WESTERN VALUES™. I am weary of supposedly independent international survey in which Russia is always near the bottom. At last Denis Churilov has taken the trouble and effort to consider the methodology and "independence" of one of them. Specifically the Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders. RWB turns out – amazingly enough – to get money from the usual American GONGOs: USAID, NED and, of course, Soros. In short, what they used to call a "front" in the Cold War. Churilov looks at the methodology of the rating – selected people, subjective impressions – practically guaranteed to produce the "correct answer". Then he looks at the answer in which – of course! – Ukraine scores much better than Russia. Churilov then itemises how preposterous this ranking is. These things are part of the propaganda war and should be seen as such.
MAKS. The military airshow is over. Video. The PAK FA showed off. First deliveries next year.
SPENDING THE MONEY. Some spiffy urban projects in Moscow.
HISTORY. This year's pilgrimage to the site of the Romanovs' murder in Yekaterinburg.
AMERICA-HYSTERICA. Newsweek has had to retract two false articles after a lawsuit. A Clinton advisor doesn't blame Russia. Neither does the US Senate Minority Leader. The intensity of the insantity is shown by a poll that finds only 6% of US population is concerned about Russia while 75% of media coverage is about it. Only Democrats believe it, and not that many of them. Maybe the end is coming.
NEW NWO. As a quondam historian I know that empires take a long time to build up and a long time to decline. That having been said I remain stunned by the speed of the US decline. It has only been a couple of decades since the neocons triumphantly proclaimed a New American Century and Brzezinski drew the map of how to get there. "Potentially, the most dangerous scenario would be a grand coalition of China, Russia, and perhaps Iran... Averting this contingency... will require a display of U.S. geostrategic skill" said he. Well, that skill wasn't displayed, was it? But why would he think it was skill? The very program of American domination everywhere could only result in the formation of a resistance alliance. It is precisely the actions – arrogant, ignorant, one-sided, short-sighted, over-reaching and... failed – of the neocons and their humanitarian bomber allies that brought this about. The tectonic plates shift; here's this fortnight's collection.
CHINA The standout was Chinese warships in the Baltic. After passing through the Med (Chinese and Russian ships "prowling" the Med is old hat now.) And, "For China’s Global Ambitions, 'Iran Is at the Center of Everything'" And, China will be involved in rebuilding Syria. And will be creating a base in Djibouti. A Chinese military thinker brightly explains this as the "fanbian" strategy of approaching your enemy from a different direction. Or, bluntly, do things in the South China Sea and we'll do things close to you. (When will we see a Russian-Chinese "freedom of navigation" cruise in the Gulf of Mexico?)
TURKEY. Germany is leaving İncirlik. Reports say Ankara wants to buy S-400s and that negotiations proceed. (I cannot believe Russia would sell even an export version of a crown jewel weapons system to a NATO member so I don't know what to make of the story. Of course they will take some time to arrive...) A Turkish news agency leaked details and locations of secret US bases inside Syria. The coup attempt was a year ago; many in Ankara blame Washington; the aftershocks continue.
MENA. Iraq and Iran signed a defence cooperation agreement. Iraq will be buying Russian tanks. The Iraqi VP in Moscow said a Russian presence in Iraq would bring balance to the whole region, He thanked Russia: "if it were not for the Russian stance, the region would be fully destroyed... and in the end it would lead to the fall of Baghdad." Looks as if another American ally is tiptoeing out of the room.
SYRIA. Russia entered the war nearly two years ago. There is no doubt that that changed everything. Washington has ended the CIA funding for rebels in Syria (it says, has it really?). And pretty extensive it was too, if this report be true. Most of these weapons eventually got to – if they weren't not directly delivered to – Daesh. Which is one of the reasons the Iraqi VP is saying what he is saying. The Putin-Trump ceasefire seems to be holding and I suppose Netanyahu's dislike of it is evidence that it is. The Russian navy will be conducting exercises all month off the Syrian coast; in short, lots of air defence and strike missiles available.
SAAKASHVILI. Has been stripped of Ukrainian citizenship; he's lost Georgian already so he's a refugee I suppose. Ah, how thankless to be yesterday's regime change hero!
© Patrick Armstrong Analysis, Canada Russia Observer
"HISTORY. This year's pilgrimage to the site of the Romanovs' murder in Yekaterinburg. "
I object most strongly to the term "murder" applied to the former Russian Czar Nicholas II and his family. They were executed in accordance to the decision of the local Yekaterinburg Soviet. After the October Revolution the authority in the former Russian empire fell to the local Councils ("Soviets"), which were often totally independent from Moscow. Nevertheless, the decision to execute the family of the former Czar adopted by them was totally in line with the notion of the State having the sole right to execute violence, and, thus, could not be possibly called a murder.
"The Iraqi VP in Moscow said a Russian presence in Iraq would bring balance to the whole region"
Hey, how about not mince words and say out loud this particular vice-PM name? Cuz it's none other than a bloody murtad Nuri al-Maliki! He was Iraqi PM for 8 years from 2006 to 2014, and he spent this time to raise the corruption and nepotism there up to the stratosphere (totally supported by the US!), enriching himself, his immediate family and chosen Shia potentates at the expense of the Sunnis. The end result was that otherwise ordinary Iraqis who differ from the rest of the populace only in theological matters did welcome the coming of ISIS and supported it wholeheartedly. His punishment? Why, he was only demoted to the title of the vice-PM. Now, after laying all the groundwork for the ISIS to happen in the first place, he flies from one country to another, shakes hands and calls for greater support of Iraq in its fight against the terrorists.
And his career before he became a PM, well, that's another tale entirely - but no less entertaining!
"SAAKASHVILI. Has been stripped of Ukrainian citizenship; he's lost Georgian already so he's a refugee I suppose."
Which happened to him while he was away touring USA. Something tells me, he will find employment and residence permit pretty soon-ish
Posted by: Lyttenburgh | 27 July 2017 at 04:38 PM
Legal or not at the time, they're now seen as martyrs.
All you say about Maliki shows that he knows which way the cat is about to jump.
I'm sure Sack will be looked after.
Posted by: Patrick Armstrong | 27 July 2017 at 05:28 PM
Russia selling S-400 to Turkey surprising ? Not so much,S-500 seems to be totally new, not an upgraded version of S-400. So selling old S-400 could be a good sheme to fund S-500 program.And I pretty sure that Russian have more than on way to neutralize them if neccesary.
Posted by: aleksandar | 27 July 2017 at 05:33 PM
And to complete
GDP growth rate forecast 2017 : 2%.
" Breaking " russian economy was a dream.
Posted by: aleksandar | 27 July 2017 at 05:39 PM
"Legal or not at the time, they're now seen as martyrs."
First of all - not y everyone. Second - even so called "martyrs" (understood broadly) could be legitimally executed. Therefore the incorrectness in the use of the term "murder". Not everyone "murdered" enters the ranks of "martyrs".
"All you say about Maliki shows that he knows which way the cat is about to jump."
Doesn't change that his still a bloody taghut, murtad and mushrik! ;)
Posted by: Lyttenburgh | 27 July 2017 at 06:00 PM
Turkey has more pressing issues than those solvable by S-400 systems. This whole discussion might have been part of a mating dance by tayyip.
Ishmael Zechariah
P.s: The possibility of remotely activated kill switches, or ICs w/ backdoors are not mysteries, even to the Turks.
Posted by: Ishmael Zechariah | 27 July 2017 at 06:16 PM
Russia flipping Turkey and Iran flipping Qatar were major diplomatic coups. What's more, they probably just made more war in the region a lot less likely. The Russians and the Iranians have done our countries as well as their countries a great a service -- yet see how the MSM in the West treat them!
Posted by: Seamus Padraig | 27 July 2017 at 06:32 PM
To me it looks like the Borg finally (sooner that I thought and faster than WG) got the better of this White House, the just coming out news of open and now a very public infighting by president's closest aids/advisors, accusing each other of leaking is not a good news or a good management by this president. His chief of staff openly fighting with Communication advisor calling each other names, AG in limbo, SOS limbering and the NSC guy not happy, and the president on twit with his only loyal media support Hannity don't seem to be too promising.
Posted by: Kooshy | 27 July 2017 at 07:15 PM
kooshy
IMO Derek Harvey is a worthless egotist self promoter. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 27 July 2017 at 07:19 PM
Great summary! Many thanks for assembling and publishing it..
Posted by: GodfreeTrh | 27 July 2017 at 07:32 PM
Colonel Thank you for your reply, I don't know much about any of these guys, I am just looking at overall general situation and comparing it with i have seen in past. IMO this White House has much less integrity than what I had seen ever since WG, as a businessman I expected Trump to manage his staff much more tightly and better. I trust your opinion on this matters better than any that comes out of the MSM or other sites, that is the reason I am here. thank you for your insight.
Posted by: Kooshy | 27 July 2017 at 07:39 PM
Kooshy -
Seems like instantaneous comms of our modern age aren't always a good thing. At least old interoffice memos had to be typed and then sent, and allowed one time to think - not so much these days. People had to find a phone and privacy to speak about quiet matters - today the phone is a recording and broadcasting device and part of most peoples silhouette.
I got no idea about what is going on in the big white house, but to outsiders, it seems like the USA has a military faction, a spook faction, a state department that lies about everything and a president who spends a lot of his time alone with his phone. At least this was suggested to me by several friends from several countries recently (agglomerated here). That would explain a lot of the current rash of strange decisions and actions.
And now congress has (almost unanimously) decided to poke both the Bear and the Prez with a pointy and not-likely-to-be-legal bill heading for his desk. They can't fix Obamacare, can't balance a budget, but they sure as hell can do things that will aggravate the rest of the world. And we actually pay them for this service...
Posted by: Oilman2 | 27 July 2017 at 09:44 PM
Colonel, BTW this Mucci guy the new WH communication director, reminds me of this young smart Jewish American businessmen (then mostly came west from NY) who once crowded the famous Drexel Burnham Lambert junk bond financial firm, headed by Michel Milken whom my firm use to print for, back in 80’s. They all thought since they made a lot of money, fast overnight they are entitled to say, demand, do and treat anybody anyway they want, arrogant costal wasps they were.
Posted by: Kooshy | 27 July 2017 at 10:12 PM
Agreed. The Tsar was a blood-soaked parasite. The revolution in 1905 didn't just happen, it was triggered by a massacre of workers petitioning little Nicky. It's pathetic to see people embrace such wretched idols, they're like drunks who have find some form of intoxication and are willing to drink floor cleaner to get it. It's a shame that Putin, apparently out of desperation to legitimize his regime, supports their high.
Posted by: hemeantwell | 27 July 2017 at 10:26 PM
The spice must flow.
Posted by: DH | 27 July 2017 at 10:39 PM
Weakness in the presidency only matters if an alternative emerges. As long as all the mdia is focused on him, Trump is still in control. That is how he got to be president. It doesn't matter ho negative the coverage is as long lo as no one else can get coverage.
Posted by: Fredw | 27 July 2017 at 11:20 PM
Erdogan seems to be heading for the multi power world. He may need a decent SAM system to keep the empire at bay.
Putin made a statement several weeks ago that the deal was signed off. Financials still have to be worked out apparently, so I guess this will be a carrot on a stick that Erdo will follow.
Posted by: Peter AU | 28 July 2017 at 03:59 AM
" It's a shame that Putin, apparently out of desperation to legitimize his regime, supports their high."
Why do you think that Putin:
a) is desperate?
b) needs any kind of "legitimization" for his "regime"?
Personal qualities of (former) czar Nicholas II notwithstanding, the point I'm making here is that he was NOT murdered. He was executed.
Posted by: Lyttenburgh | 28 July 2017 at 05:14 AM
Meanwhile, Mikheil "Mikho" Saakashvili entertained the, ha-ha, good people from the CNN and their viewership by tales of the Ukrainian meddling in the elections (https://www.facebook.com/SaakashviliMikheil/videos/vb.260603653970023/1634202029943505/?type=2&theater). When you've become stateless overnight - miracles happen to your memory and conscience.
CNN does not disappoint - they lie even in small things (e.g. - the caption says that Saakashvili “went to war with Putin”, because, hey, who remembers Medvedev anyway?).
Posted by: Lyttenburgh | 28 July 2017 at 05:28 AM
Did AIPAC write the Iran, Russia and lets add on North Korea to disguise it sanctions bill or are they just shepherding it? Certainly AIPAC like margins of support from the compliant politicians.
If the Russians are smart, and if Trump isn't smart enough to veto it, then they should retaliate with sanctions etc. against Israel. At some point they are going to have to step up and acknowledge who they are fighting, nice dividing measure too. Probably too early to advocate Trump get AIPAC to register as foreign agents, he has his hands full at the moment.
Posted by: LondonBob | 28 July 2017 at 06:58 AM
On Maliki ...
He was Iraqi PM for 8 years from 2006 to 2014, and he spent this time to raise the corruption and nepotism there up to the stratosphere (totally supported by the US!), enriching himself, his immediate family and chosen Shia potentates at the expense of the Sunnis. The end result was that otherwise ordinary Iraqis who differ from the rest of the populace only in theological matters did welcome the coming of ISIS and supported it wholeheartedly. His punishment?
Maliki was corrupt? Tell me, how do U.S. politicians finance their campaigns.
Maliki did not choose "Shia potentates at the expense of Sunnis." There were lots of Sunnis in his cabinet and administration. More than their share of the population would normally demand. Look up UN statistics about the GDP per person in Sunni governates versus several of the southern Shia governments. The Sunnis were better off. What you completely neglect is the financing of the Sunni "resistance" by Turkey and the Saudis. Al-Nujaifi, the former governor of Ninevah province, was one of the guys that was instigating Sunnis on behalf of his sponsors. Guys like him pushed ISIS, not Maliki.
Maliki had just been reelected by a good margin when the U.S., which intentionally let ISIS grow (said Obama), kicked him out.
Posted by: b | 28 July 2017 at 08:32 AM
Kooshy
The Mooch reminds me of Lewie Ranieri from Salomon Brothers (reference : Liar's Pocker by Michael Lewis)
Posted by: The Beaver | 28 July 2017 at 08:37 AM
good news, he's gone per Politico as of yesterday
Posted by: BillWade | 28 July 2017 at 08:47 AM
Harvey: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/27/derek-harvey-trump-middle-east-adviser-dismissed-241037
Posted by: BillWade | 28 July 2017 at 08:48 AM
@ LondonBob -
When, in recent decades, has AIPAC NOT been involved in crafting bills aimed at US international matters? This is either AIPAC tugging hard or else some massive internal IC blackmail for both arms of the US legislature to move in lock-step voting. There has been no escalation of Russian activities overt enough to merit this type of cross-party collusion in both houses of the US Congress. The American people DO NOT want this - we have other matters we are concerned with, and they have failed at that completely, courtesy of John McCain.
So what united nearly every congresscritter on this particular vote?? Gods be, but I wish I knew...
Posted by: Oilman2 | 28 July 2017 at 09:12 AM