What the present moment reveals, once again, is that Western aggression during the “Cold War” was never about destroying socialism, as such. It was about destroying movements and governments in the periphery that sought economic sovereignty. Why? Because economic sovereignty in the periphery threatens capital accumulation in the core.

This remains the primary objective of Western aggression today. And it is the single greatest source of violence, war and instability in the world system.

On February 28, 2022, four days after Russia had attacked into Ukraine, Moscow and Kiev began peace talks.

The Russian attack had aimed to force Kiev to promise neutrality – i.e. not to join NATO. It also aimed to put an end to eight years of neo-NAZI and other militant bombing of the two Russian-speaking provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, promised autonomy under the Minsk Accords of 2014-5 following the US and militant inspired Maidan uprising in 2014.

As Donald Trump, the first US president ever indicted, faces justice [justice is a big word — call it POLITICAL INJUSTICIAL FAKE CHARGES] in a Manhattan courtroom, he is channelling his inner Aaron Burr, the first vice president to be indicted and brought to trial. Burr was not charged with murdering the revered Alexander Hamilton in a duel in New Jersey, but several years later, in 1807, for conspiracy to commit treason. Although disgraced, Burr was acquitted.

Senior fellow at the US Studies Centre and former political staffer

Less than 100 days before the next Olympic Games in Paris, we can clearly feel the excitement and joy gripping the entire country. The capital and its inhabitants are clearly rejoicing in the festivities and never has the word “Olympic events” found such a beautiful resonance with what Parisians are currently going through, who are now enjoying every minute of anticipation of these future great moments.

by H16

US President Joe Biden has implored his supporters to choose “freedom over democracy,” in the latest of a long series of gaffes and verbal blunders. Conservative pundits have viewed the incident as more proof that the 81-year-old is unfit for office.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Thursday, Biden rattled off a string of buzzwords as he asked voters whether they would choose him over former President Donald Trump in November’s presidential election.

“Are you ready to choose unity over division? Dignity over demolition? Truth over lies? Are you ready to choose freedom over democracy? Because that’s America,” he exclaimed. 

Biden’s “freedom over democracy” line drew a mix of laughs and applause from the crowd, and ridicule from conservative pundits and influencers. 

War for sale: How America is cashing in on Ukraine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnSdrjL_QII

Washington Syndrome: Australia’s sovereignty sell-out hidden in plain sight

Australian Defence Force in the decades ahead. As media quibbled about this equipment purchase or that one, former Senator and submariner Rex Patrick explains the sovereignty sell-out hidden in plain sight.

It’s confirmed. All the evidence points to the Defence Minister suffering from Stockholm Syndrome (or more accurately Washington Syndrome), except that he hasn’t just formed a bond with his Defence Department, where he won’t challenge them. He’s swallowed the whole kit and caboodle; adopting Defence lingo and lines as his own.

in our mediocre universe, FOXnews would be naturally wrong and Morning Joe (Screaming Joe Scarborough ENDS His Career Live On MSNBC in a RAGE!!!) “could be” right… 

But we live in the inverted parallel real Joe Biden deceitful fascist world of loony democrats, where FOXnews is a bit more correct and Morning Joe is an explosive banana rotting on the spot… 

Meanwhile Donald Trump has made the Republican base tighten its butt to a certain point — considering Mike Johnson is a traitor to the cause and Mike Pence spruiks rubbish about “unprovoked” in regard to Russia “invading” Yuckraine… Joe Biden has succeeded in turning the Democrats into a party of mental cloacalic tight-arseholes… Is America ready for another four years of this senile unchargeable memory-deficient old kook shuffling the motions from his nappies? 

As is routinely the case with Western-backed wars, the corporate media’s timeline begins at the moment that suits their narrative. We have seen this play out recently, with the attempt to rob the Gaza war of all contexts before October 7, 2023. Similarly, when it comes to Israel’s conflict with Iran, the two have been embroiled in what is referred to as a “shadow war,” the details of which are pretty shocking.

Top secret papers reviewed by The Grayzone reveal Tony Blair demanded strikes on civilian targets in Yugoslavia days before NATO attacked them. While the UK military acknowledged a NATO strike on Hotel Jugoslavia would mean inflicting “some civilian casualties,” it insisted the deaths were “worth the cost.”

KIT KLARENBERG

The legal team representing high-powered insurers Lloyd’s and Arch says that since the Nord Stream explosions were “more likely than not to have been inflicted by… a government,” they have no responsibility to pay for damages to the pipelines. To succeed with that defense, the companies will presumably be compelled to prove, in court, who carried out those attacks. 

WYATT REED — GRAYZONE

British insurers are arguing that they have no obligation to honor their coverage of the Nord Stream pipelines, which were blown up in September 2022, because the unprecedented act of industrial sabotage was likely carried out by a national government.

Australia’s carbon offset scheme costs a lot and captures almost no carbon but provides a fig leaf for continuing emissions. Technology-based Carbon Dioxide Removal is still a distant dream. Distributed energy resources can be the Swiss Army knife of the electricity system.

Australia’s carbon offset scheme exposed as a scam

The House of Representatives held a rare Saturday session to vote on $95 billion in proposed aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with the vote, desperately sought after by the White House, Democrats and neocon Republicans since October, coming after months of efforts by pro-MAGA lawmakers to focus resources on the crisis at the US’ southern border.

The House approved nearly $100 billion in assistance to Washington’s overseas allies, partners and client states on Saturday, with supporters of the aid managing to overcome opposition after a six-month deadlock in the chamber.

The New York Times coverage of the Israeli carnage in Gaza, like that of other mainstream U.S. media, is a disgrace to journalism. 

This assertion should not surprise anyone. U.S. media is driven neither by facts nor morality, but by agendas, calculating and power hunger. 

Ramzy Baroud responds to revelations about The New York Times “guidance” on language about the Israeli mass slaughter in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7.

The humanity of 120 thousand dead and wounded Palestinians because of the Israeli genocide in Gaza is simply not part of that agenda. 

In a dramatic break from his party’s hardline conservative base, US House Speaker MIke Johnson this week praised the country’s deep state, named Russia, China, and Iran as an “axis of evil,” and vowed to put his job on the line to funnel more than $60 billion to Kiev.

For months, Johnson has resisted bringing a $95 billion foreign aid bill to a vote, arguing that neither he nor his fellow Republicans could support such a bill – which would give $14 billion in military aid to Israel and $60 billion to Ukraine – without it being tied to an overhaul of US border security.

However, after a series of recent meetings with US intelligence chiefs, Johnson has changed his tune.