their plight obscured, because who cares about those black and brown nobody's and what they think, right? But now, even those who have never before seen behind the mask because they've long been benefitting from empire, are seeing it, they may still feel trepidation in actually voicing what they see (Olaf Scholz anyone?), but see it they surely do.

    The rank hypocrisy is loud and clear by now, to try and keep hiding it is akin to putting lipstick on a pig. No way to make a pig not look like a pig. The days of that are numbered now.

    One thing David Icke always pointed out was that at a certain point, a cleverly hidden tyranny has no choice but break the surface for all to see, if it wants to continue expansion that is. This is precisely what's happening before our very eyes now, the flowery rhetoric is still in place, but hypocrisy in the actions are so much out in the open now they're tough to miss.

    For instance when you see a country opining about the sacredness of national sovereignty, while at the same time occupying 1/3 of Syria, that's rank hypocrisy. And when that occupying force still doesn't want to lift crippling sanctions on said country, even after a devastating earthquake, the world takes notice.
    https://theintercept.com/2023/02/19/...-us-sanctions/

    Or when this country blows up the gas pipeline of a close ally, then brazenly talks about what a tremendous opportunity that presents for the overseas export of its natural gas, people take notice.
    https://www.globalresearch.ca/blinke...tunity/5795297

    Or how about when we hear about so much care and concern about helping along developing nations, yet these very same nations are threatened with "or else!" if they don't get in line with the economic warfare plan, that's breaking the surface for all to see.
    https://northafricapost.com/59623-us...mmodities.html

    So anyway I could go on, but you the reader catch my drift here. At that certain point where the true nature of this oppressive empire is breaking the surface for all to see its true nature, its true intentions, it maybe starts becoming less necessary to keep up the charade.

    I came across the first signs of this just today. Why lookie here, we actually get a glimpse of empire's true intentions with the mask off to one side. Check this out from the New York Times, doesn't this sound more like the real reasons for doing things, all flowery democracy building, humanitarian rhetoric aside?


    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...c448046a&ei=13

    I expect to see more and more of this as time goes on. The people running this show are getting tired of scurrying around in the shadows - They think quite highly of themselves, and would love the chance to just do a little turn on the catwalk so to speak, strut their stuff right out in the open the way John Bolton did a few months ago:
    That's old news Fred, and yes, he is quite proud of it whether it is true or not...he enjoys being an a-wipe...He did work for the one who shall go unnamed, after all.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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  13. #67
    Senior Member Fred Steeves's Avatar
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    "China Bad!" Is Up And rolling

    The "Russia Bad!" mind worm had a big head start of course, having since 2016 to get people frothing at the mouth in hatred, but this new campaign aimed at Manufacturing Consent for the next great war is ramping up sharply.

    It's already breathtaking to behold.

    So these are some interesting takes:

    "For the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), less transparency means more power, the power to deter, disinform and disarm enemies, reflecting ancient Chinese strategic values," Rick Fisher, a senior fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told Fox News Digital.
    For starters, doesn't that sound rather like the West accusing its latest enemy much of what it does?

    And what's this about this "reflecting ancient Chinese strategic values"? Chinese ancient strategy consisted of being a non aggressive, regional great power that kept to itself much like Japan did before the West came a knockin, propelled onward by the industrial revolution.

    Ask anyone from China what the West brought with it to China as they were busy minding their own business, the West gave China what's known as their Century Of Humiliation.



    And this is special:
    "Furthermore, the CCP in all areas, not just outer space, seeks the status of hegemon, meaning that it cannot be accountable to any non-CCP-created rule or value system, so the CCP has no problem not warning other nations about its space activities."
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...f2be942c&ei=19

    If that ain't the pot calling the kettle black, then I don't know what is. You just can't make this shit up it's so ridiculous and sloppy, but hey, the propagandists already know from the Russian campaign that people will munch happily on a turd if you tell them it's a hot dog, so why not?

    This kind of thing would be fun to watch if it didn't come with such deadly intent.

    Oh yeah, and what mortal sin committed by "the bad guys" caused this piece to be written in the first place? Failure to inform "the good guys" that they were leaving the capsule to do a space walk...

    The nerve of them. Something must be done! Problem - Reaction - Solution
    The unexamined life is not worth living.

    Socrates

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  15. #68
    Senior Member Emil El Zapato's Avatar
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    Well, we know it wasn't Tea and explosives.

    China in 1000 CE
    The Most Advanced Society in the World
    Technological Advances during the Song Dynasty

    Gunpowder

    Song military engineers found gunpowder to be helpful in siege warfare, leading to the development of early types of rockets, cannons, bombs, and mines.

    The Wujing zongyao (“Collection of the Most Important Military Techniques”), a military manual from 1044 CE, records the first true gunpowder formula and describes how to produce it on a large scale. Gunpowder was first use in warfare as an incendiary, or fire-producing, compound. Small packages of gunpowder wrapped in paper or bamboo were attached to arrows and lit with a fuse.

    Bombs of gunpowder mixed with scrap iron would be launched with catapults. Another use was “fire-spurting lances,” which were a kind of flame-thrower using bamboo or metal tubes for their barrels.

    Weapons involving gunpowder were extensively used by both the Chinese and the Mongol forces in the 13th century. Song efforts to continually improve their weapons were one reason they were able to hold off the Mongols for several decades. But the Mongols, like the Khitans and Jurchens before them (who conquered the first, or northern, Song dynasty capital in Kaifeng), were equally ready to adopt new and better military technology, often by capturing the Chinese engineers and gunners.



    More about Chinese Military Technology

    • A Visual Sourcebook for Chinese Civilization: Military Technology [Patricia Ebrey, University of Washington]
    Discusses siegecraft, crossbows and armor, spears, clubs, and swords, catapults, warships, and gunpowder and firearms. Illustrations throughout, with questions for discussion.



    Cai Guo-Qiang, Contemporary Artist Exploring Use of Gunpowder and Explosives

    • Cai Guo-Qiang [art21, PBS]
    Cai Guo-Qiang (b. 1957) is a Chinese contemporary artist and curator and, most recently, Director of Visual and Special Effects for the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. “Accomplished in a variety of media, Cai began using gunpowder in his work to foster spontaneity and confront the controlled artistic tradition and social climate in China.”

    http://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv...h/firearms.htm
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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  17. #69
    Senior Member Fred Steeves's Avatar
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    In other news closer to home...

    How do you know if you're being trolled?

    If you participate in online discussions or post comments frequently, you may be wondering how to identify trolls or when you’re being trolled. There are a few general giveaways that indicate you may be dealing with a troll.

    Trolls will frequently try to attack something you have revealed you like or are in favor of. If someone is trying to insult your tastes directly, or if they’re generally bashing the topic of a forum or post, you probably have a troll on your hands.

    Another way to spot a troll is by their persistence. When trolls sense that they’re getting an emotional response out of someone, they usually won’t stop until they’ve gotten their victim sufficiently riled up.

    Trolls are also known for their outlandish and outrageous claims. They will often make ridiculous statements about the subject at hand, again with the expectation that they will get an emotional response out of people. Trolls won’t necessarily believe the outrageous claims they make, but their goal is to convince you that they do believe it.
    How to deal with Internet trolls

    Now that you know more about what trolling is and how to know if you’re being trolled, what should you do if you encounter a troll online?

    Typically, the best thing to do is ignore the troll. Do not engage this person in an argument or discussion. It is exactly what trolls feed off of because they love the attention.
    https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/thenow/what-is-trolling/1/
    The unexamined life is not worth living.

    Socrates

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  19. #70
    Senior Member Emil El Zapato's Avatar
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    I can see why you would be concerned about trolls, Fred. Your persistence for wrong-headed thinking is beyond the typical range. I do have one suggestion that might help the situation between you and I if it is a concern for you and it is rather simple and straightforward actually. When you bash your country for the purpose of gaining traction (power) on this forum it works with the exception of me. Add one single word to your arguments and you will have me on your side. When you say American add the word right as in American Right and I will agree with everything you say. We can then both live in peace.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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  21. #71
    Senior Member Fred Steeves's Avatar
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    Hey Merica, "the good guys" here for another important message from our sponsor. Pay no mind to that NSA gobbledygook, keep your focus on weather balloons, and now cargo cranes. "The bad guys" are on the march and they're coming for you.
    After Spy Balloons, Cargo Cranes? Pentagon Reportedly Worried China Using New Surveillance Tools Hiding In Plain Sight
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news...69877a9b&ei=15



    One more thing. This ambassador works for "the good guys" so of course it's 100% correct. We're the leader in your back yard, not you, and you must recognize this. Now we don't want any trouble, but...
    The unexamined life is not worth living.

    Socrates

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  23. #72
    Senior Member Fred Steeves's Avatar
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    Commentator Gonzalo Lira arrested in Ukraine. Of course Western "media" is conveniently turning a blind eye to this:
    https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-i...n-ukraine.html

    Scary shit being disappeared, I've been following his channel closely, the sudden eerie silence is deafening. "Understand what's going on" is how he always signs off. Now those with eyes to see understand even further what's going on.
    The unexamined life is not worth living.

    Socrates

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  25. #73
    Senior Member Emil El Zapato's Avatar
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    Gonzalo Lira Arrested and Charged: Accused of Shilling for Putin- Reddit Update
    By
    Nazir

    Gonzalo Lira

    Gonzalo Lira is a famous and well-acclaimed blogger and former online dating consultant. He became well-known for being a relationship coach, and in the past, he offered dating advice under the alias Red Pill.

    He may also be found on YouTube, where he has uploaded numerous videos to his channel. As a result, Lira has been involved in a number of scandals.

    Along the same lines, he published several videos and commentary on Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube in an effort to blame Ukraine for Russian Federation-led strikes. He is in the limelight as a result as Lira is taken into custody. Let’s learn more about him, then.

    Gonzalo Lira is said to have been arrested and accused of violating parts 2 and 3 of article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which deals with the promotion of war.

    According to a Daily Beast article, Lira was detained on May 1, 2023. He is alleged to have been charged with producing and disseminating documents that support Putin’s armed assault against Ukraine after his imprisonment.

    Lira was subsequently imprisoned outside of his Kharkiv home. According to Ukrainian authorities, additional proof of Lira’s criminal activity was found during the search of his residence, including data from his computer and cell phone.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The above was the closest report to 'normal' that I could find. Apparently no one else gives a hoot and a holler or think it is probably more comical than anything else.

    What is scary about that? He wasn't droned or poisoned under a secret conspiracy effort.

    Playing undercover agent now, huh...gawd almighty.
    “El revolucionario: te meteré la bota en el culo"

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    Senior Member Canada
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    The Ukraine doesn't promote freedom of the press then? I used to read Lira in the Asia Times and liked what he wrote.

    Chuckie, that description of Lira looks like a smear job, with the emphasis on relationship consultant, dating coach. It makes him look silly, when he was likely trying to generate income.

    Ukraine looks more and more like another Iraq. I didn't originally think this, but more and more evidence is coming out in support of US playing dirty for global supremacy. I no longer buy the surface appearance of bad guy/good guy, in Ukraine, particularly since Nordstream.

    But....doesn't mean Russia is lily white. They are fascists themselves--but that's a whole other topic.

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    Administrator Aragorn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Octopus Garden View Post
    The Ukraine doesn't promote freedom of the press then?
    Not anymore, no. Zelenskyy changed the law at some point after the beginning of the war. It caused a bit of a stir in the rest of Europe, but not for very long. It was much more convenient for the western powers that be to keep on playing the Good vs. Evil™ game, and the mainstream media only have the attention span of an insect anyway.
    = DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR =

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