Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

Joe's Fuck the EU -- Showdown

by Oui Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 12:25:42 PM EST

..

Taking US manufacturing of Military Industrial Complex to a whole new level ... getting rid of old war stock across the plains of the Ukraine and kicking up some dust. Digging mass graves as collateral damage ... just writing a new chapter in the history books.

    "The President has explicitly articulated certain limitations to the support he is willing to extend. Among these, he has restricted the provision of long-range missiles, specifically the ATACMS, which boast a range of 300 kilometers. His rationale stems from a delicate balance between two key objectives: one, to lend necessary assistance to Ukraine in its defense; the other, to circumvent a trajectory that could potentially plunge us into the cataclysm of a third world war," the speaker elucidated at the distinguished Aspen Security Forum.


Hey lookie here what I found ... 😳

In an unexpected turn of events, the administration's decision to deploy weapons may be facilitated by a newfound surplus. According to two officials who spoke to ABC News, an audit revealed that the U.S. had underestimated the quantity of ATACMS in its arsenal, thereby increasing its firepower significantly.

The operational status of the recently unearthed arsenal remains indeterminate, as does the precise variant of missiles it encompasses. The ATACMS, it should be noted, exist in multiple configurations, ranging from projectiles armed with substantial high-explosive warheads to anti-personnel cluster-munition versions designed to dispense hundreds of bomblets over designated targets.

With the provision of a significantly extended striking range for Ukrainian forces against Russian positions, the ATACMS not only hampers the Russian counter-fire capabilities but also potentially enhances Ukraine's ability to hit targets within the contentious region of Crimea.

WP: US intelligence says Ukraine will fail to meet offensive's key goal

According to The Washington Post, there is growing backing in Washington for providing rocket-launched cluster munitions, for example, which could strike deeper than the artillery-fired versions the United States began supplying last month.

In addition, the United States is also working hard to plan a Ukrainian "force of the future" that could deter continued Russian aggression.

The aggression of the malicious expansion of NATO to the borders of the Russian Federation needs not to be questioned ... the evidence has become quite clear. Propaganda and decades of building the war narrative.

European Commission biting its tongue when asked about war crimes from the U.S. and its Western partners in providing mass lethal weapons ...

STAYING THE COURSE OF OBLITERATION AND ECONOMIC CATASTROPHY IN EU

EU Responds Harshly to Question about Relevance of Depleted Uranium Shells for Ukraine

At the European Commission's daily briefing, journalists asked for comment on Washington's decision to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium shells

Peter Stano, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that Ukraine is defending itself against Russia's armed aggression and is fighting for its survival.

"I would not be worried about what the allies of Ukraine are supplying to Ukraine in order to help it to defend itself.

I would be worried about a nuclear gamble Putin is playing. First, with the civilian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, by occupying it with military, by stationing weapons and soldiers there.

I would be worried about using food as a weapon, as Putin does nowadays bombarding port infrastructure at rivers in Ukraine in order to aggravate the global food crisis and push prices up so that he can enrich himself," Stano said. 

Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine | Sept. 6, 2023 |

The capabilities in this package, valued at up to $175 million, include:

  • Equipment to support Ukraine's air defense systems;
  • Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
  • 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
  • 81mm mortars systems and rounds; 
  • 120mm depleted uranium tank ammunition for Abrams tanks; 
  • Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;
  • Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;
  • Over 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition; 
  • Tactical air navigation systems; 
  • Tactical secure communications systems and support equipment;
  • Demolitions munitions for obstacle clearing; and
  • Spare parts, maintenance, and other field equipment.

This security assistance package will utilize assistance previously authorized under Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine that remained after the PDA revaluation process concluded in June.

The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.

INVINCIBLES

BOTH SIDES WILLING TO FURTHER ESCALATE -- NO END IN SIGHT

In March, when Britain said it would supply the [DU munition] shells, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, warned that Moscow would "respond accordingly" given that the west was starting to use weapons with what he called a "nuclear component".

Putin followed up several days later by saying Russia would respond by stationing tactical nuclear weapons in neighbouring Belarus. Putin and the Belarusian president said in July that Russia had already shipped some of the weapons.

U.S. DOD issues information paper on depleted uranium in Balkans | Oct. 31, 2001 |

Meanwhile Joe Biden industrializes America, using financial restraints and harsh economic sanction worldwide ... an uncompromising foreign policy of bullying instead of diplomacy. Extending the four years reign by Donald Trump ...

Super Praise for Joe Biden Super MAGA

From the Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland WTF

Mars is getting quite crowded these days ...

As Joe was retreating from Afghanistan and building a NWO ... w/o Russia and China ... with an Atlantic Alliance, defined by a coalition of the willing ... building on Rumsfeld's New Europe and Cheney's bullying of NATO members @Bucharest Summit of 2008. Joe has expressed clearly ... fuck the EU. Has Ursula von der Leyen on a leash ... not in Europe's interest. BBB on Trump's epic MAGA. Joe wearing a honorary red cap.

My analysis ...


Display:
The text of the joint declaration has been released. We will break it down for you.

Let's get into the most contentious part first. The paragraph on the war in Ukraine has clues on how the consensus was reached.

"We note with deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world," says the first line.

It doesn't blame Russia for the war. Instead, it notes the human suffering caused by the war. Now that's language that both Moscow and the West can not only agree on but also interpret in a way that suits their respective stands.

[...]

Language in Delhi declaration not as strong as Bali

A close reading of the Delhi declaration reveals that the language on the war in Ukraine is not as strong in its condemnation of Russia as it was in the Bali declaration last year.

In Bali, the members reiterated their national positions of "deploring in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine". But it noted that there were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions.

We too lament the suffering of peoples from Climate Change and natural disasters ... man-made or not.

Earthquake in Morocco: Great outpouring of international solidarity and messages of support from several world leaders

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 01:19:03 PM EST
G20 acknowledges difference of views, assessments of situation in Ukraine - declaration | TASS |

There were different views and assessments of the situation," the document reads.

"Today's era must not be of war," G20 nations said, adding that they are also deeply concerned "about the adverse impact that conflicts have on the security of civilians thereby exacerbating existing socio-economic fragilities and vulnerabilities and hindering an effective humanitarian response.".

Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's forthcoming participation in the G20 Summit

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 08:06:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]
At G-20 and in Viet Nam, Biden to sell American partnerships—all at China's expense, (07.09.23)
G7 Associated Press Lexicon
sell, pitch, bet, high-stakes, sales job, make the case, talk up, framing,

*-led, multilateral institutions, "NATO and G-7 allies", strategic partnership, global chess board, global stage, stratigically significant, leader-level, global markets,

financial influence, financial arrangements

economic windfall, economic powerhouse, economic story, economic engine, Bidenomics,

backyard, doorstep, regional aims, regional position,

aggression, battle, autocracies, democratic backslide, pariah, "Communist country", bulwark

human rights abuses, forcibly *, optical purposes

Biden's high-stakes Asia sojourn is designed to reinforce America's regional position and back the president's attempt to seek a new economic world order [25.05.2023]. It also reflects an effort to take China head on in the battle for global financial influence.
The president and his critics agree that the free trade era is over in Washington. They just aren't sure what comes next.
[..."non-market" solution AKA Price Cap Coalition FKA racketeering...]
The goal is to replace the old paradigms of globalization—free trade and a reliance on markets—with a "worker-centered" trade policy that raises wages not just for Americans, but around the world. But building a new world economy is proving more difficult than eulogizing the old one. [...] More fundamentally, Biden's brain trust has yet to settle on a vision for how the next era of global economics will be constructed. Their initial ideas are abstract at best. [...] "In the end, the way that we are going to build an international economic architecture is not going to be with kind of Parthenon-style, clear pillars as we did after the Second World War," Sullivan said, "but something that feels a little bit more like a Frank Gehry—a mix of structures and substances."
[Biden] will make the case that the institutions the U.S. helped create after World War II, like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, can reform into more reliable bodies for developing nations.

"We know that these institutions are some of the most effective tools that we have for mobilizing transparent, high quality investment into developing countries," national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday from the White House podium.

He further insisted Biden will offer an "affirmative" agenda to such nations, not just broadsides < wipes tears > against China's development assistance. "We believe that there should be high standard, non-coercive lending options available to low- and middle-income countries. That's a fact. It's also a fact that World Bank reform is not about China, in no small part because China is a shareholder in the World Bank [and the IMF]," Sullivan said.
[...]
After Biden leaves India for Viet Nam, he will shift his focus from issues of the boardroom to the global chess board. The nation is both worried about China's aggression and pleased that restrictions on Beijing's economy are sending jobs and investment its way.
[...]

whitehouse.gov G20 side lines, 9 Sep
Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer Ahead of the G20 Summit
...President Biden will use this session to highlight how Russia's brutal war on Ukraine is harming many of the countries in that room and their neighbors; that Russia continues to commit unconscionable crimes that all nations abhor, like forcibly deporting Ukrainian children to Russia; as well as the fact that the war is having devastating social and economic consequences far beyond the region, including exacerbating global food insecurity....
Remarks by President Biden at Meeting for Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment
"Economic corridors -- you're going to hear that phrase more than once, I expect, over the next decade.  Economic corridors."
FACT SHEET: President Biden and Prime Minister Modi Host Leaders on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment
"Developing Key Economic Corridors"
2 ¶ Joint Statement from the United States, India, Brazil, and South Africa on the G20
"we welcome the G20's commitment to build better, bigger, and more effective multilateral development banks."
Joint Statement from the United States and the European Union on Support for Angola, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's commitment to Further Develop the Lobito Corridor and the U.S.-EU Launch of a Greenfield Rail Line Feasibility Study
...The United States and the European Union plan to explore cooperation in three specific areas: i) transport infrastructure investments; ii) measures to facilitate trade, economic development and transit; and iii) support to related sectors to fuel inclusive and sustainable economic growth and capital investment in Angola, Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo in the longer term....
whitehouse.gov G20 side lines, 10 Sep
Readout of President Biden's Engagement with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu
President Joe Biden met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu today on the sidelines of the G20 in New Delhi, India to reinforce our enduring commitment to the U.S.-Nigeria relationship and to the longstanding friendship between our two countries and peoples. President Biden welcomed the Tinubu Administration's steps to reform Nigeria's economy and thanked President Tinubu for his strong leadership as the chair of the Economic Community of West African States  [ECOWAS] to defend and preserve democracy and the rule of law in Niger and the broader region. Nigeria's invitation to the G20 Summit is a recognition of Nigeria's important global role as Africa's largest democracy and economy.
###
to be continued ....
by Cat on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 02:24:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]
by Cat on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 02:27:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Great stuff ... thx for updates 🙃 ✈️  🌏

'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 03:33:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Meanwhile in Hanoi ....

cnn | White House press secretary ends news conference as Biden is still responding to questions from reporters, 10 Sep

...Minutes before Jean-Pierre ended the press conference, Biden had delivered a lengthy answer that involved a rambling explanation of why he uses the phrase "lying dog-faced pony soldier" in an attempt to explain his feelings about politicians who deny the existence of climate change....
by Cat on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 06:14:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Feds pledge $2 billion for Chicago commuter train expansion project, 5.6 mi
The planned extension of Chicago's Red Line train to the far South Side is over 50 years in the making.
[...]
The funds are not yet guaranteed, but Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter Jr. said the project has progressed through several hurdles under the Federal Transit Administration's so-called New Starts grant program.

"CTA has been granted permission by the Federal Transit Administration to advance into the engineering stage of the planning process, which is the final step we have to complete in order to begin construction on the project," Carter Jr. said.

The remaining half of the funds, according to the CTA, will come from [regressive] sales tax bond proceeds and local tax-increment financing [TIF] district revenue. Carter Jr. said he expects the federal funding would be granted to the CTA in 2024, with construction on the extension beginning in 2025.
[...]
The Red Line is Chicago's primary north-south commuter train line, currently running from 95th Street on the South Side to Howard Street on the far North Side. It is also an indicator of race and class divides in the city: The South Side portion of the line running through majority-Black neighborhoods has fewer stops—several placed in the middle of the I-94 expressway—than the majority-white North Side tracks, and ends almost six miles north of the city's far-south neighborhoods.

ecocide and "forcible bulldozing"
Under the CTA's proposed Red Line Extension plan, the Red Line would run through those neighborhoods with four new stops, ending at 130th Street near the city's water reclamation district and Beaubien Woods nature preserve. The plan also calls for a new rail yard adjacent to the furthest south stretch of the tracks and 78 new rail cars.
[...]
archive Who Would You Approach for Hi-speed Rail?
by Cat on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 09:50:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Not by sovereign will, but rather after threats and bullying for over a decade ...

How war in Ukraine impacted Germany's budget | DW News |

A faint war fatigue is spreading among the Germans. When, at the end of August 2023, the ARD Deutschlandtrend pollsters asked what Germany's most urgent problems were, only 9% mentioned the war in Ukraine. In April, the figure was still 25%.

For the government, the war is now primarily a geopolitical and geo-economic reality whose consequences have to be dealt with. "Many of the problems we have at the moment are still causally related to the ... [yellow streak running down the spine of Europe's chose politicians for failing to stand their ground of fundamental principles of the founding of the European Union ...]

Like all the other government ministers, Habeck had to tell parliament what he wants to spend money on in 2024. The template for the federal budget was delivered by Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who is determined to make massive savings and take on as little new debt as possible. Virtually every department has had to save money, a total of €30 billion ($32 billion) compared to the current year. Only the defense budget is to be excluded, and there are to be no cuts in further support for Ukraine.

A timely patch over an eye of Chancellor Scholz ...

A suffering economy

Germany's total state budget for 2024 is around €445 billion, but even this must first be generated. Will the taxes keep flowing? The country is continuing to lose economic power. Germany is a highly industrialized country that still has an energy-intensive industry, Habeck said in the budget debate: "If about half of the energy from Russia goes away, then you get high energy prices. And if half the energy is gone and has to be procured at higher prices, then of course that pushes inflation up." [geez .. we've got whiz kids in the German cabinet ☹]

Higher interest rates are also putting a strain on the budget. The federal government is budgeting €37 billion to service its current loans next year, ten times more than in 2021. Economic aid, inflation compensation, energy subsidies -- the state significantly increased its mountain of debt during the crisis years.

If it were up to the Greens and large parts of Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), however, new debts would be incurred in 2024.

    Als Christian Lindner die Einsparungen im Bundeshaushalt vor dem Parlament erklärt, halten sich die Partner aus der Ampelkoalition mit Beifall auffallend zurück.

The environmentalist party only grudgingly accepted the austerity dictates of their coalition partner, Lindner's Free Democrats (FDP). Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in the budget debate in the Bundestag that the austerity constraints were "painful" in view of "the situation in which a war is raging in Europe."

Despite Scholz's historic turning point, and Baerbock's wish to do more for Ukraine, the current Bundestag does not have the necessary two-thirds parliamentary majority to adjust the debt limit enshrined in the Basic Law. "We cannot wish away the debt brake," Baerbock admitted.

From a 2008 diary by < US expat Ukraine >

The New Revolution

    "Capitalism trumped people, and therefore trumped democracy. What we have now is a capitalist republic. The democracy part gets the back seat. We are disposable, legally."


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 04:18:00 PM EST
Europe's rabbis (CER) has moved its headquarters from London to Munich | DW News |

Some 67 years after the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) was founded in London, the organization has moved its headquarters to the Bavarian capital, Munich, on September 19, 2023. There, it has opened a Center for Jewish Life with educational programs catering mainly to Europe's 1,000 rabbis.

CER President Pinchas Goldschmidt, the chief rabbi of Moscow until the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, said when he first heard of the idea to move the headquarters to Munich, it struck him as "really meshuga" (Yiddish for "crazy").



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Sep 19th, 2023 at 06:42:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Ukraine shares its own 'closer to reality' version of Delhi G20 Summit declaration

"We call on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. The peaceful resolution of conflicts and efforts to address crises as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical," mentions the Delhi Declaration shared after Indian PM announced its adoption.

Jaishankar on Ukraine war 

Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar held a press conference after the Delhi Declaration was adopted. In the presser, Jaishankar made comments on the issue of the Ukraine war as well.

The external affairs minister said, "They dwelt on the ongoing war in Ukraine and the impact it has had, especially on developing and least developing nations still recovering from the pandemic and economic disruption."

Jaishankar said: "It is a fact that this is today a very polarising issue and there are multiple views on this. There are a spectrum of views on this, so I think in all fairness it was only right to record what was the reality in the meeting rooms."



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 07:16:46 PM EST
One year ago ... comparison to the watered-down version at Dehli ...



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 07:23:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]
by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 9th, 2023 at 07:33:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
How Ukraine's Heroic Stand Against Russia Could Collapse Into Failure

In Washington, Brussels, and Kyiv, a never-ending stream of government officials, military officers, and opinion leaders often and defiantly declare they will support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's [alleged] illegal invasion "for as long as it takes." The war's objective, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is to drive every Russian out of Ukrainian territory. In the face of overwhelming and mounting evidence that there is no viable military path to a Ukrainian victory, such defiance and confidence is more likely to cause harm than to help.

Far from enabling Ukraine to win the war, the most likely outcome of continuing to resolutely fight is to doom Kyiv's most valuable asset -- its people -- to ever deeper levels of loss. Providing blanket support to a country so it can continue fighting a war it is very likely to lose is, in my view, immoral. 

If we truly care about the people of Ukraine, it is time to chart a new path forward -- and before tens or scores of thousands more Ukrainians needlessly pay the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of a militarily unattainable objective.

[...]

At the moment, there is no appetite in either Kyiv or Moscow to even contemplate active negotiations to end the war. Both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin are hardened into their corners, each apparently believing that with enough time, their side can amass sufficient numbers of trained personnel, armored platforms, air power, and ammunition to prevail on the battlefield. Odds are strong that neither is correct. 

My colleague Rajan Menon, who has made three trips to Ukraine since the war began, has met with civilians, government officials, and combat troops at the frontlines. The citizenry of a nation that has been invaded will endure remarkable lengths to resist, he told me in a recent email, "enduring losses that outsiders may deem irrational." 

Wars only end, he continued, when one side comes to the point where they conclude "it's better to compromise than to suffer additional losses. 
"Not one person, soldier or civilian I've ever met on any of my wartime visits to Ukraine," he somberly observed, "has said that the death and destruction had gotten so bad that it was time for talks and a settlement involving territorial concessions."

[Author: Daniel L. Davis is a Senior Fellow for Defense Priorities and a former Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army who deployed into combat zones four times. He is the author of "The Eleventh Hour in 2020 America." Follow him @DanielLDavis1.]



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 08:18:54 AM EST
Make believe for an actor linked to Ihor Kolomoyskyi and corruption.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 08:19:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]
by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 08:20:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Axel Springer's Theory, West goes easy on Russia to save the G20 (from gracefully degrading to G77)
[...]
The G20 had "nothing to be proud of" when it came to the failure to denounce Russia specifically in the joint statement in New Delhi, tweeted Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko.

Svitlana Romanko, founder and director of the pro-Ukraine group Razom We Stand, called the communiqué "weak" and "cowardly by not even mentioning Russia or its ongoing war crimes."
[...]
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the final text in a CNN interview on Sunday. "The G20 countries in this statement all stood up for the importance of territorial integrity, sovereignty -- and that's very clear," Blinken said. "I think it's very important that the G20 spoke as one," Blinken added. "To some extent, maybe it's the G19, because obviously, Russia is also here as part of the G20."

wut
[...]
The past year has seen a clutch of non-Western, developing economies emerge as potential power brokers in discussions around the war in Ukraine. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey Türkiye, [China, Vatican, Mexico, Serbia, Hungary, Brazil, France, BoJo, Musk, Comoros, Egypt, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia,] and South Africa have been flexing their diplomatic muscles, eager act as go-betweens in to mediate the conflict between Ukraine and Russia following Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Western leaders are taking notice and are prepared to work with these players—even if it means turning a blind eye to their often < wipes tears > dubious human rights records.

archive U.S. Set to Approve Depleted-Uranium Tank Rounds for Ukraine (13.06.23)
The recent gatherings of senior officials from dozens of countries in < wipes tears > Copenhagen and < wipes tears > Jeddah earlier this year for talks on ending the Ukraine war have shown increased momentum on this front—and crucially were backed by Ukraine. They are likely to be the nucleus for a peace agreement based on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensk*'s much-touted < wipes tears > ten-point peace plan.
[...]
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi pays unannounced visit to Kyiv, 9 Sep
Russia in isolation following G20 Summit - Macron, 10 Sep
Ukraine's counteroffensive is difficult, but progress is impressive - Nuland, 10 Sep
Fight against corruption will help Ukraine secure long-term U.S. support - George Bush, 10 Sep
by Cat on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 07:54:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]
This morning in program WNL or Good Morning Netherlands a renewed introduction of former prominent VVD member and defense specialist Han ten Broeke. Now employed by HCSS of Rob de Wijk ... a think tank working on contract with the Dutch government ... rightwing, pro-NATO and pure Atlanticist in capitalism without peace building or policy towards developing nations. Narrow view ...

Apparently HCSS has a contract to set up a recruitment program to fill the job opportunities in the next generation of warriors fighting the red menace from the East.

From an article with interview where he changed from politics to a position with more freedom ar HCSS.

Han ten Broeke's new life: 'Less influence, but more freedom' | January 11, 2020 |

Han ten Broeke was a Member of Parliament for the VVD for twelve years and is now a foreign affairs expert at HCSS. He divides his time between Twente, Iraq and the rest of the world. "I have less influence than in politics, but more freedom," he says in an extensive interview in Tubantia.

Han ten Broeke (50) points to the radar on the Thales site in Hengelo. "Less than fifty meters from here we have eyes and ears on the conflicts of now and in the future. That enormous radar looks straight towards Kaliningrad where the Russians have placed their Iskander missiles."

Security, war and peace, history, international power politics; that fascinates Ten Broeke. "It has kept me busy since I was a child." The VVD member from Ambt Delden was in the House of Representatives for twelve years. There he was foreign spokesperson for the party, chairman of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, and chairman of the Dutch delegation to NATO. This ended abruptly in 2018 when it emerged that he had a 'short-lived, unequal relationship' with a younger faction employee in 2013. Ten Broeke resigned. [her version of events]

Shortly afterwards he received a call from the The Hague Center for Strategic Studies (HCSS). A think tank for national and international security studies. The lesser known brother of the Clingendael Institute. Institutes that regularly advise Dutch governments. "As chairman of the Parliamentary Defense Committee, I not only wanted to hear Clingendael, but I often asked HCSS. It is good to ask several experts."

An office was ready for Ten Broeke at HCSS, where he was happy to join as Director of Political Affairs. "I am now 100 meters from the Binnenhof, just outside the Hague bubble. I still have a lot of contact with the same people. It is an advantage that I have built up an international network. No, it is not surprising that I speak to the same people from a different role. It's not that important what's on my card. I do this because it interests me, it is my hobby and passion."

Difference with the past

But there is certainly a difference. "I had relatively a lot of influence in politics, now much less. I got freedom in return. I don't have to worry about what the coalition thinks about what I say now. My views are the same, but I no longer have to account for them. There are advantages to that, but I became a politician to exert influence. That is now less and more indirect."

With a$$holes like Hans, Rob and Arend Jan Boekestijn.

Han ten Broeke on CVE: "Islam is extremely intolerant to gender inequality."

What a moron ...

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Mon Sep 11th, 2023 at 07:43:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Zelensky Threatens To Terrorize Europe | MofA |

Ukraine's president says in an interview with The Economist. Speaking on the margins of the YES conference, an international pow-wow in Kyiv, he is calm, composed and sombre. At the same setting a year ago, the mood was electric and euphoric; news of Ukrainian forces' success in pushing Russia back from the Kharkiv region was pinging on every smartphone in the room.

This year, the atmosphere is very different. Three months into its counter-offensive, Ukraine has made only modest progress along the all-important southern axis in the Zaporizhia region, where it is trying to sever Vladimir Putin's "land bridge" from Russia to Crimea. The question of how long that will take, or whether it will succeed, weighs on the minds of Western leaders. They still talk the good talk, pledging that they will stand with Ukraine "as long as it takes". But Mr Zelensky, a former television actor with an acute sense of his audience, has detected a change of mood among some of his partners.

[...]

Zelenski goes on to threaten, in rather unthankful fashion, those countries which have delivered aid to Ukraine but may want to cut their losses:

Curtailing aid to Ukraine will only prolong the war, Mr Zelensky argues. And it would create risks for the West in its own backyard. There is no way of predicting how the millions of Ukrainian refugees in European countries would react to their country being abandoned. Ukrainians have generally "behaved well" and are "very grateful" to those who sheltered them. They will not forget that generosity. But it would not be a "good story" for Europe if it were to "drive these people into a corner".

I have seen such threats from low ranking individuals of the fascist Bandera fringe. They spoke of terrorism they would unleash in the West should it end its support for Ukraine. That the Ukrainian president now reinforces such threats shows how deeply he immersed himself in that mindset.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Sep 11th, 2023 at 01:59:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has issued an open threat to the West over potential loss of support against Russian invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky told The Economist in an interview that he senses weakening western support against Russia. The Ukrainian president warned his western partners and supporters of electoral defeats and trouble from Ukrainians living as refugees in host countries if Russia wins the war.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Tue Sep 12th, 2023 at 11:37:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]
New post @TikunOlam ...

Saudi Arabia to Normalize With Israel, Palestinian Authority to Get Billion-Dollar Buyoff

I don't agree with the author ... Palestinian Land is not for sale. The Holy City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount will never be bargained away by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Will Jordan accept more Palestinian refugees? No way! A fantasy born in the brain (?) of Jake the Snake.

Joe in a bad place to believe AIPAC will swing the election 2024 in his favor. Belief in this event is by definition anti-Semitic.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 07:54:53 PM EST
Borders - Sovereignty- UNSC Resolutions ...

At this moment a case of Israeli war crimes in Gaza and West Bank at the ICC in The Hague ... British prosecutor Karim Khan refuses to advance the investigation ... however another case is pending at the highest Court of International Justice (ICJ) in The Hague .. would be problematic for world's leading "democracies".

So Trump-Kushner gave the Golan Heights to Israel ... total madness and illegal ... Donald got his very own illegal outpost. The Wot,d community stayed silent.

    Referring to the telephone conversation held between His Majesty King Mohammed VI .,: and His Excellency President Donald Trump, on 10 December 2020, and to the historic : statements issued on the same day by them, and by His Excellency Prime Minister Benjamin : Netanyahu of the State of Israel, announcing the opening of a new era in the relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Israel.

... the United States gifted the Western Sahara to Morocco.

So it's the turn of Joe Biden to gift the Palestinian Occupied Territories to Israel. And the World stayed silent. Trust of the global community in leadership of the U.S. ⁉️

Ready for the Rules Based Order (RBO) of the Empire.

The KSA will obtain the same Nuclear umbrella as Israel has from the U.S.  ... a blank cheque to attack Iran when either nation feels "threatened". Demolish the Islamic State of Iran ... and Israel is safe. Enduring Wars.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 07:59:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
alias Sáhara Español alias Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

AU55/OAU (2002/1963 FTA): AO, BF, BI, BJ, BW, CD, CF, CG, CI, CM, CV, DJ, DZ, EG, EH, ER, ET, EQ, GA, GH, GM, GN, GQ, GW, KE, KM, LY, LR, LS, MA, MG, ML, MR, MU, MW, MZ, NA, NE, NG, RW, SC, SD, SO, SS, SL, SN, ST, SZ, TG, TD, TN, TZ, UG, ZA, ZM, ZW

since 1984

by Cat on Sun Sep 10th, 2023 at 08:22:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]
We will not backtrack on 'the world is bigger than five' stance - Erdogan | TRT World |

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held bilateral meetings with several leaders who emphasised Türkiye's contributions to global peace during the Group of 20 (G-20) Summit in India's New Delhi.

"Every situation we face reaffirms the validity of our assertion that 'The world is bigger than five,' even if it makes some uncomfortable."

West's unfulfilled promises

Turkish President Erdogan had extensive discussions with his Russian counterpart during his visit to Sochi last week. President Putin expressed dissatisfaction with the West not fulfilling their promises, particularly regarding sending 1 million tons of grain.

President Erdogan announced that in a subsequent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, plans were made to send 1 million tons of grain to impoverished African nations through a collaboration between Qatar, Türkiye, and Russia.

He also mentioned reconsidering this export and proposed increasing the amount to aid the least developed African countries, with Lavrov agreeing to review the proposal with President Putin.

Regarding energy relations, Erdogan mentioned ongoing efforts to deliver Russian gas to Europe through Türkiye and highlighted Türkiye's potential to become a global energy hub, particularly with establishing a physical natural gas hub.

He acknowledged a conflict between the West and Russia-Ukraine, with President Putin citing unfulfilled promises as a reason for disrupting the grain corridor.

'No corridor is complete without Türkiye'

Erdogan said that Türkiye closely monitors developments in all global corridors due to its geostrategic position, saying, "While countries expand trade routes and spheres of influence, we view these projects with the motto "roads are civilisation," hoping they contribute to civilisation, welfare, and peace."

"We believe no corridor is complete without Türkiye, a vital production and trade hub."

Erdogan:

  • Due to our geo location, all trade corridors from East to West must pass through us
  • We're playing vital role in two such corridors, one from China to Europe & another from Gulf to Europe
  • With work from Türkiye, China & UAE, both these corridors will be successful


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Sep 11th, 2023 at 05:13:19 PM EST
Scholz, Macron lack 'autonomy' to be mediators of Ukrainian settlement -- Kremlin | TASS |

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron cannot act as mediators in settling the conflict in Ukraine, since they have lost their autonomy, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"Evidently, both Mr. Macron and Mr. Scholz would like to continue to pretend, at least on the surface, that they can be mediators, but actually, of course, they have essentially lost this chance. For they have lost their autonomy in this entire story," he said in an interview with the Izvestia daily on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

These leaders, according to Peskov, "prefer to align themselves with the decisions that are made in Washington," even if this harms them and their countries. At the same time, he noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has never ruled out the possibility of continuing dialogue with the European leaders."



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Mon Sep 11th, 2023 at 05:37:23 PM EST
Eva Vlaardingerbroek . @EvaVlaar 2 sep.

The fact that #BanTheADL is trending shows how done people are with the "we're labeling everything we don't like as hateful/racist/dangerous/far-right" BS.

People aren't afraid of your intimidation tactics anymore, @JGreenblattADL. Your labels have lost their power.

Elon Musk amplifies call by antisemites to ban the ADL from X | TOI |

Musk's poll question on Saturday, "Perhaps we should run a poll on this?" quoted an endorsement of the trend by a Dutch right-winger. In exchanges in the replies, which are overwhelmingly positive, Musk said the century-old Jewish civil rights group has been "hijacked by the woke mind virus" and says it would be funny if it were sued for defamation.

More ... demons from Holland.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 15th, 2023 at 01:14:51 PM EST
Eva Vlaardingerbroek is a prominent member of a legitimate Dutch political party Forum for Democracy (FvD) run by Thierry Baudet. His party platform is Trump's speeches, acts and events. Baudet simply translates the messages and statements into Dutch. The only difference, Baudet doesn't have a son-in-law named Kushner. Baudet is right-wing, misogynist, pro-Russia, paternalistic, authoritarian and an ugly anti-Semite in disguise.

Eva is a former girlfriend of Thierryand has an affiliation with Nordic tribes, specifically Sweden. I deem Baudet a political clown who will not get traction although he gets support from the upper-class more than the football hooligans voting for Geert Wilders. Hate of the Jewish people runs deep in the Netherlands ... just as xenophobia, Islamophobia and racism is endemic. Rot in Dutch culture and faint nationalism.

Eva Vlaardingerbroek | Reject Globalism: Embrace God | Brussels National Conservatism Conference | Edmund Burke |

Get a dosis of most conspiracy theories ...

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 15th, 2023 at 01:16:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]
And of course the great master of rightwing extremism imported from the United States ...

Far-Right Dutch Political Party Leader Appears on Steve Bannon's Podcast to Push "Great Reset" Conspiracy Theory

Illustrating the growing networking among the global far-right, the leader of the far-right populist political party, the Forum for Democracy International (FvD), was featured on a podcast with US right-wing extremist Steve Bannon According to the FvD tweet, Thierry Baudet used the occasion to promote a conspiracy theory also being promoted by Russian influence operations:

    October 4, 2022 Our party leader, @thierrybaudet, appeared on Steve Bannon's War Room, talking about the success of European populists and his new book on the World Economic Forum and the Great Reset.

An Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) report describes the "Great Reset" conspiracy theory as follows:

    February 2021 The Great Reset is the name of an initiative launched by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in June 2020 that called for "fairer outcomes" and a rethinking of global investment and government expenditure in order to revive the world's economy in light of the catastrophic economic effects of the pandemic. Conspiracy theorists believe this initiative is in fact a plot to destroy capitalism and enact a one world government under the cover of COVID-19.


'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 15th, 2023 at 01:17:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]
See also article by Richard Silverstein ...

Bibi to Meet Musk, Biden

Amidst controversy over Musk's attacks on the ADL Netanyahu, who has praised Musk lavishly, will give him kosher seal of approval

Amidst unfounded attacks on the ADL, which has called out the prevalence of anti-Semitic content on ex-Twitter, Bibi Netanyahu will travel to San Francisco for a meeting with the tech billionaire.

Musk has launched a full-front war against the ADL, claiming that it opposes free speech in calling for the elimination of vicious anti-Semitic content on the platform.  He even falsely blamed the NGO for destroying the platform's ad base, threatening to sue it for the $4-billion in lost revenue. He offered no evidence to support the claim.  The lawsuit seems yet another one of Musk's empty threats designed to intimidate the targets of his wrath.

Progressives have rightly attacked the ADL because of its shameless pandering to its pro-Israel billionaire donors.  The #droptheadl hashtag is a brillinat social media response to its attacks on groups like Black Lives Matter, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Council for Islamic Relations, who it called anti-Israel and/or anti-Semitic.  Rather than fight this scourge, it exploits it in an effort to promote Israeli interests.



'Sapere aude'
by Oui (Oui) on Fri Sep 15th, 2023 at 01:17:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
.

DOJ announces new bribery charges against New Jersey's Sen. Bob Menendez and wife Nadine

Sen. Bob Menendez was charged Friday with secretly aiding the authoritarian regime of Egypt and trying to thwart the criminal prosecution of a friend in exchange for gold bars and cash as prosecutors unsealed a corruption indictment that accuses him of using his foreign affairs influence for personal gain.

The 5 Most Jaw-Dropping Allegations in the Bob Menendez Indictment | New York Magazine.|

Headline British Telegraph: Biden ally 'took gold bar bribes', corruption charge alleges

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez accused of accepting cash and gifts in exchange for giving Egyptian government US military aid information

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Sat Sep 23rd, 2023 at 03:22:40 PM EST


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