The long slow death of the United States

WaPo

Homo sapiens? Nah… “Sapient” means wise. And the “homo” part is just to distinguish us from other primates, our closest relatives being Pan Paniscus—bonobos—the hippy apes.

Really, we should be called Pan Delirus—the Crazy Ape.

Nation states are extensions of the post-Paleo human personality—and, as such, irrational and emotional. Stress makes them worse-- and they become neurotic, just like people.

We see this craziness in America's wars-- against… it seems just about everybody.

Think about it! The US is at war, on a rampage, either militarily or economically with a large chunk of the world – Russia, China, Islamic countries, African countries, South America. And culturally? This is the WTF country.

America is also at war with the environment—if not with much of its own population—that is, those at the bottom of the pyramid.

Psychopathy? Borderline Personality Disorder? Maybe just Narcissism? Whatever it is – this is how civilizations die.

The face they would show the world is a mask —it is not what they really are.

Ukraine

In Ukraine, we see the private face of the US as it doubles down on failure after failure in the ugliest ways.

But it's not the Ukrainians’ fault.

The neo-Nazi, genocidal regime that governs Western Ukraine is neither independent nor sovereign – it's an extension of the US.

God made Adam from His rib. America made Ukraine from Its asshole.

Recently, Ukrainians shelled a shopping mall in Donetsk. Then, they shot down a Russian aircraft carrying Ukrainian POWs. There is little mention of Ukrainian terrorism in the American mass media – and certainly the US government has nothing to say.

It doesn't matter to them. They don't care about murder or torture or massacres.

What the US does talk about right now is somehow finding a way to continue the bloodletting— most likely by replacing one war criminal – Zelensky-- with another — Budanov—and moving the capital of Ukraine to Lviv—to conduct a terrorist campaign against Russia, including (maybe) attacks on nuclear reactors.

Chernobyl II?

Somehow, I don't think that Germany and Poland and the Baltics would like that too much, with the wind blowing their way most of the time. Forget the tinfoil hat. You need a lead suit.

Obviously, such behaviors give the Russians good reason to just occupy the entirety of Ukraine and denazify it as the allies did at the end of World War II. A pity they don't have the death penalty – but they do have prisons in Siberia.

They may break up Ukraine and try to give Galicia to the Poles, Romanians, and Hungarians but self-preservation will come first.

Mind you, the IL76 incident makes the ascension of Zaluzhnyi and Budanov less likely —despite what most Western analysts are saying. Zaluzhnyi and Budanov are directly responsible for military activities and intelligence – including the operation of air defense systems. Zelensky's announced investigation of the incident can easily target them – at least reducing their influence and keeping Z in power.

I am sure that Zelensky would much prefer to move his government to London then to Lviv.

The Middle East

In the Middle East, the US has another neo-Nazi, genocidal creation– Israel. Of course, there are many who believe that the US is actually a Zionist creature. But that is a subject for another article,

US strategy here in West Asia is to promote the genocide of the Palestinian people and escalate military action, against Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran— losing all the way. But the defense industry always wins: the Pentagon is owned by the MIC, as we can see from Lloyd Austin.

Each escalation, however, demonstrates the weaknesses of both the US and Israel while highlighting the growing power of Islamic states, backed up by Russia, China, and the global South. Each accomplishes almost nothing tactically or strategically and increases vulnerability.

But the MIC is happy – and so nothing will come from White House murmurings about withdrawals from Syria and Iraq to protect American lives (which they don't care about),

Israeli provocations; Russian alienation

Recently, with Hezbollah putting pressure on northern Israel, Israeli aircraft launched missiles from the Golan Heights targeting a residential building in Damascus housing members of the IRGC. You can be sure that Iran is upgrading its support for Hezbollah as well as for Syria.

In the Middle East, timing matters….

The Israeli attack was on the 20^th.

On the 24^th, discussions began in Moscow to ratify a Russia-Iran mutual security treaty….

The Russian negotiator said:

 "This comprehensive document will pave the way for strategic cooperation between the two states, elevating the relations between Iran and Russia to a new level of depth and breadth."

“New level of depth and breadth”?

That means serious cooperation. Obviously, the Israelis and Americans knew that this treaty was in the works, so why escalate at this point – just when the Iranians and Russians are working out the details? Was it to convince them that they need even more mutual protection against the crazies in Tel Aviv and Washington? Ah yes, Pan Delirus.

On the 18th, the Russians announced they would begin air patrols along the so-called Bravo Line on the border of the Israeli occupied Golan Heights. It is not clear whether these patrols have actually begun or not or how effective they would be in preventing Israeli missile strikes either on Damascus or Idlib— but it is a significant step towards proactively protecting themselves and their allies and interests.

Up until now, the Russians have avoided conflict with the Israelis and have not allowed the Syrians to use advanced missile systems, such as the S300 or S400 against them. Nor have the Iranians provided the Syrians with their equivalents of these AD systems. These anti-escalatory policies could now change. Russia's view of Israel is decidedly less positive.

Of course, the Russians also know that Iran can look after its own interests—and Israeli missile strikes don't actually change much on the ground in Syria.

Iran and Iraq respond

Iran responded to the Israeli strike on Damascus asymmetrically attacking Al-Asad Air Base airbase in Iraq—the largest strike on record and one which used more advanced missiles – reportedly short-range ballistic missiles.\

What this tells us is that Iran is now providing insurgent groups and militias with more advanced weapons. This is certainly the case with Hezbollah and the Houthis -- but now the Iraqis are suddenly convinced that the US must go!

Biden responded pompously to the attack on the US air base by saying that if American soldiers were killed that could lead to war-- even though he knows he doesn't have the means to wage a full-scale war against anyone who could actually fight back. It is notable also than Biden's concern for the lives of Americans did not extend to Gonzalo Lira.

On the other hand, a major, unwinnable war is certainly not a good idea in an election year when your opponent, ahead in the polls, and is saying: “Elect me-- I didn't start any wars”.

On January 24, obviously not so worried about “war”, the U.S. launched strikes against Kataib Hezbollah in al-Qa’im, as well as Jurf al-Sakhar. This organization belongs to Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces—but the US insists it takes orders from Iran, as part of the Islamic Resistance.

Hours after the strikes, the IRI attacked a U.S. base in Syria, the Conoco gas plant, and two other bases hosting U.S. forces in Iraq, al-Asad Air Base and another located next to Erbil International Airport.

The Houthis

Escalation continued in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

American attacks on the Houthis have been as ineffective as Saudi attacks previously were. Ansar Allah is politically strengthened and inspired to fight harder.

On January 23, the U.S. and the United Kingdom, launched 18 attacks on eight targets in Yemen (Ansar Allah) in Yemen — the capital Sana’a as well as the provinces of al-Hudaydah, Taiz and al-Bayda.

The Houthis responded the same day firing, the US said, three missiles at a U.S.-owned container ship, the M/V Maersk Detroit with two intercepted in the third missing is target.

However, the Houthis claimed that they had engaged U.S. vessels with missiles in a two-hour battle and damaged a warship.

What does this tell us? American airstrikes in no way diminish the military capabilities of Ansar Allah.

In any event, Maersk turned back its ship or ships which were containing military supplies— a win for the Houthis.

Their attacks on American and British vessels have disrupted the global supply chain, with effects that that surpass the COVID panic—but benefit the Russians, with traffic from Europe now increasingly opting for Russia's Northern Sea Route.

Russian and Chinese vessels of course can use the Red Sea unimpeded which is good for their shipping industries.

Israel: winning means losing

Meanwhile, Israel has been suffering its heaviest losses in Gaza, a reported 24 on the 22nd— almost certainly more— since up until now Israel has consistently understated losses.

Israel's biggest losses, however, are international, if not existential.

Israeli escalation – and American support for genocide—are generating anti-Zionism in the United States, not to mention anti-Semitism among those who cannot distinguish Jews from Zionists – despite them being quite different.

NDS: National Dementia Syndrome

As I have suggested before, what we call the "West"— neoliberal, predatory capitalist civilization— is collapsing. More correctly, rotting from the head – the US. No less than Emmanuel Todd-- the polymathic French scholar agrees.

Among the reasons voiced by the French figure for such a gloomy forecast for the Western world minority are the collapse of the Kiev-NATO summer counter-offensive against the Russian army, the failure of the US and a number of other NATO regimes to provide sufficient weapons, the US industrial deficit with the disclosure of the fictitious nature of the US GDP, insufficient training of specialists in the field of engineering, and a number of other factors. And actually, Emmanuel Todd’s latest book, due out this month, is called: “The Defeat of the West” (La Défaite de l’Occident).

Add to this list national derangement—call it National Dementia Syndrome.

Todd was first to predict collapse of the Soviet Union, despite prevailing opinion at the time. Will he be right this time too?

One thing is certain—history is not on the side of the West.

A coffee for the (old) guy

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Personal Note:

Many thanks to all of those who offered support after my old friend Jet died.

I have lost a lot of friends recently. My good friend J — 30 years my junior, who had everything to live for— a successful career, recently married with a young daughter—committed suicide early last year. Late last year also there was my old and very good friend, B, a Vietnam vet living in Thailand with a wife and young daughter. Then there was my friend, M, with whom I went to kindergarten then elementary school and high school and lived just up the street. Finally, L. from high school. I remember her smile.

We mourn most those close to us.

But what about those faraway? The women and children of Gaza, for example.

Some deaths are destiny. We cannot rage against the dying of their light.

The victims of genocide and massacre, however, were destined to live—not die.

The dying of their light deserves not only our tears-but our rage.

Again—thank you.

—Julian