njf

Ray Dalio is making some waves with his post on the current state of China-US relationship:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-i-think-going-1-china-us-relations-2-other-countries-ray-dalio
He is generally quite astute in his assessment of the current state of affairs.  However, there is still a bit of head-in-the-sand type of denial-ism.   The economic war is already in full steam.

How much did he buy the first lady for anyway?  Easier to find her naked on the internet than his taxes!

Here is an interesting article in the Intercept about the Nord Stream saga.  The NYT story about a pro-Ukrainian group is silly in so many aspects.  It is sad that NYT acted as the mouthpiece of the US intelligence agencies.  In the golden days, the Grand Lady published the Pentagon papers.
https://theintercept.com/2023/03/10/nord-stream-pipeline-bombing/

The WP article that I linked was from a book “Rigged: America, Russia, and One Hundred Years of Covert Electoral Interference,” which will be published on June 30, 2020 by Knopf. 
There are a lot more of covert electoral interference than that 1996 Russia case.

I am arriving at this thread too late, and I have no time to read it all. From a quick read, I was left with the need to praise @tassojunior. We have clashed before, and we still disagree on many things, but I respect your braveness to confront alone what seems to be the entire local dwellers. 
I am also warmed at seeing your understanding, tasso, of American self-delusion. 
If you are enjoying the conversation, please do not stop. However, my advice is to move on. It does not matter how many flaws in America you may highlight. The response will always be that others are worse, with no traces of self-examination. 

Here is an interesting article in the Intercept about the Nord Stream saga.  The NYT story about a pro-Ukrainian group is silly in so many aspects.  It is sad that NYT acted as the mouthpiece of the US intelligence agencies.  In the golden days, the Grand Lady published the Pentagon papers.
https://theintercept.com/2023/03/10/nord-stream-pipeline-bombing/

Here is an interesting article in the Intercept about the Nord Stream saga.  The NYT story about a pro-Ukrainian group is silly in so many aspects.  It is sad that NYT acted as the mouthpiece of the US intelligence agencies.  In the golden days, the Grand Lady published the Pentagon papers.
https://theintercept.com/2023/03/10/nord-stream-pipeline-bombing/

Here is his article in Foreign Affairs 
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/07/america-is-too-scared-of-the-multipolar-world/

Here is his article in Foreign Affairs 
https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/03/07/america-is-too-scared-of-the-multipolar-world/

He is paid by some fat cats like all other lobbyists or policy experts :-).  But it is not Russian.  He is affiliated with Quincy Institute, which is funded by George Soros and Charles Koch.  

This is an interesting interview with Lawrence Wilkerson, retired Army Colonel and former Chief of Staff to Colin Powell, about the latest developments in the war in Ukraine.

I certainly hope that Tribe is right. A summary judgment for Dominion will deter future misbehaviors of Murdoch’s propaganda machines.

The exact wording were provided along with the numbers.  It is a single poll so it may or may not be accurate.  But it is done by the Europeans to gain some understanding to why the rest of the world are not joining them to sanction Russia. 

I heard similar argument that "these people didn't enslave the blacks, and people who are no longer alive did that". Is your rainbow flag just a camouflage?

I heard similar argument that "these people didn't enslave the blacks, and people who are no longer alive did that". Is your rainbow flag just a camouflage?

Here is why Biden's foreign policy is worse:
1. Sleep walking toward a nuclear conflict with Russia
The Munich security conference is very active this year.  The Chinese side made an unusual eye-catching statement about an interest in being an mediator between Russia and Ukraine.  That is followed by Blinken's new media blitz with accusations of potential Chinese military aid to Russia. These are worrisome signs of drastic escalation of the Ukraine war in the near future. The Chinese side emphasize that a nuclear war is unacceptable.  It is quite likely that a serious risk of a nuclear conflict motivates them to get involved more. 
2.  The current US-China relationship
I cannot match the thoughtfulness and eloquence of Chas Freeman Jr., a career US diplomat on this subject.  So here is the link to his recent speech:
https://chasfreeman.net/2505-2/
The title of the speech, "U.S. China Policy: A Case of Self-Harm", lays out the problem with Biden's policy clearly.

I happen to disagree on this point.  The relationship between Russian and China is complicated, and the current strategic partnership is truly a response to US policy toward Russia and China.  In other words, it is an arranged marriage with the US as the matchmaker.  Here is a twitter thread that provided a very good analysis of the Chinese positions:

Depends what one means by that. I don't have the statistics, but overall I think traffic there has decreased by a good 3/4 since they took down the politics forum. The website should serve its members, not its moderators. Ignoring this reality will lead to members voting with their feet. 

A lot has happened in the last two days. Chinese side has released a few official documents: 1.  a document stating the "crimes" of the US; 2. a framework on international security.  Wang was in Moscow when Putin gave that speech to pull out the New Start Treaty, and met with him afterward.  He was there to make arrangement for Xi's visit to Moscow later this year. 
The document on the US misdeeds or "crimes" was described in Chinese as "檄文".  There is really no good translation for this word in English.  In Chinese history, it is customary to issue one to state the cause and justification before a war.  So this is a highly worrisome sign of the current state of the US-China relationship.
The another important question is what is the goal of Xi's Moscow visit.  It will only become clear after the visit.
Finally, an end to the war in Ukraine may be coming.  It seems that the Chinese are serious to be a mediator now.  It is in their interests to stop it, and they believe that it will be a major victory for them if they can bring an end to it in their competition with the US.  It has always been a curious thing that Ukrainians are so quite about Chinese fencing sitting on the war, whereas US and Europe countries are more outraged by it.  I can see why Ukrainians are relatively happy with the Chinese position.  For all the talks of limitless friendship between Russia and China, Chinese side will not accept the annexation of Crimea and other parts of eastern Ukraine.  There are probably also promises of financial supports to Ukrainians for rebuilding after the war.   It would be interesting to see if Xi will release his "peace plan" for Ukraine after Wang's Moscow visit as promised.   

I just saw a rare and candid TV interview on German DW News of a former Chinese military strategist.  The guy is part of the Chinese delegation to MSC.  The interviewer is DW corespondent Richard Walker.  You should watch the whole interview and judge the reliability of the Chinese statements yourself.  The essence is that the Chinese have no ambition to challenge the US globally, and they are only interested in exerting influence in the western Pacific (i.e. along the Chinese coast). Their military is still far weaker than the US military to be a realistic competitor for the next 30 years. They disapprove of Putin's invasion of Ukraine but they have to keep a normal relationship with Russia because they share a long border and both are facing threats from the US.  Finally, he is worried about escalations in Ukraine war and the nuclear threat is real.  
Here is the link:
 

I don’t know what’s the plan B is yet. But isn’t that the goal of a primary?
I can tell you what I am looking for. A populist in economics and a moderate on social issues, and an isolationist in international issues. I don’t want fringes on the right or the left. There are some inherent contradictions of what I want. I maybe ask too much lol.

I just saw a rare and candid TV interview on German DW News of a former Chinese military strategist.  The guy is part of the Chinese delegation to MSC.  The interviewer is DW corespondent Richard Walker.  You should watch the whole interview and judge the reliability of the Chinese statements yourself.  The essence is that the Chinese have no ambition to challenge the US globally, and they are only interested in exerting influence in the western Pacific (i.e. along the Chinese coast). Their military is still far weaker than the US military to be a realistic competitor for the next 30 years. They disapprove of Putin's invasion of Ukraine but they have to keep a normal relationship with Russia because they share a long border and both are facing threats from the US.  Finally, he is worried about escalations in Ukraine war and the nuclear threat is real.  
Here is the link:
 

I certainly hope that Tribe is right. A summary judgment for Dominion will deter future misbehaviors of Murdoch’s propaganda machines.

Here is why Biden's foreign policy is worse:
1. Sleep walking toward a nuclear conflict with Russia
The Munich security conference is very active this year.  The Chinese side made an unusual eye-catching statement about an interest in being an mediator between Russia and Ukraine.  That is followed by Blinken's new media blitz with accusations of potential Chinese military aid to Russia. These are worrisome signs of drastic escalation of the Ukraine war in the near future. The Chinese side emphasize that a nuclear war is unacceptable.  It is quite likely that a serious risk of a nuclear conflict motivates them to get involved more. 
2.  The current US-China relationship
I cannot match the thoughtfulness and eloquence of Chas Freeman Jr., a career US diplomat on this subject.  So here is the link to his recent speech:
https://chasfreeman.net/2505-2/
The title of the speech, "U.S. China Policy: A Case of Self-Harm", lays out the problem with Biden's policy clearly.

I certainly hope that Tribe is right. A summary judgment for Dominion will deter future misbehaviors of Murdoch’s propaganda machines.