So funny, just had listened to the three and broke off because of the redundancy. Just yesterday I enjoyed Dmitri Orlov at Nima‘s, he is the master of Russian sarcasm. I love him. Wrote a summary on my Facebook account. He is the anti-Mearsheimer saying things like: „if the US wants to avoid being destructed by China it must capitulate. Take the ball and go home.“
Thanks for your work which is important to me. You are right with Ritter and all these „we“-Patriots.
Quoting Col Douglas Mcgregor; "two classes of ships in the next war; submarines and targets". ok maybe missiles and targets. War, especially combined arms, or total war is a rock, paper, scissors game, even with nukes if AD is good enough. Carrier battle groups are worthless against submarines and missiles and navies have never been effective in continental land force wars except to protect supply lines. Oh yeah. The US military hasn't won a war since WWII pacific, but they are masters at disinformation.
Israel is done. Since Israel is losing and disintegrating on all fronts - militarily, politically and economically - and the USA knows that it cannot wage war against Iran, it is only a matter of time before it becomes clear that the USA will not support Israel with its own troops.
All states in the region are waiting for this. It hasn't happened yet, but when it does, the Muslim states will "crush Israel like a bug".
(Orlov insists, however, that Turkey has stopped the supply of Azerbaijani oil to the apartheid colony, but this has not been confirmed to date 15 November 2024).
2)
"The Europeans should stand up for Ukraine and fight as they did "to the last Ukrainian" now "to the last European". But somewhere in their gut, the European leaders feel that "The Ukraine" is completely finished and there is nothing they can do about it.
But they can't say that, because until yesterday they were loudly proclaiming that "Putin must not win under any circumstances". If they were to say now that Putin could win after all, they could pull a gun out of their desk and shoot themselves in the head. So what should they do?
The best thing, of course, would be to simply walk their dog or mow their neighbour's lawn, but instead they are loitering around summit events in Brussels or Budapest, not knowing what will happen next. With a hunch that they'll soon be unemployed."
3)
The new defence secretary-designate, the one with the Nazi tattoo whose name nobody can remember, has just announced that the US no longer has any (non-nuclear) threat potential because China can sink all 12 US aircraft carriers "in 20 minutes". Since it is not very promising to threaten nuclear powers with nuclear weapons, the USA no longer has any chance of pressurising China.
In plain language: the USA will not wage war against China because it can no longer do so. They will have to watch as China's economic, technological and political superiority gradually robs them of their means of power.
The year 2025, according to Dmitry Orlov, is the year of capitulations: The Ukraine will capitulate, and the USA will capitulate.“
I ask my fellow Americans all the time why they hate Russia, China and Iran. I ask them what have they ever done to us? Then I ask them what we've done to them. Most Americans and Europeans are afflicted with the manufactured mental disorders of Russophobia and Sinophobia. Also we're afflicted with a severe case of Islamophobia. I know who manufactured the former 🇺🇸🇫🇲. I know who manufactured the latter 🇺🇸🇫🇲🇮🇱.
With regards to Orlov's nr. 3, that is precisely why the US is currently militarizing the Philippines and the rest of its chihuaha vassals in SE Asia, preparing for a future attempt to repeat "the Cuban missile crisis"...
If Europe stands for Ukraine to the last man, we can solve the issue of Chinese man outnumbering Chinese woman, by marrying the surplus chinese man to the European widows of the war and their orfan adult daughters.
Mercouris? An interesting coincidence - just today, after reading MoA, I commented at Unz:
President Trump has been presented with the opportunity to be the BEST president EVER......or end up presiding over the COLLAPSE of America - "IT'S YOUR CHOICE, SIR!"
Today's MoA has a very insightful post -
English Outsider On Trump's Cabinet Of Curiosities And How Little It Matters - https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/11/english-outsider-on-trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities-and-how-little-it-matters.html#more - "Are those fair conclusions to draw from Mercouris' observation? Pretty squalid conclusions, if so, but then that's politics. But for me, my judgement of the success of the Trump Presidency will be on quite other grounds. I stated that judgement on Colonel Lang's old site and state it here:
This final stage of the Ukrainian war is leading to quite appalling casualties. The genocide in the ME is not only a tragedy for those suffering. It is an ineradicable stain on Western civilisation and future generations will look back in horror at what we supported and often encouraged.
Trump's Presidency will be judged not by the success of his internal reforms. It will be judged by the extent to which he managed, even before his inauguration, to bring these horrors to an end."
The article points out that that at some point, a sense of reality will kick in after the pompous rhetoric out of the 'all mouth and no mojo' little pissants have had their say. When confronted by actual battlefield facts and logistics - as you have been saying forever - it will become evident to a pragmatist like Trump and associates that DaEmpire of Evil holds no aces - only face saving will be the route taken.
I used to listen to all of them a lot quite some time ago, but I stopped for the same reason. Alex M just gave too much credit to western press - as if they could anything except lie. Western press can be skimmed for the headlines to see what BS they are pushing, but to analyze it?? That's a fools errand. The grinds on - it's an attritional war - it's slow, but a podcasters got to podcast so there is a lot of repetition in this space. Too much to be bothered listening to.
There’s no question that the Duran and in particular Mercuris cannot divorce itself or sufficiently transcend the boundaries of a Eurocentric world view. Essentially, Eurocentrism has taken various forms in its long history, all involving implicit, explicit, or presumptive glorification and exaltation of Western political, economic, cultural technological, military, etc., values and practices including its epistemological foundations as superior and the standard by which to measure all other historical or contemporary systems of knowledge.
A good example, among many, that is consistent with Julian’s perspective on this issue occurred during a program back in 2023 on Mercuris’ YouTube channel which coincided with the first reports of Iran supplying Russia with massive quantities of drones. Mercuris expressed significant doubt about such reports at the time and for a good subsequent while before he conceded in light of overwhelming evidence as the images of Shahed drones surfaced for the first time hovering all over the Ukrainian skies. And Mercuris clearly expressed doubts by specifically arguing that Russia was so advanced technologically and would not need Iranian assistance in drone or missile technology. He really seemed to disbelieve the reports based on the assumption that Iran is a backward country compared to Russia cannot possibly produce advanced weapons that even Russia had not produced or possessed in significant numbers. He regarded the news of Iranian drones entering the Ukraine battlefield as another form of western propaganda much like the prevalent claim back then that Russia was running out of missiles. Hence, Mercuris inadvertently was the victim of his own Eurocentrism against an emerging and serious military power in the global South while he was actively rejecting the Atlanticist bias and propaganda devaluing Russian capabilities vis-à-vis NATO.
Of course, notwithstanding, there is no doubt that the Duran and its Alexander duo are a breath of fresh air relative to the abysmal Western MSM, but we should never be satisfied to set the bar as merely as low as that!
I wholly agree with the assessment. My only concern is whether China and India will go all the way with Russia taking the entire south-eastern Ukraine. For Russia it is essential that these two countries don't exert too much diplomatic pressure on it to compromise. And it is a given that these two (esp. India) will be under extreme pressure from the Trump administration to make Russia agree to whatver peace proposal he proposes. India and China have in their own ways wonderfully resisted the western pressure so far....but it is still a nervous question on my part, to what extent can they continue to do so?
Though if Trump puts the sanctions instead of just continuing intimidating tactics, that will be the end of US influence on them for good.
There is not much pressure Trump can exert on China. India is on the fence now but I don't think it will last much longer. India is the "I" in BRICS+. See what I mean?
India has a large Muslim population the Brits tried to get rid of with Pakistan and Bangladesh but many stayed. The Muslims are still in India and their population is growing due to their exponential reproduction. Wink wink.
Trump is hardly creative . He likes to throw punches but lacks the ability to use tactic. He might try to double down and threatens a lot, but need is to stand firm on your position. Not sure if these will transpire, but can’t rule out monumental error in judgment and behavior
That video was the first one of their's i didnt watch all the way through. Mearsheimer's supremacist attitude towards "containing China" makes my blood boil so much i had to switch it off.
Who the hell gives Americans any right to "contain" another country?
I think Mercouris deferred too much to Mearsheimer in this talk. He takes at face value that the U.S. is allowed to set red lines in China’s neighborhood and that China should just accept it.
Saying that China can’t win a naval battle on its shores was surprising because I have heard him multiple times state the opposite.
In any case, agreeing with someone 100% all the time is a sign you’re not using your brain.
I agree with almost all of what you say. My only concern is that Russia will settle for too little because of a deep, almost Jungian, need by many of the intelligentsia (not all..Dugin, eg, or some of the military and nationalist folk) to be accepted by European and Western elite. It seems that desire is rooted in and evidenced going back to the 18th century. I fear it is in the civilizational DNA of the sophisticated and economically powerful layer of their society. (Much like the almost universal hatred of Russia in the English educated classes.) Also, China and India (especially!!) might be an influence favoring excessive accommodation. Hope I am wrong. Keep up the great writing.
Not sure I agree. Putin has no inclination to jump on the bandwagon and settle for a shit settlement. Don’t believe a decision of this significance to Russian sovereignty is rooted in some knee jerk response based on nationalist tradition
100% ! After their "get-togethers" with that jerk Webb, my assessment of Duran and Mercouris went into an endless Minus! I can no longer afford to waste time on them and other "oldies" of the Cold War era: Davis, McGregor, Ritter, Martianov... To rely on their subjective opinion based on the experience of the past - fire me ! Berletik said it well : "Do not deceive and do not justify yourself in your delusions, do not become an accomplice to the universal lie." (literally)
I have also found Alexander and Alex to be rather uninformed about what is going on in Palestine. And probably why they don't seem to discuss that crisis too often.
Many of us at The Duran have recommended a number of excellent Mid East analysts that would make for great discussion but we rarely see this...
They are not uninformed. In one of their videos they stated that they had to be extremely careful in choosing their words when commenting about the ME to avoid the risk of being deplatformed.
'All three people keep on using “we” –where “we” means “the West”'.
I have sometimes felt that way, and occasionally complained - to writers I thought might care. But actually, isn't that orientation rather admirable? Mr Mercouris, for example, accepts his British nationality and the responsibility it implies for what the UK government does in the name of its citizens. I am rather more inclined to agree with you, and say "A plague on both your houses" - all your houses, in fact.
So funny, just had listened to the three and broke off because of the redundancy. Just yesterday I enjoyed Dmitri Orlov at Nima‘s, he is the master of Russian sarcasm. I love him. Wrote a summary on my Facebook account. He is the anti-Mearsheimer saying things like: „if the US wants to avoid being destructed by China it must capitulate. Take the ball and go home.“
Thanks for your work which is important to me. You are right with Ritter and all these „we“-Patriots.
Quoting Col Douglas Mcgregor; "two classes of ships in the next war; submarines and targets". ok maybe missiles and targets. War, especially combined arms, or total war is a rock, paper, scissors game, even with nukes if AD is good enough. Carrier battle groups are worthless against submarines and missiles and navies have never been effective in continental land force wars except to protect supply lines. Oh yeah. The US military hasn't won a war since WWII pacific, but they are masters at disinformation.
from Dmitri:
„1)
Israel is done. Since Israel is losing and disintegrating on all fronts - militarily, politically and economically - and the USA knows that it cannot wage war against Iran, it is only a matter of time before it becomes clear that the USA will not support Israel with its own troops.
All states in the region are waiting for this. It hasn't happened yet, but when it does, the Muslim states will "crush Israel like a bug".
(Orlov insists, however, that Turkey has stopped the supply of Azerbaijani oil to the apartheid colony, but this has not been confirmed to date 15 November 2024).
2)
"The Europeans should stand up for Ukraine and fight as they did "to the last Ukrainian" now "to the last European". But somewhere in their gut, the European leaders feel that "The Ukraine" is completely finished and there is nothing they can do about it.
But they can't say that, because until yesterday they were loudly proclaiming that "Putin must not win under any circumstances". If they were to say now that Putin could win after all, they could pull a gun out of their desk and shoot themselves in the head. So what should they do?
The best thing, of course, would be to simply walk their dog or mow their neighbour's lawn, but instead they are loitering around summit events in Brussels or Budapest, not knowing what will happen next. With a hunch that they'll soon be unemployed."
3)
The new defence secretary-designate, the one with the Nazi tattoo whose name nobody can remember, has just announced that the US no longer has any (non-nuclear) threat potential because China can sink all 12 US aircraft carriers "in 20 minutes". Since it is not very promising to threaten nuclear powers with nuclear weapons, the USA no longer has any chance of pressurising China.
In plain language: the USA will not wage war against China because it can no longer do so. They will have to watch as China's economic, technological and political superiority gradually robs them of their means of power.
The year 2025, according to Dmitry Orlov, is the year of capitulations: The Ukraine will capitulate, and the USA will capitulate.“
That’s my music, Julian. What’s yours? 😁♥️
Alex Sachs.
Why should Europe stand up for Ukraine?
We all know in Europe (thinking minds) do not support the war in Ukraine.
IT is a Nazi State.
US started this war....why?
BIG enemy Russia. Deplete Russia through Ukraine!
Many people don't like Russia and I keep asking the question. Why?
Millions (20 million Russians) died WW2
Why are they our enemy?
I ask my fellow Americans all the time why they hate Russia, China and Iran. I ask them what have they ever done to us? Then I ask them what we've done to them. Most Americans and Europeans are afflicted with the manufactured mental disorders of Russophobia and Sinophobia. Also we're afflicted with a severe case of Islamophobia. I know who manufactured the former 🇺🇸🇫🇲. I know who manufactured the latter 🇺🇸🇫🇲🇮🇱.
We are living Heinlein's Crazy Years.
They are our enemy because western predator civilization cannot accept strong and sovereign nations that do not bow to their will.
That’s all.
With regards to Orlov's nr. 3, that is precisely why the US is currently militarizing the Philippines and the rest of its chihuaha vassals in SE Asia, preparing for a future attempt to repeat "the Cuban missile crisis"...
Phillippines has a corrupt country.....which of course the US loves.
"... they could pull a gun out of their desk and shoot themselves in the head. So what should they do?"
Go ahead - do it! Do it!!
If Europe stands for Ukraine to the last man, we can solve the issue of Chinese man outnumbering Chinese woman, by marrying the surplus chinese man to the European widows of the war and their orfan adult daughters.
EXCELLENT Julian. I wish I could write like you....getting old now!
I do not watch Meersheimer now because he really does not understand China.
I watch mostly Economics and I am NOT a math wizard. Jeffrey Sachs is my hero.
I have been watching BRCS which is eventually going to kill the dollar.
I am also watching Europe very closely since Trump got in................mostly I am laughing because the right wing elites have NO idea what to do.
In France we in the left have been denied (by Macron) our own votes.
For all the time in France (23yrs) we have fought the right (Le Pen) and yet we see NO difference.
Mercouris? An interesting coincidence - just today, after reading MoA, I commented at Unz:
President Trump has been presented with the opportunity to be the BEST president EVER......or end up presiding over the COLLAPSE of America - "IT'S YOUR CHOICE, SIR!"
Today's MoA has a very insightful post -
English Outsider On Trump's Cabinet Of Curiosities And How Little It Matters - https://www.moonofalabama.org/2024/11/english-outsider-on-trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities-and-how-little-it-matters.html#more - "Are those fair conclusions to draw from Mercouris' observation? Pretty squalid conclusions, if so, but then that's politics. But for me, my judgement of the success of the Trump Presidency will be on quite other grounds. I stated that judgement on Colonel Lang's old site and state it here:
This final stage of the Ukrainian war is leading to quite appalling casualties. The genocide in the ME is not only a tragedy for those suffering. It is an ineradicable stain on Western civilisation and future generations will look back in horror at what we supported and often encouraged.
Trump's Presidency will be judged not by the success of his internal reforms. It will be judged by the extent to which he managed, even before his inauguration, to bring these horrors to an end."
The article points out that that at some point, a sense of reality will kick in after the pompous rhetoric out of the 'all mouth and no mojo' little pissants have had their say. When confronted by actual battlefield facts and logistics - as you have been saying forever - it will become evident to a pragmatist like Trump and associates that DaEmpire of Evil holds no aces - only face saving will be the route taken.
I used to listen to all of them a lot quite some time ago, but I stopped for the same reason. Alex M just gave too much credit to western press - as if they could anything except lie. Western press can be skimmed for the headlines to see what BS they are pushing, but to analyze it?? That's a fools errand. The grinds on - it's an attritional war - it's slow, but a podcasters got to podcast so there is a lot of repetition in this space. Too much to be bothered listening to.
There’s no question that the Duran and in particular Mercuris cannot divorce itself or sufficiently transcend the boundaries of a Eurocentric world view. Essentially, Eurocentrism has taken various forms in its long history, all involving implicit, explicit, or presumptive glorification and exaltation of Western political, economic, cultural technological, military, etc., values and practices including its epistemological foundations as superior and the standard by which to measure all other historical or contemporary systems of knowledge.
A good example, among many, that is consistent with Julian’s perspective on this issue occurred during a program back in 2023 on Mercuris’ YouTube channel which coincided with the first reports of Iran supplying Russia with massive quantities of drones. Mercuris expressed significant doubt about such reports at the time and for a good subsequent while before he conceded in light of overwhelming evidence as the images of Shahed drones surfaced for the first time hovering all over the Ukrainian skies. And Mercuris clearly expressed doubts by specifically arguing that Russia was so advanced technologically and would not need Iranian assistance in drone or missile technology. He really seemed to disbelieve the reports based on the assumption that Iran is a backward country compared to Russia cannot possibly produce advanced weapons that even Russia had not produced or possessed in significant numbers. He regarded the news of Iranian drones entering the Ukraine battlefield as another form of western propaganda much like the prevalent claim back then that Russia was running out of missiles. Hence, Mercuris inadvertently was the victim of his own Eurocentrism against an emerging and serious military power in the global South while he was actively rejecting the Atlanticist bias and propaganda devaluing Russian capabilities vis-à-vis NATO.
Of course, notwithstanding, there is no doubt that the Duran and its Alexander duo are a breath of fresh air relative to the abysmal Western MSM, but we should never be satisfied to set the bar as merely as low as that!
Julian, your assessments of Duran and Meerchimer are bullseyes!🎯 I prefer Pepe Escobar and Michael Hudson.
Western narrative is surprisingly insidious even for discerning commentators. The "we" is catching.
I wholly agree with the assessment. My only concern is whether China and India will go all the way with Russia taking the entire south-eastern Ukraine. For Russia it is essential that these two countries don't exert too much diplomatic pressure on it to compromise. And it is a given that these two (esp. India) will be under extreme pressure from the Trump administration to make Russia agree to whatver peace proposal he proposes. India and China have in their own ways wonderfully resisted the western pressure so far....but it is still a nervous question on my part, to what extent can they continue to do so?
Though if Trump puts the sanctions instead of just continuing intimidating tactics, that will be the end of US influence on them for good.
There is not much pressure Trump can exert on China. India is on the fence now but I don't think it will last much longer. India is the "I" in BRICS+. See what I mean?
India: Under Modi I agree is a 'thorn in the side' of Russia/China.
Internally in India things are NOT going well for Modi.
He is a Hindu first.
Mulims are being abused in India. This was caused by British Empire
Take a look at what the President of Malaysia is saying about India.
Malaysia is a huge Muslim country.
India has a large Muslim population the Brits tried to get rid of with Pakistan and Bangladesh but many stayed. The Muslims are still in India and their population is growing due to their exponential reproduction. Wink wink.
Trump is hardly creative . He likes to throw punches but lacks the ability to use tactic. He might try to double down and threatens a lot, but need is to stand firm on your position. Not sure if these will transpire, but can’t rule out monumental error in judgment and behavior
That video was the first one of their's i didnt watch all the way through. Mearsheimer's supremacist attitude towards "containing China" makes my blood boil so much i had to switch it off.
Who the hell gives Americans any right to "contain" another country?
I think Mercouris deferred too much to Mearsheimer in this talk. He takes at face value that the U.S. is allowed to set red lines in China’s neighborhood and that China should just accept it.
Saying that China can’t win a naval battle on its shores was surprising because I have heard him multiple times state the opposite.
In any case, agreeing with someone 100% all the time is a sign you’re not using your brain.
I agree with almost all of what you say. My only concern is that Russia will settle for too little because of a deep, almost Jungian, need by many of the intelligentsia (not all..Dugin, eg, or some of the military and nationalist folk) to be accepted by European and Western elite. It seems that desire is rooted in and evidenced going back to the 18th century. I fear it is in the civilizational DNA of the sophisticated and economically powerful layer of their society. (Much like the almost universal hatred of Russia in the English educated classes.) Also, China and India (especially!!) might be an influence favoring excessive accommodation. Hope I am wrong. Keep up the great writing.
Not sure I agree. Putin has no inclination to jump on the bandwagon and settle for a shit settlement. Don’t believe a decision of this significance to Russian sovereignty is rooted in some knee jerk response based on nationalist tradition
Don’t believe a decision of such significance to Russian sovereignty would be based on nationalist tradition
Russia has fought this war against the Western Empire........and they have won.
Russia has the best Statesman in the whole world.
NO he will not capitulate.
I am pretty sure their are people at work in Europe/USA and inside Russia who will try to take him out.
100% ! After their "get-togethers" with that jerk Webb, my assessment of Duran and Mercouris went into an endless Minus! I can no longer afford to waste time on them and other "oldies" of the Cold War era: Davis, McGregor, Ritter, Martianov... To rely on their subjective opinion based on the experience of the past - fire me ! Berletik said it well : "Do not deceive and do not justify yourself in your delusions, do not become an accomplice to the universal lie." (literally)
Great piece! And I completely agree.
I have also found Alexander and Alex to be rather uninformed about what is going on in Palestine. And probably why they don't seem to discuss that crisis too often.
Many of us at The Duran have recommended a number of excellent Mid East analysts that would make for great discussion but we rarely see this...
They are not uninformed. In one of their videos they stated that they had to be extremely careful in choosing their words when commenting about the ME to avoid the risk of being deplatformed.
The answer to that is to then put such analysis on Rumble and avoid YouTube.
Other analysts are doing this while some, like The GrayZone",simply refuse to bend to such pressures and they are still around on YouTube.
If you want to talk about about being de-platformed, take a look at The Unz Review to see that variety of material that is presented there.
Sometimes, one simply has to take a stand without giving a shit...
'All three people keep on using “we” –where “we” means “the West”'.
I have sometimes felt that way, and occasionally complained - to writers I thought might care. But actually, isn't that orientation rather admirable? Mr Mercouris, for example, accepts his British nationality and the responsibility it implies for what the UK government does in the name of its citizens. I am rather more inclined to agree with you, and say "A plague on both your houses" - all your houses, in fact.